Skip to main content

ESPN The Worldwide Leader of Confusion - An Opinion




The last few days have been spent trying to sort out what in the world I, and millions of others, will be watching on linear TV after the ESPN-NFL and ESPN-WWE deals.  It is a total cluster puck, as we say in hockey.

Will ESPN and NFL Network have duplicate programming most days including a show that is now exclusive to the league network like Good Morning Football, which actually syndicates the program to broadcast stations?   Will ESPN take over the syndication rights?   Will ESPN get that syndie money, less 10%?  And exactly which games are left out with ESPN trading games back over to the NFL and international games coming the other way.  I am flummoxed.

And what about the NFL draft?  Last time, we had NFL Network doing its coverage and ESPN had separate teams doing the show for itself and ABC, with much better talent on the latter, I might add.  Will it end up in a single show threesome?  

The WWE deal is even crazier to figure out.   Iget ESPN on pay cable so first I find out I can watch Wrestlemania and Summer Slam at no additional charge next year.  Then I'm told my cable provider isn't included yet.  So, if a deal isn't done, I will have to wait for clips a day later, because I know one thing, I won't pay extra under any circumstances.   I can usually predict the outcomes of the pre-determined matches before they air after watching shows of all types since I was 8 (what can I say, I was from PIttsburgh and watched Bruno Sammartino).

Not to mention there has been little discussed about how ESPN investigative reporters will ply their trade on negative information about the league.  The boss finally claimed nothing will be off the table.  Really?   How about when ESPN cancelled "Playmakers" after league complaints.   Dan Patrick, ex of The Big Show, and reporter Don Van Natta are already having a war of words over that.   

Mike Florio of Pro Football Talk said it best when he posited that NEITHER of these deals were done with the fans in mind, despite the exhortations of Roger Goodell and Triple H.   I can vouch, because I am losing my mind over this 'Ball of Confusion.'

Comments

Post a Comment

Popular posts from this blog

Rebecca Stevenson has left KOMO

 "I am no longer at Komo 4." Thanks.  Longtime Weather Anchor Rebecca Stevenson confirms that she left the station just before Christmas.  Her last Facebook posts are 12/17.  She has the Seattle station Quintafecta, having worked at the old NWCN, KING, KIRO, KCPQ and KOMO.  Looks like her decision.  Wants a new chapter.   She was doing mainly weekend evenings for KOMO.  Perhaps Stella Sun will move there.   She has been sharing weekend mornings with Theron Zahn.    
19 comments
Read more

Where is Frankie?

Many have missed KIRO 7's weekend PM weather anchor, Frankie Katafias, so I reached out to some of my sources to find an answer.    She is apparently taking a few months of leave, but not known specifically what the reason may be.  Although there is uncertainty, it could be a personal or family matter.   I am told she is expected back at some point in the new year.  She is a great asset to what has become a troubled station.  Meanwhile former KOIN Portland chief met holds down the fort.
11 comments
Read more

Seattle TV Weekender Ends Her Run

  So long to KOMO's longtime weekend morning anchor Lee Stoll who did her final show Saturday.  She previously worked at KIRO7 and KREM2 in Spokane and did a little fill-in for me at the old NWCN.  She's a Northwestern U grad.   Weekend weather sidekick Theron Zahn will likely step right into anchor slot.  Newcomer Stella Sun may also be in the mix.  Zahn bid Lee a final goodbye this morning.  She is not revealing what is next, saying "That's for later." Also, next month Komo News Operations boss Dennis Hanson and longtime Production Tech Rena Mullen are retiring. There's a big Studio C station bash for them and retiring ND Phil Bruce on December 5th.
1 comment
Read more