The Monday Night Football game between the Philadelphia Eagles and Green Bay Packers is the second since the Disney-YouTube TV carriage dispute started, meaning the number of NFL and college football games subscribers have now missed is adding up.
Both sides are bringing out the big guns to try to win over public sentiment as they continue to squabble. Google’s YouTube TV has offered credits to subscribers as a make-good for what they’ve missed. Disney and ESPN, meanwhile, decided to bring the CEO of their corporate behemoth on ESPN2’s ManningCast, presumably to provide some clarity or positive spin.
The 74-year-old Iger, a lifelong Packers fan and franchise investor, appeared alongside Peyton and Eli Manning. The CEO waxed on about his favorite NFL team while donning a crisp Green Bay hoodie, and the Mannings threw several softball questions his way. The milquetoast interview was all preamble, presumably, leading up to some kind of question or segue for Iger to discuss the YTTV situation.
It never happened. After a few segments, the Mannings sent Iger on his way, everyone thanked one another for the pleasant time, and that was that.
To put it mildly, what the f*ck was the point of that?
Whatever it might be worth to them, Disney and ESPN currently seem to be losing the PR battle against Google and YouTube, which is no small feat. Their attempt to have ESPN talent push viewers backfired (thanks in part to Pat McAfee). They’ve lost the goodwill of many notable NFL fans and media members. Short of capitulating to get their content back on YTTV quickly, there aren’t many messaging opportunities that will have much value for them. This could have been one of them.
Iger’s lack of comment on the situation leaves more questions than answers. It also created an annoying realization for many viewers like us who tuned in specifically to see what the CEO might have to say, only to find out this was just a chance for him to talk about his beloved team.
Disney and ESPN have tried to convey that the carriage dispute does not affect them in any meaningful or financial way. Iger’s appearance on MNF certainly backed up that sentiment. If there was any message to be sent by what he didn’t say, that was probably it.