Another Story About a Sports Streaming Mess

1. I saw some social media complaints a couple of days ago about what ESPN is making tennis fans do to watch the Australian Open.

On one hand, ESPN always puts so many resources into covering the tennis slams and bringing their people down to the Australian Open, etc.

On the other hand, this ESPN+/Unlimited situation has done irreparable harm to how people (me) rate their coverage
— Conor McCorry (@conormccorry) January 19, 2026

If you are in the U.S., ESPN+ does not give you full access to all the courts at the Australian Open. You need to get ESPN Unlimited which costs $29.99/month.
— Vansh (@vanshv2k) January 18, 2026

US Tennis fans logging into ESPN+ to watch the Australian Open and realizing ESPN+ isn’t enough anymore, and now they also need ESPN Unlimited. #AusOpen pic.twitter.com/yalarOr4um
— Suz (@OhhSuzannah) January 18, 2026

It is an absolute joke what ESPN has done with Australian Open coverage this year. REQUIRING a $30 ESPN Unlimited subscription to watch all the matches is crazy.
— Josh (@callmeWise) January 18, 2026

ESPN you guys are thieves. How am I paying for ESPN +, cable and I still can’t watch Australian Open until I upgrade to ESPN Unlimited. Do better
— ifybeke (@ifunanyaolachi) January 19, 2026

Apparently, ESPN has moved all the matches that people used to be able to watch with an ESPN+ subscription to the new ESPN Unlimited package.

This thorough and detailed article explains what ESPN is doing with its Australian Open coverage. Apparently ESPN+ is now ESPN Select, which is different from ESPN Unlimited.

If you have followed me for any period of time, you know I despise watching sports on streaming services for many reasons, so this situation was right in my wheelhouse. Why would anyone subscribe to ESPN Select when ESPN Unlimited supposedly gets you everything offered by ESPN? Why does ESPN Select even exist? What is the point of having ESPN Select? Does anyone know how this works? Who’s on first? Why does watching sports have to be so difficult?

2. On the 2025 Year-End SI Media With Jimmy Traina Extravaganza Podcast, I ranted about the proliferation of sports documentaries. You can’t go a few days without some network or streaming service announcing a multipart documentary about someone from the sports world.

On Tuesday, it was announced that ESPN is producing a six-part series on Nick Saban.

Nick Saban’s life & career will be the subject of a six-part ESPN series coming soon, produced with Words + Pictures 🎥

The project includes 30+ hours of interviews with Saban and 80+ interviews with people in his orbit.

Read more: https://t.co/UHUMESrt3G pic.twitter.com/m5l7cHmmEh
— Sports Business Journal (@SBJ) January 20, 2026

Last week, Apple TV announced is producing a multi-part doc on Andre Agassi.

Netflix just released a new documentary Monday on the 1980 U.S. Olympic men’s hockey team.

I’ll never understand how people have the time to watch all this.

3. We’ve heard rumblings for years that the NFL may eventually go to a two-game preseason and 18-game regular season. Patriots owner Robert Kraft confirmed that plan during a radio interview with Boston’s 98.5 The Sports Hub on Tuesday. Kraft also said the plan would see each team play at least one international game each season.

The NFL is looking to remove a preseason game in favor of increasing the regular season to 18 games while giving every team an international game, #Patriots owner Robert Kraft said on @ZoandBertrand. pic.twitter.com/DKeFs8ZsIi
— 98.5 The Sports Hub (@985TheSportsHub) January 20, 2026

4. If you like awkward press conference moments, Bills owner Terry Pegula gave us one on Wednesday when he threw former coach Sean McDermott under the bus for the team drafting wide receiver Keon Coleman … who is still on the team.

Wow. #Bills owner Terry Pegula says the coaching staff pushed to draft WR Keon Coleman and that was never GM Brandon Beane's top choice in that situation.

"That was Brandon being a team player. ... He's taken heat over it. I'm here to tell you the true story."

Wowza. I've never… pic.twitter.com/mimTgT9zc9
— Ari Meirov (@MySportsUpdate) January 21, 2026

5. This is a good nugget for my fellow degenerates.

In the last 50 years, home underdogs of 4 or more points against the spread in the NFL Playoffs:

W
W
W
W
W
W
W
W
W

Big home dogs are 9-0 ATS per @EvanHAbrams ✅@Broncos +5 vs. Patriots

Gambling problem? Call 1-800-GAMBLER
— John Ewing (@johnewing) January 21, 2026

6. The latest SI Media With Jimmy Traina features an interview with NBC’s Mike Tirico.

Tirico talks about not knowing what NFC divisional game he would call until Joe Buck announced it to the public, calling his first Super Bowl on Feb. 8, going straight from the Super Bowl to hosting the Olympics for NBC and his epic call at the end of the Ravens-Steelers game in Week 18.

In addition, Tirico shares his thoughts on his interview with Michael Jordan that NBC chopped up into several segments and the public’s reaction to that being Jordan’s role with the network in its return to airing the NBA.

Following Tirico, Sal Licata joins me for our weekly “Traina Thoughts” segment. This week’s topics include the NFL playoffs, old-school wrestling content and more.

You can listen to the SI Media With Jimmy Traina podcast below or on Apple and Spotify.

You can also watch SI Media With Jimmy Traina on YouTube.

7. RANDOM VIDEO OF THE DAY: It’s funny because it’s true.

Be sure to catch up on past editions of Traina Thoughts and check out the Sports Illustrated Media Podcast hosted by Jimmy Traina on Apple, Spotify or Google. You can also follow Jimmy on X and Instagram.