

Sports Media with Richard Deitsch
Audacy
The Sports Media Podcast with Richard Deitsch is a weekly show that features interviews with members of the sports media about their work, as well as roundtables with sports media reporters about television, digital, audio/radio, print, and other forms of media. You can read Richard’s work at The Athletic.
Episodes
Mentioned books

Sep 18, 2025 • 34min
The impact of John Madden and Pat Summerall on today's NFL broadcasting
Episode 546 of the Sports Media Podcast features Rich Podolsky, the author of “Madden & Summerall How They Revolutionized NFL Broadcasting.” In this podcast, Podolsky discussed the process of writing a book about John Madden and Pat Summerall; the beginning of Madden's broadcasting career and how he was mediocre at first on air; Madden working with Bob Costas when Costas was just 27; Madden getting the biggest break of his fledgling broadcasting career when he was paired with Summerall; how Vin Scully nearly became Madden's permanent partner; how Summerall's broadcasting career began; what the NFL Today was like in 1975, and more. You can subscribe to this podcast on Apple Podcasts, Spotify, and more.
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Sep 17, 2025 • 7min
First Look: How Vin Scully nearly became John Madden’s NFL partner
Here’s a short clip from our upcoming interview with Rich Podolsky, the author of “Madden & Summerall How They Revolutionized NFL Broadcasting.” The full interview will be available on Thursday. In this clip, Podolsky tells the story of how CBS had to decide between Vin Scully and Pat Summerall when it came to being John Madden’s broadcast partner. You can subscribe to this podcast on Apple Podcasts, Spotify, and more.
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Sep 16, 2025 • 40min
Are sports viewership metrics on the up and up — and is anyone indispensable in the sports media?
Episode 546 of the Sports Media Podcast features Jon Lewis, the editor and founder of Sports Media Watch. In this podcast we discuss how sports viewership has been impacted by Nielsen’s use of Big Data and Panel measurement; whether you still make apples to apples comparisons with sport viewership; YouTube revising its viewership for Chiefs-Chargers;
our experiences watching Red Zone; whether ads have impacted the RedZone experience; Scott Hanson as a host; the contracts of ESPN's Malika Andrews and Brian Windhorst; a discussion on whether anyone is indispensable in the sports media and more. You can subscribe to this podcast on Apple Podcasts, Spotify, and more.
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Sep 12, 2025 • 52min
Fox Sports's Richie Zyontz and Rich Russo, the lead producer and director for the Kevin Burkhardt-Tom Brady broadcast team
Episode 545 of the Sports Media Podcast features Fox Sports NFL producer Richie Zyontz and Fox Sports NFL director Rich Russo. They are the lead production staffers on Fox’s top NFL team. Last February Zyontz produced his eighth Super Bowl as a lead producer while Russo’s directed his sixth as a lead director. In this podcast, the two discuss Fox’s Chiefs-Eagles broadcast, the 11th rematch of a Super Bowl matchup in the following season and just the fourth to occur within the first two weeks of that season; the significance of having a big game this early in the season; why Arrowhead is a great place to broadcast a game; Tom Brady’s second year in the booth; where Brady has improved and what he needs to improve on; working with someone as famous as Brady; the rules imposed on Brady as a broadcaster; the upcoming "Madden & Summerall--How They Revolutionized NFL Broadcasting” book and Zyontz’s role in it; why Fox has two sideline reporters for its top team in Erin Andrews and Tom Rinaldi; watching the Bills-Ravens incredible finish 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

Sep 10, 2025 • 44min
Neil Everett and Stan Verrett
Episode 544 of the Sports Media Podcast with Richard Deitsch features Neil Everett and Stan Verrett, the former ESPN hosts who were longtime partners on SportsCenter. In this podcast, Everett and Verrett discuss the launching of thir new show, beginning Sept. 9, airing live on Twitch; Verrett’s decision not to move to Bristol when ESPN ended the Los Angeles-based SportsCenter; the title of the show and when it will air; why they decided to start on Twitch; how they will measure success; whether they can make money with this project; potential guests, and more. You can subscribe to this podcast on Apple Podcasts, Spotify, and more.
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Sep 9, 2025 • 7min
First Look: Neil Everett and Stan Verrett
Here’s a short clip from our upcoming interview with Neil Everett and Stan Verrett, the former ESPN hosts who were longtime partners on SportsCenter. The full interview will be available on Tuesday. In this clip, Verrett explains what his new show and collaboration with Everett will feature. 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

Sep 8, 2025 • 53min
The NFL Red Zone channel now has ads. Will you care about this by mid-season? Plus, college football's soaring viewership
Episode 543 of the Sports Media Podcast with Richard Deitsch features two guests for a sports media roundtable: Jon Lewis, editor and founder of Sports Media Watch and Austin Karp, sports media reporter for Sports Business Journal. In this podcast, the trio discuss the NFL Red Zone channel featuring commercials and the fallout from that decision; ESPN getting unfairly blamed for the NFL’s call; why the NFL and other sports media businesses will always try to monetize everything; college football’s massive opening week viewership; College GameDay vs. Big Noon Kickoff; Doris Burke being demoted and Tim Legler getting a promotion; Pablo Torre’s reporting on the Clippers allegedly circumventing the salary cap and how long the story will remain of mass interest; the impact of Caitlin Clark being out for the season; and more. You can subscribe to this podcast on Apple Podcasts, Spotify, and more.
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Sep 5, 2025 • 40min
CBS Sports NFL analyst Bill Cowher
Episode 542 of the Sports Media Podcast features Bill Cowher, a studio analyst for The NFL Today on CBS. In this podcast, Cowher discusses being in his 19th year as an analyst for the CBS’s NFL studio show following a Hall of Fame career as a Pittsburgh Steelers coach; whether he feels he is getting better at his job each year; what the on-air cast changes for The NFL Today means for 2025; the NFL Today heading on the road to Lambeau Field for the Week 1 showdown between the Packers and Lions; The NFL Today celebrating its 50th birthday on Sept. 21; how he views Pittsburgh's acquisition of Aaron Rodgers; the AFC favorites including the Ravens, Bills, Chiefs and Bengals; Cowher's definition of leadership; how he identifies a leader; players from his coaching days who personified leadership; whether leaders are made or born; Steve Spagnuolo as a Hall of Famer 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

Sep 4, 2025 • 7min
First Look: CBS Sports NFL analyst Bill Cowher
Here’s a short clip from our upcoming interview with CBS NFL analyst and Pro Football Hall of Famer Bill Cowher. The full interview will be available tomorrow. In this clip, Cowher discusses the steps he takes to improve as a broadcaster and the kind of feedback he appreciates in his current position. 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

Sep 3, 2025 • 47min
NBC's Sports massive opening NFL week — Cowboys-Eagles and Bills-Ravens
Episode 541 of the Sports Media Podcast with Richard Deitsch features Rob Hyland, the coordinating producer of Sunday Night Football and Drew Esocoff, the director of Sunday Night Football. NBC's NFL coverage begins on Sept 4 with the Cowboys at Eagles followed by the Bills-Ravens on Sept. 7. In this podcast, Hyland and Esocoff discuss what will be unique about Sunday Night Football this season; the opening games for NBC's NFL schedule; what Lamar Jackson and Josh Allen are like in production meetings; why a Super Bowl year is always challenging for the host broadcaster; NBC's confluence of doing the Super Bowl, the Winter Olympics and the NBA All Star Game all within the same month; the NFL's in-game coach and coordinator interviews and locker room footage prior to kickoff; whether the new first down measurement can be a value-add for viewers; the challenges of doing NFL games abroad; keeping memorabilia from assignments, 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