Once upon a time, ESPN2 was home to plenty of original programming. Nowadays, the channel largely shows re-airs of ESPN daytime programming like Get Up and First Take, various podcasts hosted by its talent, and live sports in the evening.
It appears ESPN could have similar plans for NFL Network, which it just formally acquired on April 1 as part of an equity deal with the NFL that was approved earlier this year. So far, NFL Network has continued its normal operations under ESPN ownership. All we know based off previous reporting is that ESPN will evaluate talent contracts for NFL Network personalities as they expire, with prominent insider Ian Rapoport being one of the first up at the end of April. Other than that, we know some NFL Network executives have been folded into ESPN’s organizational structure, and that the Worldwide Leader intends to treat the channel similarly to SEC Network or ACC Network.
But according to a report by Ryan Glasspiegel in Front Office Sports, it looks like we could soon see ESPN begin to put its fingerprints on NFL Network. Per Glasspiegel, “The Bristol-based network could look to put some digital shows on NFL Network in a similar manner to what it’s been doing on ESPN2, and there could also be a simulcast or re-air of NFL Live.”
Those moves make plenty of sense. As it stands, NFL Network typically re-airs its flagship morning show Good Morning Football several times throughout the day, supplemented by evergreen programming like A Football Life, until its live evening show The Insiders comes on at 7 p.m. ET. ESPN could easily throw some NFL-related podcasts in there, like The Mina Kimes Show featuring Lenny or Mel Kiper Jr.’s First Draft, to spruce up NFL Network’s daytime lineup. Of course, a rerun of NFL Live would also fit the bill.
It seems ESPN is taking a sensible approach to owning NFL Network so far. There are clearly better uses of the NFL Network schedule than rerunning Good Morning Football four times in a row, and ESPN has plenty of NFL programming it can use to fill the hours.
While small, this change signals that ESPN is willing to make some moves on NFL Network where it sees fit. As time goes on, and the next season approaches, maybe ESPN will look to rejigger the NFL Network lineup a bit more. But for now, it’s going for the low-hanging fruit.