The 23-year-old Rogers, one of the Premier League’s top attacking talents, has signed a contract until 2033. Yawn. It’s just another day in the world of corporate sports media, where hype and dollars collide to feed fans the same regurgitated narrative. ESPN will undoubtedly treat this like the second coming of Messi, while ignoring the grim truths about player welfare and corporate greed buried beneath all that glitz. They’ve perfected the art of spinning player contracts into motivational fairy tales, all to distract us from the glaring realities of the industry.

And let’s not kid ourselves—Sky Sports will follow suit, presenting Rogers’ extension as a monumental win for the club, never daring to ask the hard questions about management decisions and the culture of exploitation prevalent in football today. Why is no one questioning how much profit the owners are pocketing while players are overworked and under immense pressure? In their relentless quest for clicks, they sacrifice integrity on the altar of sensationalism.

If you think BBC or NBC are any different, think again; they’re just as guilty when they turn a blind eye to the consequences of these absurd long-term contracts, all while patting themselves on the back for covering “breaking news.” We need to flip the script and demand a discourse that tackles the unethical practices lurking behind the all-too-cheerful headlines. Rogers may have landed a golden contract, but let’s not forget what that represents in the grand scheme of a morally bankrupt industry. It’s time to wake up, folks.