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Traina Thoughts Mailbag: NFL, MLB Could Soon See Significant Broadcast Changes

Readers had questions about what will happen when the NFL and Major League Baseball sign new rights deals in the near future.
Jimmy Traina|
Will ‘Sunday Night Football’ stay on NBC after the next round of television rights negotiations?
Will ‘Sunday Night Football’ stay on NBC after the next round of television rights negotiations? | Tim Fuller-Imagn Images

Welcome to another Traina Thoughts Mailbag. We have questions that came in via Instagram, through the app formerly known as Twitter and from readers of this column. I will answer your questions in that order. Thanks, as always, for the submissions.

Where do you see the sports viewing experience with streaming in five years? —@drew_nature_dogs

I think, even in five years, the Super Bowl, the World Series and the NBA Finals will still be on broadcast TV. But in terms of the regular season and playoffs, you’re going to see the number of games on streaming just go up and up and up.

The sport that fascinates me the most when it comes to streaming is baseball. Their audience skewers older, but the streaming audience is younger. What does MLB do when its contract with Fox, which airs the World Series, expires after the 2028 season? (More on this below when I get to Twitter questions.)

What are your favorite postgame shows? —@kenlasker

Inside the NBA is obviously the gold standard. If you count the old ESPN NFL PrimeTime with Chris Berman and Tom Jackson as a postgame show, that would be my all-time favorite. To be honest, though, if there’s a big game, I’m more interested in the postgame press conferences from the coaches and key players, so I seek those out more than the actual postgame show.

What should the new name of the Chicago Bears be when they move to Indiana? —@scottsagram81

I refuse to answer this question. If the CHICAGO Bears, one of the most storied franchises in sports history, move to Indiana, it will be one of the biggest disgraces of all time.

Would baseball really be dumb enough to have a lockout? —@whiter2

A lockout is coming, 100%. And I know fans always take the players’ side, but to hear players say the sport doesn’t need a salary cap is just so infuriating. Major League Baseball needs a salary cap and a salary floor.

Thoughts on the new New York Yankees booth? —@amyroanne

I’m glad to see the YES Network has decided to just use three analysts—Paul O’Neill, David Cone and Joe Girardi—this season after using six last year.

It was truly ridiculous to put on a Yankees game last season and not have a clue as to who was talking. So at least now when I watch the Yankees, I’ll know right away who is calling the game.

As for who is in the booth now, it’s just an “eh” for me overall. There’s just no one there that I’ve connected with and have looked forward to listening to. I know YES wants to make it the Paul O’Neill Show when he’s in the booth, but a lot of times, the banter with him and Michael Kay just doesn’t work for me.

Is there any sports comparison to what Howard Stern is doing right now? —@jaredkub

I don’t know exacty what Jared is asking about specifically here, but I’m assuming it’s Stern’s new schedule that sees him only doing live shows on Mondays and Tuesday for SiriusXM.

The obvious comparison to that is NBA players who take days off for load management.

What’s your order of “if it took place in my backyard, I’d draw the blinds” sports events? —@dielon1217

If you don’t get the reference here, this is a Chris “Mad Dog” Russo line. Whenever there was an event or game that Dog didn’t care about, he’d say, “If they played X in my backyard, I’d draw the blinds.”

So, to answer this question: Nascar, UFC, Olympics, any All-Star Game.

If you were the legit commissioner of wrestling, what would you change? — @4realrodneycampbell

I love the phrase “legit commissioner of wrestling” as if a scripted show can have a commissioner, but I know exactly what Rodney means, because in the old days of wrestling the commissioner would play a big role.

Anyway, if I was the legit commissioner of the WWE, I’d bring back outlandish and funny storylines. Yes, this is the “reality era,” but it’s still a TV show. I miss the old days of ridiculous angles and characters. Now, it’s all just so serious.

Every considered doing a 100% food review column of your favorite spots around the city? — @cscharch

I don’t think Sports Illustrated would appreciate that. In addition, it would have to be Long Island and not New York City, since I don’t work in the city anymore.

I actually said on social media recently that I wanted to start a podcast that would only be about Long Island diners. I wasn’t kidding, either. I was shocked by how many people told me they’d listen to that, so who knows. Maybe it’ll happen one day.

More for the pod, but you told Sal you aren’t a hero/sandwich guy. I would like an explanation. —@ralphieboy_

I don’t like cold cuts. I only eat turkey and I’m not crazy about that. And I hate all the crap they put on heros, mayo and mustard, etc. Gross. Hero sandwiches are 100% not for me. There’s your explanation.

I touched on this earlier in the Mailbag. What happens to the World Series after 2028 is a huge mystery today. I think MLB is going to sell it to the highest bidder. If Netflix comes in and says it doesn’t want to air any baseball games except the World Series and Netflix offers the most money, guess what? Netflix is going to get the World Series. Will Fox spend every penny it has to in order to keep the World Series? We don’t know because the NFL television deals are going to be renegotiated soon and Fox will have to spend the proverbial boatload to keep its Sunday package. ESPN has never aired the World Series. Will they try to make a play to get back into the baseball and get the Fall Classic into its portfolio for the first time? I wouldn’t be shocked.

I don’t know how much the NFL is willing to screw over NBC, Fox and CBS.

Opening Night is a big deal for NBC. Obviously, Thanksgiving is beyond huge for Fox and CBS. I have to believe the NFL will keep those games on those networks.

However, reports have indicated that Sunday Night Football on NBC would be up for grabs, especially if Amazon wants to upgrade from Thursday to Sundays.

I think streaming services will get more games like a Black Friday doubleheader, the Friday of opening week, Saturday games late in the season, Sunday morning international games and other special occasion games.

No, I don’t. The last Super Bowl to air on ABC was in 2006. This one, which will take place on Feb. 14, 2027, is a totally different animal.

This upcoming Super Bowl is going to air on ESPN as well as ABC. You’re also likely going to see alt casts on other channels in the ESPN family. Those past Super Bowls were ABC events. This is going to be a full-blown ESPN event.

I wish all of us who are in the content/aggregation game could agree not to amplify someone who is just giving an outlandish take that they don’t even believe just to get engagement.

If I’m home and the Yankees are playing on YES, I will absolutely watch some of the game. You gotta scout your players, see who looks good and see who can be a surprise contributor. Overevaluating players in spring training is one of the great traditions for a baseball fan.

That would bet two-time SI Media Podcast guest and fellow Long Islander, MJF, also known as Maxwell Jacob Friedman.

Let’s get to reader-submitted questions:

Really enjoy the podcast and always look forward to your segment to close the show with Sal. Your friendship/banter with Sal shows through, and almost weekly Sal organically goes against the grain on something that truly makes me chuckle, so keep up the great work on the podcast.  We are aligned on the (lack of) value of NFL pregame shows, yet everyone continues to do them. If you were in charge of a network, would you zag and put some different content ahead of games or still put out a pregame show? —Chris Bojar

I’ve said this many times before. I keep waiting for a network that airs an NFL pregame show to do something different. All the pregame shows are the same. They have a host, an ex-player or two, an ex-coach and an insider.

I would love to see an NFL pregame show that didn’t have one former player or coach on it. Here’s a pitch for ESPN now that they’ve taken over the NFL Network: Put together a pregame show with Scott Van Pelt, Stanford Steve, Kyle Brandt and Peter Schrager. It would be the best one on television.

Hello, Jimmy. I've followed you since the Hot Clicks days. I enjoy your takes and interviews on the podcast.

I've read about your frustration with NFL referees, but wonder if you expect it to get any better? I don't. Shouldn't we expect it to get worse? We live in an age where all of our personal information is available on the internet. There are numerous ways unstable people exact revenge on others such as doxxing and swatting. Sports leagues are now in bed with the gambling industry increasing the anxiety and consequences of missed calls. Even youth leagues around the country have trouble finding referees because of the abuse by parents. The respect for the job or position has plummeted. Why would anyone, of good character and ability, become a referee in this day and age? Is the NFL or any other sports league concerned about those issues affecting the pipeline for qualified referees? Thank you. —Christopher Moore

First and foremost, there’s nobody I love more than the people who have been with me since the Hot Clicks days. I wrote Hot Clicks from 2007 to 2013, so if you’re listening to my podcast or reading Traina Thoughts in 2026, I bow down to you.

As for the refs, I don’t expect them to get better. As much as I rail on how bad NFL refs are, I do have sympathy for them for one reason. Like you alluded to, the refs get beat up pretty good these days and social media is totally unforgiving. We have the slowest replays imaginable from every possible angle imaginable these days. If the refs get a call wrong, we are going to know about it 100% of the time. I wouldn’t worry, though, about leagues having trouble finding refs. People always need jobs and an income, so I don’t think you’ll ever see a shortage of refs.

I also think full-time refs is the dumbest idea possible. There’s nothing a ref can do in the middle of May that will help him make a big call in the middle of January. It’s just nonsensical.

Here’s what I would do if I were in charge of the NFL, and I have no idea if this is legal or some discriminatory violation, but I’d put an age limit on refs. Players today are bigger, stronger and faster than ever. Watching some 60-something ref try to run down the sidelines with Justin Jefferson to see if he’s staying in bounds is just comical.

I’d try to get refs who are between 30 and 55. Maybe if they’re younger and have better eyesight and are in better shape, they will get more calls right. Maybe.

Jimmy! Help me here. Many thought Bill Belichick didn’t get in because voters wanted to vote for others. Turns out … dead wrong! Other than Roger Craig, none got in. So, no “wasted votes.” Bill got stiffed, obviously. The voters didn’t vote him in due to other issues, but voting for others wasn’t one of them! If you wanted to vote for him they could have, but they didn’t. Yes? Why not? Tell us! —Mark Furlong

All I can tell you is this, Mark. Do not get worked up about the Hall of Fame. The Hall of Fame has zero credibility. The Pro Football Hall of Fame and the Baseball Hall of Fame are completely filled with players who doesn’t deserve to be there. The Hall of Fame should be for the all-time greats. Now, the Hall of Fame is for anyone who was good. It’s not worth the energy to care about the Hall of Fame.

Think about it this way. Bill Belichick is the greatest coach in NFL history. He’s not in the Hall of Fame. That alone should tell you the Hall of Fame is not something you should care about or get upset about.


I saw a post that said the Eagles may be looking to build a domed stadium in the near future. The reasoning outside of the Birds playing ball there, would be to attract more events and host a Super Bowl. I personally think a dome in Philly would be atrocious. But alas, my true concern is, is the domed stadium going to eventually take over and become the norm? Buffalo is building one, but I feel like the teams value money over everything and the hope of hosting a Super Bowl is too great for small markets to pass up on. Is this concern legit or am I just a paranoid Birds fan hoping we don’t lose the magic of snow games? —Bryce Inners

You are not paranoid. You are spot on. Nothing matters to anyone in sports except money. The only reason a team would build a domed stadium is money.

There should be zero domed stadiums in all of football. None. Zilch. Weather should always be part of the NFL.

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Jimmy Traina
JIMMY TRAINA

Jimmy Traina is a staff writer and podcast host for Sports Illustrated. A 20-year veteran in the industry, he’s been covering the sports media landscape for seven years and writes a daily column, Traina Thoughts. Traina has hosted the Sports Illustrated Media Podcast since 2018, a show known for interviews with some of the most important and powerful people in sports media. He also was the creator and writer of SI’s Hot Clicks feature from 2007 to '13.

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