Sports Media with Richard Deitsch

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

Episode 57 of the Sports Media Podcast features three guests. The first segment is a conversation with Michael Grange, who covers the Toronto Raptors for Sportsnet (Canada) and Ann Killion, a sports columnist for the San Francisco Chronicle who covers the Golden State Warriors. The second segment features Mark Feinsand, an MLB. com executive reporter, MLB Network Insider and the co-author of "Mission 27: A New Boss, A New Ballpark and One Last Ring For The Yankees' Core Four.” In this podcast, Grange and Killion discuss the challenges and professional excitement of covering a championship team; what the process was like to cover this year’s Raptors and Warriors; what kind of access they received as reporters; covering Kawhi Leonard and Kevin Durant daily; Killion on covering a team that consistently makes the NBA Finals; why Steph Curry is so unique among NBA superstars; the most challenging things about covering this year’s teams; who surprised each writer on the other team’s roster; what they anticipate will happen with Durant, Leonard and Klay Thompson; why Leonard’s camp does not leak and much more. Feinsanddiscussed his new book and why he felt it was a compelling subject; how to get people interested in the book who are not usually interested in the Yankees; whether covering the Yankees is different than covering other baseball teams; the metamorphosis of Alex Rodriguez from national pariah to anational voice in baseball; the challenges of getting information in baseball; how media access is MLB in 2019; the importance of reps if you want to be on sports television, 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 56 of the Sports Media Podcast features ESPN’s Taylor Twellman, the network’s lead analyst for domestic and global soccer. In this podcast, Twellman discusses Fox owning the rights to the World Cup and the frustration that comes from that; how he watches World Cup games; how he got into broadcasting following his career as a professional soccer player; how he hopes to navigate his soccer presence with other opportunities to discuss and cover sports away from soccer; his fandom for the St. Louis Blues; living in arguably the most intense sports media city in the U.S. (Boston); and a long conversation between Twellman and the host on the United States’s 13-0 win over Thailand in Group Stage play. 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 55 of the Sports Media Podcast features two guests. First up is best-selling author James Andrew Miller, the host of the podcast, “Origins with James Andrew Miller.” He is followed by sports broadcaster Jenn Hildreth, who will be calling the 2019 Women's World Cup for Fox and also works for ESPN and the SEC Network. In this podcast, Miller discusses the many interviews ESPN president Jimmy Pitaro has done on the intersection of sports and politics at ESPN and how Pitaro views that intersection with relation to ESPN’s audience; the research ESPN says it has done on this issue and why it won’t release that data; how a company such as Disney navigates this issue; whether the social media rules should be (and are) different for Disney Chairman Bob Iger versus a front-facing ESPN employee; the growth of ESPN+ and the job ESPN programming execs have done building it up; the ESPN Monday Night Football booth decision; whether Bob Ley will return to ESPN; what the Andy Ruiz Jr.- Anthony Joshua fight means for DAZN; the growing power of Stephen A. Smith at ESPN; what is the likely scenario for Smith’s next contract; whether Smith has Jordan Rules as an employee, and much more. Hildreth discusses calling the 2019 Women's World Cup for Fox/FS1 alongside Minnesota United analyst Kyndra de St. Aubin; her preparation to call WWC tournament; the challenges of calling global soccer, particularly challenging names; how she navigates working for Fox Sports and ESPN and the SEC Network; why she decided to move from sideline reporting to play by play; the importance of her doing play by play for the next generation of women gamecallers; her work as the lead play by play voice for the National Women’s Soccer League (NWSL); handicapping the 2019 Women’s World Cup; what she hopes to do 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 54 of the Sports Media Podcast features three guests: First up is David Epstein, a New York Times best-selling author whose latest book is “Range: Why Generalists Triumph in a Specialized World.” He is followed by Seerat Sohi, an NBA writer for Yahoo Sports based in Toronto who is covering the NBA Finals. The third segment features Daniel Dale, the acclaimed Washington bureau chief for the Toronto Star and a mega-Raptors fan. In this podcast, Epstein discusses his latest book, which questions whether early specialization leads to your best possible result; the development of Roger Federer vs. Tiger Woods; how specialization impacts society; the system of parallel trenches in science and what that means; those who find success late; how parents can best introduce their kids sports; the greatest organizational challenge Epstein faced with the book; his thoughts on Caster Semenya, and more. Sohi discusses how she will approach covering her first NBA Finals fulltime; whether she feels pressure writing a major event versus a regular season game; how the Warriors-Raptors series might play out; why the Raptors receive a fair amount of press given their standing in the league; why Fred VanVleet is the most interesting quote on Toronto; how Kawhi Leonard might view the result of this series in relation to his free agency and much more. Dale returns to the podcast to discuss his Raptors fandom and how he has processed this remarkable Finals run; attending many of the playoff games in person; how he feels this team will impact basketball in Canada heading forward; whether there are Raptors fans amid his Washington circle; why he prefers not to write about this team and just revel in fandom, 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 53 of the Sports Media Podcast features a roundtable with Sports Business Daily media reporter John Ourand. In this podcast, Deitsch and Ourand discuss the NFL moving Sunday divisional playoff games to 3pm and 6:30 p.m. ET start times; dropping the single-header rule, meaning all markets will get at least three Sunday afternoon games; the postseason NBA viewership; how much of the declines are tied to LeBron James versus other factors; the L.A. Times profile of ESPN president Jimmy Pitaro; the future of cord cutting; whether Facebook, Apple, Amazon, Netflix, Google will pick up significant sports rights packages by 2025; ESPN and the nexus of sports and politics; Pitaro saying talent is no longer confused about politics; the NFL Network’s rights deal with Conference USA for 10 football games; the Sports Emmys 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 53 of the Sports Media Podcast features two guests. First up is Taylor Rooks, a host and reporter for Bleacher Report and the host of “Take It There With Taylor Rooks,” which airs on Bleacher Report. She is followed by Jim Ross, the iconic wrestling broadcaster who is currently signed to All Elite Wrestling as a commentator and senior advisor. He also has a new podcast — Grilling JR – with Conrad Thompson. In this podcast, Rooks discusses her career arc and how she landed a national sports interview show at age 26; how her age is an asset with athletes; mentors such as Cari Champion and their impact on helping Rooks guide through the sports media business as a women and women of color; whether she feels pressure as the face of a B/R campaign; speaking truth publicly on topics such as race; her interviews with Jimmy Butler, Damian Lillard, Saquon Barkley, Elena Delle Donne and Rudy Gobert among others; the role of “each one, teach one” in her life; what she hopes to achieve long-term and much more. Ross discusses the attributes a wrestling broadcaster must have to be successful; the similarities and differences of calling traditional sports vs. sports entertainment; the level of knowledge he had on finishes when calling WCW/WWE/WWF matches; his new role with AEW; why he thinks it is foolish to think about competing with WWE in 2019; what he expects from the television product for AEW; the popularity of wrestling nostalgia and attending wrestling conventions; his evaluation of WWE broadcasting talent; his new podcast with Conrad Thompson; why Becky Lynch has popped where others have not; his personal relationship with Baker Mayfield and longtime Oklahoma football fandom, 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 52 of the Sports Media Podcast features three guests: First up is a sports media roundtable with Washington Post sports and media writer Ben Strauss of The Washington Post and Hannah Withiam, an associate editor at The Athletic. They are followed by Armen Keteyian, the longtime broadcast television journalist and an anchor and executive producer for The Athletic. In this podcast, Strauss, Withiam and Deitsch discuss the XFL’s media deal including the announcement that more than half of the XFL's games will be on broadcast television as part of deals the league announced with Fox and ESPN; whether spring football can be successful as a sports media play; how ESPN and Fox might approach production; what we think of ESPN’s decision to name Joe Tessitore and Booger McFarland as the Monday Night Football booth; how long we expect ESPN management to give the new MNF booth; the Sinclair Broadcast Group buying 21 regional sports networks from Disney for $10.6 billion; what Sinclair owning the linear TV and streaming rights to the games of 42 pro teams might mean for fans of those teams; the WNBA’s new deal with CBS Sports Network; the WNBA marketing itself as a movement; how the WNBA will do without some of its major stars playing this year; how we viewed the Athletic’s panel on students entering the sports media business and much more. Keteyian discussed the debut of The Athletic’s video initiative including profiles of Christian Yelich, P.K. Subban, and three-part series on sports betting (Big Bets on High Tech); how and why the video subjects were chosen; skepticism when it comes to short-form video online, and how to figure out how long to make a digital video. 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 51 of the Sports Media Podcast features three guests: First up is Tim Layden, a senior writer for Sports Illustrated and a contributor to NBC Sports. He is followed by Bruce Feldman, a college football reporter for The Athletic and Fox Sports. The last segment is with Daniel Dale, the Washington correspondent for the Toronto Star. In this podcast, Layden discusses how to cover the Kentucky Derby, whatmakes covering the Derby unique compared to other events, the access that the sports media gets during Derby week and after the race; writing about horse racing versus other sports; what the media contingent is like covering the Kentucky Derby; how two Triple Crown horses over the last four years will impact this year’s coverage; the deaths of 23 horses at Santa Anita and where that story will next go; the prospects of Omaha Beach; whether there are young people on the horse racing beat; and much more. Feldman discusses his experience at ESPN The Magazine; how he views the decision of ESPN to stop publishing the print issue starting in September; the rivalry between ESPN The Magazine and Sports Illustrated; the future of magazines that focus on sports, and more. Dale and Deitsch discuss the Raptors postseason; the ceiling of this Raptors team; why the bench has struggled in the postseason; the genius of Kawhi Leonard; how Dale first got into the Raptors; whether you can declare the Leonard for DeMar DeRozan trade a success if Leonard leaves; how Dale grades Nick Nurse; Dale starting a website about Vince Carter at age 14; whether we would bring Marc Gasol back; whether the Raptors finish will be tied to Leonard’s decision, 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 50 of the Sports Media Podcast with Richard Deitsch features two segments: First up is Adnan Virk and Mike Lombardi, the co-hosts of the new podcast, “The GM Shuffle.” Virk is currently the host of DAZN’s “ChangeUp” MLB whip-around show as well as a host at MLB Network. He worked for ESPN for a decade before he was fired by that company earlier this year. Lombardi is a longtime NFL executive who has worked for ESPN, CBS Sports, Showtime, the NFL Network, Fox Sports, Sports Illustrated, The Ringer and The Athletic. In this podcast, Virk and Lombardi discuss how their podcast came together and what they hope to bring to listeners; honesty and authenticity for podcast listeners; how Virk feels about ESPN today; whether he would have been fired by ESPN if he was a bigger name; how ESPNers should feel about management loyalty; who leaked the story of Virk’s firing and whether he leaked that information; Lombardi on how long Bill Belichick can continue to coach; the Kyler Murray-Josh Rosen situation for Arizona, and much more. The second guest is John Ourand, the media reporter for the Sports Business Daily. In the podcast, Ourand discussed ABC bidding for NFL packages during the next round of negotiations including a Super Bowl; the CBS Sports/WNBA deal; Sinclair’s bid for the Fox-branded RSNs and what would that mean if they win it; Peyton Manning turning down ESPN’s Monday Night Football; Abigail Disney’s Twitter thread excoriating Bob Iger’s 2018 compensation of $65.6 million and how laid-off ESPN-ers should feel about it, 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 49 of the Sports Media Podcast with Richard Deitsch features two guests: First up is Jemele Hill, a staff writer for The Atlantic and a former ESPN SportsCenter anchor and personality. Hill is the host of a new podcast — “Jemele Hill is Unbothered” for Spotify. Hill is followed by Rick Reilly, the author of "Commander In Cheat: How Golf Explains Trump” and a former writer and on-air personality for Sports Illustrated and ESPN. In this podcast, Hill discusses her transition from ESPN to roles that intersect sports, politics and social issues; her reaction to the Adnan Virk firing; her new podcast and how it was conceived; what she hopes listeners will take away from her new podcast; how to format a new podcast; the future of her friend and former ESPN colleague, Michael Smith; getting death threats online and how that has impacted her life; her thoughts on Tiger Woods winning the Masters and his role in the African-American community, and more. Reilly discusses why he wrote a book on Donald Trump’s relation to the truth when it comes to golf; how he reported the book out; the most dramatic cheating story in the book; how he navigated audiences that will dislike what he wrote versus those that will like it; why how Trump approaches golf ultimately matters; how he views his years at ESPN after leaving Sports Illustrated; being criticized by the sports blogosphere; sucking on television; what Woods’s win at The Masters meant in his mind; Trump saying he'll award golfer Woods with the Presidential Medal of Freedom, 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 48 of the Sports Media Podcast with Richard Deitsch features two guests: First up is Ron MacLean the host of Hockey Night in Canada and Rogers Hometown Hockey and one of the most well-known sports broadcasters in Canada. He’s followed by Chicago White Sox and ESPN broadcaster Jason Benetti. In this podcast, MacLean discusses the relevance of the Hockey Night In Canada host role in 2019; the most important trait a sports television host can have and why; his relationship with Coaches Corner co-host Don Cherry and why it was worked for as long as it has; why Cherry continues to provoke a reaction from an audience; navigating politics in on-air commentary; his turbulent relationship with Gary Bettman; his return to the Hockey Night in Canada host role two years ago after he was removed from the lead chair; traveling Canada for Hometown Hockey broadcasts; where the hockey stands in terms of inclusiveness and specifically for people of color, women and the LGBTQ community; whether there are truisms of about a Canadian sports audience and more. Obvious disclosure: Ron MacLean and I both work for Rogers in Canada. Benetti discusses how he navigates the many sports he calls including baseball, college football and college basketball and the NFL; his role as the play by play TV voice of the White Sox; how one makes a jump from local to national sports broadcaster; whether his law degree manifest itself in his day to day life; homerism vs. objectivity in local baseball broadcasting; his thoughts on using analytics on a broadcast; how his cerebral palsy defines and does not define him; what he does to eradicate stereotypes about disability awareness; where the White Sox are in terms of the rebuild, 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 47 of the Sports Media Podcast with Richard Deitsch features Renee Young and Paul Heyman of the WWE. Young is a commentator on Monday Night Raw, the WWE’s flagship show, and the first woman to hold that position. Heyman is a longtime WWE performer — he currently is the advocate for Brock Lesnar —and sports entertainment impresario. Both Heyman and Young will perform at WrestleMania 35 in East Rutherford, N.J. The last segment features Sports Business Daily media writer John Ourand. In this podcast, Heyman and Young discuss what they see as effective public speaking and performing on television; what a work week is like for each prior to performing on Raw; Young’s learning curve as a commentator for RAW; the freedom both get from management regarding WWE storylines; how to sell a message most effectively in the fewest words possible; the adjustments Young has had to make calling matches of her real-life spouse, Dean Ambrose; how Heyman worked with Ronda Rousey on her promos and why he has enjoyed the process of working Rousey so much; how Becky Lynch has developed into one of the biggest stars in the WWE Universe; why Heyman and Young enjoy working with each other on-camera, especially the one-on-one interview they did last year; whether they have had trouble navigating their real lives versus their WWE lives; why Heyman approaches each show as if it will be his last; and much more. Ourand discusses the contract chatter surrounding CBS NFL analyst Tony Romo; ESPN’s Get Up! celebrating its one-year anniversary; the latest on the RSN (Regional Sports Network) sale; the Pac 12’s gamble regarding media rights; 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 46 of the Sports Media Podcast with Richard Deitsch features five sports podcasters discussing all facets of their podcasts. The opening segment features Conrad Thompson, the host of three immensely popular wresting podcasts: Something to Wrestle (with Bruce Pritchard); 83 Weeks (with Eric Bischoff) and What Happened When (with Tony Schiavone). He is followed by Shireen Ahmed, one of the co-hosts of the “Burn It All Down” podcast, which brings an intersectional feminist view to the biggest stories in sports. Next up is Emily Kaplan and Greg Wyshynski, the co-hosts of “ESPN On Ice with Wyshynski and Kaplan.” Wyshynski also hosts the Puck Soup podcast. They are followed by Steven Bennett, who hosts the Buffalo-based podcast, The Sports-Casters. In this podcast, the podcasters discuss how and when they started their podcasts and why they do it; the process of putting together their podcasts each week; how many downloads they get per episode; how much time it takes each week from conception to completion; who they think their audience is; whether they are making money from this; what their favorite episode is and why; how they hope to gain more audience; extending their podcast beyond audio; the differences in being an independent and working for a major sports outlet; how they work with partners; 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 45 of the Sports Media Podcast with Richard Deitsch features Michael Kay, the television voice of the New York Yankees for the YES Network and the host of The Michael Kay Show, which airs 3:00 to 7:00 PM ET on ESPN’s New York City radio affiliate. Kay’s interview is followed by a sports media roundtable with Mike McCarthy, a sports media reporter for The Sporting News and Hannah Withiam, an associate editor for The Athletic. In this podcast, Kay discusses his recent interview with New York Knicks owner James Dolan; how he assessed it from his end; what Dolan said prior and after the interview; his radio competition with WFAN’s Mike Francesa; his professional issues with Francesa; why he feels his show is better; what he will do if he beats Francesa in the ratings; what Kay has learned about being a drive-time host in the nation’s biggest media market; navigating working for the Yankees with hosting a sports-talk show that discusses the Yankees; how far a broadcaster in his position can go in terms of being critical about a player or owner; what it’s like to be the subject of stories the way an athlete is; how sports-talk hosts have become the new sports columnists; his viral video about the attacks on the press amid the New York Daily News massive layoffs last summer; his current relationship with Rudy Guiliani; whether he will leave one of his jobs at the conclusion of the five-year deal he signed last year with ESPN; how he views the construction of the Yankees 2019 roster and more. McCarthy and Withiam discuss Fox’s new college football Saturday morning show featuring former Ohio State coach Urban Meyer; the show’s longterm prospects for success and inevitable comparisons to College GameDay; a look at the Monday Night Football booth following Jason Witten’s departure; Withiam’s interview with Kay for The Athletic; the dual role of Jessica Mendoza, Alex Rodriguez, David Ross and others who work for both broadcast outlets and professional teams; thoughts on CBS/Turner’s coverage of the NCAA Tournament and more. You can subscribe to this podcast on Apple Podcasts, Google Play, 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 44 of the Sports Media Podcast with Richard Deitsch features a conversation with NFL Network analyst and NFL Draft expert Daniel Jeremiah. In this podcast, Jeremiah details what a typical day is like for him prior to the NFL Draft; how the departure of Mike Mayock has impacted him professionally; whether he feels more pressure this year on-air in the post-Mayock era given his prominence at the NFL Network; how he will evaluate Mayock’s picks and whether he thinks he’ll have insight into which players Mayock prefers; growing up as the son of David Jeremiah, the senior pastor of Shadow Mountain Community Church and a well-known figure in the faith community; how ESPN’s Chris Mortensen helped him get his start in the sports media; how he weighs sharing his faith publicly; whether he feels ESPN’s Draft analysts are competitors; his father serving as the chaplain for the NBA’s Clippers (then playing in San Diego) and leading services for NFL teams in town to play the Chargers; what he thinks of anonymous sources being quoted in the media; how player makeup impacts his evaluations; how he evaluates the 2019 Draft class overall; whether Kyler Murray has vaulted up to the top pick in the Draft; being listed in Mel Kiper’s scouting guide when he played, and much more. You can subscribe to this podcast on Apple Podcasts, Google Play, 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 43 of the Sports Media Podcast with Richard Deitsch features a roundtable with Sports Business Daily media reporter John Ourand and Boston Globe sports media writer Chad Finn. In this podcast, the group discusses Jason Witten’s return to the Dallas Cowboys; how surprised ESPN management was with Witten’s decision; what ESPN is likely to do next with Monday Night Football; whether ESPN would be better served with a two-person or three person booth; what media outlet will end up getting the story on the new Monday Night Football booth for 2019; David Levy leaving Turner Sports and the impact of that departure; what Jeff Zucker running WarnerMedia’s news and sports means for Turner properties; the Mets hiring of Jessica Mendoza as an advisor; how viewers should view Mendoza, Alex Rodriguez, David Ross, David Ortiz and Pedro Martinez and others working for baseball organizations and broadcasting games at the same time; what to expect from ESPN’s new sports gambling show; whether hardcore sports gamblers will every embrace such shows on mainstream sports networks, and much more. You can subscribe to this podcast on Apple Podcasts, Google Play, 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 42 of the Sports Media Podcast with Richard Deitsch features three guests. First up is Ian Eagle and Sarah Kustok, the broadcast team for the Brooklyn Nets as well as accomplished broadcasters for CBS, the YES Network Turner Sports and Tennis Channel (Eagle) and the YES Network and Fox Sports (Kustok). They are followed by Wall Street Journal sports columnist Jason Gay and Boston Globe baseball writer Pete Abraham. In this podcast, Eagle and Kustok discuss why it works between the two of them; what is unique about their partnership; how they value preparation and passion about preparation; whether you can have a good broadcast if you dislike your colleague; how the Nets’ current success has impacted their broadcast; why Eagle says Kustok gets television; whether they have ever gotten on each other nerves; working with Richard Jefferson in a three-person booth; why Brad Stevens, Erik Spoelstra and Nick Nurse are great in production meetings; why the Nets are good this year; whether the Nets can land a big-name free agent in 2019; what Sarah wants to do long-term in broadcasting; how Eagle tries to develop chemistry with his partners and much more. Gay discusses his recent piece titled, “Mr. Kraft’ and the Sports Owner God Complex,” and why sports owners are so often afforded the honorific “Mr”; why this exists more in the NFL than other sports; whether there is a parallel to “Coach” in college sports; the racial component in this construct; the uniqueness of writing sports for the Wall Street Journal; writing celebrity profiles versus sports pieces and much more. Abraham discusses the passing and legacy of longtime Red Sox beat writer Nick Cafardo; how Cafardo was instrumental in Abraham being hiring at the Globe; the pressures of covering a cultural institution such as the Red Sox and more. You can subscribe to this podcast on Apple Podcasts, Google Play, 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 41 of the Sports Media Podcast with Richard Deitsch features a conversation with Sports Business Daily media reporter John Ourand. In this podcast Ourand and Deitsch discuss the NBA’s declining viewership at this point of the season; why big markets among the regional sports networks are so down including New York (down 41 percent on MSG Network), Chicago (down 36 percent on NBC Sports Chicago) and Boston (down 27 percent on NBC Sports Boston); why national games are down 18 percent on TNT and 17 percent on NBA TV; the early line on which TV networks will retain NFL rights and whether ABC will get a Super Bowl; a guess on the money the NFL will receive for its media rights; how the AAF is doing as a media play and whether AAF and the XFL can both survive with a spring schedule; the firing of Adnan Virk and Virk’s future; leaks at ESPN and whether they will continue, and much more. You can subscribe to this podcast on Apple Podcasts, Google Play, 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 40 of the Sports Media Podcast with Richard Deitsch features three great guests: ESPN senior investigative reporter Mark Fainaru-Wada; Fox Sports NASCAR host and NFL reporter Shannon Spake, and preeminent NASCAR writer and reporter Jeff Gluck. First up is Fainaru-Wada, who discussed his recent piece on how Bob Costas went from fronting the NFL to being excised from last year's Super Bowl; how the story came to fruition; how often he spoke with Costas; why he thinks Costas talked to him; how he approached NBC Sports and what their response was to his inquiries; whether an in-game broadcast of the NFL can ever tell hard truths; calling me out for saying ESPN would no longer do investigative work on third rail NFL issues; how he navigated this story with his superiors, who negotiate NFL media contracts; ESPN’s commitment to this kind of reporting, and much more. Spake discussed being named hostof FOX NASCAR’s race coverage, including all the anchor duties for the Monster Energy NASCAR Cup Series; how that assignment came about; how she plans to forge chemistry with the studio group; the numbers of women working in NASCAR; how to navigate covering the sport from a studio in Charlotte; why NASCAR has hemorrhaged television viewers; working on the team of Thom Breneman and Chris Spielman on NFL games this season; the differences and similarities between NFL and college football sideline reporting; whether players and coaches curse more in pro football or college; the differences between working at Fox and ESPN; her superfandom of The Howard Stern show; her training as an endurance racer and racing in multiple half Ironmans 1.2-mile swim, a 56-mile bike ride and a 13.1-mile run, and much more. Gluck discussed covering NASCAR via crowdfunding and how he supports his career and life via his Patreon page; why he opted to leave USA Today for this new style of independent reporting; who is patrons are and why he thinks they fund him; his current relationship with NASCAR; how he views the state of the media covering NASCAR today; why media outlets have scaled back on NASCAR coverage; whether ESPN leaving the sport has had an impact; the declining television ratings of the sport; how to get more people of color and women interested in NASCAR; whether the crowdfunding approach could work for writers in major sports, 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