Sports Media: ESPN Discussion - Get Up First Take PTI Update: MASSIVE LAYOFFS 2003!! NEW ESPN brand sports betting app!
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Damn I really liked the job they were doing.
I never thought I would get back into Michelle Beadle after the stunt she pulled on Get Up, when she said she doesn't watch football, but I slowly came around on the chick.
We'll see what happens, I'm not seeing any confirmations on this story.
nba crew has good chemistry
i am biased but jalen the MVP but he is complimented well by Beadle & Pierce
i could do with Chauncey...although knowledge he is alittle dry for my taste
Traina Thoughts: ESPN Refutes Report About Major Cast Shakeup to 'NBA Countdown'
JIMMY TRAINA
June 13, 2019
1. Will tonight (or Sunday if we get a Game 7) be the last time we see Michelle Beadle, Chauncey Billups and Paul Pierce on ESPN's NBA Countdown?
Sports By Brooks reported Wednesday that the trio is out after this season wraps up.
Sports by Brooks@SportsbyBrooks
SOURCES: Sports by Brooks has learned that Michelle Beadle will not return as the host of ESPN's NBA Countdown next season. SbB has also learned Chauncey Billups and Paul Pierce won't return as fulltime analysts and that Maria Taylor may take over as host. https://sportsbybrooks.com/sources-beadle-pierce-billups-out-at-espns-countdown/ …
895
11:26 AM - Jun 12, 2019
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SOURCES: BEADLE, PIERCE, BILLUPS OUT AT ESPN'S "COUNTDOWN" - Sports by Brooks
EXCLUSIVE: SportsbyBrooks.com has learned from multiple sources that Michelle Beadle will not return as host of NBA Countdown next season. Multiple sources also tell SportsbyBrooks.com that NBA...
sportsbybrooks.com
767 people are talking about this
ESPN released a statement disputing the news, which said, “Our whole NBA team is doing a great job and remains focused on an incredible NBA Finals and tomorrow night’s Game 6. We have made no decisions about what we are doing next season. After the season, and as we do with every sport, we will sit down and plan our entire NBA content offering across platforms.”
Here's the thing: Where there's smoke, there's fire. ESPN isn't going to confirm that report while the cast still has one or two shows left. However, it's also possible that the network really hasn't made a decision yet about next season since it is still dealing with this season.
But here's what we do know: ESPN will be airing NBA games, including the Finals, through the 2024-25 season. They are paying the NBA $1.4 billion a year for those rights. They have to have a better studio show.
Granted, it will be impossible for ESPN to compete with TNT when it comes to NBA studio shows, unless they lure Charles Barkley away from TNT, but when the only buzz you get all postseason is because Paul Pierce made up a story about crapping his pants, you have issues.
ESPN is the king at making everything it does feel important. For some reason, it hasn't been able to do that with NBA Countdown, through numerous iterations. It's hard to believe the World Wide Leader won't keep trying, though.
They've built a relationship with Kobe Bryant thanks to his ESPN+ show, Detail. If I'm ESPN, he's the first person I'm going after and I'm not stopping until he says yes. The guy is a quote machine who is not shy about voicing his opinions. The second person I'm offering a Countdown spot to is Richard Jefferson, who has been a standout on various shows during this postseason.
Of course, we still have to see if ESPN will make changes to NBA Countdown, but if I were a betting man, I'd say Sports By Brooks will end up taking a big bow in a few weeks.
By the way, the issues of NBA Countdown were a big topic on a recent SI Media Podcast I did with Boston Globe sports media reporter Chad Finn. Take a listen below.
More Maria Taylor is a good thing.
Damn right
Doesn't this Nigga know that her husband...... Works in the same GAWD DAMN STUDIO!!! 
That's the ultimate sign of disrespect.... I'm shocked that Jalen hasn't said shit.
Lavar ball shoots his shot at Molly Qerim
That's the ultimate sign of disrespect.... I'm shocked that Jalen hasn't said shit.
Lavar ball shoots his shot at Molly Qerim
While I don't completely think that he intended it to be sexual... You just can't do that shit.. Especially on live tv and to a married woman.... Whose Husband was probably in the back after Get Up ended.
Doesn't this Nigga know that her husband...... Works in the same GAWD DAMN STUDIO!!!
That's the ultimate sign of disrespect.... I'm shocked that Jalen hasn't said shit.
Lavar ball shoots his shot at Molly Qerim
I accidentally saw this live.
My jaw dropped
I know he really didnt mean no disrespect but still...
He should have IMMEDIATELY apologized
I was gonna tweet Jalen.
And Stephen A Smith is a pussy
Plain and simple.
He better NEVER go on some pro women tirade or criticize a player for NOT doing something in the moment.
Cause he could have EASILY said...
Lavar. That wasnt funny apologize.
I mean... who the fuck does that shit.... You just don't do that shit.
Her Husband had to be in the building... You just dont do these things.
Man If I was Jalen and one of the crew showed me this clip.... Lavar would have had a black eye when they returned from break and saying he is sorry.
I updated my previous post..
If that you SISTER like SAS always claims be a MAN a big BROTHER...
if Jalen is your BROTHER?
say SOMETHING.
ESPN is done giving airtime to LaVar Ball
By Jared Schwartz
June 19, 2019 | 6:54pm
LaVar BallGetty Images
It appears the LaVar Ball show is coming to an end.
At least, for ESPN, that is.
The Ball patriarch won’t receive any more air time on any ESPN platform heading forward, according to The Athletic.
When asked if Ball would be used as an on-air guest, an on-the-record source, or will have any other use, an ESPN spokesperson said, “We have no plans moving forward.”
While his sons LaMelo and LiAngelo were playing overseas, then-ESPN reporter Jeff Goodman traveled to Lithuania to cover LaVar and the family. Nevertheless, LaVar abruptly cut off Goodman after he published a story containing comments LaVar made about then-Lakers coach Luke Walton. Goodman claimed all comments were made on the record.
Recently, LaVar created an awkward moment on ESPN’s “First Take.” Co-host Molly Qerim said she was “switching gears” to shift the discussion from LaMelo to Lonzo, to which Ball responded, “You can switch gears with me any day.”
“LaVar Ball’s comment to Molly Qerim Rose was completely inappropriate and we made him aware of that,” ESPN said in a statement.
Ball’s comment followed a track record of disrespecting female hosts. In 2017, he told Kristin Leahy to “stay in your lane” during a debate on FS1.
By Jared Schwartz
June 19, 2019 | 6:54pm
LaVar BallGetty Images
It appears the LaVar Ball show is coming to an end.
At least, for ESPN, that is.
The Ball patriarch won’t receive any more air time on any ESPN platform heading forward, according to The Athletic.
When asked if Ball would be used as an on-air guest, an on-the-record source, or will have any other use, an ESPN spokesperson said, “We have no plans moving forward.”
While his sons LaMelo and LiAngelo were playing overseas, then-ESPN reporter Jeff Goodman traveled to Lithuania to cover LaVar and the family. Nevertheless, LaVar abruptly cut off Goodman after he published a story containing comments LaVar made about then-Lakers coach Luke Walton. Goodman claimed all comments were made on the record.
Recently, LaVar created an awkward moment on ESPN’s “First Take.” Co-host Molly Qerim said she was “switching gears” to shift the discussion from LaMelo to Lonzo, to which Ball responded, “You can switch gears with me any day.”
“LaVar Ball’s comment to Molly Qerim Rose was completely inappropriate and we made him aware of that,” ESPN said in a statement.
Ball’s comment followed a track record of disrespecting female hosts. In 2017, he told Kristin Leahy to “stay in your lane” during a debate on FS1.
It's a known fact I think Lavar Ball is full of shit, but in this case he did nothing wrong.ESPN is done giving airtime to LaVar Ball
By Jared Schwartz
June 19, 2019 | 6:54pm
LaVar BallGetty Images
It appears the LaVar Ball show is coming to an end.
At least, for ESPN, that is.
The Ball patriarch won’t receive any more air time on any ESPN platform heading forward, according to The Athletic.
When asked if Ball would be used as an on-air guest, an on-the-record source, or will have any other use, an ESPN spokesperson said, “We have no plans moving forward.”
While his sons LaMelo and LiAngelo were playing overseas, then-ESPN reporter Jeff Goodman traveled to Lithuania to cover LaVar and the family. Nevertheless, LaVar abruptly cut off Goodman after he published a story containing comments LaVar made about then-Lakers coach Luke Walton. Goodman claimed all comments were made on the record.
Recently, LaVar created an awkward moment on ESPN’s “First Take.” Co-host Molly Qerim said she was “switching gears” to shift the discussion from LaMelo to Lonzo, to which Ball responded, “You can switch gears with me any day.”
“LaVar Ball’s comment to Molly Qerim Rose was completely inappropriate and we made him aware of that,” ESPN said in a statement.
Ball’s comment followed a track record of disrespecting female hosts. In 2017, he told Kristin Leahy to “stay in your lane” during a debate on FS1.
Lavar wasn't trying to hit on that crazy looking bitch. Any fine as hell chick like Molly Qerim thinks she is (she's not a bad looking chick) gets hit on all day every day, fine woman know how to brush that shit off and keep it moving. They've been hit on since they first started getting tits. A super good looking chick will tell you fuck off and you won't even know it. They are good at that shit. We as men will walk away thinking we still have a shot.
For her to pretend she is so stunned by what Lavar said tells me she is a drama queen who didn't like Lavar's dumb ass to begin with. I could see if Lavar grabbed her in the pussy.
EDIT - look at Lavar doing the switch gear motion with his hands on both clips
HNIC
It's a known fact I think Lavar Ball is full of shit, but in this case he did nothing wrong.
Lavar wasn't trying to hit on that crazy looking bitch. Any fine as hell chick like Molly Qerim thinks she is (she's not a bad looking chick) gets hit on all day every day, fine woman know how to brush that shit off and keep it moving. They've been hit on since they first started getting tits. A super good looking chick will tell you fuck off and you won't even know it. They are good at that shit. We as men will walk away thinking we still have a shot.
For her to pretend she is so stunned by what Lavar said tells me she is a drama queen who didn't like Lavar's dumb ass to begin with. I could see if Lavar grabbed her in the pussy.
EDIT - look at Lavar doing the switch gear motion with his hands on both clips
HNIC
She has pussy problems.
Painful periods and sex hurts.
She hates being a woman
It's a known fact I think Lavar Ball is full of shit, but in this case he did nothing wrong.
Lavar wasn't trying to hit on that crazy looking bitch. Any fine as hell chick like Molly Qerim thinks she is (she's not a bad looking chick) gets hit on all day every day, fine woman know how to brush that shit off and keep it moving. They've been hit on since they first started getting tits. A super good looking chick will tell you fuck off and you won't even know it. They are good at that shit. We as men will walk away thinking we still have a shot.
For her to pretend she is so stunned by what Lavar said tells me she is a drama queen who didn't like Lavar's dumb ass to begin with. I could see if Lavar grabbed her in the pussy.
EDIT - look at Lavar doing the switch gear motion with his hands on both clips
HNIC
ESPN is going downhill for a while now!!..I say this before, it wasn't that serious what Lavar said!!..
Fuck ESPN!!..
It's a known fact I think Lavar Ball is full of shit, but in this case he did nothing wrong.
Lavar wasn't trying to hit on that crazy looking bitch. Any fine as hell chick like Molly Qerim thinks she is (she's not a bad looking chick) gets hit on all day every day, fine woman know how to brush that shit off and keep it moving. They've been hit on since they first started getting tits. A super good looking chick will tell you fuck off and you won't even know it. They are good at that shit. We as men will walk away thinking we still have a shot.
For her to pretend she is so stunned by what Lavar said tells me she is a drama queen who didn't like Lavar's dumb ass to begin with. I could see if Lavar grabbed her in the pussy.
EDIT - look at Lavar doing the switch gear motion with his hands on both clips
HNIC
i saw this live and at the time thought it was akward but innocent
but didnt think Lavar was being inapproriate...not to 'victim-blame' but Molly's pause really emphasized the moment
with that said she felt it was inapproriate, Jalen felt away about it and Lavar as been unapolgetic
if i were Lavar i would apologize if it was misconstrued (especially since ESPN has given his platform & based on his relationship with Jalen) but thats not in his nature
True, he is like Trump in that respect.
I would have told the lady I was not hitting on her, but if she perceived it that way I apologize. At that point I would not answer any more questions. The other part of me says "The nerve of this bitch thinking someone wants her ASS"
HNIC
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It's a known fact I think Lavar Ball is full of shit, but in this case he did nothing wrong.
Lavar wasn't trying to hit on that crazy looking bitch. Any fine as hell chick like Molly Qerim thinks she is (she's not a bad looking chick) gets hit on all day every day, fine woman know how to brush that shit off and keep it moving. They've been hit on since they first started getting tits. A super good looking chick will tell you fuck off and you won't even know it. They are good at that shit. We as men will walk away thinking we still have a shot.
For her to pretend she is so stunned by what Lavar said tells me she is a drama queen who didn't like Lavar's dumb ass to begin with. I could see if Lavar grabbed her in the pussy.
EDIT - look at Lavar doing the switch gear motion with his hands on both clips
HNIC
Fam..
You aint say one lie.
But see i gotta disagree cause i feel like the hand motion made it worse.
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True, he is like Trumo in that respect.
I would have told the lady I was not hitting on her, but if she perceived it that way I apologize. At that point I would not answer any more questions. The other part of me says "The nerve of this bitch thinking someone wants her ASS"
HNIC
EXACTLY
Its trump fault and also lavar fault fir playing up the black stereotypes whenever the camera on...
So he loses the benefit of the doubt.
He just sounded sleazy unintentionally or not.
Cold as ice, willing to sacrifice...
(To be fair its greatly improved without Beadle)
the hand gestures is him pantomiming switching gears
I know EXACTLY what he was doing
It aint help his cause, probably made it worse.
Again its HOW he said it...
I saw that live and immediately thought
Naw man...chill.
Pretty much all those shows on ESPN is wack now!!..
ESPN isn't like it use to be!!..
Why is Elle Duncan’s fine ass on Golic and Wingo and not Sportscenter AM right now. I need some answers.
Also
Gawd damn she is fine.
Also
Gawd damn she is fine.
Mike Greenberg, who many sports fans will remember as the co-host of ESPN Radio’s “Mike & Mike”, has hosted ESPN’s “Get Up!” since the show’s beginning in early 2018. The show has seen success in its first year and recently became a key part of ESPN’s coverage of yet another exciting NBA free agency period.
Greenberg recently sat down Front Office Sports’ Michael McCarthy to discuss the initial success of “Get Up!”, covering NBA free agency, and lessons from nearly 20 years working with ESPN.
Edited highlights appear below:
On being asked to do four “Get Up!” afternoon specials for NBA Free Agency (0:20)
Greenberg: “My answer was hell yes…I mean it’s a fabulous opportunity for us. When you work in one day part, which I’ve basically done now for 20 years, getting exposure for us, for the show, for what we’re doing at a different time of day, I think, is really healthy. “
On when “Get Up!” hit its stride (3:00)
Greenberg: “I think if there’s one thing that we launched with it was the idea that we would be a little more of a full-service morning show…a little pop culture mixed in with the sports. The immediate reaction I felt from our audience was, ‘no, we want you to do sports.’ That I think was the single biggest thing that we had to adjust and I think we did almost immediately. So I think we had it pretty close to right from the start. I think it took us a few months to sort of get it to where I felt, okay, I know every single day when we come in in the morning, what it is we’re going to try to do today, which I think was normal.”
On the duties of the host on a show like “Get Up!” (05:48)
Greenberg: “How good I am is really going to be dependent on the people you put around me…My job would be to bring out the very best version of [the talent]. That’s what I do. That’s what a host does. So whether you give me Jalen Rose or Marcus Spears or Jay Williams or Richard Jefferson or Bobby Carpenter, it doesn’t matter. If I’m doing my job well, then they’re going to go to the places where they are most comfortable, where they have the most expertise and we’re going to keep them away from places they are least comfortable.”
SEE MORE: Mike Greenberg ‘Getting Up’ in Afternoons Too
On reacting quickly to breaking and developing news stories (7:02)
Greenberg: “Nimble is the most important word in my opinion. When you are live, you better be ready to do a lot of different stuff because there are many days when we will have a plan…And then 10 minutes before you go on, Kevin Durant announces he’s signing with the Knicks or whatever it may be…In my opinion, whenever Kevin Durant announces where he’s going, or Kawhi Leonard, or Kyrie Irving or any of these top-level stars, if I’m the viewer and I put on ESPN, I want them to be talking about that.”
@fonzerrillii @HNIC
Norby Williamson Talks ESPN’s Big June — and Stephen A. Smith
media / july 10th, 2019
BY MICHAEL MCCARTHY
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Photo Credit: Bob Donnan-USA TODAY Sports
ESPN enters the summer of 2019 on a roll.
During June, the Worldwide Leader in Sports grew its audience 12% in the 7 a.m. to 7 p.m. ET window as shows such as Get Up, First Take and SportsCenter posted strong year-over-year growth. That double-digit increase helped power an overall 5% increase over the network’s 24-hour programming period compared to June 2018.
For the month, ESPN topped all full-time cable networks in total viewers and men aged 18-34, 18-49 and 25-54. ESPN averaged slightly over a million viewers in primetime – and led all cable networks among men aged 18-49 and 25-54.
The double-digit increase is good news for Norby Williamson, ESPN executive vice president & executive editor of production. It’s also a validation for the multiple changes the 30-year ESPN veteran has made to the network’s lineup of studio shows the last 18 months.
During that period, Williamson named Sage Steele and Kevin Negandhi the new co-anchors of the struggling 6 p.m. SportsCenter, replacing Jemele Hill and Michael Smith. Hill later left ESPN; Smith is still with the network.
A miscast Michelle Beadle was taken off Mike Greenberg’s New York-based morning show, Get Up, and shifted back to NBA Countdown in Los Angeles. Williamson also sliced an hour from Get Up, dropping a new SportsCenter into the 7 a.m. to 8 a.m. time slot while adding another SportsCenter after First Take from noon to 1 p.m.
Some of these moves were painful. ESPN had to give Hill an expensive $5 million buyout with more than two years still to go on her contract, according to James Andrew Miller of The Hollywood Reporter.
Greenberg wasn’t crazy about losing an hour from his brand new morning show. But he now says it made Get Up a smarter, faster, funnier show. The other changes are paying dividends too.
This June, Get Up posted a 21% viewership increase in its 8 a.m. to 10 a.m. time slot compared to 2018. The 7 a.m. SportsCenter was up 9% from the comparable window last year. Both programs have posted four straight months of audience increases.
Meanwhile, First Take with Stephen A. Smith, Max Kellerman and Molly Qerim continued to be a ratings power. The embrace debate show’s audience grew 6% in June compared to last year. That was its third straight month of year-over-year viewership growth.
First Take also continues to widen its lead over Skip Bayless’ rival Undisputed on FS1. During June, First Take more than doubled Undisputed audience, averaging 472,332 viewers to 180,232.
Meanwhile, the noon SportsCenter grew 10% compared to the comparable 12-1 p.m. window in 2018. Steele and Negandhi’s more traditional 6 p.m. SportsCenter was up 4% in June.
Front Office Sports talked to Williamson while he was in Los Angeles, where ESPN will stage its annual ESPY Awards Wednesday night.
We asked the veteran Bristol shot-caller about ESPN’s big June — and whether Stephen A’s First Take will follow Kawhi Leonard, Paul George and other NBA stars to the West Coast. Excerpts:
FRONT OFFICE SPORTS: Why do think ESPN had a strong June? Are the changes you made a year or more ago finally paying off?
NORBY WILLIAMSON: I think it’s an ongoing process. When you go back and look at shows from 18 months or so ago, they’re slightly different than they are now. It’s a lot of little things. Pushing and getting our anchors to ask better questions. Being smarter on the positioning of stories and content.
By the way, the biggest thing is the sports world keeps on giving. There’s stuff happening every day. Whether it’s NBA’s free agency or the emergence of Coco [Gauff] coming out of Wimbledon, a 15-year-old phenom. It’s amazing the stuff that just continues to happen. We’ve spent a lot of years working very, very hard to build the brand of SportsCenter and our studio news and information. I think we still have the trust of fans. When these things happen in the world, they’re going to come to us – as long as we deliver and bring them compelling content. I think we’re doing a solid job of doing that right now.
FOS: Mike Greenberg’s Get Up is on a roll, registering four straight months of audience increases? What changed?
WILLIAMSON: Tactically we did a couple of things. For one, we streamlined the conversation, if you will. We took it a little bit off of the host-driven type of conversation and made it more outward-facing in terms of news-makers and information people. You have a little bit of a ying and yang here when you look at First Take vs. Get Up.
First Take is really about Max [Kellerman] and Stephen A. and their opinions and thoughts on the world. Get Up has really become more so about hearing from the people, hearing from the newsmakers, hearing from information people, more breaking news. We quickened the pace a little bit. We sort of wrapped our arms around video story-telling. There’s much more video in the show in a native and inventive way I would say over the last six or eight months. Really since last September. But we really started to hit our stride in April. To me, it’s a dichotomy between the First Take approach and Get Up approach. It’s a nice little ying and yang.
READ MORE: Mike Greenberg ‘Getting Up’ In Afternoons Too
When we first launched [Get Up], both of them were under the First Take model. We positioned it around the people on the show. It was about them and their opinions. I think with Get Up, we sort of moved that in other direction. I think it’s paid off.
FOS: And Greeny’s the band leader, directing the music?
WILLIAMSON: He’s doing a really good job. Obviously, that’s not a shock to anybody. But again we’ve had significant contributions from Maria Taylor and Laura Rutledge, who have been consistent co-hosts on Get Up over the past 8-10 months. They bring their expertise, whether its college football or covering the NBA. That adds a very good dynamic. Certainly, over a two-hour show, you have to be cognizant of voices and not just one voice. Not playing just one note. When you have Mike and Laura, or Mike and Maria, it balances things out a little bit. It’s an opportunity to hear different chords over the two hours.
Jalen [Rose] has done a spectacular job on college hoops, the NBA and big issues. We get to tackle big issues on the show. So when a high school or college coach says no cell phones, we can knock that around for three or four minutes from different perspectives. Basically, how do you treat today’s modern athlete?
We have the breadth and scope to do a lot of different things. If there’s a great game with highlights, like the Home Run Derby, we’ll blow that out. If there’s breaking news, you’re getting Woj [NBA Insider Adrian Wojnarowski} or [NFL Insider Adam] Schefter . If there’s a thoughtful discussion on something, you’re getting that. Plus, we sort of inserted Stephen A. and Max a little into that show for the last half hour to really make those shows work together. I think we’re doing a decent job of it.
FOS: Were you trying to create a connected four-hour block by adding Stephen A. to Get Up?
WILLIAMSON: Yep, that was the goal. But it starts with SportsCenter at 7. The way I look at it, you have that hour of straightforward SportsCenter highlights and night-before news and information. Get Up is a little bit of a hybrid, outward-facing. Then you’ve got First Take on the back end. So if you look at those five hours it does seem to make sense. So if the viewer surfs in, and surfs out, there’s an expectation level that they know what they’re getting.
FOS: This June, you also added special Stephen A.-hosted SportsCenters and Get Up doubleheaders to capitalize on the NBA Finals and free agency. Will we see more specials like this?
WILLIAMSON: I think so. I’m a big fan of Stephen A. No shock there. He delivers for us. I think hosting SportsCenter in those NBA-driven windows during the NBA Finals is an opportunity for growth for himself, personally and professionally. And for us.
Again, we’ve had great success with the [Scott] Van Pelt SportsCenter [at midnights ET]. Customer know its SportsCenter. But they know it’s SportsCenter with Van Pelt. We’ve had limited opportunities with [Stephen A.]. I think he’s done about 15 or so of them. It’s still SportsCenter. You’re still getting a preview of the game, you’re still talking to people, you’re talking to newsmakers, the whole deal. But it’s SportsCenter with Stephen A. And I like that dynamic.
FOS: Stephen A. has talked about how much he likes Los Angeles. Are he and First Take following Kawhi to LA?
WILLIAMSON: I’m very excited myself. I want to actually work two days a week [in LA] – but that ain’t going to happen. The LA facility allows us to do a lot of different things. First Take has been out there covering the Lakers. Jamie Foxx came on one time. We’re going to use the LA facility where it makes sense. But right now we have no plans to move First Take to LA – or any other show actually.
That facility is absolutely jammed. We’ve expanded The Jump; we added an hour to The Jump. SportsCenter is coming out of there. It is a busy, busy facility. We love the position in New York. By the way, what day did you talk to Stephen A. about that? One day he loves the LA life. Another day he loves being in New York. So we have no plans of relocating First Take to LA.
FOS: Will Jeremy Schaap succeed the retiring Bob Ley as host of Outside the Lines?
WILLIAMSON: Ryan Smith has been doing most of that since Bob took a sabbatical. Jeremy is clearly one of our best journalists and anchors and hosts. Obviously on E:60. Jeremy will get involved in that mix more.
The ultimate goal for OTL is to continue in that daypart. But also to immerse the OTL brand in SportsCenter. I would look for that in the coming months. Because there’s some great work that’s being done with that show and that show unit. I think SportsCenter could benefit from some of the work that’s being created in those daily half hours.
FOS: When you look at First Take’s numbers, is the competition between Stephen A. and his old sparring partner Skip Bayless not really a competition anymore?
WILLIAMSON: I’m a bad one to ask. I think everything’s acompetition. You can get crazy worrying about competition. But you have to be aware of it, you have to monitor it. Ultimately, you know what you need to do. You have to take care of business first.
You have to create compelling content. And give people a reason to watch and to come to your brand. As long as you do that, first and foremost, for the most part, you’ll be OK. But I monitor and look at other competition. So I will never rule out anything or anyone or any show being a competitor to us.
media / july 10th, 2019
BY MICHAEL MCCARTHY
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Photo Credit: Bob Donnan-USA TODAY Sports
ESPN enters the summer of 2019 on a roll.
During June, the Worldwide Leader in Sports grew its audience 12% in the 7 a.m. to 7 p.m. ET window as shows such as Get Up, First Take and SportsCenter posted strong year-over-year growth. That double-digit increase helped power an overall 5% increase over the network’s 24-hour programming period compared to June 2018.
For the month, ESPN topped all full-time cable networks in total viewers and men aged 18-34, 18-49 and 25-54. ESPN averaged slightly over a million viewers in primetime – and led all cable networks among men aged 18-49 and 25-54.
The double-digit increase is good news for Norby Williamson, ESPN executive vice president & executive editor of production. It’s also a validation for the multiple changes the 30-year ESPN veteran has made to the network’s lineup of studio shows the last 18 months.
During that period, Williamson named Sage Steele and Kevin Negandhi the new co-anchors of the struggling 6 p.m. SportsCenter, replacing Jemele Hill and Michael Smith. Hill later left ESPN; Smith is still with the network.
A miscast Michelle Beadle was taken off Mike Greenberg’s New York-based morning show, Get Up, and shifted back to NBA Countdown in Los Angeles. Williamson also sliced an hour from Get Up, dropping a new SportsCenter into the 7 a.m. to 8 a.m. time slot while adding another SportsCenter after First Take from noon to 1 p.m.
Some of these moves were painful. ESPN had to give Hill an expensive $5 million buyout with more than two years still to go on her contract, according to James Andrew Miller of The Hollywood Reporter.
Greenberg wasn’t crazy about losing an hour from his brand new morning show. But he now says it made Get Up a smarter, faster, funnier show. The other changes are paying dividends too.
This June, Get Up posted a 21% viewership increase in its 8 a.m. to 10 a.m. time slot compared to 2018. The 7 a.m. SportsCenter was up 9% from the comparable window last year. Both programs have posted four straight months of audience increases.
Meanwhile, First Take with Stephen A. Smith, Max Kellerman and Molly Qerim continued to be a ratings power. The embrace debate show’s audience grew 6% in June compared to last year. That was its third straight month of year-over-year viewership growth.
First Take also continues to widen its lead over Skip Bayless’ rival Undisputed on FS1. During June, First Take more than doubled Undisputed audience, averaging 472,332 viewers to 180,232.
Meanwhile, the noon SportsCenter grew 10% compared to the comparable 12-1 p.m. window in 2018. Steele and Negandhi’s more traditional 6 p.m. SportsCenter was up 4% in June.
Front Office Sports talked to Williamson while he was in Los Angeles, where ESPN will stage its annual ESPY Awards Wednesday night.
We asked the veteran Bristol shot-caller about ESPN’s big June — and whether Stephen A’s First Take will follow Kawhi Leonard, Paul George and other NBA stars to the West Coast. Excerpts:
FRONT OFFICE SPORTS: Why do think ESPN had a strong June? Are the changes you made a year or more ago finally paying off?
NORBY WILLIAMSON: I think it’s an ongoing process. When you go back and look at shows from 18 months or so ago, they’re slightly different than they are now. It’s a lot of little things. Pushing and getting our anchors to ask better questions. Being smarter on the positioning of stories and content.
By the way, the biggest thing is the sports world keeps on giving. There’s stuff happening every day. Whether it’s NBA’s free agency or the emergence of Coco [Gauff] coming out of Wimbledon, a 15-year-old phenom. It’s amazing the stuff that just continues to happen. We’ve spent a lot of years working very, very hard to build the brand of SportsCenter and our studio news and information. I think we still have the trust of fans. When these things happen in the world, they’re going to come to us – as long as we deliver and bring them compelling content. I think we’re doing a solid job of doing that right now.
FOS: Mike Greenberg’s Get Up is on a roll, registering four straight months of audience increases? What changed?
WILLIAMSON: Tactically we did a couple of things. For one, we streamlined the conversation, if you will. We took it a little bit off of the host-driven type of conversation and made it more outward-facing in terms of news-makers and information people. You have a little bit of a ying and yang here when you look at First Take vs. Get Up.
First Take is really about Max [Kellerman] and Stephen A. and their opinions and thoughts on the world. Get Up has really become more so about hearing from the people, hearing from the newsmakers, hearing from information people, more breaking news. We quickened the pace a little bit. We sort of wrapped our arms around video story-telling. There’s much more video in the show in a native and inventive way I would say over the last six or eight months. Really since last September. But we really started to hit our stride in April. To me, it’s a dichotomy between the First Take approach and Get Up approach. It’s a nice little ying and yang.
READ MORE: Mike Greenberg ‘Getting Up’ In Afternoons Too
When we first launched [Get Up], both of them were under the First Take model. We positioned it around the people on the show. It was about them and their opinions. I think with Get Up, we sort of moved that in other direction. I think it’s paid off.
FOS: And Greeny’s the band leader, directing the music?
WILLIAMSON: He’s doing a really good job. Obviously, that’s not a shock to anybody. But again we’ve had significant contributions from Maria Taylor and Laura Rutledge, who have been consistent co-hosts on Get Up over the past 8-10 months. They bring their expertise, whether its college football or covering the NBA. That adds a very good dynamic. Certainly, over a two-hour show, you have to be cognizant of voices and not just one voice. Not playing just one note. When you have Mike and Laura, or Mike and Maria, it balances things out a little bit. It’s an opportunity to hear different chords over the two hours.
Jalen [Rose] has done a spectacular job on college hoops, the NBA and big issues. We get to tackle big issues on the show. So when a high school or college coach says no cell phones, we can knock that around for three or four minutes from different perspectives. Basically, how do you treat today’s modern athlete?
We have the breadth and scope to do a lot of different things. If there’s a great game with highlights, like the Home Run Derby, we’ll blow that out. If there’s breaking news, you’re getting Woj [NBA Insider Adrian Wojnarowski} or [NFL Insider Adam] Schefter . If there’s a thoughtful discussion on something, you’re getting that. Plus, we sort of inserted Stephen A. and Max a little into that show for the last half hour to really make those shows work together. I think we’re doing a decent job of it.
FOS: Were you trying to create a connected four-hour block by adding Stephen A. to Get Up?
WILLIAMSON: Yep, that was the goal. But it starts with SportsCenter at 7. The way I look at it, you have that hour of straightforward SportsCenter highlights and night-before news and information. Get Up is a little bit of a hybrid, outward-facing. Then you’ve got First Take on the back end. So if you look at those five hours it does seem to make sense. So if the viewer surfs in, and surfs out, there’s an expectation level that they know what they’re getting.
FOS: This June, you also added special Stephen A.-hosted SportsCenters and Get Up doubleheaders to capitalize on the NBA Finals and free agency. Will we see more specials like this?
WILLIAMSON: I think so. I’m a big fan of Stephen A. No shock there. He delivers for us. I think hosting SportsCenter in those NBA-driven windows during the NBA Finals is an opportunity for growth for himself, personally and professionally. And for us.
Again, we’ve had great success with the [Scott] Van Pelt SportsCenter [at midnights ET]. Customer know its SportsCenter. But they know it’s SportsCenter with Van Pelt. We’ve had limited opportunities with [Stephen A.]. I think he’s done about 15 or so of them. It’s still SportsCenter. You’re still getting a preview of the game, you’re still talking to people, you’re talking to newsmakers, the whole deal. But it’s SportsCenter with Stephen A. And I like that dynamic.
FOS: Stephen A. has talked about how much he likes Los Angeles. Are he and First Take following Kawhi to LA?
WILLIAMSON: I’m very excited myself. I want to actually work two days a week [in LA] – but that ain’t going to happen. The LA facility allows us to do a lot of different things. First Take has been out there covering the Lakers. Jamie Foxx came on one time. We’re going to use the LA facility where it makes sense. But right now we have no plans to move First Take to LA – or any other show actually.
That facility is absolutely jammed. We’ve expanded The Jump; we added an hour to The Jump. SportsCenter is coming out of there. It is a busy, busy facility. We love the position in New York. By the way, what day did you talk to Stephen A. about that? One day he loves the LA life. Another day he loves being in New York. So we have no plans of relocating First Take to LA.
FOS: Will Jeremy Schaap succeed the retiring Bob Ley as host of Outside the Lines?
WILLIAMSON: Ryan Smith has been doing most of that since Bob took a sabbatical. Jeremy is clearly one of our best journalists and anchors and hosts. Obviously on E:60. Jeremy will get involved in that mix more.
The ultimate goal for OTL is to continue in that daypart. But also to immerse the OTL brand in SportsCenter. I would look for that in the coming months. Because there’s some great work that’s being done with that show and that show unit. I think SportsCenter could benefit from some of the work that’s being created in those daily half hours.
FOS: When you look at First Take’s numbers, is the competition between Stephen A. and his old sparring partner Skip Bayless not really a competition anymore?
WILLIAMSON: I’m a bad one to ask. I think everything’s acompetition. You can get crazy worrying about competition. But you have to be aware of it, you have to monitor it. Ultimately, you know what you need to do. You have to take care of business first.
You have to create compelling content. And give people a reason to watch and to come to your brand. As long as you do that, first and foremost, for the most part, you’ll be OK. But I monitor and look at other competition. So I will never rule out anything or anyone or any show being a competitor to us.
Good Article, Get up started to get it's legs when they let Greeny solo. He brings the best out of his co-host.Norby Williamson Talks ESPN’s Big June — and Stephen A. Smith
media / july 10th, 2019
BY MICHAEL MCCARTHY
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Photo Credit: Bob Donnan-USA TODAY Sports
ESPN enters the summer of 2019 on a roll.
During June, the Worldwide Leader in Sports grew its audience 12% in the 7 a.m. to 7 p.m. ET window as shows such as Get Up, First Take and SportsCenter posted strong year-over-year growth. That double-digit increase helped power an overall 5% increase over the network’s 24-hour programming period compared to June 2018.
For the month, ESPN topped all full-time cable networks in total viewers and men aged 18-34, 18-49 and 25-54. ESPN averaged slightly over a million viewers in primetime – and led all cable networks among men aged 18-49 and 25-54.
The double-digit increase is good news for Norby Williamson, ESPN executive vice president & executive editor of production. It’s also a validation for the multiple changes the 30-year ESPN veteran has made to the network’s lineup of studio shows the last 18 months.
During that period, Williamson named Sage Steele and Kevin Negandhi the new co-anchors of the struggling 6 p.m. SportsCenter, replacing Jemele Hill and Michael Smith. Hill later left ESPN; Smith is still with the network.
A miscast Michelle Beadle was taken off Mike Greenberg’s New York-based morning show, Get Up, and shifted back to NBA Countdown in Los Angeles. Williamson also sliced an hour from Get Up, dropping a new SportsCenter into the 7 a.m. to 8 a.m. time slot while adding another SportsCenter after First Take from noon to 1 p.m.
Some of these moves were painful. ESPN had to give Hill an expensive $5 million buyout with more than two years still to go on her contract, according to James Andrew Miller of The Hollywood Reporter.
Greenberg wasn’t crazy about losing an hour from his brand new morning show. But he now says it made Get Up a smarter, faster, funnier show. The other changes are paying dividends too.
This June, Get Up posted a 21% viewership increase in its 8 a.m. to 10 a.m. time slot compared to 2018. The 7 a.m. SportsCenter was up 9% from the comparable window last year. Both programs have posted four straight months of audience increases.
Meanwhile, First Take with Stephen A. Smith, Max Kellerman and Molly Qerim continued to be a ratings power. The embrace debate show’s audience grew 6% in June compared to last year. That was its third straight month of year-over-year viewership growth.
First Take also continues to widen its lead over Skip Bayless’ rival Undisputed on FS1. During June, First Take more than doubled Undisputed audience, averaging 472,332 viewers to 180,232.
Meanwhile, the noon SportsCenter grew 10% compared to the comparable 12-1 p.m. window in 2018. Steele and Negandhi’s more traditional 6 p.m. SportsCenter was up 4% in June.
Front Office Sports talked to Williamson while he was in Los Angeles, where ESPN will stage its annual ESPY Awards Wednesday night.
We asked the veteran Bristol shot-caller about ESPN’s big June — and whether Stephen A’s First Take will follow Kawhi Leonard, Paul George and other NBA stars to the West Coast. Excerpts:
FRONT OFFICE SPORTS: Why do think ESPN had a strong June? Are the changes you made a year or more ago finally paying off?
NORBY WILLIAMSON: I think it’s an ongoing process. When you go back and look at shows from 18 months or so ago, they’re slightly different than they are now. It’s a lot of little things. Pushing and getting our anchors to ask better questions. Being smarter on the positioning of stories and content.
By the way, the biggest thing is the sports world keeps on giving. There’s stuff happening every day. Whether it’s NBA’s free agency or the emergence of Coco [Gauff] coming out of Wimbledon, a 15-year-old phenom. It’s amazing the stuff that just continues to happen. We’ve spent a lot of years working very, very hard to build the brand of SportsCenter and our studio news and information. I think we still have the trust of fans. When these things happen in the world, they’re going to come to us – as long as we deliver and bring them compelling content. I think we’re doing a solid job of doing that right now.
FOS: Mike Greenberg’s Get Up is on a roll, registering four straight months of audience increases? What changed?
WILLIAMSON: Tactically we did a couple of things. For one, we streamlined the conversation, if you will. We took it a little bit off of the host-driven type of conversation and made it more outward-facing in terms of news-makers and information people. You have a little bit of a ying and yang here when you look at First Take vs. Get Up.
First Take is really about Max [Kellerman] and Stephen A. and their opinions and thoughts on the world. Get Up has really become more so about hearing from the people, hearing from the newsmakers, hearing from information people, more breaking news. We quickened the pace a little bit. We sort of wrapped our arms around video story-telling. There’s much more video in the show in a native and inventive way I would say over the last six or eight months. Really since last September. But we really started to hit our stride in April. To me, it’s a dichotomy between the First Take approach and Get Up approach. It’s a nice little ying and yang.
READ MORE: Mike Greenberg ‘Getting Up’ In Afternoons Too
When we first launched [Get Up], both of them were under the First Take model. We positioned it around the people on the show. It was about them and their opinions. I think with Get Up, we sort of moved that in other direction. I think it’s paid off.
FOS: And Greeny’s the band leader, directing the music?
WILLIAMSON: He’s doing a really good job. Obviously, that’s not a shock to anybody. But again we’ve had significant contributions from Maria Taylor and Laura Rutledge, who have been consistent co-hosts on Get Up over the past 8-10 months. They bring their expertise, whether its college football or covering the NBA. That adds a very good dynamic. Certainly, over a two-hour show, you have to be cognizant of voices and not just one voice. Not playing just one note. When you have Mike and Laura, or Mike and Maria, it balances things out a little bit. It’s an opportunity to hear different chords over the two hours.
Jalen [Rose] has done a spectacular job on college hoops, the NBA and big issues. We get to tackle big issues on the show. So when a high school or college coach says no cell phones, we can knock that around for three or four minutes from different perspectives. Basically, how do you treat today’s modern athlete?
We have the breadth and scope to do a lot of different things. If there’s a great game with highlights, like the Home Run Derby, we’ll blow that out. If there’s breaking news, you’re getting Woj [NBA Insider Adrian Wojnarowski} or [NFL Insider Adam] Schefter . If there’s a thoughtful discussion on something, you’re getting that. Plus, we sort of inserted Stephen A. and Max a little into that show for the last half hour to really make those shows work together. I think we’re doing a decent job of it.
FOS: Were you trying to create a connected four-hour block by adding Stephen A. to Get Up?
WILLIAMSON: Yep, that was the goal. But it starts with SportsCenter at 7. The way I look at it, you have that hour of straightforward SportsCenter highlights and night-before news and information. Get Up is a little bit of a hybrid, outward-facing. Then you’ve got First Take on the back end. So if you look at those five hours it does seem to make sense. So if the viewer surfs in, and surfs out, there’s an expectation level that they know what they’re getting.
FOS: This June, you also added special Stephen A.-hosted SportsCenters and Get Up doubleheaders to capitalize on the NBA Finals and free agency. Will we see more specials like this?
WILLIAMSON: I think so. I’m a big fan of Stephen A. No shock there. He delivers for us. I think hosting SportsCenter in those NBA-driven windows during the NBA Finals is an opportunity for growth for himself, personally and professionally. And for us.
Again, we’ve had great success with the [Scott] Van Pelt SportsCenter [at midnights ET]. Customer know its SportsCenter. But they know it’s SportsCenter with Van Pelt. We’ve had limited opportunities with [Stephen A.]. I think he’s done about 15 or so of them. It’s still SportsCenter. You’re still getting a preview of the game, you’re still talking to people, you’re talking to newsmakers, the whole deal. But it’s SportsCenter with Stephen A. And I like that dynamic.
FOS: Stephen A. has talked about how much he likes Los Angeles. Are he and First Take following Kawhi to LA?
WILLIAMSON: I’m very excited myself. I want to actually work two days a week [in LA] – but that ain’t going to happen. The LA facility allows us to do a lot of different things. First Take has been out there covering the Lakers. Jamie Foxx came on one time. We’re going to use the LA facility where it makes sense. But right now we have no plans to move First Take to LA – or any other show actually.
That facility is absolutely jammed. We’ve expanded The Jump; we added an hour to The Jump. SportsCenter is coming out of there. It is a busy, busy facility. We love the position in New York. By the way, what day did you talk to Stephen A. about that? One day he loves the LA life. Another day he loves being in New York. So we have no plans of relocating First Take to LA.
FOS: Will Jeremy Schaap succeed the retiring Bob Ley as host of Outside the Lines?
WILLIAMSON: Ryan Smith has been doing most of that since Bob took a sabbatical. Jeremy is clearly one of our best journalists and anchors and hosts. Obviously on E:60. Jeremy will get involved in that mix more.
The ultimate goal for OTL is to continue in that daypart. But also to immerse the OTL brand in SportsCenter. I would look for that in the coming months. Because there’s some great work that’s being done with that show and that show unit. I think SportsCenter could benefit from some of the work that’s being created in those daily half hours.
FOS: When you look at First Take’s numbers, is the competition between Stephen A. and his old sparring partner Skip Bayless not really a competition anymore?
WILLIAMSON: I’m a bad one to ask. I think everything’s acompetition. You can get crazy worrying about competition. But you have to be aware of it, you have to monitor it. Ultimately, you know what you need to do. You have to take care of business first.
You have to create compelling content. And give people a reason to watch and to come to your brand. As long as you do that, first and foremost, for the most part, you’ll be OK. But I monitor and look at other competition. So I will never rule out anything or anyone or any show being a competitor to us.
Although I don't watch First Take, I'm not surprised it's beating Skip and Shannon. Skip's daily act of being mad at a player gets stale after awhile. This dude was coming on the air every morning pretending to be mad a Kawhi Leonard. That shit got stale in a hurry. One of the mellowest Kats in the world and this dude is bashing him every day
Plus I ask are there any other teams other than the Cowboys.HNIC