The National Football League exhibition season is upon us, and absent a substantial injury to a key player on the roster, nothing that happens before toe meets ball September 4 in the season opener between Philadelphia and Dallas, will mean anything in the grand scheme.
Many of the players who will suit up for the 32 NFL teams are just as likely to be changing oil at the local auto service center as to be on a team’s roster when the season starts.
But at ESPN, the self-proclaimed World Wide Leader in Sports, every second of the NFL season is treated with the utmost reverence, where the announcement of the hiring of a new coach is covered with the same veneration as the reveal of a new pope.
It’s a situation likely to be exacerbated by last week’s news that the relationship between the league and the channel is gotten even cozier on the business side.
The league obtained a 10 percent equity stake in ESPN, which is principally owned by Disney. In exchange, the NFL gave up control of the NFL Network, its in-house channel, as well as the distribution rights to the Red Zone.
That’s the channel for the folks who don’t have time to see how a touchdown drive forms, just the results.
Given the $25-30 billion estimated value of ESPN, the 31 NFL owners and the people of Green Bay, Wisconsin, who collectively own the Packers, are likely to add a portion of $2.5-3 billion to their coffers.
In addition, the Wall Street Journal reported that the NFL will receive an undisclosed equity stake in CBS, when that network’s parent company, Paramount Global, closes its sale to Skydance, as a part of a content partnership with Skydance Media.
In a business sense, the fact that the nation’s most popular sport is inextricably tied to two of the outlets that carry its games means that in this day and age when cord cutting is in vogue, CBS and ESPN will be safe through the end of their contract in 2033.
Much more importantly, though perhaps esoterically, the consumer has or should have concerns about the editorial relationship between those entities and the NFL.
Specifically, what will or won’t ESPN and CBS tell you about what is happening within the league based on a desire to protect their most important investment?
Can those outlets resist pressure to tone down potential negative coverage of NFL events or criticism of league owners and officials?
If those questions seem far-fetched, then you’ve forgotten “Playmakers,” a short-lived drama that aired on ESPN 22 years ago.
The show, which chronicled the goings-on of a fictional football team, was well received critically and got decent ratings.
But it was yanked after 11 episodes when NFL officials balked at the negative portrayal of professional football players, even if they weren’t real teams.
Ultimately, it’s up to football consumers to decide what they expect from their telecasters. If past is prologue, the NFL and its partners hope to keep those expectations low.
And that’s how I see it for this week. You can reach us via email with your questions and comments at Sports at Large at gmail.com. And follow me on BlueSky, Threads and X at Sports at Large.
Until next week, for all of us here and for producers Lisa Morgan and Rob Timm, I’m Milton Kent. Thanks for listening and enjoy the games.
