INSIDER
Your own personalized 'SportsCenter'? ESPN working on that for upcoming streaming service
Read full article: Your own personalized 'SportsCenter'? ESPN working on that for upcoming streaming serviceSports fans may be able to click on a personalized version of the “SportsCenter” highlights show, developed with the help of artificial intelligence, as soon as next year on a new streaming service that is in the works at ESPN.
Chris Mortensen, an award-winning ESPN reporter who covered the NFL, dies at 72
Read full article: Chris Mortensen, an award-winning ESPN reporter who covered the NFL, dies at 72Chris Mortensen, the award-winning journalist who covered the NFL for close to four decades, including 32 as a senior analyst at ESPN, died Sunday morning.
NCAA agrees to $920 million, 8-year deal with ESPN for women's March Madness, 39 other championships
Read full article: NCAA agrees to $920 million, 8-year deal with ESPN for women's March Madness, 39 other championshipsThe NCAA and ESPN have agreed to a $920 million, eight-year deal that will give the network exclusive rights to 40 championships, including the Division I women’s basketball tournament.
ESPN strikes $1.5B deal to jump into sports betting with Penn Entertainment
Read full article: ESPN strikes $1.5B deal to jump into sports betting with Penn EntertainmentDisney-owned ESPN has licensed its brand for use in a sports betting app, striking a deal in which it will receive $1.5 billion and other considerations from Penn Entertainment.
ESPN considers adding sports leagues as partners as it transitions from cable to digital
Read full article: ESPN considers adding sports leagues as partners as it transitions from cable to digitalESPN chairman Jimmy Pitaro says the network could take on a sports league as a minority partner as the network continues its transition from a cable channel to a digital company.
Networks realize draft drama without frills sometimes best
Read full article: Networks realize draft drama without frills sometimes bestProducer Charlie Yook and NFL Network didn’t have their own draft broadcast last year, but he was able to glean a couple of things from last year’s joint effort with ESPN.
ESPN, NHL announce comprehensive 7-year agreement
Read full article: ESPN, NHL announce comprehensive 7-year agreementPlayers stand on the ice during the playing of the national anthem before an NHL hockey game between the Detroit Red Wings and the Tampa Bay Lightning Tuesday, March 9, 2021, in Detroit. The NHL and ESPN are together again after announcing a seven-year agreement that also includes extensive streaming rights. “This is a win, win, win. ESPN will produce 75 national games per season that will stream exclusively on both ESPN+ and Hulu. Disney owns two-thirds of Hulu and has been offering packages that include Hulu, ESPN+ and Disney+.
Longtime ESPN baseball correspondent Pedro Gomez dies at 58
Read full article: Longtime ESPN baseball correspondent Pedro Gomez dies at 58Spencer Green, File)Pedro Gomez, a longtime baseball correspondent for ESPN who covered more than 25 World Series, has died. He was a Dad, loving husband, loyal friend, coach and mentor,” the Gomez family added. He was a correspondent on ESPN's “SportsCenter,” “Baseball Tonight” and additional shows, including the network's “Wednesday Night Baseball” package. “We are shocked and saddened to learn that our friend and colleague Pedro Gomez has passed away,” ESPN chairman Jimmy Pitaro said in a statement on Twitter and the network's public relations page. “More than an elite journalist, Pedro Gomez was a good and decent man, so proud of his family, and his heritage,” said former “SportsCenter” anchor Bob Ley.
SEC on ABC: ESPN to be exclusive TV home, starting 2024
Read full article: SEC on ABC: ESPN to be exclusive TV home, starting 2024The deal makes ESPN the exclusive media rights holder of SEC football and men's basketball, and will end the conference's relationship with CBS after three decades. “So that’s a point of consistency.”The SEC football championship game will also air on ABC. The SEC and ESPN are already in the midst of a 20-year deal that includes a partnership on the SEC Network. For the first time, SEC games will be available for ABC's Saturday Night prime-time slot, too. "So Saturday night, prime time on ABC is the highest profile window, the biggest stage in terms of college football.
ESPN announces 300 layoffs, citing 'disruption' amid virus
Read full article: ESPN announces 300 layoffs, citing 'disruption' amid virusFILE This Aug. 13, 2020 file photo shows a logo for ESPN on a remote control, in Portland, Ore. (AP Photo/Jenny Kane, FIle)ESPN announced Thursday it is eliminating about 500 jobs worldwide, including about 300 through layoffs. “We have, however, reached an inflection point.”In addition to the layoffs, the company is planning to leave about 200 vacant positions unfilled. The company said it has more than 5,000 employees, including about 4,000 in Bristol. The Disney subsidiary has recently been moving toward more direct-to-consumer offerings, including its ESPN+, a streaming service that has grown to about 8.5 million subscribers.
Par 3 Contest out, ‘College GameDay’ in at different Masters
Read full article: Par 3 Contest out, ‘College GameDay’ in at different MastersESPN's College GameDay is in. Augusta National announced Tuesday, Oct. 27, 2020, more changes to a Masters tournament that will be unlike any of the previous 83. ESPN's “College GameDay” is in. Augusta National announced Tuesday more changes to a Masters tournament that will be unlike any of the previous 83. The most notable was in 2017 when “College GameDay” was held in Times Square.
Former athletes, sports shows take lead on social justice
Read full article: Former athletes, sports shows take lead on social justiceFormer athletes have a pipeline to advance into sports media as commentators, and many popular shows feature a Black man or woman as a host. Instead, it turned into a forum for players to express their feelings about racial and social issues after practice was canceled. Brown added that athletes who speak out need to be articulate, informed and mindful that their words have staying power. For Rose, the era of athletes sticking to sports is over in part because President Donald Trump hasnt been shy about criticizing NBA and NFL players who disagree with him. If hes acknowledging NFL players who are kneeling and he says, They deserve to be fired, that now becomes a sports topic.
Kaepernick, ESPN team up for documentary series on his life
Read full article: Kaepernick, ESPN team up for documentary series on his lifeColin Kaepernick will be featured in a documentary series produced by ESPN Films as part of a first-look deal with The Walt Disney Co. The deal between Kaepernicks production arm, Ra Vision Media, and The Walt Disney Co. was announced Monday. The partnership will focus on telling scripted and unscripted stories that explore race, social injustice and the quest for equity. His deal with The Walt Disney Co. will extend across all Disney platforms, including Walt Disney Television, ESPN, Hulu, Pixar and The Undefeated. Developing exceptional storytelling told through a wide array of voices is at the core of who we are at ESPN, ESPN President Jimmy Pitaro said.