Sports Media with Richard Deitsch Sports media roundtable with SBJ's Austin Karp and SMW's Jon Lewis
Oct 1, 2025
Jon Lewis, founder of Sports Media Watch, and Austin Karp, media reporter for Sports Business Journal, dive into the recent surge in MLB's national viewership and the divergent performances of local markets. They explore the evolving definition of celebrity in sports, discuss the implications of viewer age trends as MLB closes the gap with the NFL, and assess NBC's strategy for the Olympics with celebrity involvement. Other topics include Paul Finebaum's potential Senate run and the complexities of streaming subscriptions in sports.
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Roundtable Debates Modern Celebrity
- The hosts debated what 'celebrity' means in 2025 using examples like MrBeast and legacy actors.
- John Lewis defined celebrity as someone whose name people have at least occasionally heard.
Recognizing A Reporter At The Finals
- Jon described recognizing NBA reporter Tim McMahon while walking in Indiana during the Finals.
- The story illustrated how industry familiarity differs from broader public celebrity.
Baseball's Ratings Bounce Is Real
- MLB's TV gains reflect both measurement changes and genuine fan growth this year.
- Strong markets, star players, and better storylines aligned to lift national viewership.