As the Manti Te’o hoax story spreads across the media landscape, the race is on to get the first interview with the star Notre Dame football player.
TVNewser hears that ESPN and NBC News have both been making their pitch to Notre Dame and people close to Te’o, and it is safe to assume that many other news outlets have been as well.
Sports Illustrated‘s sports media ace Richard Deitsch got a comment from ESPN on the matter:
Says ESPN on a possible Manti T’eo interview: “We like many are pursuing the interview. No confirmation.”
— Richard Deitsch (@richarddeitsch) January 17, 2013
Te’o is likely to face tough questioning when he does decide to talk, given the inconsistencies in the story he has presented publicly. Even if he is telling the truth about being hoaxed, it begs the question how he could be fooled so easily.
He could also take a cue from another sports star: Lance Armstrong. Armstrong decided to come clean via an interview with Oprah Winfrey, airing tonight on OWN. Winfrey makes her interviewees seem a little more human, and it is clear she is gunning for any big interview that she can get.
Right now, Te’o is that big get.