Three Items ESPN Should Consider With Their Oversight Of The NFL Network This Season

Don’t look now, but NFL training camps open today. The defending Super Bowl champion Seattle Seahawks officially kick off the summer camp season as the first team to open the door to the new NFL season. That means we’re just weeks away from live reports, remote broadcasts, and podcasts galore showcasing football in shorts and pads for the first time this summer.

class="wp-block-paragraph">However, the 2026 season brings a number of changes to the NFL media buffet. There will be no games for free on YouTube, more games on Netflix, and no more ESPN Monday Night Football doubleheaders. The biggest change this season will be ESPN’s oversight of NFL Network and how programming is executed under different leadership. Some changes will likely happen, while much may stay the same. But there are questions about what ESPN could do with the added oversight and distribution heading into the network’s first Super Bowl broadcast in February.

class="wp-block-paragraph">We’ve already seen some of those changes take place. ESPN kept NFL Network’s draft coverage relatively the same. The NFL schedule release, however, was different. NFL Network didn’t have unique schedule release coverage compared to ESPN, which went all in on the event.

class="wp-block-paragraph">There are still plenty of questions to ask. What will happen on Sunday mornings? Will NFL Gameday still exist to compete against Sunday NFL Countdown? Could there be a combination of talent from both networks to host the program? Or will everything stay the same?

class="wp-block-paragraph">There are also questions regarding weekday programming. With the salaries ESPN is taking on from NFL Network employees, programming changes seem inevitable. Could we see NFL Live become a simulcast and reduce costs by filling NFL Network’s afternoon programming slot? Good Morning Football has been a staple for football fans every morning on NFL Network. Could there be crossover with Get Up on NFL Mondays or Fridays?

class="wp-block-paragraph">The possibilities are nearly endless for what ESPN could do with NFL Network, its programming, staff, and distribution. With training camps opening today, here are three moves I’d make if I were ESPN as it begins its first season overseeing NFL Network.

Get The Message OutFirst and foremost, don’t shy away from cross-promotion and the utilization of talent. Ian Rapoport shouldn’t remain exclusive to NFL Network while Adam Schefter stays siloed on ESPN programming. ESPN’s goal during the early part of training camp should be to make both audiences aware of its oversight of NFL Network and the opportunities that come with it.

This includes guest appearances, live reports from camps, breaking news, and sharing assets from programs and interviews across both networks. By the end of training camp, football fans should know they can watch either NFL Network or ESPN and see the same personalities who define the league’s premier coverage.

class="wp-block-paragraph">Messaging on television is just as important as it is on radio. The more synergy you show, the better the outcome when it comes to viewership for the season.

Embrace A Shared Viewing ExperienceThe second suggestion is to expand the concept of the shared viewing experience. When ESPN rolled out its direct-to-consumer product last year, the updated app included a number of new and innovative features. From the Verts tab showcasing short-form videos to SC For You providing personalized, AI-created SportsCenter-branded updates for your favorite teams.

class="wp-block-paragraph">The next step should be creating a shared viewing experience for Monday Night Football. ESPN already does a fine job with the ManningCast featuring Peyton and Eli Manning on ESPN2, giving fans another way to watch the game. There’s no reason ESPN can’t do something similar with NFL Network talent.

class="wp-block-paragraph">Imagine watching the Bears on Monday Night Football with Good Morning Football’s Kyle Brandt or Seth Rollins. Or having Peter Schrager join the team for a special Good Evening Football alt-cast. The goal isn’t simply to create another viewing option. It’s to include it on the ESPN App in a multiview presentation alongside the ManningCast.

class="wp-block-paragraph">Talk about a complete viewing experience for football fans and making Monday Night Football on the ESPN App an even bigger destination.

Get Creative With CreatorsLastly, the biggest suggestion anyone could make regarding NFL Network is to borrow from what ESPN has already started doing with content licensing deals. It’s great to watch a replay of a football game now and then, but how many content deals could be struck with proven football creators to expand distribution on a platform as large as NFL Network?

The Pat McAfee Show is a perfect example of how ESPN has capitalized on the concept. The Rich Eisen Show is another. If ESPN’s goal is to drive viewership to NFL Network and make the property more valuable, would a deal with Bussin’ With The Boys make sense? How about The Fantasy Footballers? Or working with podcast networks featuring some of the biggest names covering the NFL?

class="wp-block-paragraph">If content is king, ESPN can own the football content game. If it doesn’t want NFL Network to become a full-time simulcast of NFL Live, what creator-led content would be the best fit to drive more broadcast viewers and greater digital engagement?

class="wp-block-paragraph">No matter how ESPN approaches its oversight of NFL Network, one thing is clear: the network cannot remain untouched. There’s a reason ESPN wanted oversight in exchange for the equity stake it gave the league. There’s also a reason the NFL sought out a broadcast company like ESPN to oversee it.

class="wp-block-paragraph">Training camp has always been about evaluating talent, experimenting with ideas, and figuring out what gives you the best chance to win in the fall. ESPN should approach its first season overseeing NFL Network the same way.

class="wp-block-paragraph">This is an opportunity to rethink how football fans consume the league’s content, not simply preserve what already exists. Whether it’s blending talent, creating new viewing experiences, or investing in creator-led programming, the goal shouldn’t be change for the sake of change. It should be making NFL Network more valuable to fans and a stronger partner within ESPN’s growing football ecosystem.

class="wp-block-paragraph">With camps officially underway, the countdown to kickoff has begun. The question now isn’t whether ESPN will make changes. It’s whether it will be bold enough to make the right ones.

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class="saboxplugin-authorname">John Mamola

class="saboxplugin-desc">John Mamola is Barrett Media’s sports editor and daily sports columnist. He brings over two decades of experience (Chicago, Tampa/St Petersburg) in the broadcast industry with expertise in brand management, sales, promotions, producing, imaging, hosting, talent coaching, talent development, web development, social media strategy and design, video production, creative writing, partnership building, communication/networking with a long track record of growth and success. He is a five-time recognized top 20 program director in a major market via Barrett Medi’s Top 20 series and has been honored internally multiple times as station/brand of the year (Tampa, FL) and employee of the month (Tampa, FL) by iHeartMedia. Connect with John by email at John@BarrettMedia.com.

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