ESPN is finalizing a multi-year deal to officially bring NFL Network insider Ian Rapoport into its ranks, according to reports. The move follows the network's acquisition of NFL Network this year, an equity deal that saw the league take a 10 percent stake in the Disney-owned broadcaster.
For years, Rapoport and Adam Schefter have served as the industry's rivals for 'scoops,' but are now set to become teammates under the same corporate banner. According to Front Office Sports, the network plans to utilize Rapoport across all its major platforms while he continues his prominent role in league-specific coverage.
The signing is reportedly part of a long-term succession plan, with ESPN viewing Rapoport as the eventual heir to Schefter should the veteran reporter ever step aside. A similar transition is expected in the network's draft coverage, where Daniel Jeremiah is being positioned as the successor to long-time draft guru Mel Kiper Jr.
The merger is also expected to shake up game-day broadcasts, with rumors also suggesting Kurt Warner could join the Monday Night Football crew as part of a revamped secondary booth. While ESPN will now control the distribution of NFL Network, the league will still maintain independent operation over properties like NFL RedZone and NFL Films.
The deal ensures that the two most powerful 'Insiders' in football will no longer be competing for the same real estate, but instead working together for the network. The stunning move comes weeks after the network confirmed that a return of a sports version of popular television quiz show 'Jeopardy!' is in the works. 'ESPN Jeopardy!' is in the process of being put together and aired this summer, according to FrontOfficeSports.
The outlet reports that ESPN's lead NFL play-by-play broadcaster, Joe Buck, is believed to be the host of the new show. 'ESPN Jeopardy!' is expected to be aired on Hulu and Disney+ and it may also run on linear television via ABC or ESPN's streaming platforms, according to FOS. Buck has previous experience as a Jeopardy! host - previously guest-hosting a week of the show in August of 2021, after the death of longtime host Alex Trebek.
Last year, when news broke of ESPN's acquisition of the NFL Network, fans were left concerned over the future of RedZone. 'Commercial free football might be gone,' one fan wrote on X, while another added: 'ESPN will destroy RedZone. RIP Scott Hanson.' ESPN first secured rights to televise the NFL back in 1987, showing eight games per season and beginning a partnership that has since grown exponentially. In 2011, ESPN was said to be in more than 100 million cable homes, and the network currently broadcasts 25 games a season - 23 in the regular season, plus two playoff match-ups.
