Sports Media with Richard Deitsch

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

Episode 39 of the Sports Media Podcast with Richard Deitsch features two segments. First up is a conversation with James Andrew Miller, the best-selling author of books on CAA, ESPN and Saturday Night Live the host of the “Origins” podcast. He is followed by Boston Globe media writer Chad Finn and USA Today staff writer A.J. Perez. In this podcast, Miller discusses how he views ESPN’s firing of Adnan Virk; why he believes there was a significant over-punishment; why ESPN has not investigated who leaked Virk’s firing to the media and whether that is hypocrisy; the historic inconsistency of ESPN discipline; whether the information Virk leaked was benign or significant; whether ESPN’s decision will have a chilling impact on others staffers talking to the media; what Virk’s next steps should be regarding future employment; why Miller believes ESPN president Jimmy Pitaro should bring back Virk, and much more. Finn and Perez discuss the low Super Bowl viewership number and potential reasons why it happened; whether Patriots fatigue actually exists or is a myth; the impact of Tony Romo on NFL broadcasting and their thoughts on the Virk firing. 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 38 of the Sports Media Podcast with Richard Deitsch features two guests: First up is Kevin Harlan, who is calling his ninth consecutive Super Bowl game for Westwood One, the audio rightsholder for the Super Bowl. He is followed by Mike Arnold, who is directing his fifth Super Bowl for CBS. In this podcast, Harlan discusses calling his ninth Super Bowl for Westwood One and how his radio call is different from his television work; the preparation he does to call a radio broadcast versus a television one; who he envisions listens to the radio call of the Super Bowl; creating chemistry with his color analysts including Kurt Warner and Boomer Esiason; being critical of his own radio work; where the radio booth is located at the Super Bowl and how that impacts his call; calling games through binoculars versus a monitor; how he defines satisfaction from the radio broadcast versus television; how long he hopes to continue with the radio call and more. Arnold discusses the role of director on a Super Bowl broadcast; how many camera operators he directs on Super Bowl day; the conversations he has with the camera persons prior to the game; whether certain camera locations are more important than others and why; what is unique about Tony Romo from his perspective; how he determines success in a broadcast; how much interaction he has with his bosses on Sunday; whether he gets nervous prior to air; what is something viewers should know about the process, 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 37 of the Sports Media Podcast with Richard Deitsch features two guests: First up is Laura Rutledge, a reporter and host for ESPN in a number of roles including as a reporter on live-event programming such as college football as well as a co-host on “Get Up” and the SEC Network’s “SEC Nation.” She is followed by Kevin Clark, an NFL writer, podcaster and video host for The Ringer. He previously covered the NFL for The Wall Street Journal. In this podcast, Rutledge discusses her various roles on major college football and other sports as well as hosting; her work process for each of those roles within ESPN; how she landed on “Get Up” and what ESPN has told her about her future there; her thought process on discussing Courtney Smith and Urban Meyer via commentary; facing sexism and chauvinism on social media; dealing with the stereotypes that exist on her being a former Miss Florida; the specific differences in working the sidelines on Monday Night Football versus college football; the passion of college football fans in the South; her experience being a regular on The Paul Finebaum Show; getting offered to join the Nashville and Sarasota ballets; and more. Clark discusses his unique style of NFL writing and how he finds his stories; why he left The Wall Street Journal for The Ringer; why the football analytics revolution may not be obvious, but it is happening in front of our eyes; whether wins above replacement a good metric for NFL; the interest in NFL viewers in analytics; his access working for The Ringer versus the Wall Street Journal; his thoughts on the Patriots-Rams Super Bowl, 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 36 of the Sports Media Podcast with Richard Deitsch features a conversation with Sports Business Daily media writer John Ourand. In this podcast, we discuss the potential viewership for this year’s Super Bowl in Atlanta; ESPN’s interest in getting a Super Bowl game in the future and the potential cost to get in that rotation; what kind of Super Bowl broadcast ESPN/ABC might put on; ESPN’s NFL journalism; Ourand’s story on the Big 12 conference shopping the 2019, 2021 and 2023 championship games to media companies; Endeavor move into streaming; the latest on Disney’s sale of the RSNs; the Monday Night Football booth for 2019; whether the Wizards should trade Bradley Beal to the Raptors for Pascal Siakam and O.G. Anunoby, 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 35 of the Sports Media Podcast with Richard Deitsch features two guests: longtime Sports Illustrated writer Austin Murphy, and Daniel Dale, the Toronto Star’s Washington bureau chief. In this podcast, Murphy discussed the recent piece he wrote for The Atlantic (“I Used to Write for Sports Illustrated, Now I Deliver Packages for Amazon”) in which he discussed his new job as an Amazon driver at age 57; why his piecestruck such a chord, especially on social media; how he approached writing it; what the writing job market been for him since leaving SI; the issue of ageism for sports writers; covering Lance Armstrong during the Tour De France and college football for SI; getting laid off from a job after decades, and much more. Dale discussed covering Donald Trump’s administration; his reputation as a premier Presidential fact-checkers; how he fact-checks in real-time and on social media; the record for the most lies in a month; why some outlets are reticent to use the word “lie; whether the focus on Trump is unfair compared to previous administrations; Dale’s contact with the White House; his experience on social media; why he describes his email inbox as “a dark place”; gaining celebrity in political circles in the U.S. and balancing that with hischarter as a journalist; the role of CNN prior to the 2016 Presidential Election; what his U.S. colleagues think of his work and whether they think he is an advocate or opinonist; how the U.S. political media can improve; how Canadian audience perceive the Canadian media today; how trust-building can demonstrate that journalists are human and relatable people who are doing the best job they can; how long he will keep his current assignment; what he thinks of the Toronto Raptors in 2019 and his thoughts on the Kawhi Leonard-DeMar DeRozan trade; attending Raptors games; his prediction for how this season will conclude; the prospect of writing about the 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 34 of the Sports Media Podcast with Richard Deitsch features a sports media conversation on ESPN with James Andrew Miller, the best-selling author of books on CAA, ESPN and Saturday Night Live the host of the “Origins” podcast. In this podcast, Miller discusses where ESPN is in 2019 regarding its relationship with parent company Disney and its position in the sports media marketplace; ESPN’s current relationship with the NFL and interest in future rights deals; where ESPN+ is today and where it needs to be in the future; whether ESPN will be aggressive with its journalism about the NFL heading forward; new ESPN President Jimmy Pitaro’s challenges and charter; talent salaries at ESPN heading forward; what SportsCenter is today; the future of the Monday Night Football booth; ESPN and politics; why ESPN separated with Jemele Hill; a quick examination of Get Up!; ESPN as a news-breaking engine; whether ESPN would do sports-related interviews with 2020 Presidential candidates, and much more. Plus, an apology to Sports Illustrated staffers. 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 33 of the Sports Media Podcast with Richard Deitsch features two guests: Chelsea Janes, the Washington Nationals beat reporter for the Washington Post who will move from that beat after the new year to cover the 2020 Presidential election; and Bruce Feldman, a college football reporter for The Athletic and a football sideline reporter for Fox Sports. In this podcast, Janes discusses her upcoming move from covering MLB to the 2020 Presidential campaign; how her new assignment came to be; the challenges of covering politics and getting new sources; how she has approached social media and political opinions; how baseball is a good training ground for the political road; whether she thinks she will return to sports; covering the Nationals and specifically the specter of Bryce Harper leaving the franchise; what she thought of the Patrick Corbin signing and what she thinks of the Nationals in 2019; the prospect of covering the next President of the United States; and much more. Feldman discusses college football podcasts and why there are not as many as other sports; the roles of college football media people in 2019; how important it is for him to be a newsbreaker; his leaving ESPN and whether he still has hard feelings from that episode; how he navigates his broadcast work with reporting for The Athletic; the value of being on TV for reporting; the deification of college coaches on college broadcasts; whether game coverage is the appropriate place for issue-oriented discussions, 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 32 of the Sports Media Podcast with Richard Deitsch features a roundtable discussion with three prominent NBA writers: Howard Beck, a senior NBA writer at Bleacher Report; Candace Buckner, a reporter for The Washington Post who covers the Washington Wizards, and Seerat Sohi, an NBA reporter for Yahoo Sports. In this podcast, the group discusses what they think readers expect from them in their specific roles; the different kinds of media people covering the NBA; how to figure out what lane to pursue when it comes to an NBA media job; what it’s like for Buckner and Sohi to be people of color in the NBA media; whether there is pressure to perform for NBA Twitter; the most media friendly players they deal with and Buckner’s praise here for John Wall is worth noting; the person in the NBA they most want to interview and why (the answers will surprise you); how where they live (Brooklyn, Toronto and Washington) impacts how they view the league and job; the NBA media person they’d most want to sit next to for Game 7; 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 31 of the Sports Media Podcast with Richard Deitsch features Tom Verducci, a Sports Illustrated senior writer, an analyst for MLB Network, and an analyst and field reporter for Fox Sports. In this podcast, Verducci discusses how reporters approach covering the Winter Meetings; which MLB organizational staffers are likely to speak to reporters at the Winter Meetings; why the Winter Meetings are often controlled by agents and their agendas; how texting has become a major form of communication for reporters covering the Winter Meetings; whether he expects Manny Machado or Bryce Harper to sign during the Winter Meetings; his thoughts on Patrick Corbin signing with the Nationals; how he views long-form baseball writing in 2018 and beyond; how MLB players feel about being profiled for a written piece versus a video one; why he is not on social media or Twitter; how he views the impact of legalized wagering on MLB; when he saw the sabermetric revolution in baseball writing; his long-term commitment to feature writing, 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 30 of the Sports Media Podcast with Richard Deitsch features a media roundtable with Sports Business Daily sports media writer John Ourand and Boston Globe sports media writer Chad Finn. In this episode, Ourand, Finn and Deitsch discuss the Monday Night Football booth, Finn’s recent piece on analyst Jason Witten and what the feedback as been on the booth from our readers; the Tiger Woods-Phil Mickelson pay-per-view event, what went wrong, and how Turner Sports viewed the enterprise; the rise of NFL viewership this season and what to expect in the final weeks of the regular season; what’s next in the sale of Fox’s 22 US-based regional sports networks (RSNs); Fox’s broadcast of Ohio State-Michigan and the overcoming adversity narrative pushed by Fox broadcasters Gus Johnson and Joel Klatt; 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 29 of the Sports Media Podcast with Richard Deitsch features sports broadcasters Rebecca Lobo and LaChina Robinson for an examination of women’s college basketball coverage, and a look at this year’s top teams. Lobo joined ESPN in 2004 as a WNBA and women’s college basketball analyst and reporter and calls the Women’s Final Four annually. She is a member of the Naismith Memorial Basketball Hall of Fame. Robinson calls games for a myriad of companies including ESPN, Fox Sports, Raycom’s ACC women’s basketball, the Atlanta Dream, and works at espnW, where she hosts the “Around The Rim” podcast. In this episode, Lobo and Robinson offer their thoughts on Notre Dame, UConn, Oregon, Baylor, and Louisville, and dissect the biggest challenges for Notre Dame to repeat; what women’s basketball programs are the most media accessible and why; how forthcoming coaches are in production meeting with broadcasters; the U.S. media markets with a lot of coverage of women’s basketball and the markets that should be better; the state of the women’s basketball blogosphere and the websites doing a good job of covering the sport, 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 28 of the Sports Media Podcast with Richard Deitsch features Boston sports-talk radio host Kirk Minihane In this podcast, Minihane discussed why he has not been on WEEI’s air since last September; checking himself into a hospital last August for treatment of depression and suicidal thoughts; why he took an indefinite leave from the airwaves; where is mental health his now and his current medication regimen; how he has spent the last three months away from sports talk; whether he thinks WEEI management believes him regarding his mental health issues; why he is leaving the Kirk and Callahan show; his upcoming sports show for Radio.com and what he hopes the show will be; why he and Entercom management decided to take this new path; whether he will be on the Kirk and Callahan show as a guest in the future and if he discussed anything formal with Barstool Radio; whether his issues with depression has given him empathy for other people or at least pause about attacking others on the air as he did frequently; what responsibility he has when people he has criticized on air get attacked on social media; whether the highs outweigh the lows of working in radio; the relationship between his job and his mental health, 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 27 of the Sports Media Podcast features Fox Sports NFL analyst Troy Aikman. In this podcast, Aikman discusses his first year as an analyst for Fox’s coverage of Thursday Night Football; how doing an additional game each week has changed his preparation; what an average week is like for him work-wise; how sustainable it is for a broadcast crew to work Thursdays and Sundays weekly; why Tony Romo was able to be successful so quickly where others have struggled in broadcasting; how much feedback he receives from Fox Sports execs; why he thinks NFL viewership is up; how he feels about Fox’s hiring of Skip Bayless; the NFL team that has impressed him the most this season; what it is like for him when he reads of Fox’s interest in other NFL analysts; whether he is interested in working in football management after his children graduate from high school, 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 26 of the Sports Media Podcast features Turner Sports and Fox Sports soccer host Kate Abdo; a media discussion with Boston Globe media writer Chad Finn on Monday Night Football’s broadcast crew and declining World Series viewership; and best-selling author and Detroit Free Press sports columnist Mitch Albom. In this podcast, Abdo discusses her role as the studio host for Turner and Bleacher Report’s UEFA Champions League coverage; how she ended up in soccer broadcasting after leaving home at 16; the differences between working in sports media in the U.K., Germany and the United States; the sexualized coverage of women broadcasters in the U.K.; being fluent in four languages and how that has shaped her soccer work; her biggest takeaway from Fox’s coverage of the 2018 World Cup; her Muslim faith and whether she has experienced discrimination or repression in her job; how she navigated Ramadan and calling the World Cup; future assignments and much more. Deitsch and Finn discuss the declining World Series viewership from last year; whether there is Boston fatigue; the call of Joe Buck and John Smoltz; and an analysis of the Monday Night Football booth. Albom discusses his current book, “The Next Person You Meet In Heaven," the sequel to The Five People You Meet in Heaven”; the challenges of bouncing from sports writing to non-sports writing; how much a sporting event still interests him as a writer; what sports figure in Michigan he finds the most compelling and why; whether he misses being on ESPN regularly and the fate of the newspaper sports section. 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 25 of the Sports Media Podcast features Sports Business Daily media writer John Ourand for a discussion on the latest sports media news. In this podcast, Ourand and Deitsch discuss the current NFL viewership numbers and why they are up from 2017; whether the league can sustain the ratings through the end of the regular season; the impact of quarterbacks, competitive games, and news fatigue on the viewership; the World Series matchup between the Dodgers and Red Sox and what kind of interest there will be nationally; a look at Fox’s MLB pregame show; the NBA viewership numbers from the opening week of the season and the impact of LeBron James moving from the Eastern to Western Conference; whether the Boston Celtics can fill the TV role that Cleveland played last year with James; Ourand’s interview with ESPN president Jimmy Pitaro; the stylistic difference between Pitaro and John Skipper; Pitaro’s discussion with Ourand on the role of political talk and ESPN and the impact it had; the opposing views of Ourand and Deitsch on covering politics at ESPN; Ourand’s piece on Around The Horn and how that show will move to ESPN’s Seaport studios in lower Manhattan and will use a new graphics package that will employ augmented reality; the impact of Tony Reali as a host; whether PTI can last post-Wilbon and Kornhesier 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 24 of the Sports Media Podcast features guests Rachel Nichols of ESPN and Candace Parker of Turner Sports. Nichols is the host of The Jump and a longtime reporter whose resume includes CNN, Turner Sports and the Washington Post. Parker Is a future Basketball Hall of Famer who recently joined the NBA on TNT and NBA TV as an analyst. She currently plays for the Los Angeles Sparks of the WNBA. In this podcast, Nichols discusses how The Jump gets put together daily; who she thinks is watching her show; women getting solo hosting jobs in the sports media; how much attention she pays to her show’s ratings; the impact of having an afternoon time slot; whether she considers NBA Countdown a competitor or complement to her show; what ESPN management has told her about the long-term prospects of her show; how her interview with Minnesota star forward Jimmy Butler came about; whether she feels Butler used her as part of a media strategy; why Mark Cuban agreed to go on with her to answer questions about sexual harassment in the Dallas Mavericks’ organization; what she expects from LeBron James in Los Angeles this season, and much more. Parker discusses why she took the job with Turner Sports; what her broadcasting schedule will be; how she plans on approaching sports broadcasting; what it means for her international basketball career now that she has a job with Turner Sports; the impact of her 9-year-old daughter on this decision; how she compartmentalizes her time; how much it helps a professional athlete with an interest in broadcasting to be interviewed over the years; why Michael Strahan gave her the best broadcasting advice; how she sees the evolution of the WNBA; her greatest starting five in WNBA history; the player she would chose today to build an WNBA franchise around; what she expects from the Eastern Conference this year; whether she is happy to see Tennessee playing UConn again in women’s college basketball, 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 23 of the Sports Media Podcast features Jemele Hill. In this podcast, Hill discusses leaving ESPN after 12 years; why she decided to leave; how one goes about negotiating a buyout with ESPN; the role of management changes at SportsCenter that led to her leaving SC6; whether ESPN management wanted her to stay or leave the company; why SC6 was not a viewership hit; the role of former ESPN president John Skipper in her career and the impact of Skipper’s leaving the network because of a cocaine addiction and the subsequent impact of that addiction; whether ESPN was too deep in political talk; her Twitter feed in the era of Donald Trump; her thoughts on the comments of Disney Chairman Bob Iger regarding ESPN swinging the pendulum a little bit too far away from sports; the culture of ESPN under new president Jimmy Pitaro; ESPN’s commitment to journalism regarding the NFL in the Pitaro era; what she will be writing for The Atlantic, where she will work as a staff writer; her role as the narrator for LeBron James' upcoming documentary series "Shut Up and Dribble; her thoughts on a conflict of interest writing about LeBron James and having financial ties to his production company; her upcoming podcast; her thoughts on the future of The Undefeated 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 22 of the Sports Media Podcast features Yahoo! Sports senior NBA insider Chris Haynes. In this podcast, Haynes discussed why he ended up leaving ESPN; what he expects at Yahoo! Sports; how ESPN wanted him to remain a local Bay Area as opposed to a national reporter; what it was like covering LeBron James for the Cleveland Plain-Dealer; what James discusses with reporters; what it’s like to have multiple employers over the past six years; whether he feels the pressure to break news as previous Yahoo staffers Adrian Wojnarowski and Shams Charania; addressing charges that he is too close to Kevin Durant; how reporters of color are seen in the league; graduating from Fresno State at 27 and trying to break into journalism; working as a security guard during the day and covered Trail Blazers games at night; why the Raptors might be the most interesting NBA story this year, 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 21 of the Sports Media Podcast features Renee Young, who was recently named as a fulltime commentator on Monday Night Raw, the WWE’s flagship show. Young is the first woman to hold that position. In the podcast, Young discusses why her six-year run at WWE has worked out as well as it has; how she found about getting the Raw job from Michael Cole, Triple H, Stephanie McMahon, and Vince McMahon; what her process is like to prepare for Monday Night Raw; how much she is aware of specific match activity versus storyline/backstory; how NXT helped develop her as an announcer; what her WWE audition was like; how her real-life will or will not impact what viewers will hear from her if Dean Ambrose (her real-life husband) is appearing on RAW; what makes Stephanie McMahon and Paul Heyman such great performers; how Heyman has helped her since her early days with WWE; which people in the company she hangs with while on the road; her newfound love of the NHL’s Vegas Golden Knights; why The Shield would beat the nWo; the dream WWE match she’d like to call, 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 21 of the Sports Media Podcast features four guests. The first segment is a roundtable with Black Sports Online founder and editor Robert Littal and Newsday sports columnist and reporter Neil Best. In the podcast, the three of us discuss what CBS, Fox, ESPN, and NBC have in store for you this year when it comes to the NFL; the changes we are most curious about regarding the networks that air NFL games; how the networks will cover the intersection of social justice and football; our thoughts on how the Colin Kaepernick/Nike story has played out over the first few days; opportunism in the sports media and cable television regarding Kaepernick; the new ESPN Monday Night Football booth and much more. The next segment features Scott Hanson, the longtime host of of NFL RedZone, as well as co-host of NFL Network’s NFL Total Access along with Lindsay Rhodes. We discuss why people are interested in the NFL Red Zone; who he envisions is his audience; how many people watch; the changes to this year’s production; why people were so fascinated by him taking a bathroom break last year; Tom Brady being a fan of the show, and much more. The final guest, NBC’s McHugh, discusses his new hosting role on Football Night In America; whether versatility in sports broadcasting is something that can be monetized; his work hosting the NHL and the Olympics; his dream of doing something with international soccer; working in different parts of the country before landing at NBC, why we don’t hear much about him away from the camera; what he hopes to do in the future, 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 21 of the Sports Media Podcast features three guests. The first segment is a roundtable with Sports Business Daily media writer John Ourand and Black Sports Online founder and editor Robert Littal. In the podcast, the three of us discuss Jemele Hill leaving ESPN; what it means for the ESPN brand; why it happened; how much of it the decision was tied to Hill’s suspension last October or new ESPN president Jimmy Pitaro; what it says that ESPN’s most prominent African-American female voice has left the company; Michelle Beadle leaving Get Up! to return to Los Angeles for added basketball responsibilities; Fox’s foray into Thursday Night Football; whether college football viewership will be hurt by a summer of scandal; the future of ESPN’s The Undefeated and more. The third guest is Ryan Glasspiegel of The Big Lead website. We discuss Glasspiegel’s breaking the story of Beadle leaving Get Up!; why he thinks it happened; whether there is any relationship to Beadle’s comments about no longer watching football to that decision; the longterm future of the show; whether Mike Greenberg and Mike Golic would ever get back together, 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 20 of the Sports Media Podcast with Richard Deitsch features two guests: The first is ESPN insider Adam Schefter, who is the author (along with SI’s Michael Rosenberg) of a new book, “The Man I Never Met: A Memoir.” The second guest is WNBA All-Star forward Chiney Ogwumike, who works as an ESPN host and commentator away from professional basketball. In this podcast Schefter discusses his new book, which is about how his life intersected with Joe Maio, who worked at Cantor Fitzgerald and died on Sept. 11, 2011 at the World Trade Center; why he decided to write a book about his wife’s late husband; how to write something so personal; revealing personal details about his life including the failure of his first marriage; what his wife and children, including Joe’s son who was 27 months old when Joe died; thought about the book; visiting the 9-11 site; how ESPN’s reset of its NFL relationship impacts him; what teams are the most forthcoming or transparent; the most interesting story this year in the NFL; which current players have a career in media ahead of them; working as an NBA sideline reporter and much more. Ogwumike discusses how she broke into broadcasting while playing; how to navigating being a professional athlete and working in the sports media; the importance of Stanford in pushing her to a career in media; being part of SportsCenter Africa and what that division covers; her first appearances on ESPN linear shows like First Take and The Jump; how working in the media has changed her perception of the media; what WNBA athletes deal with on social media; her long-term broadcast aspirations; whether WNBA players will ever earn enough domestically not to play overseas, 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 19 of the Sports Media Podcast with Richard Deitsch features two guests: Sports Business Daily media writer John Ourand and MLB Network and Fox Sports MLB analyst John Smoltz. In this podcast, Ourand discusses ESPN’s new weekly lineup changes and recommitment to SportsCenter; the end of SportsNation; why Ourand thinks the move to 4:00 p.m. ET is good for High Noon; the run on global soccer rights for streaming entities such as ESPN+ and B/R; whether out-of-home-viewership stats has any business significance for networks and why Fox pushed it for the World Cup; Keith Olbermann’s turn as baseball caller for ESPN; the anger from some that ESPN has employed Olbermann, and much more; Smoltz discusses why he decided to pursue broadcasting following the conclusion of his playing career in 2009; the role of a baseball broadcast in 2018; how he prepares for a studio show versus a game broadcast and which one challenges him more; how he looks at the role of analytics for both the studio and the booth; what is different about calling a World Series game versus another game; how he judges on-air success; why he does not watch replays of his work; where he stands on players getting involved in the media who were not cooperative with the media; how forthcoming managers are in production meetings; the type of questions one can ask to get more candor from baseball personnel, 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 18 of the Sports Media Podcast with Richard Deitsch features guest Rebecca Lowe, the host of NBC Sports Group’s Premier League coverage, including Premier League Live, as well as an Olympic host for the network. In this podcast Lowe discusses her broadcasting comfort level as she heads into her sixth year working Stateside for NBC; how she manages the tricky logistics of her working schedule including raising a toddler in Northern California; the challenges of doing studio work onsite from the U.K.; how she approaches her future following the conclusion of her contract in 2022; navigating her attachment to the Crystal Palace football club while covering the Premier League; what she and Kate Abdo leading soccer packages in the U.S. means if anything; the impact of the 2026 World Cup in North America; why she has never seen Game of Thrones or most of the Star Wars films; how relegation would be an incredible thing for MLS; the difference between pants and trousers, 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 17 of the Sports Media Podcast with Richard Deitsch features college football reporter Brett McMurphy, who this week broke a major story on his Facebook account regarding charges from Courtney Smith, the ex-wife of a longtime assistant of Ohio State football coach Urban Meyer. Smith called into question Meyer’s claims he was unaware of a 2015 allegation of domestic abuse against the assistant. In this podcast, McMurphy discusses the timeline of his reporting; how he first contacted Smith; why Smith spoke on the record with McMurphy; what Smith’s reaction was to McMurphy’s questions; the duration of those interviews with Smith, the paper trail that McMurphy tracked down for his reporting including law enforcement records; why he broke this story on Facebook, why he could not write this for another publication because of his current contractual situation with ESPN; his expectations on how many people would read his story, what breaking the story on Facebook says about the traditional mantra that subjects will turn to big media; how Meyer forwarded the story with his responses duringBig Ten Media Days; why he finds Smith believable; whether McMurphy had lawyers vet his piece; why he didn’t reach out to Shelly Meyer; his concern about a negative backlash among some in the Ohio State fanbase; his thoughts on being laid off by ESPN in 2017; why he decided to appear on ESPN properties after they let him go; what his next for him professionally and this story 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 16 of the Sports Media Podcast with Richard Deitsch features three guests: First, a candid conversation with longtime NBA writer and broadcaster Frank Isola, who was let go this week by Tronc after 25 years of working at the New York Daily News. The second guest is Clifton Brown, an enterprise reporter at the IndyStar and the author of Bearing the Cross: My Inspiring Journey from Poverty to the NFL and Sports Television. The final guest is Sports Illustrated senior writer Ben Reiter, the author of a new book, Astroball: The New Way To Win It All. In this podcast, Isola, the co-host of SiriusXM NBA Radio’s “The Starting Lineup,” and an ESPN TV contributor, discusses how he learned he had lost his longtime job with the Daily News; the impact off the decision on his family; why he feels it happened; what management has said and not said to him; how he feels about the newspaper business in New York City; what it has been like working at a paper with significant financial troubles; his years covering the Knicks and the NBA; praise for Jeff Van Gundy; his analysis of the Kawhi Leonard-Demar DeRozen trade; his professional relationship with Carmelo Anthony; why he enjoys working for ESPN’s Around The Horn and PTI group; his desire to keep writing; and much more. Brown discusses the life of Irv Cross, the first A­frican-American sports analyst on national television; what it was like for Cross when he was first hired by CBS; how he came upon Cross’s story; racism that Cross faced in television; why Cross left the sports television business; how Cross’s health is today, and much more. Reiter discusses how he came up with the concept for his book; how much cooperation the Astros afforded him; how he and his agent created and shopped the book proposal; his reporting and writing process for the book; learning about book promotion and why it is no crime to be shameless pushing your book; the importance of doing book readings at book stores; advice for first time authors, 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 15 of the Sports Media Podcast with Richard Deitsch features two guests: First, a sports media conversation with James Andrew Miller, the best-selling author of books on CAA, ESPN and Saturday Night Live. The second guest is 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) In this podcast, Miller discusses ESPN’s current relationship with the NFL under new president Jimmy Pitaro versus its relationship under former President John Skipper; the role of the ESPYs in the ESPN universe and why criticism might be unfair; whether journalism at ESPN will be supported by Pitaro or whether ESPN reporters should be concerned; the future of Outside The Lines; whether Pitaro would do a content deal with Barstool Sports or a company such as Barstool; the futures of Keith Olbermann and Chris Berman at ESPN; and much more. Thompson discusses the process of how he does each podcast weekly; how the Bischoff podcast came together; how he approaches distribution of each podcast; creating show extensions beyond the podcasts; how he and Pritchard developed the live show business; how that business is now worth six figures for each of them; the potential opportunities for the archives of the podcasts; his relationship with longtime wrestling journalist Dave Meltzer; the return of Hulk Hogan to the WWE; whether Hogan would commit to a weekly podcast; the impact of Ronda Rousey on WWE’s business; what we can expect from Rousey heading forward, 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 14 of the Sports Media Podcast with Richard Deitsch features two guests: Sports Business Daily media reporter John Ourand and women’s basketball broadcaster and podcaster LaChina Robinson. In this podcast, Ourand discusses his reporting on the deal ESPN signed for UFC rights and the deal Fox signed for WWE Smackdown; how each deal came together; why ESPN was interested in UFC and where the programming will run; whether UFC has growth potential as a broadcast property; whether ESPN will examine the UFC with a journalism eye or merely as a promotional partner; how and why Fox came to get the WWE; whether Fox will use its FS1 debate shows to promote WWE; the economic calculations of both deals; how the World Cup viewership declines should be analyzed; the 2026 World Cup deal for Fox, and much more; Robinson discusses her myriad of jobs in women’s basketball including working for ESPN, Fox Sports, Raycom’s ACC women’s basketball, the Atlanta Dream, and espnW; the challenges of forging a career broadcasting and reporting on a niche sport; why women’s basketball and women’s basketball players face heavy sexism on social media; why some men have issues with women’s basketball; the genius and legacy of Pat Summitt; the struggle to get listeners for her podcast; working as a public speaker, 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 13 of the Sports Media Podcast with Richard Deitsch features three separate guests: Tania Ganguli, who covers the Lakers for the Los Angeles Times; Sports Illustrated national NBA writer Lee Jenkins, and Dave McMenamin, an NBA reporter for ESPN. The theme of the podcast is the media impact of LeBron James moving from Cleveland to Los Angeles. In this podcast, Ganguli discusses how James coming to the Lakers impacts her job and why; how she learned of James coming to the Lakers; whether there is added pressure now in her role; her previous contact with James as a beat writer; the added interest in James content among her bosses L.A. Times; how competitive she expect the beat to be now with James there; whether the Lakers will make additional moves later this summer, and much more. Jenkins discusses how he viewed the manner in which James announced this move; the most interesting part of James’s move nationally; whether access will change now that James is in L.A.; attempting to contact James after the news was announced; what the signing of DeMarcus Cousins means league-wide, and much more. McMenamin discusses where he learned of the news and whether he expected it; what it will be like covering the Cavs next year; how this might impact his job; the national interest in the Cavs over the next three years; whether Kevin Love will become the defacto player spokesperson for the team; his advice to reporters covering James fulltime, 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 12 of the Sports Media podcast with Richard Deitsch features Molly Sullivan, the popular television sideline reporter on Philadelphia 76ers games who was unexpectedly let go last week by NBC Sports Philadelphia after six years on the job. In this podcast, Sullivan describes in frank terms what happens when you lose your sports media job unexpectedly; what NBC Sports Philadelphia told her about its decision and what they didn’t tell her; how Sixers fans have started a petition on her behalf; covering a team for years that was the worst in the NBA and the challenges of covering a losing team; her on-air relationship with Sixers star Joel Embiid; Sixers coach Brett Brown reaching out to her after he heard she was let go; what she expects from the Sixers heading forward; what she hopes to do next; her thoughts on the Bryan Colangelo story; competing at the 2000 U.S. Olympic Team Trials in distance swimming, and much more. The second part of the podcast is a roundtable with Sports Business Daily assistant managing editor Austin Karp and Black Sports Online founder Robert Littal. Karp discusses the Word Cup viewership numbers so far and what they mean for Fox Sports and Telemundo; the viewership numbers to expect later in the World Cup tournament; Littal discusses ESPN’s NBA Draft coverage and what worked and what didn’t; Karp discusses MLB’s current ratings regionally and nationally; Littal and Karp discusses the state of ESPN and FS1’s daytime talk shows, 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