Sports TV News
YES Will Offer Jomboy Alternate Broadcast Tonight For Aaron Judge Home Run Chase
“We thought it would be really cool to take that to the next level and have them do an alternative-cast of the game,” Matt Duarte, YES’ vice president of strategy and business development said.
The world of alternate broadcasts will feature another opportunity to stretch its legs tonight when the YES Network offers a Jomboy alternate-cast on the YES app in the hopes to capture history amid Aaron Judge’s homerun record chase.
Tonight’s Yankees/Pirates game will air exclusively on the YES Network with Michael Kay, Paul O’Neill, David Cone and Meredith Marakovits. However, an alternate broadcast will accompany the game on the app with Jimmy “Jomboy” O’Brien and partner Jake Storiale will offer their own opinions as Judge attempts to tie or surpass Roger Maris’ American League record 61 home runs.
“We thought it would be really cool to take that to the next level and have them do an alternative-cast of the game,” Matt Duarte, YES’ vice president of strategy and business development said. “They can speak directly to our fans while the game is going on.”
Sports TV News
FOX Officially Adds Mark Ingram II to Big Noon Kickoff
“I can’t wait to feel the energy and excitement every Saturday, alongside some of the most talented and entertaining names in our sport, at the biggest games in college football.”
An SEC legend is invading Big Ten territory. Mark Ingram II has officially been announced as the newest member of the panel on FOX’s Big Noon Kickoff.
The 2009 Heisman Trophy Winner will join Matt Leinart, Brady Quinn, Urban Meyer and host Rob Stone on the show this season. He replaces Reggie Bush, who reportedly left FOX amid a contract dispute.
“I’m thrilled to join FOX Sports and Big Noon Kickoff,” Ingram said in a press release. “I can’t wait to feel the energy and excitement every Saturday, alongside some of the most talented and entertaining names in our sport, at the biggest games in college football – I’m ready for the Fall!”
Adding Ingram to the mix definitely adds to the rivalries on set. In addition to Quinn and Leinart being on opposite sides of the Notre Dame/USC rivalry, Meyer’s 2008 Florida team defeated Ingram’s Crimson Tide en route to a national championship. Ingram and the Tide returned the favor en route to their own title in 2009.
Mark Ingram played for the Saints, Ravens and Texans during his 12 years in the NFL. He was selected to the Pro Bowl three times.
Sports TV News
Karl Ravech: Home Run Derby Is Difficult To Call
“The concept of, ‘You can’t throw a pitch until the prior one lands,’ is not necessarily obeyed all the time.”
ESPN will be the exclusive home of the 2023 T-Mobile Home Run Derby on Monday, July 10. Sluggers including Seattle Mariners outfielder Julio Rodríguez, New York Mets first baseman Pete Alonso and Los Angeles Dodgers outfielder Mookie Betts. The presentation of the Home Run Derby will contain various changes from ESPN highlighted by new 3D ball-tracking technology to accentuate the viewing experience. Taking a similar approach to golf broadcasts, ESPN will present a rendering of T-Mobile Park, the home of the Seattle Mariners, and utilize Statcast data to outline where the home runs are landing.
Karl Ravech, who took over for Chris Berman after he stepped aside following the 2016 iteration of the event, will be on the call. Ravech compared the role to serving as an air traffic controller. Essentially, he will need to monitor multiple pieces of action simultaneously and ensure viewers are not confused by what is occurring.
“The Home Run Derby’s as difficult an event that I call because of the speed of it,” Ravech expressed. “The concept of, ‘You can’t throw a pitch until the prior one lands,’ is not necessarily obeyed all the time.”
The allure of the Home Run Derby has long captivated baseball fans since the first time the event took place on the All-Star stage in 1985. Over the years, the competition has become baseball’s version of a skills competition. Because of the popularity of home runs and the excitement they catalyze in spectators, an enigmatic feeling penetrates the atmosphere and adds an extra layer of significance to the event.
“I do think in a lot of ways when we grew up, the heavyweight champion of the world was recognized as universal as any other athlete,” Ravech said. “If you go way, way back to when Babe Ruth was playing, there is something about a home run and a home run champion.”
ESPN’s baseball property is optimistic that its Home Run Derby viewership will continue to rise after it drew an average of 6.9 million viewers last year across ESPN and ESPN2, peaking at 7.5 million viewers. On the night before though, ESPN, in conjunction with MLB Network, will present the first round and compensatory selections for the 2023 MLB Draft, taking place from Lumen Field, the home of the Seattle Seahawks.
ESPN’s coverage of the T-Mobile Home Run Derby begins at 4 p.m. EST/ 1 p.m. PST with a special edition of Baseball Tonight on ESPN. The action continues at 7 p.m. when a Statcast edition of the show airs on ESPN2, along with an alternate broadcast of the action focused on the analytics and technology beginning at 8 p.m. featuring Kevin Brown, Jessica Mendoza and Mike Petriello. The traditional broadcast of the event takes place at the same time on ESPN featuring Ravech and Pérez. On Sunday night, the MLB Draft presented by Nike begins at 7 p.m. EST/4 p.m. PST on ESPN and ESPN+, preceded by an hour-long edition of Baseball Tonight.
Sports TV News
Jason Whitlock: Everything Stephen A. Smith Says is a Negotiating Tactic
“He’s looking for $25 mil a year. Wonder if Fox Sports (in conjunction with Fox News) would give it to him?”
After Stephen A. Smith made public comments about potentially being laid off by ESPN in the future, Blaze Media host and former NFL player Jason Whitlock has fired back via Twitter. In a quote tweet, Whitlock expressed that Smith has been upset since ESPN signed Joe Buck, Troy Aikman and Pat McAfee to multiyear, multi-million dollar contracts. While Smith’s salary is unknown and has been reported as being $8 million or $12 million, he has spoken on numerous occasions about the last time he negotiated his contract. In his message, Whitlock stated that Smith is looking for $25 million annually in his next negotiation and that everything he says publicly is a negotiating tactic. He also wondered if FOX Sports would consider signing Smith and also have him contribute to its news content as a multifaceted commentator, although Smith has aspirations to do more acting and, perhaps, host late-night television.
“We’ve got a few people at ESPN getting paid more than me,” Smith said to those people wishing he was laid off. “They don’t have the No. 1 show; they don’t have the top ratings [and] they don’t generate more revenue. How come y’all didn’t bring their names up? And by the way, none of them are Black. How come you didn’t bring their names up? I wonder why.”
In The New York Times bestselling novel “Straight Shooter,” Smith discusses his negotiations over the years with ESPN and how he has assembled a team around him to ensure he thrives. From Rushion McDonald to his agents Josh Pyatt and Jon Rosen, along with former ESPN executive Mark Shapiro leading his representation, Smith has the team around him he believes will allow him to continue to thrive.
Earlier this week on The Stephen A. Smith Show, Smith expressed his sentiments towards ESPN laying off several members of its on-air talent roster ahead of the entity reporting its own earnings for the first time this November. As it pertains to his former First Take co-host Max Kellerman, Smith was disappointed to see him let go and said that if he ever needed his assistance, he would not hesitate to do so.
Although Smith has been labeled by many media reporters as being safe from layoffs, Smith does not assume he will always be safe and is grateful for every day he has on the air.
“You shouldn’t blame Disney, and you shouldn’t blame ESPN,” Smith said of the layoffs. “This isn’t some corporate lackey taking the whole corporate line. I’m paying attention and I’m reading the tea leaves, and I’m telling you what it is.”
