Sean Maloney
The Golden Globe Awards finds itself at a crossroads in the wake of a scandal that has left its future in doubt. With the Hollywood Foreign Press Association, which organizes the event, coming under fire for questionable financial practices and a perceived lack of racial diversity among its ranks, NBC has stated its intention to end its relationship with the Golden Globes.
While the loss of their decades-long broadcast TV partner has left many pundits and film buffs wondering if this spells the end of the road for the longest-running awards show recognizing excellence in both American and international film and television, there is no shortage of potential candidates that could step up and fill the void left by the Peacock network. Paramount Network leads the way as a +200 favorite to be the new home for the Golden Globes. Paramount is closely followed by NBC’s historical rivals, ABC, CBS, and Fox, who round out the front of the pack at the sportsbooks.
MyTopSportsbooks entertainment betting takes a look at both the favorites and dark horses as the Hollywood Foreign Press Association (HFPA) plans its strategy to address the concerns raised by its critics and return to the airwaves for the 79th edition of the Golden Globes in 2022. Sports bettors laying wagers online for the first time can find out all they need to know by checking out our reviews section for tips on how and where to get in on the action.
| TV Network to Host 2022 Golden Globe Awards |  |  |
| Paramount Network | +200 | +200 |
| ABC | +300 | +300 |
| CBS | +400 | +400 |
| Fox | +700 | +700 |
| WarnerMedia | +1000 | +1000 |
| PBS | +1600 | +1600 |
| Newsmax | +2500 | +2500 |
| OANN | +3300 | +3300 |
| BBC | +3300 | +3300 |
| RT | +5000 | +5000 |
| Bloomberg | +10000 | +10000 |
| Al Jazeera | +10000 | +10000 |
Golden Globes Controversy Nothing New
Second, only to the Academy Awards in popularity and credibility among film buffs, the Golden Globes have been honoring the best of the best in film and television entertainment since 1944. The awards have been a staple on broadcast television since first appearing on the small screen in 1958, and have found a home on NBC since 1996. However, controversy is nothing new for the Golden Globes, which found itself without a broadcast partner for four years during the 1960s after the Federal Communications Commission (FCC) claimed the HFPA “misled the public as to how the winners were determined”. At the heart of that scandal was an accusation that winners would see their awards given to someone else if they failed to show up for the televised gala. This marked the first time that NBC dumped the Golden Globes, with the network acting out of fear of sanctions by the FCC.
Here’s why NBC won’t air the Golden Globes next year: https://t.co/OumH3Qtj0V pic.twitter.com/uStXEq4OPo
— Forbes (@Forbes) May 11, 2021
With history now repeating itself, there is little chance that the relationship with NBC can be salvaged. And that is likely just fine with the HFPA. The most recent broadcast arrangement with NBC, and Dick Clark Productions, who produce the show on an annual basis, was only finalized after a nasty legal battle. And with the 2021 edition of the Golden Globes drawing a dramatically smaller television audience, the winds of change may be timely.
Paramount a Good Fit Despite Boycott
Of course, how the HFPA handles the current accusations of financial impropriety and lack of diversity will likely determine its fate. The Golden Globe currently faces a boycott by many of the stars they have previously honored, with Tom Cruise and Scarlett Johansson among the megastars who have voiced criticism and returned awards in protest.
Scarlett Johansson calls for boycott of ‘sexist’ Golden Globes https://t.co/6ums9DSLg5
— Daily Mail Celebrity (@DailyMailCeleb) May 9, 2021
Despite the backlash, it is the network at the heart of accusations of financial impropriety that leads the way as the favorite to be the new home of the Golden Globes. Paramount Network has been a lightning rod for criticism since treating dozens of HFPA members to an all-expenses-paid trip to Paris in 2019 in support of its hit show “Emily in Paris”.
Within the next year, #ParamountNetwork will rebrand as Paramount Movie Network and focus on TV movies, miniseries & series like #Yellowstone with movie stars. Most unscripted shows will be cancelled. #BarRescue and #LipSyncBattle will move elsewhere within #ViacomCBS networks. pic.twitter.com/cYpbhZFIXQ
— HOTCHKA (@Hotchka) September 22, 2020
But while that controversy would seem more likely to diminish the chances of the network best known for reality TV hits like “Cops” and “Bar Rescue”, the Paramount Network and the Golden Globes are a good fit. That is particularly true in light of the network’s recent moves away from reality TV, and towards big production films and TV shows.
Fading Awards Show Popularity a Factor
Companies like Amazon, Netflix, and WarnerMedia have all thrown their support behind the boycott. That has seriously diminished the value of the odds of WarnerMedia picking up the show. A $20 bet on the owners of HBO broadcasting the 2022 Golden Globes at BetOnline (+1000) currently would return $220.00. As for NBC’s chief rivals, the likelihood of any of them getting on board is likely to heavily depend on the steps that the HFPA takes to address recent criticisms. Up until now, the HFPA has made no public statements about tangible change, either to the processes used to select award winners or to address diversity concerns.
WarnerMedia are boycotting the HFPA and the Golden Globes: “For far too long, demands for perks, special favors and unprofessional requests have been made to our teams. We regret that, we have complained, but largely tolerated this behavior until now.”
(https://t.co/Xq36wiyrMK) pic.twitter.com/1sZbyuliqE
— Film Updates (@FilmUpdates) May 10, 2021
And it is unclear if they will. The Academy Awards have gone all-in on diversity, as reflected in the list of films nominated for this year’s Oscars, including “Judas and the Black Messiah”, “Minari”, and “Ma Rainey’s Black Bottom”. However, the move has failed to resonate with the TV audience, who tuned out in record numbers this year, with viewership down over 71% compared to just five years ago.
This year’s Academy Awards drew the lowest audience ever with just 9.85 million viewers, according to preliminary figures from Nielsen. That’s down 58% from last year’s overnight ratings, which were at an all-time low https://t.co/h8RzMrcWKd pic.twitter.com/TXuU1pwm6W
— Forbes (@Forbes) April 27, 2021
That opens the door for Paramount Network to deepen what is already a long and somewhat unsavory relationship with the HFPA. And it adds considerable value to the odds of the Golden Globes picking up airtime alongside the inimitable Jon Taffer, with a $20 bet at MyBookie (+200) on the 2022 Golden Globes moving to Paramount Network returning $60.00.
