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Tag: ESPN

  • Disney Channels Are Back on Dish and Sling TV

    Disney Channels Are Back on Dish and Sling TV

    Dish Network and Sling TV customers once again have access to Disney-owned channels after the two companies reached a tentative agreement.

    Contract renewal negotiations between Dish Network and Disney broke down when the two companies could not come to an agreement on price. As a result, Dish and Sling TV customers lost access to t, ABC Owned Television Stations, ESPN networks, Disney channels, Freeform, FX networks, National Geographic channels, and BabyTV.

    According to a statement provided to WPN, Disney and Dish have reached a “handshake” agreement that sees the channels restored, at least temporarily.

    “We have reached a handshake agreement with DISH/Sling TV, which properly reflects fair market value and terms for The Walt Disney Company’s unparalleled content,” the Disney Media and Entertainment Distribution spokesperson said. “As a result, we are pleased to restore our portfolio of networks on a temporary basis while both parties work to finalize a new deal.”

    Hopefully, the two companies will be able to hammer out the final terms and keep the channels available permanently.

  • Dish Network and Sling TV Lose Disney-Owned Channels

    Dish Network and Sling TV Lose Disney-Owned Channels

    Dish Network and its Sling TV streaming service have lost Disney-owned channels as a result of a contract dispute.

    Contract disputes are an almost everyday occurrence in the TV industry, with networks and streaming services often going to the brink, or even over it, in an effort to negotiate better terms for themselves. Disney and Dish have found themselves in such a spot, with the two companies unable to reach an agreement regarding their contract renewal.

    As a result, ABC Owned Television Stations, ESPN networks, Disney channels, Freeform, FX networks, National Geographic channels, and BabyTV have been dropped from Dish and Sling TV.

    “After months of negotiating in good faith, DISH has declined to reach a fair, market-based agreement with us for continued distribution of our networks,” a Disney Media and Entertainment Distribution spokesperson said in a statement to WPN. “As a result, their DISH and Sling TV subscribers have lost access to our unrivaled portfolio of live sports and news plus kids, family and general entertainment programming from the ABC Owned Television Stations, the ESPN networks, the Disney-branded channels, Freeform, the FX networks, the National Geographic channels and BabyTV. The rates and terms we are seeking reflect the marketplace and have been the foundation for numerous successful deals with pay TV providers of all types and sizes across the country. We’re committed to reaching a fair resolution, and we urge DISH to work with us in order to minimize the disruption to their customers.”

    It remains to be seen whether the two companies will be able to reach an agreement that will see the channels restored.

    In the meantime, the situation is another example of how streaming TV is failing to deliver on its promise. Once upon a time, the concept was touted as a way for consumers to save money and pick and choose the channels they want to watch.

    The reality has been far different, with increasing prices, unwanted bundles, and companies that fail to put the consumer first.

    Hopefully, the situation will be resolved sooner rather than later.

  • Disney: Less Theaters, More DTC

    Disney: Less Theaters, More DTC

    “We’ve benefited from a tremendous relationship with theatrical exhibition for many years,” says Disney CEO Bob Chapek. “However, there are a lot of consumers that want to experience a movie in the safety, comfort, and convenience of their own home. We want to accelerate our transition to a real direct-to-consumer priority company. Ultimately, the consumer is going to be making the decision in terms of how they consume our media as opposed to some arbitrary decision that we may make from a distribution standpoint.”

    Bob Chapek, CEO of Disney, discusses how Disney is transitioning to a direct-to-consumer company with less focus on the theatrical distribution of video content:

    Accelerating Transition To Direct-To-Consumer Company

    We want to accelerate our transition to a real direct-to-consumer priority company. We’ve got the opportunity to build upon the success of Disney+ which by almost any measure has been far and above anybody’s expectations. We really want to use this to catalyze our growth and increase shareholder wealth. In every territory and every platform, our expectations with Disney+ have been exceeded and exceeded every month. We’re thrilled with the way it’s going. We just think that this reorganization is going to catalyze growth even further.

    I would not characterize (our reorganization) as a response to COVID but COVID accelerated the rate at which we made this transition. This transition was going to happen anyway. Essentially, what we want to do is separate out the folks who make our wonderful content based on tremendous franchises from the decision making in terms of where the prioritization is and how it gets commercialized into the marketplace.

    We want to leave it to a group of folks who can really see objectively across all the constituents that we have and the various different considerations that we’ve got and make the optimal decision for the company. This is as opposed to somehow having it be predetermined that a movie is destined for theaters or that a TV show is destined for ABC. So really what we want to do is provide some level of objectivity and really make it a decision that benefits the overall company and its shareholders.

    We’re Putting The Consumer First

    What it says is that we’re putting the consumer first. The consumer is actually going to be who’s going to make this decision. They’re going to lead us with how they make their transactional decisions. Right now, they’re voting with their pocketbooks and they’re voting very heavily towards Disney+. We want to make sure that we’re going the way that the consumers want us to go.

    Certainly, COVID has impacted all of our traditional distribution businesses. But this is even more than reactionary, this is really progressive. This is looking out with a vision towards where we see the world going and how we see that consumers are interacting with Disney+, ESPN+, and Hulu and where it’s going to go in the future in our international business with Star. We’re trying to as they say skate to where the puck is going to be.

    Less Theaters, More DTC

    We’ve benefited from a tremendous relationship with theatrical exhibition for many years. As dynamics change in the marketplace though we want to make sure that we’re giving consumers who want to go to theaters, to experience everything that a theatrical release can give them, we want to make sure that we continue to give them that option.

    At the same time, there are a lot of consumers that want to experience a movie in the safety, comfort, and convenience of their own home for whatever reasons they do. We want to make sure that we put the consumer first. Ultimately, the consumer is going to be making the decision in terms of how they consume our media as opposed to some arbitrary decision that we may make from a distribution standpoint. We want to look at ourselves as consumer enablers.

    Disney: Less Theaters, More DTC

  • Verizon Bundles Disney+, Hulu and ESPN+, Talks Nationwide 5G

    Verizon Bundles Disney+, Hulu and ESPN+, Talks Nationwide 5G

    Verizon has significantly upgraded its Disney+ bundle, including both Hulu and ESPN+ for select plans.

    Verizon made headlines when it bundled a year of Disney’s new Disney+ streaming service for upper tier plans. The company is now expanding that to include the ad-supported Hulu plan, as well as ESPN+.

    “Our new Mix & Match plans make the choice clearer than ever: customers get the best network and the best value with Verizon,” said Frank Boulben, SVP Marketing and Products of Verizon Consumer Group. “We led the industry by giving customers Disney+ on us. Now we’re adding The Disney Bundle, which includes Disney+, Hulu and ESPN+, for more entertainment choices that appeal to a variety of interests. We can’t wait to see what customers choose to suit their needs.”

    “The addition of The Disney Bundle to our agreement with Verizon reinforces our commitment to providing their subscribers with access to high-quality entertainment from Disney+, Hulu and ESPN+,” said Sean Breen, EVP, Platform Distribution, The Walt Disney Company. “We are always looking for the most advantageous ways for consumers to experience our content and we are pleased to work with Verizon so that they can provide their customers with these appealing new offers.”

    Verizon also took the opportunity to speak, albeit briefly, about their upcoming nationwide 5G network. According to the company, all of its new Mix & Match plans will support nationwide 5G, which it says is coming this year—although there were no dates given.

    Verizon is currently the only one of the three major carriers to not have a nationwide 5G network. T-Mobile is currently in the lead, in terms of coverage, with AT&T in second place. In contrast, Verizon opted early on to focus almost exclusively on the high-band mmWave variety of 5G. This flavor is exceptionally fast, but offers limited range and poor building penetration. As a result, it is only suitable for cities and densely populated areas where base stations can be installed every couple of hundred meters.

    At the root of the problem is Verizon’s lack of available low and mid-band spectrum. T-Mobile used its 600 MHz spectrum for its nationwide network, while AT&T used its 850 MHz spectrum. Verizon’s 700 MHz spectrum is tied up with its 4G LTE network. As a result, the company has been looking at Dynamic Spectrum Sharing (DSS) to share it’s low-band spectrum between LTE and 5G networks, using DSS to switch back and forth depending on what type of device is currently accessing the tower. Unfortunately, while a good idea on paper, DSS has faced its fair share of criticism and issues.

    With Verizon so far behind in the 5G race, one can’t help but wonder if its increased bundling is an effort to add value for its customers, and keep them from defecting, while it plays catchup.

  • fuboTV and Disney Strike Deal to Distribute Disney’s Catalog

    fuboTV and Disney Strike Deal to Distribute Disney’s Catalog

    fuboTV, one of the upcoming streaming services, has just struck a deal to include Disney’s catalog of channels.

    As cord cutting gains popularity, streaming services are duking it out, using a combination of channels and features to lure customers. fuboTV offers one of the most well-rounded experiences, with a good channel lineup, generous DVR and modern interface.

    Unfortunately, Disney’s catalog, including ESPN, has been a glaring omission from the streaming service—until now. The two companies have struck a deal that will see ABC, ABC News Live, Disney Channel, Disney Junior, Disney XD, Freeform, ESPN, ESPN2, ESPN3, in-market for SEC Network and ACC Network, FX, FXX and National Geographic added to the base fuboTV plan. Additional channels will be available on upgraded plans, such as out-of-market for SEC Network and ACC Network, ESPNU, ESPNEWS, ESPN Deportes, FXM, Fox Life, Nat Geo Wild, Nat Geo Mundo and BabyTV.

    “With the addition to our lineup of the ESPN suite of channels, we continue to make good on our promise to sports fans to be the undisputed home of professional and college sports,” said fuboTV CEO and Co-Founder David Gandler. “fubo is equally delighted to add the storied Disney, ABC, FX and Nat Geo networks to round out a robust programming portfolio for the whole family to enjoy.”

    This is good news for fuboTV customers will make an already great streaming service even better.

  • Disney Can’t Begin to Catch Netflix, But They Don’t Need To, Says Media Innovator Tom Rogers

    Disney Can’t Begin to Catch Netflix, But They Don’t Need To, Says Media Innovator Tom Rogers

    Media innovator Tom Rogers says that Disney can’t begin to catch Netflix in terms of streaming subscribers, but they don’t need to. “No one can catch Netflix,” says Rogers. “I don’t think Disney can begin to catch Netflix, but they don’t need to catch Netflix here to create an asset value that really helps to deal with the issue of the core business decline.”

    Tom Rogers, media innovator and Executive Chairman of WinView, Inc., discussed ESPN+, Disney, Netflix, and the future of streaming on CNBC:

    ESPN+ is Going From a Model Which is Impossible to Do Better Than

    ESPN+ is going from a model which is impossible to do better than. They’re going from a model where ESPN is watched by 20 percent of the people but they get $7 a home across the entire cable and satellite universe including the 80 percent that barely watch it. To go to ESPN+ we’re the only way you derive value is selling it to somebody who’s going to use it. They’re going to do okay with that I have no doubt, but it can’t be as good as the existing model that they’re coming from which is in decline.

    The real issue is how fast is that decline on the existing business relative to what they can make up here? They had some nice sub-adds, but just to make up for their Ultimate Fighting Championship deal of $300 million of which ESPN and ESPN+ split that, $150 million going there they probably need three million subs just to cover that one rights contract. So you really have got to look at how they have to cover rights cost against something where they can only get revenue from the people who are actually going to watch it.

    Disney Can’t Begin to Catch Netflix, But They Don’t Need To

    It’s complicated because it isn’t a streaming service, it’s three. It’s ESPN+, Disney+, and Hulu. You have question marks on all of them. With Hulu, you’ve got this huge issue that I don’t think anybody’s digging into which is 40 percent of their adult play is owned by their two biggest competitors, Comcast and AT&T. We really don’t know if they have any kind of decision-making or governance control and how that’s going to be unwound. It isn’t going to be, hey, we just walk away from that 40 percent interest. That’s going to be their major non-kids opportunity to chase Netflix with. I really think there are a lot of question marks here on all of them.

    How many people are gonna use both ESPN and ESPN plus? That’s a huge question. My guess is there’s a decent overlap there but you have the equally big issue of all these skinny bundles where ESPN will make its way into some of them as people cut the cord and go to these packages of much smaller numbers of channels. But there’ll be plenty of people taking skinny bundles that have no sports in it at all because those are going to be the lower cost. That’s where they really take the hit because today they’re getting paid across all cable and satellite subs.

    There’s no doubt that Disney is a studio powerhouse. They were before and with the acquisition of the Fox movie and TV studios, they are even more. Their production capability is huge, but the Netflix issue is one that they’ve got to get away from. No one can catch Netflix. I don’t think Disney can begin to catch Netflix, but they don’t need to catch Netflix here to create an asset value that really helps to deal with the issue of the core business decline.

    They Watch Netflix for the Originals, Not Disney

    The question is, how much are they really going to invest there? Nothing about this earnings report really gave us a clue about that. They’re going to have a major issue in terms of foregone opportunity on all the licensing that they’re no longer going to do. But that’s even a sub-point to some extent. What drove Hulu so far? It’s original Handmaid’s Tale. What drives Netflix? Disney’s Avengers Infinity Wars on Netflix.

    People don’t talk about that as the reason they watch Netflix. They watch Netflix for the originals. That is a massive additional spend. We don’t really have a clue yet on what they’re prepared to do there. The issue of what valuation they get is all about how long are those losses going to last? How deep is that cash hit going to be? And ultimately, when do they turn profitable? If that’s 10 years out and you’re discounting that back today you’re going to get a very very different looking asset value than the $150 billion that Netflix let sees today.


  • Former ESPN President Says Streaming is the Future of Sports Viewing

    Former ESPN President Says Streaming is the Future of Sports Viewing

    Streaming is going to be the primary way people consume sports content according to former ESPN President John Skipper. Skipper is now Executive Chairman of the Perform Group, which considers itself the digital leader in global sports media and is, in fact, one of the fastest growing sports media companies in the world.

    John Skipper, currently Executive Chairman of Perform Group and previously President of ESPN talks about how streaming will be the future of sports viewing in an interview with CNBC at the Web Summit in Lisbon, Portugal:

    Streaming is the Future of Sports Viewing

    There’s very little doubt that the way fans are going to get their sports in the future, in the near future in some places, and in the medium future, other places are through a streaming service. It’s a superior technology. It does not have to be linear. You can do multiple games. You can have a one-on-one relationship with your customer. As the infrastructure gets built out it’s a superior video experience. It’s the future of sports viewing.

    It takes a lot of infrastructure and that infrastructure is not there right now. The ability to stream concurrently to large numbers of people can only be done by a few services including services that we own. We have the ability to stream up to 10 million live concurrent viewers, which as far as I know there are only two or three companies in the world that can do that.

    Live Sports is the Most Valuable Content in Media

    Our biggest competitors are anybody who’s bidding for sports rights. Ultimately, we have a very simple business, unlike the business of entertainment where you have to invent new dramas and comedies or talk shows, reality shows, or game shows. We simply have to get the rights to the sporting events that people care about.

    What I brought is not the new world of data. What I brought is the understanding that live sports is the most valuable content in the media universe because people care passionately about it and because they are unique events that cannot be replicated. If you have the game they want to watch you’re in business. I am learning at the Zone about the technology of how to deliver that and then the advantage of having a one-to-one relationship and data on your customers.

    About John Skipper:

    John Skipper was named Executive Chairman of the Perform Group on May 8, 2018. Skipper previously served as President of ESPN Inc., where he worked for 20 years across all areas of the business.

  • Erin Andrews: Jury Selection Begins In Stalking Case

    Erin Andrews will have her day(s) in court and they are coming soon.

    On Monday, a jury was being selected in Erin Andrews’ trial against a Nashville hotel which she says is responsible for making her location known to 50-year-old Michael David Barrett and allowing him to book rooms next to her in 2008.

    He then recorded video of Erin Andrews undressing through various peepholes and posted them online.

    Erin Andrews was working for ESPN at the time and in Nashville for a Vanderbilt football game when the recordings took place.

    #tbt Love pregame chattzys

    A photo posted by Erin Andrews (@erinandrews) on

    Erin Andrews is suing for $75 million in damages.

    Michael David Barrett pleaded guilty to stalking Erin Andrews and shooting the videos in 2009. He served 30 months in prison and now lives in Oregon.

    While Erin Andrews’ looks have garnered her a lot of attention and unfortunately made her a target in the eyes of her stalker, she doesn’t like them being discussed.

    She said recently of the double standard she faces, “I think it’s hilarious when people have a problem with, ‘Oh she’s wearing this, she’s got hair extensions. It’s so funny to me that people are so worried about what I’m doing or care about how I look, and I’m working out.”

    @victoriassecret

    A photo posted by Erin Andrews (@erinandrews) on

    She added, “We have the best-looking guys at Fox. Michael Strahan, Howie Long, Jimmy Johnson, Terry Bradshaw… They work out all the time. Beautiful men wearing beautiful clothes. And nobody says anything about that. That’s the only time I get salty.”

    What do you think will become of Erin Andrews’ lawsuit?

  • Rachel Nichols Reportedly Leaving CNN to Return to ESPN

    Rachel Nichols is reportedly leaving CNN to return to ESPN.

    According to media reports, including the Chicago Tribune, Nichols will rejoin ESPN in early 2016, serving as an anchor and reporter. Reports also claim she will anchor her own program.

    Rachel Nichols, who graduated from Northwestern in 1995, is a prominent sports journalist who joined Time Warner in early 2013 to work for both Turner Sports and CNN.

    Jim Miller of Vanity Fair first reported the news on his Twitter feed.

    According to Sports Illustrated, while at ESPN from 2004 to 2013, Nichols worked as a correspondent for SportsCenter, Sunday NFL Countdown, NBA Countdown and E:60, and also as a sideline reporter for Monday Night Football.

    ESPN executives declined to comment and a CNN spokesperson could not be reached for immediate comment.

  • Olivia Munn Rips Into Journalists Who Blame Her For Aaron Rodgers’ Declining Performance

    Olivia Munn didn’t take too kindly to being blamed for her boyfriend’s slump.

    Olivia Munn is dating Greenbay Packers quarterback Aaron Rodgers and when his performance seemed to slip recently, ESPN reporter Rob Demovsky tried to pin the blame on her.

    In an article titled “Five reasons why Packers quarterback Aaron Rodgers is struggling”, he wrote, “A longtime NFL agent told me recently that when he sees one of his top-performing clients play differently, as Rodgers has of late, the first thing he wonders is if something is going on in his personal life.”

    He added, “There’s no indication that Rodgers’ relationship status has changed. Lions reporters said they spotted Rodgers’ girlfriend, actress Olivia Munn, at Lambeau Field on Sunday. Sometimes it’s easy to forget that professional athletes have lives away from the field, and you never know what could be going on in their personal lives.”

    Olivia Munn was quick to hit back at Demovsky.

    Olivia Munn didn’t stop there.

    In another tweet, Olivia Munn fired shots at other sports journalists who took a cue from ESPN and ran with it.

    Olivia Munn even attacked the source for Demovsky’s possible conclusion.

    It turns out, Aaron Rodgers wasn’t having personal issues with Olivia Munn at all. He was playing with an injured throwing shoulder.

    Do you think Olivia Munn overreacted a little to the article or do you think she is justified in setting the record straight in such a direct way?

  • Olivia Munn Calls Out Jounalists For Blaming Aaron Rodgers’ Slump On Her

    Olivia Munn was none too happy when ESPN journalist Rob Demovsky put her as number five on a list of five reasons why Greenbay quarterback, and Olivia Munn’s boyfriend, Aaron Rodgers might be having a slump.

    In his article, Demovsky seems to point blame at Olivia Munn, writing, “A longtime NFL agent told me recently that when he sees one of his top-performing clients play differently, as Rodgers has of late, the first thing he wonders is if something is going on in his personal life.”

    He added, “There’s no indication that Rodgers’ relationship status has changed. Lions reporters said they spotted Rodgers’ girlfriend, actress Olivia Munn, at Lambeau Field on Sunday. Sometimes it’s easy to forget that professional athletes have lives away from the field, and you never know what could be going on in their personal lives.”

    After the article came out, Olivia Munn was quick to kick back.

    Olivia Munn also called out other sports news outlets that took Demovsky’s idea and ran with it.

    As it turns out, the problem isn’t Olivia Munn at all, but a shoulder injury on the arm he throws with.

    It seems Aaron Rodgers kept playing with an injured shoulder to keep his locker room pride intact.

    He said in an interview, “Some people use the injuries as an excuse. But I think for the guys in this locker room who are out there battling, it’s a source of pride.”

    Do you think Demovsky was “playing it fast and loose with the journalism” when he tried to blame Olivia Munn for Rodgers’ recent performance?

  • Olivia Munn Goes On a Rant After ESPN Writer, Others Suggest Actress Is An ‘Off-Field Issue’ for Boyfriend Aaron Rogers

    Olivia Munn is not too thrilled with how she was depicted by an ESPN writer, who suggested she is an “off-field issue” for NFL boyfriend Aaron Rogers, or the resulting media response.

    After ESPN’s Rob Demovsky suggested in an article on posted on Thursday that the actress may be one of five possible reasons why the Green Bay Packers quarterback “is struggling,” Munn fired back.

    “A longtime NFL agent told me recently that when he sees one of his top-performing clients play differently, as Rodgers has of late, the first thing he wonders is if something is going on in his personal life,” Demovsky wrote. “There’s no indication that Rodgers’ relationship status has changed. Lions reporters said they spotted Rodgers’ girlfriend, actress Olivia Munn, at Lambeau Field on Sunday. Sometimes it’s easy to forget that professional athletes have lives away from the field, and you never know what could be going on in their personal lives.”

    The 35-year-old The Newsroom alum fired back in a tweet.

    “Playing it fast & loose w/the journalism @RobDemovsky,” she tweeted back at him. “Your professional skills are lacking … you must be having personal problems at home.”

    Several other media outlets, including Fox Sports and The Washington Post joined in the fray, siding for the most part with Demovsky, to which Munn continued to defend herself.

    Olivia Munn found it particularly offensive that Fox and the Post used comments by a “fan” that she labeled a racist.

    So what are your thoughts? Is Olivia Munn becoming a liability for Rogers or should everyone just back off?

  • Eva Longoria Working on ESPN Film and New ‘Telenovela’

    Eva Longoria is working on a new film called Go Sebastien Go! The film is part of a film series called Versus on ESPN. It is the story of Sebastien De La Cruz.

    Eva Longoria serves as producer and director of the film, which is about how Sebastien De La Cruz, an America’s Got Talent finalist was badgered relentlessly on social media after performing the national anthem in a mariachi outfit at the 2013 NBA Finals.

    “I think it’s important to show other sides of sports,” Eva Longoria said on ESPN. “It’s not about the wins and losses on the field or on the court, it’s about the wins in life — and the wins that actually change the paths of others.”

    As for Sebastiaen De La Cruz, he held up under the backlash, saying, “The world isn’t perfect, but the world is good. Even though bad things happen, the world will always be good.”

    Eva Longoria is also working on a new television series called Telenovela, which is a comedy on NBC.

    “We’ve been producing and developing it for about two years,” Eva Longoria said. “The show is so funny and I love my cast and crew.”

    Eva Longoria has been away from television for a while. How will she handle returning to that environment?

    “Going back to television in this climate in which the way people view content is so different. That’s going to be interesting,” she said. “Social media is such a big part of our lives now…so it’s going to be fun.”

  • ESPN’s Britt McHenry Should Be Fired, Says Twitter

    ESPN’s Britt McHenry Should Be Fired, Says Twitter

    According to a growing number of Twitter users, ESPN reporter Britt McHenry deserves a steeper punishment than a brief suspensions.

    The hastag #FireBrittMcHenry has surged in popularity, as people continue to scold the reporter for her actions, as well as ESPN for their decision to suspend her for one week.

    If you missed the Britt McHenry story, here’s a refresher.

    Earlier this week, a surveillance video caught the reporter and former Stetson University soccer player berating a towing company employee after her car was towed in Washington DC. McHenry insulted the employees’ weight, appearance, and level of education. The video went viral, garnered hundreds of thousands of views.

    “That’s why I have a degree and you don’t,” said McHenry at one point. “Maybe if I was missing some teeth, they would hire me here, huh?”

    Watch the video below:

    She later apologized for her actions, saying,

    “In an intense and stressful moment, I allowed my emotions to get the best of me and said some insulting and regrettable things. As frustrated as I was, I should always choose to be respectful and take the high road. I am so sorry for my actions and will learn from this mistake.”

    ESPN suspended her for one week.

    It appears it is the opinion of a good number of folks out there that this is not good enough.

    McHenry has not made a statement beyond her Twitter apology. The New York Post suggests that ESPN should reinstate McHenry until it has the full story. What do you think?

    Image via Britt McHenry, Twitter

  • ESPN’s Hannah Storm Shoves Makeup Artist on Live TV [Watch], Defends Her Actions On Twitter

    ESPN’s Hannah Storm was caught on live TV Sunday morning shoving her makeup artist out of the way when cameras accidentally turned to her, catching the two in the shot.

    The SportsCenter anchor was covering pre-game coverage of Monday’s playoffs in Dallas when the Heisman Trophy imt occurred.

    Apparently, Storm’s little makeup touch-up wasn’t quite finished when cameras turned to her, leading the sportscaster to push her face’s best friend out of the way.

    Needless to say, it has been very stressful for everyone at ESPN over the course of the past week, with the loss of Stuart Scott just a week ago.

    Check it out:

    Storm responded to the stiff-arming on Twitter, saying she was merely helping out her makeup artist.

  • Kristin Spodobalski Reportedly Remained by Boyfriend Stuart Scott’s Side Until the Very End

    Kristin Spodobalski, the girlfriend of the much-admired ESPN anchor Stuart Scott, who died of cancer Sunday morning at the age of 49, was reportedly by his side until the very end.

    ESPN reported Stuart’s death early Sunday, saying that Kristin, who had been dating the sports analyst for two years, “was with Stuart and cared for him every step of the way.”

    “ESPN and everyone in the sports world have lost a true friend and a uniquely inspirational figure in Stuart Scott,” said ESPN president John Skipper. “Who engages in mixed martial arts training in the midst of chemotherapy treatments? Who leaves a hospital procedure to return to the set? His energetic and unwavering devotion to his family and to his work while fighting the battle of his life left us in awe, and he leaves a void that can never be replaced.”

    Scott’s cancer was first diagnosed when his appendix was removed in 2007. It recurred four years later and again in 2013. He never revealed what kind of cancer he had.

    Along with Spodobalski, 26, Scott is survived by his parents, a brother and two sisters, ex-wife Kim Scott and daughters Taelor, 19, and Sydni, 15.

    “The best thing I have ever done, the best thing I will ever do, is be a dad to Taelor and Sydni,” he said in July at the 2014 ESPYS, where he was given the Jimmy V Award for Perseverance. “I can’t ever give up because I can’t leave my daughters.”

    “Taelor and Sydni, I love you guys more than I will ever be able to express,” he said. “You two are my heartbeat. I am standing on this stage here tonight because of you.”

    During his moving and inspiring speech at the ESPYS, Scott remarked that fighting cancer is never a solo undertaking.

    “When you get too tired to fight, lay down, get some rest and let someone else fight for you,” said Scott. “This whole ‘fight this journey’ thing is not a solo venture. This is something that requires support.”

    “I can’t do this ‘don’t give up’ thing by myself,” said Scott, explaining that he had just recently left the hospital where he had liver complications, kidney failure and underwent four operations in the span of seven days.

    “I couldn’t fight,” said Scott, as the emotion of the moment remembered rendered him momentarily speechless. “But my doctors and nurses could. The people that I love — my friends and family — they could fight. My girlfriend, who slept on a very uncomfortable hospital cot by my side, every single night, she could fight.”

    Spodobalski, an insurance professional who works for UnitedHealth Group, reportedly continued her vigil beside the man that she and so many others loved and was with him when he died, joining the throng of loved ones caring for him throughout his journey, just as he cared for millions in fighting the way he did.

    “When you die, it does not mean that you lose to cancer,” Scott told the audience in July. “You beat cancer by how you live, why you live, and in the manner in which you live.”

  • Artie Lange’s Mouth Gets Him Blacklisted Over Racist Sex Jokes

    Artie Lange tweets a lot of pretty offensive stuff. But the Stern Show veteran knows his audience and usually doesn’t catch too much flak over what he says.

    “I wrote a script giving Hollywood what they want–PC! A movie with me as the black gay addict whore who’s HIV-positive but helps a retarded friend.”

    “Like other great artists, I traveled for inspiration. Seeing the Anne Frank Museum in Amsterdam led to the most controversial poem I’ve done. I called it, ‘Is it Me or Did Anne Frank Have Plenty of Room?’”

    On Tuesday evening, Lange was watching ESPN’s First Take with Cari Champion, who is African-American. He posted several things about a sexual fantasy featuring Champion, including this:

    And that set the Interwebs ablaze. ESPN commented that the tweets were “reprehensible.”

    “His comments were reprehensible and no one should be subjected to such hateful language,” the network said in a statement on Wednesday. “They objectify and demean one of our valued employees under the thin guise of “comedy” and are offensive to all of us. We will not dignify them with any other comment.”

    But they did make another comment. They banned him from the network entirely.

    Lange took it all in stride.

    But then came the cancellation from Comedy Central, a place Lange has always been welcome.

    Lange refused to apologize to anyone but Cari Champion herself, at first.

    Later he broadened his apology, saying that a black friend of his was threatened over his tweets. In an attempt to quell the furor, he made a concession.

  • Dwyane Wade On LeBron: ‘We’re Still Gonna Be Friends’

    In a lengthy interview with Bleacher Report, Dwyane Wade talked about his relationship with LeBron James, Wade’s new teammates, and how last year ‘wasn’t fun.’

    “Me and LeBron, I’d go to Cleveland, we’d go to the movies,” Wade told Bleacher Report of his relationship with James before James joined the Heat. “He’d come here, we’d hang out. And then we’d go on the court, and we’d compete. And then after the game, that’s my boy.

    “Then we got here, we teamed up, became even closer. And now it’s the same thing. You know, we’re still gonna be friends, and we’re still gonna compete our ass off, until the day we can’t compete no more.”

    Wade says he has a new perspective, even if the goal of reaching the playoffs is still the same. This time, the 10-time All-Star wants to savor the journey rather than just focus on the destination.

    “We went to the Finals four years in a row, and it was everything we wanted from that standpoint,” Wade said. “But sometimes throughout that run at certain times, it just wasn’t fun.

    “I think now I’m at the point where I want to enjoy the game. Because once I’ve won three championships and been so successful, you’ve got to have something to play for. And I want to be able to play for my teammates and just the joy of the game.”

    That joy was missing last season when the Heat lost to the Spurs in the NBA Finals.

    “We wanted it,” Wade said. “… But sometimes you can put too much on yourself, all of us, and it becomes a black cloud. Last year wasn’t fun. I mean, there was no stretch of it fun. That whole season, to me, it’s amazing we made it to the Finals. It’s just honest.”

    With Bleacher Report, Wade talked about how there was a renewed focus and energy within the coaching staff and the new players the organization has brought in.

    “…it’s good for everyone to come in every day and want to be here,” Wade said.

  • Luol Deng Forgives Ferry For Racially-Charged Comment

    Heat forward Luol Deng said Friday that he has forgiven Atlanta Hawks general manager Danny Ferry for making racially charged comments about the veteran forward in June. Deng, who was born in what is now South Sudan in Africa, also said he spoke to Ferry recently and hopes they can turn this negative situation into a positive.

    “I don’t think Danny’s racist,” Deng said, according to The Associated Press.

    “I think one of the hardest things to do as a human being, and it’s something we should do more often, is forgive,” Deng added. “I really do forgive Danny. It’s not something I want to hold onto for the rest of my career or the rest of my life.”

    The Hawks are reeling from a pair of racially insensitive incidents. Hawks co-owner Bruce Levenson said he would sell his controlling share of the team after comments made in an email in 2012, and then came the revelation that Ferry referred to Deng as someone who “has a little African in him.” Ferry maintains that he was reading a scouting report and that the comment does not reflect his personal views.

    “I really believe that he’s really sorry for what he said,” Deng said. “And whether it came from him or wherever it came from, the main focus really should be on how we move on going forward. What are we going to do about it?”

    Deng suggested the possibility of Ferry joining him in initiatives that promote African heritage.

    “We could really turn this into a positive thing where people can benefit from,” Deng said. “It’s something we’d like to start, working together with Danny and helping people back home in Africa or working with an organization. Just so that one day we could look back and say this happened and it was something negative, but look at how it turned around and how it became something positive.

    “I’m not the type of person to hold on and be angry at somebody or be angry at Danny. I don’t think Danny is racist. I really don’t. I really don’t know Danny to describe him as a person. I just know who he is. That’s just what I believe in. I would like to put it behind me and just move forward. But I would really love if I could do something positive out of it.”

  • Hannah Storm on Domestic Violence: ‘What Does the NFL Stand For?’

    ESPN’s Hannah Storm challenged the NFL to make changes in how it deals with accusations of violence in the wake of the Ray Rice scandal.

    Storm joined other football analysts in expressing dismay in how the NFL handled the incident from the get-go. When Rice knocked out his then fiancée, Janay Rice, in the elevator in March, Rice was only given a two-game suspension.

    Following the release of a graphic surveillance video by TMZ last week showing the incident in graphic detail, Rice’s contract with the Baltimore Ravens was terminated and the NFL suspended the player indefinitely.

    Since then, NFL executives have maintained that they never saw the video footage, despite reports by CNN and ESPN to the contrary.

    The 52-year-old mother of three daughters gave an emotional speech, saying she was a “lifelong” NFL fan and described how she discussed the news with her daughters.

    “On Monday, I was genuinely excited to come to work and break down what I thought was a fascinating first weekend in the NFL,” Storm said. “Instead I kicked off ESPN’s coverage of the horrific Ray Rice elevator video.”

    Storm said one of her daughters is participating in her first fantasy football league this season.

    “At breakfast this week, instead of discussing how her team was doing, we watched the Ray Rice video play out again in all of its ugliness,” Storm said, holding back tears. “I spent this week answering seemingly impossible questions about the league’s biggest stars. ‘Mom, why did he do that? Why isn’t he in jail? Why didn’t he get fired?’ And yesterday, ‘Why don’t they even have control of their own players?’

    “So here’s a question,” she continued. “What does all of this mean for the future? What does it mean for female fans, whose dollars are so coveted by the NFL, who make up an estimated 45 percent of the NFL’s fanbase? Are fans and are families, are we as parents supposed to compartmentalize everything that’s happening? Are we supposed to simply separate a violent game on the field from violent acts off the field? And if we do, what message does that send?”

    Storm then asked why more wasn’t done initially and challenged the NFL to step it up when handling future cases of domestic abuse within the league.

    “In the NFL, apparently seeing is believing,” Storm said. “If the NFL and the Ravens had to see that video to be moved to significant action, then shouldn’t those who support the league demand the same? To see action? To see change before believing, as we all wait on the answer to the central question: What exactly does the NFL stand for?”

  • Dallas Cowboys Sign Michael Sam To Practice Squad

    The Dallas Cowboys have signed Michael Sam to their practice squad, ESPN reported Wednesday, after Sam, who is seeking to become the first openly gay player to play in the NFL, passed a physical sometime Wednesday.

    Cowboys coach Jason Garrett said that signing Sam is “a good move for our football team right now.”

    “We’re bringing a player in we wanted to see on the practice field and got nothing but good reports about him from our people and the people in St. Louis,” Garrett added. “We just want to give him a chance to come in and see if he can help our football team.”

    Sam, a Texas native, took to Twitter later on Wednesday to say that joining the Cowboys “is really a dream come true.” He also thanked the Jones family and the Cowboys’ organization as a whole for “giving him this opportunity.”

    Garrett emphasized that he did not think Sam would be a distraction in the locker room, saying, “I think we’ve probably talked too much about [Sam being a distraction to his teammates]. He’s a practice-squad player we’re going to bring in here to try to give an opportunity to help our football team.”

    Sam was among the final group of players released by the St. Louis Rams this past weekend, before being signed to the Dallas Cowboys’ practice squad.

    “One of the things that he got caught up in St. Louis is that they have a really good defensive line,” Garrett said. “They have allocated a lot of resources to that in recent years. Our reports were that he played fairly well, but it was going to be hard for him to make that team, that he handled himself well on the practice field, worked hard and all of that.

    “So we put all of that stuff together, and we felt like it was a good move for our football team right now, not any different than bringing a number of other guys back in on the practice squad or trying to add to our roster. We’re just trying to help our roster.”