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ESPN Reportedly Interested in Derek Jeter For a Broadcasting Gig

What kind of role could Jeter have with ESPN if he were to join the network? The obvious job would appear to be the analyst position on Sunday Night Baseball.

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Major League Baseball’s lockout didn’t take all of the sport’s headlines on Monday. Baseball’s other big story was Derek Jeter stepping down as CEO of the Miami Marlins. Jeter also gave up his ownership share of the club, a four percent stake believed to be worth approximately $45 million.

The obvious question is what’s next for Jeter. According to Front Office Sports’ Michael McCarthy, ESPN would like to speak with him about a television opportunity. No overtures have yet been made, but McCarthy reports that the network would love to go into business with him, presumably as an analyst.

Additionally, ESPN president Jimmy Pitaro is a big New York Yankees fan, which is apparently fueling speculation that he’d love to add The Captain to the network’s roster.

If so, Pitaro might want to have a word with Stephen A. Smith about messaging after the First Take host said on Monday’s show that he’d like to see Jeter return to the Yankees in some capacity.

Speaking of The Captain, that’s the title of an upcoming six-part docuseries chronicling Jeter’s Hall of Fame career with the Yankees that includes five World Series championships and 3,465 hits. So there’s already a working relationship of sorts between Jeter and ESPN.

What kind of role could Jeter have with ESPN if he were to join the network? The obvious job would appear to be the analyst position on Sunday Night Baseball.

But ESPN just overhauled its SNF crew with Karl Ravech calling play-by-play alongside analysts David Cone and Eduardo Perez. Would the network blow up its new team after one season (a season that hasn’t even happened yet)? Not to mention that two former Yankees in the booth probably wouldn’t be popular.

Even adding him for occasional appearances, as was suggested by one of McCarthy’s sources, seems problematic. Sure, it would draw attention (and potential viewers), but a three-man booth is crowded enough as it is.

McCarthy raises another possibility that Jeter could headline an alternate Sunday Night Baseball broadcast. Jeter’s former teammate Alex Rodriguez and Yankees broadcaster Michael Kay are already doing a “Kay-Rod” alternate SNF broadcast, but plans are for the two to only work eight of the 25 games ESPN will broadcast on Sunday nights.

That presumably leaves room for another telecast headlined by Jeter. (Some Yankees fans might also take delight in Jeter possibly upstaging and taking viewers’ affection away from A-Rod.)

All of this is speculation, of course. Jeter just left the Marlins and there’s been no indication that he’s interested in broadcasting. But if he is, ESPN is apparently waiting to add Jeter to a growing number of star personalities that includes Peyton and Eli Manning and, very soon, Troy Aikman.

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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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Colorado Rockies & DirecTV Reach Agreement to Carry Games on TV

“Colorado sports fans have made DIRECTV the top destination for their favorite local teams. We will continue to work with MLB…so fans can get their games.”

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Colorado Rockies

Breathe easy, Rockies fans — you will be able to watch your club on linear TV this year. At the buzzer, DirecTV and the Colorado Rockies agreed on terms to distribute the team’s games throughout its local service.

Starting today, DirecTV Choice subscribers across Colorado, Utah, Wyoming, Southern Idaho, Western Nebraska, and Northern New Mexico can now watch the Rockies on a special channel simply titled, “ROCKIES.” The games will be available on DirecTV and DirecTV STREAM via channel 683.

“Colorado sports fans have made DIRECTV the top destination to get all their favorite local teams,” said Rob Thun, chief content officer of DIRECTV. “We will continue to work with MLB, the NBA, NHL, and other top leagues and their local franchises so the most avid fans can get the games they want while other customers have more choice over the content they want to pay to have in their homes.”

Reports just days ago out of Colorado said there were “no guarantees” the Rockies would not find a TV home in time for Opening Day following the sunsetting of AT&T SportsNet. The only other way to watch the team is to use its direct-to-consumer Rockies.tv streaming service, which fans say is too pricey for a team that lost 103 games last season. Luckily, the team was able to secure a TV home for 2024, though the future is still uncertain.

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Erin Andrews Reveals Infertility Journey in Emotional ‘Today Show’ Interview

FOX reporter Erin Andrews sat down with ‘The Today Show’s’ Kristen Welker to discuss her journey, how Welker’s own journey inspired her, and more.

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Erin Andrews

FOX reporter Erin Andrews shared her story of infertility and surrogacy with NBC’s Today Show. Last summer, Andrews and her husband welcomed a baby boy via surrogate after trying for a decade to get pregnant via IVF, during which she was diagnosed with cervical cancer in 2016. Today, she sat down with Kristen Welker to discuss her journey, how Welker’s own journey inspired her, and more.

Andrews says Welker’s announcement on the Today Show made her think a baby could be possible. “I remember Kristin Welker’s announcement on your show,” Andrews said last year, “and I actually watched that the morning Mac was born, because that just hit me.”

When they finally sat down, Welker asked Andrews why her journey resonated with the sports reporter so much:

“Because I see myself in you. Kristen, the video of you moderating debates after you’re waiting on bad news or maybe you just received it, that’s me. I can tell you every stand-up I’ve done at a football game where I’ve gotten the news that it didn’t work. I’d be talking about Tom Brady going for this record and my record is that I still was failing…I would have chest pains every time I was waiting for the call if it worked, and I knew it wouldn’t work.

Erin Andrews on ‘Today’

Andrews knew surrogacy was the only path to having a child. Although her family’s first attempt failed, her second attempt was a success, and she got to hear her child’s heartbeat for the very first time. The pair discuss the complex emotions that come with surrogacy, saying that bonds with their child could be affected because they didn’t carry their child. However, Welker assured Andrews that those feelings go away once you can talk to your child.

Once her son was born in June, who Andrews called, “a miracle,” she then talks about her child glowingly, talking about how he is just like mom — vocal. “He’s all me,” she says.

Andrews supports Baby Quest, a non-profit that grants money to families in need of IVF or surrogacy to have a baby but don’t have the funds to pursue these expensive treatments. Both Andrews and Welker acknowledged how difficult and unattainable their journies are for some families — and Andrews even used the NFL’s “My Cleats, My Cause” initiative to raise awareness for her cause.

“People don’t need to feel embarrassed that they have a surrogate or are looking for other help,” Andrews said.

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