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Mannings Reveal Charles Barkley, Russell Wilson As MNF Guests

“Omaha Productions unveiled the week one and week four personalities joining the Manning’s.”

Russ Heltman

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Courtesy: ESPN

Peyton and Eli Manning are the headliners on ESPN2’s alternate Monday Night Football broadcast, although their guest list might just steal the show.

Omaha Productions unveiled two of the four personalities joining the Mannings on the first Monday night of action. Turner Sports analyst Charles Barkley and Seattle Seahawks quarterback Russell Wilson are both on the docket for Monday’s matchup between the Ravens and Raiders.

The Barkley news comes a no surprise to the sports media world. Peyton and Eli made the interview rounds over the past couple of weeks, and the elder Manning used Barkley as an example of a guest they’ll talk to across different interviews.

Manning gave essentially the same prepared answer when Colin Cowherd and Bill Simmons asked about what the brothers will do during downtimes in the game.

“During that time, we are going to be telling a war story,” Manning described on The Bill Simmons Podcast. “We are going to have Charles Barkley on to tell us why he didn’t play college football. You know entertaining stuff, but when the quarterback is talking to that coach on the sideline, Eli and I are going to probably role play. I’m going to tell you what the coach is saying to him and Eli is going to tell me what the quarterback is saying back.”

Omaha Productions is working with ESPN on the brand new “Manning-cast” format. They have prior experience working with The Worldwide Leader on expanding the Peyton’s Places franchise. A media universe that now includes David Ortiz, Abby Wambach, Vince Carter, Ronda Rousey, Eli, and Peyton.

The two Super Bowl-winning quarterbacks aren’t getting a TV quarterback to guide them. They are hosting the “gamecast” by themselves. Although, don’t expect this to be their first rodeo. The brothers rehearsed throughout the preseason. Clips below give fans a small taste of what they can expect on Monday nights this fall.

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Final ‘Good Morning Football’ Episode from New York Studio Airs Before Hiatus, Move to LA

After today, ‘Good Morning Football’ will take a brief hiatus, then move to LA. But outside of host Jamie Erdahl, who else will join the show on the West Coast?

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Good Morning Football

Today marks the last Good Morning Football episode to air from its New York studios on NFL Network. After today, the show will take a brief hiatus, then move across the country to Los Angeles. But which of the shows beloved cast members will move along with it?

We already know host Jamie Erdahl will be there once she gives birth to her child. The newest GMFB show member gave an emotional send-off to the show’s New York studios before announcing she was headed for maternity leave and would see everyone in LA.

Host Kyle Brandt delivered this message late last night, saying that viewers should tune in to he and his colleagues and that “he has a lot to say.”

Earlier this week, however, host Peter Schrager delivered his own goodbye message — one that may sound like a man who’s not ready to move his family across the country at a moment’s notice:

However, no hosts outside of Erdahl have given confirmation that they’re either staying or going.

The NFL’s move to take the show from New York to Los Angeles has been widely criticized by fans and media members alike. Bill Simmons wondered if the move wouldn’t spell just the end of GMFB but the NFL Network as a whole. It has some wondering if this is the end of football’s best show.

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ESPN Coverage of Men’s NIT Tournament Quarterfinals Up 33% vs. 2023

Viewership of the Men’s NIT Quarterfinals on ESPN were up 33 percent compared to last year and featured two games that averaged over one million viewers.

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Even the NIT is riding the recent hot streak of live sports viewership numbers. According to data provided by ESPN, the 2024 NIT Quarterfinals are up 33 percent compared to last year’s tournament. Perhaps more surprisingly, two NIT quarterfinal games topped one million viewers.

The network’s Georgia/Ohio State matchup averaged 1.03 million viewers, while the Cincinnati/Indiana State contest averaged 1.02 million viewers. These two games were the most-watched NIT games since 2017 — including title games. Both Georgia and Ohio State have rabid fanbases, while many thought Indiana State was unjustly left out of the March Madness tournament, which could be a reason why viewers tuned in.

Much of the focus this season has been on the women’s game, thanks to Caitlin Clark, Angel Reese, and the undefeated South Carolina Gamecocks, led by Dawn Staley. ESPN just had its most-watched women’s college basketball season since 2008-09 because of the increased interest in the women’s game. The men’s game, however, hasn’t been heralded as much this season for whatever reason, mostly because numbers seem to be holding steady compared to previous years. However, if the NIT is posting viewership wins, that should bode well for the NCAA Tournament’s incoming viewership totals.

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Report: NFL to Put Christmas Day Doubleheader Up For Bids

Bidding is expected to start at $50 million among the current NFL media partners but some think the games could sell for $75 million to $100 million apiece.

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The NFL will reportedly put its Christmas Day games up for auction, allowing its current media partners to bid for the games. Now, it’s up to CBS, FOX, ESPN, NBC, and Prime Video to pay up for rights to one of these two marquee games.

According to Front Office Sports Michael McCarthy, preference will be given to linear networks, so Prime Video and Peacock may sit this one out. Bidding is expected to start at $50 million but McCarthy and his sources expect that number to rise. John Kosner, the former ESPN executive, thinks the new Christmas Day games could sell for $75 million to $100 million apiece.

The NFL announced a Wednesday Christmas Day doubleheader during its annual league meetings. The league originally said it wouldn’t force games on Christmas Day if the holiday fell on an odd day of the week, though as the NFL continues to put games on days outside of Sundays, Mondays, Thursdays, and sometimes Saturdays, we’re running out of days that don’t feature NFL football.

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