Welcome to Wednesday’s Morning Mashup. For the latest news, start at our WEEI.com home page or click here for the top stories from our news wire.
WEDNESDAY’S BROADCAST HIGHLIGHTS:NBA: Toronto at Detroit, 8 p.m. (ESPN)NBA: Cleveland at Denver, 10:30 p.m. (ESPN)NHL: Pittsburgh at Philadelphia , 8 p.m. (NBCSN)
AROUND THE WEB:
-- Should Rob Gronkowski be the next Bachelor?
For The Win writer Nick Schwartz thinks so.
And he explains the reasons in a piece published on Tuesday why the Patriots star should retire and become the next star of The Bachelor rather than join the WWE.
“1. It would be the most-watched Bachelor ever
The Bachelor finale reportedly averaged 7.8 million viewers, well below the series’ previous highs. There’s already been 22 seasons of The Bachelor, and unless there’s a drastic format change or a notable star signed on to the show, it’s likely the ratings will continue to dip.
Gronkowski would bring a colossal new audience.
2. Gronk’s future lies in showbiz
It was reported in February that Gronk had been told by The Rock that he could make millions in Hollywood as rumors swirled that the 28-year-old could retire early, and he’s already made some appearances in movies and TV shows. Whether or not those rumors were simply a negotiating tactic, it seems unlikely that Gronk will be in a commentary booth alongside Jim Nantz a decade from now. A season on The Bachelor can be Gronk’s springboard into show business.
The show takes a surprisingly short amount of time to shoot, as well. The most recent season was reportedly filmed from September to November of 2017, per Insider, but other seasons have been wrapped up in around six weeks. If ABC can move production to the summer, a Gronk-led Bachelor could potentially happen before his eventual NFL retirement.
3. He’s the ultimate Bachelor
Gronk’s relationship status is currently unclear. He was most recently linked to former Patriots cheerleader Camille Kostek, but TMZ reported in 2017 that they weren’t exclusive. Whatever the case may be, Gronk is the physical embodiment of a bachelor party, and his antics would make for must-watch television. This is a man who once hosted his own party cruise and prefers vodka water over beer because ‘you’re getting your fluids.’”
This is a great idea. Huge show business opportunity for Gronk without the risk of injury or concussions. Book it.
-- The Clippers debuted a new jersey patch on Tuesday after signing a deal with dating app Bumble.
The new Bumble patch, which the team is calling an "empowerment badge" to promote gender equality, features the app’s logo on the left front side of the jersey.
This partnership is more than a patch.Proud to stand with @Bumble for diversity and gender equality.We are #StrongerWithHer.For more info, please visit: https://t.co/1CRln6I2Xk pic.twitter.com/S7hHUk8ek3
— LA Clippers (@LAClippers)
March 6, 2018 The Clippers' Gillian Zucker is the NBA's only female president of business operations and the team has many other women in top positions. Bumble is known as an app that allows women to make the first move and control the conversation.
“We wanted to do something where we could really stand out and do something meaningful," team owner Steve Ballmer said. "The way it is positioned it becomes part of the game, so it's an opportunity to have more meaning for everybody."
