NIL
41 Years Ago Today ABC Bought ESPN's "Worldwide Leader" Changing The World of Sports TV
However, ABC, with its established history in sports broadcasting, recognized the potential of this innovative network. Having already acquired 15% of ESPN earlier that year, they seized the opportunity to gain full ownership when Getty Oil, the majority stakeholder, merged with Texaco and sought to divest its non-core assets. Today marks a significant anniversary in […]
However, ABC, with its established history in sports broadcasting, recognized the potential of this innovative network. Having already acquired 15% of ESPN earlier that year, they seized the opportunity to gain full ownership when Getty Oil, the majority stakeholder, merged with Texaco and sought to divest its non-core assets.
Today marks a significant anniversary in the history of sports television. Forty-one years ago, on January 8, 1984, ABC took a gamble that would reshape the sports media landscape forever. The broadcasting giant purchased the remaining 85% of a fledgling cable network known as ESPN, solidifying its control and setting the stage for its meteoric rise to become the “Worldwide Leader in Sports.”
Founded just five years earlier by Bill Rasmussen, ESPN was still in its infancy. While it had secured some key programming, including NCAA games, and pioneered the 24-hour sports format, it was far from a guaranteed success. Cable television itself was still relatively new, and the idea of a channel dedicated solely to sports was considered a risky venture.
This acquisition proved to be a masterstroke. Under ABC’s guidance, ESPN flourished. The network expanded its programming lineup, invested in cutting-edge technology, and attracted top-tier talent, solidifying its position as the premier destination for sports fans.
Today, ESPN is a global media powerhouse, encompassing a vast network of television channels, radio stations, websites, and streaming services. Its influence on sports culture is undeniable. From iconic shows like SportsCenter to groundbreaking documentaries, ESPN has become an integral part of the fan experience.
“ABC’s backing was crucial in those early years,” says Dr. Andrew Billings, a sports media expert at the University of Alabama. “It provided ESPN with the resources and stability needed to grow and innovate. Without that support, it’s doubtful ESPN would have achieved the level of success it enjoys today.”
As we commemorate this anniversary, it’s worth reflecting on the bold decision made by ABC 41 years ago. Their investment in a young, unproven network not only transformed ESPN but also changed the face of sports media forever. This gamble paid off handsomely, creating a legacy that continues to shape how we watch and engage with sports today.
The impact of this acquisition extends far beyond ESPN itself. It revolutionized the way sports are consumed, influencing everything from broadcasting styles to athlete endorsements. The rise of ESPN fueled the growth of cable television and paved the way for other specialized sports networks.
NIL
CUSA Softball Tournament Update | A Sea of Red
Liberty softball is in Bowling Green, Kentucky where the Lady Flames are seeking its second straight CUSA tournament championship and seventh conference title of all-time. Liberty enters the tournament field as the No. 1 overall seed and is one of six teams that advanced to the CUSA Championship and those teams now play a double […]
Liberty softball is in Bowling Green, Kentucky where the Lady Flames are seeking its second straight CUSA tournament championship and seventh conference title of all-time. Liberty enters the tournament field as the No. 1 overall seed and is one of six teams that advanced to the CUSA Championship and those teams now play a double elimination tournament this week culminating with a winner take all championship game Saturday.
All games will be streamed on ESPN+ with the exception of the championship game which will air on CBS Sports Network. We will be providing updates throughout the week on all the action in Bowling Green so check back here for the updates every day this week.
Wednesday, Day One, May 7, 2025 (ESPN+)
Game 1: (#3) Jax State 11, (#6) Sam Houston 0 (5 innings)
The Gamecocks jumped all over Sam Houston’s first-team All-CUSA pitcher Abigail Young, scoring four runs off her in the bottom of the first inning, highlighted by Makalyn Kyser’s three-run home run. Young, who entered the postseason with a 1.66 ERA, didn’t escape the first inning and the four runs surrendered were the most she allowed in a single outing this season. Jax State continued to pour it on early and often, scoring in each of the first four innings and hitting four home runs during that time as the lead exploded to 11-0. Meanwhile, Jaliyah Holmes pitched a complete game shutout, allowing five hits while walking one and striking out two in the win.
Game 2: (#4) Louisiana Tech 5, (#5) New Mexico State 4
Freshman catcher Addison Snyder blasted her first career home run, a two-run, walk-off shot to dead center to cap Louisiana Tech’s win over New Mexico State. The Bulldogs overcame a 4-1 deficit with four runs, all with two outs, the final frame. Reagan Marchant began the comeback with a two-run shot to right center for her 18th homer of the season. New Mexico State’s Riley Carley gave her team a 4-1 advantage with a three-run, two-out home run in the top half of the seventh.
Game 3: (#6) Sam Houston 5, (#5) New Mexico State 3 (New Mexico State eliminated)
Jenny Robinson was 3 for 3 with three RBI for the Bearkats to help push them past New Mexico State in the first elimination game of the week. Bella Perez hit a solo home run, her 13th of the season, in the third inning, to push the lead to 2-0. In the fifth, Robinson and Brodie Quinian left the yard to push the lead to 5-0. The Aggies were held off the board for six innings before attempting to mount a comeback in the seventh. Desirae Spearman launched her 20th home run of the season, a three-run shot to cut the deficit to two. Later in the frame, NMSU would put the tying run on base and bring the winning run to the plate before freshman Tamara Carranza grounded to finish the game.
Thursday, May 8 (ESPN+)
Game 4: (#3) Jax State 2, (#2) Western Kentucky 1
Makalyn Kyser picked up where she left off Wednesday with a two-run, two-out home run in the top of the third to give the Gamecocks the early 2-0 lead. The host Hilltoppers got on the scoreboard with a run in the e bottom of the third, scoring on a wild pitch. WKU also put two runners on base with two outs in the bottom of the sixth, but JSU’s Kat Carter got a strikeout to end the threat. Carter then worked around a two-out single in the 7th to seal the win.
Game 5: (#1) Liberty 8, (#4) Louisiana Tech 0 (6 innings)
The reigning champs and top seed Lady Flames jumped on top of Louisiana Tech in the first inning and did not look back. Liberty plated five runs in the first inning, started by a leadoff home run by Savannah Woodard. KK Madrey plated two on a triple and then scores herself on a sacrifice pop-out in foul territory. Rachel Craine would then scores on Savannah Jessee’s double as Liberty batted around and chased Louisiana Tech’s starting pitcher.
Mattison Buster was strong in relief for the Bulldogs. She pitched 2.1 scoreless innings to allow Louisiana Tech to stay within striking distance. Liberty would then begin to find the way against Buster. JaMaya Byrum would blast a pitch beyond the left field wall in the fourth to push the lead to 6-0, and Brooke Roberts hit the Flames’ third solo home run in the fifth to make it 7-0.
CUSA Pitcher of the Year Elena Escobar dazzled in the circle for Liberty. She tossed a complete game shutout while allowing three hits while striking out five and not issuing a walk while earning her 20th win of the season. Liberty would get the run-rule victory after Rachel Roupe walked with the bases loaded and one out in the bottom of the 6th.
Game 6: (#6) Sam Houston vs (#2) Western Kentucky, 4 p.m.
Friday, May 9 (ESPN+)
Game 7: (#3) Jax State vs (#1) Liberty, 1 p.m.
Game 8: (#4) Louisiana Tech vs Winner Game 6, 3:30 p.m.
Game 9: Loser Game 7 vs Winner Game 8, 6 p.m.
Saturday, May 10
Game 10: Winner Game 8 vs Winner Game 9, 1 p.m. CBS Sports Network
*photo courtesy Conference USA
NIL
Georgia, Oregon, Texas, Ohio State
The Oregon Ducks are coming off one of their best seasons in program history in 2024. Oregon coach Dan Lanning led the Ducks to a 13-1 record and a Big Ten championship in their inaugural season in the conference. Lanning has the program rolling both on and off the field with the Ducks consistently finishing […]
The Oregon Ducks are coming off one of their best seasons in program history in 2024. Oregon coach Dan Lanning led the Ducks to a 13-1 record and a Big Ten championship in their inaugural season in the conference.
Lanning has the program rolling both on and off the field with the Ducks consistently finishing with top ranked recruiting classes. Oregon has began to grow into one of the best jobs in the country with the amount of NIL support, success on the field, administrative support.
Both Andy Staples and Ari Wasserman of On3 were in a collective agreement that Oregon is the fourth best job in the country. Ranked ahead of the Ducks are No. 1 Georgia, No. 2 Ohio State and No. 3 Texas on Staples’ list.
Rounding out his Top-10 best coaching jobs are No. 5 LSU, No. 6 Notre Dame, No. 7 Alabama, No. 8 Michigan, No. 9 Clemson and No. 10 Penn State.
Staples said the Ducks’ NIL support has helped secured the talent needed to build a championship level program. During this offseason, the Ducks have secured the No. 2 overall player in the transfer portal, offensive tackle Isaiah World, and the No. 1 safety in Dillon Thieneman.
“Oregon’s willingness to spend on players has vaulted the job up these rankings. Before the NIL era, geography probably would have created a lower ceiling for the program. Now? The Ducks can get in on any player they want, whether he’s a blue-chip high school recruit or a high-profile transfer. They don’t get all of them, but they’re almost always in the mix. That’s how you build a national championship roster,” Staples said.
Wasserman said the Ducks have ascended as one of the best programs in recent years because of their aggressiveness in the NIL space and Lanning’s tenacity as a recruiter. Every recruiting class the Ducks have signed under Lanning has been inside 247Sports Top 25.
“Oregon would have been lower on this list had this ranking come out five years ago, but the Ducks have proven time and time again that geographical footprint has never meant less. Oregon is one of the leaders of NIL and has a recruiting-hungry coach, which has resulted in a tremendous upgrade in baseline roster talent since Dan Lanning started…it seems like Oregon is going to win it all in the next 10 years at some point. It feels like an inevitability,” Wasserman said.
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After falling short in the CFP this past season, Oregon has the third best odds of winning a national championship at +750 according to ESPN BET.
If Lanning is able to get the Ducks over the hump and secure the school’s first national title, it could truly elevate the job to became the best in the country with the amount of resources that could be flying into Eugene.
NIL
Oregon Ducks, Ohio State Surprising Rankings
On the 2025 Oregon Ducks football team, senior wide receiver Evan Stewart looks to be the biggest Name, Image, Likeness (NIL) earner. The six-foot Texas native has a valuation worth $1.7 million and roster value placed at $761K which ranks as the No. 26 highest from a recruit in the country, on On3 NIL Valuations. […]
On the 2025 Oregon Ducks football team, senior wide receiver Evan Stewart looks to be the biggest Name, Image, Likeness (NIL) earner. The six-foot Texas native has a valuation worth $1.7 million and roster value placed at $761K which ranks as the No. 26 highest from a recruit in the country, on On3 NIL Valuations.
Next for the Ducks is Tulane Green Wave transfer running back Makhi Hughes. The redshirt junior is ranked No. 58 among his peers with both an NIL valuation and roster value of $1.1 million.
Across the Big Ten Conference’s NIL average per recruit in the 2026 class, Oregon coach Dan Lanning’s team is ranked No. 3. A surprising team is No. 1, topping Oregon and College Football Playoff National Champions Ohio State Buckeyes.
Here are how the 18 college football programs stack up with each other:
No. 1 Maryland Terrapins ($190K)
No. 2 Ohio State Buckeyes ($158K)
No. 3 Oregon Ducks ($152K)
“I think it’s impressive that guys like Kirby (Smart) have been signing the number one class in the nation without any NIL money this entire time… But if you want to be a top 10 team in college football, you better have great support. We have that. It’s our alignment with our entire university that makes our recruiting work.”
– Dan Lanning via The Pat McAfee Show
No. 4 USC Trojans ($143K)
No. 5 Michigan Wolverines ($134K)
No. 6 Washington Huskies ($95K)
No. 7 Penn State Nittany Lions ($70K)
Tied for No. 8 Rutgers Scarlet Knights ($40K)
Tied for No. 8 Nebraska Cornhuskers ($40K)
No. 10 UCLA Bruins ($39K)
No. 11 Michigan State Spartans ($38K)
No. 12 Iowa Hawkeyes ($37K)
No. 13 Minnesota Golden Gophers ($25K)
Tied for No. 134 Illinois Fighting Illini ($22K)
Tied for No. 13 Northwestern Wildcats ($22K)
No. 16 Indiana Hoosiers ($19.6K)
No. 17 Wisconsin Badgers ($13.9K)
No. 18 Purdue Boilermakers ($13.3K)
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The Big Ten was arguably the most competitive league in college football in 2024, ahead of the Southeastern Conference. That’s simply based on the fact that the Big Ten had four teams invited into the 2024 College Football Playoff field (No. 1 Oregon, No. 6 Penn State, No. 8 Ohio State, No. 10 Indiana), one more than the SEC’s three teams (No. 2 Georgia Bulldogs, No. 5 Texas Longhorns, No. 9 Tennessee Volunteers).
Within On3’s top 100 NIL valuations, 23 total recruits come from the Big Ten. The SEC has 37 total recruits. Texas junior quarterback Arch Manning of the SEC is the No. 1 ranked player with a valuation worth a whooping $6.6 million and roster value placed at $4.2 million. Ohio State sophomore wide receiver Jeremiah Smith of the Big Ten stands at $4 million and $3.2 million, respectively.
The Buckeyes and coach Ryan Day won the national championship after an opening round win by taking care of the No. 12 Clemson Tigers, upsetting the Ducks at the Rose Bowl in the next round, then beating the Longhorns at the Cotton Bowl, and finally overcoming the No. 7 Notre Dame Fighting Irish to win it all.
NIL
Report: Saban expected to co-chair Trump’s commission on college sports
Former Alabama head coach Nick Saban is expected to co-chair President Donald Trump’s commission on college sports, a source told Sam Khan Jr. of The Athletic. The commission would examine issues surrounding college sports, including NIL payments, conference alignment, and more, Yahoo Sports’ Ross Dellenger reports. Trump is also considering an executive order to scrutinize […]
Former Alabama head coach Nick Saban is expected to co-chair President Donald Trump’s commission on college sports, a source told Sam Khan Jr. of The Athletic.
The commission would examine issues surrounding college sports, including NIL payments, conference alignment, and more, Yahoo Sports’ Ross Dellenger reports.
Trump is also considering an executive order to scrutinize NIL that could involve Saban, according to Josh Dawsey, Rachel Bachman, and Laine Higgins of the Wall Street Journal. Saban and Trump met late last week as the ex-Crimson Tide coach delivered a commencement speech at Alabama.
The potential commission and executive order are being discussed as the House v. NCAA settlement is expected to be entering its final stages.
Saban spent 28 seasons as an NCAA head coach, 17 of which were spent with Alabama. The 73-year-old amassed a 297-71-1 record with Toledo, Michigan State, LSU, and the Crimson Tide. He also won seven national championships.
Texas Tech board chair Cody Campbell is also expected to lead the commission, sources told Dellenger. Campbell’s previous business ventures include selling an oil gas company for $4.1 billion, according to On3’s Pete Nakos.
NIL
Compton’s Home Run Sends Shockers to Quarterfinals
Story Links Next Game: vs. North Texas 5/8/2025 | 11:00 A.M. May. 08 (Thu) / 11:00 A.M. vs. North Texas History TAMPA, Fla. – Camryn Compton’s three-run home run in the bottom of the sixth pushed No. 5 seed Wichita State to a […]
TAMPA, Fla. – Camryn Compton’s three-run home run in the bottom of the sixth pushed No. 5 seed Wichita State to a 5-2 win over No. 8 seed Tulsa in the second round of the American Athletic Conference Championship Wednesday afternoon.
Wichita State (29-24-1) advances to Thursday’s American quarterfinals where they will face No. 4 North Texas at 11 a.m. CT on ESPN+.
The Shockers were limited to just four hits in the game, but Compton’s 12th home run of the season proved to be the difference. Taylor Sedlacek doubled and scored two runs, Ellee Eck singled and drove in a run and Brookelyn Livanec singled to round out the hits.
Co-Freshman of the Year Ryley Nihart (11-7) went the distance in the circle, allowing only one earned run on seven hits and three walks.
A leadoff double to start the game turned into an early run on a Camryn Compton throwing error, giving Tulsa a 1-0 lead after the first inning.
Tulsa doubled its lead to 2-0 in the top of the second on a one-out, solo home run.
Wichita State cut the deficit in half in the bottom of the third on Eck’s RBI single after a Livanec single and Sami Hood sac bunt.
In the bottom of the fourth, the Shockers tied the game at 2-2 on Jodie Epperson’s sac fly. Sedlacek led off the inning with a double and then moved up to third on Compton’s sac bunt.
To open the bottom of the sixth, Eck and Sedlacek both reached on hit by pitches to set the scene for Compton. On the very first pitch of the at bat, Compton smashed a no-doubter over the wall in left.
NIL
Nick Saban Joins Donald Trump In Move To Back Up NIL Claims
© Gary Cosby Jr./Imagn Nick Saban believes the college athletics landscape, particularly in college football, is broken. The legendary Alabama head coach believes NIL is a large reason that it is broken. He believes that someone needs to step in quickly in order to fix it, lest we risk the sport imploding altogether. And as the saying […]
© Gary Cosby Jr./Imagn
Nick Saban believes the college athletics landscape, particularly in college football, is broken. The legendary Alabama head coach believes NIL is a large reason that it is broken. He believes that someone needs to step in quickly in order to fix it, lest we risk the sport imploding altogether. And as the saying goes, if you want something done right, sometimes you have to do it yourself.
Ralph Russo of The Athletic reports that Saban will serve as the co-chair of the President Donald Trump’s commission for college sports. Saban is expected to serve alongside Texas Tech board of regents chairman Cody Campbell in the position. The commission is expected to examine several issues facing the future of college sports, not the least of which is how NIL is regulated.
Back in January, Saban spoke passionately about his concern for the future of college athletics should NIL continue to go unregulated.
Nick Saban Expressed Concerns About Unregulated NIL Prior To Taking New Position
“All I’m saying? The people out there need to know this model is unsustainable,” he said during an appearance on the Pat McAfee Show ahead of Monday’s national championship game. “It’s not good for players.”
“Players need to get compensated, no doubt. But it has to be done in a way where, you know, in some kind of way, have competitive balance, you know, and that every school has the same thing,” he continued. “One school can’t spend $30 million for players while another school’s spending $3 million.”
His comments drew criticism from fans who believed he enjoyed a similar advantage while at Alabama. But they’re also not without merit. Administrators at several universities have expressed concerns about the future viability of their programs. Ohio State president Ted Carter already acknowledged his intent to cut programs in order to further spend on revenue sports, and other schools are widely expected to follow suit.
Who knows whether Saban and the commission find a solution within the law? But it’s nice to see that someone is at least trying.
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