The Nashville Predators franchise officially announces its deal with Scripps Sports; Michael Malone is hired as head coach of UNC men’s basketball; and Sue Bird is reportedly expected to join NBC and Peacock for its WNBA coverage. Plus news on Jeff Shell, NBC Sports, Fubo and Fox Sports.
Nashville Predators announce deal with Scripps Sports
Nashville Predators games will air on broadcast television starting next season under a multiyear deal with Scripps Sports, it was announced this week. The team’s games will be carried primarily by WNPX-TV, which will be renamed “The Spot — Nashville 28,” making the team the latest NHL franchise in a Scripps NHL portfolio that already includes the Florida Panthers, Tampa Bay Lightning, Vegas Golden Knights and Utah Mammoth.
Sports Media Watch reported last week that the Predators were moving over-the-air with Scripps. The team’s games are currently televised by FanDuel Sports Network South, whose parent company Main Street Sports Group plans to wind down operations at the conclusion of the first round of the Stanley Cup Playoffs. Next season would mark the first time in Predators history that regional games were not televised on the regional sports network.
Local NHL rights have been part of the reason why Comcast Xfinity blacked out several Scripps-owned stations last Tuesday night. Scripps is asking Comcast to carry the stations that broadcast Lightning and Mammoth games in addition to the new Predators station. It should be noted that Xfinity has been carrying WTVF, the CBS affiliate in Nashville that Scripps acquired in April 2025.
In addition to the broadcast arrangement, the Predators and Scripps are partnering to create a direct-to-consumer platform. Mike Mazzeo of Sports Business Journal reported in February that the Predators were in talks with Atlanta Braves about being part of a multi-team regional sports network. The Braves have not announced any new teams joining BravesVision, its new outlet for live game broadcasts revealed just before the season.
Malone joins UNC as head coach, ESPN future unknown
ESPN NBA studio and game analyst Michael Malone has been hired by the University of North Carolina as its head men’s basketball coach, it was announced Tuesday. Malone, who spent 12 seasons as the head coach of the Denver Nuggets, had been working as a member of ESPN “NBA Countdown” this season in addition to serving as an analyst on select game broadcasts. ESPN has not revealed if Malone is able to continue broadcasting for the network through the remainder of the NBA season.
ESPN officially announced that it had signed Malone in October, occurring approximately six months after he had been fired by the Nuggets. Throughout the season, he has worked with Malika Andrews, Kendrick Perkins and Brian Windhorst on episodes of “NBA Countdown.” ESPN listed TNT’s Kenny “The Jet” Smith as an analyst on Wednesday night’s edition of “NBA Countdown,” although it is not known if Malone was originally slated to be on that episode. Smith signed a deal in November to appear on other ESPN programming and select NBA games.
For ESPN, Malone is the third analyst in as many seasons to be hired for a head-coaching position. Doc Rivers had a brief stint as a member of the network’s lead NBA broadcasting team with Mike Breen, Doris Burke and Lisa Salters until he was hired by the Milwaukee Bucks in the middle of the 2023-24 season. Following the 2024 NBA Finals, JJ Redick, who moved into Rivers’ former position, departed the network to join the Los Angeles Lakers as its new head coach.
UNC also hired six-time Super Bowl champion Bill Belichick as its head coach after he had spent a season working with ESPN and Omaha Productions on Monday night alternate broadcasts and an original show titled “The Breakdown.” Malone is succeeding Hubert Davis as head coach — who also joined UNC straight out of an ESPN analyst position.
Bird reportedly expected to be part of WNBA coverage on NBC, Peacock
Longtime Seattle Storm G and Basketball Hall of Fame member Sue Bird is expected to join NBC and Peacock as an analyst for its WNBA coverage, according to a report by Ryan Glasspiegel of Front Office Sports. Bird, who played 19 seasons in the WNBA and won four championships, would be joining an on-air cast that is said to include Noah Eagle, Michael Grady and Zora Stephenson as play-by-play announcers.
Bird took part in an alternate broadcast around NCAA Women’s Final Four matchups on ESPN for the last six years alongside Diana Taurasi. She has also been a guest studio analyst on ESPN college basketball games in past seasons.
NBC Sports is broadcasting WNBA games as part of its media rights agreement with the NBA, which is reportedly worth $2.45 billion annually over 11 years. The company previously televised the WNBA from 1997-2002.
A variety of other companies will air WNBA games this season, including Scripps Sports, ESPN, Amazon’s Prime Video, CBS Sports and USA Network — which acquired WNBA rights as part of NBC’s media rights deal with the NBA, but as a result of its spinoff from Comcast, later struck its own independent deal with the league. USA recently added Fever F Sophie Cunningham as a contributor this season.
Plus: Jeff Shell, NBC Sports, Fubo, Fox Sports
- Paramount Skydance president Jeff Shell has decided to “transition” from his role and position on the company’s board of directors to focus on an ongoing lawsuit, the company announced Wednesday. Dominic Patten of Deadline, who was first to report the news, described Shell’s removal from the board as a resignation. Shell has been the subject of a lawsuit filed by R.J. Cipriani, which alleges that he owes him $150 million for “crisis communications services” and divulged confidential intel about the company. Shell was previously fired as CEO of NBCUniversal after a company investigation into sexual harassment following allegations from a CNBC correspondent.
- NBC Sports will premiere “Sunday Night Baseball” on its broadcast network this weekend as the Cleveland Guardians face the Atlanta Braves, marking the first time the property airs on broadcast television since 2021. Play-by-play announcer Jason Benetti is slated to work with former Guardians SP Corey Kluber and former Braves OF Andruw Jones, both of whom do not have regular game-calling experience. Bob Costas will host the pregame show on Sunday night for the first time with former Guardians SP CC Sabathia, who will also participate in the game broadcast for “Inside the Pitch” analysis.
- In an update to shareholders about its EBITDA outlook, Fubo co-founder/CEO David Gandler said that the absence of NBCUniversal networks has had a “modest” impact on the company. Gandler said that Fubo subscribers looking for this content can access such by purchasing a Hulu + Live TV subscription, which combined its business operations with FuboTV last year. NBCUniversal networks have not been available on Fubo since late November 2025 after the two sides did not reach a new contract.
- Fox Sports is moving live streaming of content on connected television from its designated app to the Fox One direct-to-consumer streaming service. The Fox Sports app on mobile devices and tablets, along with the network’s website, will still continue to provide users with access to written content and on-demand video.
