Just hours before the primary “Monday Night Football” game of the season, Disney and Charter reached a deal to revive ABC and ESPN on Spectrum cable systems.
Disney’s Justin Connolly was one in every of the important thing executives on that deal, and he joins the pod’s first “Contained in the News” segment.
Connolly discusses what last weekend was like because the two sides had round the clock discussions to shut the deal.
Other topics include why the deal works for ESPN, whether this deal provides a blueprint for other distributors, what implications this deal has on ESPN’s planned direct-to-consumer service and the way this deal will affect ESPN’s aggressiveness in acquiring sports rights.
Following the interview, hosts Andrew Marchand and John Ourand offer their opinions on the deal and discuss the NFL’s first week of the 2023 regular season.
ESPN analyst Marcus Spears joins as The Big Get and entertainingly outlines his progression from the NFL to ESPN.
Spears talks about his latest deal to remain at ESPN and the opposite opportunities that cropped up as he went through the negotiating process.
Other topics include the media challenges involved with playing for greater market teams, his influences in sports media and an animated discussion of Paul Finebaum’s hairstyle.
