Sports Media with Richard Deitsch

Episode 106 of the Sports Media Podcast with Richard Deitsch features two guests. First up is James Andrew Miller, the best-selling author of books on CAA, ESPN and Saturday Night Live the host of the “Origins” podcast. His latest project is a deep dive into the Cameron Crowe classic coming-of-age-film, “Almost Famous.” He is followed by Kurt Streeter of the New York Times, who has done extensive reporting on Maya Moore, the WNBA star who left professional basketball to help free a man she believed was wrongly convicted. In this podcast Miller discusses how the “Almost Famous” series came to be and why he wanted to do it; getting stars such as Kate Hudson, Jimmy Fallon and Zooey Deschanel to participate in the project; his approach to featuring Philip Seymour Hoffman, who passed away in 2014; Disney’s deal with Colin Kaepernick; how ESPN will handle the intersection of race and sports from now on; how ESPN President Jimmy Pitaro will handle the upcoming social and political terrain during the Presidential Election season; Mike Golic’s legacy at ESPN; the new ESPN Radio lineup; a Golic-Greenberg return and more. Streeter discusses how he came to Moore’s story on her work toward getting Jonathan Irons, serving 50 years, released from prison for a crime he did not commit. (In 1998, a jury found Irons guilty of burglary and assault with a deadly weapon. He was 16 when the crime occurred); how he earned Moore’s trust; how much gender plays in this not being a bigger story; what he expects from Moore heading forward 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 105 of the Sports Media Podcast with Richard Deitsch features three guests. First up is Rhiannon Walker, who covers the Washington football team for The Athletic. She is followed by Mike Reiss, an NFL Nation reporter for ESPN who reports on the Patriots for all ESPN platforms. He is followed by Josh Tolentino, who covers the Tampa Bay Rays for The Athletic. In this podcast, Walker discusses the challenges of covering the NFL during a pandemic and the unknown heading forward; how she has personally processed the last month in America; the racism and sexism she has experienced on social media platforms and in the business; how she feels about the future of the sports media business as someone in her 20s; what she he hopes to be doing 5-10 years; the Washington Post calling for the end of the name ‘Redskins’ and how much of a story that will be heading forward, and more. Reiss discusses what the addition of Cam Newton means for the Patriots media beat; how the absence of Tom Brady changes the tenor of the Patriots locker room; covering the Patriots amid a pandemic; the prospect of player activism in New England and more. Tolentino discusses covering the Rays and the challenge of covering MLB amid COVID-19; living and working in Florida; his post on June 25 about a racist couple yelling out “Kung Flu” and telling him to “go back to China;” facing anti-Asian xenophobia during his life; why he believes in the future of beat writing 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 104 of the Sports Media Podcast with Richard Deitsch features two guests. First up is Michael Lee, a senior NBA writer for The Athletic. He is followed by Washington Post writer Robert Klemko, an investigative reporter in the Sports department who has been assigned to news during COVID-19. In this podcast, Lee discusses how he has processed the last three weeks in America; the nexus of sports and race in 2020 and what it says about the moment; the NBA’s return-to-play plan and whether it can work; how the game might be covered and which writers will be inside the bubble; would we cover the sport inside the bubble; how much NBA activism will ESPN and TNT show; the NBA reporting ecosystem. Klemko discusses moving from Sports to News during the COVID-19 pandemic; covering politics versus sports; covering the Donald Trump rally in Tulsa; interviewing people around the country and how they react to him when he identifies as a writer from The Washington Post; his social mentions, being called the n-word, and threats against his family; the NFL player activism coming and Jerry Jones’s role; how the NFL networks will cover football this year, 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 103 of the Sports Media Podcast with Richard Deitsch features two guests. First up is J.A. Adande, the Director of Sports Journalism and the Medill School at Northwestern University and a longtime ESPN staffer. He is followed by The Athletic NASCAR writer Jeff Gluck. In this podcast, Adande discusses how he has processed the last two weeks in America; the nexus of sports and social justice and sports and race and why you must cover these issues even knowing that some consumers of your product are not going to be happy if you do; what his students at Northwestern are saying about sports journalism; his optimism for sports journalism given this moment in America; the growing power of college athletes; the discussion among NBA players regarding the league’s return-to-play plan; and much more. Gluck, who has been traveling on the NASCAR beat since 2007, discusses NASCAR’s decision to prohibit the display of the Confederate flag from all NASCAR events and properties; how he anticipates this will be covered heading forward; the role of the networks that air NASCAR in the decision; whether this will have an impact on viewership or attendance 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 102 of the Sports Media Podcast with Richard Deitsch features a conversation with four guests. First up is Lisa Wilson, the NFL editor for The Athletic and a former sports editor for The Buffalo News. She is followed by ESPN SportsCenter anchor Michael Eaves. He is followed by Rana Cash, the executive editor of the Savannah Morning News who was just recently the sports editor at the Louisville Courier-Journal. She is followed by Donnovan Bennett, a host, podcaster and writer for Sportsnet in Canada (where I work as well in addition to The Athletic). In this podcast, Wilson discusses how she is processing what she has watched this week in the United States following the death of George Floyd; serving as the nation's only black female sports editor at a major metropolitan daily when she worked at The Buffalo News; howshe would evaluate sports media in 2020 on issues of race, institutional racism and hiring practices; how the pipeline of hiring needs to change regarding sports media staffers of color; the impact of athletes speaking out right now in America, and more. Eaves discusses how he is processing what he is seeing in the United States right now; his experiences growing up black in Kentucky; how he views the sports media business at large on issues of race and institutional racism; the conversations he is having with his colleagues at the National Association of Black Journalists; how much freedom ESPN affords him professionally right now on social media to discuss and express issues involving race; how he views athletes speaking out right now and more. Cash discusses how she is processing what she is seeing in the United States right now; her experience growing up in Sanford, Florida; being the nation’s only African-American female sports editor at a major metropolitan daily; how the hiring pipeline in sports media can change; Lisa Wilson's influence on Cash; working in the city of Louisville right now; athletes speaking out and not speaking out; the words of Drew Brees; what she wants to do heading forward in journalism at the Savannah Morning News, and more. The podcasts concludes with Bennett on how he is processing what he is seeing in the United States and Canada right now; his experience growing up Black-Canadian in Toronto; why Canadians may want to frame this as an American issue but the reality of racial injustices in Canada; his piece on a particularly difficult month to be black in North America, the role of white athletes speaking up; whether sports has a role to play in bridging the racial divide in North America 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 101 of the Sports Media Podcast with Richard Deitsch features a conversation with two guests. First up is Sports Business Daily media writer John Ourand. He is followed by The Athletic senior NHL writer and investigative reporter Katie Strang. In this podcast, Ourand discusses the potential for the most crowded pro sports schedule in history and what that means for networks that air games; whether networks or leagues will work with each other to change schedules; how network officials are approaching college football; whether the era of remote broadcasts is here for good; John’s reporting on future Turner Sports exhibitions with Tiger Woods and Phil Mickelson; whether any sport such as NASCAR will get sustained growth off the increasing viewership during the pandemic; how sports outlets will approach social media during the lead-up to the 2020 U.S. Presidential Election, and more. Strang discusses the NHL’s return to play plan; what she expects regarding media access; whether she would work inside an NHL hub city or bubble; how the pandemic might impact long-term media coverage; her reporting on alleged sexual abuse in junior hockey and how the bodies that monitor youth hockey have handed allegations of sexual misconduct and abuse, 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 100 of the Sports Media Podcast with Richard Deitsch features a conversation with two guests. First up is ESPN NFL and college football analyst Booger McFarland, who spent the past two years as one of the analysts on Monday Night Football. He is followed by Barry Landis, the lead race producer for FOX’s NASCAR coverage and a producer on that network’s NFL coverage. In this podcast, McFarland discusses his time as an analyst on Monday Night Football; how he learned he would not return; how he viewed that decision; whether he advocated for one additional year; how he felt about Joe Tessitore also being re-assigned; the criticism the broadcast booth received; what he learned most from the experience; calls he wish he had back; what he hopes to do heading forward in broadcasting; what he thinks of college football attempting to play in 2020; what playing in Tampa Bay will be like for Tom Brady, and much more. Landis discusses the challenges of producing NASCAR during a pandemic; the most challenging thing he faced producing the Darlington races; how he approaches relationships with his analysts; the decision-making process of how to discuss COVID-19 and mask-wearing during racing; the switch from Darrell Waltrip to Jeff Gordon; how he compares producing NASCAR to the NFL 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 99 of the Sports Media Podcast with Richard Deitsch features Sports Illustrated senior writer and Fox and MLB Network reporter and broadcaster Tom Verducci. In this podcast, Verducci discusses MLB’s proposed plans to return and what he thinks of those prospects; how baseball will be covered with COVID-19 restrictions; the potential loss of media access beyond 2020; how social distancing will change media coverage; the prospect of calling MLB games from a studio as opposed to a ballpark; going through temperature checks and other health checks to cover a game; the rise of specialization as a baseball reporter; the future of gambling in baseball writing; examining Michael Jordan’s time with the White Sox and why Tom thinks Jordan would have made the majors; the SI cover telling Jordan to "Bag It, Michael"; whether one can still have a career in baseball writing as a young person in 2020 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 98 of the Sports Media Podcast with Richard Deitsch features the sports television journalist and host Bob Costas, who currently calls baseball and hosts specials for the MLB Network. In this podcast, Costas discusses his role in launching and developing the Concussion Legacy Foundation’s CLF Media Project, the first and only concussion reporting training designed specifically for sports media professionals; the importance of proper terminology for broadcasters when it comes to head trauma; whether there are limits to how far a rightsholder broadcaster can go when it comes to discussing head trauma prior or during a game; how he views his final years with NBC Sports; appearing in The Last Dance; the prospects of an Olympics in Tokyo in 2021; his view on whether we will see a Tokyo Olympics in 2021; the prospect of broadcasting baseball with no crowd and calling games either remotely or within a bubble; knowing one’s career arc, 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 97 of the Sports Media Podcast with Richard Deitsch features Boston Globe sports media writer Chad Finn and Adam and Craig Malamut, the creators of the B/R animated series, “Game of Zones.” In this podcast Deitsch and Finn discuss the future of the NFL Draft on television; the possibilities of a Super Bowl that kicks off on Feb. 28, 2021 and a regular season that starts as late as Thursday, Oct. 15; the combined ESPN/NFL Network Draft production; the coverage of Tom Brady and Rob Gronkowski in Tampa and New England; the impact of COVID-19 on the sports media and how the Globe sports section has approached stories during COVID-19. The Malamuts discuss what viewers can expect from the final season; why Game of Zones became popular; how the shows gets created; the impact of COVID-19 on the finale; what is next for them, 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 96 of the Sports Media Podcast with Richard Deitsch features Sports Business Daily media writer John Ourand. In this podcast Deitsch and Ourand discuss the combined ESPN/NFL Network production of the NFL Draft; the issues and challenges surrounding it; why the tech worked for viewers; the public response to The Last Dance; whether comparisons to the O.J. doc is fair; what the COVID-19 shutdown will mean for sports media long-term; the rise of TV networks producing non-remote productions; sportswriters who have moved to the news side during the pandemic; Sports Illustrated/The Maven layoffs 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

Welcome to Hope, Through History with Jon Meacham. This limited series explores some of the most historic and trying times in American History, and how this nation dealt with these moments, the impact of these moments and how we came through these moments a unified nation. Season One takes a look at critical moments around the 1918 Flu Pandemic, the Great Depression, World War II, the polio epidemic and the Cuban Missile Crisis. 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 95 of the Sports Media Podcast with Richard Deitsch features three guests. First up is ESPN play by play broadcaster Sean McDonough, who has called major sports for three decades including national championships in college football and basketball; Monday Night Football, and the World Series McDonough was scheduled to return this year as one of the voices of Boston Red Sox, whose games he also called from 1988-2004. In this podcast McDonough discusses what he is doing now amid COVID-19; his time at Monday Night Football and why it did not work with Jon Gruden; the cancelation of his spring broadcasting schedule; how he feels about the prospect of calling games without crowds; working in college football with two great broadcasting teams over the past two decades; the Syracuse University play by play pipeline; and much more. McDonough is followed by Kalyn Kahler, most recently of Sports Illustrated and The MMQB and Joan Niesen, a writer for The Guardian, podcaster for Religion of Sport and a former Sports Illustrated writer. Kahler and Niesen discuss being laid off by SI/The Maven and how that process went down; how Kahler was informed last week of her layoff; the prospect of finding work in this market; what it has been like to work at SI the past two years; what both expect from Sports Illustrated heading forward; Niesen on living in New Orleans; how to contact both for work, 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 94 of the Sports Media Podcast with Richard Deitsch features a conversation with The Washington Post sports media writer Ben Strauss. In this podcast, Strauss and Deitsch discuss how sports networks are programming amid COVID-19; what alternative programs have hit; the postponement of the Olympics and what that means for NBC; Fox committing to a full eNASCAR season; the NFL selling Wild Card games to NBC and CBS;;the Sports Illustrated layoffs and what will happen with that iconic media brand. 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 93 of the Sports Media Podcast with Richard Deitsch features a conversation with Chico Harlan, the Rome bureau chief for The Washington Post. He joined the paper in 2008 where his role was serving as the beat reporter for the Washington Nationals. In this podcast, Harlan discusses what his day to day life is currently like in Rome during the middle of a pandemic; how he reports his stories for the Washington Post; the challenges of reporting on coronavirus in Italy; the most troubling things he has seen in Italy; how the Italian media is covering the pandemic; the horror of the hospitals there; what Americans can learn from Italy’s experience; covering a very bad Nationals team, 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 92 of the Sports Media Podcast with Richard Deitsch features a conversation with ESPN SportsCenter anchor Scott Van Pelt. In this podcast, Van Pelt discusses how his show is adapting to the current COVID-19 crisis; what working at ESPN’s Connecticut headquarters is currently like; what it was like being on the air when the NBA announced its season was suspended; how to approach live television when unforeseen circumstances happen; the organic development of “SeniorNight” for his show; whether sports can ever be the same and why he is confident that can be; being a parent amid this crisis; 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 91 of the Sports Media Podcast with Richard Deitsch features a conversation with Dr. Celine Gounder and Grant Wahl. Dr. Gounder is a practicing HIV/infectious diseases specialist and internist and epidemiologist. She is currently working as a CNN analyst and hosts of the podcast “Epidemic With Dr. Celine Gounder and Ronald Klain.” Wahl is a senior writer at Sports Illustrated and the host of Planet Fubol. The two are married. In this podcast, Gounder and Wahl discuss the most important things people can to do right now to protect themselves; Gounder’s confidence level in flattening the curve and whether enough people are taking the threat seriously; what it is like for Wahl to live with an infectious disease doctor during a pandemic; the physical and mental toll on medical people that will be coming; what might be a realistic timeframe for sports to return in best and worst scenarios; the recklessness of the IOC; how this crisis has shaped how they view sports; whether sports can return to any kind of normalcy in the next few years 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 90 of the Sports Media Podcast with Richard Deitsch features a conversation with Sports Business Daily media writer John Ourand. In this podcast, Deitsch and Ourand discuss Tony Romo’s decision to re-sign with CBS; what we know about the negotiations and ESPN’s interest; the impact of Romo’s record-breaking salary; how this helps or does not help CBS/Viacom with upcoming NFL rights negotiations; what Romo’s salary mean for the talent market for NFL analysts; what would have happened had Romo made the open market; how CBS might have handled a future without Romo, 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 89 of the Sports Media Podcast with Richard Deitsch features a conversation with Sports Business Daily media writer John Ourand. In this podcast, Deitsch and Ourand discuss what a 17th NFL game and extra postseason games would mean for media rights holders; what outlets could be bidding on a new package; how the XFL is doing viewership-wise in relation to expectations; the cancellation of ESPN’s High Noon; how much the cancellation has to do with ratings versus salary; the reaction to the cancellation; what be next for Bomani Jones and Pablo Torre; the latest on SEC Football package; 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 88 of the Sports Media Podcast with Richard Deitsch features a conversation with Tiffany Greene and Meghan McPeak. Green is the first African-American woman to serve as a play by play commentator for college football on a major network. She calls HBCU football games for ESPN as well as other play by play assignments for ESPN including college basketball on the SEC Network. McPeak, who classifies herself as bi-racial, is a play by play broadcaster for the Capital City Gogo, the NBA G League affiliate for the Washington Wizards. In October 2018 McPeak joined the very short list of women who have done play by play for an NBA game when she called a Wizards-Pistons preseason game. That made her the first female play by play broadcaster in 30 years to call an NBA game. In this podcast, Greene and McPeak discuss their love of play by play and their professional journeys; the pressure they feel as pioneering broadcasters given so few women of color are currently doing play by play at national levels; their broadcasting styles; racism, sexism and inequality in the sports media; how often they hear from women of color who are interested in getting into sports broadcasting; where they hope to be professionally ten years from now; 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 87 of the Sports Media Podcast with Richard Deitsch features a conversation with Jamie Little and Shannon Spake, both of Fox Sports. Little covers pit road for the NASCAR Cup Series and NASCAR XFINITY Series. Spake is the host of Fox NASCAR’s race coverage and handles all the anchor duties for NASCAR Cup Series and NASCAR XFINITY series. They will be both be part of Fox’s Daytona 500 c0verage. In this podcast, Little and Spake discuss what is unique about broadcasting NASCAR versus other sports; how they prepare to cover the Daytona 500; why NASCAR television viewership has dropped; their friendship on the road; what covering the NFL is like for Spake; Little’s work on “America’s Top Dog” and dog show competitions; Spake training to compete in the famed Kona triathlon; 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 86 of the Sports Media Podcast with Richard Deitsch features a conversation with Howard Beck of Bleacher Report and Tim Kawakami of The Athletic. Both writers covered Kobe Bryant extensively during Bryant’s career. In this podcast, Beck and Kawakami discuss Bryant as an interview subject; the level of access he gave reporters; how long they covered him; how reporters should address the sexual assault case in Eagle, Colo; their most memorable interaction with Bryant; whether Bryant was calculating with reporters;what Beck would ask Bryant if he had 15 more minutes with him and more. Beck hosts his own podcast, "The Full 48.” Kawakami also hosts his own podcast, “The TK Show.” 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 85 of the Sports Media Podcast with Richard Deitsch features a conversation with Richie Zyontz and Rich Russo of Fox Sports. Zyontz and Russo are the lead producer and lead director for Super Bowl LIV. This will be Zyontz’s six Super Bowl as a lead game producer. It is the fourth Super Bowl Russo has directed. In this episode, Zyontz and Russo discuss the preparation that goes into the production elements of the Super Bowl; what they do day to day during Super Bowl week; how they practice for the worst contingencies; how the Chiefs and Niners’ specifically impact the broadcast; how much interaction they have with game announcers Joe Buck, Troy Aikman, Erin Andrews and Chris Myers prior to kickoff; what replays are like in the truck; how they determine what they will do on crowd shots; how they plan to incorporate the rules officials into the broadcast 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 84 of the Sports Media Podcast with Richard Deitsch features a conversation with Sports Business Daily media writer John Ourand on a variety of topics. In this podcast, Ourand and Deitsch discuss potential Super Bowl viewership; whether the Titans being in the Super Bowl would impact the viewership number; the appeal of Aaron Rogers and Patrick Mahomes as TV plays; sports accounting for 92 of the 100 most-viewed telecasts in 2019; the upcoming Monday Night Football changes; what our sources say about Tony Romo’s broadcasting future; our debate about Romo’s place historically; whether ESPN will be able to procure SEC football games from CBS before 2023; ESPN’s Scott Van Pelt moving back to D.C. to do his SportsCenter; DAZN releasing viewing stats for the first time; Ourand appearing on the Sports Illustrated Media podcast, 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 83 of the Sports Media Podcast with Richard Deitsch features ESPN analyst and host Jalen Rose, who appears on a variety of ESPN shows including NBA Countdown, Get Up! and Jalen & Jacoby. In 2011, Rose established the Jalen Rose Leadership Academy (JRLA), an open enrollment ­public charter high school in Detroit that gives students a leadership-focused education. In this podcast, Rose discusses his ESPN tenure in relation to his NBA career; why he has taken on the assignments he has; his definition of good sports television; how he has navigated all the talent changes on NBA Countdown; the viewership declines for the NBA; whether he thinks an in-season tournament is an interesting media property; the focus on analytics and advanced stats in the conversation around sports as it relates to devaluing of player intellect; whether it is frustrating not to talk about politics as an ESPN employee; the career conversations between he and his wife, Molly Qerim Rose; appreciating your position but planning your promotion; ownership interests 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 82 of the Sports Media Podcast with Richard Deitsch features ESPN broadcaster Adam Amin, who handles a variety of assignments for the company including college football, the NFL, women’s college basketball and the Final Four; MLB, men's college basketball, and the NBA. In this podcast, Amin discusses how he approaches his assignments, his recent experience on Twitter that went viral when he decided to spend a plane flight praising his colleagues; crazy ESPN conspiracies on college football; struggling to always be positive; how he navigates so many different assignments; calling 95 events in 2020; sitting in the production meetings of multiple sports and what he's learned about that process; the interest in calling the premier SEC football games; the passion of college football viewers; why it works so well with Rebecca Lobo and Holly Rowe for Women’s Final Four coverage, and much 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 81 of the Sports Media Podcast with Richard Deitsch features two guests: The iconic wrestling broadcaster Jim (“JR”) Ross, who currently calls All Elite Wrestling (AEW) on TNT every Wednesday at 8:00 p.m. ET and is a senior advisor with the promotion. Ross is also the co-host (with Conrad Thompson) of the popular podcast, “Grilling JR.” The second guest is Joan Niesen, who recently worked at Sports Illustrated, where she covered national college football, following stops at the Denver Post and Fox Sports. In this podcast, Ross discusses how AEW approaches broadcasting; whether there is an AEW style of broadcasting; the differences between how AEW and WWE broadcast their products; the art of delivering a promo and why Chris Jericho is so great at it; working into his late 60s; how he navigates social media; why it works so well with he and Conrad Thompson; how he prepares for Grilling JR; his upcoming book, Under the Black Hat, which comes out in March, and much more. Niesen was a guest on Episode 72 of this podcast as one four former Sports Illustrated staffers who were let go last week by The Maven, the Seattle-based startup that leased Sports Illustrated's media operations from the Authentic Brands Group. In this podcast, Niesen discusses the challenges of freelancing after being let go from a writing job; how the freelance market has been for her; how she views what’s happening under the Maven at SI; the paradox of wanting to support SI writers but not The Maven; her view on college football as a television product; the deification of college football coaches, 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 80 of the Sports Media Podcast with Richard Deitsch features two guests for a media roundtable: Boston Globe sports media writer Chad Finn and Washington Post sports media writer Ben Strauss. In this podcast, the roundtable discusses the decline of the NBA viewership and the reasons for it; what could provide a catalyst; the cable vs. network debate; the impact of the Warriors on NBA ratings; whether MLB can capitalize on a crazy offseason; the future of the SEC Football package; what we think will be the biggest stories of 2020; the bloodletting of writers from places like Sports Illustrated and Deadspin and others; where sports podcasts are and where they might be going, 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 79 of the Sports Media Podcast with Richard Deitsch features Fox Sports broadcaster Joe Buck. He and Troy Aikman will call Super Bowl LIV on Feb. 2, 2020. In this podcast, Buck discusses how he views the prospect of working until his 70s as his father, Jack Buck, did; how turning 50 impacted him both professionally and personally; whether broadcasting a Super Bowl that year feels different for hos NFL broadcast group; why he signed a contract extension that times with John Smoltz’s contract; how to come to grips with being a figure on sports social media; whether he could envision doing games without Aikman and Smoltz; his hockey fandom and passion for the St. Louis Blues; raising twin 1-year-old boys; how his wife, Michelle Beisner-Buck, has given him insight into ESPN; his family’s friendship with Randy Moss, 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 78 of the Sports Media Podcast with Richard Deitsch features James Andrew Miller, the best-selling author of books on CAA, ESPN and Saturday Night Live the host of the “Origins” podcast. His latest project is a deep dive into HBO. In this podcast, Miller discusses the prospect of ABC airing Monday Night Football and whether ESPN could afford not to have MNF on cable; the interest at Disney in airing a Super Bowl; why he believes Stephen A. Smith’s annual salary will ultimately top $10 million; how ESPN decides on salaries such as Smith’s; whether it is fair to question ESPN’s talent layoffs when the company is paying big money for talent elsewhere; ESPN staffers navigating social media thoughts about the 2020 Presidential Election; Jim’s new book project on HBO and how much sports will play a part in the book; his upcoming “Origins” podcast on the 20th anniversary of the film, “Almost Famous” 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 77 of the Sports Media Podcast with Richard Deitsch features two guests: First up is Robert Klemko, who is an investigative reporter in the Sports department of The Washington Post. Klemko worked at Sports Illustrated for six years prior to the Post. He is followed by Sports Illustrated’s Jimmy Traina, who writes “Traina Thoughts” for SI.com and is the host of the Sports Illustrated Media Podcast. He has worked at SI for 19 years. In this podcast, Klemko discusses how he landed at The Washington Post and what is new job will entail; where he thinks Sports Illustrated is now and where will it be one year from now; the most important skills needed to cover the NFL in 2019; his reporting on Antonio Brown and Kellen Winslow Jr.; what teams he has found to be good with media access; how and why Lamar Jackson fell in the NFL Draft; what he has learned about investigative journalism when it comes to sports, and much more. Traina discusses all of the wrestling shows on television and how AEW has gotten off to a remarkable viewership start; Fox’s noon strategy for college football and how it’s working; Sean McDonough’s work; whether Monday Night Football is just another game; the challenges of doing a sports media podcast and booking guests; ESPN-ers talking politics in 2020, 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 76 of the Sports Media Podcast with Richard Deitsch features two guests: First up is Sports Business Daily media writer John Ourand. He is followed by Tim Burke, who worked at Deadspin for seven years as a video editor, writer and editor. He now runs Burke Communications, a media consulting group. In this podcast, Ourand discusses World Series viewership and where the health of MLB is regarding those metrics; why Ourand thinks MLB and Fox should be pleased with postseason numbers; why baseball’s local ratings remain so strong; Deadspin writers quitting the site en masse last week; CBS’s decision to get rid of Gary McCord and Peter Kostis; the calculus behind DAZN starting the Canelo Alvarez-Sergey Kovalev fight at 1:18 a.m. Eastern Time after waiting for a UFC card to end; a discussion on whether Inside The NBA should be enshrined in the Basketball Hall of Fame, and much more. Burke offers his view on how Deadspin writers ended up in the untenable position they found themselves in; why private equity firms such as Great Hill are interested in media ownership; why Deadspin was able to resonate in the marketplace; Deadspin’s abilty to offer unique content in a crowded marketplace; whether his personal decision to leave in 2018 was because he saw this as a potential outcome; whether he sees any parallels between G/O Media’s stick to sports edict and ESPN management wanting staffers to avoid ‘pure politics’; why, in his opinion, Deadspin was important historically; whether any form of Deadspin at G/O Media can continue; the services he provides at Burke Communications; working as a media consultant in 2019, 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 75 of the Sports Media Podcast with Richard Deitsch features three guests: Michael Smith, who worked for ESPN for 15 years in various capacities including as a NFL reporter and SportsCenter host; Isabelle Khurshudyan, who has covered the Washington Capitals for the Washington Post since the fall of 2015 and will soon become a Moscow correspondent for the paper, and Mark Beech, who spent eighteen years at Sports Illustrated before becoming a senior editor at the Players’ Tribune in 2016. His new book is The People's Team: An Illustrated History of the Green Bay Packers. In this podcast, Smith discusses why he is no longer at ESPN; his experience as the co-host of SC6 with Jemele Hill; how he did not want to go backwards creatively at ESPN after the dissolution of SC6; the challenges of navigating internal politics at ESPN; what it is like when the President of the United States and White House spokesperson are tweeting about your company and co-host; whether his relationship with ESPN was salvageable; his new role as an executive vice president and and chief content officer of (co)laboratory — a new L.A. studio startup; focusing on developing original content about sports and media training for athletes; continuing to work as an on-air person and much more. Khurshudyan discusses her job responsibilities in Russia; how she plans to prepare for her new assignment; what it’s like to be an American reporter in Moscow; watching Russian news; how her Russian accent plays in Russia; her awareness of being monitored by Russian officials; how the Capitals organization was in terms of access and storytelling; why the Post does not pigeon-hole reporters and more. Beech discusses how he went about researching the history of the Packers; the value of the Green Bay Press-Gazette archives; the Packers executives who turned out to be great interviews; the role of integration in the Packers story; whether Green Bay could ever get a team today; the importance of the Packers in Wisconsin 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 74 of the Sports Media Podcast with Richard Deitsch features Sam Amick, a national NBA writer for The Athletic, and Ian Darke and Taylor Twellman, the lead soccer broadcast team for ESPN. In this podcast, Amick discusses how much China will consume coverage of the league this season; howparity will impact NBA media coverage; the most interesting teams in the NBA this year; what he expects from the Lakers and Clippers in terms of access; what to expect from LeBron James in terms of interest from viewers; whether viewership will increase, decline or remain flat; the ping pong abilities of Nikola Jokić, and much more. Darke and Twellman discuss their broadcast partnership; how to develop on-air chemistry between partners; why it works between them; Twellman on Darke’s skill as a play by play broadcaster; Darke on Twellman’s preparation; the use of humor in a sports broadcast; whether their broadcast is different calling a U.S. team or MLS game versus a global soccer broadcast; how hard soccer viewers are on broadcasting 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 73 of the Sports Media Podcast with Richard Deitsch features best-selling author and media writer James Andrew Miller, the host of the podcast, “Origins with James Andrew Miller. In this podcast, Miller and Deitsch discuss the relationship between ESPN and the NBA as it relates to China and politics; how ESPN has navigated the news out of China; whether employees feel restricted about discussing the political situation about China and Hong Kong through the prism of Daryl Morey’s tweet; what ESPN employees have seemingly been given a green light to discuss and not to discuss; what Disney’s involvement is here; where the story for ESPN goes next and how much discussion will exist this sesason; the Sports Illustrated layoffs; why SI found itself in the position it was in; Jim’s review of Uncut Gems and why he loves Adam Sandler in it; praise for Kevin Garnett’s acting work, 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 72 of the Sports Media Podcast with Richard Deitsch features four former Sports Illustrated staffers who were let go last week by The Maven, the Seattle-based startup that leased Sports Illustrated's media operations from the Authentic Brands Group. The first segment features Mary Agnant, a producer and filmmaker who worked for Sports Illustrated Video for three years. Agnant worked on many video initiatives and directed one of the best things SI has ever produced – a documentary (“The Logan Effect”) about Humboldt Broncos' Logan Boulet, one of the 16 people killed in the horrible bus crash involving that hockey team. She is joined by Scooby Axson, who worked at Sports Illustrated and SI.com for seven years there, covering everything from CFB, NFL, NBA, and MLB. Axson spent 16 years in the military, serving tours in Bosnia and Iraq prior to working at SI. The second segment features Tim Rohan, who worked at Sports Illustrated for 3.5 years as an NFL writer and was previously a writer for the New York Times. The serialized podcast re-examining the death of Steve McNair that Rohan hosted and help create – “Fall of a Titan” — was recognized as one of the best sports podcasts of 2018. He is joined by Joan Niesen, a talented staff writer at Sports Illustrated for nearly six years. Niesen covered a multitude of sports and events for SI including the College Football Playoff, Super Bowl, The Masters, Stanley Cup Finals, and World Series. In this podcast, the guests discuss what they did for Sports Illustrated; how they and the SI staff learned of the layoffs; whether they had any indication it was coming; the callous nature of how they and their colleagues were told they were losing their jobs; whether they hoped for a different resolution for SI; what working for SI has been like for the best couple of years; what they think the future holds for Sports Illustrated under The Maven; what they hope to do in their careers heading forward; how you can contact them if interested in hiring them, 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 71 of the Sports Media Podcast with Richard Deitsch features two segments. The first guest is Adnan Virk, the host of DAZN’s “ChangeUp” MLB whip-around show, the network’s boxing coverage, as well as a host at MLB Network and NHL Network. The second segment features Ivan Maisel and John Dahl. Maisel has covered college football for ESPN since 2002, writing as a senior writer for ESPN.com and appearing on television and ESPN Radio and on podcasts. Dahl is an ESPN Vice President of Special Projects and Original Content. In this podcast Virk discusses his many appearances on this podcast; the over-punishment for him from ESPN; the differences in working at DAZN vs. ESPN; working for an incumbent as opposed to the big dog; his many name-drops per podcast appearances; whether DAZN will get involved in football; the challenges of starting up a new podcast; his many assignments; whether he misses the scale of the ESPN audience; the allure of Ryen Russillo and how ESPN blew it with him, and much more. Maisel and Dahl discuss ESPN’s programming rollout for College Football’s 150th anniversary season; the resources the company put toward this; the documentary-syle program including The American Game, an 11-episode documentary series that focuses on college football’s growth in the American landscape; integration in college football; the company’s upcoming selection of college football’s greatest players and games; 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 70 of the Sports Media Podcast with Richard Deitsch features two guests: Jane McManus is the director of the Center for Sports Communication at Marist College, a sports columnist for the New York Daily News and a former ESPN and espnW columnist. Katie Strang is a national writer for The Athletic based in Michigan. and a former NHL and MLB writer for ESPN. In this podcast, McManus and Strang discuss covering stories that focus on mental health and sexual assault in sports; how to cover such stories thoughtfully, intelligentially and accurately; how such stories are looked at internally by sports media outlets; the language used by the media when it comes to sexual assault and mental health; how the public reacts to such stories; how to educate yourself on the topic if you work in the sports media; whether broadcast networks such as ESPN should have mental health experts on staff to talk on air; Strang on the emotional toll of covering the Larry Nassar trial; the challenges of reporting and writing on this topic 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 69 of the Sports Media Podcast with Richard Deitsch features two guests. First up is Garret Graff, the author of the best-selling book, “The Only Plane in the Sky: An Oral History of 9/11.” He is followed by Kavitha Davidson and Anders Kelto, the co-hosts of “The Lead” which is a new daily podcast from The Athletic and Wondery LLC. It is the first daily podcast for the Athletic. In this podcast, Graf discusses how his Politico Magazine piece for the 15th anniversary of 9/11 about being aboard Air Force One with the president on 9/11 led to his current book; the challenge of writing something that captured what the national experience was like on 9/11; how he and his colleague Jenny Pachucki culled through the many sources of audio data at the 9/11 Memorial StoryCorps, the Flight 93 National Memorial, the Pentagon Historian's Office and other sources; what process he used to compartmentalize his work for the book; how his sources reacted upon reflection of 9/11; the incredible story of the first fighters scrambled into the air to intercept what we now know was United 93; the decision to run the transcript of the hijackers from inside the cockpit; how much happenstance, fate, luck, and random life decisions impacted 9/11; the role of Roger Clemens, the Yankees, Monday Night Football on that day, and much more. In the second conversation, Davidson and Anders Kelto discuss what the concept of The Lead is and why it exists; how they put the podcast together; how they will judge success; how to differentiate the podcast within a crowded market; the ability of the staff to morph to audio; whether the market exists for such a show; why The Athletic is doing it, 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 68 of the Sports Media Podcast with Richard Deitsch features a conversation with Sports Business Daily media writer John Ourand. In this podcast, Deitsch and Ourand discuss the NFL’s viewership numbers; why viewership was up in Week One and what it means heading forward; how much the NFL is counting on Dallas, New England, Cleveland and some other teams in its big windows; Fox’s noon ET college football strategy; why college football has gotten off to a big ratings start; the impact of sports gambling on viewership; Big Noon Kickoff and Urban Meyer; ESPN’s robust tennis numbers; Michelle Wie joining Golf Channel; The Athletic’s new daily podcast, 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 67 of the Sports Media Podcast with Richard Deitsch features a conversation with Monday Night Football analyst Booger McFarland. In this podcast, McFarland discusses the criticism of the product last season; his confidence level that he would be retained by ESPN for MNF; the challenges of being a field analyst last season; how things will be different this year; how he views ESPN’s interest in high-profile people; how he got involved in the sports media following an NFL career that included two Super Bowl titles; how he views Andrew Luck’s decision to retire; what he has learned about broadcasting; how honest one can be in his position, 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 66 of the Sports Media Podcast with Richard Deitsch features Fox Sports play by play broadcaster Gus Johnson and The Athletic college football writers Bruce Feldman and Stewart Mandel. In this podcast, Johnson discusses his approach to calling big plays and silence; the challenges of calling college football compared to other sports; his most memorable college football game as a broadcaster; how noon ET kickoffs will change his routine; why he wants badly back in the NBA; his approach to social media; his thoughts on Jay-Z and the NFL; why he considers his world soccer assignment the best of his professional career; the most impactful people in his career; working with Joel Klatt and Bill Raftery; if Fox Sports and CBS Sports are different and much more. Feldman (who also works at Fox Sports) and Mandel discuss the biggest storylines of the CFB season; whether access has changed since they have been on the beat; how they would add to the television coverage of college football; the podcast market for college football; what college football stories work for The Athletic 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 65 of the Sports Media Podcast with Richard Deitsch features Washington Post sports and media writer Ben Strauss. In this podcast, Strauss and Deitsch discusses the changes at ESPN’s NBA Countdown; the history of changes at Countdown; why Rachel Nichols and Maria Taylor were chosen to help; the future of Michelle Beadle; the proliferation of wresting on Wednesday nights at USA Network and Turner Sports; the resignation of Deadspin editor of chief Megan Greenwell; the future of that site under G/O Media, the site’s parent company; the launch of the ACC Network and whether it has interest beyond ACC country; the coverage of women’s sports this summer; whether the increased WNBA’s coverage this summer will continue beyond this year; 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 64 of the Sports Media Podcast with Richard Deitsch features two guests. First up is Don Van Natta, an investigative reporter for ESPN whose work appears across that company’s platforms. Van Natta is the host of the docuseries “Backstory,” whosedebut episode “Serena vs. The Umpire” launches Aug. 18 on ABC. He is followed by Chelsea Janes of The Washington Post. In January Janes moved from her longtime role as the Washington Nationals beat reporter to covering the 2020 Presidential election. In this podcast, Van Natta discusses his coverage of NFL ownership and the reporting skills needed to uncover that secretive world; why he believes ESPN is committed to journalism long-term; how he describes his new docuseries; why he chose Serena Williams as the opening subject; the future episodes of the series including an examination of Shoeless Joe Jackson; the most important trait a sports reporter should have; how to ask a good questions of a subject; how a reporter knows when a subject is lying to him or her; the challenge of navigating Twitter as a journalist; how he views ESPN prohibiting staffers from commenting on “pure politics; whether ESPN can cover the nexus of politics and race and sports, and much more. Janes discusses her move from covering the Nationals to the Kamala Harris campaign for The Washington Post; the most challenging part of that transition; how she was received by political reporters; a major social media mistake she made early in her tenure and the impact of that; the similarities between covering a sports beat and a political campaign; how she prepared for her new assignment; navigating social media and the differences and similarities of sports and political Twitter; her assessment of the Nationals playoff chances; the food at the Iowa State Fair 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 63 of the Sports Media Podcast with Richard Deitsch features Sports Business Daily media reporter John Ourand. In this podcast, Deitsch and Ourand project how NFL viewership will fare in 2019; why last year’s NFL viewership was up five percent across the board; the impact of close games and matchups early in the season on ratings; the impact of the Bears and Browns on national ratings; the Pac-12’s prospects of 9:00 a.m. ET kickoffs; what we think of college football viewership for 2019; the latest on local baseball viewership and why some markets have dropped considerably; how local viewership impacts national viewership; ESPN’s Sunday Night Baseball broadcast; Ourand’s story on the PGA Tour rights and WarnerMedia telling the PGA Tour that it would consider converting one of its existing TV channels into a golf-focused one; where the PGA Tour might land; ESPN+ investment in “Peyton’s Places;” whether Peyton Manning would consider doing an ABC package of NFL games and 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

Episode 62 of the Sports Media Podcast with Richard Deitsch features two guests: First up is best-selling author and media writer James Andrew Miller, the host of the podcast, “Origins with James Andrew Miller. He is followed by longtime NFL writer Jim Trotter, who serves in a multitude of roles for NFL Network and NFL.com and previously worked at ESPN, Sports Illustrated and the San Diego Union-Tribune. In this podcast, Miller discusses ESPN Radio host Dan Le Batard’s criticism of President Donald Trump and Le Batard’s criticism of his own network for not having “the stomach for the fight” when it comes to ESPN’s coverage of issues of race unless “there is some sort of weak, cowardly sports angle that we can run it through;" where the line is for an opinionist in relation to ESPN president Jimmy Pitaro’s dicta that it is not ESPN job “to cover politics, purely” and what that even means; the reaction of employees and management inside and outside of ESPN to Le Batard’s comments; whether there is a difference between saying something on ESPN’s airwaves and personal social media feeds; whether ESPN’s social media policy can stand heading forward; what is likely next in this story, and more. Trotter discusses working at ESPN and discussing issues of race; how he viewed Le Batard’s comments from afar; his thoughts on whether there are any parallels to Jemele Hill’s situation at ESPN; how he views ESPN’s social media policy and whether it is tenable; whether others at ESPN will head in the same direction as Le Batard, especially as we head toward an election year; why some issues are more important than policy; how sports has always been connected to race and politics; how he sees this will play out heading forward, 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

Episode 61 of the Sports Media Podcast with Richard Deitsch features three guests: First up is a boxing roundtable with Mike Coppinger, a staff writer covering boxing for The Athletic who formerly covered the sport for USA Today and Ring Magazine, and Lance Pugmire, a senior writer covering boxing for The Athletic who previously spent 19 years at the Los Angeles Times as their lead boxing writer. They are followed by Chad Finn, the sports media writer for the Boston Globe. In this podcast, Pugmire and Coppinger discuss the most enjoyable and most challenging thing about covering boxing in 2019; who the most important people are for them on the boxing beat; the transparency of fighters, promoters and TV executives; the kind of access they get as writers; the rise of DAZN as a player in the sport and what it means; Al Heymon’s power; how they define Boxing Twitter; what exists in the podcast space and their upcoming podcast; what it is like covering a sport where there are few reporters, and much more. Finn discusses Sunday Night Baseball and why so many viewers are expressing displeasure with the broadcast; the changes on the morning show at WEEI Radio in Boston; how the Celtics will look with Kemba Walker and without Al Horford 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

Episode 60 of the Sports Media Podcast with Richard Deitsch features two guests: First up is Conrad Thompson, the host of four immensely popular wresting podcasts: Something to Wrestle (with Bruce Pritchard); 83 Weeks (with Eric Bischoff), What Happened When (with Tony Schiavone) and Grilling JR with Jim Ross. He is followed by Chris Herring, a senior NBA writer for FiveThirtyEight and the former Knicks beat writer at The Wall Street Journal. In this podcast, Thompson discusses Bischoff and Pritchard taking job with the WWE and what that means for his podcasts; what he expects from Bischoff and Pritchard episodes heading forward; how much, if at all, the content of those podcasts will change; whether Pritchard has pulled any punches about the WWE since joining them earlier this year; how Thompson’s production schedule and live show schedule has changed with Bischoff and Pritchard taking WWE jobs; whether he has interacted with any WWE officials about the content of the pod; why you don’t hear current WWE talk on his pods; how he and Ross came together to do a podcast; why Grilling JR has been so successful from the jump; why Ross is so good in the podcast nostalgia space; why Pat Patterson, Kevin Dunn, Triple H and Jeff Jarrett would be excellent for this format; how much of the current product Thompson consumes and much more. Herring discusses how the many free agent moves might impact the popularity and viewership of the NBA product; whether so-called parity or super-teams are better for NBA popularity; the impact of Lakers and Clippers moves on television viewership; how the Kawhi Leonard news cycle played out and what it meant for journalism and hot talkers, 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

Episode 59 of the Sports Media Podcast features guest Bob Ley, who recently retired from ESPN after 40 years with the network. Ley was ESPN’s longest-serving commentator, joining the network as a SportsCenter anchor on its third day of operation (September 9, 1979)and had hosted Outside the Lines since its inception in May 1990. In this podcast, Ley discussed why he left ESPN; dispelling any notion that this was not his decision and his alone; how he came to his decision; what he did during his sabbatical from ESPN prior to announcing his retirement; whether he would do some on-air one-offs for ESPN in the future; what he believes the future is for Outside The Lines and whether management will support the show; how he navigated ESPN internally for 40 years; how the rounds of layoffs impacted his day to day at ESPN; how ESPN attempts to navigate the discussion of politics, race and social issues when its front-facing people discuss it on their social media channels; what it was like for him internally when reporting on ESPN’s league partners; the experience of covering the World Cup in South Africa; where his current professional interest lie; the most satisfying and challenging stories he worked on; what it’s like to be a guest at your own online funeral 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

Episode 58 of the Sports Media Podcast features two guests. The first segment is a conversation with John Ourand, the sports media reporter for the Sports Business Daily. The second segment features best-selling author James Andrew Miller, the host of the podcast, “Origins with James Andrew Miller. In this podcast, Ourand and Deitsch discuss Bob Ley’s decision to retire from ESPN after 40 years; the impact of Ley on programming at ESPN; what this means for ESPN’s journalism and Outside The Lines heading forward; the Women’s World Cup viewership for Fox Sports; Fox’s lack of interest in the PGA Tour rights; Fox receiving praise for its US Open coverage; the IOC provisionally approvingbreakdancing as a new medal event at 2024 Paris Olympicsas well as skateboarding, sport climbing and surfing, and a discussion on the Barrett Sports Media Top 30 Studio Shows of AllTime Draft. Miller jumps on the podcast for the final segment to discuss Ley’s impact on ESPN; why he was the conscience of the editorial operation; whether we will see him on the air again and 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