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.'
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