In this week’s Marchand and Ourand Sports Media Podcast sponsored by WSC Sports:Jim Nantz’s final NCAA Tournament as lead announcer is the lead topic on this week’s podcast with Andrew Marchand and John Ourand also discuss Jay Wright’s first March Madness as a full-time announcer. Bob Iger said it was “inevitable” that ESPN would be offered as a direct-to-consumer service at some point, prompting Marchand and Ourand to continue their long-running debate on when that would be and how much it would cost. This is the week that Diamond Sports Group, which owns the Bally Sports regional sports networks, is expected to file for bankruptcy protection. The hosts talk about what that development means for fans. Other topics include changes inside ESPN’s “Monday Night Football” production truck and the trend of NFL hosts that publicize questionable information. Marchand and Ourand also answer questions from their mailbag on the pricing of the MLS Season Pass package and how to tell when announcers are past their prime.For more information about WSC Sports http://bitly.ws/AUVk

In this week’s Marchand and Ourand Sports Media Podcast sponsored by WSC Sports:In the wake of ESPN’s executive reorg, pod hosts Andrew Marchand and John Ourand look into the future of ESPN, including a discussion of when ESPN will make its main channel available to cord cutters via streaming. The hosts also dissect MLB’s move to create a local media department and talk about what that means for the RSN business. ESPN’s NBA analyst Doris Burke joins this week as The Big Get and discusses how she got into the announcing business, her big break and the announcers she listened to growing up. Burke talks in depth about her reactions to the time when the rapper Drake wore a Doris Burke shirt courtside at an NBA game in 2016.For more information about WSC Sports http://bitly.ws/AUVk

In this week’s Marchand and Ourand Sports Media Podcast sponsored by WSC Sports:Diamond Sports, which operates 19 regional sports networks, is headed into bankruptcy. Warner Bros. Discovery told teams that it is weeks away from shutting down its three AT&T SportsNet RSNs for good. Hosts Andrew Marchand and John Ourand discuss how the failing financial fortunes at the regional sports networks will affect how fans watch the games. Marchand and Ourand also provide updates on the Pac-12 media rights situation and review Apple’s first weekend with MLS games. They also talk about the TV future of Charles Barkley and Frank Thomas. As always, the duo provide their picks for who in sports media is up – and who in sports media is down – for the week.For more information about WSC Sports http://bitly.ws/AUVk

The Pac-12’s on-again and off-again negotiations for its next round of media rights take center stage on this week’s podcast, as hosts Andrew Marchand and John Ourand discuss which media companies are interested in doing a deal and which ones aren’t. Marchand reported that Apple has emerged as a potential landing spot for the Pac-12, leading the hosts to dissect Apple’s sports media strategy. Other topics on this week’s pod include the NBA’s All-Star Game performance, MLB rule changes and the first weekend of the XFL. Marchand and Ourand talk about the TV production innovations they like most from the XFL and the USFL, which starts its second season in April. This episode has a Mailbag segment where the hosts answer questions from email and Twitter. Marchand and Ourand offer a tribute to longtime MLB broadcast Tim McCarver, who died Feb. 16.

Podcast hosts Andrew Marchand and John Ourand review Fox’s Super Bowl production, analyzing everything from the Kevin Burkhardt-Greg Olsen booth to the network’s multi-hour pregame show. The two also look back on the biggest stories of the season that just completed, from Amazon’s “Thursday Night Football” debut to YouTube’s “Sunday Ticket” deal. Tony Romo’s future in the CBS booth also gets the hosts’ focus.Marchand and Ourand also handicap the NBA’s and the Pac-12’s rights negotiations. They outline what RSN viewers should expect in the next 30 days as Diamond Sports Group careens toward bankruptcy. Fox Sports’ announcement that Derek Jeter will join its baseball crew also becomes a topic. The duo end the podcast with a tribute to Barry Sacks, who died this week. Sacks spent 33 years as a producer at ESPN before leaving in 2016.

The NFL’s chief media and business officer Brian Rolapp joins the podcast just three days before the Super Bowl to discuss the league’s media strategy including its blockbuster Sunday Ticket deal with Google YouTube. Rolapp outlines how the deal came about and discusses how the Sunday Ticket package may change after spending nearly 30 years on DirecTV. Rolapp also answers questions about the NFL’s push to find a company to partner on the NFL’s media properties, including NFL Network, RedZone Channel and NFL.com. Rolapp discusses changes viewers will notice in the new television packages that kick-in next season, specifically flex scheduling for ESPN’s “Monday Night Football” and, potentially, for Amazon’s “Thursday Night Football.” Marchand and Ourand ask Rolapp about his thoughts on the Pro Bowl weekend in Las Vegas, the future of NFL+ and the likelihood of having the league exercise an opt out in its broadcast deals seven years from now. Other questions hit on the diversity of NFL Media’s staff and the NFL’s position on gambling. As usual, Marchand and Ourand open the pod with their picks for Who’s Up and Who’s Down for the week in sports media.

 Fox Sports CEO Eric Shanks joins the podcast on the eve of producing a Super Bowl to discuss some of the biggest sports media topics in the business with hosts Andrew Marchand and John Ourand. Shanks discusses his plans for the Super Bowl, from where he will sit to what the viewership will look like. Shanks answers questions about the free agent frenzy among broadcasters, from Troy Aikman and Joe Buck’s decision to leave Fox for ESPN to his decision to elevate Kevin Burkhardt and Greg Olsen to the network’s top NFL booth. Shanks also discloses his role in hiring Tom Brady and what to expect when Brady joins the booth for the 2024 season. Shanks also tackles some of the biggest sports media topics, from Fox’s decision to not invest as much as other media companies on a standalone streaming service to its decision to get out of the regional sports network business. Shanks talks about potential rights deals with the College Football Playoff and Pac-12 conference, as well as Fox’s role in selling Big Ten rights to CBS and NBC. As usual, Marchand and Ourand open the pod with their picks for Who’s Up and Who’s Down for the week in sports media.

Andrew Marchand and John Ourand review the broadcast booths for CBS’s production of the AFC Championship game and Fox’s NFC Championship telecast. The two hosts also talk about what Diamond Sports Group’s pending bankruptcy means for professional sports teams and what YES Network’s expected streaming service will look like for the upcoming Yankees seasons. Marchand and Ourand also dive into media rights negotiations for both the Pac-12 and NASCAR. The podcast unveils a new segment this week with Karp’s Korner. SBJ’s Austin Karp joins to put the NFL’s huge championship game TV ratings in perspective. Karp also discusses the NHL’s ratings performance heading into its All-Star break – with ESPN and TNT showing a 22% drop in viewers compared to the previous year.

In this week’s Marchand and Ourand Sports Media Podcast sponsored by WSC Sports:The NFL dominated television over the weekend during the Divisional Playoffs. It also dominated the first part of this week’s podcast as Andrew Marchand and John Ourand analyze how the different broadcast booths handled the games. The two also discuss Tom Brady’s options as the future Hall of Famer decides whether to play another season or venture into the broadcast booth. Other topics include the headlines being made by Stephen A. Smith, Skip Bayless and Shannon Sharpe; LIV Golf’s TV deal with The CW; and HBO Max’s first sports streaming efforts with the USWNT last week and the USMNT this week.Mentioned this week: Tom Brady, Chris Mason, Kevin Burkhardt, Greg Olsen, Joe Buck, Troy Aikman, Jim Nantz, Tony Romo, Joe Burrow, Ja’Marr Chase, Mike Florio, Albert Breer, Joe Davis, Adam Amin, Jason Benetti, George Kliavkoff, Kathleen Finch, Rob Manfred, Adam Silver, Gary Bettman, Dana White, Anne White, Josh Allen, Phil Simms, Patrick Mahomes, Ian Eagle, Alex Rodriguez, Dalton Schultz, Charvarius Ward, Daryl Johnston, Peyton Manning, Eli Manning, Damar Hamlin, Cris Collinsworth, Drew Brees, Sean McVay, Michael Jordan, LeBron James, Muhammad Ali, Gisele Bündchen, Jim Gray, Larry Fitzgerald Jr., Stephen A. Smith, Skip Bayless, Shannon Sharpe, Acie Wyatt, Will Smith, Charles Barkley, Beyoncé, Rihanna, Jamie Horowitz, Phil Mickelson, Luke Wileman, Colin Campbell, Snoop Dogg, ESPN Potato Chips, TB12, Say It Ain’t So ProductionsFor more information on WSC Sports visit bit.ly/3OzggWO

In this week’s Marchand and Ourand Sports Media Podcast sponsored by WSC Sports:Pod hosts Andrew Marchand and John Ourand dissect all aspects of the NFL’s Wild Card weekend, from a sports media perspective. They look into whether social media complaints about Al Michaels’ and Tony Dungy’s performance are fair, and they look into how the top NFL broadcast teams on other networks fared: Mike Tirico and Cris Collinsworth on NBC, Kevin Burkhardt and Greg Olsen on Fox, Jim Nantz and Tony Romo on CBS, Joe Buck and Troy Aikman on ESPN and Joe Davis and Daryl Johnston on Fox. Marchand and Ourand also review ManningCast’s playoff performance; predict whether Fox will have Tom Brady on air this postseason and look into the sports media fortunes of Sean McVay. The hosts identify the sports media executives that will be considered for the Big Ten Commissioner job being vacated by Kevin Warren; MLB’s plans around local media; and the likelihood of Netflix bidding on sports rights.Mentioned this week: Al Michaels, Tom Brady, Eli Manning, Peyton Manning, Deion Sanders, Nick Khan, The Miz, Roman Reigns, Vince McMahon, Stephanie McMahon, Jason McCourty, Devin McCourty, Peter Schrager, Kyle Brandt, John Angelos, Mike Elias, Dan Connolly, Darren Cahill, Rennae Stubbs, Pam Shriver, Chris Fowler, John McEnroe, Tony Dungy, Ian Eagle, Ross Matiscik, Logan Cooke, Riley Patterson, Cris Collinsworth, Kirk Herbstreit, Drew Brees, Mike Tirico, Pat Summerall, Ray Scott, John Madden, Vin Scully, Joe Buck, Troy Aikman, Jim Nantz, Tony Romo, Joe Davis, Daryl Johnston, Cover-2, A-Gap, Phil Simms, Dan Campbell, Snoop Dogg, Sean McVay, Peter King, NYP Sports Plus, Kathryn Tappen, Kevin Warren, Burke Magnus, Mark Silverman, Jim Phillips, George Kliavkoff, Brett Yormark, Eric Shanks, Billy Chambers, Chris Ripley, Brandon Riegg, Gilbert Arenas, Tyler Huntley, Sam Hubbard, The Cincinnati Kid, Mark Andrews, Fred Gaudelli, Chris Mason, Acie Wyatt For more information on WSC Sports visit bit.ly/3OzggWO