News: Brady, NBA TV, World Cup – Sports Media Watch

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ARLINGTON, TX – SEPTEMBER 22: FOX football analyst Tom Brady visits with the players before the game between the Dallas Cowboys and the Baltimore Ravens on September 22, 2024 at AT&T Stadium in Arlington, Texas. (Photo by Matthew Pearce/Icon Sportswire)
Tom Brady will not be fined for comments on officials during Sunday’s game; the NBA has not decided the future of its league-owned cable network; FIFA opens up bidding for future Women’s World Cup rights separately from the men’s tournament.
Fox NFL analyst Tom Brady, who has had restrictions placed on his commentary since become a minority owner of the Las Vegas Raiders, will not be fined for his comments during Sunday’s Lions-Packers game, in which he disagreed with the officials’ decision to eject Detroit defensive back Brian Branch for unnecessary roughness, according to Front Office Sports.  NFL spokesperson Brian McCarthy clarified the restrictions on Brady, saying commentary was permissible as long as it was not “egregiously critical” or questioned the integrity of the officials.
The NBA has not yet made a decision on the future of its league-owned cable network, NBA TV, per John Ourand of Puck News. The network has been operated by TNT Sports (formerly WBD Sports, and Turner Sports before that) since 2008, but TNT will no longer air NBA games following this season.
NBA TV televises live regular-season and playoff games to out-of-market fans on nights when the league’s other linear partners are not carrying games. Monday night in particular has become a fixture of NBA TV’s schedule, but those rights will belong to Peacock in the league’s new deals that begin next season. Without a partner to produce the games, or a dedicated piece of the schedule to feature live games, the viability of the channel remains in question.
Additionally, the network’s financials are affected by the declining cable model that is straining the entire industry. Ourand reports NBA TV was in 60 million homes ten years ago and is now in less than 35 million homes, meaning less and less subscriber revenue each year to fund the network’s operations.
FIFA is now officially accepting media rights bids for the 2027 and 2031 Women’s World Cups, the first time US media rights to the women’s event will be sold separately from the men’s. The 2027 edition will be held in Brazil while the 2031 tournament host will be selected from a number of interested parties in the second quarter of 2025. Bids are due December 3, with previous reporting indicating incumbent Fox will face competition from ESPN, CBS, and NBC, among others.
Fox was controversially awarded rights to the 2026 Men’s World Cup in North America in a no-bid contract, reportedly as compensation for moving the 2022 World Cup in Qatar out of its traditional summer schedule to November and December. Whichever party acquires rights in 2027 will have an easier path securing rights to the men’s tournament in 2030.
Ben Huddleston is an Oklahoma City based Sports Media Watch contributor, TV scheduling nerd, and Olympics junkie. Find him on the weekends cheering on the Sooners, Thunder, and Chiefs, or reach him on X @sportswithben1.
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I do hope Fox keeps the coverage of the Women’s World Cup. Fox does a phenomenal job on international soccer. From the production, to the studio shows and the announcers.
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