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Aikman and Buck Enter Contract Talks With ESPN

CAA's new representation raises their negotiating leverage with ESPN pushing to keep the pair to call the network's upcoming Super Bowl telecasts.

Overview

  • Reports published Thursday say Creative Artists Agency now represents both Troy Aikman and Joe Buck and may package them together in renewal talks.
  • Their five-year ESPN contracts expire after the 2026 season and negotiations are developing but not concluded.
  • Both broadcasters have publicly said they want to remain at ESPN and the network declined to comment when asked about the talks.
  • ESPN has a clear incentive to retain them because the Aikman-Buck booth has helped lift Monday Night Football ratings and the pair are slated to call ESPN's Super Bowl telecast after the 2026 season.
  • Salary precedent and recent large commentator deals give the duo bargaining power and could push their next contracts notably above their current reported salaries of roughly $18 million a year for Aikman and $15 million a year for Buck.