ESPN is adding numerous college football and NFL analysts to its struggling marquee morning show in an apparent effort to boost its sagging ratings.
Starting Sept. 3, five different football pundits will have hosting stints on "Get Up" throughout the week. The following Monday, Sept. 10, the program's six NFL pundits will be introduced.
Most notably, Rex Ryan and new analyst Victor Cruz will join every Monday, Damien Woody will stop by on Wednesdays and Adam Schefter will have a stint on Thursdays. The full list of guests is below, per the network's press release:
College football:Mondays – Dan OrlovskyTuesdays – Jesse PalmerWednesdays – Paul FinebaumThursdays – Marcus SpearsFridays – Jonathan Vilma
NFL:Mondays – Rex Ryan and Victor CruzTuesdays – Ryan ClarkWednesdays – Damien WoodyThursdays – Adam SchefterFridays - Louis Riddick
These guest lineups mean "Get Up" will likely be very football heavy throughout the fall, which is the smart move. Professional and college football are the two most popular sports in the country. You might as well double-down.
Still, it's hard to imagine why a diehard NFL fan would watch Ryan and Cruz on "Get Up" when NFL Network dedicates its entire morning show to highlights and analysis. And therein lies the quintessential problem with the program: it doesn't have a strong constituency of built-in viewers. Mike Greenberg's milquetoast takes aren't drawing people in.
After a summer of low ratings –– "Get Up" averaged 222,632 viewers per episode in July –– it doesn't appear any closer to finding its footing.
