TV channels for Broncos vs. Saints (and when preseason game will re-air on NFL Network)
The game will be locally televised in the Denver market on KTVD with Steve Levy (play-by-play) and Ryan Harris (analyst) providing commentary while Cynthia Frelund and Scotty Gange report from the sidelines. Out-of-market fans can also stream the game live on NFL+.
The Broncos-Saints game will re-air on NFL Network at 9:30 p.m. MT (11:30 p.m. ET) on Sunday, Aug. 24.
On the radio, the game will be locally broadcast on KOA 850 AM & 94.1 FM.
Thanks to 506sports.com, we know that Denver's broadcast will also be televised live on eight other channels, and the New Orleans broadcast will air live on 17 other channels, including a network in Honolulu, Hawaii. View the full list below.
Broncos vs. Saints TV channels
*The game will be televised on NFL Network live only in two markets: Los Angeles and Cleveland. The Los Angeles Rams and Cleveland Browns will be the nationally-televised NFL Network game at 11:00 a.m. MT on Saturday. Because that Rams-Browns showdown will be locally televised in their home markets, NFL Network will air the Broncos-Saints game in L.A. and Cleveland markets. The rest of the country will get Rams-Browns on NFLN.
After wrapping up preseason, the Broncos will finalize a 53-man roster and then turn attention toward their Week 1 season opener against the Tennessee Titans on Sept. 7 (view the full schedule).
Social: Follow Broncos Wire on Facebook and Twitter/X! Did you know: These 25 celebrities are Broncos fans.
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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.
New York Times
2 hours ago
- New York Times
Spencer Rattler leads QB competition in New Orleans, plus best rookie seasons at each position
Inside: Who's leading the QB competition in New Orleans, other battles to watch, contract disputes, and the greatest rookie seasons of all time. Let's go. This article is from Scoop City, The Athletic's NFL newsletter. Sign up here to receive it directly in your inbox. Sorry, Saints fans, but only the elevation is lower than expectations for 2025. New Orleans sports the league's lowest odds of making the playoff (3.5 percent) and expected win total (5.2), per The Athletic's model. They are the only team with no shot at the Super Bowl. After Daniel Jones (Colts) and Joe Flacco (Browns) were named starters this week, the Saints are also now the only team without a set starter. Their Week 1 matchup against the Cardinals looms, but Kellen Moore continues to stall. Earlier this week, ESPN's Katherine Terrell reported that the competition remains ongoing between Spencer Rattler, 24, and 25-year-old rookie Tyler Shough. Advertisement 'It's really, really close — numbers, experiences, reps, everything — it's going all the way back to the start of training camp. Everything is very, very close between this group. We'll see how it all plays out,' said Moore. Neither has separated across two preseason games, with Rattler and Shough taking turns as starter and playing an identical 10 drives. The results, mostly positive, are strikingly similar: Shough struggled in their second preseason game, leading the Saints to just three yards of total offense across 11 plays (outside of one 45-yard scoring drive). Rattler, meanwhile, led a nine-play, 82-yard drive to score the game-tying touchdown with just 21 seconds left. He reportedly began the week with the first-team unit, impressing in practices. If Rattler starts the Saints' final preseason game and again outplays Shough, he should be their Week 1 starter. Moore plans to name his starter next week. I'm predicting Rattler. Cowboys' backfield: Jaydon Blue is ready for his preseason debut Friday, after missing their first two games due to injury. The Athletic's Jon Machota reports that the 21-year-old Blue 'was really starting to turn heads before the injury' and 'should be a major factor in the run game this season.' Steelers' receivers: They hosted former Bills wideout Gabe Davis earlier this week, though he's yet to sign a deal. Other options include Amari Cooper and Tyler Boyd, though a signing is unnecessary if sophomore Roman Wilson continues to shine. He hopefully sees a few snaps tonight. Over to Dianna for the latest from Dallas. While there is increasing optimism around at least one of the league's prominent contract tussles — the standoff between receiver Terry McLaurin and the Commanders — the biggest dispute is still mired in the status quo. And until Dallas owner Jerry Jones is ready to have a conversation with the agent of pass rusher Micah Parsons, that isn't likely to change. Advertisement Jones continues to believe that he and Parsons reached a deal in the spring. Parsons and his camp do not remotely agree. And the parties won't be able to negotiate a contract extension — or discuss a potential trade — if they aren't even willing to talk. Somebody will have to give, and it will almost certainly have to start with Jones agreeing to engage. In past negotiations, I always believed that Jerry would put aside his ego, open his wallet and make a deal. This time? He would have to make at least one major concession by reopening talks, and execs around the league aren't convinced he will be willing to do that. Back to you, Jacob. If Jayden Daniels had the greatest rookie quarterback season of all time, or at least behind only Dan Marino — The Athletic's rankings have him as the best since at least 2000 — who leads the other positions? Inspired, I looked at every year of the Super Bowl era to find the greatest rookie season at each offensive position. RB1: Eric Dickerson, 1983. The Rams rookie was a revelation at the position, taking a league-high 441 touches for 2,212 yards from scrimmage and 20 touchdowns. He finished second in MVP voting, was a First-Team All-Pro and won Offensive Rookie of the Year. WR1: Randy Moss, 1998. He had two touchdowns of 30-plus yards by halftime of his first game, and the 21-year-old kept it rolling throughout 1998, leading the NFL with 17 receiving touchdowns. He was a First-Team All-Pro and won Offensive Rookie of the Year. WR2: Odell Beckham Jr., 2014. In just 12 games, Beckham had 91 receptions, 1,305 yards, 12 touchdowns and the greatest three-fingered catch ever. Extrapolated across a 16-game season, Beckham's numbers (121 receptions, 1,739 yards and 16 touchdowns) handily beat Anquon Boldin's record-setting 2003. Advertisement (But I'd listen to arguments for Boldin, who caught 10 passes for 217 yards and 2 touchdowns in his epic NFL debut). TE: Brock Bowers, 2024. Mike Ditka set records and redefined the position, but his debut season came prior to the Super Bowl era. That leaves Bowers or Jeremy Shockey's All-Pro 2002. While Shockey was a better blocker, I'd roll with Bowers' record-setting 2024, as he now holds the NFL record for rookie receptions (112), irrespective of position. OT1: Joe Thomas, 2007. Thomas helped Cleveland improve from 4-12 the year prior to 10-6, making the Pro Bowl and finishing behind only Adrian Peterson in Offensive Rookie of the Year voting. OT2: Rashawn Slater, 2021. The 22-year-old rookie was an immediate Pro Bowler and Second-Team All-Pro at left tackle. The Chargers will miss him dearly this season. G1: Zack Martin, 2014. Drafting Martin instead of Johnny Manziel might be the best decision the Cowboys have made this century. Martin became an immediate First-Team All-Pro (his first of seven) and finished behind only Beckham Jr. in Offensive Rookie of the Year voting. G2: Quenton Nelson, 2018. As a Colts rookie, Nelson was a First-Team All-Pro, Pro Bowler and finished third in Offensive Rookie of the Year voting. He was also the first guard in NFL history to win an Offensive Rookie of the Month award. He said he wants to be the best at his position ever, and he's certainly up there. C: Maurkice Pouncey, 2010. Pouncey dominated in Pittsburgh, winning the starting role and landing a Pro Bowl nod as well as a Second-Team All-Pro ranking. He finished behind Sam Bradford and Mike Williams in Offensive Rookie of the Year voting. The life of a center. 📊 NFL Draft rankings. The Athletic's draft guru Dane Brugler shared the first edition of his 2026 Big Board, with three quarterbacks in the top-10. Tune in, Browns fans. 🔮 NFC win totals. Austin Mock uses his model to project the 2025 season. The 49ers really are back. 🛑 Why McLaurin and the Commanders still can't reach a deal: His $33 million worth of demands and approaching 30th birthday. Advertisement ➕ New (Orleans) addition. Whoever starts at quarterback got another weapon after the Saints traded a 2026 fourth-round pick (!!) and change to the Broncos for receiver Devaughn Vele, a 27-year-old seventh-round pick in his second season. Vele offers a massive (6-foot-5, 210 pounds) target, but that's a steep price for a Saints team that needs assets. 🤝 49ers swapped late-round draft picks with the Chiefs to acquire receiver Skyy Moore, a former second-round pick who will remain a depth option. ▶️ Yesterday's most-clicked: How NFL talent evaluators, coaches rank the top players 25 and under entering 2025 season. 📫 Enjoyed this read? Sign up here to receive The Athletic's free NFL newsletter in your inbox. Also, check out our other newsletters. Spot the pattern. Connect the terms Find the hidden link between sports terms Play today's puzzle
USA Today
2 hours ago
- USA Today
NFL Preseason Week 3 schedule: Dates, times, TV channels, how to watch
Here is the full NFL schedule for Week 3 of the preseason and how to watch all the action. NFL Preseason Week 3 schedule All times Eastern. Pittsburgh Steelers at Carolina Panthers, 7 p.m. on NFL Network New England Patriots at New York Giants, 8 p.m. on Amazon Prime Video Philadelphia Eagles at New York Jets, 7:30 p.m. on WCBS (New York) and NBC10 (Philadelphia) Minnesota Vikings at Tennessee Titans, 8 p.m. on CBS Atlanta Falcons at Dallas Cowboys, 8 p.m. on NFL Network Chicago Bears at Kansas City Chiefs, 8:20 p.m. on FOX32 (Chicago) and KSHB41 (Kansas City) Baltimore Ravens at Washington Commanders, 12 p.m. on ESPN Unlimited Indianapolis Colts at Cincinnati Bengals, 1 p.m. on ESPN Unlimited Denver Broncos at New Orleans Saints, 1 p.m. on KTVD (Denver) and Fox 8 (New Orleans) Los Angeles Rams at Cleveland Browns, 1 p.m. on NFL Network Houston Texans at Detroit Lions, 1 p.m. on ESPN Unlimited Seattle Seahawks at Green Bay Packers, 4 p.m. on NFL Network Jacksonville Jaguars at Miami Dolphins, 7 p.m. on NFL Network Buffalo Bills at Tampa Bay Buccaneers, 7:30 p.m. on ESPN Unlimited Los Angeles Chargers at San Francisco 49ers, 8:30 p.m. on ESPN Unlimited Las Vegas Raiders at Arizona Cardinals, 10 p.m. on NFL Network How to watch Week 3 NFL Preseason games Games broadcast on NBC can be streamed on Peacock and Fubo. Games on Fox can be streamed on Fubo, and the Fox Sports app. For ESPN games, check ESPN+ for streaming options. Games broadcast on CBS can be streamed on Fubo and Paramount+. Stream TNF games on Amazon Prime. Christmas Day NFL games will be streamed on Netflix. Our team of savvy editors independently handpicks all recommendations. If you purchase through our links, the USA Today Network may earn a commission. Prices were accurate at the time of publication but may change. This schedule was generated automatically using information from Stats Perform and a template written and reviewed by a USA TODAY Sports editor. You can send feedback using this form. Gambling involves risk. Please only gamble with funds that you can comfortably afford to lose. While we do our utmost to offer good advice and information we cannot be held responsible for any loss that may be incurred as a result of gambling. We do our best to make sure all the information that we provide on this site is correct. However, from time to time mistakes will be made and we will not be held liable. Please check any stats or information if you are unsure how accurate they are. No guarantees are made with regards to results or financial gain. All forms of betting carry financial risk and it is up to the individual to make bets with or without the assistance of information provided on this site and we cannot be held responsible for any loss that may be incurred as a result of following the betting tips provided on this site. Past performances do not guarantee success in the future and betting odds fluctuate from one minute to the next. The material contained on this site is intended to inform, entertain and educate the reader and in no way represents an inducement to gamble legally or illegally or any sort of professional advice. Gannett may earn revenue from sports betting operators for audience referrals to betting services. Sports betting operators have no influence over nor are any such revenues in any way dependent on or linked to the newsrooms or news coverage. Terms apply, see operator site for Terms and Conditions. If you or someone you know has a gambling problem, help is available. Call the National Council on Problem Gambling 24/7 at 1-800-GAMBLER (NJ, OH), 1-800-522-4700 (CO), 1-800-BETS-OFF (IA), 1-800-9-WITH-IT (IN). Must be 21 or older to gamble. Sports betting and gambling are not legal in all locations. Be sure to comply with laws applicable where you reside. It is your sole responsibility to act in accordance with your local laws.
