How ESPN’s deal for the UFC and Fox’s deal for the WWE came together & LaChina Robinson on covering Women’s Basketball

Episode 14 of the Sports Media Podcast with Richard Deitsch features two guests: Sports Business Daily media reporter John Ourand and women’s basketball broadcaster and podcaster LaChina Robinson. In this podcast, Ourand discusses his reporting on the deal ESPN signed for UFC rights and the deal Fox signed for WWE Smackdown; how each deal came together; why ESPN was interested in UFC and where the programming will run; whether UFC has growth potential as a broadcast property; whether ESPN will examine the UFC with a journalism eye or merely as a promotional partner; how and why Fox came to get the WWE; whether Fox will use its FS1 debate shows to promote WWE; the economic calculations of both deals; how the World Cup viewership declines should be analyzed; the 2026 World Cup deal for Fox, and much more; Robinson discusses her myriad of jobs in women’s basketball including working for ESPN, Fox Sports, Raycom’s ACC women’s basketball, the Atlanta Dream, and espnW; the challenges of forging a career broadcasting and reporting on a niche sport; why women’s basketball and women’s basketball players face heavy sexism on social media; why some men have issues with women’s basketball; the genius and legacy of Pat Summitt; the struggle to get listeners for her podcast; working as a public speaker, and much more. You can subscribe to this podcast on Apple Podcasts, Google Play, Stitcher and more.