North Alabama at Lipscomb odds, tips and betting trends
The meeting between the Bisons and the Lions currently has no line set.
Lipscomb's record against the spread this season is 14-12-0, while North Alabama's is 18-8-0. In terms of hitting the over, games involving the Bisons are 10-16-0 and the Lions are 13-13-0. Lipscomb is 5-5 against the spread and 7-3 overall in its last 10 games, while North Alabama has gone 8-2 against the spread and 9-1 overall.
As college basketball matchups continue, get ready for the contest with what you need to know before Thursday's game.
Check out: USA TODAY Sports Coaches Poll
Lipscomb vs. North Alabama prediction
Lipscomb 76, North Alabama 71
Against the spread
Lipscomb has won 14 games against the spread this season, while failing to cover 12 times.
North Alabama has covered 18 times in 26 chances against the spread this year.
The Bisons average 78.9 points per game, 8.1 more points than the 70.8 the Lions give up.
When Lipscomb puts up more than 70.8 points, it is 12-6 against the spread and 17-3 overall.
North Alabama is 15-5 against the spread and 17-5 overall when allowing fewer than 78.9 points.
The Lions' 79.6 points per game are 12.4 more points than the 67.2 the Bisons allow.
When it scores more than 67.2 points, North Alabama is 18-3 against the spread and 20-4 overall.
Lipscomb has an ATS record of 13-8 and a 17-6 record overall when its opponents score fewer than 79.6 points.
Players to watch
Lipscomb
Jacob Ognacevic puts up 20.0 points and 8.0 rebounds per contest — both team highs. He is also averaging 1.4 assists, shooting 57.5% from the floor and 38.8% from beyond the arc with 1.4 made 3-pointers per game.
Will Pruitt is averaging 12.8 points, 2.6 assists and 5.6 rebounds per game.
Joe Anderson posts a team-high 4.0 assists per contest. He is also averaging 10.6 points and 3.7 rebounds, shooting 44.6% from the floor and 35.0% from beyond the arc with 1.8 made 3-pointers per game.
North Alabama
Taye Fields gets the Lions 11.1 points, 8.8 rebounds and 3.4 assists per contest. He also puts up 1.4 steals and 1.0 block.
Corneilous Williams is averaging a team-high 9.1 rebounds per game. And he is contributing 9.9 points and 0.4 assists, making 63.8% of his shots from the floor.
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Fox Sports
4 minutes ago
- Fox Sports
2025 College Football Rankings: RJ Young Responds to Ultimate 136 Replies
College Football 2025 College Football Rankings: RJ Young Responds to Ultimate 136 Replies Published Aug. 21, 2025 2:39 p.m. ET share facebook x reddit link Just last week, I ranked all 136 FBS college football teams and invited anyone with an issue to come at me however they saw fit — from social media showdowns to shouting matches with unsuspecting bartenders. Now, after weathering a storm of passionate reactions, it's my chance to respond and tell you, the reader, why I'm right and you're wrong. Look, as I said when I wrote this piece, these rankings are fluid. This was an exhaustive exercise that required plenty of excessive reading and studying of rosters, but in the end, it all came down to this: I wrote about who I think is good and why I think they're good. Not everyone was going to agree with my rankings and my explanation, but that's what makes a piece like this so enjoyable to write. That said, here are my responses to some of your replies surrounding my "Ultimate 136" rankings: BYU at 60? ADVERTISEMENT I ranked BYU at 60 for one major reason: Jake Retzlaff isn't there anymore, and I wrote as much in my 136. This season was supposed to be "The Jake Retzlaff Show" in Provo, Utah. Last season, Retzlaff led the Cougars to their first 11-win season since 2009 and the program peaked at No. 6 in the College Football Playoff rankings with wins against SMU and Colorado. What's more, he threw for 2,947 yards with 26 total touchdowns with 12 interceptions. However, Retzlaff withdrew from BYU in the wake of the school's planned seven-game suspension of him for violating the school's honor code. The suspension arose after Retzlaff was accused in a lawsuit in May of raping a woman in 2023 . The lawsuit was later dismissed and Retzlaff chose to commit to Tulane. Now, head coach Kalani Sitake has to remind his team — and the country — that the loss of their star player doesn't mean the team will suffer. Like you, I'll believe it when I see it, but I'm open to the possibility of this team proving that it's better than its preseason ranking. The defense finished first in the Big 12 in scoring (19.6 points per game), forced turnovers (29) and yards allowed per game (308) last year. That's the strength of this team in 2025, too, but no BYU quarterback has thrown for more than 1,400 career yards. That means running back LJ Martin is going to get a lot of touches early, with a chance to become a 1,000-yard rusher. With Bear Bachmeier, the most talented and youngest player in that room, earning the starting QB job, there's hope that the Cougars might have fallen into a good spot. Bachmeier became available in the transfer portal after Stanford fired coach Troy Taylor, and there was no reason to believe he would've been the starter when he elected to transfer to Provo because Retzlaff was a dark-horse Heisman Trophy candidate. Now that No. 47 is behind center — yes, that's the number Bachmeier will wear as the starting QB — I still want to see his potential become production before I'm comfortable moving BYU up in the rankings. Utah finds its way into the top 5 this year Pushing toward the top five is asking a lot of a program that lost seven consecutive Big 12 games in 2024. It's also asking a lot of a program that hasn't finished ranked in the top five since 2008, when it ran the table and beat Nick Saban's Alabama in the Sugar Bowl. Even then, though, the Utes made it into the AP Top 25 by Week 2 with a win against Michigan. If Utah is to make a push into the top five in 2025, it will have to be with an offensive playcaller and quarterback that represents a change in philosophy — from bruising and bullying opposing front sevens to one where the signal-caller is the team's best playmaker and his offensive coordinator dials up plays designed to be explosive more often than not. The offensive line will be good, and someone in that running back room will assume leadership early, and I wrote as much. Not a single one of the six scholarship running backs played a single snap last year for Utah, but coach Kyle Whittingham said he believes he has the best offensive line he has ever had at Big 12 media days, so one should balance the other. Devon Dampier will give Utah the kind of athlete behind center they haven't seen since Alex Smith. Dampier arrived with former New Mexico offensive coordinator Jason Beck after the Lobos averaged 484.3 yards and 33.5 points per game last year. Dampier threw for 2,768 yards and rushed for 1,166 yards with 27 total touchdowns and 12 interceptions. It's certainly possible that Utah finishes in the top five, but I'm not willing to make that bet, and neither are most rational Utes fans. Explain Oklahoma then? The offensive line will be experienced, and Oklahoma has avoided the dreaded season-ending injury to its most important players so far in preseason camp. At quarterback and running back, the Sooners go from abjectly bad to potentially awesome with John Mateer and Jaydn Ott, respectively. Last season, Mateer threw for more than 3,100 yards at Washington State, while Ott rushed for more than 1,300 yards during his last healthy season at Cal. The last time Oklahoma had a 3,000-yard passer (Kyler Murray) and a 1,000-yard rusher at tailback (Kennedy Brooks) it finished 12-2, won a conference championship and played in the semifinals of the CFP. If nothing else, the paltry 331 yards and 24 points scored per game — the fewest by any Oklahoma team since 1998 — is not likely to be repeated with a new offensive coordinator in Ben Arbuckle. The defense is likely to be stout, with one of the best defensive playcallers of the 21st century, Brent Venables, at the controls. Still, the Sooners have a schedule tougher than two-a-days in 100-degree heat, with games against No. 14 Michigan, No. 1 Texas, No. 13 South Carolina, No. 21 Ole Miss, No. 24 Tennessee, No. 8 Alabama and No. 9 LSU. If the Sooners do what I think they're capable of this season, No. 10 is where they'll start, but No. 1 could be where they finish. RJ Young is a national college football writer and analyst for FOX Sports. Follow him at @RJ_Young . Want great stories delivered right to your inbox? Create or log in to your FOX Sports account, follow leagues, teams and players to receive a personalized newsletter daily . FOLLOW Follow your favorites to personalize your FOX Sports experience College Football What did you think of this story? share
CNBC
2 hours ago
- CNBC
CNBC Exclusive: Transcript: Disney CEO Bob Iger and ESPN Chairman Jimmy Pitaro Speak with CNBC's David Faber on 'Squawk on the Street' Today
WHEN: Today, Thursday, August 21, 2025 WHERE: CNBC's "Squawk on the Street" Following is the unofficial transcript of a CNBC exclusive interview with Disney CEO Bob Iger and ESPN Chairman Jimmy Pitaro on CNBC's "Squawk on the Street" (M-F, 9AM-11AM ET) today, Thursday, August 21. Following are links to video on and All references must be sourced to CNBC. DAVID FABER: Joining me now in a CNBC exclusive is Disney CEO, Bob Iger. He's from the company's headquarters in California and ESPN Chairman, Jimmy Pitaro, who did the honors, ringing the opening bell joins me here. Guys, thanks to you both. Happy to see you live and in person. Jimmy, let me start with you. You've said, and this is a quote I think you used yesterday to the employees and the like, this is a defining moment for how sports are experienced in the digital age. Why? JIMMY PITARO: Big day for ESPN, big day for the sports fan. Essentially, two things are happening. The first is, we're making our 12 networks available direct to consumer for the first time, 47,000 live events. We have the best sports rights portfolio we've ever had. So, that's part one. And then part two is significantly enhancing the ESPN app. Really, at the heart of this is more personalization, more interactivity. The app will be enhanced across connected televisions and also, of course, mobile and tablet with a ton of new features and functionality that we couldn't be more excited about. FABER: So, in your mind, that is a defining moment for ESPN, a company you've now run for quite some period of time? PITARO: Absolutely. We're approaching our 46th year here. And I would say that this is one of the biggest days at ESPN, if not --the biggest. This is something that fans have been wanting. They've been asking for many, many years. And our mission is to serve the sports fan anytime, anywhere, and we're going to deliver. FABER: Bob, you know, it's funny. I noted earlier, I think it's 10 years ago since that August conference call where you first mentioned perhaps some weakness at ESPN, started talking a lot more about cord cutting. And here we are. You know, I'm curious now, what does success look like for you now that this has begun, now that you finally have ESPN as an over-the-top, or that's what we used to call it, as a direct-to-consumer product? Can you define it for us? Because my understanding is you're not going to be sharing actual subscriber numbers with investors. BOB IGER: Well, first of all, David, I do remember that -- that earnings call in August of 2015, when I very pointedly, I think, suggested that we were starting to see erosion in what was then called traditional television bundles. And that began a process at the company to ultimately pivot in the digital or the app-based direction. And obviously, we've made huge progress since then. And this represents yet another gigantic step in that direction. In terms of measuring success, let me point out, first of all, that this isn't a movie where, you know, you start it and you finish it and people watch it and it never changes. This is an ongoing process. So, we're launching today. We're very excited about it. We think that our fans, sports fans in particular, will be excited about it. But this is going to continue to evolve and continue to improve over time. And in fact, with the data that will be available, it will improve even more as sports fans are served what they want to watch and what they want to see the most. We do break out sports as an entity, as a company. And so we do report ESPN as its own entity. And obviously that gives people the ability to measure how we're doing in our sports business. And this obviously will be a critical part of that business. Let me also emphasize the fact that as a company, we're now agnostic when it comes to linear television and digital television, or digital content. We manage them together and holistically. And so, we don't really measure them as much individually. We look at the whole. And that's what we will do here. So, we will continue to obviously improve what we're offering sports fans. And obviously we believe that this will contribute nicely to ESPN's bottom line over time as engagement grows, for instance. But we don't feel that the way to measure this is immediate, nor do we feel that the way to measure this is in just subscribers. FABER: OK, so yeah, just I wanted to understand. So, we're not going to get a sub number and you feel comfortable not doing that. You think investors are going to be frustrated in trying to understand what is an incredibly important initiative for you and perhaps not be able to measure it in the way they've become accustomed and certainly did for example, for Netflix for 15 years until very recently? IGER: Again, investors will be able to see how our sports business is doing. And this is an important component of it. And perhaps that will give them the ability to break out what this component is doing in terms of its impact on the total. But we believe that ESPN should be measured as a whole and not just, look, we didn't break out individual channels at ESPN as a for instance. We never did that. And yet there were many. This is an important component of ESPN and obviously critical in terms of its future. And we think it will have a positive impact. But we're also doing this for our shareholders and also for the fans, for both. And breaking out subs to me is irrelevant. FABER: OK. Well, Jimmy, when it's speaking of the fans, you've said actually the service is here to be everything to sports fans. PITARO: Yeah. FABER: But is it enough? I mean, depending on who measures, it's either 35% or perhaps a bit higher of overall sports content. That's a big number. But for example, the failed initiative called Venu that was going to bring together Fox and ESPN and Warner Brothers was more than that. And that was still viewed as perhaps not enough. So, you know, is it enough to satisfy what you just said, which is everything to sports fans? PITARO: Look, I want to be clear and Bob mentioned this. We're going to judge ourselves based on the totality of people subscribing to ESPN. That includes subscribers to the traditional ecosystem. So, pay television, a digital MVPD, we're looking holistically. And so, we still believe that there's a lot of value in that traditional ecosystem where you get so much sports content. Another thing that we've seen, David, is from our research is that sports fans, especially younger fans, they're OK with multiple apps. They're okay putting together their own bundles, if you will. And we're --going to be providing the sports fan with several different options. I'd start with the Disney bundle at $29.99, you get all of the ESPN plus Disney plus and Hulu. FABER: For one year free, yeah. PITARO: For one year, exactly. FABER: Yeah. PITARO: We're also -- we announced a bundle with NFL Plus Premium that includes RedZone. We announced a bundle with Fox One. So, the sports fan will have a variety of options and ways to put together their own bundles. FABER: Right, and more of that to come, you know, the bundle with -- is that -- is this the end or potentially will you be bundling with some of the other providers and those who own obviously the license for other sports? PITARO: Nothing to announce today, but of course, if it makes business sense for us, if we think it makes sense for the sports fan, we will have those conversations, but nothing beyond the Disney bundle, the NFL Plus Premium bundle and the Fox bundle to announce today. FABER: You know, but Jimmy, I'm trying to -- in terms of understanding, if we're going to measure it as Bob said on the whole, and you've said it as well, you can't just lose people from the cable bundle who then go to the ESPN. You've got to get people who never had cable, I guess, to some extent. PITARO: Yeah. FABER: Is that the audience here? I know it was sort of when Venu was up, at least as a thought, that was the thought, it's going to be people who are never, you know, never cord, so to speak. Is that who you're going after? PITARO: That is definitely the strategy. The marketing is focusing on people that are on the sidelines, people who have cut the cord or people who have never subscribed in the first place. I will also tell you, and this is a really important point, we are adding value to the traditional ecosystem, the pay TV ecosystem, as a part of -- today's announcements. And what I mean by that is, if you are a subscriber to traditional paid television whether it is Charter or Comcast or DirectTV you will through authentication within the ESPN App get access to all of our new features and functionality, which is a ton of value for the sports fan and a ton of value for our partners. FABER: So, do you have an expectation, though, that, you know, that there are going to be people falling off the bundle as a result of this? PITARO: Look, we don't know, like, I don't have a crystal ball. We don't know what the impact will be. Again, just going back, our mission is to serve the sports fan. We know that the trends are heading towards – they've been heading towards digital and streaming for many, many years. And we -- Bob and I decided a couple years ago that it's time. It's time to be present. You know, if our mission is truly to be everywhere for the sports fan, we need to be present, direct to consumer. And we decided at the same time, we're not just going to flip the switch. FABER: Right. PITARO: What I mean by that is we are not just going to make our services available direct to consumer. We're also going to significantly enhance the fan experience within our ESPN app. FABER: Yeah, and I want to talk a bit about that. But, you know, Bob, when it comes to sort of the bundle, and we were referencing it 10 years ago, of course, as well, does this quicken the pace of cord cutting overall, in your opinion? IGER: Not necessarily, but as Jimmy said, I don't think we really know yet. I also want to point out, as I pointed out on earnings, that we manage our television assets as one business, not as individual businesses, meaning we don't manage the linear business and the digital business separately. We manage it as one. It's one group of executives. It's essentially one bottom line, because we want to be agnostic when it comes to how people watch or consume our product, whether you're watching ABC programming or Disney Channel programming or ESPN programming or FX programming. You can watch it on a linear service, if that's what really is of interest to you, or you can watch it through digital apps. Obviously, the Disney+ app, now that we'll have Hulu and all those other brands, as well as ESPN, is an incredible product for television viewers. And we manage, again, we're going to manage these things as one business, and this is a huge step in terms of what ESPN is doing to do just that. We've done it with our other television assets. Now, we're doing it with ESPN. And so, you know, we don't know. We've seen, obviously, significant progression in terms of loss of subs on the linear side, as something you know – FABER: It hasn't gotten any better, Bob, as you well know. Yeah, I mean, we keep thinking we're going to be at a bottom, and now I see this. For those who perhaps have been waiting, you could imagine that, well, now I can get what I need from sports, or I can put something together, and now I'm done with the bundle. I would think it certainly doesn't do anything to stem what has been the continued losses for that, right? IGER: No, it doesn't. It doesn't do anything to stem it. We didn't think that we could. That one entity, one company could do that. But I think – I also want to point out, as you know, that a number of other companies are exiting their linear business completely, meaning they're selling off the channels that serve the linear television ecosystem. We're doing the opposite, actually. We're combining them which gives us the ability to aggregate both subscription fees and advertising on both sides, and essentially end up with a business that's actually larger and more impactful than it would be if we were to separate them completely. FABER: Yeah. IGER: And so, again, you know, we've watched the continued decline of television viewing or subscriptions on linear television, and that's why we've pivoted so effectively in the digital direction, and this is a gigantic step for us in that regard. FABER: Understood. You know, I want to maybe come to both of you, perhaps, on this. I'll start with you, though, Jimmy. I mean, $33 billion is going to be spent on sports rights, I believe, this year by streamers and by everybody, and it's only going to go up, one would imagine. I mean, if you want to watch all the NFL games, or at least have access to them, I think you have to spend about 1,000 bucks just to have access to the various streaming services because of certain games that are exclusive. Does the consumer, at some point, get priced out here? PITARO: Well, just on NFL, since you raised it, the traditional ecosystem, whether it's Comcast or Charter or a digital MVPD, still has a ton of value, as I said before. On top of that, you would have to be a member of Amazon Prime, Netflix. So, I hear you. I don't know about the $1,000, if you were a subscriber – FABER: Even Peacock's got one exclusive game, Jimmy. PITARO: That's right. FABER: If you don't want to miss that one, you got to spend another 11 bucks for that one. PITARO: You're 100% right. FABER: Yeah. PITARO: But my point there is that there still is value, and again, we are adding value to that customer, the customer that is very happy, you know, in the pay TV bundle. FABER: Right. PITARO: Our goal, David, is to drive everyone to the ESPN app. That is the enhanced experience. That is, as Bob has said, the preeminent sports destination. And so, whether you subscribe directly to ESPN or subscribe to us through an MVPD or a digital MVPD, we want to drive you to the app. And through authentication, you will get access to a much better sports experience than you see anywhere else within the industry. FABER: Yeah. But, you know, and I hear Jimmy, Bob, but I also keep thinking about the price of sports rights, which obviously you guys know better than anybody, just keep going up. I mean, the UFC just went to Paramount for twice what you guys were paying. You're competing against Amazon. You're competing against Apple. You're competing against Alphabet and Netflix. I guess I just wonder, do you see yourself being able to do that over the long term? IGER: ESPN's in a very unique position, as you know. No one has as many rights as ESPN does. No one has as much engagement from sports fans as ESPN does. I think, I look at it the other way. They're competing with us. We're the envy – they envy us and the position that we're in. And we have, I think, an enviable position when it comes to television sports. There's always been competition for sports, particularly the most valuable, at least led by the NFL and obviously the NBA. You know, I've lived that for decades, actually, in my career, and that's only going to continue. And I think it reflects the value that sports delivers to television viewers and to advertisers as well. And, you know, it's a fact of life, but I think if I were the rest of the industry, I'd envy the position that ESPN is in. And obviously with the steps that we're taking, whether it's this step in terms of going in the digital direction or whether it's the new rights that we've licensed or whether it's the deal that we made with the NFL, we intend to hold our position. And actually, I should say, we intend to grow our position when it comes to television sports. FABER: Right. I mean, you are an enviable – IGER: And believe it, we've got the – we believe, by the way, that we've got the ecosystem. We've got the ability to afford it, to monetize it better than anyone else, not just on one platform, but on multiple platforms in multiple directions. It's a great position to be in. FABER: You may need to, and that may be why you're in an enviable position. But, you know, that said, you're renting this content. It's not like when you produce a movie and it's forever a Disney movie, Bob. I mean, at some point, you've got potentially irrational actors. I don't know if they are, but if they want to spend at Amazon, whatever they want, they can just do it. Is that not a long-term threat? I see Jimmy's shaking his head here. I don't know. I'll go to you. You want to answer that one first? PITARO: Well, look, there's not a lot to acquire over the next several years. You mentioned the UFC deal. As you know, we just did a fantastic deal with WWE. Feel great about that. FABER: You must've been shaking your head, though, at that UFC deal, what was paid by Paramount. PITARO: It's great for the UFC. They did a fantastic job. By the way, David, we take a ton of pride in what we've done for the UFC in terms of growing that sport over the years, and I also want to be clear, we're going to continue to cover mixed martial arts and the UFC. But my broader point is there's not a lot to acquire over the next five, seven years. I would also want to make the point that, and I get this question all the time, how did you feel when Amazon came in and acquired Thursday Night Football? My response is always, how is that bad for the Walt Disney Company and for ESPN? If Amazon is now promoting the game of football, promoting the NFL, bringing new fans in, maybe younger fans, isn't that better for us? Doesn't that mean that more people are going to be tuning in and watching Monday Night Football in this rising tide? That is really my feeling. Yes, the competition is fierce. It's probably never been fiercer. There's not a lot to acquire over the next five to seven years, and we have the best rights portfolio we've ever had in our 46-year history. FABER: Right. PITARO: We feel great about our prospects, especially in this direct-to-consumer world. FABER: Bob, on that note, though, I mean, you and I sat together – IGER: Hey, David – FABER: All right, go ahead, yes. IGER: Well, I was going to say, I started in television sports – I hate to say this – 50 years ago, working at ABC Sports, and I remember when HBO came in, mostly into boxing. I remember when Fox didn't have any sports. Fox didn't exist, and ultimately they started a network and got into the NFL, and I could name countless examples of new entrants into the space over that period of time, and everybody said, oh boy, the sky is falling, that's the end of your position. And I think Jimmy just made a very, very important point, is look where ESPN is today, with all of the competition that has emerged over the years. I actually think they're in the best position they've ever been in, and now with the use of this great technology, they have the ability to engage with sports fans on a higher level and in a better way. And so – FABER: Yeah. IGER: -- look, we're not, you know, we don't want to -- we don't in any way want to dismiss competition at all, because we're mindful of it, but I think we're positioned extremely well. FABER: I wanted to go to pricing, because $29.99 is where you're starting. Bob, you and I sat together, I think it was the fall of 2019, I might have it wrong in terms of exactly when, when you launched Disney+. And it was $6.99, and now it's $15.99 for no ads. So, I do wonder, what kind of trajectory on pricing do you see here for this product? IGER: We don't really know, David, it's too early. We think what we're going out with, particularly with what we call the trio bundle with Disney+ and with Hulu, for $29.99 is just an incredible value to consumers. We really haven't predicted or projected what the pricing will be or what the pricing can be. Our goal today is to launch this successfully, which we're doing, and to obviously put in front of consumers a product we think they will really love, and we'll take it from there. FABER: Right, so -- all right, we'll see. Because that's a percentage increase from $6.99 to $15.99 is obviously not insignificant. And sports rights only going up. IGER: Well, I think you have to look at the market, David. FABER: Yeah. IGER: You have to look at the market too over that period of time. You know, we launched in 2019, you're right, we sat down in 2019, and the goal was accessibility. We also started modestly in terms of the amount of programming that Disney+ had at that time, and we think we priced it smartly. We've had the ability, as we've increased programming significantly on Disney+, to raise prices, but the market has also raised its prices as well, and we haven't done anything unusual in that regard. FABER: Yeah. Jimmy, I wonder about international, because when I think about the NFL, they're making efforts, obviously, to have games in different parts of the world, the NBA, certainly. PITARO: Yeah. FABER: Scale is clearly very important here for ESPN. You know, the more the better. How do you -- how do you view that as an opportunity? PITARO: Yeah, it's a great question. What we're doing today is domestic. FABER: Right. PITARO: It's U.S.-focused. As we think about the future, it's really Disney+. So, as you know, there is a tile on, an ESPN-branded tile on Disney+ in the U.S. and in select areas outside of the U.S. We expect that that will continue, and we will get the ESPN-branded environment in more countries as we move forward. And, you know, we've always been really smart about how we acquire rights. We have a fantastic strategy team that -- that works with our partners, our colleagues around the globe, to identify the best rights for ESPN, and that includes ESPN within the Disney+ environment. But we don't have any plans on expanding the ESPN app beyond where we are today. Really, the focus is on expanding the ESPN-branded environment within -- within Disney+. FABER: Right. Now, as somebody who's a Knicks and Mets fan, for example, I need to get MSG and SNY here in the -- the local New York area. Adds a lot of expense, potentially. It keeps me in the bundle to some extent. But what about the RSNs, and how you might think about strategically incorporating some of their programming? Is that a possibility, certainly, when it comes to Major League Baseball, for example? PITARO: Yes, it's a definite possibility. We have recognized the challenges in those businesses with that business model, and I have said repeatedly, internally and externally, that we want to be part of the solution. Just to back up, ESPN is the front door, right? It's the starting point for sports fans. And so, is there a world where we would want a sports fan like you going to the ESPN app to access your in-market games? Of course there is. That's very consistent with our strategy. Nothing to announce here today, but I will tell you that the conversations that we've had with Major League Baseball have been very productive and very healthy. FABER: Are you and Manfred on better terms now than you might have been a while back when you decided not to renew, or you decided to pull? PITARO: The commissioner and I have always been on good terms. We've known each other for -- for a long time, and I think, I don't want to speak for the commissioner, but -- but we see the opportunity to stay in business together. FABER: So, you could reach a new deal with MLB? PITARO: Well, we could. Nothing to report today, but we are having healthy conversations as I sit here right now. FABER: Bob, you know, we haven't even talked about betting, and that was kind of an important component, seemingly, of the platform. How are you viewing that in terms of what's going to be offered to those who like to bet, not to mention fantasy and things of that nature? And are you happy with Penn Gaming as your partner, or will that change? IGER: Well, that's really a question I think Jimmy should handle, David, if that's all right, since the betting component of our digital offering is really through ESPN. So, Jimmy, why don't you take that one? FABER: Yeah, you're right. I was poorly asked. I should have turned to Jimmy on that one, but I wanted to keep you involved, Bob. I feel like you're getting lonely out there. What about betting? PITARO: No problem. So --so, let's go back to the product enhancements. On the connected television, for example, with the new ESPN app, when you squeeze back the video player, there will be several tabs that are contextually relevant. So, there will be stats, there will be key plays, which is giving you the ability to catch up to live, there will be fantasy commerce, and, yes, betting. And if you are logged in, and you've made a connection between the ESPN app and the ESPN bet accounts, or apps, but you've connected your accounts, then what you will see is the bets that you have placed within that betting tab. And just as important as that is we will provide contextual relevance. So, if you're watching the New York Giants playing on Monday Night Football, we will surface contextually relevant bets through ESPN Bet and Penn Entertainment. Just to be clear, I think you know this, we are not a book. FABER: Right. PITARO: We have partnered with Penn. And -- and look, it's still early innings on that partnership. We've really been gearing up for this moment in time where we launched this enhanced app with this betting tab and the betting integration. FABER: So, you're just going to get a sense now for how it really is working. PITARO: Exactly, and that's not a surprise to anyone internally or at Penn. We've all known that we've been moving towards this moment in time. And so, I think after football season this year, we'll have a much better idea of how we're performing. FABER: OK, so Penn stays for now at least as your partner, obviously. PITARO: Yeah, I mean, yes, it's been reported. FABER: Because there's been some talk that they might, yeah, they might not. PITARO: That's right, it's been reported that there's a mutual opt-out next summer. You know, we're focused on delivering for the upcoming season. FABER: All right, Bob, I do have one I think you would want to take. We've talked about football season. The NFL recently took a 10% ownership position in ESPN. I don't know if the deal's closed, but any prospect for future investments similar to that? Or are you kind of done when it comes to selling percentage ownership of ESPN? IGER: Yeah, the deal is not closed. It also has to go through a regulatory process. And that's what we're focused on right now. No comment at all about, you know, whether there's more to come or not. We're -- we targeted obviously the NFL in terms of our first partner for obvious reasons, given the value of their properties. And we're really thrilled that we were able to negotiate that deal and announce it just a couple of weeks ago. And now we're focused on going through the process, the regulatory process, and ultimately integration. FABER: What was the benefit to that deal? Why would you want the NFL to own 10%? I know obviously you're giving -- you know, they're getting something -- you're getting something in return as well, certainly but why do that deal? IGER: Well, as we discussed actually back I think a couple of years ago in Sun Valley, when I talked about the possibility of bringing partners in for ESPN, we were actually looking for partners that would bring real strategic value to our growth efforts, mostly in the digital direction. And when you look at the content that we're able to license, thanks to this partnership, we believe that this is a big and important step in terms of obviously our migration into the direct-to-consumer -- into the direct-to-consumer space. Again, it's just a great partnership from a content perspective. If you look at what the NFL offers as a network and we -- and the ability to integrate that programming with ESPN, for instance, we think that that will greatly enhance the value of the very app that we're talking about today. FABER: Yeah. Guys, before we end here, I did want to come to some controversy, at least, Jimmy. Let me ask you, the Spike Lee, Colin Kaepernick documentary that apparently was shelved or has been shelved, given the current political climate, there are those who believe, well, that timing is kind of strange. Was it perhaps a result of your not wanting to anger the Trump administration that you're no longer pursuing that? PITARO: No, absolutely not. We made that decision many months prior to the NFL announcements. I think what happened, David, is Spike was, I believe, on the red carpet and was asked this question somewhat out of the blue, and that's why it became news. But, there were creative differences. We made the decision in partnership with Colin and Spike to not move forward many months before any NFL announcement, and it had nothing to do with the recent deals. FABER: So, it was done completely separate, even before sort of political considerations might have been something that occurred. PITARO: Correct. FABER: All right, so what am I getting in the morning when I look at my app now? And, you know, you're talking about a sports center that what is going to be AI delivered to me. Tell me that the Mets lost again last night. What do I get? PITARO: Well, so look, we've led in personalization for many, many years. We've been prioritizing digital at ESPN for decades. What you're going to see, in addition to everything I just mentioned on the squeeze back experience within a connected TV environment, is also, yes, a personalized sports center. So, right content to the right user at the right time. Quick story, yesterday Bob texted me, hey, Yankees hit nine home runs again, and I said -- I said, I know, I woke up yesterday, and of course I was in the test environment for the ESPN app, and I woke up, fired up my sports center for you, personalized sports center, and the first thing I got was a recap of the Yankees game, and I saw those nine -- those nine home runs. FABER: Right. PITARO: So -- so this is -- look, I'm a huge sports fan, this is a product that I've been craving for a long time, and the team's been hard at work on it. I want to be clear, we're launching in beta, yes, it is AI powered, AI driven, and we could not be more excited about it, but as Bob said, this is -- this is the first inning of -- of these enhancements, and it's the first inning for a sports center for you. We're going to see what's working, see what's not, we're going to take fan feedback as we always do, we're going to learn from it, and we're going to make the product even better. FABER: All right. Well, I only want my highlights when my team wins. Can it do that for me? PITARO: Yeah, it's funny that you say that. There's something being considered internally that gets at what you're describing. Maybe next time we get together, I'll give you the update on that. FABER: Yeah, Bob, you know, it's funny, it's a separate conversation, perhaps another interview, but AI, when I hear that, obviously you're dealing with and navigating that as well. I think there were some reports you were at the White House recently because you're obviously trying to protect your own IP while you obviously move into this future. Was there a meeting at the White House about this? And if so, what were you discussing? IGER: We did have a meeting at the White House with the president's AI team, and we were largely talking about issues related to intellectual property protection. But we also made a point of saying that Disney believes that AI will be an important part of our future. We're already using AI in every one of our businesses, and we believe that it will, over time, become an important part or important component of how our company operates. But it's also critical that as we migrate into a new world when it comes to technology, that we continue to respect the creative community and also that we continue to be mindful of the impact it could have on our intellectual property, which you know is essentially the core of our company and what we do and who we are. FABER: Yeah. And finally, Bob, just because time goes by, I mean, I mentioned the 10 years since that first conference call. You remember it well. Here we are with the launch of ESPN and this product. Where do you think we'll be, if you can even take me out, 10 years from now when we're talking about this? IGER: I know where I'll be, David. I'll be happily retired. You know, it's an interesting world. We've seen more change happening quicker than at any time during our lives and at any time certainly during our careers. It's interesting, I think back 10 years ago, I guess I just did see a world that was going to migrate in a digital direction, and we began to prepare for that as a company, making announcements in 2016 and '17 and launching Disney+ in '19 and doing this today, and that will continue. I think it's hard to project right now 10 years ahead. Things are changing too profoundly and too fast to do that. One thing I can predict is that change is inevitable and will continue, and that's us, and I think it makes it just harder to be predictive about it. FABER: Yeah. I'll assume you will be retired in 10 years. I'm not sure I'd want to take the under-over, but yeah, 10 years sounds. Guys, very much appreciated. Jimmy, thank you for being here. PITARO: Thank you, David. FABER: Bob, thank you as well for this interesting conversation. Jimmy Pitaro, Bob Iger.
Fox Sports
3 hours ago
- Fox Sports
Women Baseball Players Flock to a Historic Pro Tryout: Here Are Players to Know
Major League Baseball Women Baseball Players Flock to a Historic Pro Tryout: Here Are Players to Know Published Aug. 21, 2025 11:59 a.m. ET share facebook x reddit link Hundreds of women will flock to Washington on Friday to take their first swings at turning pro baseball dreams into reality. Some at the historic tryout will be seasoned veterans and trailblazers in the women's game. Plenty others are beginners chasing a shot at the pros. They'll meet on the same field in a camp organized by the Women's Pro Baseball League. Set to debut next year, the league is holding the first pro women's baseball tryouts in more than 80 years this weekend in partnership with Major League Baseball's Washington Nationals. The U.S. hasn't had a pro women's league since the All-American Girls Professional Baseball League — the one immortalized in "A League of Their Own" — dissolved in 1954. Players will take part in drill-focused sessions, athletic performance testing and player evaluations at the Nationals' Youth Baseball Academy over the first three days, and the showcase will culminate in a live game at Nationals Park on Aug. 25. In the end, 150 players will advance to the league's inaugural draft in October. For co-founder Justine Siegal, the tryouts mark a crucial step in creating a true arena for female baseball players to compete against one another, which was the driving force behind her vision for the league. "I didn't get to grow up and play girls baseball. I had to play baseball with the boys," said Siegal, the first woman to coach for an MLB team with the Oakland Athletics in 2015. "We have players who have been waiting a lifetime for an opportunity not to just have a chance to try out for a professional women's baseball league, but to be seen and to be given a chance. ADVERTISEMENT "It's very important to us that women know that we see them." More than 600 players registered for the four-day camp. Here are five notable competitors to keep an eye on: Mo'ne Davis: right-handed pitcher, outfielder Former Little League star Mo'ne Davis throws out the ceremonial first pitch before a game between the Philadelphia Phillies and the Colorado Rockies in 2025. (Photo by) At 13, Davis became the first girl to earn a win — and pitch a shutout — in the Little League World Series. She drew national attention and became an instant celebrity, gracing the cover of Sports Illustrated and earning AP Female Athlete of the Year honors in 2014. Davis later played softball at Hampton University, where she last played competitively in 2020 before graduating in 2023. With few professional baseball avenues available, she sometimes wondered if her baseball career had ended. "A lot of times I've talked to people in school," Davis told The Associated Press, "and ... they just kind of assume that I have everything planned out in life, which isn't true at all." Davis, now 24, has provided commentary on ESPN for Little League games but recently has explored other career options, including flag football, basketball and content creation. She hopes the next chapter of her career begins with the WPBL, where she will try out as a pitcher, shortstop and center fielder. "I'm excited to get out there with all the women," Davis said. "Very excited just to play with each other, to share the field, to bring our love to each other and also to the fans watching." Kelsie Whitmore: pitcher, outfielder Kelsie Whitmore was the first woman to appear in the starting lineup in an Atlantic League game, as well as the first to pitch in one. (Photo by) Whitmore became the first female player in an MLB-partnered league when she suited up for the Staten Island FerryHawks in the Atlantic League in 2022. She first played on the U.S. women's national baseball team as a 14-year-old, helping earn a silver medal at the 2014 World Baseball Softball Confederation (WBSC) Women's World Cup and gold at the 2015 Pan American games. The 27-year-old's pursuit of a pro baseball career has largely meant finding opportunities to compete alongside men. In 2016, she and Stacy Piagno played for the Sonoma Stompers of the independent Pacific Association, and last year, she became the first woman to play for the Pioneer League with the Oakland Ballers. Whitmore debuted with the barnstorming squad Savannah Bananas earlier this month. Ayami Sato, right-handed pitcher Ayami Sato has pitched professionally and in international tournaments, representing Japan. (Photo by) Sato, 35, has led the Japan national team to six women's baseball World Cup championships and is widely considered one of the best female pitchers ever, with a nearly 80 mph fastball and a precise curveball. A three-time MVP, Sato earlier this year debuted for the Toronto Maple Leafs in Canada's Intercounty Baseball League (IBL) as the first woman to play professional men's baseball in Canada. Sato also grew up playing baseball alongside or against boys — but longed for a career on the mound even when she played girls basketball in middle school. Now, she's a special advisor to the WPBL and was featured in the baseball documentary "See Her Be Her," which chronicled the paths of seven female baseball players from around the world. Kylee Lahners, third base Kylee Lahners has played for Team USA, and now she's ready to play pro ball. (Photo by Laura Heald /Sports Illustrated via Getty Images) Lahners played softball at the University of Washington from 2012 to 2015, helping the Huskies reach third place in the 2013 Women's College World Series and finishing her college career fourth in school history in home runs and walks. Now 32, Lahners has played third base for the U.S. national team since 2018 and was a part of the squad's silver-medal run in the World Cup last year. Alli Schroder, right-handed pitcher Schroder, a right-handed pitcher, has played for Canada's national team since 2018. She debuted for the team at 16, helping Canada win bronze in the 2018 World Cup. In 2021, Schroder became the first woman to play in the Canadian Collegiate Baseball Conference at Vancouver Island University. She also works grueling two-week stretches fighting major wildfires. From her career as a firefighter, she deals with chronically sore shoulders and knees that could shorten her playing career, and the fingers on her non-throwing, left hand were injured to the point that she once worried whether she could even swing a bat. "There's a lot more at stake on the fire line than there is in a big game," Schroder told the AP last year, "and I think that's something that I've really been able to use to calm myself down on the baseball field in big situations." Reporting by The Associated Press. Want great stories delivered right to your inbox? Create or log in to your FOX Sports account , and follow leagues, teams and players to receive a personalized newsletter daily! What did you think of this story? share
