Sports Media with Richard Deitsch

Episode 528 of the Sports Media Podcast features Alex Sherman, a CNBC Media and Sports Reporter and the host of the CNBC Sport videocast. In this podcast, Sherman discusses MLB media rights strategy and his recent conversation MLB Commissioner Rob Manfred; where the MLB media rights situation is right now; what will happen with the Sunday night MLB rights; what would ESPN not having an MLB rights package mean for MLB; the genius of the pitch clock; where will the Home Run Derby go; local rights, and more. You can subscribe to this podcast on Apple Podcasts, 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 527 of the Sports Media Podcast features Chad Finn of The Boston Globe, Jon Lewis of Sports Media Watch and Austin Karp of the Sports Business Journal. In this podcast, we discuss the MLB All Star game as a media property; what a good ASG viewership number would be for the sport; the potential last year of the Home Run Derby for ESPN; the WNBA All Star Game and whether it can top last year's 3.4 million viewers; whether Caitlin Clark missing games makes her playing in the All Star Game less or more of a draw; Amazon and NBC's NBA hires; the phenomenal "Jaws @ 50: The Definitive Inside Story'" documentary airing on on National Geographic, Disney+ and Hulu, and more. You can subscribe to this podcast on Apple Podcasts, 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 526 of the Sports Media Podcast features Brian Windhorst, a senior NBA writer for ESPN who regularly appears on multiple ESPN platforms and is the host of the Brian Windhorst & The Hoop Collective podcast. In this podcast, Windhorst discusses how valuable attending Summer League is for an NBA reporter; why so much of NBA breaking news is broken by just a handful of reporters including Shams Charania, and Adrian Wojnarowski before him; agendas from sources; his reaction to LeBron James discussing him on ESPN; getting aggregated; his ESPN contract status; the prospects of the Toronto Raptors in 2025-26 and more. You can subscribe to this podcast on Apple Podcasts, 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

Here's a short clip from our upcoming interview with Brian Windhorst, the longtime ESPN NBA senior writer and on-air analyst. The full interview will be available on Monday. In this clip, Windhorst discusses why so much of NBA breaking news is broken by just a handful of reporters including currently ESPN's Shams Charania, and Adrian Wojnarowski before him. You can subscribe to this podcast on Apple Podcasts, 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 525 of the Sports Media Podcast features Tara Slone, a Canadian-based sports broadcaster who currently works as a host for SiriusXM Canada as well as covering the San Jose Sharks for NBC Sports California. She previously worked on Sportsnet's long-running “Hometown Hockey”  In this podcast, Slone discusses the state of women's professional sports in Canada; why pro sports have exploded in the country; the prospects of success for the WNBA's Toronto Tempo; what kind of media coverage we anticipate the Tempo will get; the growth of the PWHL and the founding of The Northern Super League; why women's college sports are not bigger in Canada; the job market for sports media professionals in Canada, and more.You can subscribe to this podcast on Apple Podcasts, 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 525 of the Sports Media Podcast features two guests. First up is Mark Henry, the former WWE performer, U.S. Olympic weightlifter, and now one of the hosts on SiriusXM's “Busted Open,” the daily wrestling show. In this podcast Henry discusses SiriusXM announcing last week the launch of its first ever 24/7 channel dedicated to the world of professional wrestling, Pro Wrestling Nation 24/7; why an audio channel covering pro wrestling 24 hours a day, seven days a week exists; how he navigates between discussing athletic scripted entertainment with the business of pro wrestling; why pro wrestling content has exploded; his son, Jacob Henry, a Oklahoma football player and wrestler who signed as a WWE NIL athlete; working in Canada, and more. Henry is followed by Sean Grande, the longtime voice for the Boston Celtics who will serve as the boxing play by play voice for Netflix's all-women card on July 11 from Madison Square Garden. That card includes the third meeting between Katie Taylor and Amanda Serrano. Grande discusses how he got the Netflix assignment; how he approaches is boxing calls; working with Seniesa Estrada and Laila Ali on the commentary team; what Netflix has been like as an employer; what it might be like calling the Celtics this year and more. You can subscribe to this podcast on Apple Podcasts, 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 524 of the Sports Media Podcast features two guests for a sports media roundtable: Jon Lewis, founder and editor of Sports Media Watch, and  Austin Karp, assistant managing editor of Sports Business Journal. In this podcast we discuss the biggest sports stories of the first half of 2025 and what we think will be the biggest stories of the second half of 2025 including the new NBA players, ESPN's DTC, and college football coverage; what would the men's and women's basketball tournament look like going to 76 teams; WNBA expansion, and more. You can subscribe to this podcast on Apple Podcasts, 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 523 of the Sports Media Podcast features Kurt Badenhausen, a reporter who covers sports business for Sportico. In this podcast, Badenhausen explains the process of reporting out pro sports valuations; how the work changes based on the sport; Sportico releasing its second annual WNBA valuation report, which showed the average WNBA team is now valued at $269 million, a 180 percent increase compared to last year's report; why the Golden State Valkyries are worth a $500 million valuation, a women's sports franchise; the Cowboys atop the sports list with a value of $10.32 billion; the NFL valuations; how an NBA title helps increase the Thunder valuation; the future of sports business outlets, and more. You can subscribe to this podcast on Apple Podcasts, 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 522 of the Sports Media Podcast features Jason Benetti, the television voice of the Detroit Tigers and a play by play announcer for Fox Sports. In this podcast, Benetti discusses what it's like calling the best team in baseball (so far); why the Tigers have been successful; how calling a winning team impacts how the viewer perceives a broadcast; Detroit as a sports city; the best stadium experiences for a visiting broadcaster; chatting with Jack White and J.K. Simmons about baseball; his upcoming Fox college football schedule and much more. You can subscribe to this podcast on Apple Podcasts, 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 521 of the Sports Media Podcast features Jon Lewis, founder and editor of Sports Media Watch and Donnovan Bennett, host and podcaster for Sportsnet. In this podcast we discuss the NBA's Game 7 viewership (16.35 million viewers) and how it bailed out what would have been a catastrophic viewership story; Game 7 being the most-watched NBA Finals game in six years; the viewership issues for Thunder-Pacers; why people did not watch the series before Game 7; ESPN/ABC's negative-centric NBA Finals halftime show; how next year's new media deal featuring Amazon, NBC and ESPN/ABC will change coverage, and more. You can subscribe to this podcast on Apple Podcasts, 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 520 of the Sports Media Podcast features Chantel Jennings, who covers women's college basketball and the WNBA and Ben Pickman, who covers the WNBA for The Athletic. Both are regulars on the "No Offseason: The Athletic Women's Basketball Show," which is a twice-weekly podcast on all things women's basketball. In this podcast Jennings and Pickman discuss the pace at which interest in Caitlin Clark has been accelerated; why the interest has exploded; the Fever-Sun game becoming a national story; the media coverage of WNBA officiating;  why the No Offseason podcast has found an audience; what they hear from players and coaches about being on podcasts, and more. You can subscribe to this podcast on Apple Podcasts, 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 519 of the Sports Media Podcast features Jon Lewis, the founder and editor of Sports Media Watch. In this podcast, Lewis and Deitsch discusses ESPN's NBA presentation; Lewis's piece on Stephen A Smith; how much big cities matter with viewership for the NBA and NHL; why the Stanley Cup Final has struggled to find an audience in the U.S.; a historical look at Game 7 viewership for the NBA Finals; and more. You can subscribe to this podcast on Apple Podcasts, 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 518 of the Sports Media Podcast features Jon Wertheim, a longtime Sports Illustrated writer and editor, 60 Minutes correspondent, and Tennis Channel and Turner Sports tennis commentator. Wertheim is a producer on the upcoming HBO documentary "Surviving Ohio State" which delves into the Ohio State sex abuse scandal and the victims of Dr. Richard Strauss, employed by the university from 1978-1998. The documentary debuts June 17. In this podcast, Wertheim discusses how the Ohio State documentary came to be; what it's like to interview survivors of sexual assault; the question of male athletes being worth less than female athletes who are survivors of abuse; whether Ohio State has taken accountability and responsibility; Jim Jordan and this story; where the Alcaraz-Sinner final rates all-time; Turner Sports's coverage of the French Open; the future of Tennis Channel, and more. You can subscribe to this podcast on Apple Podcasts, 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 517 of the Sports Media Podcast features Howard Megdal, a longtime women's basketball writer and the author of a new book. "Becoming Caitlin Clark: The Unknown Origin Story of a Modern Basketball Superstar." He is followed by Tom Caraccioli and Jerry Caraccioli, the co-authors of "Ice Breakers: A Kids' Guide to Hockey and the Greatest Players Who Changed the Game." In this podcast Megdal discusses why he decided to write a book on Caitlin Clark through the prism of the growth of women's basketball; how Megdal views Clark's popularity; ESPN finally promoting the WNBA as it should; his thought on Clark's impact as a parallel to Michael Jordan in 1984; her awareness of his book; competing against another high-profile Clark book out at the same time; why Iowa has always been a hotbed for women's basketball; opportunities that exist today for people covering the WNBA; Clark's longterm ceiling, and more. The Caracciolis discuss the market for kids hockey books; how one writes for kids; how they decided who made the cut of the greatest NHLers; advice to get into sports public relations and more. You can subscribe to this podcast on Apple Podcasts, 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 516 of the Sports Media Podcast features Cheryl Reeve, the Head Coach and President of Basketball Operations for the Minnesota Lynx. Reeve's resume includes coaching the Lynx to four WNBA titles, winning two championships with the former Detroit Shock and coaching the 2024 U.S. women's Olympic team to a gold medal. In this podcast Reeve discusses how much she thinks about media coverage; how she looks at local coverage versus  national media; why Lynx star Napheesa Collier did not have a higher profile prior to this year; the history of media coverage in the WNBA; what she would do if she was in charge of  WNBA broadcasting; whether the league can be more transparent when it comes to fines for coaches/players; how much of a motivator last season is for her team; her comments last year after the Finals loss; what she learned about coaching Hall of Fame caliber players; her best leadership lessons and more. You can subscribe to this podcast on Apple Podcasts, 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

Here's a short clip from our upcoming interview with Cheryl Reeve, the head coach and president of basketball operations for the Minnesota Lynx. The full interview will be available on Wednesday In this clip, Reeve discusses why Lynx star Napheesa Collier is finally getting the national attention she previously did not. You can subscribe to this podcast on Apple Podcasts, 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 515 of the Sports Media Podcast with Richard Deitsch features Sports Media Watch founder and editor Jon Lewis and Austin Karp, the managing editor of Sports Business Journal. In this podcast, Lewis and Karp discuss the Mike Breen, Doris Burke and Richard Jefferson; the comp to Joe Buck, Tom Verducci and Harold Reynolds; the NBA's Game 1 viewership numbers; TNT's French Open debut was a strong showing; the future of TNT Sports post-NBA; the NHL's Stanley Cup viewership and more. You can subscribe to this podcast on Apple Podcasts, 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 514 of the Sports Media Podcast with Richard Deitsch features Cat Osterman, one of four general managers for The Athletes Unlimited Softball League (AUSL). Osterman is one of the greatest pitchers in the history of softball, a four-time All-American pitcher for Texas who also starred for Team USA. The AUSL begins play on June 7 and games will air on ESPN and MLB Network among other entities. In this podcast, Osterman discusses why 2025 is the right time for the American sports public to support a pro softball league; why the league is not city-based in Year 1; the funding for the league; games airing across ESPN Platforms, MLB Network, MLB.com, FanDuel Sports Network and All Women's Sports Network, with regional coverage across MSG Network, NESN, Fox 32 Chicago; what kind of player access the broadcasters will have; the robust viewership for the Women College World Series; softball returning to the 2028 Olympics; wanting to face Jeff Bagwell and more. You can subscribe to this podcast on Apple Podcasts, 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 513 of the Sports Media Podcast with Richard Deitsch features host and podcaster Donnovan Bennett of Sportsnet (Canada), Sports Media Watch founder and editor Jon Lewis and Boston Globe sports media columnist Chad Finn. In this podcast, we discuss what kind of interest the Thunder-Pacers NBA Finals will have; what it means that last year's NBA Finals averaged 11.31 million viewers; why we have not seen an NBA Finals game get more 14 million in five years; the Stanley Cup Final between the Oilers-Panthers; why this series will pop in Canada; WBD doing the series as opposed to ABC/ESPN and what that means; the celebrations for Inside The NBA; will ESPN keep the show the same, and more. You can subscribe to this podcast on Apple Podcasts, 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 512 of the Sports Media Podcast with Richard Deitsch features Kate Scott, who hosts UEFA Champions League Today studio coverage alongside analysts Thierry Henry, Jamie Carragher and Micah Richards. CBS Sports will air UEFA Champions League Final coverage between PSG and Inter Milan in Munich on May 31 across the CBS Television Network, CBS Sports Network, Paramount+ and CBS Sports Golazo Network. In this podcast, Scott discusses Munich as a setting for the Champions League Final; what to expect from PSG and Inter Milan in the final; the broadcast prep for a Champions League Final day; the fame of Thierry Henry; why her show continues to grow in popularity; Netflix's upcoming Women's World Cup event; working on both boxing and soccer productions; and more. You can subscribe to this podcast on Apple Podcasts, 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 511 of the Sports Media Podcast with Richard Deitsch features Mike Breen, the lead NBA game-caller for ESPN and ABC. Breen will be the play by play voice of the NBA Finals, which will be his 20th straight NBA Finals, the most any play-by-play voice has called consecutively. In this podcast, Breen discusses what is unique about calling games in Oklahoma City and Minneapolis; how surreal it would be to call the Knicks in the Finals given he is the long time play-by-play announcer for Knicks telecasts on MSG Networks; whether people outside of New York care about the Knicks;  calling Game 5 of the 1994 NBA Finals between the Knicks and Rockets as O.J. Simpson led Los Angeles police on a low-speed chase after a warrant for his arrest was issued in connection to the murder of his ex-wife Nicole Brown and her friend Ron Goldman; adjusting to significant analyst turnover over the last few years; his interest in how NBC and Amazon will put on NBA games; being part of Hubie Brown's last broadcast; NBA viewership and more. You can subscribe to this podcast on Apple Podcasts, 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

Here's a short clip from our upcoming interview with Mike Breen, the lead play by play caller ESPN/ABC's NBA coverage. The full interview will be available on Tuesday. In this clip, Breen discusses calling Game 5 of the 1994 NBA Finals between the Knicks and Rockets as O.J. Simpson led Los Angeles police on a low-speed chase after a warrant for his arrest was issued in connection to the murder of his ex-wife Nicole Brown and her friend Ron Goldman. You can subscribe to this podcast on Apple Podcasts, 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 510 of the Sports Media Podcast with Richard Deitsch features James Andrew Miller, the best-selling author of many books including on CAA, ESPN, Saturday Night Live, and HBO. In this podcast, Miller discusses the end of Around The Horn after a 23 year run and nearly 5,000 episodes; why the show was successful for so long; the show's true success as an incubator of young sports TV talent; praise for Tony Reali for being ego free as an on-air talent; whether Horn deserves criticism for being part of a sports TV culture of quick sports takes and thereby devaluing larger sports discourse; why ESPN would end a show that still draws more than 300,000 annually; the future of Pardon The Interruption from Jim's perspective and more. You can subscribe to this podcast on Apple Podcasts, 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 509 of the Sports Media Podcast with Richard Deitsch features host and podcaster Donnovan Bennett of Sportsnet (Canada) and Sports Media Watch founder and editor Jon Lewis. In this podcast we discuss the NFL schedule overall; what network schedule looks best; the Monday Night Football doubleheader issue; have the Chiefs passed the Cowboys as the NFL's most popular viewership; why has schedule release day become so big; the WNBA's opening weekend; the depth of major stars from A'ja Wilson and beyond; nationalizing games with Caitlin Clark; Bennett's thought that the viewership comparison for Clark is Mike Tyson in his prime, and more. You can subscribe to this podcast on Apple Podcasts, 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 508 of the Sports Media Podcast with Richard Deitsch features Hans Schroeder, the NFL's EVP for Media Distribution. In this podcast, Schroeder discusses whether the NFL front-loaded its schedule and how the league thinks about the first two weeks of the season; Fox's desire to have more AFC teams on its schedule this year; how the league parcels out the Chiefs and Cowboys knowing everyone wants them; the most request game; the NFL's Christmas Day schedule and how should fans of other sports view the NFL playing on days associated with other sports; the Chiefs-Cowboys on Thanksgiving afternoon and the viewership potential for that game; where things stand on who will air the 2026 NFL Draft; what would it mean media-wise for NFL players to compete in the Olympics; the NFL's global desires and more. You can subscribe to this podcast on Apple Podcasts, 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 507 of the Sports Media Podcast with Richard Deitsch features Annie Costabile, a women's sports reporter for Front Office Sports. In this podcast we discuss the WNBA's upcoming season; where the league is as far as media coverage; the importance of Caitlin Clark and the Fever to the product; the challenges of covering the league as a beat reporter; covering the WNBA as you would cover any other sport; why Costabile left the Chicago Sun-Times; the future of beat reporting at newspapers; expanding Front Office Sports's coverage of women's sports; the the impact of social media on women's sports, both positively and negatively; and more. You can subscribe to this podcast on Apple Podcasts, 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 506 of the Sports Media Podcast features S.L. Price, the longtime Sports Illustrated writer who has a new book out: "The American Game: History and Hope in the Country of Lacrosse." The book comes out May 20. In this podcast, Price discusses why he wrote the book; where the sport sits today in America; how the Duke rape case and the murder of Yeardley Love still resonates and reinforces the sport's elite “laxbro” image; the tie between Wall Street and finance and lacrosse; where the growth of women's lacrosse sit as far the overall growth of the sport; lacrosse sixes will be one of five new sports set to feature at the L.A. 2028 Olympic Games; lacrosse as part of the Six Nations of the Haudenosaunee Confederacy identity; the Haudenosaunee Confederacy attempts to compete in the Los Angeles 2028 Olympics under their own flag and where it stands with them with the IOC; why people spoke to him, and more. You can subscribe to this podcast on Apple Podcasts, 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 505 of the Sports Media Podcast features Jon Lewis, the founder and editor of Sports Media Watch. In this podcast we discuss ESPN unveiling its direct to consumer product; the impact of the move and potential pricing; NBA and NHL postseason viewership; NBC hiring of Carmelo Anthony as an NBA studio analyst; Comcast's sports division using an AI-generated version of the late Jim Fagan's voice for select title sequences, opens and game promos, and praise for Ahmed Fareed. You can subscribe to this podcast on Apple Podcasts, 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 504 of the Sports Media Podcast features NBC Sports hostAhmed Fareed, who served as the main host for the Kentucky Derby coverage after Mike Tirico had an allergic reaction. Fareed has hostedthe Olympics, Paralympic Games, Premier League, Big Ten Football and Basketball, and other sports for NBC. In this podcast, Fareed discusseshow he was informed that he had to replace Tirico; what a sports broadcaster has to do in an emergency situation such as the one he faced; the value of over-research; how his bosses reacted to his performance; his interest in NBC's NBA coverage; Tirico contacting him afterward and more. You can subscribe to this podcast on Apple Podcasts, 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 503 of the Sports Media Podcast features Donnovan Bennett of Sportsnet (Canada). In this podcast we discuss whether LeBron James will return for his 23rd year; how seismic it would it be if LeBron left; what the league does in a post-LeBron era; the favourites for the NBA title; why F-1 managememt is so obsessed with cursing, and more. You can subscribe to this podcast on Apple Podcasts, 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 502 of the Sports Media Podcast features Peter King, one of the iconic NFL writers and voices of his generation. He is currently writing a book about his 40 years of covering the NFL and changes in the league during his tenure. In this podcast, King discusses this year's NFL Draft and how he processed it; the uselessness of early Mock Drafts; how he saw Mel Kiper's commentary on Shedeur Sanders; whether the Draft is an entertainment product;UNC football coach Bill Belichick in his recent interview with “CBS Sunday Morning” to promote his new book and the disastrous fallout; why King calls the Belichick recent events as "embarrassing" and much more. You can subscribe to this podcast on Apple Podcasts, 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 501 of the Sports Media Podcast features Donna Brothers, who serves as a reporter on NBC Sports' horse racing coverage, including the Triple Crown and the Breeders' Cup World Championships. Brothers will be part of NBC's Kentucky Derby coverage on NBC and Peacock this Saturday at 2:30 p.m. ET. This is NBC's 25th presentation of the Derby. In this podcast, Brothers discusses how she prepares for the Derby and what that prep consists of during Derby week; her race day routine; how she chooses the horse that she will ride to interview jockeys; how she sees the favourite of the race, Journalism, and why she would try to beat him if betting; interviewing victorious jockeys after their horses won the Triple Crown; whether she bets; who is behind her in the pipeline as a horse racing reporter on horseback and more. You can subscribe to this podcast on Apple Podcasts, 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 500 of the Sports Media Podcast features Cassidy Hubbarth, who worked at ESPN for more than a decade including prominently as a game reporter on NBA coverage and as an NBA host. She will move to Amazon Prime Video next year as that streamer's lead NBA sideline reporter. In this podcast we discuss ESPN's very public goodbye to her; why she succeeded at ESPN where others did not; why Amazon Prime Video was the right fit; how the Amazon job came to be; the excitement of starting a new job; the importance of having an agent at her level; working through a health scare; why Nikola Jokić is so good; and more. You can subscribe to this podcast on Apple Podcasts, 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 499 of the Sports Media Podcast features Sports Media Watch founder and editor Jon Lewis. In this podcast, we discuss the reports of ESPN retaining the NFL Draft; the value of the NFL Draft as a property; Lee Corso announcing his retirement from College GameDay; NHL viewership dropping and what it means; TNT Sports not sending announcers to Winnipeg and Edmonton for early Stanley Cup playoff games; Robert Griffin III working college games on Fox Sports; Jay Bilas getting another primetime NBA slot on ABC; Shannon Sharpe's immediate future; Adam Silver's dream of nationalizing local media rights, and more. You can subscribe to this podcast on Apple Podcasts, 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 498 of the Sports Media Podcast with Richard Deitsch features Charlie Yook, an NFL Network executive producer and the longtime point person for the network's NFL Draft coverage, and ESPN vice president of production Seth Markman, who oversees the Disney presentation of the NFL Draft on ESPN and ABC. In this podcast, Yook and Markman discuss how they look at the NFL Draft from a producer perspective; why the NFL Draft remains so relevant; the role of Green Bay in this year's production; what it means that every team has a pick heading in; the goal of their respective coverages; last year's first round draft averaging 12 million viewers; how they look at social media; why they don't want their staffers to tip picks and why it is easy for competitors to do so; why Colorado QB Shedeur Sanders is a tipping point for Round 1 and more. You can subscribe to this podcast on Apple Podcasts, 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 497 of the Sports Media Podcast with Richard Deitsch features a roundtable discussion with Donnovan Bennett of Sportsnet (Canada) and Austin Karp, the managing editor/newsletters for SBJ. In this podcast we discuss the NBA's regular season viewership numbers; ABC, ESPN and TNT averaged 1.53 million viewers, slightly below last season's four-year high; the NBA playoffs and our viewership expectations; the prospect of an Thunder-Cavs final; the Masters viewership of 12.9 million for the final round and what does it portend anything for golf; MLB's miss on Jackie Robinson and how it relates to Jackie Robinson Day; can WBD get your attention with its media rights sports portfolio. You can subscribe to this podcast on Apple Podcasts, 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 496 of the Sports Media Podcast with Richard Deitsch features Joon Lee, an independent sports journalist and content creator whose YouTube launch video was titled, "My ESPN Layoff Taught Me Why Sports Media is Broken." In this podcast Lee talks about why he sees big opportunity in sports content creation on YouTube; the current sports media information ecosystem; how to build content away from a legacy outlet; being let go by ESPN in July 2023 after four years there; how he moved forward after the ESPN layoff and more. You can subscribe to this podcast on Apple Podcasts, 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 495 of the Sports Media Podcast with Richard Deitsch features Sabreena Merchant, a staff writer covering women's basketball at The Athletic and one of the hosts of "No Offseason," the Athletic Women's Basketball podcast. In this podcast we discuss ESPN televising the 2025 WNBA Draft; whether we think it's a good television production; Holly Rowe interviewing at the WNBA Draft; who we think goes after Bueckers in the Draft; how Bueckers projects in year one in the WNBA; why we both like Serena Sundell and Georgia Amore as roster selections; why Sabreena has UConn, South Carolina and Texas as her Top 3 for next year in college basketball and more. You can subscribe to this podcast on Apple Podcasts, 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 494 of the Sports Media Podcast with Richard Deitsch features Jon Lewis, the founder and editor of Sports Media Watch and Josh Carpenter, an assistant Managing Editor, Digital Operations Golf reporter for Sports Business Journal. In this podcast we discuss where The Masters sits today in American sporting culture; the declining viewership of the final round of the Masters; the possibility of the Masters ever airing on the streamer such as Netflix; the PGA vs. LIV in ratings; how Josh thought the TGL went; the viewership of the men's and women's tournaments; and more. You can subscribe to this podcast on Apple Podcasts, 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 493 of the Sports Media Podcast with Richard Deitsch features Kenny Albert, the lead play by play voice for WBD's coverage of the NHL. In this podcast Albert describes calling Alex Ovechkin's 895th career NHL goal, which came against the New York Islanders on April 6 and eclipsed Wayne Gretzky's all-time goals record; being cognizant that this will be a call that is replayed for years; the lead-up to the record-breaking goal; the atmosphere during the game; the importance of not talking after the goal was scored; whether he kept a souvenir from the game; his other memorable calls including Jose Bautista's epic bat flip for his go-ahead, three-run homer in Game 5 of the 2015 American League Division Series; the prospect of Austin Matthews taking on Ovechkin's record and more. You can subscribe to this podcast on Apple Podcasts, 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 492 of the Sports Media Podcast features Alex Bazzell, the president of Unrivaled Basketball. The 3x3 women's basketball league that aired on WBD's networks recently completed its inaugural season. In this podcast, Bazzell discussed the first year of the league and if they met internal aspirations for reach and visibility; averaging 221,000 viewers on TNT and TruTV and how Bazzell evaluated those numbers; the advantages and disadvantages of playing at a centralized location in Miami; Paige Bueckers having equity in the league and what she has said about plans to play for Unrivaled; the prospect of getting great college players down the road including Flau'jae Johnson; how realistic it is for Caitlin Clark to play in the league one day; the relationship with the WNBA; his wife, the WNBA All-Star Napheesa Collier, and her view of the league; having brand name investors such as Giannis Antetokounmpo, Geno Auriemma and JuJu Watkins, and more. You can subscribe to this podcast on Apple Podcasts, 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 491 of the Sports Media Podcast features a roundtable discussion with Donnovan Bennett of Sportsnet (Canada), Chad Finn of The Boston Globe and Jon Lewis of Sports Media Watch. In this podcast we discuss how networks will cover upcoming international events such as the Olympics, the World Cup and soccer matchups given the changing United States relationship with former allies; J.J. Watt joining Ian Eagle on CBS's No. 2 NFL team; Charles Davis taking over for Gary Danielson in 2026 and Danielson's announcement to retire from college football broadcasting; ESPN's Sunday Night Baseball final year; LeBron James' interview with Pat McAfee; Stephen A Smith's response to that interview; ESPN no longer pretending the E is not their most important letter; Smith legacy's and the legacy of attention getting in sports and more. You can subscribe to this podcast on Apple Podcasts, 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 490 of the Sports Media Podcast features Lisa Bluder, the former University of Iowa women's basketball team coach and one of the most accomplished basketball coaches of her generation. Bluder led Iowa to the national title game in 2023 and 2024 and won 528 games at the school. In this podcast, we discuss how she approached the massive amount of media attention Caitlin Clark received at Iowa; how Bluder and her staff thought about interactions with both the national and local media; the number of media requests for Clark; how she advised players when it came to social media; her thoughts on Clark being on the 2028 U.S. Olympic Basketball team; Bluder's work this month as an analyst for the Big Ten Network's coverage of the women's basketball tournament coverage and why she hopes to continue with Big Ten Network; the injury to USC star JuJu Watkins; people wanting Clark to be what they want when it comes to how she answers questions; the women's basketball final between Iowa and South Carolina in 2024 averaging 18.9 million viewers; the game Iowa basketball played at Kinnick Stadium; what's next for women's basketball; her husband, David Bluder, work as a novelist. You can subscribe to this podcast on Apple Podcasts, 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 489 of the Sports Media Podcast features Brian Lawlor, the President of Scripps Sports. As the owners of ION and TV stations around the U.S., Scripps airs both the WNBA and NWSL, as well as a number of local teams including the Stanley Cup champion Vegas Golden Knights. In this podcast, Lawlor discuses ION's foray into the WNBA and NWSL; ION's WNBA Friday night doubleheaders strategy; the impact of Caitlin Clark being on ION eight times this year; the Las Vegas Aces deal with Scripps Sports; ION recording an average audience of 145,000 viewers across 50 NWSL matches last year; the importance of studio programming around live games; his optimism at continuing with the WNBA heading forward; ION's Saturday night NWSL double-header; how he looks at ESPN and others when it comes to women's sports; having the rights to the Big Sky Conference and the great Montana-Montana State showdown; Netflix's foray into live sports and more. You can subscribe to this podcast on Apple Podcasts, 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 488 of the Sports Media Podcast features three guests — Rebecca Lobo, Holly Rowe and Ryan Ruocco of ESPN. They are the lead broadcasters for the Women's Final Four as well as the WNBA Finals. In this podcast the trio discusses calling the NCAA Women's Basketball tournament; reflecting back one year later on the title game between South Carolina and Iowa being watched by 18.9 million viewers; what will be unique about this year's women's tournament; the growth of interest in women's basketball at ESPN; why their are a legitimate half-dozen teams that can win a title this year; a lightning round of questions featuring whether Caitlin Clark be on the 2028 U.S. Olympic team; whether JuJu Watkins be on the 2028 U.S. Olympic team; whether Paige Bueckers will be on the 2028 Olympic team; whether Clark will win a WNBA MVP in the next three years; whether the Indiana Fever will win a title in the next three years; who they would build a team around between  JuJu Watkins or Caitlin Clark, and more. You can subscribe to this podcast on Apple Podcasts, 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 487 of the Sports Media Podcast features Sports Media Watch editor and founder Jon Lewis. In this podcast we go deep into the women's and men's basketball tournaments; why we are seeing more women's basketball content than ever before; why viewership will be down for the women's Final Four and title game but what will be interesting is the early rounds; the addition of Jalen Rose on the men's tournament; the title game potential for viewership; Cooper Flagg as a television draw; the prospect of expansion on viewership; ESPN hires a new director for Monday Night Football and the media coverage around it, and more. You can subscribe to this podcast on Apple Podcasts, 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 486 of the Sports Media Podcast features Jane McManus, the author of “The Fast Track: Inside the Surging Business of Women's Sports.” In this podcast, McManus discusses her new book on how the economics and surges in viewership contradict the myths about disinterest in women's sports; why she wrote her book; how she sees the new-age athlete such as Caitlin Clark, Angel Reese, and Trinity Rodman as far as economic power; why the WNBA has not yet made money; the speed at which we will see women's sports specific-content and more. You can subscribe to this podcast on Apple Podcasts, 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 485 of the Sports Media Podcast features Ben Fischer, who covers the NFL and all other professional football news for Sports Business Journal; Sean Keeley, the Managing Editor for Awful Announcing, and Austin Karp, the managing editor/newsletters for SBJ. In this podcast were discuss why NFL free agency has become such a media event and where can it go heading forward; ESPN signing of Stephen A. Smith for five years 100 million; X versus Bluesky; goodbye for Around The Horn; viewership for March Madness and the Clark/McConaughey debate.You can subscribe to this podcast on Apple Podcasts, 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 484 of the Sports Media Podcast features Conrad Thompson, who has created an immensely successful set of wrestling podcasts including ones with Eric Bischoff, Bruce Prichard, John Layfield; Jeff Jarrett, Tony Schiavone and Jim Ross. In this podcast, Thompson offers insight about the growth of his podcast network; the advantage of begin a first mover in the space; how his podcasts are monetized; the lucrative business of putting on a wrestling podcast convention; why Jim Cornette and Brian Last have been successful podcasters; why Paul Heyman and Tony Khan are the white whale gets to host a podcast; being friends with Cody Rhodes; why wrestling wants to avoid politics; the John Cena heel turn; the Netflix and WWE partnership and more. You can subscribe to this podcast on Apple Podcasts, 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 483 of the Sports Media Podcast features author and adventure writer Cassidy Randall, whose latest book is "Thirty Below: The Harrowing and Heroic Story of the First All Women's Ascent of Denali." In this podcast, Randall discusses her book that chronicles the first ever all-female ascent of Denali, the tallest peak in North America; the void in the canon of adventure/exploration stories featuring women; why she is drawn as a writer to women who achieve these remarkable adventure feats; what makes Denali so tough to climb; how you research a story that happened 55 years ago; the challenges of book promotion and more. You can subscribe to this podcast on Apple Podcasts, 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 482 of the Sports Media Podcast features a sports media roundtable with Jon Lewis, the founder and editor of Sports Media Watch, and Ben Koo, the owner and editor of Awful Announcing.Int this podcast, Lewis, Koo and Deitsch discuss the place men's and women's college basketball currently occupies in the sports media landscape; the viewership for men's college basketball in 2025; why the men's tournament provides good viewership no matter the teams; the state of women's college basketball as it relates to viewership; why we are all bullish on the sport as a media play; what a realistic final featuring Paige Beckers and Juju Watkins could draw; how the Home Run Derby would play on Netflix; whether it matters where the NFL Draft airs; how media companies that air sports should approach playing the national anthems of the U.S.. and Canada; why the anthem talk will be monetized and more. You can subscribe to this podcast on Apple Podcasts, 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