| NEWS Report: Potential career change coming for Paul Finebaum- 247Sports

[SEC Sports]

Report: Potential career change coming for Paul Finebaum

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247sports.com

The King of the South may not be on ESPN's airwaves much longer, according to a breaking report from Sports Business Daily, who indicates college football media giant Paul Finebaum and his wealth of content could leave the Worldwide Leader for other ventures very soon.

"Paul Finebaum is negotiating with TV networks about a sitcom based on his life; such a move would see him leave ESPN and SEC Network," SBD's Michael Smith wrote on Tuesday.

Sources indicate Finebaum is exploring the potential of beginning a startup modeled after The Ringer or potentially taking his popular call-in show and soundbites to Sports Illustrated, DAZN or Fox Sports at the end of his current contract with ESPN.

Finebaum and his reps at CAA have met with all four major networks to gauge interest in a sitcom about the 64-year-old radio/TV personality, his call-in show and its many colorful characters. A sitcom is one of several opportunities Finebaum is exploring as he nears the end of his contract at ESPN and SEC Network, sources say. Finebaum’s $5 million, three-year deal runs through next summer, but sources say he could leave as early as the end of the 2020 college football season.

Finebaum agreed to a multi-year extension with ESPN in July 2018 after becoming the face of SEC Network during its massively successful launch four years prior. Interestingly enough, former ESPN head John Skipper — instrumental in getting Finebaum to the mothership — is DAZN's executive chair and wants to reacquire one of his top talents.

Self-defined as "an over-the-top subscription sports streaming service", DAZN is the future of sports media in hand-held form and Finebaum's quick hot takes are ideal for the platform, the report suggests.

The idea of a sitcom for Finebaum isn't necessarily uncharted territory for a media personality.

"“Listen Up!,” which ran on CBS in 2004-05, was based on Tony Kornheiser," SBD reported on Tuesday. "Finebaum’s meetings with network execs have reached the highest levels, including one sit-down with ABC Entertainment President Karey Burke."

 

[#80]

ESPN got him cheap they are paying S. A. Smith $8M a yr.

 

[bama alum]

I'd appreciate it if his next career move is retirement.

 

[alabama mike]

I'd appreciate it if his next career move is retirement.

That's funny! Some of the people that call in offer good insight to the program (when I listen) but others just get on my last nerve. I listen to XM 84, College Sports on the drive home every day, its more my personal choice.

 

[mando]

I know it did not say this but could this clown end up making what Saban makes through this process? That would be wrong on so many levels.

 

[#80]

He is a big Bama fan and one of if not the most connected in the media with reference to the SEC.

 

[rammerjammer]

He is a big money Bama fan and one of if not the most connected in the media with reference to the SEC.

FIFY.

Finebaum is the master at pitting sides. During Tubberville's hey day.......all the Bama folks called in and accused him of being a Barner. I remember the day Saban landed in Tuscaloosa, watching Finebaum and Rick Karle on Fox 6 break down his introductory speech after accepting the Bama Job. That day, Paul jumped on the Bama bandwagon and has beat the Nick Saban drum for years. His quote about Saban's acceptance speech was, "There is a new sheriff in town". Paul has beat the drum till recently and is now leaning towards the Saban is getting old and is about to retire shtick.

Eventually he will be right and will let everyone know that he has been saying this for years. This negotiation is typical Finebaum. He is pitting sides against each other. Remember this, ESPN is about to give the SEC a contract for 300 million dollars. That is 6 times more than what they are currently getting from CBS. Do you really think that ESPN is about to let the mouth of the south slip away? This is him getting more money from his boss. I have seen him do it here since his days on AM radio. I remember him going from AM to FM radio here locally in the early 2000's. He was making 250k a year and got a new lease from the local Dodge dealer every 2 years.

One of my former boss' always said, "you negotiate with your feet". Which means, if you are willing to go elsewhere, you will find out what you mean to your current employer. Finebaum is about to do just that.

 

[JoshB]

He is a big Bama fan and one of if not the most connected in the media with reference to the SEC.

lol Finebaum is definitely not a Bama fan.

 

[252BAMA]

lol Finebaum is definitely not a Bama fan.

ut Orange agitator in a White washing machine in a Crimson laundry room.

 

[#80]

lol Finebaum is definitely not a Bama fan.

You obviously do not watch or listen to his show. He has picked Bama to win the NC very year since 2010. He gets a lot of grief from all the other fan bases for being Pro Bama.

 

[mando]

Finebaum is a fan of whichever program(s) make him more money.... Whether bad mouthing or promoting. If it makes him $$$ he will do it.

 

[252BAMA]

You obviously do not watch or listen to his show. He has picked Bama to win the NC very year since 2010. He gets a lot of grief from all the other fan bases for being Pro Bama.

I don't listen to his show but I remember Bobby Lee Hurt.

"Post-Herald reporter Paul Finebaum interviewed Hurt at 1:54 a.m. the day he would sign with Alabama. The interview was held several miles outside of Huntsville, according to Finebaum, because Hurt wanted to be free from outside pressures. At the meeting, Finebaum said, Hurt told him, "Cotton said I would have to pay back the loan if I don't go to Alabama. It's not the greatest place."

At his press conference 10 hours later, Hurt signed with Alabama and said, "That's the place I thought I should be."

Hurt later denied the early morning quotes, but not the meeting. " didn't tell those writers any of that stuff. It's not true. I believe I was set up. I talked with them for about 15 minutes but it wasn't anything about what they wrote," Hurt said."

https://www.washingtonpost.com/archive/sports/1981/07/02/bobby-lee-hurt/477c315b-0c49-4ea1-bbe0-b1478ad89480/

 

[#80]

I don't listen to his show but I remember Bobby Lee Hurt.

"Post-Herald reporter Paul Finebaum interviewed Hurt at 1:54 a.m. the day he would sign with Alabama. The interview was held several miles outside of Huntsville, according to Finebaum, because Hurt wanted to be free from outside pressures. At the meeting, Finebaum said, Hurt told him, "Cotton said I would have to pay back the loan if I don't go to Alabama. It's not the greatest place."

At his press conference 10 hours later, Hurt signed with Alabama and said, "That's the place I thought I should be."

Hurt later denied the early morning quotes, but not the meeting. " didn't tell those writers any of that stuff. It's not true. I believe I was set up. I talked with them for about 15 minutes but it wasn't anything about what they wrote," Hurt said."

https://www.washingtonpost.com/archive/sports/1981/07/02/bobby-lee-hurt/477c315b-0c49-4ea1-bbe0-b1478ad89480/

So you are basing your option on this BS? That was 40 years ago. LMAO

 

[Tidestalker]

I don't always agree with him but he's really entertaining on the radio... When he can say what he wants to say, I appreciate his candidness and I do think he knows the SEC better than the other commentators.

Would love to see him go to podcasting or just do his own thing without censorship. As frustrating as he can be, he really helped stoke my fire for SEC football back in the early 2000's on WJOX.

I still really enjoy his quick spot on the Roundtable on Monday mornings... Their best interview each week!

 

[#80]

If you don't watch or listen to his show I don't understand how you can have an opinion about him unless it is preconceived.

 

[JoshB]

You obviously do not watch or listen to his show. He has picked Bama to win the NC very year since 2010. He gets a lot of grief from all the other fan bases for being Pro Bama.

You must have never listened to Finebaum pre Saban...

You do understand that a talking head predicting a particular team to win a championship doesn't make that talking head a "fan" of that team, right? It's literally his job to make a prediction like that... Finebaum has trolled Alabama fans as hard as he's trolled any other fan base, he's just had less troll worthy material in regards to Alabama since 2008.

 

[TerryP]

If you don't watch or listen to his show I don't understand how you can have an opinion about him unless it is preconceived.

I can say this with certainty. He's not a Bama fan. Now, that's not saying he hates Bama. Over the last decade he's been focusing a lot of his show on the Tide program: understandably so.

Finebaum is a "Saban appreciator." He's a fan of Saban's impact on college football. He's a fan of the number of listeners he has from the state of Alabama. He's appreciative of the Birmingham market and how it has propelled his career.

Still, not a Bama fan, @#80 I've known his former producer (from his radio days) for years and have had the opportunity to be around Paul on several occasions. Believe you me, they laugh at the notion fans get he's pulling for, or a fan of, Alabama. His producer told me it's one of those jokes that keeps on giving...two decades later and they still laugh when fans call him biased for Bama.

Pat is no longer working with Finebaum (held that position for almost three decades as I recall) and if you happened to ever come across him, ask. He's not trying to hide any secrets when it comes to Paul's fandom.

 

[mando]

On WJOX radio this morning Finebaum indicated that he is continuing talks with Hollywood execs about a sitcom about him and his show. Publicity or real? In this crazy world anything is possible.

 

[TerryP]

This reminds me of Ryen Russillo who had his longline's being looked at by some Hollywood execs a year or so ago. He dropped back to part time (podcast only) and now he's back to what I'd call a full time gig with ESPN.

Considering how much of a flop the show based on Kornheiser ended up being I could see Paul returning after dipping his toes into the water out there.

 

[JoshB]

On WJOX radio this morning Finebaum indicated that he is continuing talks with Hollywood execs about a sitcom about him and his show. Publicity or real? In this crazy world anything is possible.

If this actually happens I give it one season (if it even gets picked up) and he'll be back to doing a radio show (probably on Sirius for more freedom) again. The concept of this "sitcom" sounds absolutely horrendous.