Aikman has eyes on ‘Tony Romo money’
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NBC Sports is deep into negotiations to keep Cris Collinsworth as its lead “Sunday Night Football” analyst until 2025, while Troy Aikman could try to position himself for “Tony Romo money,” The Post has learned.
It is all part of the fallout from CBS signing Romo to the largest contract in sportscasting history, a 10-year, $180 million deal that reverberates through all top-level sports TV analyst negotiations. While rival TV executives view Romo’s deal — signed in the winter of 2020, just prior to the pandemic’s emerging impact — as an outlandish anomaly, Romo’s fellow No. 1 NFL game analysts look at it as a benchmark.
It clouds all negotiations and it has created the possibility that Aikman could try to once again top Romo.
While Aikman was the more accomplished Cowboys quarterback with rings and gold jackets to prove it, Romo has surpassed Aikman with an $18 million a year TV deal that is around double what Aikman makes from Fox to call games on Thursdays and Sundays. (Romo even had last Sunday off after working Thanksgiving.)
While Aikman has been calling games for more than two decades, Romo is a virtual neophyte, just in his fifth season.
Aikman could have an avenue to surpass Romo in total salary, but he may have to work twice as hard to do it by taking a second gig with Amazon Prime Video.
There are questions whether he could do it — or if he would want to do it. TV executives balked at the idea that any analyst could do 35-40 games as opposed to the standard 20-25 games.
Aikman has a year left on his deal after this season and Fox is expected to offer him a bump to stay full-time. Fox will not pay Aikman “Romo money” on its own.
Collinsworth and NBC are discussing a contract in the $12.5 million per season range, according to sources.
It’s not Romo money, but it is certainly not bad. Aikman could receive a similar payday if he exclusively worked a Fox schedule. Maybe Aikman will be satisfied with that outcome.
However, starting next year, Amazon Prime Video will take over the exclusive rights to “Thursday Night Football,” and the streaming platform will team with NBC Sports. The games will not appear on NBC, but Amazon will use NBC’s production.
“Sunday Night Football” producer Fred Gaudelli will oversee the main broadcast. The plan is for Al Michaels to be the playby-player. Amazon has not yet finalized a deal with Michaels.
Michaels’ current contract ends after he calls the Super Bowl this February in his hometown of Los Angeles. He may not make a final decision until after that game. The only other possibility that could emerge is if ESPN’s “Monday Night
Football” were to change its main booth again. Michaels has given no indications he wants to retire.
NBC’s plan is for Mike Tirico to replace Michaels as the full-time SNF play-byplayer next year. To go along with Amazon, Michaels, 77, will be offered a reduced role with NBC, doing select games, including one in the postseason.
On Sundays next season, Tirico will be joined by Collinsworth, not Drew Brees. NBC lured Brees, besting ESPN, in a pursuit that occurred before Brees finished playing.
With his new NBC deal, Collinsworth is potentially setting himself up to call NBC’s next Super Bowl in 2025. If Brees has designs on being a No. 1 NFL game analyst, at this point, he is going to have to wait.
Meanwhile, Fox and Aikman have a strong relationship again after it was damaged when the network hired TV opinionist Skip Bayless, whom Aikman has a known animus toward from Bayless’ days as a columnist and author in Dallas.
Fox currently has the rights to “Thursday Night Football,” which Aikman and Joe Buck call each week.
On the Sundays when Fox does not have the national late game, Aikman and Buck are off. On single-header days — which basically occur every other week — when Fox’s one main game goes to a significantly less part of the country, Aikman and Buck just do Thursdays.
Since Aikman is under contract to Fox for next year, he would have to come to Fox with an Amazon offer. Amazon could try to bring Aikman over exclusively or choose to share him with Fox.
There is the possibility that Fox could have him continue on his current schedule of only working the national late games with Buck. In that case, Aikman’s Fox pay would likely go down — he would not be doing Thursdays for Fox anymore — though in an Aikman-Fox-Amazon mash-up scenario, Aikman still would likely be able to reach Romo’s neighborhood.
Nearly two years ago, Romo’s contract was a sports media earthquake. The tremors are still being felt.
Kay still ahead of WFAN
ESPN New York’s “The Michael Kay Show” is primed to win the fall book after taking another month from WFAN’s “Carton & Roberts,” according to Nielsen Audio Ratings for 25-54 males, the category the stations traditionally focus on for advertising.
For this past month, Kay’s show had a ratings share of 6.0, good for third in the overall rankings, while Carton & Roberts had a 5.1 (tied for fourth in the market).
Overall, after two months, “The Michael Kay Show” (5.7 share, fourth in the market) leads C&R (4.3 share, ninth in the market).
SAGITTARIUS (Nov. 23 - Dec. 21)
No doubt you are creaking under the weight of so many duties and chores at the moment but that's because you have not been tough enough when dealing with other people's demands. You need to relearn the valuable art of saying "no".
CAPRICORN (Dec. 22 - Jan. 20)
Don't sit there wondering why something has gone wrong, get up and do something about it. The planets indicate that almost any action taken over the next 24 hours will have positive results, so get your act together and make things happen.
AQUARIUS (Jan. 21 - Feb. 19)
You have the happy feeling that no matter how far you push your luck today you will most likely get away with it. So what are you waiting for? There is no need to be cautious now, not when the universe is very much on your side.
PISCES (Feb. 20-Mar. 20)
At some point today you are going to have to make a conscious effort to control your emotions - because if you let them rip the fallout could be damaging for everyone. Are other people's stupidities worth getting angry about? Of course not.
ARIES (March 21-April 20)
Friends and colleagues will be singing your praises today, not least because you clearly have no intention of letting them face a challenging situation all on their own. With your strength and stamina behind them there is no reason why they should panic.
TAURUS (April 21-May 21)
Let others know you have no intention of allowing them to waste your time and energy on the kind of trivial matters that mean nothing to you. On the work front, especially, there will be no end of serious issues to deal with over the next few days.
GEMINI (May 22-June 21)
Find ways to expand your horizons over the next 24 hours, either by travelling to somewhere exciting or by feeding your interest in subjects that give you a better understanding of the world at large. Above all, give yourself permission to dream.
CANCER (June 22-July 23)
Don't bother trying to disguise your intentions today because others will see through your game with ease. Let friends, family members and work colleagues know what it is you are trying to do and then get on and do it whether they support you or not.
LEO
(July 24-Aug. 23)
The cracks in a partnership have been growing wider of late and the bad news is they may now be too big to paper over. If that's the case then there is no point trying to keep things together - a clean break is best for both of you.
VIRGO
(Aug. 24-Sept. 23)
The good fortune you are currently enjoying is not down to luck and anyone who says it is must be told to mind their own business. Don't let anyone burst your bubble over the next 24 hours. Only interact with people who share your present upbeat outlook on life.
LIBRA (Sept. 24-Oct. 23)
Others may be willing to work all hours for little pay and no praise but you are not. If you feel that your talents are being taken for granted, and taken advantage of, now is the time to start looking around for something better. You'll find it.
SCORPIO (Oct. 24-Nov. 22)
What happens today will test your commitment to something you signed up to earlier in the year. If there is an easy way to back out then do so, but if that's likely to stir up trouble then you may have no choice but to see it through.
BIRTHDAY THURSDAY
You will come up smelling of roses this year no matter how many messy situations you get involved with. Don't be afraid to get down and dirty when the situation calls for it - it's so much more fun when you refuse to play safe.