Why do people fear ESPN? Recently, I’ve been struck by the amount of fear from those in sports media and sports fans that the “Worldwide Leader” will somehow “ruin” their favorite programs. Somehow, with Inside the NBA moving to ESPN next season, the network will find a way to diminish what makes that program special. ESPN will find a way to “ruin” NFL RedZone from what the NFL Network and Scott Hanson have built into a fan favorite.
I don’t understand why those who share this fear of the four-letter network getting its grubby hands on these proven entities believe it will change the way we perceive or consume them. What examples prove this fear valid? What case study can you provide that points to an instance of ESPN “ruining” a program beloved by millions?
Or is this fear built from bias? This skepticism sounds to be rooted more in bias than reality. ESPN has built a massive platform—one that is more mainstream, more adaptive, and more forward-thinking than most of its competitors. The criticism of its reach and influence often comes from those who don’t have the same megaphone and resent the disparity.
Make no mistake about it: the sports media industry is changing. Programs and shows can build audiences outside of the traditional network television model that has been around for generations. More network television talent are seeking opportunities to work into their deals the freedom to build those audiences beyond their employer. See what Stephen A. Smith wrote into his new $100 million offer.
The game is changing, and the networks are changing with it—with ESPN at the center of it.
False Narratives of Ruin
When The Pat McAfee Show signed a licensing deal with ESPN in 2023, the fear was that the network would “ruin” the wildly popular internet-streamed program. Has it?
The Pat McAfee Show is now the beacon of what all content creators aspire to become: work hard, build a following, take risks, and hope network television takes notice. The age of needing a network television agreement to be successful as talent is over. Now, networks need built-in talent with a built-in audience to build a successful network.
Has ESPN “ruined” McAfee’s product? Hardly.
In fact, the partnership has elevated the program—gaining access to ESPN’s partners, exclusive interviews that air only on ESPN, and giving McAfee and his crew a massive plot of real estate to continually grow their audience. The next agreement will be harder for ESPN to sign, not McAfee.
Has McAfee had to adapt his show to a programming clock where ESPN sells ad inventory in the first two hours of the program? Sure. But has it “ruined” it? Not even close.
Inside the NBA Moving To ESPN
I saw the same outcry when TNT Sports licensed Inside the NBA to ESPN and Disney as part of a settlement with the NBA. TNT Sports will still shoot, produce, and house the program in the same Atlanta studios. On its face, it’s a very similar deal to what ESPN has done with McAfee.
However, the number of concerned people—including some Inside the NBA talent—who believe ESPN will somehow “ruin” a program that has won nineteen Sports Emmy Awards is laughable.
Charles Barkley shared his concern with Barstool Sports’ Pardon My Take podcast recently:
“It’s going to be interesting. It’s going to be different but that’s the bad thing about it. We don’t know how different it’s going to be,” said Barkley. “The number one time on our show is after the game. We get 45 minutes to shoot the s**t. Are we going to do get to do that or will they say we have to get to SportsCenter?”
When did questions about things that haven’t even been determined yet immediately lead to fears of ESPN “ruining” a program? There’s no basis for it.
ESPN Will Not Ruin NFL Product
With the recent news of the NFL handing over the NFL Network and NFL RedZone to ESPN as part of the league’s acquisition of a 10% stake in the media company, the same fears resurfaced.
Will Scott Hanson continue as host of NFL RedZone?
Will ESPN begin airing advertisements during NFL RedZone?
Will ESPN insert its own network talent into NFL RedZone?
Will ESPN influence Good Morning Football so it can’t compete with Get Up?
The difference between McAfee, Inside the NBA, and what’s going to happen (pending regulatory approvals) with the NFL Network and NFL RedZone is that ESPN will own and operate the NFL Media properties, compared to just licensing the other two.
Could there be some concern? Sure. But it’s not fully warranted. There is no evidence to suggest that ESPN will “ruin” what the NFL has built with NFL RedZone.
Will it look different with the ESPN logo on it? Of course—they’ll want their branding on it.
Could it include commercials in the broadcast? ESPN wants to make money on their product. But will it be as intrusive as people believe? I’d be willing to bet probably not.
I fully expect ESPN to be very involved in other NFL Network programming, because there was a reason the league was trying to find a buyer. The league couldn’t maintain it at the standard viewers now expect compared to what ESPN provides.
Hence why the trade was made: “You build onto what we launched, and we’ll show our belief in you by investing in your media company.”
That’s not “ruining” anything. That’s just smart business.
ESPN has no record of “ruining” programs it acquires. If anything, the sports media space should be watching and learning, not panicking. ESPN continues to adapt and evolve while bringing others along for the ride. That’s not “ruining” anything.
That’s just good business.
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John Mamola is Barrett Media’s sports editor and daily sports columnist. He brings over two decades of experience (Chicago, Tampa/St Petersburg) in the broadcast industry with expertise in brand management, sales, promotions, producing, imaging, hosting, talent coaching, talent development, web development, social media strategy and design, video production, creative writing, partnership building, communication/networking with a long track record of growth and success. He is a five-time recognized top 20 program director in a major market via Barrett Medi’s Top 20 series and has been honored internally multiple times as station/brand of the year (Tampa, FL) and employee of the month (Tampa, FL) by iHeartMedia. Connect with John by email at John@BarrettMedia.com.
