NFL: Broadcast Partners Had ‘No Hesitation’ Loading Lions with Primetime Games
The NFL awarded the Detroit Lions eight national television windows for the 2026 season, including four primetime games, despite the team finishing last in its division last year. Lions senior vice president of broadcasting Mike North said broadcast partners showed no hesitation because the franchise remains a top ratings draw. In 2024 the Lions averaged 22.6 million viewers per game, surpassing the Dallas Cowboys. The schedule features high‑profile matchups across all major networks and a flexible late‑season slot policy.
NFL Defends Spreading Games Across More Days, Cites Strong Viewership Data
The NFL’s 2026 schedule spreads games across more days, debuting a Wednesday opener, a Thanksgiving‑Eve matchup, additional international contests and extra standalone windows later in the season. Executives cite a 10% viewership increase last year—the strongest numbers since 1989—to justify...
Pablo Torre: Fox Is the ‘Little Guy’ in NFL Rights Battle
Fox Sports, the smallest bidder for the next NFL media‑rights package, is confronting a stark financial gap versus tech behemoths Amazon, Google and Netflix. Rupert Murdoch’s recent meeting with former President Donald Trump aims to pressure the league and regulators...
USA Network Debuts New Free-Throw Graphic for WNBA Broadcasts
USA Network introduced a new free‑throw graphic for its WNBA broadcasts, embedding miniature orange‑and‑white ball icons into the scorebug. The icons light up when a player makes a shot, turning from gray to the league’s signature orange. The feature, highlighted...
Doc Emrick Recalls Barry Melrose as ‘Least Predictable’ Broadcast Partner
Doc Emrick appeared on the Awful Announcing podcast and described Barry Melrose as the least predictable broadcast partner of his 50‑year career. He recalled Melrose’s off‑the‑cuff humor, lore‑laden anecdotes, and coaching insights during ABC’s NHL coverage in the late 1990s....
Bomani Jones: Criticism of ‘First Take’ Often Becomes Criticism of Its Audience
Bomani Jones defended ESPN's *First Take* after Skip Bayless returned, arguing that criticism of the show often morphs into criticism of its largely Black daytime audience. He noted that while the program draws ire for its confrontational style, it remains...
Don’t Blink: LIV Golf Broadcast Appears to Miss Jon Rahm Albatross
LIV Golf’s broadcast missed Jon Rahm’s albatross on the Par‑5 17th at Trump National, a rare feat that was omitted from both Fox Sports and the league’s streaming app. The shot would have been the fifth albatross in LIV history...
Richard Jefferson Out with an Illness for Knicks-76ers Game 4 on ABC
ESPN analyst Richard Jefferson was sidelined by illness for Game 4 of the Knicks‑76ers Eastern Conference semifinals, leaving Mike Breen and Tim Legler to call the matchup alone. The change came as the network’s newly formed trio—Breen, Legler and Jefferson—enters...
Atlanta Dream Partners with Victory+ to Stream All Locally Broadcast Games for Free
The Atlanta Dream has partnered with Victory+, a free ad‑supported streaming platform, to broadcast every locally televised game live and on‑demand. The service complements the team’s existing deal with Atlanta News First, giving fans the option to watch via connected...
Nashville SC None Too Pleased After Pickleball Bumps Club to FS2
Nashville SC’s Saturday night MLS match was shifted from Fox Sports 1 to Fox Sports 2 after the Professional Pickleball Association Tour Finals ran over schedule. FS2’s reach—about 49 million homes versus FS1’s 68 million—means a smaller audience saw the game on...
Donald Trump Claims NFL Fans Are Paying ‘$1,000 a Game’ to Watch Football
The U.S. Department of Justice opened an antitrust investigation into the NFL’s growing reliance on streaming‑only game packages, questioning whether the league’s exemption under the 1961 Sports Broadcasting Act still applies. President Donald Trump, appearing on Full Measure, mistakenly claimed...
Laura Rutledge, Ryan Clark Reveal ‘NFL Live’ No Longer Does Production Meetings
ESPN’s daily studio program NFL Live has stopped holding traditional production meetings, according to co‑host Ryan Clark on The Pivot podcast. The cast—Laura Rutledge, Dan Orlovsky, Mina Kimes, Marcus Spears, Peter Schrager and Clark—now relies on their strong off‑air rapport...
Cardinals-Padres Series TV Arrangements Annoy MLB Fans
During a four‑game series at Petco Park, the St. Louis Cardinals and San Diego Padres were broadcast on four different platforms: ESPN, Apple TV+, a Fox regional channel, and each team’s local RSN. The staggered start times—ranging from 1:10 p.m. to...
Netflix Reportedly Closing in on Five-Game NFL Package, YouTube Could Wind up with ‘Nothing’
Netflix is reportedly close to securing a five‑game NFL package for the 2026 season, covering two Christmas matchups, the Week 1 Australia game, a Thanksgiving‑Eve contest and a Week 18 Saturday game. The deal would extend Netflix’s growing partnership with the league,...
Saudis Will Not Divest in TKO Partnerships Amid LIV Golf Pullout
Saudi Arabia’s Public Investment Fund confirmed it will maintain its financial commitments to TKO Group, the owner of UFC, WWE and Zuffa Boxing, despite withdrawing funding from LIV Golf after the 2026 season. TKO President Mark Shapiro reassured investors that...
NBA First-Round Viewership Makes Expected Jump as Broadcast Exposure Pays Dividends
The NBA’s first‑round playoffs averaged 4.0 million viewers, a 22% jump from the prior year and the highest‑rated opening round since 1993. NBC’s new partnership delivered 15 broadcast games that averaged 5.5 million viewers, up 61% year‑over‑year, highlighted by a Game 7 between...
Ted Turner Forever Changed the Way We Consume Sports
In 1976 Ted Turner purchased the Atlanta Braves and, a year later, began broadcasting their games on his fledgling Turner Broadcasting System. By turning the team into a national “superstation” on TBS, he gave fans across the United States regular...
Comcast Concerned About Future of Exclusive NFL Network Games Amid Carriage Dispute
Comcast’s Xfinity has blacked out NFL Network for five days as it renegotiates carriage terms with Disney, the network’s new owner. The dispute centers on Comcast’s demand for a binding guarantee that NFL Network will continue to air at least...
Why Is Skip Bayless Coming Back to ‘First Take’ Now?
Skip Bayless is returning to ESPN's "First Take" for a one‑off episode, a move framed as a friendly reunion but driven by Stephen A. Smith’s newfound control over the show. "First Take" currently dominates sports‑debate television, holding the top TV...
NHL Digital Ad Infiltrates Man’s Skull on ESPN Broadcast
During the third period of the Flyers‑Hurricanes playoff game, ESPN’s digital ad overlay malfunctioned, projecting a rotating board advertisement onto a fan’s head as his shadow blocked the camera. The glitch placed the ad directly over the fan’s skull, creating...
UEFA Secures Global Media Rights Deals Approaching $6B Annually
UEFA is finalizing new broadcast agreements in 19 territories that will deliver roughly $5.9 billion in annual revenue from 2027 to 2031. The deals cover the Champions League, Europa League and Conference League, but exclude the United Kingdom, Italy, France, Germany,...
ESPN ‘Aggressively’ Pursuing Steve Kerr as He Considers Leaving Warriors
Steve Kerr, who led the Golden State Warriors to four championships, is reportedly weighing a departure as his contract expires this spring. ESPN executives have begun an aggressive push to lure him back to television, leveraging his prior experience as...
NBC Earns Most-Watched Kentucky Derby on Record
NBC reported that the 152nd Kentucky Derby attracted an average of 19.6 million viewers, a 12% increase over the previous year and the highest‑rated Derby on record. The race’s peak audience reached 24.4 million during the live quarter‑hour, while Peacock...
Royals Offer Hilarious Endorsement for Foul-Mouthed Closer’s Postgame Interview
Kansas City closer Lucas Erceg let an f‑bomb and s‑bomb slip during his postgame interview after a save against Seattle. Rather than issuing a standard apology, the Royals publicly embraced the profanity, posting a light‑hearted statement that the player “said...
NBA Reveals TV Schedule for Second Round of Playoffs
The NBA unveiled the second‑round playoff schedule, listing tip times and broadcast partners for both conferences. The Western Conference matchups are set—Oklahoma City Thunder vs. Los Angeles Lakers and San Antonio Spurs vs. Minnesota Timberwolves—while the Eastern Conference still awaits...
NBC Debuting New WNBA Marketing Campaign During Kentucky Derby
NBC has locked in a WNBA media rights agreement through 2036, guaranteeing more than 50 regular‑season and first‑round playoff games each season across Peacock, NBC and USA. The partnership kicks off with a May 10 Aces‑Sparks matchup on USA Network, followed...
American Commissioner Tim Pernetti Pushing for Group of Six Playoff with a Twist
American Athletic Conference commissioner Tim Pernetti is championing a new Group of Six playoff that would run on Tuesday and Wednesday of the College Football Playoff (CFP) semifinal week, leaving the existing automatic CFP bid untouched. The standalone tournament would feature the five...
Brandel Chamblee: LIV Golf ‘Heightened’ Saudi Arabia’s Atrocities
Brandel Chamblee told The Dan Patrick Show that LIV Golf’s Saudi‑backed funding will likely end after the 2026 season, leaving the league on the brink of collapse. He argued the tour failed to cleanse Saudi Arabia’s human‑rights reputation, instead highlighting...
Don Garber: MLS Was ‘Way Early’ on Move to Streaming-Exclusive Model
Major League Soccer has eliminated the $100 MLS Season Pass, making every match available to all Apple TV subscribers. Commissioner Don Garber admitted the league was “way early” in adopting an exclusive streaming‑only model. While other top leagues retain broadcast...
Stephen A. Smith Accuses PGA Tour of Forcing Golfers to Join LIV: ‘It Was Their Abuse’
Stephen A. Smith accused the PGA Tour of forcing players to join Saudi‑backed LIV Golf, calling the Tour’s treatment an "abuse" that created the rival league. He urged the PGA to welcome former LIV members back without punishment as LIV’s...
Kyle Brandt on His ESPN Draft Reunion with Peter Schrager: ‘It Was Like Andy and Red on the Beach’
Kyle Brandt, former NFL Network morning‑show co‑host, leveraged the NFL Network‑ESPN merger to secure a Day 3 spot on ESPN’s 2026 draft coverage. He and Peter Schrager reunited on‑air for an unscripted interview with Rams coach Sean McVay, who explained his muted...
DAZN’s ViewLift Move Sets up High-Stakes Battle for Local Rights
DAZN announced a merger with ViewLift, the technology platform behind several U.S. regional sports networks such as Altitude Sports and NESN. The integration gives DAZN the ability to offer teams optional direct‑to‑consumer streaming services or exclusive local‑rights deals paying $8 million...
MLB Directs Cleveland Guardians to Adjust Broadcast Team
Major League Baseball’s Local Media unit has instructed the Cleveland Guardians to rotate their veteran broadcast team, mixing longtime play‑by‑play announcer Matt Underwood and analyst Rick Manning with newer voices such as Al Pawlowski and former catcher Chris Gimenez. The...
NCAA Tournament Taking ‘Final Steps’ Towards Expansion to 76 Teams
The NCAA is in the final stages of expanding both the men’s and women’s basketball tournaments to 76 teams, with the change slated for the 2026-27 season. The new format adds eight play‑in games, meaning the traditional 64‑team field will...
YouTube TV Officially Launching Fully Customizable Multiview
YouTube TV announced the rollout of a fully customizable multiview feature, giving subscribers the ability to arrange any combination of live channels on a single screen. The upgrade removes previous restrictions, notably allowing NFL Sunday Ticket games to be paired...
Disney Will Not Spin Off ESPN, per Report
Disney has decided against spinning off ESPN, keeping the sports network within its portfolio as part of a broader streaming push. CEO Josh D’Amaro dismissed spinoff rumors, emphasizing ESPN’s role in bolstering Disney+ and ESPN+ offerings. While ESPN’s operating income...
Andrew Fillipponi ‘Quits’ 93.7 The Fan Afternoon Show
Andrew Fillipponi, co‑host of 93.7 The Fan’s afternoon drive, announced he was quitting after his long‑running wager – that he would resign if the Steelers drafted Penn State quarterback Drew Allar within 250 days – came true when Allar was...
LIV Golf Reportedly Postpones New Orleans Event Amid Funding Struggles
LIV Golf’s New Orleans tournament, slated for June, is likely being postponed after Saudi Arabia’s sovereign wealth fund pulled its financial support. The league will reimburse Louisiana the $1.2 million already paid for the event, and a new date may be...
Gray Media to Launch First Women’s Sports-Focused RSN in Portland
Gray Media, in partnership with RAJ Sports, is rebranding Portland’s over‑the‑air station KPDX as Rose City SportsNet, a 24/7 regional sports network dedicated to women’s sports. The Portland Fire (WNBA) and Portland Thorns (NWSL) will serve as the flagship teams,...
NBA Commissioner Adam Silver’s Horrible, No Good, Very Bad Season
NBA commissioner Adam Silver’s 2025‑26 season has been marred by a series of public missteps, from backtracking on his knowledge of the Aspiration platform tied to a $28 million alleged salary‑cap circumvention to a delayed response to rampant tanking. The league...
Kyle Brandt Admits He Tried ‘Poach’ ESPN’s Field Yates to Join NFL Network Last Year
ESPN finalized its acquisition of NFL Network on April 1, 2026, bringing both channels under a single corporate umbrella. During the 2026 NFL Draft, ESPN host Kyle Brandt revealed on air that he had tried to poach ESPN analyst Field Yates...
Trey Wingo Apologizes for LIV Golf Misreporting Around Phil Mickelson, Bryson DeChambeau
Former ESPN host Trey Wingo declared LIV Golf “essentially dead” after noting Phil Mickelson and Bryson DeChambeau’s recent absences. Both players were actually dealing with personal health and family matters, not league instability. After LIV golfer Ian Poulter called out...
Mike Greenberg Wants NFL Draft Hosts to Be Able to Call Timeout After Notable Selections
Veteran hosts Rich Eisen, Rece Davis and ESPN’s Mike Greenberg discussed the accelerated pace of the 2026 NFL Draft. Greenberg argued that the tighter schedule leaves broadcasters little time to unpack marquee picks and proposed a “timeout” or “golden buzzer”...
Shorter Pick Clock Backfires as NFL Draft Backup Frustrates Viewers
The NFL trimmed the first‑round draft clock from ten to eight minutes in an effort to keep viewers engaged. By the end of the first round, the televised broadcast lagged nearly ten minutes behind the live action, leaving analysts with...
Prime Video Finalizes WNBA Broadcast Talent Roster for 2026
Amazon’s Prime Video has sealed an 11‑year partnership with the WNBA, expanding its role from occasional games to 31 national broadcasts and key postseason slots through 2036. The streamer unveiled its 2026 on‑air talent, headlined by former star Candace Parker...
How ESPN and NFL Network Ended up with Different Clips of Fernando Mendoza Being Drafted
Fernando Mendoza, the Heisman‑winning quarterback, was selected first overall by the Las Vegas Raiders in the 2026 NFL Draft, but he watched the announcement from his home in Coral Gables. ESPN and NFL Network aired nearly identical footage of Mendoza’s...
Are We Gonna Have to Do This Corny ‘WWE Guy Makes a Scene’ Thing All Year Long Now?
ESPN and WWE continue their $1.6 billion partnership by inserting WWE talent into regular ESPN‑owned programming, most recently when WWE star Seth Rollins stormed off the set of Good Morning Football after a heated exchange about his wife, Becky Lynch. The...
TV and Streaming Viewing Picks for April 24, 2026: How to Watch NFL Draft 2nd Round
The NFL’s 2026 Draft enters its second round on April 24, with live coverage on ESPN/ABC and NFL Network beginning at 7 p.m. Eastern. ESPN Unlimited streams the event alongside the traditional broadcast, while pre‑show programming such as Good Morning Football...
WrestleMania Simulcasts Average 1.7 Million Viewers on ESPN, ESPN2
ESPN aired WWE's WrestleMania 42 on its linear channels, drawing an average of 1.72 million viewers across the Saturday and Sunday simulcasts. Night 1 on ESPN2 peaked at 1.62 million, while Night 2 on ESPN reached 1.82 million, not counting the ESPN Unlimited stream that carried...
WNBA to Air Record 216 National Games This Season, Including All 44 Indiana Fever Games
The WNBA will broadcast a record 216 games this season across seven national partners, including every Indiana Fever matchup. The schedule spreads across ESPN/ABC, CBS, Prime Video, Ion, NBC/Peacock, USA Network, and NBA TV, reflecting the league’s hybrid broadcast‑streaming strategy....