Menu
Media

ESPN Denies It Asked Olbermann To End "Commentary" Segment Of Nightly Show

ESPN on Wednesday denied a report by the Hollywood Reporter that the net has asked Keith Olbermann to quit the commentary segment of his ESPN2 show. The net issued a statement on Twitter that read, "Keith Olbermann has never been told any topic is off limits for his commentary nor has continuation of it been part of any conversation about his future at the company" (THE DAILY). In the original piece, the HOLLYWOOD REPORTER's Marisa Guthrie cited sources as saying that the call to end the commentary segment is a "condition for an extension" of Olbermann's initial two-year contract with ESPN. The issue "likely stems from Olbermann's critical assessment of the NFL's handling of the Ray Rice domestic abuse scandal," when he "repeatedly hammered" NFL Commissioner Roger Goodell in a lengthy commentary. Sources said that Olbermann's on-air commentaries -- unlike his tweets -- are "vetted by ESPN producers who have been known to request changes." There was "some frustration" with his initial 11:00pm ET time slot on ESPN2, as live sports overruns forced the show to be "frequently shifted to the wee hours." But ESPN last September "permanently shifted Olbermann" to 5:00pm. Sources said that ESPN management "signaled their discomfort with Olbermann's commentaries a few days after news of [Bill] Simmons' imminent departure from ESPN broke last May." Olbermann's current deal "is up in August." Guthrie noted ESPN President John Skipper previously has indicated that he "intends to keep Olbermann," though he also "said the same about Simmons" (HOLLYWOODREPORTER.com, 7/1).

SBJ Morning Buzzcast: March 18, 2024

Sports Business Awards nominees unveiled; NWSL's historic opening weekend and takeaways from CFP deal

ESPN’s Jay Bilas, BTN’s Meghan McKeown, and a deep dive into AppleTV+’s The Dynasty

On this week’s Sports Media Podcast from the New York Post and Sports Business Journal, ESPN’s Jay Bilas talks all things NCAA. Big Ten Network’s Meghan McKeown shares her insight into the Caitlin Clark craze. The Boston Globe’s Chad Finn chats all things Bean Town. And SBJ’s Xavier Hunter drops in to share his findings on how the NWSL is making a social media push.

Learn more about your ad choices. Visit megaphone.fm/adchoices

SBJ I Factor: Nana-Yaw Asamoah

SBJ I Factor features an interview with AMB Sports and Entertainment Chief Commercial Office Nana-Yaw Asamoah. Asamoah, who moved over to AMBSE last year after 14 years at the NFL, talks with SBJ’s Ben Fischer about how his role model parents and older sisters pushed him to shrive, how the power of lifelong learning fuels successful people, and why AMBSE was an opportunity he could not pass up. Asamoah is 2021 SBJ Forty Under 40 honoree. SBJ I Factor is a monthly podcast offering interviews with sports executives who have been recipients of one of the magazine’s awards.

Shareable URL copied to clipboard!

https://www.sportsbusinessjournal.com/Daily/Issues/2015/07/02/Media/Olbermann.aspx

Sorry, something went wrong with the copy but here is the link for you.

https://www.sportsbusinessjournal.com/Daily/Issues/2015/07/02/Media/Olbermann.aspx

CLOSE