ESPN has reportedly paused contract talks with Troy Aikman until after Super Bowl LXI. According to reporting by Andrew Marchand in The Athletic, ESPN likely has lost interest because executives feel there is more depth in the market away from Aikman.
What We Know: ESPN signed Aikman and Buck away from FOX Sports in 2022 for a combined $165 million over five years. Aikman received $90 million, while Buck got $75 million. However, Buck quietly signed a six-year, $108 million extension this spring without he nor ESPN telling Aikman. Then, according to The Athletic, the pair had a heated booth argument on October 12 at SoFi Stadium following a reported one-hour conversation with Aikman and ESPN President Jimmy Pitaro. Aikman reportedly confirmed that he could indeed continue to work with Buck despite the tension between the two.
What’s At Stake: Joe Buck and Troy Aikman are the NFL’s longest running broadcast tandem. Now, with Buck secured for many years ahead, Aikman has begun publicly discussing his future without ESPN in interviews and podcasts. According to Puck Media, Aikman’s camp began their extension talks at a rate around $30 million per season. A leap from his current $18 million per season. ESPN then said they would wait on any further talks till after the Super Bowl. Yet still re-signed Buck to his new deal with additional money. Following Buck’s 18% raise per season, Aikman’s camp offered the same but ESPN reportedly declined.
What Remains Unclear: ESPN, Aikman, Buck, Pitaro, and head of content Burke Magnus all declined to speak with Marchand and The Athletic. If ESPN feels there’s more depth in the market, who they will likely target remains unknown. It also remains to be seen if Aikman and Buck can continue to co-exist through their tensions this season.
What It Means: ESPN has effectively chosen Buck over Aikman. Nevertheless, the duo will still call Super Bowl LXI together on February 14 as of now. As a result, ESPN’s biggest broadcast may also mark the end of a 25-year partnership. However, moving forward it remains to be seen how ESPN will handle the split following the Super Bowl. Or if the network addresses it prior to the network’s first presentation of the Super Bowl. Rumor and speculation continue to surround this off the broadcast matter. The longer ESPN waits to address it with any semblance of a resolution it could overshadow the single biggest broadcast in network history.
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