00:00So, right now, ESPN and the National Football League are working on a deal, and they are working on a conclusion to potentially ESPN buying the NFL Network.
00:13It looks like that's going to close up.
00:14Government and ESPN is going to close this up and have this business deal done.
00:19My question would be, when it comes to covering sports, the NFL now is going to own 10% of ESPN.
00:31So, my question would go down the lane of this.
00:35Okay, how are you going to cover the National Football League?
00:39How are you going to give us fair and balanced coverage when you own 10% of ESPN?
00:49If there's a story about an owner, how are you covering that?
00:54How are you covering the NFL draft?
00:58How are you giving us the information?
01:00Isn't that a conflict of interest, that the National Football League would have 10% of ESPN?
01:08Think about it.
01:10National Football League.
01:11So, ESPN is buying NFL, fantasy, and they're also acquiring the Red Zone channel.
01:18So, with that, ESPN now has all of the National Football League's television, and that means the NFL Network.
01:27The NFL Network was instituted for one thing.
01:30That was to promote the National Football League.
01:33They weren't going to run negative stories in any way whatsoever.
01:36So, when you're now a part owner, how does ESPN, okay, how does ESPN and NFL deliver the content?
01:49How are they delivering it?
01:51How are they giving it to you?
01:53Are they giving it to you in fair and balanced?
01:56See, to me, again, you know, when you're covering the National Football League, the National Football League is one of the most complex leagues in all of American sports.
02:08When you have a story where guys are taking needs, or you have a social issue, how is ESPN, which, by the way, the way they cover, take a look at some of their TV shows that they have on their network.
02:22My question is going to be, what's the NFL's involvement?
02:26How do you not have a conflict of interest with this purchase?
02:30So, when I'm watching, again, I'm not saying the deal's bad here.
02:35What I'm saying is, when you tune on anything, I don't care what it is, when you have a seat at the board of directors table, and you're talking about owning and being an owner and having influence on content, how in the world are you not going to be jaded towards your business partner?
02:58So, I get it.
03:01You know, this was a big move by both.
03:04ESPN has come out, and so has the commissioner, Roger Goodell, has come out and said that, hey, listen, you know, there's going to be no conflict of interest.
03:12If you're trying to tell me that you don't believe that influence is not made when it comes to covering sports, take a look at the storyline that we just came through this week with Bill Belichick.
03:25Look at the influence that you had there sitting in the room.
03:29Don't tell me that this is not going to be something that's going to cross people's minds when you tune on that network.
03:36Also, does that mean now that ESPN gets the opportunity to, like, do they get the best games?
03:43Is this going to be an influence from, like, the National Football League and Park Avenue on making sure ESPN and Monday Night Football is going to get, without a doubt, they're going to get the best ballgames, the best coverage.
04:02The most, and by the way, are you going to get fair and balanced coverage?
04:07This is a compelling story.
04:09A lot of people aren't covering this story because, again, they look at it and they're like, well, you know, I mean, this was just them selling the NFL network.
04:18No, this is about the coverage and how the coverage of the National Football League is going to be presented to the fans.
04:25We'll see you next time.
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