ESPN blocks Fox Sports activities’ pursuit of NFL analyst Damien Woody

ESPN intends to maintain NFL analyst Damien Woody after Fox Sports activities pursued him with a probably large increase. Fox deliberate to staff Woody with Craig Carton on Carton’s forthcoming new Fox Sports activities 1 TV present, The Submit has discovered. 

Woody has one-year remaining on his ESPN contract, which allowed the community to dam the transfer. 

Fox Sports activities had not made an official supply, however deliberate to maneuver quick and go robust after Woody to consummate a deal. 

ESPN and Fox Sports activities declined remark. 

The Submit beforehand reported that Carton had signed with Fox Sports activities for the early-morning program. 

The 44-year-old Woody, an NFL guard from 1999-2010 with the Jets, Patriots and Lions, has been with ESPN for 11 years. He has made common appearances on “First Take,” “Get Up!” and “SportsCenter.” 

There’s latest precedent for letting commentators out of their offers early. Fox Sports activities allowed the face of its community, Joe Buck, to depart with a yr remaining on his deal for a five-year, $75 million contract with ESPN to name “Monday Evening Soccer” with Troy Aikman, who additionally left Fox. 

Fox felt it was the suitable factor to do after Buck had been a high performer for the community for almost three a long time and since there was a sense that he was going to depart in a yr anyway. 

In addition to Buck and Woody, Fox and ESPN have been preventing over different on-air personalities. Only recently, Dan Orlovsky stayed at ESPN after Fox needed to make him half of what is going to be reimagined daytime programming. 

In recent times, Fox has employed former ESPNers Tom Rinaldi, Emmanuel Acho, Jonathan Vilma and Adam Amin. 

Fox went after Woody, however ESPN is obstructing any official negotiations because it values what Woody has dropped at the scores success of its opinion exhibits. That’s the reason ESPN desires to maintain Woody and why Fox Sports activities needed him to be Carton’s associate. 

No Mondays for Moss 

Randy Moss will proceed on ESPN’s “Sunday NFL Countdown,” however won’t be on the pregame present on Monday nights, The Submit has discovered. The choice was Moss’ and occurred as the 2 sides negotiated a brand new contract. 

Amazon Prime Video confirmed curiosity in Moss for its “Thursday Evening Soccer” studio exhibits, in response to sources. Whereas Moss doesn’t make a lot information with opinions as an analyst, ESPN loves his, “You bought Mossed” section and the way he charges with its focus teams. 

Clicker e-book membership 

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