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Charissa Thompson Tells Jalen Rose How FOX Helped Her During Photo Scandal

“On this week’s Renaissance Man podcast with Jalen Rose, Thompson said her sense of humor helps her deal with the people that still post comments on her social media and how her bosses at FOX helped her feel better during a difficult time by including her in an event that she wasn’t even working.”

Ricky Keeler

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Whatever career you decide to go into, but especially in sports media, it is important to be authentic to who you are even when a bad situation happens to you. That was the case for FOX Sports analyst Charissa Thompson. Back in January 2018, private photos of Thompson were stolen off of her iCloud account and leaked to the public. 

On this week’s Renaissance Man podcast with Jalen Rose, Thompson said her sense of humor helps her deal with the people that still post comments on her social media and how her bosses at FOX helped her feel better during a difficult time by including her in an event that she wasn’t even working.

“My employer, this is where FOX is so incredible. When all that happened to me, my bosses put me on a plane to the NFC Championship Game to Philadelphia to be with all the guys because they were like hey, this bad thing happened to you, but we want you to be with your family. I flew there and I wasn’t even working and they were so wonderful to me. My employer wrapped their arms around me and they were like we got you. It’s about remaining authentic even when a crappy thing happens.” 

For Thompson, the goal for her in her career was to always do something that put her closer to her dream job. Since she was in Seattle and ESPN is on the other side of the country, she looked to get into FOX Sports in Los Angeles when she got out of college. Thompson took the unconventional route to get her foot in the door and then had to be sneaky to grow her career.

“I took the only job that was available in that building, which was Human Resources. In that job, I would sneak up to the highlights department at night and would log tapes. The path for me was do anything, do any job, don’t be above it. Be willing to go to a small market.”

Thompson and Rose used to work together at ESPN from 2011-2013. She even said that she wanted to name her first child Jalen because of how much of a fan she was of him growing up. 

In fact, Thompson thanks Rose for some advice that she gave her when she got to ESPN about always looking ahead to the future while still taking time to appreciate where you are in the present moment.

“I remember I got there and I was so excited and you said to me, appreciate your position, but plan your promotion. It has always stuck with me. Everyone is like just be happy where you are and I am, but I am always thinking about what’s next, trying to maximize the opportunity and potential in this window.”

Thompson, who also hosts the Calm Down podcast with Erin Andrews, says the podcast has come at a good time in her and Erin’s life because “It’s an opportunity to be real” and a “great forum for us to just talk.” 

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Final ‘Good Morning Football’ Episode from New York Studio Airs Before Hiatus, Move to LA

After today, ‘Good Morning Football’ will take a brief hiatus, then move to LA. But outside of host Jamie Erdahl, who else will join the show on the West Coast?

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Good Morning Football

Today marks the last Good Morning Football episode to air from its New York studios on NFL Network. After today, the show will take a brief hiatus, then move across the country to Los Angeles. But which of the shows beloved cast members will move along with it?

We already know host Jamie Erdahl will be there once she gives birth to her child. The newest GMFB show member gave an emotional send-off to the show’s New York studios before announcing she was headed for maternity leave and would see everyone in LA.

Host Kyle Brandt delivered this message late last night, saying that viewers should tune in to he and his colleagues and that “he has a lot to say.”

As the show ended today, Brandt said, “I am not saying goodbye to any of you…Candidly, I have a lot of questions myself. Here’s what I know: I personally will be intensely involved in Good Morning Football moving forward. And I want to spend the rest of my career with the NFL. And Good Morning Football is not ending, it is expanding. And it’s exciting because it’s a bigger show and it’s more show…It’s all in and it’s all happening and yes, we will be covering the draft. GMFB is leaving home for college…it’s time to evolve. And we are flattered that you are wondering and maybe worried about what’s coming next with the show…I am very proud of what we have built here…it has been a dream job and I know we are going to make a fantastic show from Los Angeles…I’ll see you this summer.”

Earlier this week host Peter Schrager delivered his own goodbye message — one that may sound like a man who’s not ready to move his family across the country at a moment’s notice:

However, no hosts outside of Erdahl have given confirmation that they’re either staying or going.

The NFL’s move to take the show from New York to Los Angeles has been widely criticized by fans and media members alike. Bill Simmons wondered if the move wouldn’t spell just the end of GMFB but the NFL Network as a whole. It has some wondering if this is the end of football’s best show.

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ESPN Coverage of Men’s NIT Tournament Quarterfinals Up 33% vs. 2023

Viewership of the Men’s NIT Quarterfinals on ESPN were up 33 percent compared to last year and featured two games that averaged over one million viewers.

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Even the NIT is riding the recent hot streak of live sports viewership numbers. According to data provided by ESPN, the 2024 NIT Quarterfinals are up 33 percent compared to last year’s tournament. Perhaps more surprisingly, two NIT quarterfinal games topped one million viewers.

The network’s Georgia/Ohio State matchup averaged 1.03 million viewers, while the Cincinnati/Indiana State contest averaged 1.02 million viewers. These two games were the most-watched NIT games since 2017 — including title games. Both Georgia and Ohio State have rabid fanbases, while many thought Indiana State was unjustly left out of the March Madness tournament, which could be a reason why viewers tuned in.

Much of the focus this season has been on the women’s game, thanks to Caitlin Clark, Angel Reese, and the undefeated South Carolina Gamecocks, led by Dawn Staley. ESPN just had its most-watched women’s college basketball season since 2008-09 because of the increased interest in the women’s game. The men’s game, however, hasn’t been heralded as much this season for whatever reason, mostly because numbers seem to be holding steady compared to previous years. However, if the NIT is posting viewership wins, that should bode well for the NCAA Tournament’s incoming viewership totals.

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Report: NFL to Put Christmas Day Doubleheader Up For Bids

Bidding is expected to start at $50 million among the current NFL media partners but some think the games could sell for $75 million to $100 million apiece.

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The NFL will reportedly put its Christmas Day games up for auction, allowing its current media partners to bid for the games. Now, it’s up to CBS, FOX, ESPN, NBC, and Prime Video to pay up for rights to one of these two marquee games.

According to Front Office Sports Michael McCarthy, preference will be given to linear networks, so Prime Video and Peacock may sit this one out. Bidding is expected to start at $50 million but McCarthy and his sources expect that number to rise. John Kosner, the former ESPN executive, thinks the new Christmas Day games could sell for $75 million to $100 million apiece.

The NFL announced a Wednesday Christmas Day doubleheader during its annual league meetings. The league originally said it wouldn’t force games on Christmas Day if the holiday fell on an odd day of the week, though as the NFL continues to put games on days outside of Sundays, Mondays, Thursdays, and sometimes Saturdays, we’re running out of days that don’t feature NFL football.

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