Sports Media With Richard Deitsch

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

Episode 185 of the Sports Media Podcasts focuses on the state of the Canadian sports media. The guests are Shireen Ahmed, a senior contributor with CBC Sports and a co-host of the “Burn It All Down” podcast; Donnovan Bennett, a multi-media host and writer for Sportsnet; Morgan Campbell, a Senior Contributor for CBC Sports; James Cybulski, a play by play voice for EA Sports’ NHL 21 and longtime sports media voice in Vancouver; Bryan Hayes, the host of TSN’s “OverDrive” show and podcast and a commentator for TSN, and Kara Wagland, an anchor and reporter for SportsCentre and the host of the NFL on TSN. The podcast is broken down into two panels, with Bennett, Hayes, and Wagland in the first panel and Ahmed, Campbell, and Cybulski in the second panel. In this podcast, the group discusses whether Canadian sports fans are being served by the Canadian sports media right now; what Canadian sports consumers want from the people in their positions; what content areas are growing and receding; prospects for long-term em

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

Episode 183 of the Sports Media Podcast features three guests. First up is NBC Sports host and play by play broadcaster Mike Tirico, whose assignments include the Olympics, NFL, horse racing, golf, and Notre Dame Football. He is followed by a panel featuring Austin Karp, managing editor/digital of Sports Business Journal and Jon Lewis, founder and editor of Sports Media Watch and the Sports Media Watch podcast with TJ Rives.  In this podcast Tirico discusses his Beijing Olympics experience; the environment of China for NBC Sports; Tirico’s comments on Kamila Valieva and the IOC; his thoughts on Beijing being the least-watched Olympics ever; the future of the Olympics as a viewership play; the prospect of Al Michaels leaving for Amazon and taking over Sunday Night Football; navigating wanting to do NFL football while Michaels was still in the booth; the researchers for the Olympics; the sharing of on-air people between networks; his dream of calling an NBA game with Charles Barkley, and more.  Lewis, Karp and

Episode 182 of the Sports Media Podcast features two guests. First up is Michele Tafoya, the longtime sideline reporter for NBC Sports who is leaving sports broadcasting for both a role in Minnesota politics and political commentating. She is followed by USA Today sports columnist Nancy Armour, who is onsite at the Beijing Games. In this podcast, Tafoya discusses why this was the right time for her to leave sports broadcasting; becoming a co-chairman of a gubernatorial campaign in Minnesota; making herself available as a political commentator; insisting that NBC Sports had no issues with her appearance on The View; the prospects of interviewing Enes Kanter Freedom at CPAC; how she classifies herself politically; navigating politics while working for NBC Sports; talking politics on with Sunday Night Football cast mates; being the poolside reporter at the Olympics; reporting on Gary Kubiak when he suffered a transient ischemic attack during Sunday Night Football; her most memorable assignments; her memorable in

Episode 181 of the Sports Media Podcast features three guests. First up is Jim Trotter, a reporter for NFL Media and a longtime NFL writer and Jane McManus, the Director of the Marist's Center for Sports Communication. They are followed by Chris Herring, a Sports Illustrated senior writer and NYT best-selling author of “Blood in the Garden: The Flagrant History of the 1990s New York Knicks.” In this podcast, Trotter and McManus discuss covering a Super Bowl; how journalists can separate themselves with so many media people; coverage of Brian Flores filing a 58-page class-action discrimination against the league and all 32 teams alleging discrimination in their hiring practices; the allegations and testimony of former Washington Commanders employers regarding of workplace misconduct; separating yourself against competition at the Super Bowl; Super Bowl viewership expectations; is there anything that could turn people away from the NFL; Herring discusses the 1990s Knicks and why people care about them; how woul

Episode 180 of the Sports Media Podcast features two guests. First up is Burke Magnus, the President, Programming and Original Content for ESPN. He is followed by Tim Layden, writer at large for NBC Sports In this podcast, Magnus discusses how ESPN negotiates sports rights deals; his philosophy when it comes to rights acquisition and negotiation; how negotiating with the NFL is different than other entities and where the similarities are; dealing with deals in the billions of dollars; why the college football playoff has not yet expanded; ESPN’s upcoming SEC deal; ESPN’s interest in maintaining Big 10 Football; ESPN’s relationship with the NBA; ESPN’s F-1 deal and where that property is heading forward; how ESPN and Disney executives look at sports betting gambling space and what that means for ESPN; whether ESPN can serve both the traditional cable model and the growing direct-to-consumer model; how many years away from a direct to consumer title game of significance; ESPN’s interest in the upcoming NFL Sund

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

Episode 178 of the Sports Media Podcast features two guests. First up is Mike Golic, the longtime ESPN staffer who now works for a variety of places including Westwood One Audio, Learfield and Meadowlark Media, and Peacock. He is followed by Jay Glazer, the Fox NFL insider and the author of “Unbreakable: How I Turned My Depression and Anxiety into Motivation and You Can Too.” In this podcast, Golic discusses life after ESPN; how he approached getting work following ESPN; working with Kate Scott doing college football for Learfield; calling NFL games for Westwood One Audio and his Super Bowl assignment; working with Stugotz (Jon Weiner) and Meadowlark Media; what he’s learned in the podcast space; his continued interest in doing daily sports radio; the role of sports gambling in media heading forward and his work with Draft Kings; the broadcasting work of Drew Brees and more.  Glazer discusses his new book, “Unbreakable: How I Turned My Depression and Anxiety into Motivation and You Can Too; why he wrote the b

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

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

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

Episode 174 of the Sports Media Podcast features three guests. First up is a conversation with Donnovan Bennett, a host, podcaster and writer for Sportsnet in Canada, and Amil Delic, the senior producer of original audio for Sportsnet in Canada. They are followed by Toronto Star columnist Bruce Arthur.  In this podcast Bennett and Delic discuss the nexus of sports and COVID; how that nexus is viewed in Canada; why this topic has become politicized in the United States and the levels of politicization in Canada vs. the U.S.; the challenges of a subject that is of great importance to the public yet many in the public are exhausted by; the upcoming Beijing Olympics and more.  Arthur discusses switching from sports to COVID coverage in early 2020; how he feels that transition from sports has gone; his analysis of how the coverage has been in the U.S. versus Canada; he and his colleagues getting Covid-related vitriol on social media; what to expect from the Beijing Olympics; his most trusted sources on COVID infor

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

Episode 173 of the Sports Media Podcast features three guests. First up is a roundtable with Kavitha Davidson, a correspondent for HBO’s Real Sports and a longtime sports and business writer, and Jane McManus, the Director of the Marist's Center for Sports Communication and a Deadspin sports columnist. They are followed by Jesse Eisinger, a senior editor and reporter at ProPublica. In April 2011, Eisinger and a colleague won the Pulitzer Prize for National Reporting for a series of stories on questionable Wall Street practices that helped make the financial crisis the worst since the Great Depression. In this podcast, Davidson and McManus discuss what they see as the biggest sports stories for 2022 including athletes continuing to talk about mental health publicly; the prospect of a major gambling scandal in sports and potential corruption of college players for information to aid bettors;  NILs and market creativity forcing the NCAA to completely reevaluate revenue structure; F1 continuing to balloon in the

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

Episode 171 of the Sports Media Podcast features a conversation with James Andrew Miller, the best-selling author of books on CAA, ESPN and Saturday Night Live, and his latest, “Tinderbox: HBO's Ruthless Pursuit of New Frontiers.” He is followed by Bruce Feldman, a senior writer at The Athletic covering college football and a college football insider for Fox Sports and The Audible podcast. In this podcast, Miller discusses why HBO was worthy of this exploration; his 757 interviews for the book and how he navigated that terrain; how he approached his chapters on Succession including interviews with Brian Cox, Jeremy Strong, Adam McKay and Jesse Armstrong; why Dennis Miller did not want to talk for the book; the legacy of HBO Sports; HBO’s Wimbledon legacy; how HBO lost its boxing and documentary monopoly; the future of sports on HBO; ESPN shrinking another 10 percent to end fiscal 2021 at 76 million U.S. households and what that means for the company heading forward and more.  Feldman discusses the reporting o

Episode 170 of the Sports Media Podcast features Rebecca Lowe, the host of NBC Sports Group’s Premier League coverage as well as an Olympic host for NBCUnversial. She is followed by a media roundtable with Chad Finn, the sports media writer and columnist for the Boston Globe, and Austin Karp, the managing editor/digital for Sports Business Journal. In this podcast Lowe discusses being in England when she learned NBC had retained the Premier League rights; how her bosses keep her abreast of the proceedings; her role in NBC Universal’s pitch to the EPL; what NBC has built with its soccer coverage; whether NBC retaining has incentivized she and NBC extending her current contract when it expires next year; what is happening with Manchester United; whether Fulham can sustain long-term success; whether the EPL would ever do a Drive To Survive series; why she avoids Twitter and much more.  Finn. Karp and Deitsch discuss our reactions to NBC’s landing the U.S. media rights to the Premier League through 2028; the upco

Episode 169 of the Sports Media Podcast features a conversation with ESPN NBA announcer Mike Breen and Ian Eagle, who calls the NBA for Turner Sports and the YES Network, and the NFL for CBS. They are followed by Dana O’Neil, a senior writer for The Athletic and the author of the new book, “The Big East: Inside the Most Entertaining and Influential Conference in College Basketball History.”   In this podcast Breen and Eagle discuss how they first met and the longevity of their friendship; how they would describe the other’s broadcast style; why they don’t view each other as competitors; why they still call local teams, the Knicks and Nets; how they view production meetings with coaches and players; Breen’s interest in calling games in the future; how they would feel about incorporating gambling content into their broadcasts; the NBA call they are most proud of; Kevin Garnett calling Eagle “the mother----- voice”; Magic Johnson’s praise of Breen, and much more.    O’Neil discusses why she wanted to explore the

Episode 168 of the Sports Media Podcast features Fox NFL reporter Pam Oliver and writer Lyndsey D'Arcangelo, the co-author with Britni de la Cretaz of the new book, “Hail Mary: The Rise and Fall of the National Women's Football League.” In this podcast, Oliver discusses what the 2021 season has been like for her as a sideline reporter; her remarkable longevity in the sports TV business; the on-field access she has in 2021 versus other years; working with Kevin Burkhardt and Greg Olsen; what she says to women in the business wh0 approach her for advice; the chronic migraines and headaches she has suffered for decades, which sometimes force her to hide out in stadium; enduring fibroids that has required surgeries; her intentions to publish a memoir down the road and much more.  D'Arcangelo discusses the origins of how “Hail Mary” emerging as a book; the challenge and fulfillment of unearthing something fascinating about an athlete or league from a previous era; how the NWFL was covered by the sports media of th