As has been written earlier than on this area, if there was a rating of people that form sports activities consumption in the USA, Burke Magnus could be very excessive on the record. His title is president of ESPN’s content material, and he has oversight of ESPN’s most important properties, with hundreds of proficient individuals working underneath him.
This week, he returned to my Sports activities Media Podcast for an hour-plus to debate a wide range of sports activities media storylines together with media rights offers and on-air expertise at his place. This interview has been edited for readability and size. You’ll be able to hearken to the complete interview right here.
JJ Redick not too long ago left ESPN to educate the Los Angeles Lakers. That is the second NBA analyst in your prime workforce who’s left for an NBA job this 12 months. Do you may have a plan proper now heading ahead as to who would be the prime NBA workforce subsequent 12 months?
Not particularly, and that’s in all probability no shock because it was solely a few weeks in the past the place the world thought it was going to be Danny Hurley (teaching the Lakers) and JJ would in truth nonetheless be with us.
As troublesome as the choice was (to half methods) with Jeff (Van Gundy) and Mark (Jackson), we felt like we had been very, very stable going into the season in each the sport workforce and the studio. We had it solved in a very attention-grabbing and revolutionary method that we thought was going to final for a number of years with Doris Burke making historical past, stepping as much as the “A” workforce, a confirmed, high-caliber broadcaster and Doc (Rivers). We even had our succession plan labored out with the “B” workforce, with Ryan Ruocco, JJ, and Richard Jefferson. … Clearly, we bought the curveball of all curveballs with Doc’s departure. However I believed JJ stepped proper in and helped us proceed to carry out at a excessive degree. He had indicated curiosity in teaching, in order that was not a shock.
We’ve some work to do upfront of subsequent season. The one factor I’ll say about Doc, as a result of there was some reporting on the market down the angle of, “How may they not see this coming; how may they not be ready for this type of factor?” In actual fact, we had been. We took Doc at his phrase that he was executed teaching. He gave us a three-year dedication. It was written into the contract particularly that he was not going to return to teaching. That’s not what occurred. Sadly, it left us within the lurch in the course of the season, which was extraordinarily uncomfortable.
However I believed JJ actually stepped up and stuffed in at a really excessive degree. By the way in which, if he ever desires to return again and be a broadcaster after teaching, I believe the world is aware of now that he’s an incredible basketball thoughts, and he has a vivid future in our world if he ever finds himself in it once more.
JJ Redick’s departure for the Lakers’ head-coaching job as soon as once more leaves ESPN scrambling to fill a void in its No. 1 NBA broadcasting crew. (Jamie Schwaberow / Getty Photos)
What are you able to say publicly about the place ESPN/Disney is true now relating to a future media rights settlement with the NBA?
Clearly, I can’t affirm something. … However I can say that our workforce has been working actually diligently over a protracted time period. Primarily based on the prevailing relationship that we have now with the NBA over a few years and likewise the present state of it, which is powerful, constructive, productive, an incredible two-way avenue and nice collaboration with Adam (Silver) and his workforce, we really feel comparatively assured about our future with the league as they work to finalize all the pieces with all of their companions. We be ok with the place we stand for the time being.
Let’s transfer to varsity soccer. What’s the ESPN reasoning for licensing these early School Soccer Playoff video games to TNT?
(Warner Bros. Discovery) reached out to us. They made a very compelling case to become involved. The association has a number of aspects that we felt had been type of desk stakes for us, which in my world is that we’re going to produce the video games and it’s going to be our expertise on the video games. As we sit right here at the moment, (WBD doesn’t) televise regular-season school soccer, in order that they don’t have an infrastructure that’s constructed across the sport. They seemed instantly to us and our experience when it comes to how they get produced and introduced. Branding could be discovered simply. So we thought this is a chance to get someone else concerned who’s bought a giant platform that has attain, that has a unique viewers composition than we do.
Is it two video games per 12 months for the sublicense?
It’s that for the primary two years, that are technically the final two years of the unique deal after which it expands past that to 2 extra within the quarterfinal rounds. So it could possibly be 4. There’s additionally at our choice the power to (sublicense) a semifinal recreation doubtlessly over the six years of the brand new time period. So two turns into 4, after which there’s type of this selection on a semifinal recreation, which we’ll consider after we get deeper into the connection.
An choice for them to sublicense a CFP semifinal recreation?
Our choice. In the event that they’re eager about it, we are able to resolve whether or not or not we wish to do this.
Stephen A. Smith’s contract is up in 2025. Puck not too long ago reported extensively on that wage negotiation. From an government perspective, give me a way of the way you see Smith within the bigger ESPN ecosystem.
The man’s a bona fide celebrity, proper? In at the moment’s media atmosphere, he simply is, as a result of all the pieces he does, individuals have a excessive curiosity in. No person works more durable than him. He’s in every single place on a regular basis, and all the pieces we ask him to do from a unique present or a selected look and even inner ESPN issues equivalent to, “Are you able to be a part of this assembly with gross sales as a result of it’s an essential consumer assembly they usually’d actually like to have you ever cease by and meet the consumer?” — he’ll do that. He by no means says no. He’s nice in that regard.
“First Take,” which is his major project, is a juggernaut. I believe we’re going to get 24 straight months of month-over-month, year-over-year viewers development. That simply doesn’t occur in at the moment’s world. It occurs as a result of he’s constructed this present … We’re within the 24/7, 365-day sports activities enterprise. … I really feel nearly as good about our 7 a.m. to 7 p.m. lineup as I’ve ever felt, and I believe the outcomes bear that out. He’s a key part to that. However the video games are nonetheless the video games, and that’s why it’s a must to type of calibrate accordingly when it comes to the way you spend money on non-game programming.
“I really feel nearly as good about our 7 a.m. to 7 p.m. lineup as I’ve ever felt,” ESPN’s Burke Magnus says. “(Stephen A. Smith is) a key part to that.” (Tim Heitman / Getty Photos)
I notice you aren’t going to barter publicly right here. However there may be an current wage construction with regards to recreation expertise equivalent to (CBS’) Tony Romo and (ESPN’s) Troy Aikman. (Fox’s) Tom Brady is clearly in a unique stratosphere. How do you choose somebody like Smith who doesn’t do stay sports activities however, as you mentioned, is an important a part of your studio programming?
The individuals you talked about have one factor in frequent on the sport facet: They’re NFL analysts. They broke the mildew. Tony Romo’s deal broke the mildew. For my part, the cash that we’re paying (“Monday Evening Soccer” broadcasters) Joe Buck and Troy Aikman, they’re price each cent of that. I imply it sincerely. … When Damar Hamlin occurred, to have Joe Buck and Troy Aikman and Lisa Salters and the workforce round we had is difficult to place a worth on that given the funding that we have now within the NFL general. Relative to what networks pay for NFL recreation content material, that’s what drove the excessive finish of the analyst and play-by-play market to the place it’s at the moment. I believe that is smart. … Studio (exhibits) Monday by Friday, daytime studio, it’s totally different. There’s a unique calculus there, for certain. However once more … (Smith is) the most effective there may be proper now.
How would you analyze your confidence degree when it comes to Smith returning to ESPN?
I are usually an optimistic particular person by nature. I do know he’s nice for us. I do know we’re nice for him. From a relevance, attain and Q rating if you’ll, there’s a rocket gas that ESPN naturally type of gives to large personalities by being on our platform. There’s a worth to that for individuals. I’m optimistic as a result of I believe it’s a mutually helpful state of affairs, and I believe either side notice that, and that is simply the dance we have now to bop.
If Smith doesn’t return to ESPN, do you may have a alternative plan for the exhibits he’s on?
Not particularly, however “First Take” would proceed, clearly. We’d determine that out. The good half concerning the atmosphere that we stay in … there’s a wealth of proficient individuals on the market who, if given the prospect, I believe may additionally turn out to be superstars very simply on our platform. The format of “First Take” I believe lends to that. It’s already an ensemble state of affairs in some ways. So, I don’t fear about that in any respect.
Will Pat McAfee be on “School GameDay” this season?
Yeah, I presume he’ll. What Andrew (Marchand) reported is technically true relative to ink on a chunk of paper. However as you recognize in our world, it’s a reasonably frequent state of affairs to have reached an settlement with out an executed contract or piece of paper. …
I believe sometimes Pat likes to simply muse on what he might or might not wish to do. … We’re not within the enterprise of handcuffing anyone to a desk. This isn’t distinctive to Pat. If someone involves us and says, “Hey, I’d quite do that or that as a substitute of that,” we’ll pay attention and have these conversations. However Pat I anticipate to be there on “School GameDay.”
McAfee books his company and has artistic management of his present. ESPN licenses the present. Has Pat crossed any strains for you, and maybe extra importantly, is there a line for ESPN with regards to that present?
Yeah, I don’t love the dialog round a line as a result of a line by definition is type of clear and definable. Let me begin with this. I typically learn or hear issues on podcasts the place the sentiment is, “(Is) ESPN dedicated to Pat McAfee?” We completely are. This man is so proficient. The whole lot he’s created, he created on his personal together with his workforce.
I can say this with nice authority, having youngsters which are 25 and 22 and are monumental sports activities followers. He’s the voice of the youthful era from a sports activities fan perspective. He books company like no one else within the enterprise proper now. … So there’s a validation in at the moment’s world for being a visitor on his present, and that’s as a result of he units the dialog in some ways and notably for youthful audiences. …
He talks for 3 hours, 5 days every week, proper? What makes him nice is that he goes proper up there. Then often he has mentioned some issues or executed some issues that both he would have wished to take again or rubbed some of us the mistaken method. Imagine me, he doesn’t have a free cross for all of eternity. We’ve a standing dialog with him. (ESPN chairman) Jimmy (Pitaro) and I speak to him just about on a weekly foundation whether or not we have now one thing to speak about or not. He’s extraordinarily receptive to suggestions and desires to know the way he can proceed to be higher. …
There’s no reality to the notion that we’re not dedicated to him long-term. We’re not even a 12 months into this relationship. Between his present and his work on “School GameDay” and different issues he’s executed for us on the enterprise and gross sales facet, it’s been an incredible expertise for us, however the truth that after all we’ve needed to handle among the conditions that you simply talked about, which had been both uncomfortable or troublesome for us.
“There’s no reality to the notion that we’re not dedicated to him long-term,” Magnus says of Pat McAfee. “It’s been an incredible expertise for us.” (Ron Hoskins / NBAE through Getty Photos)
Is ESPN chargeable for when somebody on his present, not him, says one thing on his airwaves? Say if Aaron Rodgers goes down a street that’s both political or some would possibly say conspiratorial or one thing else, what’s ESPN’s duty right here understanding that you simply license this present?
He’s technically not an ESPN worker, which limits type of the traditional paths we have now in circumstances like that. We do license his present, which he absolutely produces and controls fully. However … it’s our platform on the finish of the day. That’s the fragile stability when in circumstances such as you talked about.
So, sure, I do assume we play a task and bear some duty. I’d be much more involved about circumstances like that going ahead if we didn’t have the type of dialog and open channels we have now with Pat. I wish to make it clear: He’s not saying, “Hey, don’t speak to me, it’s my present.” It’s fairly the other. … It’s arrange for us to have the ability to take care of these conditions as they arrive.
Netflix getting NFL video games (on Christmas) feels very vital. Out of your perspective, somebody who might need to compete with them on sports activities rights, how did you view that?
I believe it was a circumstance that was … proper up their alley. I don’t know what their technique is … however it appears to me what they’re doing is looking for one large or attention-grabbing occasion. … They’re full-time within the direct-to-consumer enterprise, in order that dynamic is identical for all of us, which is it’s a must to purchase subscribers after which it’s a must to retain subscribers.
To the NFL’s credit score, right here’s two video games on a vacation that turn out to be accessible in isolation and separate from any type of greater bundle that they must chew off. The NFL will get one more accomplice into the combination. I wasn’t shocked in any respect. I don’t know that it bodes any additional “what’s subsequent” hypothesis for Netflix within the NFL as a result of I believe that’s all that exists proper now, some particular person alternatives. We’re completely pleased with our NFL bundle, we’re wanting ahead to a different season of “Monday Evening Soccer,” and we bought a Tremendous Bowl coming in a few years.
Netflix goes to want somebody to supply these video games. Would ESPN be eager about doing that?
As you in all probability know, that’s in all probability the busiest … two weeks of our complete 12 months. We’ve 5 NBA video games to supply that day. We’ve 40 bowl video games over the 2 weeks. We’ve bought the CFP proper across the nook. We’re good. We are able to’t tackle anyone else’s stuff.
How aggressive will ESPN be with regards to the WNBA heading ahead?
We’re extraordinarily bullish on it. We’ve been there since Day 1 of the WNBA, and we’re actually pleased with that. We really feel equally concerning the ladies’s NCAA basketball match and the laborious work that’s been executed over a long time with that property as a way to develop the sport. Caitlin Clark is a phenomenon, and naturally, it’s introduced type of meteoric ranges actually shortly, which is just a little little bit of a difficulty they’ve been coping with relative to the protection and the scrutiny across the recreation. When that type of normalizes and finds its degree, the audiences and the curiosity within the WNBA goes to be considerably larger than it has been traditionally.
The place would you characterize ESPN having the WNBA Finals in any long-term deal?
Actually essential. The reply I gave you whenever you requested me this final 12 months for the NBA Finals was “must-have,” and right here I believe just a little bit in a different way. Possibly considerably unselfishly, we take a look at the expansion of the WNBA on the variety of numerous entities concerned in it. We see an upside in different broadcasters additionally being concerned. After all we would like the WNBA Finals. I’m certain that at some degree that’s going to be a part of the deal. But when we don’t have them each single 12 months as a result of it means it’s on different networks in a similar way, I believe that’s truly a very good factor for the last word continued development and growth and curiosity within the league.
GO DEEPER
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(Prime photograph of Burke Magnus in 2022: Gongora / NurPhoto through Getty Photos)