Sports Media with Richard Deitsch

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. 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

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

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

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

Here’s a short clip from our upcoming interview with Rob Hyland, the coordinating producer of Sunday Night Football, and Drew Esocoff, the director of Sunday Night Football. In this clip, Hyland and Esocoff provide insight on what Bills quarterback Josh Allen and Ravens quarterback Lamar Jackson are like in production meetings, and whether the new virtual measurement technology can get better for viewers during the season. 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

Episode 540 of the Sports Media Podcast features Austin Karp of Sports Business Journal who recently became the lead media reporter for SBJ. Karp joined SBJ in 2006 and has held a number of positions at the publication. He is followed by Larry Keith, the author of a new autobiography, "Touch 'Em All: My Life And Career At $ports Illustrated." In this podcast, Karp discuss what the media reporting role entails at SBJ; why he moved into the role; how he sees the sports media beat; what he wants to focus on at SBJ; the legacy of John Ourand at SBJ; the challenges of navigating people who attend SBJ conferences while reporting on the same people; the sports business event space; the UFC-Paramount Global and Skydance Media deal and what it means for the industry; YouTube's challenges for its NFL game; the price for sports consumers and more. Keith discusses his career at Sports Illustrated, which included writing 19 cover stories from 1975-80 before serving as a senior editor and assistant managing editor and then SI’s Editorial Projects Director; what it was like writing for SI in an era when it had national cultural relevance; his interviews with Pete Rose and Reggie Jackson, Magic Johnson and Larry Bird, covering the famed NCAA Championship when Magic beat Bird; the toughest subject he dealt with; working with all-time great writers 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

In this discussion, Robert Fishman, a senior analyst specializing in sports media, and Michael Nathanson, founding partner at MoffettNathanson, delve into ESPN's bold acquisition of the NFL Network. They analyze how this partnership could bolster ESPN's bargaining power and its implications for Disney. Topics include YouTube's ambitions in sports streaming, the financial intricacies behind major deals, and the evolving landscape of sports broadcasting. They offer valuable insights on the competition between traditional networks and emerging digital platforms.

Here’s a short clip from our upcoming interview with Michael Nathanson and Robert Fishman of MoffettNathanson, one of the leading independent equity research publishers focusing on the most important companies across the Technology, Media and Telecom landscape. In this clip, Fishman and Nathanson address how pro leagues should think about business with YouTube. 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

Episode 538 of the Sports Media Podcast features renowned ESPN soccer commentator Ian Darke, who is the lead broadcaster for ESPN's coverage of the 2025-26 LaLiga season. In this podcast, Darke discusses his current U.S. broadcast schedule; calling LaLiga games; what he can do freelance-wise in the UK; why Barcelona's Lamine Yamal is currently the face of global football; his thoughts on Wrexham's story; the England women's national team winning the Euros; whether FIFA World Cup 2026 will be transformative for soccer in the USA; how he sees the U.S. men's team right now; the World Cup expanding to a48-team tournament 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

Here’s a short clip from our upcoming interview with play by play voice Ian Darke. The full interview will be available on Friday. In this clip, Darke discusses the emerging greatness of Barcelona teenage star Lamine Yamal and what it is like calling his games in person. 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