Category: ESPN

Amazon Prime Expected to Be Major Player in NBA’s Broadcast Future
7 May 24 Jimm Sallivan

Amazon Prime Expected to Be Major Player in NBA’s Broadcast Future

1. Although Amazon is expected to land the NBA’s “C” package in the upcoming television rights deals that will begin with the 2025-26 season, that designation is in title only because Prime’s haul of games will be significant.

According to a new report from Puck’s John Ourand (last week’s SI Media Podcast guest), Amazon Prime is likely to land a Saturday night window for the regular season. More importantly, though, the streaming service is also expected to gain the rights to first- and second-round playoff games as well as one conference finals series every other year.

It’s expected that Amazon will split the conference finals with either NBC or Warner Brothers Discovery (TNT), while ESPN/ABC will get a conference finals every year in its new deal with the NBA.

Ourand’s report also stated that a decision hasn’t been made yet about whether NBC or WBD will get the NBA’s “B” package.

One thing that seems to be very odd, though, is, according to Ourand, Amazon is expected to pay  $1.8 billion per year for the next 11 years ($19.8 billion total).

Meanwhile, NBC has reportedly offered the NBA $2.5 billion per year for the package that doesn’t include an NBA Finals and only has a conference finals every other year. That’s how much NBC wants to stick games on Peacock.

So just to sum up: If NBC got the “B” package and you’re a big-time NBA fan, you will need to pay for some sort of cable package so you get ESPN, you’ll have to pay for Peacock, you’ll have to pay for Amazon Prime and you’ll have to pay for your local games on whatever RSN they will air on.

With all sports splitting their rights deals into multiple parts, that means two things: The leagues make more money and the fans have to spend more money to watch games.

And it’s only going to get worse.

2. This was one of the worst calls I’ve ever seen in the NBA.

To make that call in that spot is mind-boggling. Part of being a sports fan is that you complain about the refs. It’s basically a requirement.

But when NBA players and fans are constantly referencing the total joke that is the NBA’s “Last 2-Minute Report,” you have a problem on your hands.

3. In yesterday’s Traina Thoughts, I ranked Nikki Glaser as the No. 1 roaster at the The Roast of Tom Brady. Glaser appeared on The Howard Stern Show Monday and revealed some of the NSFW jokes that she had, but didn’t use on the Netflix special.

4. What a performance from Green Light’s Chris Long. With rap battles being all the rage these days, Long wanted to go in the opposite direction, and instead put together a tune for his good friend, The Ringer’s Ryen Russillo. Even though Long wanted to do “positive rhymes,” he threw in a verse about Russillo’s 2017 arrest for trespassing.

Timeline hit like Kermit Washington
He’s rude
He passed out, sloppy drunk
There was no forced entry
Cops were stunned
Game plan Tony Bennett
Not to run
Feet set, he took the charge
It was no fun

5. Keith Hernandez played for the St. Louis Cardinals from 1974 to part of the 1983 season. He’s in the Cardinals Hall of Fame. And he guest starred on the greatest sitcom of all time.

Yet, on Monday, he couldn’t get into St. Louis’s Busch Stadium.

6. The latest episode of SI Media With Jimmy Traina features an interview with Puck senior correspondent John Ourand about all the latest sports media news. Ourand breaks down the latest reports regarding the NBA’s upcoming television deals and where things stand between the league and ESPN, TNT, NBC and Amazon. Ourand also shares thoughts on how the new TV deals would impact the future of the Inside the NBA crew of Ernie Johnson, Charles Barkley, Kenny Smith and Shaquille O’Neal.

Ourand discusses the changes at CBS’s NFL Today with Boomer Esiason and Phil Simms out and Matt Ryan in, whether the NFL draft would ever move to a Wednesday-Thursday-Friday schedule instead of Thursday-Friday-Saturday, the status of the Marchand & Ourand Podcast and more.

Following Ourand, Sal Licata from WFAN and SNY joins me for the weekly “Traina Thoughts” segment. This week’s topics include an NFL draft shocker, a blow to an MLB superstar, Dave & Buster's allowing gambling, Jerry Seinfeld turning 70 and much more.

7. RANDOM VIDEO OF THE DAY: Absolutely disgraceful job by me not acknowledging the anniversary of the "Pine Barrens" episode in yesterday’s Traina Thoughts. Every single year, on May 6, that episode of The Sopranos needs to be celebrated. So we’re doing it today because better late than never.

Be sure to catch up on past editions of Traina Thoughts and check out the Sports Illustrated Media Podcast hosted by Jimmy Traina on Apple, Spotify or Google. You can also follow Jimmy on Twitter,Instagram and TikTok. 

Amazon Prime, ESPN, NBA, sports media, TNT
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ESPN Analysts Call for NBA to Suspend Jamal Murray for Dangerous Game 2 Move
7 May 24 Jimm Sallivan

ESPN Analysts Call for NBA to Suspend Jamal Murray for Dangerous Game 2 Move

Jamal Murray was not happy during the Denver Nuggets' blowout loss to the Minnesota Timberwolves on Monday night. During a contentious second quarter, Murray threw a heat pack on the floor in the middle of action. On Tuesday morning's edition of Get Up, Jay Williams and Tim Legler both agreed that Murray should earn a suspension.

Williams called the move immature and Legler pointed out how bad the injury could have been if Karl-Anthony Towns had stepped on it. Not to mention the fact that one of Murray's own teammates could have slipped on the heat pack and been injured as well, which makes it extra reckless.

To make matters worse, Murray was also caught throwing a towel that landed harmlessly at a referee's feet moments earlier. When you add the two throws together it makes you wonder if he wasn't just throwing stuff on the court, but actually throwing things at the referee. Whatever his intentions were, he was throwing a fit.

Murray somehow lucked out because none of the referees saw what happened, which Timberwolves coach Chris Finch mentioned while calling out Murray for the dangerous act during this postgame press conference.

"It's inexcusable and dangerous," Finch said. "And I'm sure it was just a mistake and an oversight. I'm sure there was nothing intentional by the officiating at all. But certainly can't allow that to happen."

The thing is, if a fan threw something on the floor, he would be ejected. It wouldn't matter if the referees saw it. But when you consider what Mike Malone got away with earlier in the game when he was screaming in the face of Dedric Taylor, you have to wonder if they actually would have done anything to Murray if they watched him throw the heat pack.

Dewayne Dedmond was ejected from a game last season for throwing a massage gun onto the court during a game. Dedmond was throwing a tantrum on the bench after an argument with Erik Spoelstra. Since he was thrown out of the game, he had already been punished by the league when the Heat suspended him a game without pay. In Murray's case, he should have been ejected, but he wasn't even given a single technical.

A suspension seems like a no-brainer for the NBA here. Murray not getting so much as a technical foul for throwing multiple things — with one of those objects going on the floor in the middle of action — seems like a bad precedent to set. The way these two teams are playing right now, it doesn't even seem it would have any affect on the outcome of the series. The officials didn't do anything about this during the game so it's the league's duty now.

Denver Nuggets, ESPN, Jamal Murray, Jay Williams, Karl-Anthony Towns, Minnesota Timberwolves, NBA, Tim Legler
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ESPN Issues Statement Regarding Report of Patrick Beverley's Ban From Network
4 May 24 Jimm Sallivan

ESPN Issues Statement Regarding Report of Patrick Beverley’s Ban From Network

ESPN's public relations department issued a statement on Saturday afternoon denying a report that Milwaukee Bucks guard Patrick Beverley was banned from network programming.

The report, which came from Michael McCarthy of Front Office Sports Friday, indicated that Beverley had been banned from appearing on any ESPN shows after the Bucks guard ejected network producer Malinda Adams from his postgame media availability on Thursday night.

"There was an erroneous report that suggested Patrick Beverley was banned from appearing on ESPN. He isn't banned and never was," the statement from the network said Saturday.

Beverley's verbal altercation with Adams came after she admitted to the Bucks guard that she did not subscribe to his podcast.

Beverley's behavior during the media scrum, as well as during the game when he threw a ball at a group of Pacers fans behind the Milwaukee bench twice, was widely criticized in the aftermath of Milwaukee's elimination from the playoffs.

Beverley apologized to Adams on Friday, she said in a post on X (formerly Twitter) Friday.

There is no word yet on any discipline for Beverley from the NBA regarding either of the two incidents.

ESPN, Milwaukee Bucks, Patrick Beverley
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Jontay Porter Scandal Could Spark Changes to NBA Player Props
3 May 24 Jimm Sallivan

Jontay Porter Scandal Could Spark Changes to NBA Player Props

If the over/under on the number of betting scandals it would take a professional sports league to reexamine its gambling ties was set at 1.5, the under would have hit.

Following the lifetime ban of Toronto Raptors forward Jontay Porter, the NBA is in discussions with sportsbook partners to figure out some changes that might prevent another scandal.

According to ESPN, the NBA is looking for ways to tweak betting menus including, "prohibiting betting on players on two-way contracts between the G League and the NBA," and "not allowing bets on the 'under' on a player prop."

However, there are concerns that limiting what consumers can gamble on might push them back into the arms of unregulated sportsbooks. For example, the kind of off-the-books bookie that took the action of Shohei Ohtani's translator, Ippei Mizuhara.

Legalized sports gambling has been spreading rapidly since the Supreme Court struck down the Professional and Amateur Sports Protection Act 2018. While 38 states (plus the District of Colombia) have legalized gambling, there are still plenty of states dragging their feet to get involved. Possibly because there are so many kinks to work out where it is legal.

In the meantime, leagues are desperate to find ways to keep something like the Porter situation from happening again because there's so much money at stake. Where once we were inundated with daily fantasy sports ads, we're now subject to nonstop legal gambling ads. Sportsbooks advertise everywhere and there's a huge push to make gambling more accessible everywhere. It's where all the money is right now, and it's new and exciting and everyone wants to be involved and no one wants to miss out.

Things like the Porter scandal put it all at risk. That's why leagues have to do whatever they can to make sure it doesn't happen again. Even if they know deep down it probably will.

ESPN, Jontay Porter, NBA, Shohei Ohtani
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ESPN Analyst Claims Jalen Brunson Could Be Greatest Player in Knicks Franchise History
3 May 24 Jimm Sallivan

ESPN Analyst Claims Jalen Brunson Could Be Greatest Player in Knicks Franchise History

On Thursday night the New York Knicks moved on to the second round of the 2024 NBA playoffs by way of a 118-115 win in Game 6 over the Philadelphia 76ers. Jalen Brunson was magnificent once again, recording 41 points (including 14 points in the fourth quarter) to put the persistent Sixers away. ESPN analyst Jay Williams was so in awe of his performance he went on Friday morning's episode of Get Up to sing the point guard's praises.

He may have gone a bit far, though. Even for the most diehard of Knicks fans. Williams said he believes Brunson will go down as one of the greatest Knicks of all-time— if not the greatest.

Brunson has been incredibly impressive and the marks he's hit as noted by the chyron are historic. However, Williams himself acknowledges he may be getting a bit over his skis by speaking so highly of Brunson's place in franchise history when he hasn't won a championship yet. Patrick Ewing didn't get one but Walt Frazier and Willis Reed both did. Even the most ardent Brunson supporter would balk at arguing Brunson is above any of those three in the franchise hierarchy as of now.

This sort of Brunson-mania is completely understandable through the lens of recent Knicks history. The organization was desperately searching for a new face of the franchise for nearly five years after Carmelo Anthony left and hadn't been seriously competitive in nearly a decade. The years between Ewing's retirement and the Melo trade aren't even worth discussing in this space. The Knicks were seriously lacking in 21st century legends before Brunson came along.

And he is perfect for the Knicks, just like franchise faces of old. Anthony was a walking highlight reel but didn't draw the love of the more gritty, earn every inch segment of the fanbase in the same way Brunson has. Knicks fans love a grinder and Brunson, if anything, is exactly that. Plus, before Brunson signed the best point guard to grace Madison Square Garden was 2007-'08 Stephon Marbury and he didn't win a single playoff series. It's been a while.

Brunson is very exciting to watch and feels tailor-made for the New York Knicks. He's still a long ways off from the heights reached by Frazier and Willis and even Ewing. A great first round series makes a franchise legend not, but perhaps this is the year when that changes.

ESPN, Jalen Brunson, NBA, New York Knicks, Philadelphia 76ers
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Patrick Beverley Refused to Talk to a Reporter Who Wasn't Subscribed to His Podcast
3 May 24 Jimm Sallivan

Patrick Beverley Refused to Talk to a Reporter Who Wasn’t Subscribed to His Podcast

The Milwaukee Bucks' ill-fated 2023-2024 season came to an end on Thursday night as the Indiana Pacers eliminated them from the playoffs. The Pacers won, 120-98, sending the Giannis Antotenkounmpo-less Bucks home in six games. Pacers guards Tyrese Haliburton, Andrew Nembhard and TJ McConnell combined for 51 points and 23 assists. Their counterpart, Patrick Beverley, played a team-high 40 minutes, equaled his season average with six points, and threw a basketball at a fan.

After the game the media gathered around Beverley's locker to talk to the team's sixth-leading postseason scorer. That was when Beverley looked at ESPN's Malinda Adams and asked if she subscribed to his podcast and informed her that she could not interview him if she didn't.

She laughed it off, likely assuming he was joking, but he actually wasn't. So Beverley then pushed her microphone away and said, "Can you move that mic, please? Or just get out the circle, please for me, please ma'am. If you're not subscribed to my pod I'd appreciate that." She then walked away.

Beverley's unprofessional, childish, and quite frankly, lame request has been widely condemned in the media, but the most shocking part is that this apparently wasn't a one-time thing. According to CBS Sports' Jack Maloney, Beverley "has refused to talk to any of us in Milwaukee who do not subscribe to his podcast since he arrived at the trade deadline."

Some people in the comments (never read the comments!) are arguing that since it's free and easy to subscribe to the podcast, media members should just do what Beverley asks (or just lie about it!), but that misses every possible point. First of all, the NBA has rules about media availability and nowhere in those rules does it say a media member needs anything but a credential to get access. Smashing that subscribe button certainly isn't a requirement.

Most importantly, this is just kind of sad. Sad for Beverley, who needs to force people to subscribe to his podcast. Sad for any media member who caved to this ridiculous demand. And especially sad for anyone who has to listen to his reaction when he's told he's definitely not allowed to do this.

ESPN, Indiana Pacers, Milwaukee Bucks, NBA, Patrick Beverley
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Stephen A. Smith Blasted by MLB Fans for Insulting Take on Mike Trout’s Injury
2 May 24 Jimm Sallivan

Stephen A. Smith Blasted by MLB Fans for Insulting Take on Mike Trout’s Injury

The Los Angeles Angels are without Mike Trout indefinitely due to a torn meniscus in his left knee. The star outfielder was near tears earlier this week while speaking to reporters about the injury, which will force him to miss a considerable amount of time.

While Trout was distraught about the news, ESPN's Stephen A. Smith seemed to make it all a big joke as he tore down the Angels outfielder for having to miss more time due to injury during Wednesday's episode of First Take.

“How the hell is he always hurt?," Smith yelled. "I don’t understand this. It drives me nuts when I see baseball players get hurt. What is it that you’re doing with yourself physically that you can’t stay healthy playing baseball? Now, you get hit by a pitch or something, that’s different, I get all of that. With these oblique injuries, you’re running around bases, catching one, then you’re running out for a fly ball, and all of a sudden, something gets tweaked. What the hell is going on?”

Here's Smith's full rant:

MLB fans were rightfully not impressed with Smith's insulting take on Trout's injury:

Hopefully Trout is able to return soon.

Angels, ESPN, Mike Trout, MLB
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Jason Kelce Responds to Reports He Will Be Joining ESPN
1 May 24 Jimm Sallivan

Jason Kelce Responds to Reports He Will Be Joining ESPN

On Monday, reports emerged that ESPN had won the Jason Kelce sweepstakes. The Athletic's Andrew Marchand reported the Worldwide Leader was to ink the former Philadelphia Eagles center to a deal that would add him to the Monday Night Countdown desk, the network's pregame show for Monday Night Football. On Wednesday, Kelce responded.

Sitting virtually across from his brother Travis on their latest episode of New Heights, Kelce made sure to say right off the bat that these reports are not yet set in stone. He has not put any pen to paper. With that out of the way the former All-Pro waxed poetic about how much of an honor it would be to work for ESPN, the very same network that he and Travis watched every single day as burgeoning sports junkies when they were young.

"Nothing's been offically inked yet or announced yet, but obviously there's been a lot of reports out there about me going to ESPN," Kelce said. "I think time will take care of that. But it's a tremendous honor to be considered to potentially work there. That network was everything Travis and I watched growing up.

"We talk about it all the time. We had Rich Eisen on here last year on the show. We talk about all these guys we grew up watching. We lived watching ESPN. SportsCenter, before phones, that was the only way to get all the coverage. We were glued to the TV each and every day. The fact that I may, potentially, probably, will be working there is pretty darn cool, man."

Between these comments and the previous reports it is all but certain Kelce will be on our televisions next fall, and he's clearly very excited about it. As are we all.

Kelce's magnetic personality is going to make him a quick television star, and the sky is the limit if he learns how to leverage his extensive football knowledge into engaging monologues for the audience. He probably won't be asked to do a ton on Monday Night Countdown, which is just as much about recapping the previous weekend's action as it is analyzing the game ahead.

But there will be plentiful opportunities for Kelce to flex some broadcasting muscle by doing the same thing that made New Heights popular: be a large, gregarious man who loves the game of football. And he also happens to be the brother of Taylor Swift's boo.

It will be fascinating to watch his career unfold. Until then, ESPN should rest easy knowing they're likely landing someone who appreciates what it means to work there.

ESPN, Jason Kelce, NFL, Travis Kelce
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The Future of TNT's Iconic 'Inside the NBA' Is in Major Jeopardy
30 Apr 24 Jimm Sallivan

The Future of TNT’s Iconic ‘Inside the NBA’ Is in Major Jeopardy

1. The NBA’s current television deals expire after next season and it appears that there will be major changes beginning with the 2025-26 season.

One thing that won't change is that ESPN/ABC will still be the main player. Puck’s John Ourand has reported that ESPN and the NBA have agreed on the parameters of a deal that will see the Finals remain on ABC.

However, the “B” package could be on the move.

The Wall Street Journa’'s Joe Flint reported on Monday that NBC/Peacock is making a MAJOR push to steal the TNT package. MAJOR = $2.5 BILLION per year.

While that stinks if you’re like me and hate watching games on streaming services, the other ramification is way worse.

Chances are, if NBC gets the package from TNT, that would be the end of the greatest sports studio show of all time: Inside the NBA with Ernie Johnson, Kenny Smith, Charles Barkley and Shaquille O'Neal.

Maybe NBC would make a play for all four hosts, but normally, when a network acquires a package, it wants to put its own imprint on it. Plus, just snatching up the foursome won’t be that easy. Ernie Johnson does other work for Turner and has worked for them for basically his whole professional life. ESPN would do anything and everything it could to hire Barkley.

In addition, The Athletic’s Andrew Marchand has reported that Amazon will also get a third NBA package in 2025-26. (YAY! More streaming!). It would be more likely that Amazon can make the push to hire the the Inside the NBA crew than NBC because (1) Amazon doesn’t have in-house NBA people; (2) Amazon has more money than anyone; and (3) Amazon still needs credibility as a sports outlet, NBC does not.

But putting Ernie, Kenny, Charles and Shaq on a streaming service for regular season games that hardly anyone is going to watch will, quite frankly, suck. And suck a lot.

And it’s not just about the four personalities. The reason Inside the NBA has become a legendary show has just as much to do with producers, directors and all the behind-the-scenes people as the on-air talent.

If Amazon or NBC brought over all four guys, the show might be similar, but it won’t be the same. And anytime perfection gets messed with, it’s a huge bummer. And Inside the NBA is perfection.

The WSJ pointed out that Turner has the right to match any NBC offer. So there is a glimmer of hope that maybe Inside the NBA remains as is, but the Debbie Downer in me just doesn’t see how Turner drops $2.5 billion per year for NBA games that get marginal ratings. NBC will drop that ridiculous amount of money because they are desperate to add content to Peacock. Turner programming streams on Max, a service on much firmer ground than Peacock.

So while I don’t think Turner will match NBC's offer, I can assure you, I’ve never wanted to be more wrong about a prediction.

2. More potential fallout if Turner loses the NBA: What happens to the man with the best pipes in sports broadcasting, Kevin Harlan?

Obviously, Harlan would get hired by another network in about five seconds. And rightfully so. Just listen to these clips from his call of Monday night’s Lakers-Nuggets game. Nothing but pure electricity.

3. Monday Night Raw was in Kansas City last night and Patrick Mahomes was in attendance. He even mixed it up during a match a little bit, by giving Logan Paul his Super Bowl rings so Paul could use them to punch Jey Uso.

Mahomes was also "confronted” by Braun Strowman before getting some backup from Chiefs offensive linemen, Creed Humphrey and Trey Smith

Making Mahomes a heel in Kansas City was bizarre, but he played it well.

4. Chris “Mad Dog” Russo gave us one of his vintage moments Monday when a caller who proclaimed to be a big Knicks fan revealed that he was playing golf while New York was playing Philly in Game 4 of the playoffs Sunday afternoon.

The caller actually hit me up on Twitter and doubled down on his actions.

5. Info about The Greatest Roast of All Time: Tom Brady that will air this Sunday live on Netflix at 8 p.m. ET has started to trickle in. If you don’t think Bill Belichick roasting Brady will be must-see TV, I don’t know what to tell you.

6. The latest SI Media With Jimmy Traina features a conversation with newly retired New York Yankees radio legend, John Sterling.

Sterling, who was the radio voice of the Yankees for 36 seasons before stepping away from the job in mid-April, talks about his decision to retire now and clarifies reports on his health. He also addresses the social media backlash the Yankees faced after giving him an 83-inch television as a retirement gift.

Sterling also shares the advice he’d give the person who succeeds him as the Yankees radio play-by-play person, shares his thoughts on his “streak” of calling 5,060 straight games and remembers his time as a sports talk radio host. Sterling also reveals the one Yankees player who asked him to change his famous home run call and talks about the role Mike and the Mad Dog played in helping the home run calls become a thing.

Following Sterling, Sal Licata from WFAN and SNY joins me for our weekly “Traina Thoughts” segment. This week’s topics include the NFL draft, Aaron Boone’s ridiculous ejection, the upcoming unedited The Greatest Roast of All Time: Tom Brady on Netflix, Taylor Swift’s new album and more.

You can listen to each podcast by clicking into the tweet below. You can also listen on Apple and Spotify.

7. RANDOM VIDEO OF THE DAY: Lists are usually terrible pieces of content, but we fully endorse this one from the Dan LeBatard Show‘’ Taylor Vippolis.

Be sure to catch up on past editions of Traina Thoughts and check out the Sports Illustrated Media Podcast hosted by Jimmy Traina on Apple, Spotify or Google. You can also follow Jimmy on Twitter, Instagram and TikTok. 

Charles Barkley, Ernie Johnson, ESPN, Inside the NBA, Kenny Smith, NBA, NBC, Shaquille O'Neal
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