The first official trade of 2022 could involve not a player, but a broadcaster.
Appearing on the SI Media Podcast with Jimmy Traina (via Sports Business Daily), Jim Miller said he has heard that Fox and ESPN are engaged in “some real horse-trading” over Buck. The top play-by-play announced at Fox, Buck is under contract through 2022. However, he may want to make the jump to ESPN with his long-time partner, Troy Aikman.
To get Buck from Fox, ESPN could offer something tangible to Fox. It’s not clear what that would be. Sixteen years ago, NBC shipped the rights to Oswald the Rabbit back to Disney in order to secure Al Michaels from ABC/ESPN.
Via the St. Louis Post-Dispatch, and as also noted by Sports Business Daily, Buck recently address his status on his podcast, Daddy Issues.
“I know Troy’s gone -- he’s now at ESPN,” Buck said. “I’m kind of in limbo. I’ve got another year under contract at Fox. They have expressed interest in keeping me. They also know that was a big partnership that I had with Troy.”
He could have it again in a year, if ESPN is willing to wait. It would make for a strange 2022, however, with Buck continuing at Fox with a new partner and Aikman working with someone else at ESPN. If Buck wants to go now, the best outcome would be for ESPN and Fox to work something out, soon.
