Tag Archives: Jon Gruden

Top sports media stories in 2012: Spiraling rights fees, ratings; ESPN cleans up; Mixed opening for NBC Sports Net

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From my perspective, the biggest sports media story in 2012 occurred on April 16. That’s when ShermanReport.com went live. Then again, I’m biased.

There has been plenty of other sports media news in 2012. Here’s a look:

Infinity: While talking about the outrageous rights fees for sports the other day, Ed Goren, the former top production man at Fox Sports, noted that Fox paid $400 million for its first four-year deal with the NFL in 1994.

“Remember when everyone thought that was out of sight?” Goren said. “Now it’s nothing.”

Indeed, $400 million barely would get you the NFL preseason in today’s market.

The lavish spending continued in 2012. Baseball was the biggest winner, with ESPN, Turner, Fox all re-upping with a new megadeal. As a result, Bud Selig and friends will more than double their annual haul from $750 million to $1.55 billion when the new contract kicks in.

Other sports also enjoyed the money grab with new expensive contracts. There seems to be no end how much the networks, especially ESPN, will pay in rights fees. Even the European Premier League went to NBC for $250 million over three years. Keep in mind, this is for a league not based in the United States and for a sport most Americans don’t care about.

Why the sports lust by the networks? See the next installment.

Soaring ratings: In a continuing splintered TV marketplace, ratings continue to rise for sports (with the exception of baseball: more on that below). Sunday Night Football on NBC is shooting for its second straight season as the top-ranked show in primetime. The Summer Olympics were the most-viewed event of all time and the NFL’s overall numbers are ridiculous. Elsewhere, there were ratings increases for the NCAA basketball tournament, NBA Finals, Stanley Cup playoffs, and more down the line.

Sports remains the last bastion of true reality television. And you have to watch it live. It’s not the same on DVR.

If sports fans keep watching, the networks will keep paying. It’s that simple.

ESPN: President John Skipper spent like crazy with deals for baseball, the new college football playoff, Big Ten, ACC, SEC, etc. Guess you can do that when your network is valued at $40 billion. Skipper secured crucial programming for the long haul, and even better, shut out his upstart competitors.

NBC Sports Network, Year 1: Some things worked; others not so much. The Stanley Cup playoffs did solid numbers, as fans loved the multi-platform approach, and the Summer Olympics had viewers seeking out the network.

However, any momentum has been dulled considerably with the NHL lockout. Speaking of games, NBC Sports Network couldn’t get in the game for baseball or make deals with the major college conference for much needed live sports programming. The Big East still is out there. What’s left of it.

NBC Sports Network remains a work in progress, but it is difficult to see how far it can go without significant games.

Gold medal: NBC did record ratings, exceeding expectations for the Olympics in London. However, the complaints about the tape delay approach reached new heights. It all is so antiquated in today’s modern media age.

It seems NBC is listening.

“We evaluate our business models all the time, and seek the best ways to satisfy the majority of viewers, as well as advertisers, and our affiliate stations,” said NBC Sports president Mark Lazarus. “We have to wait for the data from these Games to come in, and then we’ll make our plans accordingly.”

Prediction: Everything will be available live on your TV for the 2014 Winter Olympics in Sochi, Russia.

Next train out of Bristol: ESPN saw some big name personalities walk out the door: Michelle Beadle, Erin Andrews, Jim Rome. So much was made of their departures that the ESPN PR crew started to issue press releases for routine contract renewals, as if to say, “Hey, somebody likes it here.”

Skipper didn’t seem upset about the defections: “Getting excited about people leaving is very overrated — whether it be executives or on-air. Mostly it gives somebody else a chance to shine. I can’t think of a single instance where losing a talent has been significantly debilitating to a specific program. I don’t think we’ve ever canceled a program because we couldn’t find somebody to do it.”

One big name who stayed: Scott Van Pelt.

World Series blues: While other sports showcases continue to go up, the World Series declined again. Sure, another four-game sweep didn’t help. But there’s also another element in play. For whatever reason, the World Series doesn’t seem to matter as much as it used to. Baseball, unlike the other sports, has gotten extremely provincial. If your team isn’t playing, you’re not interested, or as interested.

Penn State: The biggest sports story of the year saw premature reports of Joe Paterno’s death and the Big Ten Network taking hits for not covering the NCAA press conference that announced the unprecedented sanctions. On the plus side, Harrisburg Patriot-News reporter Sara Ganim won the Pulitzer Prize for her coverage of the scandal.

Musical chairs: Yet another wave of conference realignment. Maryland and Rutgers in the Big Ten? Louisville in the ACC? All in the name of maximizing TV revenue.

Poor UConn. The Huskies look like the little kid standing while the others have their chairs.

Gruden: ESPN went to a two-man booth for Monday Night Football, elevating the status of Jon Gruden. It resulted in much fascination for the former coach, who could keep that post for the next 10-15 years if he wants. A big if considering he could be on the sidelines in 2013.

Finally tuned in: After oh so many years, Time Warner cable finally agreed to a deal to carry the NFL Network. As a result, New Yorkers finally were introduced to a wonderful man named Scott Hanson and NFL RedZone.

Tebow mania: Yeah, ESPN went a bit overboard. The network took more hits for its coverage than Tebow did playing quarterback for the Jets.

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

How TV gets made: A look at massive enterprise that is Monday Night Football

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You likely will sit in your easy chair tonight (do people still have easy chairs?) and flip on the Arizona-San Francisco game. You will listen to Mike Tirico and Jon Gruden, see all the replays and camera angles.

You will take it all for granted, and that’s just as well. How much thought do you give to how your car is made or what goes into your hot dog (you really don’t want to know)?

However, I got a chance to receive a behind-the-scenes look at ESPN’s Monday Night Football operation at Soldier Field last week. Make that, a huge operation. It gave me a new appreciation for what goes into the national telecast of a sporting event.

Occupying a large section in the bowels of the stadium, the Monday Night crew consists of credentialed production force of 250-300 people, 11 large 80,000-pound trucks, 35 cameras, and 25,000-35,000 feet of cable.

“Unless you see it up close, you can’t get a feel for the size of it,” said Steve Carter, who is ESPN senior operations director. “People take a look at all these cables, and say, ‘My goodness, this is big.'”

Speaking of the cables, I was sitting in the instant replay truck, looking at a massive board of connections. It literally was a wall of wires, seemingly randomly plugged in. I wondered if I pulled out one of them, would it take down the whole show?

I decided, not a good idea. I didn’t want to cause any headaches for Carter.

Carter is in his 13th year of making sure everything works when they flip the switch. He has a wonderful description for his job.

“I tell people, ‘Have you ever seen the parade for the circus?'” he said. “You see all the tigers, elephants and horses. And then there’s the guy with the shovel who gets to clean everything up. I’m the guy with the shovel.”

Carter, though, doesn’t appear to ruffle easily. He seemed pretty calm for a guy who endured a day of travel nightmares that left him with about an hour to spend at Soldier Field.

Perhaps Carter knows that it all works.

“It’s a controlled chaos,” Carter said. “There are a lot of pieces, but it all comes together. We’ve got such a good group of people. The great thing about this crew is that enough isn’t good enough. They always want to make it right.”

The biggest obstacle, Carter said, is the weather. The crew never had a bigger challenge than in 2010 when Metrodome roof collapse forced the Bears-Minnesota game to be played outdoors at the University of Minnesota’s college stadium.

“That was tough,” Carter said. “We always find ourselves having to adapt to the environment. Some challenges are more difficult than others, but we manage to get the job done.”

Here is one fact that got me: Carter said the entire operation will be torn down and on the road within three hours after the game. I don’t believe him. I can’t pack an overnight bag for a weekend trip in less than 30 minutes.

“Want to stick around and see?” Carter said.

I declined. I’m confident in the wee hours of the ESPN’s drivers had their trucks pulling onto Lake Shore Drive. All told, they’ll log more than 32,000 miles for the season.

They left Chicago and headed for Phoenix, and like Jackson Browne sang about the roadies, ready to do it all over again. After what I witnessed, I’ll be thinking of Carter and his crew Monday.

But you won’t, and that’s just as well.

 

 

 

 

Q/A with Mike Tirico: On busy schedule; critics of Gruden; overrated impact of announcers

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I tell Mike Tirico he needs to work harder.

“Joe Buck is working two games in one day,” I said. “What’s wrong with you? You’re slacking off.”

Tirico laughed. “I sent Joe a text. I told him it must have been awesome to have been a part of that,” Tirico said.

Seriously, Tirico doesn’t have to take a back seat to anyone with his schedule. Actually, October is a slow month for him. He only has Monday Night Football as far as play-by-play is concerned.

Starting in November, he will pick up weekly NBA games. His calendar includes Big Ten college basketball games in the winter and three of the four golf majors in the spring and summer. He also does weekly radio shows and podcasts for ESPN.

For all I know, Tirico calls sandlot games in his spare time.

Tirico and Jon Gruden are in Chicago tonight for the Bears-Detroit Lions game. Here’s my Q/A.

You don’t have one month during the year when you’re not working a significant event for ESPN. Why do you take on such a busy schedule?

My schedule can be a challenge. I have an extremely understanding family and wonderful people who facilitate things for me.

I grew up in New York when Marv Albert was doing Rangers and Knicks game, doing sports on Ch. 4 at 6 and 11, and he was NBC’s guy for boxing on the weekends. I went to Syracuse because of Marv Albert, Bob Costas, Dick Stockton. I wanted to be like those guys, and that meant you just couldn’t say, ‘Oh, this is too much.’

Listen, we’re not digging ditches. We’re talking about sports. Even though you’re drained at the end of the day, it’s not that hard. It’s a pretty good job.

This is the first time you’re working with a two-man booth for Monday Night Football. What has that been like for you?

The most significant part of my job is to get the most out of an analyst–make them relevant. It’s much easier to do it with one person compared to two. I love Jaws (Ron Jaworski). We text all the time.

But the difference with two people is that it is more of a conversation. I can carry on a dialogue easier than trying to deal with a third person. I can ask a second or third question.

What is it like to work with Jon Gruden?Jon is the best prepared of any analyst I’ve ever worked with. I truly understand why he’s been so successful. When we meet with coaches (prior to a telecast), they have so much respect for his knowledge and ability. He’s on the cutting edge of what’s going on.

When you see his preparation, it helps you to understand why good coaches and bad coaches make such a difference in the NFL. When you watch our games and listen to the things Jon says before they happen, it’s incredible.

I bristle at all the people who say Jon is too positive and never gets negative. If they don’t think Jon doesn’t point out mistakes, then they aren’t listening to the game.

Does Jon go to a different level of appreciation about the ability of guys? Absolutely, because he’s coached players. He knows what it takes to be Peyton Manning and what he does out there. Not to get on my soap box, but we’ve turned into a miserable society if we can’t enjoy being around the best in the world.

If you watch a game, Jon will say why a guy is doing that and why a guy is not doing that. When people say Jon’s not critical, I call those people lazy. They need to listen closely to the game.

I’ll get ripped for saying that, but that’s good.

You’re in your seventh year calling Monday Night Football. How have you evolved as an announcer?

I’m sure your 100th column was better than your first. I go back and watch every game. I’m always looking to get better.

However, I always say nobody watches for the announcers. They watch for a good game. If they really watch for the announcers, then on Sunday, the networks should put their best announcers on their worst game.

If Fox put their No. 7 crew on the Giants-49ers game, it wouldn’t change the rating for that game. All we can do is hopefully enhance the experience.

Let’s go back to the end of the Seattle-Green Bay game. How did that play unfold for you?

You start with the fact Seattle had a chance to beat Green Bay. Then the play happened. First, you’re amazed that the ball didn’t hit the ground. Now all my attention goes to the officials and I see nothing.

Then they make two different calls. Wait, what you got here?

Looking back, I’m glad about two things. When I made the call, I used the word ‘simaltaneous.’ Ultimately, that’s the rule they were looking at. I’m glad I used the correct word.

Second, I’m glad after the fire bomb hit, there was the reality that this was the most significant faux pas of the replacement officials. We said it was going to put pressure on the league to make a change. And it did.

Do you really call sandlot games in your spare time?

No, c’mon. Going to the Tigers game tonight (Tirico, who lives in the Detroit area, was going to game 4 of the ALCS). I’m glad it’s one of the one sports I don’t cover. I’ve never taken a credential to a baseball game. I have a partial season ticket, and it’s the one sport where I can truly be a fan. It’s so much fun to be there with the family.

I love waiting in line for the concessions, sitting in the stands. It makes you appreciate the people who fill the stadiums. It helps you be connected to the consumer.

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

Sports analysts weigh in on debate between Obama-Lama and Rawlings Mitt Romney

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Forget about what Blitzer, Maddow and O’Reilly had to say about last night’s debate. This is a sports media site. So we asked the various announcers and analysts for their assessment.

Jon Gruden: This guy, this Mitt Romney. I’ve been watching him for years. He always has a knack for coming up with the big play. What a guy.

Chris Berman: Barack Obama-Lama couuuld gooooo alllll the wayyyyyy….WHUUUP!!…Was there a banana peel on stage?….Here comes Rawlings Mitt Romney to scoop up the ball….

Tim McCarver: In a situation like this, the challenger will try to throw off the incumbent by attacking his record in office. And that’s exactly what Mitt Romney did tonight.

Dick Vitale: Oh, oh, are you kidding me? Mitt Romney, he’s a PTP player, baby! Only Coach K could have done that better. But then there’s only one Coach K. He’s awesome, babyyyy!

Cris Collinsworth: The president was terrible. There’s no other way to put it. He was terrible.

Johnny Miller: The president choked. There’s no other way to put it. He choked.

Al Michaels (big-time Republican): That’s what I’ve been trying to tell everyone. You want another four years of that?

John McEnroe: What was Obama thinking? All he did was hit to Romney’s forehand. You’ve got to make him move. Put him on the defensive. He can’t be serious!!

Ken Harrelson (pro Romney): Youuu can put it on the booooard! a-YESSS! YESSS!

Ken Harrelson (pro Obama): (Silence)

David Feherty: The president looked as if he reached into his bag and pulled out a large slab of Silly Putty. I’m not sure what that means, but it sounds funny, so laugh.

Jack Ramsey: This was nothing like Lincoln-Douglas debates in ’58. 1858, that is. I should know. I was there with Jim Lehrer.

Lee Corso: Not so fast, Obama. Not so fast. My friends, the winner is…(Putting a Romney head on his head)…Romney! (Crowd at Al Michaels’ house roars).

Michael Strahan: Can we book Romney for Live! with Kelly and Michael? Find out what TV shows he likes.

Skip Bayless: I’ve been telling everyone this thing isn’t over. But nobody would listen to me. No. I’m telling you, it is going down to the wire.

Stephen A. Smith: I know Barack Obama. He’s a good friend of mine. I picked out the ring he brought for Michelle. But c’mon Barack, you’ve got to do better than ‘I’m going to try harder.’ What’s with that weak crap? Let me write your stuff. Skip is much tougher than Romney, and I beat him all the time.

Terry Bradshaw: Can either of these guys sing? If they are make me watch them for 90 minutes, then I want to hear some songs.

John Kruk: Another slab of ribs, please. More sauce, too.

In the interest of full disclosure, I’m a life-long Democrat. So my reaction would be the same as the pro-Obama Harrelson: Silence.

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

What’s new for NFL 2012: Another lineup switch for ESPN on MNF; how long before Gruden coaches again?

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Since ESPN took over Monday Night Football in 2006, the only constant has been Mike Tirico in the play-by-play seat.

The first year saw Tirico work with Joe Theismann and Tony Kornheiser. The chemistry wasn’t right, and out went Theismann and in came Ron Jaworski for 2007.

That trio lasted two years until Kornheiser decided he had enough of MNF, or they had enough of him. Take your pick. Enter Jon Gruden in 2009.

Again, ESPN felt it wasn’t right. After a three-year run, the network sent Jaworski back to the sidelines last spring. Now ESPN is banking two is better than three with Tirico and Gruden on the call for 2012.

Why another change? On the eve of the 43rd season for Monday Night Football, I posed the question of Tirico and producer Jay Rothman:

Tirico: I would say the difference, simply, having more of a conversation with one person, as opposed to spreading it out back and forth. That’s where the dynamic of the broadcast changes. People were under the false impression that a three‑man booth led to more chatter. Like any other broadcast ‑‑ there are no plays that go by with complete silence so, there’s just as much real estate.

We’ll be able to take a conversation and develop it and follow‑up on things. I’ll give you a great example, there was a screen pass in the game that we had in the preseason and Jon talked about the perfect phasing of the offensive line. And I know that term only because I’ve been around Jon for last four years and he’s taught us that. I was able to follow up with him on the next play, as opposed to going somewhere else.

So I think we’ll be able to do more of that. Just the nature of ‑‑ a conversation with two people who like each other, love football, and are prepared for the entirety of what’s in front of us that week with the two teams. I think you’ll get more of that in the broadcast with two, as opposed to three.

Rothman: Well, the only thing I would say about that is Jon is a unique talent and has a lot to offer. I think it’s very difficult and you’ll see there’s really no three‑man booth out there in terms of football coverage, really in NFL or college football.

It’s very difficult in a game with a play clock and the short window in which you dissect the game and analyze the game, that sort of thing. It’s cluttered. That’s why you don’t really see it.

I think this allows for more space and it allows for us to be more precise and on point. It allows us to showcase Jon and Mike’s talents, and we think it’s the right move.

*******

However, will ESPN have to make another change in 2012? I think it’s an upset that Gruden, 49, is back for his fourth year.

I asked Tirico if he is surprised that the former coach hasn’t become a current coach again?

Tirico: I think that after all the stories I read that Jon was not going to be back after year one, here is what I’ve learned over time. The more energy you spend predicting the future is wasted energy. You have no idea what’s going to transpire and what’s going to go on.

The unfortunate thing with a three‑man booth because I know that if at some point, Jon leaves, it’s because he gets sick of me.

But hopefully Jon enjoys what he’s doing ‑‑ and he can speak for himself, he’s a big boy. But we love having him and every day, whether it’s for the next 20 years or the next 20 months, every day that I get to work with Jon has made me a better broadcaster and I look forward to it and I hope the run doesn’t end, I really don’t.

******

As for Mr. Gruden, this is what he has to say about his future:

Gruden: When I got fired from coaching, obviously I had a tremendous loss. I didn’t know what to do. I’m grateful to have the opportunity to be on Monday Night Football and be on with Mike Tirico and have a chance to work with Ron Jaworski at ESPN that have helped train me, and I know that I have to get better.

But when you work at ESPN, they call it “the worldwide leader” for a reason; if you can see the tape that they send me to watch, that’s what has really quenched my thirst for coaching. I get plenty of video to evaluate. I get to go to different teams and spend days there and watch them practice and see their facilities, meet their players and coaches.

So it’s really been a tremendous growing opportunity for me professionally, trying something new, and also staying on top of what’s going on in football. I’ve really enjoyed it.

*****

Gruden hits 50 next year. That’s a sobering number and you start to hear the clock ticking a bit louder.

I can’t see him not coaching again. If the opportunity is right, Tirico will be in line for yet for another partner.