Major League Baseball (MLB) has secured a series of new broadcast and streaming partnerships with Netflix, ESPN and NBCUniversal, expanding how fans will watch games and marquee events over the next three seasons. The agreements will see Netflix carry several of the league’s most-watched specials, including Opening Night and the annual Home Run Derby, marking…
After months of speculation, ESPN has officially announced the name and launch details of its long-awaited standalone streaming platform. Simply branded “ESPN,” the new service is set to debut in the fall, marking a significant shift in the Disney-owned network’s approach to digital sports broadcasting. “We kept coming back to our four letters – ESPN,”…
ESPN has reportedly locked in one of its most prominent personalities for the foreseeable future. Stephen A. Smith has agreed to a new five-year contract with the network, reportedly valued at $100 million, according to Andrew Marchand of The Athletic. Under the terms of the deal, Smith will continue as the centerpiece of “First Take,”…
Disney and DirecTV have resolved their brief but contentious distribution dispute, restoring access to Disney-owned channels such as ABC, ESPN, and FX for DirecTV’s more than 11 million subscribers. The agreement, finalized on Saturday, brings an end to a blackout that began on September 1, during which viewers were unable to watch popular programs including…
ESPN has returned multiple Emmy statues and implemented disciplinary measures following an internal investigation that uncovered the network’s submission of fake names to the National Academy of Television Arts & Sciences (NATAS) in pursuit of awards for ineligible on-air personalities. The fraudulent activity reportedly spans as far back as 1997, with ESPN acknowledging the wrongdoing…
Former Premier League goalkeeper and current ESPN commentator, Shaka Hislop, has addressed the public for the first time since fainting during a live broadcast in Los Angeles on Sunday. In a video shared on social media, the 54-year-old London native appeared in good spirits and smiling as he referred to the incident as “awkward” and…
