Chris Berman doesn’t see a 10% ownership stake as a muzzle. During an appearance on the CNBC Sport Podcast with Alex Sherman, the longtime ESPN anchor addressed concerns surrounding the NFL’s acquisition of a minority stake in the network, pushing back on the idea that the league’s investment will dictate coverage or soften criticism.
“Ten percent, what does that mean?” Berman said. “I don’t think the NFL — OK, if we’re gonna own 10%, here’s the handbook. Here’s the three pages that thou shalt not, and then thou shalt. I don’t think that happens. If it did, I’d be really disappointed in the league as much as I am our place for agreeing. But that’s not the way it goes.”
While the optics of the NFL owning part of a major media rights partner have sparked debate, Berman suggested the concern is more theoretical than practical.
ESPN has long maintained a close business relationship with the league through Monday Night Football and expansive studio and digital coverage, and Berman indicated that a minority equity position does not automatically change the editorial mission inside Bristol.
“The lines have been blurred,” he said. “In a lot of ways this is an obvious whoh! The NFL owns ESPN by 10%. I don’t think that has a stake at all. I’m not saying it’s a bad question. Let’s see how it goes. Over two years, all of a sudden, we can’t say he dropped the ball? I’m kidding, right?”
Berman joked about altering language to avoid saying a player “fumbled,” underscoring what he believes would be an absurd level of interference.
“No, I don’t think so,” he added. “I’d be shocked if it was any dictation in that way.”
His comments reflect confidence that ESPN’s credibility remains intact even as media companies and leagues grow more intertwined financially. For Berman, the proof will be in the day-to-day coverage, not in speculation about hypothetical guardrails.
The conversation also turned to the league’s long-discussed 18-game regular season and why it has yet to materialize. Berman pointed to the January 2023 cardiac arrest suffered by Buffalo Bills safety Damar Hamlin as a pivotal moment in the public discourse around player safety and league expansion.
“I don’t know this for a fact,” Berman said. “We might have seen it [18-game regular season schedule] by now if Damar Hamlin [doesn’t happen]. There was a quiet down point, because they were talking.”
He noted that any schedule expansion would require extended negotiations with the NFL Players Association, particularly with the current collective bargaining agreement running through 2030 or 2031. Owners may see additional inventory and revenue, but the league must also weigh player health, public perception and long-term labor stability.
“None of those things get accomplished unless you have three or four years of ‘we gotta get the players. Let’s redo our deal,’” Berman said, adding that the optics of pushing for more games amid a player health crisis moment would have not been good for the league.
“After that, the public outcry. You want them to play more games? The NFL is not blind, those optics would have been horrible,” said Berman.
For now, Berman appears confident on both fronts: that ESPN’s journalism will stand on its own and that the NFL will move cautiously when it comes to adding more wear and tear to its players.
Barrett Media produces daily content on the music, news, and sports media industries. Sign up for our newsletters to stay updated and get the latest information right in your inbox.
