ESPN is pondering the future of wonk haven FiveThirtyEight, and is considering "a variety of options" for the future of the publication that Nate Silver sold to the network in 2013."FiveThirtyEight is a tremendous asset to ESPN, and together we’ve created exceptional content," ESPN said in a statement on Thursday. "We are exploring, with Nate, a variety of options for the future, and any discussion of exactly what that might look like would be premature.”ESPN's statement was triggered by a report in TheBigLead that the network is considering offloading the property, and has received "significant interest" from outside buyers, including the owner of The Atlantic magazine. The site could also be absorbed into another part of the larger Disney/ABC apparatus, according to the report. (A spokeswoman for Atlantic Media has not yet responded to a request for comment.)FiveThirtyEight, which was once licensed by The New York Times, has over time added coverage of culture, … [Read more...] about ESPN Explores Sale Options For Nate Silver’s FiveThirtyEight
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Alex Rodriguez Joins ESPN’s ‘Sunday Night Baseball’
Alex Rodriguez has finalized a multi-year deal to join ESPN’s Sunday Night Baseball team, the network announced Tuesday. Additionally, Matt Vasgersian will become SNB’s new play-by-play announcer.Rodriguez will be in the booth with Jessica Mendoza and Buster Olney. Vasgersian – who also signed a multi-year deal – replaces Dan Shulman, who stepped down at the end of the 2017 season. The additions of Rodriguez and Vasgersian mean that Mendoza is the lone returning member of ESPN’s SNB team. Olney replaced Aaron Boone, who in the off season accepted the job as the new manager for the New York Yankees. Fox Sports and TBS own the MLB post-season rights. Rodriguez will stay on at Fox Sports, where he is teamed with analysts Kevin Burkhardt and Frank Thomas. He'll continue to exclusively serve as a studio analyst for Fox Sports during the MLB postseason, while Vasgersian will continue his role as a studio host and announcer for MLB Network.Rodriguez has … [Read more...] about Alex Rodriguez Joins ESPN’s ‘Sunday Night Baseball’
CNN’s Jeff Zucker Reportedly Lobbying to Be ESPN Prez
From CNN to ESPN?Both The Hollywood Reporter and Deadline are reporting tonight that CNN Worldwide president Jeff Zucker is in contention to be the next president of ESPN.Per THR:Multiple sources tell The Hollywood Reporter that Zucker has thrown his hat in the ring to run ESPN in the wake of John Skipper’s abrupt departure in December.Zucker has had no direct conversations with Disney CEO Robert Iger, who is working with acting ESPN chairman George Bodenheimer to identify a successor.Deadline’s Nellie Andreeva, meanwhile, is saying, “I hear that he met with Disney chairman and chief executive officer Bob Iger last week in New York, though other sources dispute that the two have met.”Before going to CNN, Zucker was President and CEO of NBC Universal, and he has been called out by President Trump both positively and negatively in the past few years:Mediaite has reached out to Zucker for comment.[image via screengrab]— — Follow Josh Feldman on … [Read more...] about CNN’s Jeff Zucker Reportedly Lobbying to Be ESPN Prez
Jeff Zucker Lobbying for Top ESPN Job
Is CNN chief Jeff Zucker among those being considered for the top job at ESPN? Multiple sources tell The Hollywood Reporter that Zucker has thrown his hat in the ring to run ESPN in the wake of John Skipper’s abrupt departure in December.Zucker has had no direct conversations with Disney CEO Robert Iger, who is working with acting ESPN chairman George Bodenheimer to identify a successor. He reportedly signed a lengthy contract extension with CNN last year.Zucker can be credited with turning the cable news network around, leading it to a record $1 billion in profit in 2017. But his future at CNN has been the subject of intense speculation owing to Donald Trump’s consistent criticism and a looming showdown with the Justice Department, which has sued to stop AT&T’s proposed $85 billion merger with CNN parent Time Warner.He and the President share a history. During Zucker's pre-CNN tenure at NBCUniversal, he green-lighted The Apprentice, and Trump … [Read more...] about Jeff Zucker Lobbying for Top ESPN Job
ESPN Says Trump Interview During College Football Title Game Unlikely
An ESPN executive says the network has been in contact with the White House about interviewing President Donald Trump during the College Football Playoff championship game Monday night, but indications are it will not happen.Trump plans to attend the Alabama-Georgia game at Mercedes-Benz Stadium."We're still taking to the White House. I don't get the sense he's going to do an interview," Stephanie Druley, ESPN senior vice president for events and studio programs, said Sunday. "We will, obviously, show him at the game when we see where he is sitting."Trump criticized ESPN in October in response to SportsCenter host Jemele Hill tweeting the president was a "white supremacist."Druley says requesting an interview with Trump is not an attempt to reconcile past issues the White House has had with ESPN."It don't think that's necessary," Druley said. "It's the president. The president shows up at a sporting event, ideally, you document it and you'd like to talk to him. I don't think this … [Read more...] about ESPN Says Trump Interview During College Football Title Game Unlikely