Pardon the Interruption may be ESPN’s most successful show outside SportsCenter in the worldwide leader’s almost 50-year history. But while its viewership has remained impressively constant over the years, it’s not because the network spends millions of dollars on promotion.
When the face of ESPN is discussed, it’s usually a race between Stephen A. Smith and Pat McAfee. That’s not just because both are paid an exorbitant amount of money, but also because both show up on other programs outside their daily shows. They also move a ton of traffic and conversation on social media.
In an appearance on Jimmy Traina’s Traina Thoughts podcast, PTI co-host Michael Wilbon admits he has a bit of a chip on his shoulder about the network’s lack of promotion for the longtime stalwart in the lineup.
When Traina admitted that Pardon the Interruption doesn’t get the love, attention, or coverage it probably deserves given its ratings, success, and longevity, Wilbon agreed. And he wasn’t afraid to send ESPN a message about it.
“It’s not even need for attention. You watch a lot of promos of this network, of all the shows in this network, and you’ll never see mention of this show,” Wilbon said about PTI. “There’s a phrase where I’m from that I utter. It starts with an F and ends with a U. That’s how I feel. I’m from the South Side of Chicago. I got a chip on my shoulder every day. And you want to ignore this show, really? Go ahead, but then ignore it. Don’t watch it. Turn the channel. I don’t care. But the promotion, go on your ESPN app. Stephen A. says, McAfee says. You won’t find a mention of this show.”
“If anybody, not PR, which does an incredible job, but if anybody called me from the people who deal with clips or social media, they dare not find my number. Because my ears would be singed at this point.
When asked whether he’s brought up his frustration with ESPN executives, Michael Wilbon said PTI has never been part of the ESPN culture because it’s always been based outside the ESPN ecosystem. Even the show that first brought them to the network, the Sports Reporters, was made up of outsiders.
“I’m not upset. I rage. I rage. I’m happy to rage. A lot of them don’t even know PTI exists. We’re not from Bristol. We weren’t created by Bristol. We’re not of the ESPN culture. We’re sportswriters who came in from a show a lot of them didn’t like. Most of these people are gone from ESPN now. They’re not even there. Doesn’t prevent me from raging. But they didn’t want this show. We came from Sports Reporters and we came from a place that they didn’t want,” Wilbon said.
“We came from sportswriters. And sportswriters don’t particularly have a lot of great things to say about sports television anyway. Or the people doing it in that time, or sometimes now. So, we’re not of that. We’re not of it. We’re not from it. We weren’t created by it. They didn’t pay attention. They told the people who came here from Bristol, ‘rent, don’t buy. Right? That’s what they did. That’s the truth. Anybody want to dispute it? Then come get me.’”
Wilbon’s perspective is fascinating for a couple of reasons. First, neither Pat McAfee nor Stephen A. Smith are truly from Bristol. Smith has operated mostly between New York and Los Angeles for his First Take appearances. And Pat McAfee came to ESPN strictly under a licensing deal for his daily ESPN show, where he maintains pretty much all the power and decision-making. Of course, his many other appearances on ESPN airwaves may tell a different story.
Is PTI criminally underrated? Absolutely, even to this day. Should ESPN be doing more to promote it and present its stars on the same level as McAfee and Smith? The network might argue that two veteran sportswriters won’t have the same impact reaching Gen Z, but it’s fair to say McAfee and Smith might not even have the same opportunities at ESPN if Wilbon and Kornheiser blazed that trail first. So maybe ESPN might want to make two of its broadcast pillars over the last quarter-century feel a little bit more appreciated.
The post Michael Wilbon says ESPN isn’t promoting PTI: ‘You won’t find a mention of this show’ appeared first on Awful Announcing.