How important was Kobe Bryant to John Ireland? The voice of the Lakers shares stories of his time working with the Mamba and so much more.
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With ESPN and Warner Bros. Discovery dealing with debts and other television rights deals, the NBA is hoping interest from tech companies can help propel a potential rights fee increase.
According to a report from Sahil Patel of The Information, both Amazon and Google have expressed interest in partnering with the league for its next television deal. Amazon was described as being interested in a deal but had “no intention of overpaying for a high-priced” package with the NBA.
The NBA has reportedly been looking for a deal that would triple its current television deals, putting it in the $50-$75 billion ballpark throughout an upcoming contract.
However, Patel’s report claims television executives have privately shared that the NBA should look to “temper its expectations of how much it can increase the fees, arguing that the economics of the deal prices they’re targeting simply don’t work.”
A streaming-only package is expected to be created for the NBA’s next television deal, which has been the interest of Amazon, YouTube, and potentially Apple. Others have posited that NBC’s Peacock could also be a potential home for the NBA’s streaming-only package. NBC is reported to be preparing an “aggressive bid” for the rights, which it lost in 2002.
Potential suitors will have plenty of time to plot bids for the NBA’s television rights. Its current contract doesn’t expire until after the 2024-2025 season.
Aaron Rodgers joined The Pat McAfee Show for a highly anticipated interview. During the interview, Rodgers revealed he intends to play the 2023 NFL season with the New York Jets after a Hall of Fame career with the Green Bay Packers.
One of the other revelations given by Rodgers was the interaction he had with ESPN NFL Insider Adam Schefter.
Rodgers was asked about a report from ESPN’s Diana Russini that claimed the quarterback had given a list of names to the Jets he would like to see the franchise sign, to make his transition to the club easier.
“It’s so ridiculous,” Rodgers said. “Ask Schefter what I text him when he somehow got my number and texted me. I didn’t respond to Diana Russini — I think her name is? — she got my number as well. I would say the same thing I told Schefty: lose my number. Nice try. I’ll speak for myself, I’m sure there will be people that have their sources. But from what I’ve seen, I had a sheet of paper when I met with the Jets and I said sign these people? That’s not the reality. That’s so ridiculous. It’s so stupid to think that I would do that.”
After the statement from Rodgers, Schefter tweeted a screenshot of the response from Rodgers admitting that it was indeed what the Packers quarterback said.
After McAfee informed Rodgers about Schefter’s tweet, he took exception to the communication being shared publicly.
“I can share what he sent me if he’s gonna share my texts. He doesn’t want that, does he?” Rodgers concluded.
The interview between Rodgers and McAfee was a boondoggle for the program. Nearly 500,000 viewers were tuned into the show to hear what the quarterback’s future plans entailed, in which he admitted that before his “darkness retreat” he was 90% sure he would retire, but has since declared his intention to continue playing.
The 2023 iHeartPodcast Awards were held Tuesday night, and it was a night The Volume’s Draymond Green won’t be forgetting anytime soon.
The Draymond Green Show took home the award for Best Sports Podcast. Others nominated were iHeartPodcast’s All The Smoke, The Fantasy Footballers, ESPN’s The Lowe Post, and The Ringer’s The Bill Simmons Podcast.
Green was alerted to the news before the show, with The Volume posting a video of the Golden State Warriors star being told by the company’s founder — Colin Cowherd — that he had won the award.
“That’s insane,” Green said.
“It’s not insane. You’re great, you’ve earned it, you’re coachable, I’m so proud of you,” Cowherd said. “We’re so lucky to have you.”
“I’m honored — quite frankly — to be mentioned with such great hosts, such great shows” Green said. “It’s absolutely incredible. I can’t thank you guys, The Volume, iHeart, our partnership, enough. When I got into this space, I was a little nervous about getting into this space because I’m always worried about losing me in something that I do and not being authentic and true to who I am.
“To have partners who don’t want you to conform to what people want you to say and having the power and support to do it your way. That’s been my whole career. That’s what made me Draymond Green as the world knows him and not just what our show has grown into. I’m honored. Those show that you mentioned? Those are shows I watch, those are shows I love, and to win this award, I’m honored.”
The Draymond Green Show launched in November 2021.
For the last seven years, Molly Qerim has been hosting First Take on ESPN. While the show has gone through changes during that time, there is one thing that hasn’t changed and that is her desire to not be the star of the show.
Qerim was a guest on the Rise and Schein Podcast this week and she was asked by Schein how she balances being herself on the show and she said she doesn’t really care about being the star.
“I think one reason why it works is because Stephen A. is the star of the show. I’ve never really cared about that. I like being a part of a team. I think that’s why early on I kind of transitioned, there was some sideline opportunities that would have been pretty big for me and I decided to stay in studio.
“Obviously, when you are on the sidelines, you are also a part of a team. In terms of the rapport, hosting, and being on the desk, that’s my favorite part. Having fun with the guys, going back-and-forth, we all like to talk a lot of trash.”
Smith and Qerim have gone through many things together and she appreciates that the two of them share the same goal of making First Take the show that it is.
“Stephen A and I have such a great working relationship because we really respect each other. We’ve worked together for seven years, we’ve gone through a lot individually, personally, and a lot of the times sometimes with the show it feels sort of like First Take vs. everybody in terms of clickbait and certain things that garner a lot of attention. Right now, it’s just the two of us. I think there’s that mutual respect.
“Even though we will give each other so much crap at the end of the day, it’s the same team, common goal. In terms of him being the star, I’m not trying to be the star. I want to be a part of the team. I want to have fun, I want to do my job, and I hopefully want to do it well. I’m more worried about the show. That’s my focus. I think that’s why I was able to last in this role for a long time because I try not to have an ego in it.”
Qerim mentioned that it did take her a while to find her voice, but having a large family helped her be comfortable because she will act the same way on the show as she does around her family.
“Honestly, I’m just being myself. It’s the same kind of thing. I come from a big family. It’s just kind of me being me. When it’s like ‘Okay guys, reel it in’ that’s the same thing I would be saying at the dinner table. In a lot of ways, it feels very natural and it feels very organic. With that being said, it took a long time to find my voice I think to the level that I have now.”
The latest addition to First Take was having Chris “Mad Dog” Russo on Wednesdays and Qerim thought one question Russo asked her after a show was shocking.
“After the show, he was like ‘So what did you think? What could I do better?’ Wait, what just happened? That showed his humility and he really cared. He’s such great energy and it’s so much fun.
“If you ever watch him take notes during the show, it’s the strangest, weirdest things. It’s a beautiful mind. He’s been a great addition. I hope he’s here for a while.”
Selection Sunday has frequently been placed on the sports calendar as a banner day, and the recent television ratings of the NCAA Selection Shows reveal gains for both the men’s and women’s broadcasts.
5.1 million viewers tuned into CBS for the Men’s Selection Show. That number represents a 3% increase from the 2022 show, and was the most-watched television program on any network.
ESPN also so an increase in the Women’s Selection Show, with an audience of 1.27 million. That figure is up 18% from 2022 and makes it the the most-watched women’s selection show since 2005.
It was the second consecutive year ESPN showcased the selection show on Sunday evening, after previously hosting the event on Monday nights.
The ratings uptick for ESPN continues a women’s basketball ratings surge, as the network claims it’s viewership from the 2022 NCAA Women’s Tournament rose 76%. The company also shared its regular season ratings for women’s basketball grew during the 2022-2023 season.
The news of an increased television audience for the selection shows comes on the heels of a report that both ESPN and CBS Sports/Warner Bros. Discovery sports have completely sold out television advertising inventory for the events.
