New York Times bestselling author Jeff Pearlman is taking ESPN to task, calling out the network for blurring the line between journalism and sports gambling promotion. In a TikTok video posted over the weekend, Pearlman reacted strongly to a story published on ESPN.com about Indiana quarterback Fernando Mendoza. Following Indiana’s 20-15 win over Iowa, Mendoza quipped that he may have “cooked people’s spreads” after intentionally running backward for a late-game safety on the game’s final play.
The ESPN story initially framed Mendoza’s comment as lighthearted. But the article quickly shifted to note that Indiana closed as an 8.5-point favorite at ESPN BET. The inclusion of the network’s sportsbook reference struck Pearlman as a troubling example of a company leveraging its news coverage to directly promote its gambling product.
“You’re advertising your own gambling app in a story about a warped moment for a football player who made an off-the-cuff comment about gambling. You’re literally advertising your gambling site, ESPN. Think how fu***d up that is,” Pearlman said. “You couldn’t even have a story about an Indiana quarterback joking about fu***ng up spreads without putting your own app in there. That is insane.”
Pearlman, known for bestselling books on sports figures ranging from Walter Payton to the Showtime-era Lakers, did not mince words in his criticism. He argued that ESPN’s role has shifted from reporting on sports to actively encouraging gambling behavior, with potentially damaging consequences for fans.
“Think how in bed with gambling ESPN is,” Pearlman said. “Not that long ago, you wouldn’t even go near it. And now ESPN is owning it, embracing it, and owning people’s gambling addictions. Every kid who secretly downloads the app and bets on games — ESPN is at the forefront of that.”
Sports gambling has become a rapidly expanding business across the U.S. since the Supreme Court overturned the federal ban in 2018. Media companies have rushed to partner with sportsbooks, and ESPN formally entered the space last year by launching ESPN Bet in collaboration with Penn Entertainment.
Still, Pearlman’s comments reflect a growing unease over how deeply the industry has embedded itself into sports media. For him, the Mendoza example was not just a harmless mention but a clear indication of compromised editorial judgment.
“That is journalistic judgment that does not exist,” Pearlman said. “That is pathetic.”
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