Costas turns spotlight on NFL, NBC relationship
I typically refrain from writing about the media, reasoning you would rather read about the ups and downs of athletes and coaches than be subjected to the inside-the-business insights of a navel-gazing writer.
Sometimes, however, getting to see how the sausage is made is too juicy to pass up, especially when the kitchen help includes a legendary sports broadcaster, a national TV network and a pageant queen with caked on make-up — otherwise known as the NFL.
Things become even more interesting when the broadcaster, Bob Costas, comes clean about how the NFL strikes fear into corporate television like a napping dad who is best not disturbed. Awaken him at your own peril.
“Everyone walks on eggshells around the NFL,” Costas said in an ESPN.COM Outside the Lines report based on dozens of interviews with the former NBC broadcaster, who announced in January
he had left the peacock after 40 years. “The networks, all of them, dance to the NFL’S tune.”
In the end, Costas refused to dance. And it cost him. The 66-year-old was removed from last year’s Super Bowl coverage and ultimately all of NBC’S NFL coverage for continuing comments critical of football violence, specifically as it relates to brain injuries.
Costas stressed in the report that being dropped from NFL coverage was no great loss. For years he had faked his love for the sport. He was more careful in his comments about NBC, mostly taking the high road. But not always.
After Costas appeared at a sports symposium in Maryland on Nov. 7, 2017, where his comment — “The reality is that this game destroys people’s brains.” — went viral, NBC distanced itself from its star, releasing a statement that his “opinions are his own and do not represent those of the NBC Sports Group.”
Did we mention that NBC has a $9 billion contract with the NFL? Anyway, Costas popped off with a comeback: “So I guess that NBC is not sure whether there is
a connection between football and brain trauma. And I imagine the next press release is it’s still open to question whether the earth is round or flat.”
I have always liked Costas, even though he can be a little preachy. And I applaud anyone who can put a welt on the NFL, which resembles Paul Bunyan in stature but swings an axe with the vengeful thirst of Kill Bill.
But if ESPN’S report was nothing more than a takedown of the NFL, it would be just another story line in the mode of “billion-dollar corporation crushes little guy.”
Instead, the report
leaves room for interpretation and perspective. It tends to side with Costas, but does not canonize him. Good, because while Costas wants to stand up to Mr. Potter, there is too much self-righteous twinkle in the broadcaster’s eyes and too much sanctimony in his words to equate him with George Bailey. Remember, Costas got rich off NBC and the NFL.
If the NFL shines its supersized ego in pink neon, Costas carries a healthy dose of dogooder arrogance. I have no problem with it. The best in any business believe their own headlines. Such
self-assurance drives them to the top.
The clash of egos — a controlling and hypocritically imageconscious NFL vs. a respected broadcaster who prefers baseball to football — is what makes the report fascinating. Throw in the kowtowing tone of NBC toward its NFL master and you have an intriguing look inside the machine that has made the NFL the Marvel Comics of sports entertainment, with Costas as the well-meaning but flawed Captain America.