In search of unique content with few live sports options, ESPN has strayed from its “stick to sports” mandate which led to a strange offering of an Eagles concert this past weekend. Sunday, July 5, ESPN aired a three hour 2018 concert film featuring The Eagles.
According to John Ourand of the Sports Business Journal, it might not have been a one-time idea as ESPN’s EVP, Programming and Scheduling Burke Magnus, is interested in picking up future concerts to air. Magnus told Ourand ESPN coul seek concert rights “a couple of times a year,” although he noted timing was uniquely right for the Eagles.
“We had nothing else going on [Sunday night] to speak of,” Magnus said. “Sports is coming back, but baseball’s a couple of weeks away. MLS is starting this week. The NBA at the end of the month. If everything goes to plan in terms of the return of sports, we may not have the opportunity to do this if not right now.”
It’s an optimistic outlook for Magnus and ESPN, who obviously hope live sports are able to soon return. But as the COVID-19 pandemic remains far from over, ESPN might find themselves with room for more concerts.
“Music and sports are inextricably linked,” Magnus said in last week’s press release. Music and sports do have ties, but I would add music can be intrinsically linked to almost everything cultural. Still, concert highlights are not on brand with ESPN, so it’s interesting to see interest in making them part of the network’s future.