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ESPN Announces They’re Broadcasting LeBron’s Decision, Internet Explodes

It’s official – LeBron James will announce his decision on where he’ll play next year Thursday night on ESPN. And that’s not all – the announcement will be part of a one-hour special devoted to LeBron’s choice. Reaction to this is about what you’d imagine it being.

Sports Illustrated’s Jimmy Traina, a vocal critic of LeBron’s free agency process for a while now, initially responded with simply, “You gotta be shitting me.” (Alas, he was not being shit.) He went on to say the only news that could top the special would be that Ryan Seacrest was hosting the special – or, as he called it, “circus show.”

Our friend Steve Krakauer wasn’t thrilled with the news, either, taking ESPN to task first for trying to act like they were outsiders in their own decision, then just for inserting themselves into the free agency “charade.”

ESPN employees weighed in as well, though less forcefully. Bill Simmons pointed out that a reader of his predicted this scenario last November, with Simmons himself proposing details back then so similar to what will actually play out on Thursday, we can’t help but wonder if someone in LeBron’s camp was paying attention. Erin Andrews offered up a “tooooooo maaaaaaach,” and let’s face it – what else could she have meant? (She later retweeted someone making fun of it.)

And finally, another word from LeBron maven Brian Windhorst, as he reminds us that there was almost a LeBron free agent tour documentary on ESPN, but the Cavs’ playoff flameout put an end to it.

Now, Team LeBron will be selling sponsorship rights for the special and donating proceeds to the Boys and Gils Club of America, but let’s once again turn to Traina:

Stop Tweeting me about the charity angle. LeBron’s worth 9 billion dollars. He doesn’t need to create a circus in order to donate his $.

We can’t argue. It seems like the only thing this special will accomplish (besides the inevitably massive ratings, we can’t deny that) is make people even more relieved the LeBron Free Agency Saga is about to end.

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