Basketball reporter Chris Broussard is "jumping to rival FS1 from ESPN," giving the net a "strong NBA voice to compete with ESPN's army of NBA insiders/reporters," according to Michael McCarthy of SPORTING NEWS. Broussard spent 12 years at ESPN, and he will "likely" pair with broadcaster Jim Jackson at FS1. However, sources said that Fox Sports National Networks President Jamie Horowitz "wants to use Broussard more as an 'opinionist,' ala NFL expert Mike Lombardi, rather than a traditional insider/reporter." Broussard has been a "polarizing figure in ESPN's NBA coverage." He had a "public dust-up with Mavericks owner Mark Cuban, and his routine 'sources' tweets coming late to breaking news are a point of jokes for many NBA media followers." But he also has a "strong TV presence" and "plenty of name-recognition" (SPORTINGNEWS.com, 10/14). McCarthy also noted that ESPN "tried" to re-sign Broussard (TWITTER.com, 10/15). SI.com's Richard Deitsch writes, "Given FS1 has very little NBA presence outside of its debate shows, it will be interesting to see Broussard’s role." Broussard "did appear often on ESPN2’s 'First Take,'" which is where he interacted with Horowitz (SI.com, 10/17). In N.Y., Phil Mushnick writes by adding Broussard, FS1 "continues its streak of senseless hires." Broussard’s "well-earned rep for self-promotional dishonesty" and bogus reports "places him at zero on the integrity scale" (N.Y. POST, 10/17). Also in N.Y., Justin Terranova noted Broussard has become a "bit of an internet laughingstock by 'breaking news' with sources long after his competition ... and ranting about homosexuality" (N.Y. POST, 10/15).
