March 21, 2020 Issue, Page 10 of 10

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Page 10 The Elk City News, Elk City, Oklahoma Saturday, March 21, 2020 OU football: Five players that stood to gain the most from spring practices By Joe Buettner, The Nor- a solid case (in no particular or- 2. TY Pledger: Trey Sermon's Western Community College. the country by most major re- frontrunners for the gig are red- man Transcript, Okla. der): departure and the potentially Winfrey figured to be one cruiting services (Rivals.com, shirt freshman Spencer Rattler, NORMAN- Spring football 1. Jamal Morris; OU coach long suspension to Rhamon- of the Sooners’ answers to re- 247Sports.com and ESPN). the former five-star quarter- often lays the foundation for Lincoln Riley announced Ja- dre Stevenson leaves the door placing Neville Gallimore at The 6-foot-6 rising sopho- back from Phoenix, Arizona, promising football seasons. mal Morris, a former four-star open for junior running back defensive tackle. His place as more played in 13 games last and sophomore Tanner Morde- The NCAA allows for just 15 safety from Houston, would TJ Pledger, a former four-star 247Sports.com and ESPN's season, making starts against cai, a four-star gunslinger from spring practices, The coronavi- start working at linebacker this prospect, to see an uptick in No. | junior college prospect is Texas Tech and Kansas and Waco, Texas. tus disease, however, has put spring. carries. a big reason why. has yet to become a staple on OU's timing with finalizing those on hold. Morris’ move from safety to Pledger has appeared in 21 The 6-foot-3 defensive line- offensive line coach Bill Be- a quarterback battle has con- How the NCAA adjusts its linebacker -- along with Rob- games at OU, totaling 244 man, who has two seasons of denbaugh's group. sistently ended roughly two spring football timeline is yet ert Barnes’ identical switch this yards and one touchdown. Yet, eligibility remaining, was a Walker figured to compete weeks before the team’s first to be determined. It's rightfully offseason -- gives the Sooners he could be a crucial offensive 2020 spring enrollee for the for playing at tackle but has game. Although, Riley didn't more worried at the present much-needed depth at the posi- reserve behind presumed start- Sooners. His junior college primarily been a guard for the tule out naming a starter in the about the safety of student- tion, especially within a scheme er Kennedy Brooks. experience should give him a Sooners. A productive spring athletes and coaches by putting that loves to rotate players as His biggest competition for natural advantage as opposed could've been the boost he spring last week before prac- precautions in place to slow the often as possible. reps figures to be redshirt fresh- toa true freshman. Although, a needed to secure regular play- tices were postponed. spread of COVID-19. But with a potentially short- man Marcus Major and fresh- spring in Alex Grinch’s defense ing time among a crowded of- It's possible either Rattler As we wait out sports’ abrupt ened offseason, it takes away man Seth McGowan. would've obviously helped his fensive line group that's contin or Mordecai could've earned a hiatus, one question to ponder from Morris’ development fol- 3. Perrion Winfrey: One of progression. ued to stockpile talent. leg up in the race with a solid is who stood to gain the most lowing his redshirt season in the biggest additions to OU's 4, Brey Walker: The tower- 5, Tanner Mordecai/Spencer spring. Perhaps, Mordecai's from OU's 2020 spring football 2019 where he appeared in one 2020 recruiting class came via ing offensive lineman from Rattler: For the third consecu- tenure now gives him at least practices? game (Sept. 7 vs. South Da- Perrion Winfrey, a four-star ju- Westmoore arrived at OU as tive year, OU must replace its one advantage in a race where Here are five-ish players with kota). nior college talent out of Iowa one of the top prospects in starting quarterback. The two most assume Rattler will win. The coronavirus threw ESPN a curveball: How the sports giant is changing its game By Stephen Battaglio and Basketball tournaments _ with Nathanson said that if the rest ers will come back. Some will watching re-runs of curling and ball’s pennant races, Meg James, Los Angeles the results presented in a spe- of the NBA season is canceled, not." drone racing and billiards. And That could cause more Times cial airing Thursday. ESPN will lose out on as much David Carter, a professor at the moment they have a chance sports programming to move LOS ANGELES - The 'S' While ESPN and other TV as $475 million in advertising the USC Marshall School of to watch something live, it will to streaming in order to accom- in ESPN stands for sports. So networks try to fill the gap cre- revenues. There could also be Business whospecializes in the represent a return to some sem- modate the crowded schedule. what happens to one of the ated by the public health crisis, an additional $150 million de- sports business, believes fans blance of normalcy." Streamers already are getting a most-watched cable networks financial analysts who follow cline in ad revenues related to will flock back to the games While fan interest is expected boost as media companies shift when its programming staple- Disney are watching for any all of the other sports that were they love when play resumes, to come back when sports com- their movie releases to home live contests - shuts down? long-term impact on a business shut down through the end of asa long hiatus will create pent- petition returns, there could also viewing. It's an obstacle the network is that has been weathering the March, including the BNP Pa- up demand for their return. be a logjam of events in the fall "It's going to hasten the day facing as the coronavirus pan- challenges of shifting viewer ribas Open tennis tournament "These sports fans are in- as horse racing's Triple Crown when these networks and these demic has put an indefinite halt habits. in Indian Wells, Calif. credibly resilient," Carter said. and the Masters golf tourna- properties move more toward to the NBA and Major League ESPN's lack of live games Nathanson expects Disney "They have just an unending ment have been rescheduled for streaming content direct to con- Baseball, which made up the is projected to lead to a ratings to save hundreds of millions of appetite for content, especially September alongside the start sumers," Berke said. "It could core of ESPN's live program- decline of as much as 80% and dollars by not having to pay as live content, and they are cer- of the NFL and college football change how these deals are ming over the next few months. compound the problems for much in sports rights, although tainly going to get tired of season and Major League Base- done." The shutdown of the entire Disney, which has been reel- there will be an investment of sports world has also meant ing on multiple fronts due to as much as $100 million re- no fresh highlights for ES- the pandemic. Disney's theme quired to program the hours PN's signature news program, parks are closed around the that would ordinarily be de- "SportsCenter." world, and its cruise ships are voted to live coverage. "We do The situation could have ma- stuck in harbors. Movie theater think this will be done as effi- jor financial implications for closures have erased another ciently as possible including re- big source of revenue for the using previously telecast games parent company Walt Disney Co., which has long relied on company because Walt Disney and specials," he said. Studios relies heavily on its box Todd Juenger, media ana- huge profits generated by its office blockbusters. lyst with Bernstein & Co, has suite of ESPN channels. The Analysts worry that a reces- an even rosier view about the virus outbreak comes at a criti- sion could prevent a return to cost savings realized from not cal time for ESPN, which has business as usual, as leisure incurring the cost of live sports already seen its profitability fall spending is discretionary and programming. due to cord-cutting consumers households will have less in- “The shutdown of all orga- who are canceling or forgoing come for such extras. The chal- nized sporting events is obvi- pay TV subscriptions. lenges come ata time when Dis- ously a bad thing for the ESPN Meet Alex, ESPN did not make execu- ney has more than doubled its family of networks, the SEC a young mom who works. tives available, but Burke Mag- corporate debt to $47 billion to network, and newly launched nus, executive vice president of pay for its acquisition of much ACC network, as well as ABC programming, acquisitions and of 21st Century Fox. They also broadcast," Juenger said. "Sur- scheduling said in an interview follow a recent changing of the prisingly, we believe the near- posted on the network's website guard as longtime Chief Execu- term impact on segment profits this week that the company has tive Bob Iger handed the day- will be more-or-less profit. It been focused on finding alter- to-day operations over to Bob could even be profit positive." She needed to make some healthy Chapek, who had run Disney's native ways to keep its audi- parks and attractions. But there is no guarantee changes, but she was busy. ence engaged. A decade ago, ESPN was that TV rights fees that ESPN Magnus said ESPN remains distributed in about 100 mil- has already paid sports leagues So what worked for her? Focusing on will be immediately rebated to relevant to fans this week as lion homes, but now ESPN and ‘one habit at a time... one day at the NFL league calendar had ESPN2 are found in about 84 ESPN or other networks that a time. Eating healthier gave its official start this week, lead- million pay-TV homes. The carry sports, her energy to exercise. ing to a spate of news on free reduction means the company Lee Berke, a sports media agent signings by teams and the is taking in less money in fees consultant, said the leagues can blockbuster news that superstar received from pay TV distribu- also make up for lost games Now, she’s never felt quarterback Tom Brady intends tors _ known in the industry as by extending deals, adding better — and she's a to move on from the New Eng- affiliate fees - while program- programming or granting net- bett ‘ter wife, mother and land Patriots. ming costs continue to rise. works permission to run more employee as a result. “We've built our schedules ESPN has countered the commercials. with an eye toward that being trend with the launch of its "What nobody wants to do a major topic of conversation,” over-the-top streaming service unless it’s absolutely necessary Magnus said of the NFL moves. ESPN+ - which is an eventual is give money back," Berke The company has been talk- replacement for the traditional said. “Most likely there will ing to leagues about getting pay TV subscription _ and the be tougher discussions down permission to run encore pre- inclusion of its channels on What’s your first step? sentations of classic games, the road. It's a very rare event, internet-delivered TV services and you're going to have to deal Visit Shape YourFutureOK.com/health-quiz something fans have been re- such as Sling and Hulu Plus. questing. with it in a variety of ways to fir ESPN is also developing pro- Jimmy Pitaro, who took over make people whole." gramming that doesn't require a the reins of ESPN in 2018, has There is also a question of full production staff to come to made the network's availability whether cord-cutting will ac- its headquarters and studios in on digital platforms a priority. celerate as ESPN rides out the Bristol, Conn., as most of them But the virus has delivered sports shutdown. are working at home to avoid an unexpected curveball. Me- "We do expect some increase the spread of the COVID-19 dia analyst Michael Nathanson ShapeYourFutureOK.com virus. wrote in a research note Tues- in cord-cutting, at least in the Viewers are being asked to day that Disney's media net- near term, from pay-TV sub- “Bai TSET scribers whose main interest vote online to determine the works, including ESPN, will greatest college basketball likely take in $250 million less is sports, especially for those player ofall time _ in a bracket in revenue in fiscal year 2020 consumers who have lost their income," said Juenger. "We style similar to those used in than anticipated due to the the canceled NCAA College sports cancellations. expect most of those subscrib-