Disney’s “strategic partner” for ESPN may be one, or more, of the “Big Four” sports leagues. Plus: the union representing New York Times writers has filed a grievance over the paper shifting its sports coverage to The Athletic; the Atlanta Journal-Constitution has fired a reporter over a story about Georgia football.
Iger, Pitaro, have talked to NFL, NBA, MLB about stake in ESPN
Disney CEO Bob Iger and ESPN president Jimmy Pitaro have held preliminary talks with the NFL, NBA and Major League Baseball about buying a minority stake in ESPN, CNBC reported Friday. Iger told CNBC last week that Disney is seeking a “strategic partner” for ESPN to assist with content or distribution and that selling a stake in the network is a possibility.
An ESPN that is partially owned by one — or more — of the leagues it covers would be a new frontier in the sports-media symbiosis. There is no precedent for a major pro sports league buying a stake in a media rights partner. (CNBC 7.21)
NYT union files grievance after closure of sports desk
The union representing New York Times writers filed a grievance Thursday over the company’s decision to disband its sports desk and shift its sports coverage to The Athletic, the subscription service it acquired earlier this year that is comprised of non-unionized writers. The union accused the Times of violating the parties’ collective bargaining agreement, which requires that all journalism at the Times be done by union members, and called it a “brazen attempt at union-busting.” (Washington Post 7.20)
AJC fires reporter over UGA story
The Atlanta Journal-Constitution this week fired investigative reporter Alan Judd and issued corrections on a story he wrote last month alleging impropriety among members of the University of Georgia football team. Judd’s piece alleged that the football team rallied around players accused of abusing women and specifically mentioned 11 cases where a player accused of such conduct remained on the roster. The AJC said that it could not substantiate that claim, one of two errors it cited in the piece. The other was that a quote had been presented as a single quotation, when it consisted of two statements made minutes apart. (AJC 7.20)
