Sports Media With Richard Deitsch

Episode 130 of the Sports Media Podcast with Richard Deitsch features two guests: Chelsea Janes, a national baseball writer for the Washington Post who previously covered the 2020 U.S. Presidential election. She is followed by Donnovan Bennett, a host, podcaster and writer for Sportsnet in Canada (where I work as well in addition to The Athletic). In this podcast, Janes discusses her professional path of covering the Nationals as a beat writer to covering the 2020 U.S. Presidential campaign to becoming a national baseball writer; the challenges and advantages of moving from sports to political reporting; what the Washington Post newsroom was like on January 6, 2021; the most interesting story in baseball right now; how to report baseball in a pandemic; how many women reporters have a story that tracks the allegations against Mickey Callaway, and much more. Bennett discusses how the sports media has approached the nexus of sports and COVID with regard to daily coverage; the possibility of the NBA All Star game

Episode 129 of the Sports Media Podcast with Richard Deitsch features a conversation with Sports Business Daily media writer John Ourand. In this podcast, Deitsch and Ourand discuss NBCSN shuttering at the end of the year and assets moving to Peacock; what the end of NBCSN means for the NHL upcoming media rights deal; the future of Dan Le Batard and John Skipper’s Meadowlark company; potential Super Bowl viewership; the WWE Network morphing to Peacock in the U.S.; the prospect of a canceled Olympics for NBC;; what sports TV PR departments should pitch, 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 128 of the Sports Media Podcast with Richard Deitsch features three guests for a roundtable discussion on the Jared Porter story and sexual harassment of female sports reporters: Rhiannon Walker, a staff writer who covers Washington football team for The Athletic; Jane McManus, the Director of the Marist's Center for Sports Communication, a Deadspin sports columnist and the co-host of “Ladies Room” podcast with Julie DiCaro, and Britt Ghiroli, a national MLB writer for The Athletic and an MLB Network contributor. In this podcast Ghiroli, McManus and Walker discuss how they processed the Porter story; getting sent penis pics from sources and potential sources they covered; how often sexual harassment happens in the business; Ghiroli’s piece in the Athletic and the line of “if you’re too nice, you are asking for trouble and if you aren’t nice enough, you’re a bitch”; the exhaustion of dealing with this during your career, and much more. You can subscribe to this podcast on Apple Podcasts, Google Play, S

Episode 127 of the Sports Media Podcast with Richard Deitsch features two guests. First up is Noah Eagle, who called Nickelodeon’s first-ever NFL broadcast and is also the radio voice of the L.A. Clippers. He is followed by Ryan S. Clark, who covers the NHL and Seattle Kraken for The Athletic. In this podcast, Eagle discusses the Nickelodeon NFL broadcast; what made the broadcast unique and the planning for it; how he got the assignment; navigating having a well-known father in the sports media business;  how he feels about criticism of being gifted jobs; calling the Clippers; being interviewed by Steve Ballmer, and more. Clark discusses covering a team that exists but does not yet play on the ice; what kind of Kraken stories he does today; the interest in the NHL in Seattle; the most interesting stories in the NHL right now; how COVID has impacted coverage; what NHL teams have said about media coverage heading forward; how Clark evaluates diversity and gender among those covering the game; whether those numb

Episode 126 of the Sports Media Podcast with Richard Deitsch features James Andrew Miller, the best-selling author of books on CAA, ESPN and Saturday Night Live and the host of the “Origins” podcast. In this podcast, Miller and Deitsch discuss a dark day for American democracy and Miller’s time working at the U.S. Capitol; what ESPN’s 2021 will look like; the importance of the NFL to ESPN; will they get a Super Bowl; how staffing will look at ESPN; whether ESPN still has the swag as a company; 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 125 of the Sports Media Podcast features two guests. First up is Renee Paquette, who worked for nearly eight years as a WWE broadcaster under the name Renee Young. She is the host of “Oral Sessions with Renée Paquette,” an uncensored and unscripted weekly in-depth conversation with a personality. She is followed by Shalise Manza Young, a columnist for Yahoo Sports and a former Boston Globe sports writer. In this podcast, Paquette discusses her pregnancy (she and the AEW wrestler Jon Moxley are having a girl); how the pregnancy announcement came to be on AEW; the shock of the death of Brodie Lee (Jon Huber); missing people in pro wrestling; whether we will see a woman at the main announcing desk of “Raw”; the creative freedom of AEW versus WWE; her upcoming cookbook, “Messy In The Kitchen: My Guide to Eating Deliciously, Hosting Fabulously, and Drinking Copiously” which will come out in May 2021; whether her husband practices promos in her house; if she thinks Becky Lynch and Ronda Rousey will return t

Episode 124 of the Sports Media Podcast with Richard Deitsch features two guests. First up is  Sports Illustrated writer Jimmy Traina, the host of the Sports Illustrated Media Podcast. In this podcast Traina and Deitsch discuss the state of NFL broadcasting; ESPN’s Monday Night Football booth and what will happen next; whether an Amazon or Netflix would ever get a standalone NFL package. the challenges of a hosting a niche podcast; interviewing people from the wrestling world, Peyton Manning as a broadcaster, WWE vs. AEW, and much more. He is followed by Jane McManus, the Director of the Marist's Center for Sports Communication, a Deadspin sports columnist and former ESPN staffer. She is the co-host of “Ladies Room” podcast with Julie DiCaro. McManus discusses the coverage of college football during the pandemic and the trouble she has with it; why she feels how the young people in her program look at sports journalism; what she thinks ESPN is now after the latest round of the layoffs; journalism at ESPN; and

Episode 123 of the Sports Media Podcast with Richard Deitsch features James Andrew Miller, the best-selling author of books on CAA, ESPN and Saturday Night Live and the host of the “Origins” podcast. In this podcast, Miller and Deitsch discuss ESPN and Dan Le Batard announcing they are mutually parting ways; why that relationship ended; the impact of ESPN management on that decision; Trey Wingo leaving the company;  the impact of ESPN management on Wingo not being retained; longtime ESPN writers Wayne Drehs, Bonnie Ford and Ian O’Connor announcing last week they were no longer at ESPN; the impact of losing as many sports journalists as ESPN had over the past five years; what ESPN’s commitment to sports journalism is amid their larger ecosystem heading forward, and much 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 122 of the Sports Media Podcast with Richard Deitsch features Trey Wingo, who joined ESPN in 1997 and anchored multiple sports and events for the network including serving as the lead host of ESPN’s NFL Draft coverage. Wingo is debuting a new podcast series this week —  Half-Forgotten History. In this podcast Wingo discusses his new podcast venture; why he is no longer at ESPN from his perspective; what ESPN management told him when he told them last year that he no longer wanted to continue co-hosting his ESPN Radio show upon the conclusion of his current contract; being the subject of negative news; whether he was a casualty of the company purging high-salaried, long tenured folks; how he viewed the outpouring of praise he received on Twitter after the annoucement; working with Mike Golic on ESPN; why Golic is no longer hosting a prominent spot on ESPN Radio; hosting the September 11, 2001 SportsCenter with Bob Ley; how social media has impacted ESPN; his thoughts on future television work and much

Episode 121 of the Sports Media Podcast with Richard Deitsch features three guests. First up is ESPN and YES Network broadcaster Ryan Ruocco, who serves as a play-by-play announcer for ESPN’s NBA and WNBA coverage and was most recently named to serve as ESPN’s lead play-by-play commentator for Women’s college basketball. He is followed by Lindsey Adler, who covers the Yankees for The Athletic and Olivia Witherite, who is the social media lead for The Athletic. In this podcast Ruocco, who has worked for ESPN since 2008, discusses how the women’s college basketball assignment come about; whether he will be traveling for it this year; if feedback from producers and executives is different for women’s basketball vs the NBA; the anticipation of calling the Nets this year; why he thinks Brooklyn are legit NBA Finals contenders; his relationship with C.C. Sabathia, and more. Adler and Witherite discuss the impact of Kim Ng becoming the first female general manager in MLB; Adler’s column on   on what Ng’s hiring mean

Episode 120 of the Sports Media Podcast with Richard Deitsch features two guests. First up is Hall of Fame basketball coach Muffet McGraw, who served as the head women's basketball coach at Notre Dame from 1987 to 2020, leading her team to nine Final Fours, seven championship game appearances, and two National Championships. Last month McGraw joined ESPN to work in a studio analyst role for the ACC Network. She is followed by soccer journalist Grant Wahl, who hosts the "Fútbol with Grant Wahl" podcast. This week Wahl debuts "American Prodigy: The Freddy Adu Story," a seven-part series on the American soccer player Freddy Adu. In this podcast, McGraw discusses her decision to join the ACC Network and how it came about; why she is sure she will not coach again; why studio work is interesting to her; reaching out to former college basektball coaches Andy Landers and Seth Greenberg about the transition to broadcasting; the challenge of being associated with Notre Dame while analyzing Notre Dame; her relationship

Episode 119 of the Sports Media Podcast with Richard Deitsch features James Andrew Miller, the best-selling author of books on CAA, ESPN and Saturday Night Live the host of the “Origins” podcast. In this podcast, Miller discusses the ESPN layoffs; the behind-the-scenes impact of the layoffs; what it means for the company heading forward; the industry trends at work; how ESPN’s desire for the NFL plays into this; the future of ESPN talkers; and much 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 118 of the Sports Media Podcast with Richard Deitsch features three guests. First up is ESPN’s Chris Fowler, the lead college football and tennis voice for ESPN. He is followed by Jordan Cornette and Shae Peppler Cornette, who co-host ESPN Radio’s GameDay each Sunday during football season from 1-5 p.m. ET. It is the first time a married couple has co-hosted an ESPN Radio show. The final guest is the longtime New York Times sportswriter Harvey Araton. He is the author of “Our Last Season: A Writer, a Fan, a Friendship,” which chronicles his bond with Michelle Musler, a longtime season-ticket holder for the Knicks. In this podcast, Fowler discusses his new podcast, “Fowler, who you got?”; why he likes long-form interviews; trying to book guests away from ESPN; doing a non-sports podcast; the adjustments he has made regarding calling college football this year; the lack of a crowd; calling an NFL game this year with Kirk Herbstreit; his interests in doing the NFL long-term; his approach to social justic

Episode 117 of the Sports Media Podcast with Richard Deitsch features three guests as part of a roundtable. The guests are: Michael Mulvihill, the head of strategy and analytics and an executive vice president for Fox Sports; Flora Kelly, the senior director of Strategic and Brand Insights at ESPN and Austin Karp, the Managing Editor/Digital at Sports Business Journal and Sports Business Daily. In this podcast, the trio discusses the macro trends of sports viewership and where things are on linear television and on-demand; why the numbers for so many signature sports properties – Stanley Cup Finals, Kentucky Derby, NBA Finals, Indy 500, and U.S. Open golf etc… — have gone down so much; the NBA and how much impact social justice messaging has had on viewership; why the NFL generally speaking has kept afloat with viewership; general college football viewership trends; social media changing the way perceptions are created about the success of leagues and networks; how much will streaming be a factor over the nex

Episode 116 of the Sports Media Podcast with Richard Deitsch features two guests. The first guest is Sports Business Daily media writer John Ourand. He is followed by Turner Sports NBA analyst Stan Van Gundy. In this podcast Ourand discusses where NFL viewership is after Week 5; how much the Presidential Election coverage will impact sports viewership; the NFL’s thoughts on ratings; the use of ABC has a sports channel; the conclusion of the NBA season and more. Van Gundy discusses his experience and challenges and joys working in the Orlando bubble; spending time with his brother, Jeff Van Gundy, inside the bubble; the current popularity of the NBA; the nexus of sports and politics and race and his willingness to discuss them publicly; how having money gives you the freedom to speak your mind in sports; how he sees owners in the NBA; and much 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 115 of the Sports Media Podcast with Richard Deitsch features ESPN NBA reporter Malika Andrews, whose work appears across ESPN platforms including ESPN.com, SportsCenter and ESPN Radio. In this podcast Andrews discusses working inside the NBA bubble for four months; the challenges and rewards of the experience; the medical protocols of the bubble; being the youngest television sideline reporter ever to work the Eastern Conference finals; how she has found her age to be a factor in her reporting and access; her choking up on camera on SportsCenter following the Louisville grand jury’s decision in the Breonna Taylor case; her social media experience; flunking out of middle school suffering from an eating disorder; how she views her future and much 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 114 of the Sports Media Podcast with Richard Deitsch features two guests. First up is Jeff  Pearlman, the author Three-Ring Circus: Kobe, Shaq, Phil, and the Crazy Years of the Lakers Dynasty. He is followed by Donnovan Bennett, a senior writer and host for Sportsnet Canada (where I also work). In this podcast, Pearlman discusses his reporting on Kobe Bryant and what it was like to report and write critically on Bryant; reporting on the 1996 to 2004 Lakers, interviewing more than 300 people for his book; his reporting interactions with Shaq, Phil Jackson and J.R. Rider; why he thinks people spoke with him; how he views Bryant today, and much more. Bennett discusses the differences and similarities of Canadian sports coverage versus U.S. sports coverage; debate versus conversation in sports;  the intersection of the sports media and social justice and racism in the U.S. and Canada; counsel culture; what kind of NBA Finals the Lakers-Heat will be; his take on American college football playing, and much

Episode 113 of the Sports Media Podcast with Richard Deitsch features three guests. First up is John Ourand, the media reporter for Sports Business Daily. He is followed by writer Seyward Darby, the author of “Sisters In Hate: American Women on the Front Lines of White Nationalism” and writer Corey Sobel, the author of “The Redshirt,” selected for the 2020 Long List of the Center for Fiction’s First Novel Prize. Darby and Sobel are married.  In this podcast Ourand and Deitsch discuss the seven game windows for the NFL to start the season, which averaged 15.8 million viewers and was down 9% from 17.3 million last year; the mega-viewership for Fox national window, which drew 25.8 million for Bucs-Saints and was the most-watched Week 1 game for Fox in four years; NFL viewership issues in New York and L.A.; what we expect from the Las Vegas market this year as a ratings play; the Big Ten consulting with network partners such as Fox and ESPN before making its decision to play football this fall; whether ESPN and F

Episode 112 of the Sports Media Podcast with Richard Deitsch features four guests. First up is Steve Wyche and Jim Trotter. Both are reporters for NFL Media, where they frequently appear on the NFL Network. They are co-hosting a new podcast, "Huddle and Flow." They are followed by Kavitha Davidson of The Athletic and author and writer Jessica Luther. They are the co-authors of  “Loving Sports When They Don’t Love You Back: Dilemmas of the Modern Fan.” In this podcast, Wyche and Trotter discuss their new podcast, Huddle and Flow and what they plan to bring to listeners; why Washington coach Ron Rivera was on the first pod; what they expect from NFL players this far as activism on the field in either the pregame and postgame and what they expect the public reaction to be; Tom Brady moving to Tampa Bay; is this the best group of quarterbacks in history; surprise NFL teams in 2020 from both guests, and more. Davidson and Luther discuss why they wrote the book; your conscience vs. your fandom; the relationship bet

Episode 111 of the Sports Media Podcast with Richard Deitsch features two guests. First up is Renee Paquette, who worked for nearly eight years as a WWE broadcaster under the name Renee Young. She is followed by Turner Sports and NBA TV reporter Stephanie Ready.  In this podcast, Young discusses leaving the WWE after nearly eight years; her desire to host a longform audio and video interview podcast in the future; getting the coronavirus and how that still impacts her health today; feeling lost during the time she was assigned as the first full time woman to be on the RAW commentary desk; hearing Vince McMahon in her ear and what it is like to be produced and overproduced by the WWE; the surreal juggling act she had to do when calling her husband’s (Jon Good, who performs as Jon Moxley) matches; her non-compete clause after leaving the WWE; what she thinks about the prospect of joining AEW after her non-compete is over; why Paul Heyman is a genius; traveling with her husband in airports and elsewhere; her upc