logo
episode-header-image
Jan 2022
43m 9s

ESPN vs Fox Sports | First Down | 1

Wondery
About this episode
It’s the late 1970s and TV sports is equivalent to a few hours of programming on ABC, NBC and CBS each week.But in Connecticut, Bill Rasmussen is on a mission to change that by creating a cable TV network dedicated to airing sports. Trouble is, he’s got no money, no sports rights, no TV studio, and no cable provider willing to put his network into homes.List ... Show More
Up next
Feb 2022
ESPN vs Fox Sports | Aussie Rules Football | 2
It’s the early 1990s and media mogul Rupert Murdoch is out to shatter ABC, CBS and NBC’s stranglehold on American TV and take his Fox network into the TV majors.To succeed, Fox will need a powerful battering ram and only one will do: the ratings magnet that is the NFL. And having ... Show More
36m 56s
Feb 2022
ESPN vs Fox Sports | Best in Show | 3
The 1990s are about to end and ESPN is on a quest to strike down the competition before they can muster the strength to challenge it.But when ESPN starts using the NFL to gouge the nation’s cable providers, Fox Sports gets an opportunity to dominate regional sports TV.And as Fox ... Show More
37m 40s
Feb 2022
ESPN vs Fox Sports | Fox Strikes Back | 4
It’s 2005 and new ESPN programming chief John Skipper’s out to cement the brand’s market dominance by buying up more sports rights.With ESPN spending big, Fox Sports will need more than its broadcast network and Fox Sports Net regional channels to stay in contention. It needs its ... Show More
40m 11s
Recommended Episodes
Feb 2023
Sports!
In our first-ever After Hours sports episode, we ask why sports teams have become so valuable (is it really just the vanity of billionaire owners), debate the merits of paying amateur athletes, and explore why tennis pros receive such a small fraction of the sport’s overall reven ... Show More
38m 44s
Aug 2023
ESPN 4 SALE
Disney CEO Bob Iger says the company is looking for a “strategic partner” to invest in the massive sports network, which has been struggling in an era of cord-cutting. Peter Kafka explains what it could mean for fans. This episode was produced by Hady Mawajdeh, edited by Matt Col ... Show More
25m 43s
May 2020
Mötley Crüe Give Me My Money Back
Erika ponders on the return of live sports, questions cable bills, and laments over her summer concert plans. We dive deep into what happens to the sports broadcasting ecosystem when live sports are cancelled and when will leagues like the NFL, NBA, NHL, and MLB be back on TV? Al ... Show More
24 m
Apr 2023
Becoming Nike | The Crazy Idea | 1
26-year-old college graduate Phil Knight founds Blue Ribbon Sports and makes a success of his plan to import Japanese running shoes to America. But as the relationship with his only supplier begins to unravel, Phil decides to gamble his company’s future on a fundamental shift in ... Show More
38m 13s
Sep 2021
The Brief Rise and Miraculous Fall of FC Anzhi Makhachkala
Drew brings us a story of modern football and how, sometimes, that whole "shady billionaire buys a struggling team and brings them to glory" thing doesn't always work out. Billionaires! So relatable!Dead Ball Brothers merch - teespring.com/stores/dead-ball-brothers-shop Learn mor ... Show More
56m 21s
Apr 2019
Introducing Sports Wars
Brett Favre vs. Aaron Rodgers. Michael Jordan vs. Isiah Thomas. And many more...You can binge all episodes of Sports Wars exclusively and ad-free on Wondery+. Find Wondery+ in the Wondery App or on Apple Podcasts.See Privacy Policy at https://art19.com/privacy and California Priv ... Show More
1m 49s
Jul 2025
Breaking Bell | The Deal | 4
As AT&T moves closer to being forcibly dismantled by the courts, bosses consider a radical alternative. But even when they press the button for the nuclear option, there’s no guarantee that their plan will succeed.Be the first to know about Wondery’s newest podcasts, curated reco ... Show More
34m 47s