The WNBA will remain on ION under a multi-year extension with Scripps Sports. Plus: a top NFL executive is expected to leave for the PGA Tour; ESPN is picking up an NBA reporter from The Athletic.
Scripps announces WNBA extension
Scripps has reached a multi-year media rights extension with the WNBA to continue carrying Friday night games on ION, it was announced Friday. The WNBA’s primary media rights deals are with the NBA’s partners — starting next season, ESPN, NBC and Amazon — but the league reserves the right to sell one or two additional packages. Scripps was widely expected to acquire one of those packages, as is fellow incumbent CBS Sports.
Scripps began airing the WNBA two years ago.
PGA Tour expected to hire NFL exec Rolapp
The PGA Tour is expected to hire NFL Chief Media & Business Officer Brian Rolapp as CEO of its newly-created commercial enterprise division, according to multiple reports Thursday.
Rolapp, who has been with the NFL since 2003 and in his current position since 2017, oversaw the league’s 2021 media rights negotiations and its in-house media apparatus. He was thought to be in line as a potential replacement for league commissioner Roger Goodell. He was previously an executive with NBC Universal.
In his new role, Rolapp will run PGA Tour Enterprises, a newly-created division that will oversee the organization’s business enterprises. Jay Monahan will continue in his position as commissioner of the PGA Tour.
Johnson says Grand Slam Track will return next year
Despite the cancellation of the fourth and final event of its inaugural season, Grand Slam Track creator and Olympic gold medalist Michael Johnson told the league’s participating athletes Thursday that the competition will return next year, according to Adam Kilgore of The Washington Post. Per Kilgore, Johnson said that the cancellation of the Los Angeles event — which was to take place later this month — was due to economic issues with the venue.
Athletic reporter Slater leaving for ESPN
Reporter Anthony Slater of The Athletic is leaving the publication to join ESPN, according to Ryan Glasspiegel of Front Office Sports. Slater covered the NBA Warriors for The Athletic and will continue to do so for ESPN.
Slater joins an ESPN NBA roster that is in flux following the abrupt retirement last year of Adrian Wojnarowski. The company’s NBA reporting is now led by Shams Charania, and more change could be on the way, as Brian Windhorst is reportedly set to become a free agent this summer.