In Raleigh, Luke DeCock reports the ACC Network "remains on track" for its '19 launch and revenue projections "remain stable, especially after ESPN was able to reach a deal for carriage with New York cable provider Altice." More carriage deals "will be negotiated as ESPN's current agreements expire." ACC Commissioner John Swofford said, "That is really, in every way shape and form, where we would want it to be at this given time. You can feel the energy picking up" (Raleigh NEWS & OBSERVER, 5/18).
Pundits have said they'd like to see Rodriguez be more natural in front of the cameraESPN IMAGES
SUNDAY SILENCE: In N.Y., Andrew Marchand noted while the audience for "Sunday Night Baseball" is down big to date, ESPN execs "remain confident they will rebound and offered reasonable explanations as to why." However, the "early returns on whether there would be more interest in watching 'SNB'" because of Alex Rodriguez' addition to the booth are in, and the "answer so far is clearly no." While broadcasters can "enhance the viewers’ experience, it is clear they don’t bring people to their TVs for games." Rodriguez has "been solid, but not spectacular." The "SNB" broadcasts are "very produced, so much of what Rodriguez says sounds planned, allowing him to speak less off the cuff." He can "make some good points, but he needs to trust himself a little more and try to be more natural" (N.Y. POST, 5/18).
TRUTH SERUM: In Boston, Chad Finn notes Paul Pierce joined ESPN full-time this fall as an NBA studio analyst, and he has "quickly proven to be the rare retired athlete who is immediately comfortable discussing his former peers with candor." Pierce has "immediately taken to the role of analyst/informed opinion-maker." He said that the only thing that is new to him is "having the formal television setting" as he has "talked passionately about the game for as long as he can remember" (BOSTON GLOBE, 5/18).
STICKING TO HIS GUNS: ESPN's Scott Van Pelt said he is "not going to change the way" he does his midnight edition of "SportsCenter" in the wake of the Supreme Court's decision on sports betting. Van Pelt said, "We’ve been among the most outspoken when it comes to talking about gambling. I’ve always said I am an adult and I treat people like adults, but I am not going to do an hour’s worth of bad beats because I am not a glutton and there aren’t that many. I do believe there’s going to be room for more television that talks about the lines and the spreads, and I assume it will just make the advent of sold picks on television more out there" (N.Y. POST, 5/18).
NOTES: MMA reporter Ariel Helwani will join ESPN next month and will co-host with Chael Sonnen “Ariel & The Bad Guy,” a weekly MMA program on ESPN+. Helwani will continue hosting his podcast, “Ariel Helwani’s MMA Show," and serve as a reporter across ESPN platforms. Meanwhile, Lindsey Thiry will cover the Rams for ESPN after spending the last four years at the L.A. Times. ESPN's Alden Gonzalez is moving into a new reporter role (THE DAILY).
