ESPN is reportedly planning to shut down its South Street Seaport studios by 2025. Plus: Rick Cordella tapped as President of NBC Sports; Jeff Van Gundy and Mark Jackson MSG Network rumors; and more.
ESPN plans to shut down Seaport studios by ’25, per report
The industry publication Puck reported Friday that ESPN plans to close its Seaport studios in New York City no later than two years from now and is “likely” to do the same to its Los Angeles production center. The moves are said to be part of ongoing cost cutting measures at Disney.
Staffers currently working in the Seaport studios would reportedly relocate to a new building at 7 Hudson Square, while those in Los Angeles would either work remotely or move east. The Seaport studio opened in 2018 and is home to most of ESPN’s daily studio programs.
The Los Angeles production center opened in 2009 and plays host to the overnight editions of “SportsCenter” and additional studio programming. ESPN has already begun scaling back its West Coast footprint this year after moving out of its Las Vegas studio. (Puck 9.22 via SBJ 9.25)
Rick Cordella named President at NBC Sports
NBCUniversal said Friday that it is promoting Rick Cordella, who has been serving as the president of programming for NBC Sports and Peacock, to president of NBC Sports. Cordella fills the vacancy left by Pete Bevacqua, who departed NBC earlier this year to become athletic director at Notre Dame.
According to Sports Business Journal, Cordella beat out former Turner Sports COO Matthew Hong and Disney executive Justin Connolly for the position.
Cordella has been with NBC since 2006 and previously oversaw NBC Sports’ digital and fantasy sports departments. He was part of the team that launched Peacock. Read the full press release here. (SBJ, 9.22)
Van Gundy, Jackson, could reunite with Breen at MSG
Former ESPN NBA analysts Jeff Van Gundy and Mark Jackson, who were both let go by ESPN over the summer, are under consideration by MSG Network to fill-in for lead Knicks analyst Walt “Clyde” Frazier on road games during the upcoming season, according to the New York Daily News. Frazier is looking to cut back on road games this season, per the report.
Jackson and/or Van Gundy would presumably reunite with longtime ESPN/ABC partner Mike Breen, the lead voice of the Knicks on MSG. (NY Daily News, 9.16)
Plus: LIV Golf, IndyCar, Hummel
— LIV Golf will host eight events outside of North America and six in the United States and Mexico next season, according to Bob Harig of Sports Illustrated. The US locations include Dallas, Las Vegas, Oklahoma City, Los Angeles, and West Virginia, although no venues are confirmed. LIV will reportedly compete with higher profile PGA Tour events in the upcoming season, scheduling tournaments against three PGA Tour “signature” events including the Memorial and Pebble Beach, and one opposite the first round of the FedEx Cup Playoffs. (SI, 9.24)
— NBC released its 2024 IndyCar schedule which will include 12 races on NBC, six on USA Network, and two exclusive to Peacock. NBC will carry one fewer race this season for the second consecutive year. Highlighting the schedule release is the return of the Milwaukee Mile. The two-day event will see the first race as a Peacock exclusive on August 31st, while the second race will air September 1st on USA. View the full schedule here.
— College basketball analyst Robbie Hummel, who in recent years has worked for ESPN, FOX, and Big Ten Network concurrently, will drop ESPN from that list and add NBC. As part of its negotiations with the Big Ten, NBC secured the rights to air up to 47 Big Ten men’s basketball games exclusively on Peacock this upcoming season. A former Purdue star, Hummel is closely associated with the Big Ten, which as of this season no longer airs on ESPN. (NY Post, 9.25)
