ESPN has retained its high-profile NFL and NBA insiders after a push from sports gambling companies to poach them away.
The network announced on Thursday that it has signed multi-year contract extensions with Adam Schefter and Adrian Wojnarowski.
“Adam and Woj are difference-makers that solidify our long-term position as the definitive source for everything NFL and NBA,” ESPN chairman Jimmy Pitaro said in a statement.
“When you combine today’s news about Adam and Woj with Jeff Passan’s signing, we are making a deliberate statement about ESPN’s commitment to serving fans with the most in-depth reporting, storytelling and around-the-clock news.”
All three of those insiders are represented by CAA.
“Covering the most popular sport in the United States for the leading sports media company has been a dream combination,” Schefter said in the release. “Every day, at each show and event, I am surrounded by the best teammates – producers, directors, researchers, production staff, and so many more – who elevate everyone around them. I love my job, feel blessed to continue and thank ESPN and Jimmy Pitaro for their consistent faith in me.”
Said Wojnarowski: “I’m eager to continue working with a remarkable group of colleagues and grateful for ESPN’s relentless commitment to newsgathering and reporting. My profound appreciation to Jimmy Pitaro, Cristina Daglas, Norby Williamson, Dave Roberts, Lauren Reynolds, Greg Dowling, David Kraft and the entire universal news desk for the support, vision and leadership that makes ESPN such a remarkable place to do my job. Also, a thank you to my representative Matt Kramer for helping to bring and keep me at ESPN.”
Schefter has been at ESPN since 2009 and Wojnarowski since 2017.
As the sports gambling industry continues its manifest destiny across America, ESPN had to battle sportsbooks — who would have benefitted greatly from the reporters’ enormous social media engagement — to keep its league insiders.
ESPN has been on a high-end talent spending spree of late, recently poaching Joe Buck and Troy Aikman from Fox Sports to be the new announce team for “Monday Night Football” — on contracts cumulatively worth $165 million.