Sports Media with Richard Deitsch

Episode 186 of the Sports Media Podcast features Bryan Curtis, the Editor-At-Large for The Ringer and also the co-host with David Shoemaker of The Press Box podcast. In this podcast, Curtis and Deitsch discuss how news is presented on television versus sports; whether you can do policy-based programming on cable news; the reverberations from Troy Aikman's move to ESPN; how Fox would handle the loss of Joe Buck; the mindset of Al Michaels heading forward; ESPN’s re-set of its relationship with the NFL; how ESPN looks at First Take in 2022 versus five years ago; Amazon’s NFL plans; the future of sports-talk radio; how Bryan sees Tony Romo and why he believes Romo is different depending on the game; writing sports media as a career and more. You can subscribe to this podcast on Apple Podcasts, Google Play, Stitcher, and more. To learn more about listener data and our privacy practices visit: https://www.audacyinc.com/privacy-policy Learn more about your ad choices. Visit https://podcastchoices.com/adchoices

Episode 185 of the Sports Media Podcasts focuses on the state of the Canadian sports media. The guests are Shireen Ahmed, a senior contributor with CBC Sports and a co-host of the “Burn It All Down” podcast; Donnovan Bennett, a multi-media host and writer for Sportsnet; Morgan Campbell, a Senior Contributor for CBC Sports; James Cybulski, a play by play voice for EA Sports’ NHL 21 and longtime sports media voice in Vancouver; Bryan Hayes, the host of TSN’s “OverDrive” show and podcast and a commentator for TSN, and Kara Wagland, an anchor and reporter for SportsCentre and the host of the NFL on TSN. The podcast is broken down into two panels, with Bennett, Hayes, and Wagland in the first panel and Ahmed, Campbell, and Cybulski in the second panel. In this podcast, the group discusses whether Canadian sports fans are being served by the Canadian sports media right now; what Canadian sports consumers want from the people in their positions; what content areas are growing and receding; prospects for long-term employment; the U.S. impact on Canadian sports media content; the impact of the arrival of legalized sports gambling in Canada; the makeup of those in the business and being a disrupter; advice for young people heading into the profession, and more. You can subscribe to this podcast on Apple Podcasts, Google Play, Stitcher, and more. To learn more about listener data and our privacy practices visit: https://www.audacyinc.com/privacy-policy Learn more about your ad choices. Visit https://podcastchoices.com/adchoices

Episode 184 of the Sports Media Podcast features a conversation with Sports Illustrated writer Jimmy Traina about the impending move of Troy Aikman to join ESPN’s Monday Night Football. In this podcast, Traina and Deitsch discuss the impending move, first reported by the New York Post; what the move means for ESPN and Fox; who could potentially partner with Aikman; how Fox will handle the move; what this means for Amazon’s NFL interest; Al Michaels' future, and more. You can subscribe to this podcast on Apple Podcasts, Google Play, Stitcher and more. To learn more about listener data and our privacy practices visit: https://www.audacyinc.com/privacy-policy Learn more about your ad choices. Visit https://podcastchoices.com/adchoices

Episode 183 of the Sports Media Podcast features three guests. First up is NBC Sports host and play by play broadcaster Mike Tirico, whose assignments include the Olympics, NFL, horse racing, golf, and Notre Dame Football. He is followed by a panel featuring Austin Karp, managing editor/digital of Sports Business Journal and Jon Lewis, founder and editor of Sports Media Watch and the Sports Media Watch podcast with TJ Rives. In this podcast Tirico discusses his Beijing Olympics experience; the environment of China for NBC Sports; Tirico’s comments on Kamila Valieva and the IOC; his thoughts on Beijing being the least-watched Olympics ever; the future of the Olympics as a viewership play; the prospect of Al Michaels leaving for Amazon and taking over Sunday Night Football; navigating wanting to do NFL football while Michaels was still in the booth; the researchers for the Olympics; the sharing of on-air people between networks; his dream of calling an NBA game with Charles Barkley, and more. Lewis, Karp and Deitsch discuss the Beijing Olympics viewership; what to make of the Olympic brand heading forward; NFL scheduling on Christmas Day in 2022; Daytona 500 viewership and NASCAR’s brand; PGA Tour and Phil Mickelson; what kind of viewership the NCAA Tournament will get, and more. You can subscribe to this podcast on Apple Podcasts, Google Play, Stitcher and more. To learn more about listener data and our privacy practices visit: https://www.audacyinc.com/privacy-policy Learn more about your ad choices. Visit https://podcastchoices.com/adchoices

Episode 182 of the Sports Media Podcast features two guests. First up is Michele Tafoya, the longtime sideline reporter for NBC Sports who is leaving sports broadcasting for both a role in Minnesota politics and political commentating. She is followed by USA Today sports columnist Nancy Armour, who is onsite at the Beijing Games. In this podcast, Tafoya discusses why this was the right time for her to leave sports broadcasting; becoming a co-chairman of a gubernatorial campaign in Minnesota; making herself available as a political commentator; insisting that NBC Sports had no issues with her appearance on The View; the prospects of interviewing Enes Kanter Freedom at CPAC; how she classifies herself politically; navigating politics while working for NBC Sports; talking politics on with Sunday Night Football cast mates; being the poolside reporter at the Olympics; reporting on Gary Kubiak when he suffered a transient ischemic attack during Sunday Night Football; her most memorable assignments; her memorable interviews with Bill Belichick and Gregg Popovich; and more. Armour discusses the biggest challenges since she arrived in Beijing; what she had to do to get Beijing; her accommodations; staffing levels; how she decides what stories she does daily; her access to athletes; covering alpine skiing; covering the Olympics during a Super Bowl Week; how much she worries about her intellectual security; the future of the Olympics and more. You can subscribe to this podcast on Apple Podcasts, Google Play, Stitcher and more. To learn more about listener data and our privacy practices visit: https://www.audacyinc.com/privacy-policy Learn more about your ad choices. Visit https://podcastchoices.com/adchoices

Episode 181 of the Sports Media Podcast features three guests. First up is Jim Trotter, a reporter for NFL Media and a longtime NFL writer and Jane McManus, the Director of the Marist's Center for Sports Communication. They are followed by Chris Herring, a Sports Illustrated senior writer and NYT best-selling author of “Blood in the Garden: The Flagrant History of the 1990s New York Knicks.” In this podcast, Trotter and McManus discuss covering a Super Bowl; how journalists can separate themselves with so many media people; coverage of Brian Flores filing a 58-page class-action discrimination against the league and all 32 teams alleging discrimination in their hiring practices; the allegations and testimony of former Washington Commanders employers regarding of workplace misconduct; separating yourself against competition at the Super Bowl; Super Bowl viewership expectations; is there anything that could turn people away from the NFL; Herring discusses the 1990s Knicks and why people care about them; how would things be different had they beat the Rockets; covering NBA Trade deadline week; working for SI, ESPN, Five Thirty Eight and Wall Street Journal; and more. You can subscribe to this podcast on Apple Podcasts, Google Play, Stitcher and more. To learn more about listener data and our privacy practices visit: https://www.audacyinc.com/privacy-policy Learn more about your ad choices. Visit https://podcastchoices.com/adchoices

Episode 180 of the Sports Media Podcast features two guests. First up is Burke Magnus, the President, Programming and Original Content for ESPN. He is followed by Tim Layden, writer at large for NBC Sports In this podcast, Magnus discusses how ESPN negotiates sports rights deals; his philosophy when it comes to rights acquisition and negotiation; how negotiating with the NFL is different than other entities and where the similarities are; dealing with deals in the billions of dollars; why the college football playoff has not yet expanded; ESPN’s upcoming SEC deal; ESPN’s interest in maintaining Big 10 Football; ESPN’s relationship with the NBA; ESPN’s F-1 deal and where that property is heading forward; how ESPN and Disney executives look at sports betting gambling space and what that means for ESPN; whether ESPN can serve both the traditional cable model and the growing direct-to-consumer model; how many years away from a direct to consumer title game of significance; ESPN’s interest in the upcoming NFL Sunday Ticket rights package; is the sports streaming too crowded; ESPN’s Australian Open issues and much more. Layden discusses the upcoming Beijing Games; what stories are the most interesting for the Games; how to cover an event when you are not there; the relationship between feature writer and subject; debates about access, the state of horse racing in 2022, and more. You can subscribe to this podcast on Apple Podcasts, Google Play, Stitcher and more. To learn more about listener data and our privacy practices visit: https://www.audacyinc.com/privacy-policy Learn more about your ad choices. Visit https://podcastchoices.com/adchoices

Episode 179 of the Sports Media Podcast features Fox NFL analyst and Pro Football Hall of Famer Troy Aikman. He is followed by Chad Finn, the sports media writer of the Boston Globe. In this podcast, Aikman discusses how long he wants to remain in broadcasting; his future at Fox Sports and links to working for Amazon; the launch of a his low-cal, low-carb light beer called Eight; attending John Madden’s private funeral; his thoughts on the Niners-Rams NFC Championship Game; what he thinks of Joe Burrow and those who say Burrow reminds them of Aikman; why he’d like to meet Sylvester Stallone and much more. Finn discusses the divisional NFL weekend and what it means heading forward; postseason NFL viewership; the prospect of gambling companies hiring insiders; negative momentum for the Beijing Olympics and more. You can subscribe to this podcast on Apple Podcasts, Google Play, Stitcher and more. To learn more about listener data and our privacy practices visit: https://www.audacyinc.com/privacy-policy Learn more about your ad choices. Visit https://podcastchoices.com/adchoices

Episode 178 of the Sports Media Podcast features two guests. First up is Mike Golic, the longtime ESPN staffer who now works for a variety of places including Westwood One Audio, Learfield and Meadowlark Media, and Peacock. He is followed by Jay Glazer, the Fox NFL insider and the author of “Unbreakable: How I Turned My Depression and Anxiety into Motivation and You Can Too.” In this podcast, Golic discusses life after ESPN; how he approached getting work following ESPN; working with Kate Scott doing college football for Learfield; calling NFL games for Westwood One Audio and his Super Bowl assignment; working with Stugotz (Jon Weiner) and Meadowlark Media; what he’s learned in the podcast space; his continued interest in doing daily sports radio; the role of sports gambling in media heading forward and his work with Draft Kings; the broadcasting work of Drew Brees and more. Glazer discusses his new book, “Unbreakable: How I Turned My Depression and Anxiety into Motivation and You Can Too; why he wrote the book; suffering lifelong depression and anxiety; having panic and anxiety attacks on the set of Fox NFL Sunday; talking to Rams coach Sean McVay about depression; the role of famous athletes in breaking mental health stigmas; whether he is tempted to join a gambling company; and more. You can subscribe to this podcast on Apple Podcasts, Google Play, Stitcher and more. To learn more about listener data and our privacy practices visit: https://www.audacyinc.com/privacy-policy Learn more about your ad choices. Visit https://podcastchoices.com/adchoices

Episode 177 of the Sports Media Podcast features four guests for a roundtable on the future of hockey reporting. The guests are Michael Farber, the Hall of Fame hockey writer and longtime Sports Illustrated writer and TSN contributor; ESPN hockey reporter Emily Kaplan, Michael Russo, a senior writer covering the Minnesota Wild and the NHL for The Athletic and Fluto Shinzawa, a senior writer for The Athletic covering the Boston Bruins In this podcast the panel evaluates the state of hockey reporting in 2022; defining access in 2022; the most under-reported stories; hockey culture and the reporting on mental health and sexual abuse by Rick Westhead and Katie Strang; who is covering the sport and where the sport’s media is regarding people of color covering it; will ESPN and Turner make a difference good or bad in NHL coverage; the role of analytics in the sport heading forward; the next iteration of reporting and more. You can subscribe to this podcast on Apple Podcasts, Google Play, Stitcher and more. To learn more about listener data and our privacy practices visit: https://www.audacyinc.com/privacy-policy Learn more about your ad choices. Visit https://podcastchoices.com/adchoices

Episode 176 of the Sports Media Podcast features two guests: First up is Britt Ghiroli, a national baseball writer for The Athletic. She is followed by Chad Finn, the sports media writer and columnist for the Boston Globe. In this podcast, Ghiroli discusses Ken Rosenthal (who works with us at The Athletic) not being retained by MLB Network; her experiences working with Rosenthal; whether MLB Network can cover ownership and the commissioner with any heft; what she learned during her 10 years with MLB.com including eight on the Orioles beat; an update on Trevor Bauer’s legal situation and more. Finn discusses whether Urban Meyer will return to broadcasting and whether he remains hirable; what he thought of the news of Rosenthal; the Week 18 schedule in the NFL; why the Cowboys remain a national team; the upcoming Beijing Olympics and why we think it is going to be the least-watched ever; and more. You can subscribe to this podcast on Apple Podcasts, Google Play, Stitcher and more. To learn more about listener data and our privacy practices visit: https://www.audacyinc.com/privacy-policy Learn more about your ad choices. Visit https://podcastchoices.com/adchoices

Episode 175 of the Sports Media Podcast features Fred Gaudelli, the executive producer of NBC's Sunday Night Football. In Sept. 2021, he began his 32nd season as the lead producer for an NFL primetime game, and his 16th season producing SNF. In this podcast Gaudelli discusses his relationship with Madden; his first meeting with him; the last time he spoke and visited with Madden; what made Madden unique as a sports television figure; his interest in seeing United States up close and learning about people; how he made Gaudelli a better NFL producer; what Madden thought about his fame; the plan to convince Madden to come out of retirement for one game; the best game Gaudelli and Madden worked together; how players wanted Madden to improve their Madden game rankings when he met with them in production meetings, and more. You can subscribe to this podcast on Apple Podcasts, Google Play, Stitcher and more. To learn more about listener data and our privacy practices visit: https://www.audacyinc.com/privacy-policy Learn more about your ad choices. Visit https://podcastchoices.com/adchoices

Episode 174 of the Sports Media Podcast features three guests. First up is a conversation with Donnovan Bennett, a host, podcaster and writer for Sportsnet in Canada, and Amil Delic, the senior producer of original audio for Sportsnet in Canada. They are followed by Toronto Star columnist Bruce Arthur. In this podcast Bennett and Delic discuss the nexus of sports and COVID; how that nexus is viewed in Canada; why this topic has become politicized in the United States and the levels of politicization in Canada vs. the U.S.; the challenges of a subject that is of great importance to the public yet many in the public are exhausted by; the upcoming Beijing Olympics and more. Arthur discusses switching from sports to COVID coverage in early 2020; how he feels that transition from sports has gone; his analysis of how the coverage has been in the U.S. versus Canada; he and his colleagues getting Covid-related vitriol on social media; what to expect from the Beijing Olympics; his most trusted sources on COVID information; the Maple Leafs heading forward for this season as Stanley Cup contenders and more. You can subscribe to this podcast on Apple Podcasts, Google Play, Stitcher and more. To learn more about listener data and our privacy practices visit: https://www.audacyinc.com/privacy-policy Learn more about your ad choices. Visit https://podcastchoices.com/adchoices

Episode 173 of the Sports Media Podcast features two guests. First up is ESPN NFL analyst and podcaster Ryan Clark, the former NFL safety who has worked at ESPN since 2015. He is followed by Patrick Antonetti, the lead producer of this podcast. In this podcast Clark discusses his path from professional athlete to broadcasting; what in his opinion separates long-term success versus one contract and out in sports broadcasting; how close he was to leaving ESPN for Fox Sports earlier this year; why he wanted to own his own content; his travel schedule for his job; how a guy such as Urban Meyer bullshits his way into the NFL; comparing Patriots' Bill Belichick to God; self-evaluating his work; what he wants to do heading forward and much more. Antonetti discusses how this podcast gets put together; what his job entails; the challenge of audio editing; what he thinks makes a good podcast; his Jersey sports fandom; what episodes he’s liked producing and more. You can subscribe to this podcast on Apple Podcasts, Google Play, Stitcher and more. To learn more about listener data and our privacy practices visit: https://www.audacyinc.com/privacy-policy Learn more about your ad choices. Visit https://podcastchoices.com/adchoices

Episode 173 of the Sports Media Podcast features three guests. First up is a roundtable with Kavitha Davidson, a correspondent for HBO’s Real Sports and a longtime sports and business writer, and Jane McManus, the Director of the Marist's Center for Sports Communication and a Deadspin sports columnist. They are followed by Jesse Eisinger, a senior editor and reporter at ProPublica. In April 2011, Eisinger and a colleague won the Pulitzer Prize for National Reporting for a series of stories on questionable Wall Street practices that helped make the financial crisis the worst since the Great Depression. In this podcast, Davidson and McManus discuss what they see as the biggest sports stories for 2022 including athletes continuing to talk about mental health publicly; the prospect of a major gambling scandal in sports and potential corruption of college players for information to aid bettors; NILs and market creativity forcing the NCAA to completely reevaluate revenue structure; F1 continuing to balloon in the States;women’s sports finally getting their financial due; Amazon becoming more of an NFL presence; leagues are going to have to deal with the China question; a total reimagining of what the role of coach is and much more. Eisinger discusses his recent piece on real estate and oil tycoons avoiding paying federal income taxes including Miami Dolphins owner Stephen Ross; how widespread are income-tax avoiders among the ultrawealthy sports owners; how one goes about doing this kind of reporting; the lack of congressional oversight for tax loopholes; how sports owners use their teams to avoid millions in taxes; why the sports public does not revolt, and more. You can subscribe to this podcast on Apple Podcasts, Google Play, Stitcher, Spotify and more. To learn more about listener data and our privacy practices visit: https://www.audacyinc.com/privacy-policy Learn more about your ad choices. Visit https://podcastchoices.com/adchoices

Episode 172 of the Sports Media Podcast features a conversation with Jayson Stark, senior baseball writer at The Athletic, and Britt Ghiroli, also a senior baseball writer at The Athletic. In this podcast, Ghiroli and Stark discuss how they will approach the next couple of months as reporters amid a work stoppage; navigating labor stories versus more popular topics; the declining media access in baseball and why that significantly impacts you as a fan; whether we will see previous media access return; the Eras Committee process Hall of Fame selections including great news for Buck O’Neil and Dick Allen once again being one vote shy of the Hall of Fame; how Stark and Ghiroli feel about voting for awards that can increase a players’ contract and much more. You can subscribe to this podcast on Apple Podcasts, Google Play, Stitcher, Spotify and more. To learn more about listener data and our privacy practices visit: https://www.audacyinc.com/privacy-policy Learn more about your ad choices. Visit https://podcastchoices.com/adchoices

Episode 171 of the Sports Media Podcast features a conversation with James Andrew Miller, the best-selling author of books on CAA, ESPN and Saturday Night Live, and his latest, “Tinderbox: HBO's Ruthless Pursuit of New Frontiers.” He is followed by Bruce Feldman, a senior writer at The Athletic covering college football and a college football insider for Fox Sports and The Audible podcast. In this podcast, Miller discusses why HBO was worthy of this exploration; his 757 interviews for the book and how he navigated that terrain; how he approached his chapters on Succession including interviews with Brian Cox, Jeremy Strong, Adam McKay and Jesse Armstrong; why Dennis Miller did not want to talk for the book; the legacy of HBO Sports; HBO’s Wimbledon legacy; how HBO lost its boxing and documentary monopoly; the future of sports on HBO; ESPN shrinking another 10 percent to end fiscal 2021 at 76 million U.S. households and what that means for the company heading forward and more. Feldman discusses the reporting of the Lincoln Riley to USC story; who talks in college football between agents, head coaches, assistants, boosters and everyone else; why college football fans have an insatiable appetite for news; whether players have more agency with the media in 2021; whether college football gets more value out of a Cincinnati making the playoffs versus a bigger brand-name team and much more. You can subscribe to this podcast on Apple Podcasts, Google Play, Stitcher, Spotify and more. To learn more about listener data and our privacy practices visit: https://www.audacyinc.com/privacy-policy Learn more about your ad choices. Visit https://podcastchoices.com/adchoices

Episode 170 of the Sports Media Podcast features Rebecca Lowe, the host of NBC Sports Group’s Premier League coverage as well as an Olympic host for NBCUnversial. She is followed by a media roundtable with Chad Finn, the sports media writer and columnist for the Boston Globe, and Austin Karp, the managing editor/digital for Sports Business Journal. In this podcast Lowe discusses being in England when she learned NBC had retained the Premier League rights; how her bosses keep her abreast of the proceedings; her role in NBC Universal’s pitch to the EPL; what NBC has built with its soccer coverage; whether NBC retaining has incentivized she and NBC extending her current contract when it expires next year; what is happening with Manchester United; whether Fulham can sustain long-term success; whether the EPL would ever do a Drive To Survive series; why she avoids Twitter and much more. Finn. Karp and Deitsch discuss our reactions to NBC’s landing the U.S. media rights to the Premier League through 2028; the upcoming MLS media rights negotiations; NFL viewership in 2021 and what the last part of the NFL regular season might bring viewership-wise; where are we right now with the NFL and viewership; why we think the upcoming Olympic viewership from Beijing could be looking at record lows; the upcoming Ohio State-Michigan game and Fox’s noon Eastern window; CBS’s interest in staying in big-time college football; the Manning Megacast and more. You can subscribe to this podcast on Apple Podcasts, Google Play, Stitcher, Spotify and more. To learn more about listener data and our privacy practices visit: https://www.audacyinc.com/privacy-policy Learn more about your ad choices. Visit https://podcastchoices.com/adchoices

Episode 169 of the Sports Media Podcast features a conversation with ESPN NBA announcer Mike Breen and Ian Eagle, who calls the NBA for Turner Sports and the YES Network, and the NFL for CBS. They are followed by Dana O’Neil, a senior writer for The Athletic and the author of the new book, “The Big East: Inside the Most Entertaining and Influential Conference in College Basketball History.” In this podcast Breen and Eagle discuss how they first met and the longevity of their friendship; how they would describe the other’s broadcast style; why they don’t view each other as competitors; why they still call local teams, the Knicks and Nets; how they view production meetings with coaches and players; Breen’s interest in calling games in the future; how they would feel about incorporating gambling content into their broadcasts; the NBA call they are most proud of; Kevin Garnett calling Eagle “the mother----- voice”; Magic Johnson’s praise of Breen, and much more. O’Neil discusses why she wanted to explore the history of the Big East in- depth; how she approached the reporting and writing on such a broad topic; the league’s famous coaches and players; Georgetown coach John Thompson relishing being an iconoclast in the league; her attempts to get Allen Iverson for the book; what the Big East is now and where it sits among conferences; covering college basketball today; the goal of mid-majors to be the next Gonzaga and much more. You can subscribe to this podcast on Apple Podcasts, Google Play, Stitcher, Spotify and more. To learn more about listener data and our privacy practices visit: https://www.audacyinc.com/privacy-policy Learn more about your ad choices. Visit https://podcastchoices.com/adchoices

Episode 168 of the Sports Media Podcast features Fox NFL reporter Pam Oliver and writer Lyndsey D'Arcangelo, the co-author with Britni de la Cretaz of the new book, “Hail Mary: The Rise and Fall of the National Women's Football League.” In this podcast, Oliver discusses what the 2021 season has been like for her as a sideline reporter; her remarkable longevity in the sports TV business; the on-field access she has in 2021 versus other years; working with Kevin Burkhardt and Greg Olsen; what she says to women in the business wh0 approach her for advice; the chronic migraines and headaches she has suffered for decades, which sometimes force her to hide out in stadium; enduring fibroids that has required surgeries; her intentions to publish a memoir down the road and much more. D'Arcangelo discusses the origins of how “Hail Mary” emerging as a book; the challenge and fulfillment of unearthing something fascinating about an athlete or league from a previous era; how the NWFL was covered by the sports media of the day; how the players looked upon those media experiences; the players’ pioneering role even if they did not realize it at the time; the finances of the league; women in football today such as Sarah Fuller and why that was predictably criticized by a segment of people; the advancements in women’s sports, especially in viewership, as a commercial play; the challenges of women’s sports today and more. You can subscribe to this podcast on Apple Podcasts, Google Play, Stitcher, Spotify and more. To learn more about listener data and our privacy practices visit: https://www.audacyinc.com/privacy-policy Learn more about your ad choices. Visit https://podcastchoices.com/adchoices

Episode 167 of the Sports Media Podcast features Chris Jericho, who currently works as a professional wrestler for All Elite Wrestling (AEW), hosts the popular podcast “Talk Is Jericho,” and is the lead singer of the band, Fozzy. The next wrestling PPV he will perform in comes at “AEW Full Gear” on Nov. 13 at 8 p.m. ET at the Target Center in Minneapolis, Minnesota. In this podcast, Jericho discusses the concept of professional reinvention and his ability to change his character over multiple decades for multiple companies; what he’s learned about reinvention that can be used by everyone; his approach to doing media; whether the media companies he has worked for dictate the press outlets he speaks with; how much he reads the people and publications who cover the business of professional wrestling daily; the importance of television viewership in professional wrestling and the 18-to-49 demo that advertisers want when they buy television time; if he follows how WWE does in viewership on Monday and Friday nights; why AEW has worked; the cool factor of the company; Chris’s role in bringing wrestlers such as Jon Moxley into the company; the success of Talk Is Jericho as a podcast; interviewing a variety of subjects from star musicians to paranormal experts to wrestling colleagues; facing criticism for some of his guest choices; the art of wrestling promos and how he prepares and approaches them; navigating the line of realism in promos and why sometimes that’s not a smart play; the prospect 0f Chris transitioning to broadcasting following his in-ring career and more. You can subscribe to this podcast on Apple Podcasts, Google Play, Stitcher, Spotify and more. To learn more about listener data and our privacy practices visit: https://www.audacyinc.com/privacy-policy Learn more about your ad choices. Visit https://podcastchoices.com/adchoices

Episode 166 of the Sports Media Podcast features three guests. First up is ESPN college football and NFL analyst Robert Griffin III. He is followed by Katie Strang and Mark Lazerus of The Athletic. In this podcast, Griffin discusses the how he landed at ESPN; his audition process at Fox and ESPN; why the ESPN job made sense; whether he sees broadcasting as a long-term proposition versus playing again; his preparation for calling games with Mark Jones and Quint Kessenich; why, in his opinion, some former players succeed and why some do not succeed in sports broadcasting; his role in production meetings; his interest in providing opinion versus doing a game broadcast; discussing Langston Hughes on the Oklahoma-Kansas broadcast; his interest in doing NFL content, learning about broadcast boards and much more. Lazerus and Strang discuss the damming results of the Jenner & Block investigation; TSN's Rick Westhead’s powerful interview with Kyle Beach and the reporting on the sexual abuse allegations Beach made against former Blackhawks video coach Brad Aldrich; how the Blackhawks fan base has responded to stories; the challenges of reporting this type of story; how ESPN and Turner will cover this as new rightsholders and more. You can subscribe to this podcast on Apple Podcasts, Google Play, Stitcher, Spotify and more. To learn more about listener data and our privacy practices visit: https://www.audacyinc.com/privacy-policy Learn more about your ad choices. Visit https://podcastchoices.com/adchoices

Episode 165 of the Sports Media Podcast features three guests. First up is ESPN reporter and Utah Jazz analyst Holly Rowe. She is followed by Jimmy Traina, a writer/producer for Sports Illustrated and the host of the SI Media Podcast. He is followed by Ivan Maisel, the vice president of editorial and a senior Writer for On3. Maisel’s newest book is “I Keep Trying to Catch His Eye: A Memoir of Loss, Grief, and Love,” which is about his late son, Max. In this podcast, Rowe discusses has she landed the Jazz broadcasting job and what her role is on the broadcast; the challenges of navigating multiple jobs across multiple networks; what her college football access has been in 2021; getting coaches after games amid the crowd scrum; how she viewed the WNBA’s season and the cable and broadcast placement of the Finals and more. Traina and Deitsch discuss what Amazon Prime’s NFL exclusivity will mean for viewers next year; Traina’s interview with Steve Levy and Levy’s thoughts on the Manning Megcast; how the Mannings would do if the roles were switched with the main broadcast; what we expect from World Series viewership; whether people should care about the Sunday Night Baseball booth; why Traina is not a fan of the Red Zone fan at all; whether other sports media podcasts are competition or additive; WWE vs. AEW and more. Maisel discusses his new role with on3.com; why he wanted to write about his son; what he learned about grief through his writing; how much of his writing on Max he showed his family prior to publication; how his family processed Max’s death; whether he wants to know more about Max’s final days; the end of his ESPN tenure; the challenges of promoting a book during a pandemic and more. You can subscribe to this podcast on Apple Podcasts, Google Play, Stitcher, Spotify and more. To learn more about listener data and our privacy practices visit: https://www.audacyinc.com/privacy-policy Learn more about your ad choices. Visit https://podcastchoices.com/adchoices

Episode 164 of the Sports Media Podcast features three guests. First up is New York Times writer Ken Belson, who covers the NFL for that media outlet. Belson joined with Katherine Rosman to report on the 650,000 emails the NFL is reported to be looking at regarding the workplace conduct with the Washington Football Team. He is followed by Jemele Hill, a contributing writer for The Atlantic, the host of the “Jemele Hill is Unbothered” podcast for Spotify, and a creative adviser for Meadowlark Media. She is followed by Grant Wahl, who writes the Futbol with Grant Wahl newsletter and works with CBS Sports and Meadowlark Media. In this podcast Belson discusses the challenges of covering the NFL; when he started working on stories about the review of workplace misconduct at the Washington Football Team; why readers should care about this story; his access to emails from Jon Gruden; whether the NYT is actively trying to get more of these emails; league attorney Jeff Pash’s role in the story; the nearly naked photos of former Washington cheerleaders being passed around; whether the Raiders would have released Gruden without the later batch of emails; whether there are emails he has seen that he has yet to write about it; Adam Schefter and his email to Bruce Allen and much more. Hill discusses how she viewed the NFL email story; her column on the NFL being full of Jon Grudens; whether ESPN has any incentive to cover the story aggressively; Gruden as ESPN’s longtime lead NFL analyst; the revelations about Adam Schefter’s email to Bruce Allen and much more. Wahl discusses his decision to start a Substack and what readers can expect from his work; how he pays for travel and an editor; whether he has experienced any access issues since leaving SI; Meg Linehan’s reporting on the NWSL; the prospects of the U.S. and Canada making the men’s World Cup in 2022 and more. You can subscribe to this podcast on Apple Podcasts, Google Play, Stitcher, Spotify and more. To learn more about listener data and our privacy practices visit: https://www.audacyinc.com/privacy-policy Learn more about your ad choices. Visit https://podcastchoices.com/adchoices

Episode 163 of the Sports Media Podcast features three guests. First up is Jeff Van Gundy, the lead NBA analyst for ESPN and ABC’s NBA game coverage. He is followed by a media roundtable with Kavitha Davidson, a sports and culture writer for The Athletic and the host of Culture Calculus podcast, and Chad Finn, the sports media writer and columnist for the Boston Globe. In this podcast Van Gundy discusses how he prepares for an upcoming season; why he thinks he has lasted in broadcasting as long as he has; if having money in the bank gives you freedom to say things; his reaction to Kyrie Irving not playing or practicing with the Nets until he is eligible to be a full participant; his thoughts on players doing their own vaccination research; whether the Raptors can attract transcendent free agents; how forthcoming he finds coaches in pregame production meeting; why the NBA hates when you criticize referees and much more. Davidson and Finn discuss Jon Gruden resigning as head coach of the Las Vegas Raiders following reports that emails he wrote over a 10-year period included racist, misogynistic and anti-gay language; what ESPN’s responsibility is here if any; what’s next with the reporting of this story; NFL’s national viewership and why the numbers are up in 2021; the idea of momentum scheduling by the league; the connection between quarterbacks and viewership; Sage Steele being taken off ESPN’s airwaves; what the future holds for Steele at ESPN; how we think ESPN and Turner Sports will do with the NHL; what Wayne Gretzky might be as a studio analyst for Turner; who should be the future play by play broadcaster for ESPN’s Sunday Night Baseball; why Alex Rodriguez is much better served as a studio analyst and much more. You can subscribe to this podcast on Apple Podcasts, Google Play, Stitcher, Spotify and more. To learn more about listener data and our privacy practices visit: https://www.audacyinc.com/privacy-policy Learn more about your ad choices. Visit https://podcastchoices.com/adchoices

Episode 162 of the Sports Media Podcast features three guests. First up is a conversation with Lisa Byington and Kate Scott, the first women full-time TV play-by-play broadcasters for a major men's professional sports team. They are followed by Eli Saslow, the Pulitzer Prize-winning Washington Post reporter who has published a new book —Voices from the Pandemic: Americans tell their stories of crisis, courage and resilience. In this podcast, Byington and Scott discuss the interview process for an NBA play by play role and how they landed their jobs; becoming the first full-time TV play-by-play broadcasters for a major men's professional sports team; the challenges of the job; how to adjust to a new city and fan base; the broadcasters who reached out to them; how they will view success and much more. Saslow discusses the oral history project he did last year for The Washington Post where he talked to people around America about dealing with COVID; what he learned about America through his reporting; how to get subjects dealing with trauma to trust you to tell their story; why COVID became a cultural war and much more. You can subscribe to this podcast on Apple Podcasts, Google Play, Stitcher and more. To learn more about listener data and our privacy practices visit: https://www.audacyinc.com/privacy-policy Learn more about your ad choices. Visit https://podcastchoices.com/adchoices

Episode 161 of the Sports Media Podcast features a conversation with Conrad Thompson and Jeff Jarrett, the co-hosts of “My World’ with Jeff Jarrett,” which focuses on Jarrett’s Hall of Fame career as a main-event professional wrestler, promoter, and company owner. Jarrett has been a well-known figure in professional wrestling for decades including in-ring prominence in the WWE, WCW and NWA Total Nonstop Action wrestling. In this podcast Thompson and Jarrett discuss the process of forming a podcast; how they first met; whether Thompson’s success with his other six podcasts gave Jarrett proof of concept; the number of downloads they average weekly and what the realistic celling is for the podcast; how the podcast makes money and what the download number is to make money; how prep works for the podcast; Jarrett’s approach to nostalgia storytelling; how not to be duplicative with other wresting podcasts; navigating multiple podcasts as a host and much more You can subscribe to this podcast on Apple Podcasts, Google Play, Stitcher and more. To learn more about listener data and our privacy practices visit: https://www.audacyinc.com/privacy-policy Learn more about your ad choices. Visit https://podcastchoices.com/adchoices

Episode 160 of the Sports Media Podcast features a conversation with the documentarian Ken Burns. In this podcast Burns discusses his latest project “Muhammad Ali,” a four-part documentary co-directed by Burns, Sarah Burns and David McMahon that will air on PBS September19-22; why he his co-directors embarked on a subject that has been explored in so many forms; how they determined the chronology of the film; the challenge of when to use Ali as a narrator; the complexity of Ali as a social and political figure; how Ali would be looked at if he existed in a 2021 contruct, and much more. You can subscribe to this podcast on Apple Podcasts, Google Play, Stitcher and more. To learn more about listener data and our privacy practices visit: https://www.audacyinc.com/privacy-policy Learn more about your ad choices. Visit https://podcastchoices.com/adchoices

Episode 159 of the Sports Media Podcast features a conversation with the new Fox NFL broadcast team of Gus Johnson and Aqib Talib. The duo debuts in Week Two with the Vikings-Cardinals. In this podcast Johnson and Talib discuss how they formed their partnership; working together on a practice game; how Talib got into sports broadcasting and introduced himself to Fox Sports; how Johnson morphs between preparation for college football and the NFL; Talib’s style on the air; how broadcasters deal with feedback; what Talib is looking at pre-snap and how that is different than other announcers; their upcoming Cardinals-Jaguars broadcast; whether Gus wants to continue doing NFL games; Talib’s longterm thoughts about broadcasting and much more. You can subscribe to this podcast on Apple Podcasts, Google Play, Stitcher and more. To learn more about listener data and our privacy practices visit: https://www.audacyinc.com/privacy-policy Learn more about your ad choices. Visit https://podcastchoices.com/adchoices

Episode 158 of the Sports Media Podcast features two segments. First up is Kevin Clark, an NFL writer, podcaster and video host for The Ringer. He previously covered the NFL for The Wall Street Journal. He is followed by a media roundtable with Kavitha Davidson, a sports and culture writer for The Athletic and the host of Culture Calculus podcast, and Chad Finn, the sports media writer and columnist for the Boston Globe. In this podcast Clark discusses the stories that interest him most at the start of the 2021 NFL season; how COVID has shaped his approach to stories; his travel experiences; the nexus of gambling and the NFL and what it means; how he views his competition; what the NFL public relations establishment thinks of The Ringer; why geography matters very little regarding where you live today; why he chose his most recent pieces and much more. Davidson and Finn discuss the biggest media-related stories of the NFL season; what the NFL setting strict limits on game-day access means; how sports gambling will look on NFL content this year; whether college sports broadcasters have any responsibility to discuss the COVID protocols and COVID stats during games; whether college football viewership will be up or down; John Smoltz and Al Leiter not appearing in-studio for MLBN and more. You can subscribe to this podcast on Apple Podcasts, Google Play, Stitcher and more. To learn more about listener data and our privacy practices visit: https://www.audacyinc.com/privacy-policy Learn more about your ad choices. Visit https://podcastchoices.com/adchoices

Episode 157 of the Sports Media Podcast features two guests. First up is Molly McGrath, an ESPN college football and college basketball host and reporter. She is followed by Christopher Clarey, a tennis writer for the New York Times and the author of “The Master: The Long Run and Beautiful Game of Roger Federer” In this podcast, McGrath discusses returning to college football this season after the birth of her son earlier this year; finding a work-life balance; the internal pressure she felt to return to ESPN; how much college football coaches tell ESPN on-air talent during production meetings; her approach with her bosses after Maria Taylor left for NBC; being assigned to the team of Sean McDonough, Todd Blackledge, and Todd McShay; COVID protocols for covering college football this season; dealing with toxic social media; being public about her pregnancy; her interest in hosting long-term and more. Clarey discusses what he hoped to produce by exploring Federer in longform; why he connected with Federer as a subject and writer over the years; what Federer’s top competitors said about him; Mirka Federer being non-existent on social media and not giving interviews for 15 years or so; how Federer’s upbringing with parents from Switzerland and South Africa impacted him; what he expects Federer to heading forward; the challenge of selling a tennis book in the United States; You can subscribe to this podcast on Apple Podcasts, Google Play, Stitcher and more. To learn more about listener data and our privacy practices visit: https://www.audacyinc.com/privacy-policy Learn more about your ad choices. Visit https://podcastchoices.com/adchoices

Episode 156 of the Sports Media Podcast features two guests. First up is longtime WWE performer Seth Rollins, who will wrestle Edge on Aug. 21 at the WWE’s annual SummerSlam event He is followed by The Athletic’s Scott Dochterman, an Iowa-based college football writer who covered The Field of Dreams game in Dyersville, Iowa. In this podcast, Rollins discusses how he views promotion and navigates when some media outlets want him in character and storyline versus others who want to talk about the business of wrestling; how much Rollins can dictate which interviews he wants to do for press; talking to mainstream outlets versus traditional wrestling outlets; his philosophy of doing promos; how much his promo work is improvisation vs. scripted; bringing someone’s real life into a promo; how he and his wife Rebecca Quin, who wrestles under the name Becky Lynch, navigate joint press; how he and Becky would approach the possibility of their real-life becoming part of storyline; navigating a massive social media following and the real mental health strain of toxic comments making their way to you; whether he would be interested in working as a heel or babyface commentator down the road, and much more. Dochterman describes what it was like covering the MLB Field of Dreams game in person; his expectations and the reality; how many media people were in attendance; how the event came together; what it meant to Iowans; whether he expects MLB to make this an annual event; You can subscribe to this podcast on Apple Podcasts, Google Play, Stitcher and more. To learn more about listener data and our privacy practices visit: https://www.audacyinc.com/privacy-policy Learn more about your ad choices. Visit https://podcastchoices.com/adchoices

Episode 155 of the Sports Media Podcast features two guests. First up is ESPN staff writer David Purdum, the company’s premier gambling reporter. He is followed by Mirin Fader, a staff writer for The Ringer and the author of GIANNIS: The Improbable Rise of an NBA MVP. In this podcast, Purdum discusses the opportunities for sports media staffers working in the sports gaming space; former ESPN-ers and others working in the space; the expectations on the handles on college football and pro football this season; the impact of Oklahoma and Texas moving to the SEC; preseason NFL betting; why sports betting is a long-term investment and a grind; why you should only risk 2-5% of your bankroll per wager; sign-up bonuses advantage; the ethics of using your reporting for betting; why futures are not a smart bet and a big house advantage; international soccer betting, and more. Fader discusses why she wanted to write a book on Giannis; how the book came to be; the process of interviewing more than 220 people for the book; her experience reporting in Greece; what it was like to watch the playoffs; the publicity for the book; how much time she got with Giannis; what we don’t know about the racism Giannis and his family faced; her reporting on Jason Kidd as a Bucks coach; how ones promotes a book during COVID; and more. You can subscribe to this podcast on Apple Podcasts, Google Play, Stitcher and more. To learn more about listener data and our privacy practices visit: https://www.audacyinc.com/privacy-policy Learn more about your ad choices. Visit https://podcastchoices.com/adchoices

Episode 154 of the Sports Media Podcast features guest Rebecca Lowe, the host of NBC Sports Group’s Premier League coverage as well as an Olympic host for NBCUnversial. In this podcast, Lowe discusses what working the Tokyo Games has been like; her broadcasting setup in Tokyo; what protocols exist regarding COVID; how she views the declines in Olympic viewership; NBC’s Olympic storytelling; the on-air highlight for her; her Premier League preparation; what she expects from the upcoming Premier League season; if her future at NBC is tied to soccer; England’s World Cup prospects and how they handled Euros, and much more. You can subscribe to this podcast on Apple Podcasts, Google Play, Stitcher and more. To learn more about listener data and our privacy practices visit: https://www.audacyinc.com/privacy-policy Learn more about your ad choices. Visit https://podcastchoices.com/adchoices

Episode 153 of the Sports Media Podcast features Kavitha Davidson, a sports and culture writer for The Athletic and the host of Culture Calculus podcast. In this podcast Davidson and Deitsch discuss how much Olympics we are each watching; why the primetime viewership of the Tokyo Games is way down; how we viewed coverage of Simone Biles in different mediums; why the coverage actually holds well for the future; the story around Suni Lee; whether it is time for sports outlets to have a mental health sports reporter; the intersection of COVID and the NFL; whether baseball should have a bigger Olympic presence and more. You can subscribe to this podcast on Apple Podcasts, Google Play, Stitcher and more. To learn more about listener data and our privacy practices visit: https://www.audacyinc.com/privacy-policy Learn more about your ad choices. Visit https://podcastchoices.com/adchoices

Episode 152 of the Sports Media Podcast features two guests. First up is Chad Finn, the sports media writer and columnist for the Boston Globe. He is followed by Melanie Newman, a broadcaster for the Baltimore Orioles and MASN and the play by play voice for the first game in Major League Baseball history featuring an all-female announcing crew (She called the game alongside analyst Sarah Langs, reporter Alanna Rizzo and pre- and postgame hosts Lauren Gardner and Heidi Watney.) In this podcast, Finn discusses the interest in the Olympics as a television experience; whether NBC will get the viewership it has received in previous Olympics; how NBC will navigate the news elements of the Olympics with the competition; ESPN’s hiring of Peyton and Eli Manning for a Monday Night Football Megacast; the NHL’s television schedule on ESPN and Turner Sports; Cleveland changing its MLB name to the Guardians and more. Newman discusses her journey to do doing MLB play by play and the minor league stops along the way; the women who are following her currently calling minor league baseball; representation in sports broadcasting; whether her all-female group will call another game; the prospects of the O’s heading forward in the A.L. East and more. You can subscribe to this podcast on Apple Podcasts, Google Play, Stitcher and more. To learn more about listener data and our privacy practices visit: https://www.audacyinc.com/privacy-policy Learn more about your ad choices. Visit https://podcastchoices.com/adchoices

Episode 151 of the Sports Media Podcast features two guests. First up is Jemele Hill, a contributing writer for The Atlantic, the host of the “Jemele Hill is Unbothered” podcast for Spotify, and a creative adviser for Meadowlark Media. She is followed by Fabian Ardaya who covers the Dodgers for The Athletic but up until May covered the Angels and Shohei Ohtani. In this podcast, Hill discusses the impact of the New York Times story that focused on Rachel Nichols saying Maria Taylor earned the job to host 2020 NBA finals coverage because ESPN was “feeling pressure” on diversity; what she expects Taylor do when her ESPN contract expires before the end of this month; whether you can work for management you don’t trust; how this chapter impacts people of color working at ESPN and particular black women in front of and behind the cameras; the ESPN future for Nichols; Hill’s podcast network to elevate the voices and stories of Black women, and more. Ardaya discusses his experience covering Ohtani; how the Angels handle media access for him; his first time interacting with him; what; his desire to market himself; interacting with Japanese media on the beat; misconceptions about Mike Trout as a front-facing person in baseball; what he thought about Stephen A. Smith’s comments on Ohtani and the conversation afterward, and more. You can subscribe to this podcast on Apple Podcasts, Google Play, Stitcher and more. To learn more about listener data and our privacy practices visit: https://www.audacyinc.com/privacy-policy Learn more about your ad choices. Visit https://podcastchoices.com/adchoices

Episode 150 of the Sports Media Podcast features a conversation with two guests: Kavitha Davidson is a sports and culture writer for The Athletic and the host of Culture Calculus podcast. Jane McManus is the Director of the Marist's Center for Sports Communication and a Deadspin sports columnist. Both Davidson and McManus previously worked at ESPN. In this podcast Davidson and McManus discuss the New York Times piece on the storm at ESPN over Rachel Nichols’ comments about Maria Taylor; their experiences working as women at ESPN; how they view ESPN on issues of promoting women of color, women overall, and people of color; what they would do if they were Taylor, whose contract is coming up; how big a failure this is of senior management; whether ESPN chairman Jimmy Pitaro should speak publicly; Kayla Johnson, a digital video producer, being the only person known to be punished and how absurd that is; whether the NBA production situation is salvageable and more. You can subscribe to this podcast on Apple Podcasts, Google Play, Stitcher and more. To learn more about listener data and our privacy practices visit: https://www.audacyinc.com/privacy-policy Learn more about your ad choices. Visit https://podcastchoices.com/adchoices

Episode 149 of the Sports Media Podcast features Mike Golic, who spent 26 years at ESPN as a radio host, NFL studio analyst and NFL and college football game analyst. In this podcast Golic discusses leaving ESPN and why it happened; how management informed him they were no longer interested in his services; what he’s been doing the last six months; what he’s likely to do next professionally; how his salary impacted ESPN decision-making; his desire to work on radio again calling games; his non-existent relationship today with Mike Greenberg; how he felt about Greenberg wanting his own show; the other interesting candidates for his last ESPN show other than Trey Wingo; whether formal ESPN-ers who have found success in their post-ESPN life motivates him; living outside of Notre Dame; why people liked him on the radio, and much more. You can subscribe to this podcast on Apple Podcasts, Google Play, Stitcher and more. To learn more about listener data and our privacy practices visit: https://www.audacyinc.com/privacy-policy Learn more about your ad choices. Visit https://podcastchoices.com/adchoices

Episode 148 of the Sports Media Podcast features two guests. First up is Michael Kay, the television play by play voice of the New York Yankees and the host of The Michael Kay Show, heard on ESPN Radio in New York City from 2:00 p.m. - 6:30 p.m. Kay has a new book out — Centerstage: My Most Fascinating Interviews—from A-Rod to Jay-Z , which is a collection of the interviews Kay has conducted with some of the biggest names in sports, film, and television. Kay is followed by Jon Wertheim, a senior writer for Sports Illustrated, a correspondent for “60 Minutes,” and an analyst for the Tennis Channel. Wertheim is the author of “Glory Days: The Summer of 1984 and the 90 Days That Changed Sports and Culture.” In this podcast, Kay discusses what he thinks makes a good longform interviewer; a memorable interview with Sylvester Stallone; how his show has been able to book major names and the importance of the Yankee brand; how long he can reasonable call the Yankees; whether baseball broadcasters will continue to call road games; how he navigates being critical and working on behalf of a team; the challenges of doing sports-talk radio in New York City; why he thinks sports-talk radio still has significant meaning in his city; his obsession to beat Mike Francesa in the ratings; competing against Craig Carton and Evan Roberts; being thin-skinned about criticism; the cost and rewards of responding to media criticism about his work, and much more. Wertheim discusses the genesis for his new book, spending time with a young Michael Jordan in the summer of 1984; the cultural milestones in 1984; the challenges of weaving his story into a narrative; his thoughts on Naomi Osaka; what Osaka’s immediate future will be and much more. You can subscribe to this podcast on Apple Podcasts, Google Play, Stitcher and more. To learn more about listener data and our privacy practices visit: https://www.audacyinc.com/privacy-policy Learn more about your ad choices. Visit https://podcastchoices.com/adchoices

Episode 147 of the Sports Media Podcast features two guests. First up is Ian Darke, the lead play-by-play commentator of ESPN’s soccer coverage. He will be in London this month calling UEFA EURO 2020 for ESPN. Darke is followed by Anthony Crupi, a sports media reporter for Sportico. In this podcast, Darke discusses the favorites for the tournament; calling the Euros from London’s Wembley Stadium and the IMG studios in London; the in-stadium protocols Darke has to follow because of COVID; how he preps for the tournament; why Poland is the toughest team for pronunciations; why the Floyd Mayweather-Logan Paul boxing exhibition was cynical and dangerous; stories from his contemporaries about sparring with all-time greats, and more. Crupi discusses the first round of the NBA playoffs averaging 3.06 million viewers, up 46% over 2020 and up 3% versus 2019; what the viewership numbers mean; why the second round of the NBA playoffs will be a significant viewership challenge for the NBA; the first round of the Stanley Cup Playoffs averaging a total audience of 642,000 viewers across NBC, NBCSN, USA, CNBC and digital outlets, up 6 percent 2020 but NHL’s least-watched first round since 2013; what those numbers mean; what the best viewership possibilities for the NHL, and more. You can subscribe to this podcast on Apple Podcasts, Google Play, Stitcher and more. To learn more about listener data and our privacy practices visit: https://www.audacyinc.com/privacy-policy Learn more about your ad choices. Visit https://podcastchoices.com/adchoices

Episode 146 of the Sports Media Podcast features two guests. First up is Jemele Hill, a contributing writer for The Atlantic, the host of the “Jemele Hill is Unbothered,” podcast for Spotify, and a creative adviser for Meadowlark Media. She is followed by Tom Hannifan, better known by the announcing name Tom Phillips. He spent nine years with the WWE and during his WWE career he served as the play-by-play commentator on Raw, NXT, SmackDown, 205 Live, and NXT UK. He was recently let go by WWE and is now looking for traditional sports broadcasting opportunities. In this podcast Hill discusses Naomi Osaka’s withdrawal from the French Open; the failure to find a creative solution by French Open organizers; the debate over the value of the post-game/post-match presser; the importance of the press conference for smaller media outlets; the performative aspects and uncomfortable nature of sports press conferences; whether this means something larger for the sports media; a very bad week of fans interacting with athletes including criminality; why we have seen that happen, and more. Hannifan discusses the most challenging thing about being a WWE broadcaster; how long it took him to get product knowledge; how he was initially get hired by WWE; whether he was overproduced while on-air; his surprise to learn he was no longer calling RAW and being replaced by Adnan Virk; the short tenure of Virk; his alltime favorite match called; his friendship with Big E; getting slapped by Stephanie McMahon; what he wants to do next; his attempt to get work in college football and much more. You can subscribe to this podcast on Apple Podcasts, Google Play, Stitcher and more. To learn more about listener data and our privacy practices visit: https://www.audacyinc.com/privacy-policy Learn more about your ad choices. Visit https://podcastchoices.com/adchoices

Episode 145 of the Sports Media Podcast features two guests. First up is Kavitha Davidson, a sports and culture writer for The Athletic and the host of Culture Calculus podcast. She is followed by Sports Illustrated writer Jimmy Traina, the host of the SI Media Podcast. In this podcast Davidson discusses the hiring of Wayne Gretzky by Turner Sports; Kenny Mayne leaving ESPN and what that means heading forward; the challenge of covering the Tokyo Olympics; how NBC will navigate issues of COVID in Japan, athlete protest and other news detrimental to the IOC; how the American public would react to an athlete protesting on the medal stand, and more. Traina discusses the massive amount of sports gambling money in sports media right now and what that means; whether the majority of sports writers will be working for places such as Draft Kings one day; if we are headed for gambling addiction issues; Adnan Virk’s exit from WWE; streaming services for sports fans; the challenges for WWE and AEW as media properties; sports teams asking people if they have been vaccinated, and much more. You can subscribe to this podcast on Apple Podcasts, Google Play, Stitcher and more. To learn more about listener data and our privacy practices visit: https://www.audacyinc.com/privacy-policy Learn more about your ad choices. Visit https://podcastchoices.com/adchoices

Episode 144 of the Sports Media Podcast features three guests. First up are ESPN feature producers Lauren Stowell and Jenna Contreras, the directors of “144” a behind-the-scenes documentary on what unfolded on and off the court over the tumultuous two-and-a-half-month 2020 WNBA season. The second guest is Julie Stewart Binks, who hosts Drinks with Binks on Fubo TV and NHL Twitter Live. In this podcast, Stowell and Contreras discuss how the project came about; how producer and ESPN on-air personality Chiney Ogwumike helped make the access possible; whether they got any internal pushback on the topics at hand; how they decided on who would be at the center among the league’s players; how they got beyond-the-scenes conversations of the players; dedicating the season to Breonna Taylor and getting her family on film; where the WNBA goes next, and more. Stewart-Binks discusses how to do a show from home; the challenge of getting press in a crowded sports media space; getting people to drink on-air; her reaction to ESPN and Turner getting the US rights to the NHL and whether they can they grow the game; how the playoffs feel this year; Leah Hextall getting a play by play job, and more. You can subscribe to this podcast on Apple Podcasts, Google Play, Stitcher and more. To learn more about listener data and our privacy practices visit: https://www.audacyinc.com/privacy-policy Learn more about your ad choices. Visit https://podcastchoices.com/adchoices

Episode 143 of the Sports Media Podcast features a conversation with James Andrew Miller, the best-selling author of books on CAA, ESPN and Saturday Night Live and the host of the “Origins” podcast. In this podcast, we discuss Kenny Mayne departing from ESPN; what Miller thinks of Mayne being asked to take a 61 percent pay cut; what the market is for former ESPNers; Miller’s thoughts on ex-ESPN-ers in the marketplace at other places; Miller’s upcoming HBO book and more. You can subscribe to this podcast on Apple Podcasts, Google Play, Stitcher and more. To learn more about listener data and our privacy practices visit: https://www.audacyinc.com/privacy-policy Learn more about your ad choices. Visit https://podcastchoices.com/adchoices

Episode 142 of the Sports Media Podcast features a conversation with Sports Media Watch founder and editor Jon Lewis and Sports Business Daily managing editor/digital Austin Karp. In this podcast, we discuss the three days of the NFL Draft averaging 6.1 million viewers and what that means; how the opening round’s 12.5 million average should be judged against the overall number; why Day 3 of the NFL Draft was down on viewership; analyzing NBC’s Kentucky Derby viewership numbers, which drew 14.5 million viewers for the race portion; what can be learned from the Derby in relation to upcoming jewel events; what Karp and Lewis’s expectations are for the NBA postseason and NHL postseason; whether the NBA Finals will be up over last year; the recent increase in NASCAR ratings; the upcoming Olympics in Tokyo and why both Lewis and Karp think the numbers will be down from 2016; what NBC can do to try to juice the Olympic viewership and much more. You can subscribe to this podcast on Apple Podcasts, Google Play, Stitcher and more. To learn more about listener data and our privacy practices visit: https://www.audacyinc.com/privacy-policy Learn more about your ad choices. Visit https://podcastchoices.com/adchoices

Episode 141 of the Sports Media Podcast features two guests. First up is Steve Kornacki, an NBC News and MSNBC national political correspondent who will serve as an insight analyst for NBC’s coverage of the Kentucky Derby. Kornacki previously analyzed NFL playoff probabilities for Football Night In America. He is followed by Tashan Reed, who covers the Las Vegas Raiders for The Athletic. In this podcast, Kornacki discusses how he landed assignments with NBC Sports including the Kentucky Derby; how he felt his Football Night In America experience went, and whether he expects to be back this fall; whether a knowledge of sports helps with understanding politics and elections; the notion of horse racing coverage within a political context; growing up as a horse racing and Patriots fan in Massachusetts; how is analyzing the Derby for viewers; whether he will place bets at the Derby; the feedback he has received from his sports segments; how conscious he is that some viewers will autonomically wonder or question why a political analyst is on a sports broadcast; the tribute videos Leslie Jones has made for him, and more. Reed discusses covering an NFL team in Las Vegas; working while family members were suffering with COVID; the challenges of covering the NFL Draft amid COVID; what he expects Las Vegas to be as an NFL city; where he expects the Raiders to go in the Draft; his piece on Raiders owner Mark Davis and the Raiders’ social media feed, and more. You can subscribe to this podcast on Apple Podcasts, Google Play, Spotify, Audacy, and more. To learn more about listener data and our privacy practices visit: https://www.audacyinc.com/privacy-policy Learn more about your ad choices. Visit https://podcastchoices.com/adchoices

Episode 140 of the Sports Media Podcast features two guests — ESPN staff writer David Purdum and soccer writer Grant Wahl, the host of the Football With Grant Wahl podcast. In this podcast, Purdum discusses where the U.S. and Canada are regarding the number of places where sports gambling is legal; the interest in non-NFL betting; where legacy media outlets are today regarding sports gambling content on air and where they will be in a couple of years; how big players such as DraftKings are hunting for media entities; how he covers his beat and what he thinks are interesting stories; the limited value of pick segments on air beyond entertainment; whether Jake Paul-like events have a big gambling future; the NFL partnering with Caesars Entertainment, DraftKings and FanDuel and what it means, and much more. Wahl discusses the collapse of the Super League; what the Super League might have commanded in the open market as a media play; MLS going to market for a media deal and what it means; whether Fox still has long-term interest in MLS; the interest in soccer from the streaming services in the U.S. and more. You can subscribe to this podcast on Apple Podcasts, Google Play, Spotify, Audacy, and more. To learn more about listener data and our privacy practices visit: https://www.audacyinc.com/privacy-policy Learn more about your ad choices. Visit https://podcastchoices.com/adchoices

Episode 139 of the Sports Media Podcast features two guests — Sports Illustrated writer Jimmy Traina and Boston Globe columnist Chad Finn — for a roundtable discussion on various sports media topics. In the podcast we discuss Paul Pierce and ESPN parting ways and why the decision was made; did ESPN make the correct decision with Pierce; the ascendency of Kendrick Perkins; Alex Rodriguez working for ESPN and Fox Sports and whether that constitutes a conflict of interest; why none of us think Rodriguez is good in his ESPN role; when the NHL’s second media rights package will be signed; baseball fans being shutout with Hulu and YouTube TV among other carriers; the role of sports gambling in sports media in 2021 and forward; the plans for Meadowlark Media; why Roman Reigns and Paul Heyman are great at what they do, and much more. You can subscribe to this podcast on Apple Podcasts, Google Play, Spotify, Audacy, and more. To learn more about listener data and our privacy practices visit: https://www.audacyinc.com/privacy-policy Learn more about your ad choices. Visit https://podcastchoices.com/adchoices

Episode 138 features Paul Heyman, a longtime WWE performer — he currently is the special counsel for Universal Champion Roman Reigns —and sports entertainment impresario. In this podcast, Heyman discusses how doing press has changed for wrestling performers from the 2000s to current day; how much the public should the media know about the private lives of performers such as Roman Reigns, Becky Lynch or Charlotte Flair; whether he would let a media outlet go behind the scenes for WrestleMania; the freedom to ad-lib as opposed to being tightly scripted; the upcoming Wrestlemania 37 in Tampa; the ease of booking Becky Lynch in next year’s WrestleMania; the challenge of performing the last calendar year in front of no crowds; his comfort level in taking bumps; his time in ECW; how he has been able to work with people who are main event stars; the status of his WWE contract, which is set to expire; whether he would consider hosting a podcast about wrestling; perpetually changing greatness, and much more. You can subscribe to this podcast on Apple Podcasts, Google Play, Spotify, Radio.com and more. To learn more about listener data and our privacy practices visit: https://www.audacyinc.com/privacy-policy Learn more about your ad choices. Visit https://podcastchoices.com/adchoices