Sports TV News
ESPN Renews Broadcast Deal With CFL
“CFL games on ESPN2 saw a 19% increase in viewership in 2018.”
Published
5 years agoon
By
BSM StaffThe Canadian Football League and ESPN will be in business together for the foreseeable future. The league announced an extension to its US television rights deal with ESPN on Monday.
CFL commissioner Randy Ambrosie said the financial terms of the new deal represent “an improvement in economics for us reflective of last season’s ratings,” but declined to give specifics. CFL games on ESPN2 saw a 19% increase in viewership in 2018.
Under the terms of the new deal, ESPN will put 20 CFL games on a linear TV outlet each season, including one divisional final and the Grey Cup championship game. Ambrosie says that every game this season will be available to fans via the OTT service ESPN+.
Ambrosie says the new deal is part of what he calls CFL 2.0, which includes an effort to partner with other American football leagues around the world. The CFL is holding a scouting combine in Mexico City this week.
The rights deal with ESPN is important for the CFL, as the league is about to see some significant competition for people that want to watch pro football in the spring. The AAF will debut on CBS Sports Network right after the Super Bowl and Vince McMahon will relaunch the XFL in 2020. Ambrosie says that while he is “always mindful of what’s going on in the world around me,” getting a new deal in place with ESPN is important for the CFL’s continued success, not from a competitive standpoint.
Sports TV News
NFL Media Announces 2024 NFL Draft Coverage
NFL Network will be on-site from the NFL Draft for the 18th year.
Published
2 hours agoon
April 17, 2024By
BSM StaffThe NFL Media portfolio of properties – including NFL Network, NFL Films, NFL.com, NFL+, the NFL App, NFL RedZone and the NFL Channel – will be covering the 2024 NFL Draft with over 60 hours of live coverage during draft week beginning on Sunday, April 21. NFL Network will be on-site from the NFL Draft for the 18th year, beginning its coverage on Sunday with NFL Mock Draft Live at 8 p.m. EST. A full first-round mock draft will commence on the show with on-air personalities Colleen Wolfe, Daniel Jeremiah, Bucky Brooks and Rhett Lewis. Additional NFL Network talent will join the program to complete the mock draft exercise. Jeremiah will reveal his final mock draft on Wednesday, April 24 at 8 p.m. EST alongside Charles Davis and Colleen Wolfe.
The next day, NFL Network will begin airing Path to the Draft at 6 p.m., which will be hosted by Rhett Lewis and Patrick Claybon and air through Wednesday. The show will include the latest news and analysis pertaining to the draft with analysts Bucky Brooks, Lance Zierlein, Scott Pioli, Brian Baldinger and Marc Ross. NFL Network insiders Ian Rapoport and Tom Pelissero and analytics expert Cynthia Frelund are also slated to be part of the show to contribute to the overall coverage. Nightly editions of NFL Total Access will follow at 7 p.m. EST and air through Wednesday as well at the same time. From Thursday to Sunday, the show will air following coverage of the NFL Draft and conclude with a special recapping the draft on Sunday, April 28 at 8:30 p.m. EST.
NFL Network will also air a one-hour edition of The Insiders on Tuesday, April 23 at 1 p.m. EST featuring Ian Rapoport, Mike Garafolo, Tom Pelissero and Judy Battista. Various NFL Network reporters will also join the program to take part in the discussion. Several NFL Network reporters will be situated surrounding several teams with top selections this year leading up to the NFL Draft as well, including Judy Battista (New York Giants), Sherree Burruss (Washington Commanders) and Stacey Dales (Chicago Bears). Additionally, NFL 360: Draft Special will premiere on NFL Network later that day at 8:30 p.m. EST, which will shed light on stories surrounding several potential draftees, some of whom include former UCLA defensive lineman Laiatu Latu and former Penn State defensive end Adisa Isaac.
NFL Network begins live coverage of the 2024 NFL Draft ahead of the first round on Thursday with Good Morning Football at 7 a.m. EST. The program, which recently aired its final episode from New York City ahead of its move to Los Angeles, will include several NFL Network personalities, including Jane Slater, Jason McCourty, Peter Schrager, Kyle Brandt and Tom Pelissero.
Starting at 1 p.m. EST, NFL Draft Kickoff will take the air and feature discussion and insights about the forthcoming draft selections. Viewers will also be able to hear from the draftees live from the red carpet as they are interviewed by reporter Kaylee Hartung and former NFL quarterback Cam Newton. The show will be hosted by Mike Garafolo, Chris Rose and Colleen Wolfe and feature analysts Kurt Warner, Steve Smith Sr. and David Carr.
Once the first round of the NFL Draft begins at 8 p.m. EST, live breakdowns and analysis will follow each pick from exterior and interior sets. Situated at the exterior set will be host Rich Eisen, who is the longest-tenured current draft host, along with analyst Daniel Jeremiah. Additionally, CBS Sports broadcaster Charles Davis and FOX Sports broadcaster Joel Klatt will be part of the coverage to provide their opinions on the selections. The interior set will include NFL Network analyst and former NFL quarterback Kurt Warner, along with NFL Network insider Ian Rapoport. Kaylee Hartung will interview the draftees on stage after they are selected on Thursday.
The NFL Channel will also air coverage of the Draft at 8 p.m. EST with NFL Draft Center featuring Rhett Lewis, Bucky Brooks and Lance Zierlein. Cynthia Frelund and MIke Yam will join Brooks and Zierlein for this coverage on Saturday at 12 p.m. EST. Consumers can watch the NFL Channel utilizing the NFL App and other OTT streaming platforms and FAST services such as Peacock, Pluto TV and Tubi. SiriusXM NFL Radio and ESPN Radio will have live NFL Draft coverage through all seven rounds, and Westwood One will be on the air for the first round on Thursday as well.
Eisen’s annual 40-yard dash, titled “Run Rich Run,” will occur on Saturday, April 27 during NFL Network coverage of Rounds 4-7 of the NFL Draft. The 20th edition of the run, which raises awareness and support for St. Jude Children’s Research Hospital, will include patient ambassadors at the Rose Bowl in Pasadena, Calif. Former Los Angeles Rams Andrew Whitworth and Todd Gurley are also scheduled to join Eisen for the annual tradition as well.
Sports TV News
Noah Eagle Named USA Olympic Basketball Play-by-Play Voice for NBC
“I’m honored to be a part of the coverage for Team USA’s pursuit of gold on the hardwood. Both the men’s and women’s sides are loaded with star power and some of the most elite coaches the sport has ever seen.”
Published
3 hours agoon
April 17, 2024By
BSM StaffNBC Sports today announced that Noah Eagle will serve as the play-by-play voice for Team USA men’s and women’s basketball games and medal round competition at the Paris Olympics. NBC Sports’ analysts and reporters for these games will be announced in the coming weeks.
Team USA games, and the medal rounds, will be presented across NBC, Peacock, and USA Network, with specific platforms to be announced at a later date.
“Noah has excelled on many high-profile events, including as our lead Big Ten voice, and NBA and college basketball games. We are excited to hear him call Team USA’s quest for gold in both the men’s and women’s tournaments this summer,” said Rebecca Chatman Vice President and Coordinating Producer, NBC Olympics Production in a release.
“I’m honored to be a part of the coverage for Team USA’s pursuit of gold on the hardwood. Both the men’s and women’s sides are loaded with star power and some of the most elite coaches the sport has ever seen,” Eagle said. “With the incredible NBC Olympic team alongside, I can’t wait for that first game to tip off.”
Team USA basketball will be Eagle’s second NBC Olympics assignment, as he called 3×3 Basketball three years ago for the Tokyo Olympics.
TEAM USA BASKETBALL OLYMPIC PRELIMINARY ROUND SCHEDULE
Date | Coverage | Time (ET) |
Sun., July 28 | Men: United States vs. Serbia | 11:15 a.m. |
Mon., July 29 | Women: United States vs. Japan | 3 p.m. |
Wed., July 31 | Men: United States vs. South Sudan | 3 p.m. |
Thurs., August 1 | Women: United States vs. Belgium | 3 p.m. |
Sat., August 3 | Men: United States vs. Winner of Olympic Qualifying Tournament | 11:15 a.m. |
Sun., August 4 | Women: United States vs. Germany | 11:15 a.m. |
Sports TV News
Report: Bill Belichick Expected to Sign on with Omaha Productions
“He is believed to be biding his time until next January for openings on teams he has told confidants he would be interested in coaching…”
Published
3 hours agoon
April 17, 2024By
BSM StaffIn an ESPN.com report about former Patriots head coach Bill Belichick not getting one of the open head coaching jobs in football during the offseason, it notes we may soon know where Belichick will spend at least part of the upcoming season.
The report from ESPN’s Don Van Natta Jr., Seth Wickersham and Jeremy Fowler states, “In the coming weeks, Belichick is expected to sign a deal to do analysis for Peyton Manning’s Omaha Productions…He is believed to be biding his time until next January for openings on teams he has told confidants he would be interested in coaching…”
What exactly Belichick would do for Omaha Productions is yet to be determined, although one might assume he will take part in the ManningCast broadcasts Omaha Productions does with ESPN for Monday Night Football.
One week ago, ESPN and Omaha Productions announced they had agreed on a nine-year, multi-platform rights extension through 2034.