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ESPN analyst Desmond Howard weighed in on FOX Sports’ decision to bring Dave Portnoy into its college football coverage, and he did not hold back.

Speaking via Barrett Sports Media, Howard suggested that FOX’s move was designed to counter Pat McAfee’s role on ESPN’s College GameDay.

“This must be their move to try and offset what we have with McAfee, I’m assuming,” Howard said. “They want to compete. I like those guys. To me, our competitor has been the NBA on TNT because we’re always battling against them for the Sports Emmy. No disrespect to those guys (Big Noon Kickoff), I’m sure they do a fantastic job.”

FOX announced its decision to add Portnoy, the Barstool Sports founder, in an effort to bring more personality and entertainment value to its Big Noon Kickoff programming. The move comes at a time when networks are investing heavily in media figures who can resonate with fans outside of traditional X’s-and-O’s analysis.

Howard’s comments highlight the competitive landscape between ESPN and FOX, two networks that have been jockeying for control of college football’s Saturday morning audience. College GameDay has long been the industry leader, but Big Noon Kickoff has gained momentum in recent years, particularly with FOX’s aggressive scheduling of marquee Big Ten and Big 12 games.

By comparing FOX’s strategy to ESPN’s partnership with McAfee, Howard pointed out the shift toward entertainment-driven programming in college football media. While the on-field product remains the centerpiece, networks are increasingly relying on larger-than-life personalities to keep viewers engaged.

Whether Portnoy’s addition to FOX resonates with audiences in the same way McAfee has for ESPN remains to be seen, but Howard made it clear that he sees the hire as a move to keep pace in the ongoing broadcast battle.

This article first appeared on Heartland College Sports and was syndicated with permission.

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