Trump probably couldn’t have known that the merger would result in Zucker becoming chairman of WarnerMedia’s “sports and news” properties, and he would thus have a chance to make more big-time sports unwatchable. But it’s happened, so the latrine fire consuming CNN may spread to beloved American pastimes.

According to Variety, “the company already enjoys a significant alliance with the National Basketball Association,” and could be in the mix for NFL broadcast rights in a couple of years. And it may be interested in other sports, Golf and NCAA basketball included. “We are not going to take anything off the table,” Zucker told Variety.

Partnering with CNN Sports is just what the NFL needs as it slowly recovers from multiple self-inflicted gunshot wounds to the feet. The anthem protests have simmered down and fans seem to be forgetting Commissioner Roger Goodell’s pathetic response. Fans are slowly returning.

For anyone smart enough to learn it, the lesson from the NFL’s disastrous few years is that fans don’t like their sports politicized. In fact, as MRCC has written before, 74% of registered voters watch sports and other entertainment shows to get away from issues, and don’t want to be bombarded with political messaging. A full 43% said they have been less likely to watch live sports and entertainment shows because they have become too political.

And -- Zucker’s bizarre SxSW denials to the contrary -- CNN is nothing if not “too political,” and you can tell from some of its sports coverage. The network long ago sided with “civil rights activist” Colin Kaepernick -- he of the police pig socks, Castro tees and bequeaths to charities named for convicted cop killers. It’s hosts have been mystified why anyone would take offense at the erstwhile QB’s disrespect for the anthem. Don “Airliners Disappear into Black Holes” Lemon has been downright indignant at Kaepernick skepticism: “I think everyone knows in the back of their minds, deep in their heart, what Colin Kaepernick did was courageous and heroic.” Guess it depends on what your definition of “hero” is.

CNN used to agree that Martina Navratilova was a hero -- she was a hero as a tennis star, as a lesbian activist, and back in March 2018 when she spoke out against the BBC paying her 10 times less than John McEnroe to provide commentary at Wimbledon. She was such a hero that her story was on CNN three days in a row.