Media
LightShed: Cost to watch NFL games still manageable for consumers despite fragmentation
The narrative that streaming is making the NFL unaffordable “has become a talking point for politicians and regulators,” but the data “tells a completely different story,” according to Rich Greenfield of LIGHTSHED PARTNERS. NFL games are “now spread across more services than ever,” but streaming com...
Sports Media Pod: The NFL is still king
On this week’s Sports Media Podcast, SBJ’s Austin Karp and Josh Carpenter discuss how football still dominates the entire media landscape, with networks, streamers and advertisers all betting big on the NFL.
Sports Media Pod: Upfront season, Tennis Channel’s Jeff Blackburn
On this week’s pod, SBJ’s Austin Karp and Josh Carpenter go deep on the biggest headlines around sports media. First, the duo look back at the Upfronts in Manhattan and how sports was woven in. Then, there’s talk about where some NFL games are landing ahead of the formal schedule release and how the...
How the NFL schedule release has become an event unto itself
Sports media experts Ed Desser and John Kosner discuss how the NFL has turned its schedule release into a week-long media event, driving attention across television, streaming platforms and the upfronts.
Netflix adds UFC luminaries Jon Jones, Cain Velasquez to on-air talent team for MMA debut
Netflix and Most Valuable Promotions are putting on a mixed martial arts card with some legendary former UFC fighters this weekend, and they’ve assembled some noteworthy names with ties to the TKO Group property as part of the on-air talent team.
Upfronts roundup: The announcements setting the rates for TV ads
The annual upfronts from the major networks and streamers are more than a media story; it’s also about watching the ad rates they get from brands for their programming. And sports continue to play a key role in these advertising spends.
Fubo pulls its offers to NBA teams as local TV options dwindle
Fubo has withdrawn its multimillion-dollar offers to the 13 NBA teams searching for new local broadcast homes, SBJ learned Wednesday, leaving those franchises with one less option as they pursue single-year, stop-gap broadcast deals for the 2026-27 season.
ESPN’s Mike Foss to succeed retiring EVP David Roberts
ESPN has named SVP/Sports Studio & Entertainment Mike Foss to succeed retiring EVP and Exec Editor/Sports News & Entertainment David Roberts, with the promotion effective immediately. Roberts recently announced he would be retiring at the end of August. Foss had been expected to assume a lar...
Scripps Sports adds first NBA local rights with deal for Pistons games
Scripps Sports has scored local rights to its first NBA team, as the Pistons will air games over-the-air with the company beginning with the 2026-27 season. Terms of the deal were not disclosed. Games will air in the Detroit DMA, surrounding areas and across the state of Michigan.
Longtime motorsports writer Jenna Fryer describes decision to leave AP
AP motorsports reporter Jenna Fryer has departed the company after 30 years, saying she “volunteered for a company buyout.” Fryer wrote on her new Substack account, “I loved how the AP allowed to me to learn and grow and promoted me, moving me to Charlotte and eventually promoting me to national wri...
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The amount of discussion we’re having right now about access to our content, to our footage, access to our buildings, access to our players, to our executives, is the highest it’s ever been.-- MLS EVP/Media Seth Bacon, on the league licensing footage for more than a dozen soccer documentary projects.
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