Snyder's private equity firm, RedZone Capital, led the purchase of the company behind American Bandstand, The American Music Awards, The Golden Globes, The Academy of Country Music Awards and Dick Clark's New Year's Rockin' Eve.

"These are unbelievable, priceless platforms of appointment viewing," Snyder says. "And appointment viewing may mean just television today but could be video streaming, cellphones and iPods in the future. These are one-of-a-kind assets with historic value."

While he doesn't have a specific game plan yet, he envisions opportunities to blend the shows with his other properties, including the 1950s-themed Johnny Rockets restaurant chain. "We feel there's an Americana synergy between Johnny Rockets and American Bandstand and can visualize a video box system in our locations featuring our content," Snyder says.

He says he will digitize the 900 hours of Bandstand to make the operation "new-technology driven." Many uses, however, would require also acquiring rights from musicians who appeared on the show.

Snyder also sees tie-ins with the Six Flags theme park chain; he owns a major stake in that public company (SIX) and is its chairman. Six Flags bought 40% of the equity in the deal for Dick Clark Productions.

For example, the weekly concerts at the parks will be renamed The American Music Awards Thursday Night Concert Series, with other performances to be called American Bandstand Concerts.

"It's a captive audience like no other," says Six Flags CEO Mark Shapiro. "Talk about viral marketing opportunities or sponsorship opportunities. This accelerates and diversifies our growth" in family entertainment.

Dick Clark Productions' new CEO Terry Bateman, who was chief marketing officer for the Redskins, says he's also considering spinoffs of shows including So You Think You Can Dance, which the company co-produces with American Idol's producer, CKX-owned 19 Entertainment.

Bateman met with Clark, 77, on Monday, and says that the TV host once known as America's Oldest Teenager "totally endorses this transaction" and agreed to continue to co-host the New Year's Eve show with Idol's Ryan Seacrest.

Snyder's group bought the company from Mandalay Mosaic Television Group, which had acquired it from firms that took it private for $140 million in 2002.

Snyder also owns interests in radio stations and in actor Tom Cruise's production company.

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Enlarge Fox Allison Holker and Ivan Koumaev strut their stuff last year on So You Think You Can Dance.