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Domonique Foxworth: I Know ESPN Gives My Words Power

“Foxworth told Spain that he felt like one of the few that was comfortable talking about heavy subjects last summer.”

Ricky Keeler

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One person that has become an emerging star in the sports media landscape over the last year or so is ESPN NFL analyst and writer for The Undefeated, Domonique Foxworth. Foxworth has taken his experience playing in the NFL and working as the president of the NFLPA and COO of the NBAPA and brought it to the media. 

As Foxworth told Sarah Spain on the That’s What She Said podcast, he was one of those athletes that had said he was never going to be in the media after his playing career was over. However, he did love writing when he was in college at Maryland, and an opportunity at The Undefeated opened up and happened to be based near his home.

“It was coincidental that The Undefeated was also being created and it was launching out of D.C. It gave me this opportunity that felt different. I don’t want to talk about people playing football, but this was like you can talk about football and bigger things. Then, I end up on GET UP, First Take, Around The Horn, Highly Questionable.” 

Foxworth told Spain that he felt like one of the few that was comfortable talking about heavy subjects last summer.  

“This past summer, I was a superstar because there are so many people who feel comfortable going into those spaces. This summer when the pandemic hit and the George Floyd stuff happened, all of our shows became something different. When I do those things, I really enjoy the job at a different level. It feels artistic and it feels meaningful.” 

Domonique Foxworth also understands the power of his words and told Spain that he gets this may be entertainment to some. Inside the sports world though, opinions of anyone on ESPN have power. He explained using former Houston Texans coach Bill O’Brien.

“I remember being very critical of Bill O’Brien when he was with the Texans and then he got fired. I remember thinking I didn’t take responsibility for it, but I do know part of the reason he had to go was because he had become a laughingstock and we had some hand in that. We are here to entertain, but our entertainment impacts how careers can go.”

Foxworth was right in terms of it is not his fault that O’Brien was fired. However, he does acknowledge that there is a responsibility on-air even when people think they are just giving “hot takes.” He wants to hear all perspectives when looking at a situation and that’s what has helped him become a star in the industry.   

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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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