All articles tagged with #sports media
Olympic gold medalist Mikaela Shiffrin wrote a heartfelt public note to Washington Post journalist Barry Svrluga, praising his coverage as WaPo trims its sports section, and wishing him well as he moves on to the next chapter of his career.
The NBA All-Star Game drew 8.8 million viewers, up 87% from last year and the best audience in 15 years, helped by a competitive USA vs. World format and NBC's scheduling after figure skating. While some critics say lead-ins inflated the numbers, the piece argues the improvement is legitimate and a win for players, the league, and fans.
ESPN’s purchase of NFL Network has been approved, with plans to keep NFL Network as a separate brand while blending top talent from both networks to create new synergies; a major change will be removing Monday Night Football doubleheaders in favor of a single MNF game per week with a scheduled lineup on NFL Network. The digest also covers NBC’s Sunday Night Basketball debut, a Black History Month post omission controversy, Marshawn Lynch on Bill Maher’s podcast, Puka Nacua’s throwback social post, and a preview of this week’s SI Media With Jimmy Traina podcast with Bryan Curtis and Sal Licata.
The NFL and ESPN have closed the sale of NFL Network and other NFL Media assets to ESPN after government approval, with ESPN set to operate NFL Network and gain rights to RedZone, while the NFL takes a 10% stake in ESPN. The deal includes merging the NFL.com fantasy project with ESPN.com and begins integration of NFL staff in the coming months, signaling a potential boost to ESPN’s upcoming TV packages and expanded NFL programming with a closing target of Aug. 1.
Tom Brady has shown marked improvement as Fox’s lead NFL analyst, delivering sharper on-air insights (like the shoulder plane) and showing comfort in his role. However, the piece argues he still lags in strategic discussion, citing two missed opportunities in the Rams–Seahawks game (go-for-two timing and late fourth-down/field-goal decisions) where a deeper strategic analysis—something a former analyst like Greg Olsen would likely provide—could have enhanced the broadcast. The article then rounds up related sports-media notes, including an SNL spoof of Buck and Aikman, various NFL graphics, Evan Washburn’s hatless-on-icy day accuracy, Charles Barkley’s ESPN return, and a SI Media interview with Scott Van Pelt.
CBS’s AFC Championship broadcast by Jim Nantz and Tony Romo was largely unremarkable—a modest improvement over their recent missteps—featuring moments of back-slapping rather than deep analysis and a confusing sequence on a pivotal fumble/grounding call with Gene Steratore. With Romo’s hefty contract looming and reports that CBS might promote Ian Eagle and J.J. Watt to the No. 1 booth, the network faces a strategic question as NBC and ABC/ESPN offer stronger future options. Sunday’s performance wasn’t great, but it wasn’t disastrous—a quiet win for CBS amid high scrutiny.
Joe Buck publicly defends Al Michaels against season-long criticism of his Thursday Night Football commentary, saying he’s a fan and that Michaels remains phenomenal. Michaels plans to return for the 2026 TNF season amid fan backlash over his energy, while Buck recalls his own past scrutiny and notes their strong friendship, arguing the criticism of Michaels isn’t fair or accurate.
NFL coach Mike Tomlin could pivot to television and be a sought-after studio analyst. Fox is the frontrunner to hire him for its Fox NFL Sunday after Jimmy Johnson’s retirement, with ESPN, NBC, CBS and Amazon Prime Video also eyeing him. There are no immediate openings that would pay Romo/Aikman-level salaries, but Tomlin could still command multi-million offers and wait for the right coaching job or a TV career.
Fanatics and OBB Media are launching Fanatics Studios, a joint-venture media and entertainment studio to create, produce and distribute films, documentaries, live events and digital series centered on sports and culture, with projects for ESPN, WWE and MLB and a flagship slate tied to the 2028 Los Angeles Olympics; led by OBB’s Michael Ratner, the venture is expected to generate nine-figure revenue in its first year as part of Fanatics’ broader sports platform expansion.
Romo’s shaky Wild Card showing sparks talk of a top-booth refresh at CBS, with Ian Eagle and J.J. Watt rising as preferred successors. The piece notes Romo’s contract and Nantz’s stature complicating a demotion, while outlining potential paths—demote Romo, pair Eagle with Nantz, or move Romo to studio—ahead of Super Bowl LXII.”
The article highlights the major achievements and changes in sports media in 2025, including Ernie Johnson being named Sports Media Person of the Year, significant dealmaking like the UFC and WWE rights, Netflix's rise in sports broadcasting, and ongoing rivalries and battles in sports streaming and broadcasting rights.
Dallas Wings star Paige Bueckers won the 2025 WNBA Rookie of the Year award and publicly revealed her relationship with former teammate Azzi Fudd, sparking reactions from sports media, notably ESPN analyst Elle Duncan's comment about Bueckers' girlfriend.
Molly Qerim, a prominent ESPN personality and host of 'First Take,' has announced her departure from the show and ESPN, expressing gratitude for her time and hinting at future opportunities. Her departure marks the end of a decade-long tenure, during which she was a respected and integral part of the program.
Molly Qerim, the host of ESPN's First Take for the past decade, announced her departure from the show and ESPN at the end of the year, expressing gratitude for her time on the program but not revealing her next career move.
WWE's premium live events will air on ESPN earlier than planned under a new five-year deal, John Wall joins Prime Video as an NBA analyst, LIV Golf revokes a media credential after a podcast interview, and there are notable updates in sports media including Versant, ESPN Chicago, Yahoo Sports, and TOGETHXR.