In his new role, Oshinsky will oversee the development of ESPN’s multiplatform storytelling efforts across “30 for 30,” ESPN Films, ESPN Originals, podcasts and scripted projects. He will head the sports network’s creative strategy, talent partnerships and the creation of its global master content slate.

“I’m thrilled to join an iconic brand like ESPN at such a pivotal moment for the industry,” Oshinsky said in a statement Monday. “I look forward to shaping the next chapter of ESPN’s original storytelling, marrying ambitious creative vision with formats and partnerships that meet audiences where they are.”

Oshinsky comes to ESPN having mostly recently served for six months as the Vice President of Creative Strategy at Business Insider. Prior to that, he worked as the Vice President of Global Content & Digital at PepsiCo, a position he held for three years after having previously served as an executive producer at the company and Senior Director of Global Communications.

Oshinsky’s other experience includes working as a director and executive producer at Time Studios, a two-year stint as Vice President of Sports Illustrated from 2017 through 2019 and a supervising producer at Time Inc. He returns to ESPN after having worked as an editor at the company for several months in 2005. He got his start in the sports entertainment world working as a producer for Major League Baseball.

Over the course of his 20+ year career, Oshinsky has received 14 Emmy Awards as well as multiple Webby, Telly and Anthem Awards. He previously produced and edited the 2010 ESPN “30 for 30” documentary “Four Days in October,” which charts the four games in the 2004 American League Championship Series when the Boston Red Sox became the first MLB team in history to win a best-of-seven playoff series after falling behind 0-3 to the New York Yankees.

Oshinsky’s appointment comes just a few months after ESPN officially closed its deal to acquire the NFL Network. Last week, ESPN also confirmed that longtime NBA and college football announcer Mark Jones was set to leave the network after 36 years. His last game as an ESPN play-by-play announcer came this past Sunday when the Orlando Magic traveled to Boston to take on the Boston Celtics. Jones’ departure was reportedly his decision.

The post ESPN Sets Josh Oshinsky as Senior Director of Original Content Development appeared first on TheWrap.

The “Malcolm” revival had just dropped on Hulu and Disney+ when Muniz was doing tight circles around the famed Bristol half-mile bullring oval in his “Malcolm”-themed racing Ford F-150.

But instead of breaking the fourth wall, he crashed into it.

Muniz wrecked at the Tennessee speedway in a Friday night crash with Tyler Reif and Timmy Hill. No drivers were hurt, but Muniz was out of the race and his truck was trashed.

“We were running pretty good, I felt pretty quick,” Muniz told Fox Sports after the incident. “I think [Reif] maybe got impatient, I don’t know. He was yelling at me in there, saying I’m a lapper, like I shouldn’t be racing.”

Muniz was in fact down a lap, but was fighting to keep the “lucky dog” position – the first car on the trailing lap – as a caution would have put him back on the leaders’ lap. That yellow flag did come, but unfortunately, the guy who plays Malcolm was in the middle of it.

“I belong on that racetrack just as much as he does, just as much as the leaders do,” Muniz said. “I’m not going to back down on that.”

Muniz, who largely left acting behind to pursue racing, is still fighting for respect on the track. “I definitely don’t get respect out there, 100 percent, nobody goes [races in tandem] with me,” he said back in February of 2025.

More than a year later, life is still unfair.

The post Frankie Muniz Crashes His ‘Malclom in the Middle’-Themed Ford in NASCAR Truck Series as Revival Premieres appeared first on TheWrap.

Allison Katz Mayfield, LA28 SVP of revenue, addressed the backlash during an appearance on “Good Day LA” Thursday, where she defended that “locals had the best access to the widest breadth of tickets.” Per Katz Mayfield, tickets priced at $28 “went quickly,” noting hundreds of thousands got scooped up during the presale.

Though LA28 stated that 30% of remaining tickets were priced under $200, many users claimed that high profile events—including the Olympics’ opening and closing ceremonies—only showed premium seats as available, which cost as high as $5,000. Per event organizers, there is a 24% service fee added to the cost of tickets, and includes fees for infrastructure, payment processing and customer service.

“If you want to sit in the absolute best seat at the highest demand event, those do go for over $1,000 for sure,” Katz Mayfield said. “But this isn’t your only chance to get those affordable tickets.”

The current drop window, known as “Drop 1,” will stay open until April 19, where those selected are able to purchase up to 12 Olympic session tickets. However, Katz Mayfield shared there wasn’t any new inventory added as Drop 1 entered its global phase on Thursday.

Those not selected for Drop 1 were automatically entered into future ticket releases, which are scheduled for later in the year. Additionally, more registration opportunities for ticket drops will be coming in the months to come.

In fact, Katz Mayfield warned Olympics fans to avoid purchasing tickets on resellers, at least for now.

“If you’re seeing tickets on resale platforms in 2026, they are not verified,” she said. “They may be speculative.”

LA28 organizers also reiterated to the outlet that nearly 50% of their Olympic tickets were available for under $200, and that more than three-quarters of all the tickets, including finals events, have been priced under $400. They also shared that about 5% of tickets cost more than $1,000.

The ticketing controversy isn’t the first to hit LA28 in recent months. Casey Wasserman, the embattled chairperson of the LA28 Olympics committee, has faced calls to resign in the aftermath of his Epstein-related revelations. Still, even after thousands of petitioners and locally elected officials, including Mayor Karen Bass, spoke out against Wasserman, the LA28 board — which consists of figures like Jeffrey Katzenberg, Jeanie Buss, Kevin McCarthy and Jessica Alba — continue to stand with him.

The post LA28 Organizers Promise There Will Be Other Chances to Get Affordable Tickets After Pricing Backlash appeared first on TheWrap.

Sources familiar with the matter at the Athletic said the outlet immediately began an investigation into Russini after the New York Post’s Page Six reached out for comment regarding photos of the two spending time together at a luxury hotel in Sedona, Arizona. The two, who are both married to other people, reportedly ate breakfast together at the Ambiente, spent time at the hotel’s pool and hot tub and were pictured on the roof of a private bungalow, according to Page Six.

Sources for Russini and Vrabel, who were both in Arizona for a meeting of the NFL Competition Committee, told Page Six the two were with other people during the weekend.

The Times declined to comment.

The investigation, which is ongoing and was first reported by Front Office Sports, represents an abrupt change from the outlet’s public defense of Russini over the photos. In Page Six’s Tuesday story, executive editor Steven Ginsberg initially said the images were “misleading and lack essential context.”

“These were public interactions in front of many people,” he told Page Six. “Dianna is a premier journalist covering the NFL and we’re proud to have her at the Athletic.”

While his statement stemmed from an initial review of the images, the apparent conduct did raise questions for Ginsberg and Athletic leadership, according to sources familiar with the matter. The Page Six report and information gleaned from the ongoing investigation have since spurred additional concerns for the Athletic, according to the sources, and Russini will not be reporting for the outlet as it probes the issue.

Russini also said the photos “don’t represent the group of six people who were hanging out during the day” and that “reporters interact with sources away from stadiums and other venues.” Photos have not emerged to support Russini’s claim. She did not respond to an immediate request for comment.

Vrabel told Page Six the photos showed “a completely innocent interaction, and any suggestion otherwise is laughable.”

Russini joined the Times-owned Athletic in 2023 after eight years at ESPN, where she worked as an NFL analyst and a “SportsCenter” anchor. She covered Vrabel’s tenure as the head coach of the Tennessee Titans in 2018.

Russini’s most recent story for the Athletic was published Tuesday.

The post The Athletic Investigating Reporter Dianna Russini’s Relations With NFL Coach After Private Photos Surface appeared first on TheWrap.

Jones’ final game as a play-by-play announcer will be the Orlando Magic vs. the Boston Celtics in Boston on Sunday. It was his decision to leave, according to a source familiar with the matter.

The Athletic first reported Jones’ exit.

“I have decided that it’s time to move on,” Jones posted on his Instagram. “From the day Dennis Swanson hired me in 1990 and working with the best producer in the business Kim Belton, until today I will forever be grateful for the many friends and colleagues along the way. As I move on to my next chapter I believe my best work is yet to come. I’ll be out there cookin’ hotter than fish grease!”

His Instagram post featured highlights from his years at the sports network, including his participation in the first all-Black TV announcing crew for the NBA Finals and his interview with former President Barack Obama.

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Jones, 64, joined ESPN in 1990. He was once ESPN’s No. 2 NBA play-by-play announcer, though the network has since prioritized announcers such as Mike Breen, Dave Pasch and Ryan Ruocco in recent years. Jones also contributed to the network’s college football coverage, including late-night Pac-12 games.

“Mark has made an enduring impact at ESPN since 1990, serving as a signature voice primarily within our NBA and college football coverage and across nearly all of our platforms,” ESPN said in a statement. “We’re grateful for Mark’s countless contributions and we wish him continued success.”

The post ESPN NBA Announcer Mark Jones to Exit After 36 Years appeared first on TheWrap.

At The Wrap’s Creators x Hollywood, in partnership with Whalar and The Lighthouse, the NFL’s Global SVP of Social, Creator & Content Marketing Ian Trombetta and creators Adam Waheed – who creates videos under Adam W – and Ross Smith spoke to the access the league affords creators and how this closer content serves as a win-win for consumers and the NFL.

Speaking on the “The New Playmakers: Creators Shaping the Future of Sports Fandoms” panel, Waheed admitted that he was shocked to receive the opportunity to work directly with the NFL as a creator — “No f–king way I get to work with the NFL, this is amazing!” — but added that it’s “one of the smartest things” the league does to bring it a step above other professional sports organizations.

“I think one of the smartest things the NFL does, and why they’re far past any other sports league, is they really embrace and know what’s going on in the culture of social media,” Waheed said, “where a lot of other companies and leagues, they think they know, but Ian and a lot of the guys on the team actually know what’s culturally relevant on the platforms. That makes all the difference.”

For Trombetta, it comes down to how freely the NFL gives creators access. Thanks to that open access, he thinks it leads naturally to stronger content that ultimately gets seen by more people. It’s been a mutually beneficial investment that has continued to grow as more teams see and reap the benefits of these creators.

“I think for us, one of the big changes that we had – again, give credit to commissioner and all the way down – but the amount of access that we’re able to give these guys now and opportunities to really shine has grown so much,” Trombetta said. “And the clubs also have to get invested in that, and they see the value. They see the output and what the returns are. So that’s also for us the real currency to give these guys what they need from a content and access perspective.”

And it isn’t just rabid fans of the NFL who are enjoying the benefits of seeing their favorite players, coaches and venues from new angles. A major advantage of this partnership has been in welcoming new fans to the sport. Waheed pointed out how many of his viewers were not originally football fans.

“I love the NFL, I know everything about it, but my audience doesn’t, there are a lot of people who don’t watch football who are maybe introduced to it for the first time through my channel, which really expands the game,” he explained. “And in the same sense, someone in that household might watch football, but the kid or the mom or the sister or whoever in the household might not watch it, and they get introduced to the game through that lens.”

Trombetta later added that a focus on younger fans and women were another focus for the NFL – and creators were a big part of that. He pointed to Waheed, Smith and even famous faces like Taylor Swift as figures who continue to grow the league to new demographics and keep them the biggest sport in the U.S.

“When we start looking at Adam’s audience, or Ross’ audience, guarantee you the majority of them are under 35 or even under 24. That’s very complimentary to what we’re trying to do,” he said. “And then you think about other creators that we’re working with that might have a huge Latino following or huge female following, and that brings those fans closer to us in different ways.

“So you know, you think about probably the biggest influencer, Taylor Swift, and there’s been a lot of talk about what Taylor’s done for the NFL. Our fan base is almost now 50% women, which is awesome.”

TheWrap’s Creators x Hollywood Summit is an invite-only gathering of the top creators, entertainment leaders and brand partners who are shaping the future of storytelling and the new entertainment economy.

The event is presented in partnership with global creator agency Whalar and The Lighthouse, both part of the Whalar Group. It is sponsored by City National Bank, Fox Entertainment, Lionsgate, Loeb & Loeb LLP and WEBTOON.

The post NFL Partnerships With Content Creators Are a Win-Win for Fans and Execs: ‘Give These Guys What They Need’ | Video appeared first on TheWrap.

It all comes back to the Sports Broadcasting Act of 1961. That act changed antitrust laws to allow professional sports teams to pool their broadcasting rights and sign league-exclusive contracts. It also limited the days, times and locations where pro football games could be played. It’s a law that made sense in the ’60s when there were three broadcast networks, but the streaming era means there are more options than ever to air games. And as we’ve seen throughout the years, more options often mean bigger bidding wars, more money for the NFL and more frustration from fans who just want to watch their team.

“The NFL’s media distribution model is the most fan and broadcaster-friendly in the entire sports and entertainment industry,” the league responded on Thursday. “With over 87% of our games on free, broadcast television, including 100% of games in the markets of the competing teams, the NFL has for decades put our fans front and center in how we distribute our content. The 2025 season was our most viewed since 1989 and reflects the strength of the NFL distribution model and its wide availability to all fans.”

This investigation isn’t exactly a shock. Back in February, the Federal Communications Commission sought public comment about how the NFL’s current packaging system has impacted viewers. Then, last month, chair of the Senate Judiciary Subcommittee on Antitrust, Competition Policy and Consumer Rights Mike Lee sent a letter to the DOJ and Federal Trade Commission. In that letter, he called for a review of the antitrust exception that the league currently holds.

“To watch every NFL game during this past season, football fans spent almost $1,000 on cable and streaming subscriptions. In practice, this requires subscribing to multiple streaming services and maintaining high-speed Internet in addition to a traditional cable or satellite bundle,” Lee wrote. “The resulting fragmentation has produced consumer confusion and increasing costs for viewers attempting to watch their teams.”

News of this investigation comes after NFL and CBS began talks on a renewal deal in March. That deal could lead to a 50% increase for CBS, which could cost the network $1 billion more per year. CBS currently pays about $2.1 billion a year for NFL rights, according to CNBC. If CBS agrees to that price hike, the NFL would eliminate the opt-out clause of the contract after the 2029-30 season; a clause that allows the league to walk away has been part of that deal since the two entities signed an 11-year agreement, which runs through the 2034 season.

The post Justice Department Opens Investigation Into NFL Over Anticompetitive Tactics Against Consumers appeared first on TheWrap.

The move comes as the company has been conducting an internal investigation into a lawsuit brought against the executive by whistleblower and Las Vegas gambler R.J. Cipriani.

Cipriani has accused Shell of failing to pay him for crisis communications services he allegedly provided to the executive. He also claimed that Shell disclosed material, non-public information to him, including details about Paramount’s $7.7 billion UFC media rights deal and its plans to sweeten its bid for Warner Bros. Discovery. Shell subsequently countersued and accused Cipriani of defamation and extortion and Cipriani responded by widening the scope of his lawsuit to include Paramount, its board of directors and the Ellison family. 

In a statement, Paramount said that following a thorough review with independent counsel, the “facts demonstrated that these allegations do not establish a securities law violation.”

“Mr. Shell promptly notified [Paramount Skydance] of these accusations and is taking forceful legal action. [Paramount Skydance] and its named Board members will respond in the proceedings to the frivolous and baseless claims against [Paramount Skydance] and its named Board members and stockholders,” the statement continues. “Consistent with Mr. Shell’s commitment to prioritizing [Paramount Skydance]’s success, he has elected to transition from his positions as President of [Paramount Skydance] and a member of [Paramount Skydance]’s Board of Directors to focus on this lawsuit. [Paramount Skydance] is grateful for Mr. Shell’s many contributions and to have relied on him as a valued advisor.”

Cipriani is seeking at least $150 million in damages, while Shell is seeking an unspecified amount of compensation for all damages and losses caused by Cipriani’s accusations, as well as an “injunction restraining Cipriani from further defaming Shell.”

A spokesperson for Shell declined to comment.

Prior to being recruited by David Ellison, Shell was ousted from NBCUniversal in 2023 over allegations of sexual harassment from former CNBC correspondent Hadley Gamble, with whom he admitted to having an “inappropriate relationship.”

He would ultimately land at Gerry Cardinale’s RedBird Capital Partners, which helped fund Skydance’s $8 billion acquisition of Paramount and is backing the $47 billion in equity financing for Warner Bros. alongside the Ellison family. He would officially join the Paramount Skydance leadership team after the announcement of the merger in July 2024.

Shell’s departure comes as the Paramount-Warner Bros. merger is expected to close by the third quarter, subject to regulatory and shareholder approval. A shareholder vote is slated for April 23.

In the event the transaction does not close by Sept. 30, WBD shareholders will receive a 25 cent per share “ticking fee” for each quarter until closing. In the event that the deal does not close at all due to regulatory matters, Paramount will pay WBD a $7 billion termination fee.

The post Jeff Shell Out as Paramount Skydance President appeared first on TheWrap.

Disney announced Tuesday that the Entertainment and Sports Programming Network would launch on Disney+ in 53 countries and territories across Europe and Asia-Pacific. This marks the next step taken by the streaming service in ESPN’s global expansion, with the sporting entertainment service now available on Disney+ in approximately 100 worldwide markets.

“Sports and live events are an essential part of our Disney+ content library, and we’re excited to build on the success we’ve already had with sports fans, as we bring more of ESPN to Disney+ subscribers in Europe and APAC,” Disney+ President Alisa Bowen said in a statement. “This launch adds to our growing portfolio of local sports rights around the world.”

This expansion means that all Disney+ subscribers across Europe will have access to EPSN’s exclusive sports programming, including studio shows, films and, of course, live sporting events. The same can be said for select Asia-Pacific markets, such as Hong Kong, Japan, Korea, Taiwan and Singapore, which will be receiving a curated selection of ESPN’s English-language content.

“This expansion marks an exciting next step for ESPN and Disney+ in our commitment to sports fans,” Freddy Rolón, head of global sports and talent office at ESPN, said in a statement. “ESPN has a longstanding tradition of delivering world-class content to sports fans, and the continued growth on Disney+ allows us to extend our reach and provide greater access and deeper connections with fans everywhere.”

What content is being offered as of now will vary from one market to the next, with content continuing to grow over time. Highlights of ESPN’s Disney+ offerings include US coverage of the NBA and NHL (starting with the 2026-27 season), regular season college basketball, the men’s and women’s March Madness NCAA championships, college football (including the College Football Playoff), bowl games, the Little League World Series and Savannah Bananas.

Subscribers will also gain access to ESPN’s award-winning and highly acclaimed “30 for 30” documentary series. Select studio shows, such as football news program “ESPN FC,” will also be included in the new expansion.

The post ESPN on Disney+ Launches Across 53 Countries and Territories in Europe, Asia-Pacific appeared first on TheWrap.

On Friday’s episode of “The Megyn Kelly Show,” the host criticized Woods’ actions at the scene, citing newly surfaced police body cam footage.

“Tiger didn’t kick things off on a good note,” she said, referencing the video obtained by TMZ. According to Kelly, Woods placed a call to Trump “as soon as he rolled the car and got out of it while the cops were there.”

She didn’t mince words about the pro golfer’s decision, calling it “a douche move” and suggesting it was an attempt to avoid consequences. “I think it’s very clear he called to try to get out of this somehow,” Kelly added. “It’s my supposition, but why the hell?”

Watch the full “Megyn Kelly Show” segment below:

The footage appears to show Woods referencing the call while speaking with officers.

“Yeah, I was just talking to the president,” he says in the clip.

Kelly argued that the timing of the call raises questions about Woods’ intent, speculating that he may have been seeking help as he faced what she described as both a “PR disaster and potentially a legal one.”

She also pointed to Trump discussing Woods publicly just the night before the crash.

“The night before Trump had been on ‘The Five’ on Fox News and said, ‘I don’t think Tiger’s going to play the Masters this year,’” Kelly said, suggesting the president may have disclosed private information and later apologized.

Still, Kelly dismissed the idea that Trump initiated the call to make amends. “I’m going to go with Tiger called him and asked for some help,” she said.

The host went on to argue that Woods appeared to receive preferential treatment at the scene after rolling a clip of the arrest. She added that if it had been her at the scene after “rolling a vehicle” with her “eyes dilated,” she would have been treated differently, adding that “the whole thing has got privilege written all over it.”

Kelly concluded by framing the arrest as part of a broader pattern of behavior. “What other favors did he call in on other potential accidents?” she said, pointing to Woods’ past legal troubles.

Woods was arrested March 27 in Jupiter, Fla. for driving under the influence following a car crash, which flipped his car. This is not the first time Woods has been involved in reckless driving. In 2021 the golfer was speeding and involved in a severe car crash in California, which resulted in multiple leg injuries. The golfer was also arrested in 2017 on suspicion of driving under the influence. He later pleaded guilty to reckless driving, only paying a $250 fine.

You can watch the full “The Megyn Kelly Show” segment in the video above.

The post Megyn Kelly Blasts Tiger Woods for Calling Trump at DUI Scene: ‘Douche Move’ | Video appeared first on TheWrap.