The NBA could be soon abandoning the RSN model; ESPN reportedly made another run at Colin Cowherd; Julie Stewart-Binks is engaged in mediation with her former employer; and Jay Feely will leave his CBS role to run for Congress.
Silver again hints at new local game strategy
Speaking at Sports Business Journal‘s CAA World Congress of Sports, NBA commissioner Adam Silver expressed frustration with the current state of local NBA games, and again suggested a national streaming platform could be the future for the NBA. Silver noted that most NBA teams have taken a 25-50% reduction in their local media rights revenue due to the Diamond Sports Group/Main Street Sports bankruptcy proceedings. He also suggested younger fans were not accustomed to purchasing cable packages that carry RSNs, and that creating a national plan for in-market rights was among his highest priorities.
Platforms currently in conversation with the NBA for a national streaming platform include Prime Video, YouTube, Apple TV+, ESPN+, and Roku. SBJ reported last fall that the 2025 or 2026 offseason is the target to execute the plan, an aggressive timeline given the scope of the project. Consolidating local rights to a national platform would require 30 teams to exit valuable contracts with local platforms and cede their rights back to the league. Major League Baseball has discussed a similar plan for years but has faced resistance from large-market teams hesitant to give up their profitable local cable deals.
ESPN pursued Cowherd prior to Fox renewal
FS1 host Colin Cowherd was reportedly recruited by ESPN in the lead-up to his renewal with Fox Sports, according to The Athletic. ESPN sought to add to its roster of high-profile sports personalities to bolster its offering as it prepares to launch a direct-to-consumer streaming product this fall. Cowherd hosts a daily program on FS1 and Fox Sports Radio, and also owns a network of podcasts, which was considered valuable to ESPN.
Cowherd previously worked for ESPN from 2003 to 2015 before joining Fox, where he has been ever since and will continue for at least three more years.
The move is the latest in a string of attempted talent acquisitions between ESPN and Fox. In recent years, Fox has successfully poached Jason Benetti, Adam Amin, Tom Rinaldi, Chris Fallicia, Allison Williams, and made a run at host Rece Davis as well. ESPN hired its Monday Night Football booth of Joe Buck and Troy Aikman, as well as game director Artie Kemper from Fox.
Julie Stewart-Binks in mediation with Fox
Former Fox Sports host Julie Stewart-Binks, who filed a lawsuit against her former employer alleging executive Charlie Dixon of sexual assault, has engaged in mediation with the network in hopes of reaching a settlement, according to Front Office Sports. The parties have met at least once on April 3, and continue to engage with the mediation process. Dixon was placed on administrative leave in February, according to The Athletic.
Fox is also reportedly in mediation with Noushin Faraji, a former employee who accused Dixon and Skip Bayless of sexual harassment, and Joy Taylor of fostering a hostile work environment.
Jay Feely leaving CBS for House run
CBS Sports NFL analyst Jay Feely announced on social media he will depart his current role to pursue a run at Arizona’s fifth congressional district in the 2026 midterms. Feely will seek the Republican nomination after the incumbent announced he will enter the state’s gubernatorial race in 2026.
Feely worked for 10 years with CBS, primarily in lower-tier booths with a number of play-by-play partners, but also used his 15 years of experience as an NFL kicker to join the network’s playoff and Super Bowl coverage as a special teams analyst.
Feely’s departure perhaps opens up a spot for Charles Davis, who will work one more year in CBS’s NFL booth before moving to Big Ten coverage to replace the retiring Gary Danielson. CBS announced last month Davis will be replaced in the #2 booth by current studio analyst JJ Watt.
If elected, Feely will not be the only former football broadcaster in the US Congress. He’ll join Alabama senator and former college coach Tommy Tuberville, who worked the 2009 season as a CFB analyst for ESPN.
