Both ESPN and NFL Media will change dramatically when the Worldwide Leader’s proposed acquisition goes through, but perhaps none will be more jarring than longtime rival insiders Ian Rapoport and Adam Schefter teaming up.
When Rapoport joined the NFL Network in 2012, Schefter was long gone. Since that time, the two have orbited one another, becoming the two preeminent news-breakers covering the biggest league in America.
Should the proposed acquisition of most of NFL Media’s assets by ESPN go through as expected next year, Rapoport and Schefter would be working together directly — rather than against one another — to deliver scoops.
Rapoport was asked about the idea this week on the SI Media podcast and had little to say beyond that he is “fine” with the potential to work with Schefter.
“I work as part of a team now, my teammates are awesome. Mike (Silver) and Tom (Pelissero),” Rapoport said. “Look, I love my job. I really do. If that was the case, that would honestly be fine. I like doing this, and I just hope I keep getting to do it.”
Rapoport added that the two are respectful when they cross paths (unlike, say, Rapoport and Jordan Schultz) and, as part of an exclusive club of top sports insiders, always have plenty to compare notes on in terms of lifestyle.
“When we see each other, it is always professional and cordial,” Rapoport said. “There’s only a few people who do this, so there’s always things to discuss. If one us gets a story, it’s not personal. We all, a lot of the time, talk to the same people. So we’re fine. We’ve definitely communicated over the years, definitely very professional and cordial.”
Because the proposed deal has not been finalized and requires federal regulatory approval due to the transaction’s size, ESPN has not announced details on how it will merge the ESPN and NFL Media newsrooms. The Worldwide Leader has, however, indicated it will continue to run NFL Network as a standalone cable network and content platform.
That said, it would be hard to imagine ESPN not keeping Rapoport around. Rapoport is a versatile talent with a strong reporting track record who, despite his overlap with Schefter and others at ESPN, would bolster the network’s football coverage.