ESPN commentator faces friction with network while eyeing GOP Senate run: report

ESPN college football commentator Paul Finebaum is eyeing a run for Senate in Alabama as a Republican — and it's causing tension between himself and his network, The Washington Post reported on Monday.

Feinbaum, who would be running for the seat being vacated by Sen. Tommy Tuberville, sat for an interview with Clay Travis on the right-wing sports website Outkick, where "not only did he express an interest in running for office, spurred in large part by the killing of Charlie Kirk, but Finebaum accused ESPN of preventing him from interviewing Donald Trump on his show in 2019."

Travis initially reported that ESPN had sidelined Finebaum from the network altogether, but an ESPN communications staffer promptly posted to X that this claim was "TOTALLY FALSE."

Nonetheless, said the report, "several people familiar with Finebaum’s situation offered competing views of what’s happening at the network. ESPN, one person said, has rotating schedules and could be looking for new talent to replace Finebaum in the event he actually leaves to get into politics. He’s expected back on 'Get Up' on Tuesday, that person said. Others found it beyond coincidence that the week after Finebaum had gone scorched earth on ESPN, he was suddenly less visible, especially during the heart of college football season."

Travis, who sold Outkick to Fox Corporation four years ago, has a vested interest in accusing ESPN of liberal bias, the report noted.

Meanwhile, said the report, "Politico’s Jonathan Martin reported that Finebaum’s political aspirations are serious and that he will visit Washington in October to meet with Republicans. Finebaum also has a contract that runs into 2027, according to two people with knowledge of the deal. That would suggest telling Travis about his plans and that he voted for Trump were not a contract negotiation ploy. (That theory, which circulated around ESPN, posited that Finebaum could be more valuable to the network and harder to cut ties with as a celebrated cause in conservative circles.)"

Tuberville upended Alabama politics earlier this year by announcing his bid for governor, in what has been perceived by some political observers as part of a larger exodus of senators frustrated with the bleakness of operating in Congress these days.