Doc Rivers’ return to NBA broadcasting is over after just three months. Plus: Netflix says its approach to sports will not change despite its new WWE deal; the NFL has been reportedly working closely with Nielsen to modernize the company’s measurement system.
The Doc is out: Rivers leaves ESPN after three months
ESPN/ABC lead NBA analyst Doc Rivers has accepted the Milwaukee Bucks’ head coaching job, ending a return to broadcasting that lasted three months, ESPN acknowledged Wednesday. Rivers was in his second stint with ESPN/ABC, having spent a single season with the company 20 years ago, and his third in television overall — having previously worked for Turner Sports from 1996-99.
Though highly regarded as a television analyst, Rivers has spent only parts of five total seasons in broadcasting.
News of Rivers’ decision was first reported on NBA TV and TNT Tuesday night, with both networks citing CNN as the source of the information. CNN, which has rarely had any sports presence since the shuttering of CNN/SI more than 20 years ago, had not published any reporting on Rivers at the time of the on-air citations and did not do so until the overnight hours of Wednesday. ESPN on Wednesday reported that Rivers and the Bucks were negotiating throughout the night and into the morning, an indication that the CNN-sourced reporting was premature at best.
There is no word yet on how ESPN plans to fill the vacancy left by Rivers, who along with Doris Burke replaced the long-time lead analyst duo of Jeff Van Gundy and Mark Jackson in the offseason. Per Barry Jackson of the Miami Herald, no consideration has been given to bringing back Jackson or Van Gundy.
Netflix CEO says company has not changed tune on live sports
Netflix CEO Ted Sarandos said Tuesday that the company’s approach to live sports has not changed despite its multi-billion dollar acquisition of WWE Raw. Speaking during an earnings call just hours after the WWE deal was announced, Sarandos stressed that the WWE is “sports entertainment” and as such has more in common with its core “sports storytelling” strategy — which consists of documentary series such as “Drive to Survive” — than would traditional live sports. Sarandos: “I would not look at this as a signal of any other change, or any change to our sports strategy.” (Netflix/YouTube 1.23)
NFL reportedly working with Nielsen to modernize ratings system
The NFL has been “working closely” with Nielsen over the past 18 months in an effort to modify the measurement company’s ratings system, Axios reported Tuesday. It is not clear what that effort entails, but the league lobbied Nielsen last year to include Amazon’s internal “third-party” data in viewership estimates for Thursday Night Football — an effort that stalled under opposition from the other networks. It would stand to reason that the NFL, the only league to have aired a playoff game exclusively via a streaming service, would be uniquely invested in making sure Nielsen can properly account for viewing on non-linear platforms. (Axios 1.23)
