Dan Le Batard wants ESPN to stop pretending to care about real sports journalism
As ESPN lays off more accomplished reporters each year and works to cut investment deals with America’s biggest...
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Jimmy Pitaro hails ‘critical’ Charter deal, won’t commit to DTC launch date
"I’d be lying if didn’t tell you this Charter deal wasn’t critical."
Jimmy Pitaro wants to be clear that ‘quality journalism has never been more of a priority at ESPN’
"When something happens in the sports industry, people look to ESPN."
‘Demoralized’ ESPN chairman Jimmy Pitaro reportedly considered leaving Disney over Bob Chapek’s decisions
Jimmy Pitaro says ESPN shift to direct-to-consumer streaming won’t upend linear TV channel
"The [traditional TV] model has been very good to Disney."
Jimmy Pitaro feels Pat McAfee’s appeal can help ESPN attract a ‘younger audience’
"We feel like his show is a natural extension of what we’re already doing."
Jimmy Pitaro says ESPN will go direct-to-consumer “when it makes sense for our business and for our bottom line”
An ESPN direct to consumer service isn't here yet, but we're still talking about "when" rather than "if."
Bomani Jones has a point with ‘That’s just not what they do’ comment on ESPN and High Noon
"I could have the greatest version of ‘High Noon’ that was possible, [but] there’s not a place in their line-up for that right now. That’s just not what they do, and that has zero to do with me."
ESPN executive moves may further reduce Disney spinoff or sale discussion
ESPN executive shuffle sees Burke Magnus overseeing content, Rosalyn Durant overseeing rights
A big part of this shift sees ESPN content executives Stephanie Druley, David Roberts and Norby Williamson now reporting to Magnus instead of Jimmy Pitaro.
Dana White credits John Skipper’s cocaine scandal for UFC’s $1.5 billion ESPN deal, though reality was more nuanced
"So you want to talk about timing."
ESPN chairman Jimmy Pitaro says they’re still in talks with Big Ten: “We are very much in it right now.”
"We enter these discussions understanding that we can’t get everything and that we’re going to proceed with both discipline and thoughtfulness. So I can’t tell you how this is going to play out. We are very much in it right now."
Stephen A. Smith tells Dan Le Batard he understands ESPN’s “stick to sports” mandate
"I’m looking at the big picture...Let’s not blow it because we want to express ourselves."
Adam Schefter on staying at ESPN: “In the end, I felt more comfortable”
He may have left money on the table, but Adam Schefter seems content with the decision for different reasons.
Jimmy Pitaro calls ESPN+ “the centerpiece” and “the jewel,” says “We’re going to keep acquiring more rights for ESPN+”
"ESPN+ is the centerpiece. It is the jewel. ...That exclusivity really helps drive audience. As we move forward we are going to keep acquiring more rights for ESPN+."
Disney refutes report on a potential ESPN spinoff, stock surges anyway
That stock bump today might be a tough data point to ignore now, though.
ESPN’s Jimmy Pitaro: ‘We’ve oftentimes struggled’ with talent points of view
Like many other media companies, we've oftentimes struggled but I do believe that we've put the right people on these assignments."
ESPN president Jimmy Pitaro’s memo raises more questions about the Rachel Nichols/Maria Taylor NBA Countdown timeline
"We respect and acknowledge there are a variety of feelings about what happened and the actions we took. The details of what took place last year are confidential, nuanced and complicated personnel matters."
