Former ESPN exec Lee Fitting will lead production for WWE; Tiger Woods and Nike end 27-year relationship; Fox NFL Sunday host Curt Menefee adds new role; Plus: Kevin Negandhi and ESPN re-up; Bob Myers to advise Commanders front office; Thunder reach local TV agreement.
Lee Fitting heads to WWE
Former ESPN VP of Production Lee Fitting, who oversaw College GameDay and Monday Night Football during his time at the network, will now lead production for WWE, per a company announcement. Fitting takes over for longtime WWE executive Kevin Dunn who spent nearly 40 years at the sports entertainment behemoth before leaving at the end of 2023.
ESPN let go of Fitting after 25 years with the company just weeks before the 2023 football season kicked off. The timing of the firing was also unusual as the network had presumably finished the last of several rounds of layoffs prior to Fitting’s ouster in August. Nevertheless, WWE adds an experienced executive in a time of widespread change for the property amid the Endeavor-facilitated merger with UFC and media rights negotiations for Raw. (WWE, 1.9)
Tiger and Nike part ways, may head to TaylorMade
Tiger Woods and Nike are ending their 27 year relationship, per Woods’ social media post Monday. Woods and Nike most recently agreed to a 10-year contract worth $200m in 2013. The relationship has had its share of controversy in recent years, most notably with Woods’ refusal to wear Nike footwear and instead opting to wear FootJoy. In his social media post, Woods said, “there will certainly be another chapter,” implying he will likely seek another apparel partner in the future.
On Tuesday, TaylorMade teased a possible announcement with Woods, who is set to appear on the popular Fore Play podcast Wednesday. Woods has worked with TaylorMade in the past, including in a recent holiday commercial where he appeared as Santa Claus. Woods also uses TaylorMade clubs, so an apparel deal would be a natural fit. (Woods 1.8, TaylorMade 1.9)
Menefee takes on new morning show role
Fox NFL host Curt Menefee will add an additional hosting role to his schedule as co-host of FOX 5’s Good Day New York beginning January 16th, as announced on Sunday’s edition of Fox NFL Sunday. Menefee has served as co-host for Fox’s NFL pregame show since 2007 and will now shift his talents over to news on weekdays.
Fox NFL Sunday originates in Los Angeles where Fox Sports is headquartered, meaning Menefee will be in for a weekly cross-country commute during football season. His Fox colleague Michael Strahan is familiar with this commute already, as Strahan pulls double duty to co-host Good Morning America from New York on weekdays. Strahan was the one to deliver the news to the public on air Sunday.
Menefee will rejoin his former colleague Rosanna Scotto at FOX 5, who he began his Fox career with hosting the 10 o’clock local news. (Fox Sports, 1.7)
Plus: Thunder, Negandhi, Meyers
— The Oklahoma City Thunder reached an agreement with Griffin Media to distribute eight Friday night games on local over-the-air television, per release. Games will air in the Oklahoma City and Tulsa markets and could reach markets in neighboring Kansas and Texas pending NBA approval. The Thunder are the latest NBA franchise to shop up to ten games to local affiliates following an agreement between Bally Sports and the NBA in November. (Thunder, 1.9)
— ESPN mainstay Kevin Negandhi will remain at the network after signing a new multiyear contract, per release Monday. Since joining ESPN in 2006, Negandhi has taken on a plethora of roles in including as host of the coveted 6PM ET weekday SportsCenter which he will continue with co-host Elle Duncan under his new contract. Two years ago, Negandhi began hosting ABC’s coverage of the NBA Draft. (ESPN, 1.8)
— Current ESPN NBA analyst Bob Myers will start a new role in the Washington Commanders front office, per Ian Rapoport on Monday. Myers, who led the Golden State Warriors as General Manager through much of the last decade, began regular work as a studio analyst for ESPN after stepping down last year. This season, Myers has expanded his role to game broadcasts as well. Reports indicate Myers will continue at ESPN in some capacity. (Rapoport, 1.8)
