For generations, there has been a church-and-state type of vibe regarding sports media personalities and their political leanings. Far too often, the argument has been that the less the audience knows, the better. Networks and radio broadcast corporations have attempted for years to encourage their own employees to understand the audience they serve is filled with a mix of people from different political spectrums. Then you have the examples of Stephen A. Smith and Paul Finebaum from ESPN.
It made headlines yesterday that ESPN SEC Network personality Paul Finebaum is considering a run for a vacant United States Senate seat in Alabama. Finebaum told OutKick’s Clay Travis that he’s been approached about the seat and is weighing his options.
What was even more telling was Finebaum stating—possibly half-heartedly, joking—that ESPN tells their employees not to discuss who they voted for. In an age where transparency has no end, Finebaum and Smith both serve as examples of why more sports media personalities should not fear the walls networks and companies place on them. If you haven’t realized it by now, the age of church and state in sports media is officially over.
Republicans buy sneakers. Democrats buy sneakers. Sports fans buy sneakers. What unites people isn’t the party box they check at the polls—it’s the games, the debates, and the passion that draw them together.
Showcase What Is Great For Everyone
Make no mistake about it: the country is divided. Far too often we find ourselves in places of division, where our leaders on both sides are more concerned with self-value than with the constituencies they represent.
This is a perfect time for sports to be the great unifier it has always aimed to be, by breaking down the walls that prevent individuals from expressing political leanings.
Why? Because while sports media personalities may differ on real-life issues, the uniter is sports and sports discussion. That should be celebrated, but it’s not represented that way.
In the age of transparency, why continue to force (or persuade) talent to hide their leanings?
Finebaum told OutKick that there was a moment in 2019 where he had lined up an interview with then President Donald Trump for his radio program. The interview was scheduled to be taped at The White House surrounding the LSU / Alabama football game that fall.
ESPN killed the interview when Finebaum made them aware of the possibility saying that the network told him there is no mix of politics and sports. Of course, we all remember when Andy Katz would pay a visit annually to The White House to reveal President Barack Obama’s Final Four bracket years earlier. Why the double standard?
Paul Finebaum is respected by most for his decades of covering college football, particularly the SEC. I spoke earlier this year with Finebaum for a feature piece on Barrett Media.
Did I know he was Republican? No.
Did I know he voted for Donald Trump? No.
If I had known either of those facts, would it have changed my perspective on having a conversation with Finebaum? Absolutely not.
However, both notions were revealed in Finebaum’s interview with OutKick. Will there be a loss in viewership? No. Will it affect his listenership to The Paul Finebaum Show? Probably not.
Suppression Is Outdated
In his conversation with OutKick, Finebaum called the exchange with Travis “cathartic” because he had said some things in the interview that he hadn’t intended to say. Should anyone feel cathartic when simply having a conversation about personal beliefs or stances? That would mean a person had felt suppressed or prevented from expression—that they felt they couldn’t explain how they felt or what they thought about a certain issue.
No one would want that feeling.
Finebaum and Stephen A. Smith embody this shift. Neither man hides from who he is, and neither has lost his platform because of it. If anything, authenticity has made them stronger
Sports and politics are no longer oil and water. They’re Kool-Aid. The two mix more today than at any time in our history. It no longer matters if it’s a good or bad thing—there’s no escaping it.
If players, franchises, and leagues can break down the walls of restriction, there’s no reason why networks, companies, and talent can’t either. The muzzle no longer fits, and the time we live in demands it.
Don’t get it twisted. It doesn’t mean that networks should turn College GameDay into Meet the Press. It also doesn’t mean that ESPN’s massive social media apparatus should be sharing election results in November.
It does mean talent should be free to show their whole selves without fearing punishment. Finebaum can be a Republican. Smith can be an Independent. Both can still break down NIL legislation or debate the NBA’s international relationships. Viewers are smart enough to separate political leanings from sports expertise.
Why It Works
Dana White offers a playbook that networks and media companies can learn from.
“I’m a big believer in free speech,” said Dana White during a 60 Minutes interview on Sunday night. “I hate it [cancel culture], on both sides.”
White runs a $15 billion sports league with a diverse roster of competitors from all walks of life and political leanings. He just signed two multi-billion-dollar media rights deals with Paramount for the UFC and Zuffa Boxing.
Is business bad for White because of his allowance of freedom of expression?
Are media companies shying away from coverage of either the UFC or Zuffa Boxing because of political leanings?
His business thrives not because of silence, but because his product delivers while his people speak freely. It helps with connection, engagement, and overall interest. Isn’t that what every media outlet wants?
The single biggest issue our nation faces is the inability to converse with one another. More people than ever before are finding silence is best when it comes to conversations with people of different political leanings than themselves.
Why should networks and media companies not embrace the diversity of their own talent and showcase how people can come together—how people of different leanings can speak to one another?
Finebaum himself spelled it out in that interview: “I am a registered Republican.” Did it change his credibility? His ratings? His voice on college football? No. And it won’t.
Networks would do well to remember that. Suppression doesn’t build loyalty. Authenticity does.
Let talent speak. Let the audience decide. And let sports continue to be the bridge.
Barrett Media produces daily content on the music, news, and sports media industries. To stay updated, sign up for our newsletters and get the latest information delivered straight to your inbox.
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.
