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CNBC Report: Disney Not Trying To Spin ESPN Off

“A report from PUCK’s Dylan Byers suggested that Disney was looking to spin off ESPN but CNBC has refuted it.”
Russ Heltman

Published

1 year ago

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Courtesy: Disney

Disney is just fine with how their ESPN+ digital property is performing. A report from PUCK’s Dylan Byers suggested that Disney was looking to spin off ESPN but CNBC has refuted it.

Byers’ article suggested that Disney CEO Bob Chapek and his advisors were percolating the idea of splitting ESPN off from Disney as its own entity.

“There are now conversations happening regularly at Disney about whether or not to spin off ESPN,” Byers wrote in his article.

Yet, CNBC’s sources say no move is in the works.

“I just spoke to a source close to the situation,” Julia Boorstin said on CNBC. “This person telling that report is inaccurate and that Disney is focused on building the value of ESPN+ for its digital bundle, saying that the company is happy with the role that ESPN+ is playing in its digital bundle.”

The anonymous source’s information falls in line with what ESPN president Jimmy Pitaro said on the Marchand & Ourand Sports Media Podcast this week.

“Beyond exclusive games, we have the ability to simulcast,” Pitaro said on the podcast. “We have the ability to do alternative broadcasts. We have the ability to just move more content to plus. As I sit here today, I will tell you; we like this idea of being multiple things at the same time.”

Boorstin made mention of ESPN’s continued interest in sports betting as well.

“The company has been pursuing further value in sports betting for ESPN,” Boorstin said. “Seeing that as an opportunity to grow both the value of both ESPN+ and the linear networks. So it will be interesting to see what comes of this when the company does report its earnings, but we have no official comment from Disney. Disney does tend not to comment on rumors and speculation.”

The media landscape is changing rapidly, and Disney is at the forefront of said change as they try to stay one step ahead of their competitors.

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Sports TV News

Tom Crean Returns to ESPN As College Basketball Analyst

“You look around, you realize everybody is working at an extremely rapid pace. I might get emails for the next morning’s ‘SportsCenter’ at 2:30 in the morning.”
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Published

6 mins ago

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December 2, 2022

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Tom Crean is returning to ESPN as a college basketball analyst.

A report from Front Office Sports details Crean returning to the worldwide leader after previously working for the network during the 2017-2018.

“The game has changed completely,” Crean said. “There’s a 1,000-foot level of what people want you to think this is all about. But here’s the 10,000-30,000-foot level of what it really is. I don’t think I will have any fear of talking like that. There’s so many things changing around the game with how you recruit. And I had to live it.”

Crean was fired as the head coach of Georgia after four seasons on the job. He added that the work ethic shown by ESPN employees is a motivator for working for the network.

“You look around, you realize everybody is working at an extremely rapid pace. I might get emails for the next morning’s ‘SportsCenter’ at 2:30 in the morning.”

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Sports TV News

ESPN Plans 20 Hours of College Football Playoff Selection Coverage

The College Football Playoff teams will be unveiled at 12:15 PM ET, with the rest of the New Year’s Six matchup being revealed at 2:30 PM.
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2 hours ago

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December 2, 2022

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ESPN has more than 20 hours of studio coverage planned for the selection of the College Football Playoff.

The College Football Playoff teams will be unveiled at 12:15 PM ET, with the rest of the New Year’s Six matchup being revealed at 2:30 PM. Rece Davis, Kirk Herbstreit, Joey Galloway, Jesse Palmer, and David Pollack will be on the main set as the selections are revealed.

Several other personalities will join the show including analysts Greg McElroy, Robert Griffin III, and Dan Mullen, in addition to Paul Finebaum, Matt Barrie, and Chris Fowler.

ACC Network and SEC Network will also separately produce shows discussing the bowl selections.

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Sports TV News

Chris Fallica Leaving ESPN for FOX

Neither FOX or ESPN would comment on the situation, but in the Awful Announcing report it’s believed that there will be a send-off of some sort for Fallica on Saturday.
Jordan Bondurant

Published

11 hours ago

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December 2, 2022

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A prominent sports betting voice featured on ESPN’s College GameDay will be heading to rival FOX and their Big Noon Kickoff show starting in 2023. According to Awful Announcing, Chris Fallica, affectionately known as “The Bear”, will make his last appearance on GameDay will be this weekend.

Fallica has been with ESPN since 1995. Since 2013, Fallica had been featured on GameDay making betting picks with his patented “Bear’s Board”.

Neither FOX or ESPN would comment on the situation, but in the Awful Announcing report it’s believed that there will be a send-off of some sort for Fallica on Saturday.

Fallica joins Tom Rinaldi as the second former GameDay voice to jump over to FOX and be featured on Big Noon Kickoff.

Both shows have experienced incredible viewership growth this season. For GameDay, there have been several weeks this season that have seen some of the largest audiences in the show’s history.

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