ESPN recently gave Stephen A. Smith a massive contract extension, and the network may be willing to shell out another huge sum of money to bring back his most worthy on-air adversary.
Skip Bayless could potentially return to ESPN when his contract with FOX Sports expires next year, Michael McCarthy of Front Office Sports reports. Bayless and Smith are interested in the idea of reuniting on “First Take,” which is where both gained most of the popularity that has placed them among the highest-paid on-air personalities in the industry. One source told McCarthy that they “both want to make it happen,” but it’s unclear if ESPN will be willing to pay more than FOX to bring Bayless back.
Bayless signed a four-year, $25 million contract with FOX in 2016, and the deal is set to expire in 2020. He has teamed with former NFL tight end Shannon Sharpe at FOX Sports 1 for “Undisputed,” which follows the same format as “First Take.” According to McCarthy, the FS1 show averages 150,000 to 180,000 viewers per day in its weekday morning slot. Those numbers are dwarfed by “First Take,” which averages 400,000 to 500,000 viewers per day since it moved from ESPN2 to ESPN.
Smith and Bayless have maintained a close relationship even while working at rival networks, and they are said to believe that their on-air chemistry is unique. If Bayless does return, he would likely replace Max Kellerman and immediately return as Smith’s cohost, or ESPN could try to incorporate all three.
It’s fair to wonder how much ESPN would be willing to pay Bayless when you hear the reported details of Smith’s new extension, but there’s no question pairing Smith and Bayless together again could boost ratings and dominate the market.
Stephen A. Smith has been one of the most polarizing figures in sports media for several years now, and ESPN proved how valuable he is to the company with the latest contract extension he signed.
Smith recently signed a new five-year deal with ESPN that will pay him around $8 million per year, Andrew Marchand of the New York Post reports. The new deal dwarfs Mike Greenberg’s $6.5 million salary, which was ESPN’s previous known highest salary.
Smith had one year left on his current deal, according to Marchand, but ESPN enticed him to sign an extension by giving him money up front. James Andrew Miller, who published a best-selling book about the ins and outs of ESPN several years ago, believe’s Marchand’s number of $8 million for Smith is low. Miller has reason to believe Stephen A. got more than $10 million per year.
Smith is the type of personality that gets people who love him and hate him to tune in, and that makes him an invaluable asset to ESPN. He makes his fair share of on-air flubs and always gets roasted for them, but even those embarrassing moments help drive ratings for ESPN>. There was no way they were going to let him leave for another network.
An ESPN internal memo advised those who participate on the network’s talk shows to avoid talking politics about China and Hong Kong when discussing the Daryl Morey/Houston Rockets situation, according to a report.
“Chuck Salituro, the senior news director of ESPN, sent a memo to shows mandating that any discussion of the Daryl Morey story avoid any political discussions about China and Hong Kong, and instead focus on the related basketball issues. The memo, obtained by Deadspin, explicitly discouraged any political discussion about China and Hong Kong.”
This policy should come as no surprise. One of new ESPN president Jimmy Pitaro’s first items of business upon taking over the position was to establish a firm policy of personalities avoiding political talk. Host Dan Le Batard was one of the few who challenged that policy with comments he made during the summer.
Furthermore, it’s not hard to see why ESPN would want its on-air personalities to avoid getting into the subject. ESPN is owned by Disney, which does business in China, including having a Disneyland in Shanghai. They and the NBA are TV partners and have worked hard to develop business relationships in China that they’re trying not to ruin. And like many big businesses, they’ve chosen to appease the communist country in an effort to preserve business relationships rather than stand up for democracy and human rights/freedoms.
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ESPN deserves some plaudits for quickly responding to fan complaints about their new “Monday Night Football” graphics and changing them.
During the first half of the Houston Texans-New Orleans Saints game, ESPN had a graphics package that featured the down-and-distance graphic highlighted in neon yellow/green. The result was fans were confused, constantly thinking there was a penalty flag on each play since TV graphics often show a yellow graphic to signify penalties on plays.
It didn’t take the network long to adjust. ESPN’s Adam Schefter said before the start of the second half that the network had changed the graphic after hearing the negative fan feedback.
Breaking: ESPN is switching away from the new Down-And-Distance graphic it debuted in the first half of Monday Night Football. ESPN heard the fans’ feedback and acted, quick.
Our ESPN production team is aware of the feedback on the #MNF down and distance graphic. We have called an audible and adjusted for the 2nd half of #HOUvsNO and for the #DENvsOAK game to follow. New look pictured here. pic.twitter.com/SWLKKuW87w
A look at the before and after Monday Night Football down and distance graphic. ESPN heard viewer complaints and made a change pic.twitter.com/MM0g6GgllH
This is one of the nice things about social media — there is the instant ability to receive feedback and respond. ESPN should be commended for making such a quick change.
ESPN’s first “Monday Night Football” telecast of the season was met with negative fan reaction centered around the network’s confusing new yellow graphics package.
The graphics included neon green/yellow timeout bars beneath each team and worse, a neon yellow/green down and distance arrow. The color of the arrow made fans think a penalty flag had been thrown on every play.
Definitely just thought there was a penalty after that Hopkins no catch when the yellow came into the screen. My bet is that ESPN changes it for next week.
Fans were instantly calling for a change. ESPN has to be hearing the feedback. The question is whether they would consider a change. Media reporter Andrew Marchand believes a change would probably take a week.
I’m told from by a producer at a rival network that he doesn’t think ESPN will be able to change the yellow color in down and distance until next week.
Michelle Beadle has had her on-air role reduced at ESPN significantly over the past year, and her time with the company appears to be coming to an end.
Beadle and ESPN have been negotiating a potential buyout that would see her leave the company, according to Andrew Marchand of the New York Post. The 43-year-old still has multiple years remaining on her contract with ESPN and currently makes $5 million annually.
Marchand notes that Beadle’s buyout is expected to be based on a sliding scale, meaning taking more money will give her less of a chance of working for another network immediately, and vice-versa. There will also be a non-disparagement agreement that prevents her from speaking negatively about ESPN or her time with the network.
There has already been speculation that Beadle could wind up doing podcast work or working for a paid subscription service like DAZN, which happens to be run by former ESPN president John Skipper.
SportsbyBrooks.com reported back in July that Beadle could be out as the host of “NBA Countdown” and moved to an on-air role with ABC. Beadle left ESPN’s “Get Up” roughly a year ago after she spoke out against the sport of football and expressed anger over former Ohio State coach Urban Meyer not being fired amid the Zach Smith scandal. She became the host of “NBA Countdown” after leaving “Get Up.” There has also been talk that ESPN is upset with Beadle for not fulfilling her responsibilities off the air.
Dan Le Batard’s comments on his radio show Thursday admonishing Donald Trump for his “send her back” attacks and criticizing ESPN’s no-politics policy will not open the network up to more political commentary.
In an article on Front Office Sports, Michael McCarthy wrote that if ESPN were to get rid of Le Batard, DAZN, which is headed by former ESPN president John Skipper, would be eager to hire the host. McCarthy also reported that ESPN made it clear to everyone internally, including Le Batard, that their no-politics policy has not changed.
From McCarthy’s article:
ESPN declined to comment on whether Le Batard would be suspended for calling his own network “cowardly” for banning political discussion. But one ESPN source said: “We are making it very clear to everyone internally, including Dan, that our policy hasn’t changed.”
Le Batard openly challenging the policy creates a problem for ESPN. New president Jimmy Pitaro made the new approach to politics a priority when he took over. He cited research that shows their audience does not want political talk. Not disciplining Le Batard could make it seem to some like ESPN is inconsistent given the suspension handed to Jemele Hill for Trump criticism in 2017, though that came under a previous leadership regime. No discipline could also be viewed by critics as ESPN taking a political stance and supporting Le Batard’s comments, further confirming their belief that the network has a liberal political lean.
Le Batard could — and seemingly is arguing — that he is commenting on racism, not politics, but that creates a question about where one draws the line between acceptable topics and not. What if another host wants to comment on feeling threatened by progressive politics? That is why ESPN is trying to emphasize its no-politics stance.
In light of the latest Ball-related controversy, an ESPN spokesperson told Richard Deitsch of The Athletic that the network had “no plans” to use the Ball family patriarch as an on-air guest going forward.
There will be no LaVar Ball on any ESPN platform heading forward — at least as of now. Asked if Ball will be used as an on-air guest, an on-the-record source for digital, or a background source for ESPN, an ESPN spokesperson said,"We have no plans moving forward."
The word comes after Ball made an inappropriate remark to “First Take” host Molly Qerim during an appearance on Monday that appears, at least for now, to have been the last straw with the network. Many have argued that Ball and his over-the-top proclamations bring nothing to television and are played out at this point, and remarks like this push him further past the breaking point.
Of course, things can always change. Ball gets people talking, for better or worse, so it may not be a permanent end to Ball’s publicity stunts. At least in terms of ESPN, it’s a moratorium, though.
ESPN tried to prevent its reporters from leaking out picks before they were announced during the NBA Draft last year, but they may be nixing that policy now after the way Adrian Wojnarowski made a mockery out of it.
Prior to the draft last year, there was a report that ESPN, Yahoo and Turner all agreed to not have reporters tip draft picks on social media to make for a better TV viewing experience. But when Marc Stein of The New York Times started doing it, Woj refused to be scooped. He then came up with the idea of tweeting picks before they were announced by using creative terms to avoid saying X team “will select” X player.
That mockery is likely the main reason ESPN may be backing down from the policy for Thursday’s draft, as Andrew Marchand of the New York Post reports that are expected to allow Woj and others to tip picks before they’re announced on TV.
"Tantalizing draft news:" The Post has learned, ESPN and the NBA are "zeroing in" on allowing Woj & company to tweet out the picks before they are announced. Last year, Woj broke the pre-plan agreement after Marc Stein started tipping picks. I'm "fixated" to write a column on it
Wojnarowski is the best NBA reporter in the business, so ESPN is compelled to keep him happy. He poked fun at the situation earlier this month with a funny tweet during the MLB Draft, and having it happen again would be an even worse look for the Worldwide Leader.
ESPN responded on Wednesday to a report that said Michelle Beadle would be out as the host of “NBA Countdown.”
On Wednesday morning, Sports by Brooks reported that Beadle would not be the show host next season. He also reported that Chauncey Billups and Paul Pierce would not return as full-time analysts.
In a statement to the New York Post’s Andrew Marchand, ESPN said they have made no decisions about next season.
Here you go: 1. @SportsbyBrooks reported that Michelle Beadle, Paul Pierce and Chauncey Billups are out on ESPN’s NBA Countdown. 2. ESPN’s response: pic.twitter.com/1z7D3c4c8c
Marchand reported in April that ESPN was considering Maria Taylor and Rachel Nichols to replace Beadle on the show. He also says Billups may move to work more on games.
Jalen Rose will continue in his current capacity, according to Brooks.
