Latest news with #sportsmedia
Daily Mail
a day ago
- Entertainment
- Daily Mail
Joy Taylor breaks silence on claims she's quitting sports media after Fox Sports firing
Former Fox Sports analyst Joy Taylor has revealed whether she will continue working in sports media after being fired by the network. The host's nine-year stint at Fox came to an abrupt end after the network reportedly failed to renew her contract four months after she found herself embroiled in a bombshell sex lawsuit. The 38-year-old broke her silence on the matter last week and has now hinted at what the future will hold for her as she embarks on the next chapter of her career. In a snippet from an upcoming episode of the 'Let Her Shoot' podcast, Taylor said: 'I'll have a lot of announcements coming up. 'You know, as far as everything that happened, that's the business. Nothing is forever, as all these cliches, but that is what it is. You know, (I'm) grateful, I had nine years on a network and the next chapter will be equally as exciting. 'I'm not limiting myself. I've worked with a bunch of different people over the years, people I never thought that I would end up partnering up with. 'It might surprise people what the next move is... I'm not teasing anything, but we'll have announcements very soon.' Earlier this month, Fox Sports reportedly slashed its weekday lineup with a trio of shows axed, including 'Speak' which was hosted by Taylor. The former sports host had worked on a number of different shows in her nine-year stint with Fox, yet the company has decided not to renew her expiring contract this summer - just months after she found herself embroiled in a bombshell sex lawsuit . The network shortly announced a new deal with Barstool Sports and founder Dave Portnoy, while Kay Adams was rumored to be a leading contender to fill the void left at Fox. The decision from Fox came in the wake of lawsuit brought by former FS1 hairstylist Noushin Faraji, who listed Taylor as a defendant as well as top programming executive Charlie Dixon and Skip Bayless. Taylor was accused of using sexual relationships with colleagues, including Dixon and former co-host Emmanuel Acho, to further her career in the lawsuit filed by the ex-employee. The 38-year-old was also alleged to have told Faraji to 'get over it' when she confided in her about claims she was sexually assaulted by Dixon. Taylor has denied all allegations. The 38-year-old initially broke her silence on the matter last week, as she expressed gratitude for the opportunities she's had as a female panelist in sports media, but suggested that the events have left her feeling jaded towards the industry. 'Overall, like the saying 'it doesn't feel like work when you're doing something that you actually enjoy.' I think what happened to me this year took that away from me,' Taylor said on The Ringer's Higher Learning. 'I don't know if I'll get that back. I might — and maybe like when the callous forms over the wound and you get away from things you it doesn't feel, like the tremors go away, so we're not there yet — but right now, it doesn't feel that way. It doesn't feel exciting.
Yahoo
2 days ago
- Business
- Yahoo
Jim Keller Will Lead Ad Sales for FanDuel Sports Network
Jim Keller, a veteran of ad sales efforts at Warner Bros. Discovery, Hulu and NBCUniversal, has been named to lead similar operation at FanDuel Sports Network, the collection of regional sports media outlets that were previously housed under Fox Corp., then large TV broadcaster Sinclair. Keller will serve as executive vice president of advertising and sponsorship sales for FanDuel's networks, which include outlets that serve Detroit, Oklahoma, Ohio and Wisconsin. The company also holds a stake in YES Network, the home to the New York Yankees. 'Jim is a proven leader with an exceptional track record across linear, streaming, and digitalplatforms,' said Eric Ratchman, chief revenue officer of Main Street Sports Group, to whom Keller will report, in a statement. 'As FanDuel Sports Network redefines what local sports media can be — more dynamic , more engaging , and more impactful — Jim's leadership will be key in creating smarter advertising experiences that deliver real value to our brand partners and local fans alike.' FanDuel Sports Network was previously branded under the Bally's name, part of a deal between the casino operator and Main Street's predecessor, Diamond Sports Group. Diamond filed for bankruptcy in 2023, and emerged from it in 2025, with a new naming rights deal in place with FanDuel and a new operating name. Keller was most recently chief revenue officer at Fuse Media. He has led efforts to sell ads for Discovery+ and national ads at Hulu. 'There's nothing more powerful than the connection a fan has with their local team, andFanDuel Sports Network is building a platform that truly honors that connection,' said Keller, in a prepared statement. 'From my earliest days as a sports seller at NBC Sports, to leading some of the industry's most innovative ad strategies, I've always believed that the strongest media experiences are rooted in content and community. FanDuel Sports Network's focus on building relevant, local, multiplatform fan experiences is exactly what the industry and advertisers need right now, and Icouldn't be more excited to help drive the next phase of growth.' Keller, whose hire is effective immediately, will be based in New York. Best of Variety New Movies Out Now in Theaters: What to See This Week 'Harry Potter' TV Show Cast Guide: Who's Who in Hogwarts? Final Emmy Predictions: Talk Series and Scripted Variety - New Blood Looks to Tackle Late Night Staples
Yahoo
3 days ago
- Entertainment
- Yahoo
ESPN's Elle Duncan Refuses To Apologize For 'Crude' Joke
ESPN's Elle Duncan Refuses To Apologize For 'Crude' Joke originally appeared on The Spun. ESPN anchor Elle Duncan went viral during this year's WNBA All-Star Game. That's because she unleashed a wild joke on national television. Duncan has been with ESPN since May of 2016. While she's best known for her work on "SportsCenter," there's no doubt fans also recognize her for her women's basketball coverage. If she's not covering the WNBA, she's helping ESPN put together the best possible package for the NCAA Women's Basketball Tournament. Last weekend, sports fans who weren't so familiar with Duncan learned that she doesn't have a filter. During ABC's halftime coverage of the 2025 WNBA All-Star Game, she made a fairly inappropriate joke while standing next to Andraya Carter and Chiney Ogwumike. "We hope it gets a little bit more competitive," Duncan said. "Because like a girls trip to Cancun, right now, there's no D." Countless people criticized Duncan for this joke. Some were so annoyed that they called for her job. "Elle Duncan is one of the most unlikable individuals I've ever seen in sports media," one fan said. "All I need to hear is Elle Duncan and gone," a second fan wrote on X. "Unfortunately this was unnecessary and forced," another fan declared. During an appearance on "The Dan Le Batard Show with Stugotz" this week, Duncan commented on all the outrage over her Cancun joke. Duncan made it clear that she's not goin to apologize. "My thing with the Cancun joke is, I feel like whenever I say something, it's like sometimes a reintroduction for some people who clearly don't know me or my work over the last 10 years," Duncan explained. "I'm like, 'Bro, I said on air one time that if you celebrate too early, it's called premature I'm-Jacked-Elation.' Like I can't actually imagine this is worse than that. Like I feel like I constantly have to remind people, I have been saying things like this for the 10 years I have been at ESPN. So I thought it was silly. I thought it was funny. Some people disagree. Some people definitely agree. But it is what it is. Like, yes, girls say crude jokes too." It's safe to say Duncan is going to continue being herself regardless if fans like it or Elle Duncan Refuses To Apologize For 'Crude' Joke first appeared on The Spun on Jul 26, 2025 This story was originally reported by The Spun on Jul 26, 2025, where it first appeared.
Daily Mail
4 days ago
- Entertainment
- Daily Mail
Joy Taylor breaks silence on Fox Sports firing months after bombshell sex lawsuit
Joy Taylor has finally spoken out on her Fox Sports split one week after it was revealed the network axed her weekday show. The host's nine-year stint at Fox came to an abrupt end after the network reportedly failed to renew her contract four months after she found herself embroiled in a bombshell sex lawsuit. Now, the 38-year-old has been left questioning her future in sports media as she addressed her Fox exit for the first time. 'Overall, like the saying 'it doesn't feel like work when you're doing something that you actually enjoy.' I think what happened to me this year took that away from me,' Taylor said on The Ringer's Higher Learning. 'I don't know if I'll get that back. I might — and maybe like when the callous forms over the wound and you get away from things you it doesn't feel, like the tremors go away, so we're not there yet — but right now, it doesn't feel that way. It doesn't feel exciting. More to follow.
New York Times
7 days ago
- Business
- New York Times
ESPN and NFL closing in on ‘Next Era'-defining media deal
In 1987, an eight-year-old cable network in just 41 million homes acquired the rights to eight NFL regular season Sunday night games and the Pro Bowl. The then-up-and-coming ESPN paid a now-quaint $51 million per season to the NFL for the three-year package, and it changed the trajectory of what became arguably the most powerful sports media company of all time. ESPN was built on a lot of things, but the most notable was its nearly four-decade relationship with the league. Advertisement Now, according to sources briefed on negotiations, ESPN and the NFL are inside the five-yard line on another ground-breaking deal that may not have the impact of 1987 but could be historic, as the all-sports network makes its programming available in a direct-to-consumer product this fall that will cost $29.99 per month. ESPN is hyping this upcoming iteration as 'The Next Era.' While a contract between ESPN and the NFL is not signed, the two sides have been closing in on talks that first began four years ago, heated up a little more than a year and half ago and now are the closest they have ever been, with the league even informing its owners they may be needed for a vote on it early next month, as first reported by Sports Business Journal. Until a deal is across the goal line, it is not done – and the minute details, which the sides are said to be working around the clock on, matter. All that said, it's a big deal. The NFL and ESPN declined to comment for this column. In 1987, ESPN used NFL games as a battering ram to increase the fees it charged cable subscribers. By 2011, that once-little network was in 100 million homes, it called itself, 'The Worldwide Leader in Sports,' and it wasn't wrong. Today, still strong, but diminished, ESPN charges more than $10 per month for its services, but with the digital revolution, the rise of Netflix and other streaming options has resulted in just 65.3 million homes receiving ESPN through cable, satellite and services like YouTube TV and Fubo, according to Nielsen. ESPN wants to maintain as many of those viewers as it can. Those subscribers will be able to have access to ESPN in its traditional format, while adding the ability to log on to the new and improved direct-to-consumer app, launching soon. The same way a generation first turned to ESPN on cable, the Disney-owned network hopes the ESPN app becomes the ultimate go-to for sports fans. That leads back to the NFL. Advertisement The NFL has tried for years to unload many of its media assets, including NFL Media (which operates NFL Network and Red Zone Channel, among other entities), and there is optimism that it will finally happen. The league has had some success with its in-house creations, but in a media ecosystem that is more scattered, it may finally be ready to let someone else manage them – for a pretty penny, of course. The exact amount of money or equity that Disney/ESPN would pay is not yet known, but it will be enormous. There is expected to be a regulatory period that will need approval before everything goes into effect. The process may take nine months, give or take. What could be in the deal is the Red Zone Channel, NFL Network, seven regular-season games that appear on NFL Network, enhanced betting and fantasy league possibilities. There may be more. Red Zone is the Sunday afternoon show that takes viewers inside all the stadiums when teams are threatening to score. This could be a boon for ESPN's app, as well as in its future negotiations with cable and operators for its slew of networks. It could upsell Red Zone in the app, as well as demand more from operators (like YouTube TV, Fubo or cable systems) to continue to offer the service on its platform every Sunday in the fall. The NFL Network, under ESPN, would likely be enhanced. ESPN's main channels would still feature the NFL a lot of the time, but the devoted network would be on 24/7. NFL Network has seen years of layoffs and downsizing, and while ESPN will likely take advantage of overlapping jobs to cut costs, it will also want to make NFL Network even more of a must-watch. With sports betting and fantasy becoming an increasing part of the fan experience, ESPN can be expected to use its potentially enlarged user base integration into its new direct-to-consumer app for what it will likely hope is a transformative experience and increased subscriber growth. Advertisement In 2024, of the 100 highest-rated programs on television, 72 were NFL games. This does not appear to be changing anytime soon. With increased NFL competition from Amazon Prime Video on Thursday nights, Netflix on Christmas and now, for the first time, YouTube, for the second game of the 2025 season from Brazil, to go along with fellow traditional players such as Fox, NBC and CBS, a closer relationship for ESPN with the league would seem to make sense. ESPN already pays $2.7 billion per season for 25 games a year, mostly on Monday Nights. It will have ESPN's first Super Bowl on its platforms, including its sister network, ABC, in February 2027. This potential new agreement is probably not as transformative as 1987, but the sports streaming battle is about to have a historic marker in the fall when ESPN's direct-to-consumer launches, with possibly even more NFL in its portfolio. When 'The next era begins,' ESPN's first big move may be using its old playbook. (Top photo of NFL commissioner Roger Goodell: Stacy Revere / Getty Images)
