1. Given the major business events in sports media this week, I feel like it’s time for me to write yet another column in hopes of one of you being able to explain to me why cutting the cord makes sense if you are someone who likes several sports.
I have been screaming about this for years and years and years now, and, as I have said all along, it’s only going to get worse. I couldn’t have been more right, so I will be that jerk who says, “I told you so.”
If you don’t think the cost of being a sports fan is completely and totally out of control, I don’t know what to tell you. If you like one or two sports, you are in decent shape. If you like more than that, you need to take out a loan from your local bank.
Let’s say you’re someone who wants to watch the NFL, college football, NBA, NHL, MLB, golf, tennis, soccer and WWE. And let’s say you decided to cut the cord, get rid of cable and go streaming only. Here’s just some of what you’d have to pay for access to all of those sports.
It will cost you $30 for ESPN’s upcoming direct-to-consumer app, which will get you a TON of content.
You need Peacock if you want to watch Sunday Night Football, the NBA and more. That costs either $11 or $17 a month depending on the plan you choose.
Netflix now has the NFL on Christmas Day and Monday Night Raw. That will cost you $18 a month.
A die-hard baseball and MLS fan needs AppleTV, which costs $10 a month.
Fox, which carries the NFL, college football, Major League Baseball and more is launching an app on Aug. 21 that will run you $20 a month.
A sports fan who wants to watch the NFL and soccer needs Paramount+ for $8 a month.
Just those apps alone have you shelling out about $100 a month.
I didn’t even count Amazon Prime in there, which costs $139 for the year, because whenever I mention that a sports fan needs to pay for Amazon in order to get Thursday Night Football, and now the NBA, everyone always screams at me, “EVERYONE HAS AMAZON PRIME, YOU STUPID IDIOT.”
You also still need access to TNT for a variety of sporting events. Throw in ION if you’re someone who likes to watch Caitlin Clark.
God forbid you want Sunday Ticket. That will cost $480 a year if you don’t have YouTubeTV.
You also still need access to NFL Network and MLB Network and NHL Network, so that would be another payment.
So, again, I need to ask: Can someone please explain to me how cutting the cord makes sense if you are a big sports fan?
2. Fox announced its 2025 NFL broadcast teams Friday morning.
Kevin Burkhardt and Tom Brady
Joe Davis and Greg Olsen
Kenny Albert and Jonathan Vilma
Kevin Kugler and Daryl Johnston
Adam Amin and Mark Sanchez
Chris Myers and Mark Schlereth
Burkhardt and Brady will call Giants-Commanders at 1 p.m. ET in Week 1.
3. ESPN’s latest edition of The Sports Reporters features a discussion about the life of an insider, with Shams Charania, Adam Schefter and Jeff Passan.
In discussing how their jobs are 24/7, therefore wreaking havoc on personal relationships, Charania got brutally honest.
“I’ve had to walk out on dates. My friends don’t really like me. It’s hard to have a consistent relationship.”
Shams Charania on the work-life balance of being a sports insider
— Fullcourtpass (@Fullcourtpass) August 7, 2025
"I've had to walk out on dates, a lot of social events. My friends don't really like me. There are just moments where I'm just always gonna choose this"
(h/t @ohnohedidnt24)pic.twitter.com/8kNMtW7HgS
4. This was really good stuff from Dan Patrick on the issue of journalism regarding the NFL now having equity in ESPN.
Dan addresses the criticism he received over his coverage of ESPN's acquisition of the NFL Network. pic.twitter.com/bwEBxaXXJb
— Dan Patrick Show (@dpshow) August 7, 2025
5. This is a very cool story about former NBA commissioner David Stern.
For 2+ years, I wrote Mr. David Stern an email once a month – pleading with him to have a one on one meeting with me. My agenda was to spend time with him and see what happens – which isn’t much of a value proposition to land a meeting with a living legend.
— Matthew Piper Jenks 🧲 (@MattPiperJenks) August 7, 2025
Over those 2+ years… pic.twitter.com/dTgIyixuBX
6. This weeks SI Media With Jimmy Traina features two interviews.
First up is Puck’s sports correspondent, John Ourand, who shares insight into the blockbuster ESPN-NFL Media deal. Ourand explains why each company wanted to make this deal, what it will mean for the presentation of NFL RedZone and the NFL Network and how ESPN’s upcoming direct-to-consumer $29.99 app is the focal point of this deal.
Ourand also talks about how the NFL benefits from the deal by getting four games to sell, why those games will likely go to streamers and how this could mean some interesting changes to the NFL schedule.
Following Ourand, SiriusXM’s Katie Nolan joins the show to discuss her new podcast Casuals, the sad state of getting accurate information these days, coverage of Bill Belichick’s relationship, the trend of adult objects being thrown on the court at WNBA games, her annoyance with the infiltration of gambling talk on sports broadcasts and more.
Following Nolan, Sal Licata from WFAN radio and SNY TV joins me for our weekly “Traina Thoughts” segment. This week, we discuss the issues with the Yankees, ratings for the NFL Hall of Fame game, betting stories, Brent Musburger, my recent root canal and Sal’s recent experience with a skunk at his house.
You can listen to the SI Media With Jimmy Traina podcast below or on Apple and Spotify.
7. RANDOM VIDEO OF THE DAY: The trailer for The Paper, Peacock’s spinoff/sequel/reboot/whatever of The Office, dropped on Thursday. The show debuts on Sept. 4. What do you think?
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.
This article was originally published on www.si.com as The Amount of Money It Costs Cord Cutters to Watch Sports Just Keeps Going Up and Up.
