In the tumultuous world of NFL Network, one aspect of its coverage is staying the same as its top insider Ian Rapoport has agreed to a new deal.
“We’re excited for Ian to continue to be a part of the NFL Network news-breaking team, providing fans the most trusted source of NFL news across the industry,” NFL Vice President of Communications, Alex Riethmiller told The Athletic.
Rapoport, who challenges ESPN’s Adam Schefter tidbit for tidbit daily, has been with the network for 12 years. Rapoport, 44, first covered the Cowboys for one season before going head-to-head with Schefter.
He re-signs as the possibility of his becoming teammates with Schefter remains in the mix. The NFL and ESPN have had talks about the league taking a minority equity stake in the network, which would result in assets, like NFL Network, being under Disney’s umbrella. Even if a deal goes through, the NFL is expected to keep its NFL Films division under its roof, according to executives briefed on the discussions.
The NFL has been talking to prospective bidders about its network and other media assets, which include NFL+, Red Zone and NFL.com, for years, but in the meantime, it has been trying to become a leaner outfit.
In a cost-cutting mode, the network has put its daily show, Good Morning Football, on hiatus as it moved its studios from New York to Los Angeles to restart in late August. Only host Jamie Erdahl has said she is definitely staying on the program as it heads west.
The network recently laid off top on-air personalities, Andrew Siciliano, Melissa Stark, Will Selva and James Palmer.
But Rapoport will stay and will be a fixture on the network’s draft coverage all week and beyond.
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