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Manfred Unhappy With Broadcasters Working For Teams

“According to Manfred’s comments, it seems like the commissioner would prefer for both Martinez and Mendoza to choose between working as a journalist or a team official.”

Brandon Contes

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Last month, Pedro Martinez and Jessica Mendoza both criticized MLB pitcher Mike Fiers for his role in exposing the Houston Astros sign-stealing scandal. Speaking as media members, there is no issue with the opinion, but doubling as paid baseball team officials caused some concern, including from MLB Commissioner Rob Manfred.

Both Martinez and Mendoza were criticized for their comments as their dual roles were highlighted. Martinez works as an analyst for TBS and MLB Network, while also serving as a special assistant to the Boston Red Sox. Mendoza is both an ESPN employee and baseball operations adviser to the New York Mets. The Red Sox and Mets lost their managers this offseason because of the scandal and were mulling those decisions while Martinez and Mendoza spoke out against Fiers. 

“Jessica was speaking as an ESPN analyst, not as a spokesperson for the Mets,” Mets general manager Brodie Van Wagenen said shortly after Mendoza’s comments about Fiers. “I have not had the opportunity to speak with her yet.”

According to The New York Post’s Ken Davidoff, Commissioner Rob Manfred discussed Martinez and Mendoza following the MLB Owners’ Meetings in Orlando, FL. Manfred said he had not spoken to either of them about their public opinions of Fiers. 

“In what mode they were speaking, whether they were speaking as journalists or club employees, I think we were satisfied that their comments were being made in their role as journalists,” Manfred said. “And anybody that we have a relationship with, we don’t really try to control what they say in that role as media person. So the short answer is no, we do not reach out.”

But as far as whether or not Manfred is comfortable with people being able to speak as both journalists and MLB team officials, the commissioner leans on the side of not.

“Let me give you a short answer on that one: No. I’m not all that comfortable with it. I’m really not,” Manfred said according to Davidoff. “But it’s a topic that remains under discussion internally. As you know, it causes a lot of complications, not just on this particular incident or comments, but in general.”

Martinez signed a multiyear contract with TBS prior to the 2019 season and is unlikely to depart the media anytime soon. Mendoza also signed a multiyear agreement before the 2019 season with ESPN, although unrelated, it appears her role on their Sunday Night Baseball broadcast could be coming to an end.

According to Manfred’s comments, it seems like the commissioner would prefer for both Martinez and Mendoza to choose between working as a journalist or a team official.

Brandon Contes is a freelance writer for BSM. He can be found on Twitter @BrandonContes. To reach him by email click here

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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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