ESPN Decides Not To Comment On A Story They Are Commenting On
Wednesday, November 12, 2008
On the heels of yesterday's story that ESPN is looking into getting back the BCS, the network wrote a story of their own. Now I'm not one to try and completely understand the inner workings of a TV deal of this magnitude, but can someone explain to me why a company that is writing a story about itself wouldn't be able to be reached for a comment....
"We've had good meetings and discussion to this point," BCS coordinator and Atlantic Coast Conference commissioner John Swofford said Tuesday, according to USA Today. "The BCS is obviously an attractive television property, but we simply have not completed our process."That is so meta that my head is going to explode. You are ESPN! Wouldn't you have gone with something like, "ESPN can't divulge anymore at this time", or "We choose not to comment at this point in the discussions"? Just an odd way to put things.
Conference commissioners and BCS TV negotiator Barry Frank have been meeting in Chicago with the networks since Sunday, USA Today reported.
SportsBusiness Daily reported that in bidding, Disney is offering about $125 million annually to air the games, while Fox is offering about $100 million annually. According to USA Today, several people with knowledge of the negotiations confirmed those figures.
ESPN did not immediately comment on the reports.
Oh and a brief update of sorts, but after some researching and snooping, the numbers are going to be very very hard for FOX to compete with.
Reports: BCS games might air on cable starting in 2010 (ESPN)
The BCS Might Be Moving From FOX Back To ESPN/ABC (Awful Announcing)
(Thanks to TB for the link)
8 Comments:
So you don't think the staff writer that wrote that is different than executives that are working on the deal?
ESPN isn't just one person.
jfreak, it just sounded funny that ESPN was breaking a story about itself and couldn't even get itself, as an entity, to comment about it.
@jfreak Although ESPN is not one person, it is one entity. Plus, this was posted on the front page of ESPN.com, which is a pretty big deal to the Leader. I think ESPN takes a pretty good look at what stories it places on the front of its site. I don't think some nameless staff writer is going to just sneak it on there while nobody is looking. AA is just pointing out the complete awkwardness of the statement.
It might be a reposted AP story. Although it's attributed to "ESPN.com"...
Unrelated to the story, I've watched Interactive Tuesday the last two weeks due to my alma mater playing in those games. It is, HANDS DOWN, the dumbest idea in the history of the world.
Oh, really, pirateguy thinks that Ball State is overrated. Why I had no idea! That changes my mind about everything I've ever believed in.
Fox coverage of all sports other than football is horrid.
Fox coverage of all sports is horrid.
Fixed.
ESPN needs to play hardball with Jim Delany and the Rose Bowl and force them to be part of a playoff. I think this is highly probable. I'd prefer a playoff system wherein the BCS is decimated, but if the BCS can put some semblance of a playoff together, it can serve a valuable purpose.
ESPN's coverage, announcers and knowledge would be a much better fit for the BCS. I hope they get it. Fox coverage of all sports other than football is horrid.