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October 4, 2025, Waco, Texas, USA: An ESPN television camera seen during the first half of a college football game between the Baylor Bears and the Kansas State Wildcats on October 4, 2025 in Waco, Texas. Baylor won, 35-34. Waco USA – ZUMAc201 20251004_zap_c201_111 Copyright: xScottxColemanx
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October 4, 2025, Waco, Texas, USA: An ESPN television camera seen during the first half of a college football game between the Baylor Bears and the Kansas State Wildcats on October 4, 2025 in Waco, Texas. Baylor won, 35-34. Waco USA – ZUMAc201 20251004_zap_c201_111 Copyright: xScottxColemanx
ESPN has faced criticism for its golf coverage over the past few years. In 2025, technical glitches, commentary bias, and unusual programming choices left the fans upset. While covering the 2025 PGA Championship, many claimed that the network kept focusing on Rory McIlroy, leaving the others uncovered. This time around, at the Masters, ESPN decided to bring in non-golf entities as golf experts. And now, Trey Wingo, the former co-host of ESPN Golic and Wingo, bashed the network for its desperate tries.
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Asking ESPN to be careful through his YouTube channel, Wingo said, “They hear what everyone else is saying. They see what everyone else is saying. Let the Masters speak for itself. It doesn’t need all this hyperbolic nonsense. It’s the freaking Masters.”
ESPN tried to get hold of the broadcasting rights for the Masters Tournament in 2008 because it’s the most important tournament in golf, and the channel must avoid antagonizing Augusta National. The officials must remain especially careful since talks about ESPN laying off 30 off-camera employees are going viral.
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It’s worth noting that back in the 2000s, ESPN had about 110 million cable subscribers. That number has now dipped down to only 60 million. That’s possibly the reason why the network is desperately trying to make things more captivating at Augusta National. But that’s not something the patrons and fans like.
Wingo continued, “Some of that is inevitable due to cord-cutting. But if your core business model is shrinking, the last thing you want to do is p— off the people who have the core rights that you desperately want to hold on to. The master doesn’t need the side show. It doesn’t need the carnival. It needs to show up on our television and let us watch this great ritual of spring year in and year out without the crap.”
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ALMELO – ESPN microphone during the Dutch Eredivisie match between Heracles Almelo and Vitesse Arnhem at the Erve Asito Stadium on January 9, 2021 in Almelo, The Netherlands. ANP VINCENT JANNINK Dutch Eredivisie 2020/2021 xVIxANPxSportx/xxANPxIVx *** ALMELO ESPN microphone during the Dutch Eredivisie match between Heracles Almelo and Vitesse Arnhem at the Erve Asito Stadium on January 9, 2021 in Almelo, The Netherlands ANP VINCENT JANNINK Dutch Eredivisie 2020 2021 xVIxANPxSportx xxANPxIVx 426954369
In an attempt to modernize coverage and chase engagement, the broadcast has seemingly leaned into a more theatrical, personality-driven approach. This time, they brought the former WWE champion, The Miz, as the guest analyst at Masters. Watching him talk to Laura Rutledge wasn’t something the fans had on their Masters schedule.
ESPN also sent Jason Kelce to caddie for Akshaya Bhatia while snacking his way to the greens just a few hours before The Miz made his entry. The netizens hated the idea of watching Kelce gulp down 18 sandwiches instead of watching the golf stars swing at Augusta.
Both Jason Kelce and The Miz belong to separate sports (football and wrestling, respectively). Their expertise doesn’t really correlate on golf. And that made the fans believe that ESPN was treating the Masters Tournament like an amateur event. While such stints might work in football, it certainly wasn’t a success in golf, especially at Augusta National.
Wingo told his fans on YouTube, “And I love a lot of the guys who have been brought in to do some things for what they do. We don’t need that at the Masters. The Masters speaks for itself. And golf people at ESPN who are the best at what they do, do the golf. Save the carnival for something else. And you might just save the thing that you hold dear. The rights to broadcast the Masters for years and years to come.”
And while Kelce kept receiving backlash from the internet, Jim Nantz came forth with some advice.
Jim Nantz Offers Advice to Jason Kelce for His Appearance at the Masters
As he carried that bag for Bhatia, many netizens began bashing Jason Kelce. His sandwich mukbang stint further enraged the disappointed fans. But according to Nantz, ESPN can still repair the damages.
For the Par 3 Contest, most golfers would bring in their family and friends to caddie for them. And considering the curse on the nine-hole course, many even let their caddies or family members play the final shot. And all that ESPN needs to do is ask the golfers and their caddies a few direct questions.
Nantz suggested, “Maybe somebody knocks a hole-in-one, and you might ask them about that, but I think people want to know what the week looks like for them and what that experience was like out on the par three tournament. It’s unique. We don’t see anything like that the rest of the year. You don’t need to dig much deeper than that. This is a feel-good event. And you’re going to be you’re gonna be the right guy to do that.”
Wingo’s stark warning serves as a historical reminder that the powers that be at Augusta do not need ESPN as much as ESPN needs them. And if the backlash continues, ESPN might even lose the broadcasting privileges.
Written by
Edited by
Riya Singhal