Sports Media Watch Podcast

Sports media industry analyst Howie Schawb discusses NBA media rights negotiations, viewership for NBA playoffs and NHL's Stanley Cup, and ESPN under Mark Shapiro. The podcast also touches on Howie Schwab's legacy at ESPN and the current state of the WNBA.

On today's episode, Jon Lewis and Drew Lerner lead off the podcast discussing yet another Caitlin Clark viewership feat -- this time with a record-setting WNBA Draft. Then, the crew takes a look at how NBA regular season viewership fared and looks forward to potential playoff scenarios. Jon and Drew close out the show with a discussion on the subpar Masters viewership, and whether the property is facing decline in the future.Advertising Inquiries: https://redcircle.com/brandsPrivacy & Opt-Out: https://redcircle.com/privacy

On today's episode, Jon Lewis and Drew Lerner lead off the show with a March Madness viewership discussion, headlined by the massive rating for South Carolina-Iowa in the women's tournament and why the WNBA can't seem to capitalize on the successes of women's college basketball. Then the crew turns its focus to the men, where UConn-Purdue finished a tick up from last year's title game. Jon and Drew close out the show with a discussion of Norby Williamson's departure from ESPN.Advertising Inquiries: https://redcircle.com/brandsPrivacy & Opt-Out: https://redcircle.com/privacy

On today's episode, Jon Lewis and Drew Lerner dive deep into the record-setting viewership for Iowa-LSU. The crew covers the 12.3m viewers number in context, what this number means for the Final Four games this Friday, where expectations should be set for women's college basketball next season without Caitlin Clark, and if this was the most heavily anticipated viewership number ever. Then, Jon and Drew discuss whether or not ESPN's broadcast of the game was able to meet the moment. They also go over numbers for last weekend's men's Elite Eight and the impact of the Easter holiday on out-of-home viewing before closing out the show with a discussion on what it would take to replicate a phenomenon like Caitlin Clark.Advertising Inquiries: https://redcircle.com/brandsPrivacy & Opt-Out: https://redcircle.com/privacy

On today's episode, Jon Lewis and Drew Lerner discuss viewership for both the men's and women's NCAA Tournaments, including Caitlin Clark and Iowa's record-setting numbers, and how the chalky setup for both tournaments can lead to strong viewership here on out. The crew also discusses the impending Washington Post story on Kim Mulkey and a potential Iowa-LSU rematch in the Elite 8. Jon and Drew then shift to the NFL's announcement that they will play two games on Christmas Day this upcoming season, before closing out the show with a discussion on gambling in the context of the Shohei Ohtani and Jontay Porter stories.Advertising Inquiries: https://redcircle.com/brandsPrivacy & Opt-Out: https://redcircle.com/privacy

On today's episode Jon Lewis and Drew Lerner discuss Selection Sunday viewership and the countless comparisons between the men's and women's tournaments in the media. The crew also talks about the new College Football Playoff rights deal and the return of the national title game to ABC.Advertising Inquiries: https://redcircle.com/brandsPrivacy & Opt-Out: https://redcircle.com/privacy

On today's episode, Jon Lewis and Drew Lerner discuss a potpourri of sports media topics, starting with the huge viewership that women's college basketball had last week, and whether the sport can sustain that strength post-Caitlin Clark. Then, the crew hits on a few storylines in men's college basketball including Greg Gumbel's absence from the CBS studio this year, Ian Eagle taking over the top play-by-play spot, and Bill Walton missing time due to health issues. Jon and Drew end with some quick hitters including the NBA's exclusive negotiating window opening up, reports that NBC looks likely to pick up a package, WBD turning TruTV into a sports channel, and FOX announcing a Friday night college football package.Advertising Inquiries: https://redcircle.com/brandsPrivacy & Opt-Out: https://redcircle.com/privacy

On today's episode, Jon Lewis and Drew Lerner dive into the impact Caitlin Clark is having on women's basketball. The crew covers the recent viewership records that Clark has helped set, whether a deep run by Iowa in the tournament could threaten to post bigger viewership numbers than the men's tournament, what Clark's viewership impact will be for the WNBA, and if she has earned a spot on the USA Olympic team. Jon and Drew close the show with a brief discussion on the legacy of Chris Mortensen.Advertising Inquiries: https://redcircle.com/brandsPrivacy & Opt-Out: https://redcircle.com/privacy

Exploring NBA activism, viewership, and backlash, the podcast discusses the league's efforts to maintain viewership through tournaments and star players. It also delves into the NBA's negotiations for increased rights deals and broadcast partnerships, analyzing the shift to streaming platforms and the impact of LeBron James on the league.

On today's episode, Jon Lewis and Drew Lerner start off by discussing NBA All-Star Weekend, which Sports Media Watch was on-site to cover. The crew talks about viewership, if the format can be changed for the better, and the NBA Tech Summit. Then, Jon and Drew discuss the ongoing uncertainty amidst the College Football Playoff, if ESPN would ever actually pull the agreement, and whether the ESPN-FOX-WBD joint entity could entice a bid from NBC or CBS. The show closes with a discussion on ESPN and FS1's breaking news coverage during the Kansas City Chiefs parade shooting last week.Advertising Inquiries: https://redcircle.com/brandsPrivacy & Opt-Out: https://redcircle.com/privacy