ESPN and Fox Sports have had an SEC-Big Ten type rivalry in recent years, with each network trying to recruit some of the biggest names from the other. This includes Fox Sports’ top daily talk show personality Colin Cowherd.
Before Cowherd re-signed with Fox Sports earlier this year, he met with ESPN chairman Jimmy Pitaro in Los Angeles ahead of the Super Bowl about returning to his former network, sources briefed on the conversations told The Athletic.
Shortly after, Cowherd, 61, agreed to stay with Fox Sports on a three-year deal worth millions, though the exact figure is unknown.
ESPN and Fox Sports both declined to comment.
At Fox Sports, Cowherd competes in the afternoon TV time slot against ESPN’s simulcast of “The Pat McAfee Show.” Besides his daily show, Cowherd created his own podcast business, The Volume, which could have potentially been part of an ESPN deal.
While Cowherd and McAfee fill similar roles, ESPN’s idea was to have both — showing how ESPN is trying to ramp up its platform when it offers its full-service direct-to-consumer offering this fall.
ESPN is currently in advanced talks with the NFL about acquiring rights to NFL Media, which assets include live games, Red Zone, NFL Network and its fantasy football business, among others, according to sources briefed on the talks that the newsletter “Puck” recently reported on. The NFL would receive a small minority ownership in ESPN. There is more momentum now, though, no guarantee of a deal. The two sides have held talks going on four years.
ESPN’s goal when it goes direct-to-consumer is to combine its top games with an array of popular shows so subscribers — with cable or without — just turn to the app as its first destination for sports viewing, much the same way the network has been the go-to-channel on television for decades. Top personalities like McAfee and Stephen A. Smith may have their own panels when a viewer first opens the app. Cowherd would have, too, if he returned to ESPN.
In recent years, ESPN and Fox have been in a tug-of-war for premier on-air broadcasters. The Athletic recently reported that Fox made a run and nearly landed “College GameDay” mainstay Rece Davis to become Fox’s “Big Noon Kickoff” and World Cup host. Davis turned Fox down, but the network has lured Tom Rinaldi, Chris Fallica, Emmanuel Acho, Joe Davis, Adam Amin and Jason Benetti over from ESPN.
ESPN swiped Fox’s top NFL team of Joe Buck and Troy Aikman and recently added Fox’s No. 2 NFL director Artie Kempner for “Monday Night Football.”
Ultimately, Cowherd decided against returning to ESPN, where he rose to national fame from 2003 to 2015 before jetting to Fox Sports for the past decade and beyond. He is continuing with iHeart Radio, as well.
(Photo: Jerry Lai / USA Today)