Categories: OLD Media Moves

Room for a sports biz TV show

ESPN sports business reporter Darren Rovell is interviewed bby Jason McIntyre of BigLeadSports.com about his career and covering sports business.

Here is an excerpt:

Q: You left CNBC for ESPN a little over six months ago. How would you characterize your return to ESPN so far? In your current role, what’s different from when you were there last?

Rovell: It has been a great start. I’m thrilled to be back. I’ve done extensive work on Outside the Lines, have my own feature on SportsCenter (“Money Talk” on Tuesday nights), have done extensive work for ESPN.com and have already written more pieces for the Magazine than I did in my previous six-year stint from 2000-2006. Having so many outlets means the opportunities are endless. What’s different? I’d say the resources to make reporters better at what they do are better. The research department is robust. The news editors on both the TV side and the .com are tremendous in keeping us updated with what is going on in the sports world by the hour. On the outside, I think there’s more talk about how ESPN works than ever before, including the intense scrutiny from media sites like yours. There’s much more interest in media reporting than there was when I left in 2006.

Q: How much do you miss having a TV show? The time slot and the ratings weren’t good, but what do you think are the chances you’ll get a sports business show at ESPN?

Rovell: I do miss having a TV show. Friday night, which is what I had for about 90 percent of the shows, was not ideal. There was a lot of press about the initial ratings on those Friday nights. I was proud of the content and thought that the cumulative ratings reflected that there was an audience for it. NBC was tremendous. There wasn’t a single conversation about ratings. Not once. Before I left, I gave them 48 shows and brought on the biggest names in sports business. I do think there is room for a sports business show as the niche has grown and fans can’t be fans any more without knowing the business. As of now, I’m happy about having a weekly feature on SportsCenter that reminds our viewers how big this business truly is. If ESPN believes there could be an audience for a standalone show, I’m ready to go.