• Loading stock data...
Tuesday, July 8, 2025

Six Predictions for Sports Media in 2024

  • Ahead of the new year, we took a stab at the biggest storylines in one of the most unpredictable businesses.
  • A record deal for Stephen A. Smith, Tom Brady’s next career, ESPN’s future moves, and more.
FOS Illustration
Exclusive

CBS, NFL Host James Brown Discussing Contract Extension

The 74-year-old Brown has hosted a record 10 Super Bowl pregame shows.
Read Now
July 7, 2025 |

The last time we tried our hand at sports media predictions, we correctly nailed down several moves in the industry for the back half of 2023.

We were right about Shannon Sharpe joining Stephen A. Smith on ESPN’s First Take after six years as Skip Bayless’s sparring partner at FS1’s Undisputed. We also called Smith grooming Sharpe as his successor if he leaves for late-night TV or entertainment. And when Jeff Van Gundy got the ax, it was a layup to predict Doris Burke would succeed him on ESPN’s No. 1 NBA announcing team.

After a year in media largely defined by layoffs and talent reshuffling, we’re getting the crystal ball back out. 

Here are our predictions for 2024:  

Stephen A. Smith Will Become a $20 Million Man 

As the face and voice of ESPN, Smith for a long time was a good soldier, keeping silent while new hires like Troy Aikman ($18 million a year), Pat McAfee ($16 million), and Joe Buck ($15 million) surpass his annual compensation figure ($12 million). But his patience is coming to an end.

The 56-year-old Smith made it clear during an interview with Clay Travis of Outkick that he wants to be the highest-paid talent at ESPN. If chairman Jimmy Pitaro doesn’t come through, Smith seems ready to go the independent route pioneered by McAfee, with his own podcast and production company.

Smith’s current contract expires in 18 months. With his surging First Take dominating rival Skip Bayless’s Undisputed in the morning TV show wars, look for ESPN to lock up Smith with a long-term deal that pays him a record $20 million a year.

The NBA Will Double Its Media Partners

Once the NBA’s exclusive negotiating window with ESPN and TNT expires in mid-April, it’s anybody’s ballgame. Look for the league to retain both as primary television partners, and for ESPN’s sister broadcast network, ABC, to keep the NBA Finals. However, the NBA will add two more media rights partners. 

Expect a newcomer in the form of deep-pocketed Amazon Prime to pick off a weekday streaming-only package and create the NBA equivalent of Thursday Night Football. And for those of us who fondly remember NBC’s Sports’ “Roundball Rock” era from 1990-2002, don’t be surprised if the league’s ex-media partner elbows its way back into the rotation. 

Tom Brady Will Finally Kick Off His Broadcasting Career

After back-and-forth rumors of yet another comeback, Brady will finally take over as Fox Sports’ No. 1 NFL game analyst and call Super Bowl LIX in February 2025. But questions will continue to swirl over whether the seven-time Super Bowl winner will actually complete his record-breaking 10-year, $375 million deal with the network. 

Fox has been on pins and needles ever since Brady announced a gap year before starting his career in the booth. At this point, Fox brass would be happy to get a season or two out of the 46-year-old GOAT before he sails off into the ranks of NFL owners, sources tell FOS

The big question for Fox is whether current No. 1 analyst Greg Olsen will be happy moving back into the No. 2 job.

ESPN Will Make a Run at Colin Cowherd

The once-dominant ESPN Radio will turn to a familiar face for salvation: Colin Cowherd. The host of The Herd with Colin Cowherd has a Fox contract that expires in early 2025. The former network star would instantly solve ESPN Radio’s problems. His TV show could also slide up and down a daily schedule alongside Smith, McAfee, and Mike Greenberg.

But would the feeling be mutual? The 59-year-old’s startup media company, The Volume, is already being circled by private equity firms. Of course, Cowherd could sell all or part of his fast-growing network, like Bill Simmons did in offloading The Ringer to Spotify for $200 million.

“The monster negotiation coming up for Fox is Colin,” one source tells Front Office Sports. “His ratings are at an all-time high. And he causes zero issues—unlike Skip Bayless.”

The NBA Will Take a Stake in ESPN  

Ever since Disney chairman Bob Iger revealed in July he was open to finding minority investors and strategic partners for ESPN, talks have heated up between Disney and all four major American sports leagues, according to CNBC.

Expect Disney and the NBA to join forces after ESPN reups as the Association’s main TV partner. ESPN wants to go direct-to-consumer by 2025, a goal much more feasible with the NBA as a business partner. Meanwhile, ESPN’s expertise would boost the quality of NBA TV and improve the league app.  

Netflix Will Remain on the Fence

Any Netflix subscribers hoping to segue from a miniseries binge to a live game will be disappointed by our final prediction: The streaming giant will continue to be more of a tease than a major player in the sports arena.

The streamer will roll out more sports documentaries and occasional made-for-TV events, but it won’t match the billions of dollars Apple (MLS) and Amazon (NFL) have spent on live-game packages.

Early last year, co-CEO Ted Sarandos said Netflix was still figuring out how to bid on expensive live sports rights in a way that made fiscal sense. “We’re not anti-sports; we’re pro-profits.”

Bob Thompson, the ex-Fox Sports executive, agrees the timing isn’t ripe yet for the media giant. “Netflix will not enter sports in a major way,” he tells Front Office Sports.

Linkedin
Whatsapp
Copy Link
Link Copied
Link Copied

What to Read

Jul 6, 2025; Houston, Texas, USA; Mexico forward Marcel Ruiz (14) heads the ball in front of United States midfielder Brenden Aaronson (11) in the second half during the 2025 Gold Cup Final at NRG Stadium.

USMNT Struggles Still Produce Big Gold Cup Ratings for Fox

The U.S. team’s recent issues culminated in a loss to Mexico.
exclusive

CBS, NFL Host James Brown Discussing Contract Extension

The 74-year-old Brown has hosted a record 10 Super Bowl pregame shows.
Tennis

Wimbledon’s Rollout of Automated Line Judges Has Been Rocky

The electronic system briefly went down Sunday, leading to a controversial replay.

ESPN Brings Pat McAfee to Atlanta for Home Run Derby Showcase

The Disney-owned network will bring one of its top stars to Atlanta.

Featured Today

American Celebs Want to Be Sports Owners. Soccer Is Where They Start

As U.S. team prices climb, investors set their sights abroad.
July 5, 2025

Baseball’s Celebrity Row: Behind MLB’s First-Pitch Ritual

Often planned, sometimes spontaneous, the ritual throw is baseball’s celebrity row.
July 4, 2025

3,000 Hot Dogs, $20K in Prizes: Behind the Nathan’s Eating Contest

Nathan’s serves up thousands of hot dogs and $20,000 in prize money.
July 3, 2025

Geoffrey Esper Can’t Catch a Break at Nathan’s Hot Dog Eating Contest

“Hot dogs is not one of my favorite competitions of the year.”

Paramount Settles Trump Suit Ahead of NFL Season, Skydance Merger

The deal likely allows the much larger Skydance merger deal to proceed.
June 24, 2025

Fever vs. Aces Draws 5th-Largest TV Audience of 2025 WNBA Season

ESPN will carry seven more Indiana Fever games this year.
Leo Messi
June 27, 2025

TNT, Club World Cup Ride Messi to Surprisingly Solid Debut Ratings

TNT Sports carries about a third of matches in the U.S.
Sponsored

Hottest Matchups Following NFL Schedule Release

The NFL released the 2025 regular-season schedule, and anticipation is already building in the ticket marketplace with four months to go.
June 23, 2025

NBA Finals Game 7 Is Most-Watched Since 2019, but Series Drops 9%

Game 7 drew 16.35 million viewers, the most-watched NBA game since 2019.
June 19, 2025

Pacers Force Game 7, Could Spark Big Ratings Boost for NBA Finals

Game 7 could boost NBA Finals ratings after a slow start this year.
June 17, 2025

Stanley Cup Final Delivers Drama but Struggles for Eyeballs in U.S.

U.S. viewership fell while Canadian audiences for the event rose slightly.
June 17, 2025

Streaming Tops Linear for First Time, Sports Still Key to TV’s Resilience

Streaming hits another critical milestone in an accelerating media transition.