Shannon Sharpe And ESPN is close to a multi-year deal. Also: Sinclair Broadcasting, along with Tennis Channel, is considering selling most of its local affiliates. ESPN Inc. is covering the professional volleyball league that will debut next year. MLB's Sunday deal appears to be imminent as MLB is changing its schedule on its website.
Shannon Sharpe and ESPN sign contract
Three-time Super Bowl champion Shannon Sharpe is close to signing a new contract with ESPN. The Athletic It was reported on Thursday. Sharpe has appeared regularly on ESPN's “First Take” on Mondays and Tuesdays since leaving FS1's “Undisputed” last fall. The deal is reportedly for four years and will see Sharp continue in his role on “First Take” and could include appearances on other NFL shows on ESPN. (The Athletic, 5.9)
Sinclair expected to sell 30% of local station Tennis Channel
Sinclair Broadcasting is reportedly considering selling a large portion of its broadcasting portfolio. CNBC Thursday's report. The company, one of the largest owners of local stations in the country, has retained investment bank Morris, which has identified more than 60 stations nationwide that it intends to sell. bloomberg In February, Sinclair reported that he was also considering selling Tennis Channel, the cable network that owns the domestic rights to the ATP and WTA and a portion of the sport's Grand Slams. The sale negotiations began just one month after Sinclair settled a lawsuit with its unconsolidated subsidiary and regional sports network operator Diamond Sports Group for $495 million in January. (CNBC, 5.9)
ESPN to broadcast Volleyball League 1 next year
ESPN and League One Volleyball have reached a media rights agreement that will see the network broadcast the league's inaugural season on linear and digital platforms in 2025. Per release, ESPN will broadcast his 10 games for LOVB on the linear network, and 18 games will be broadcast on television. ESPN+. LOVB's season strategically begins in January, right after NCAA volleyball ends in the fall. Last season's NCAA finals between Texas and Nebraska averaged 1.7 million viewers on ABC. (ESPN, 5.9)
Looks like an MLB Sunday package deal is coming soon.
eagle eyes SMW Readers have noticed that MLB has amended its website schedule to have one game played late at night or early in the afternoon every Sunday starting May 19th. There is currently no network listed for the game, suggesting it is likely part of a deal to replace Peacock's recently dropped Sunday morning package. last week, The Athletic Although no contract has been finalized yet, the league reported that they are close to signing Roku. Under the new schedule, the league will reinstate semi-exclusive Sunday slots, with the Red Sox vs. Cardinals scheduled for May 19 at 1:05 p.m. ET, and the Blue Jays vs. Tigers the following week at 11:35 a.m. ET. This suggests that it will start before all other games that day.
