Welcome to deadline day in Major League Baseball. Anyone that thinks this could be their magical season is on the phone today trying to add that one last piece that takes their club from really good to great.
Here at Barrett Sports Media we like to stay on top of the news and put some of sports’ biggest events into a sports media context. That’s why we did the sports TV draft before the NBA Draft.
Today, we want you to put on those imagination hats and get ready to play a little fantasy GM. Eight of us have come up with one trade we would make in the sports media if we had the power to do so.
Most of these will make you nod your head and say “that makes sense,” but we hope at least a couple of them will blow your damn mind!
THE GAME CHANGER – Jason Barrett
When it comes to breaking sports news, there is no better 1-2 punch than Adam Schefter and Adrian Wojnarowski. They are simply the best at what they do. Since we’re playing fantasy GM for this piece and I get to run a company and spend their money without consequence, I’m going to do something bold. How’s this, whether I’m running Yahoo Sports, NBC Sports, CBS Sports or FOX Sports, I’d trade away my entire writing and reporting teams to acquire the team of Adam Schefter and Adrian Wojnarowski.
Before I start exploring smaller office space and enduring the wrath of the talented folks I’ve had to let go in this deal, let me be clear that this is not a reflection on them as much as it is a testament to my belief that Adam and Adrian are two of the most important people in all of sports media. Think for a minute about how many radio and TV stations, social media outlets, newspapers and websites produce content off of their information. The marketing value and credibility they provide to a company from their content creation is enormous. If they launched a paid app for their content do you think folks would pay for it? I do. We’ve debated before if Stephen A. Smith was worth $10 million per year to ESPN. I think Adam and Adrian could make a similar case.
If a major news story happens in the NFL and NBA (the two most important leagues) they’re in front of it. Now add their massive social media presence, the accuracy, familiarity and trust they’ve established with sports fans over the past two decades, and their versatility to be featured as writers, podcasting hosts, on video (TV or web), and as social influencers and marketers, and you can see why it’d be worth it to shake up an entire organization to get them.
THE MOVE THAT JUST MAKES SENSE – Demetri Ravanos
If the events of the last two weeks taught us anything, it is that Dan Le Batard may not belong at ESPN. He is the Salvador Dali painting hanging in a gallery that only wants to sell the works of Thomas Kinkade. There is a deal out there that not only gets Le Batard in a lineup more befitting his absurdist, outspoken approach to sports radio but also reunites ESPN with its all-time most beloved personality.
Fox Sports Radio should send Dan Patrick and the Danettes back to Bristol in exchange for Dan, Stugotz, and the Shipping Container. It gives Fox Sports Radio a lineup full of heavy hitters all with their own distinct, original sound. Plus, who at FS1 wouldn’t rather have Le Batard leading a TV show instead of the program he has dubbed “First Fake”?
ESPN gets Dan Patrick back on the radio, which just feels right. It also gets Dan back on TV…with Keith Olberman back in the building. If you want a rebrand of SportsCenter that both satisfies Jimmy Pitaro’s aversion to politics and moves the needle both with Neilsen and Twitter, you put Dan and Keith on at 6pm every weekday and take the reins off.
MAKING SEC FOOTBALL SOUND MORE LIKE IT SHOULD – Dave Greene
I won’t lie, what I’d really like is to go back to the early 2000’s. The days when I could sit in my Barcalounger at 2:30 on a Saturday afternoon, flip on CBS and watch SEC football with Verne Lundquist and Todd Blackledge. However, I’d settle for Blackledge just coming back with Brad Nessler.
I think Blackledge is the perfect mix of analysis and opinion and I learn things when I’m watching a game that he’s doing. Danielson is a solid broadcaster, but I feel as if he’s mostly giving very general commentary and I’m no smarter of a football fan at the end of the game.
When Blackledge was on with Uncle Vern and when he was on with Brad Nessler previously, I found the broadcasts to be very conversational and that I was watching the game along with them. With Danielson, I feel as if he’s often not talking about the things I want addressed.
The SEC is the best college football, it deserves the best college football analyst, and I say that’s Todd Blackledge, so let’s make this deal happen.
THE COLLEGE BASKETBALL HOMECOMING – Tyler McComas
College basketball needs a face. Someone who can bring the energy Dick Vitale did back in the 90’s when the sport was thriving, and Doug Gottlieb is the best candidate. Clearly, we don’t need him to mimic the phrases or broadcast style Dickie V had for so many years, but a move back to ESPN for Gottlieb is what both the Worldwide Leader and college hoops needs.
The great thing about this trade is ESPN wouldn’t be paying for just a college basketball analyst, they’d be getting an accomplished show host who can be inserted immediately into the daily lineup of programming, as well as an analyst who could be featured on College GameDay and the Saturday game of the week during basketball season. Plus, Doug would inject some life into the College GameDay set that it could probably use.
For Bilas, Fox Sports would be getting an accomplished color commentator, which would be very useful if the network wants to continue to bolster its coverage of the sport. Plus, with Bilas’ face comes instant credibility.
THE MOVE TO STRENGTHEN YOU AND WEAKEN A RIVAL – Brian Noe
From FOX’s perspective: ESPN Host Tony Reali brings name recognition along with plenty of personality. His presence would benefit FOX while at the same time weaken one of ESPN’s most popular blocks of programming. The concept of Reali joining FOX is similar to the “can you hear me now” Verizon guy joining Sprint; he’s a known commodity that brings familiarity. Reali slightly resembles the Sprint guy too — whose name is actually Paul Marcarelli. Shout-out to the paisans!
From ESPN’s perspective: Getting FOX Sports Rules Analyst Mike Pereira would be a major boost for ESPN’s Monday Night Football. The company is trying to make the MNF presentation sound like an event again. The broadcast is missing some punch without Jon Gruden. Gerry Austin’s information is good, but he provides the same entertainment value as a plate of spinach. Pereira brings a much better sense of feel and timing while making broadcasts sound bigger. It’d be a major improvement for ESPN.
RIVALS WILLING TO DO BUSINESS – Matt Fishman
In a shocking move, the NFL’s longest rivals trade radio play by play announcers with Wayne Larrivee heading to the Bears in exchange for Jeff Joniak and a conditional draft pick.
Wayne Larrivee has been the Packers play by play voice since 1999. He had been the Bears announcer from 1985-1998. In addition to his passionate and adept play by play of multiple sports, Larrivee has become well known for his catchphrase “The Dagger!” This comes out when one team does something that puts the other team away, essentially putting the game out of reach.
Jeff Joniak is known as the “hardest working play by play man in the NFL.” Joniak has reported and anchored Bears coverage and has been as much of a fixture at the Bears facility “Halas Hall” as any of the players over the past 20-plus years. Jeff earned the Silver Dome Award for “Best Play-by-Play” in 2006, and 2007, 2009, and 2013 regional RTNDA Edward R. Murrow Awards for “Joniak’s Journal”.
When asked for the reason for the trade, Bears GM Ryan Pace said, “The Bears have never won a Super Bowl without Wayne as the play by play announcer. Outside of a kicker who can make a routine field goal, we believe Wayne is the missing piece to bringing another Super Bowl Championship to the city of Chicago.”
THE ONE FOR NEW YORK – Brandon Contes
Priority #1 when making media trades is reuniting the duo that helped build sports radio, by bringing Mike and the Mad Dog back together.
It’s going on two years since Francesa retired from WFAN the first time. At 65-years old and reportedly working without a contract, how much longer before The Sports Pope decides to leave a second time?
I’m jumping in-front of the inevitable departure and offering Francesa to Mad Dog Sports Radio on SiriusXM in exchange for midday host, Adam Schein. There’s already mutual interest after WFAN offered Schein the opportunity to replace Francesa when he retired the first time. He’s well-known to the New York sports audience, and if WFAN pairs Schein’s brash and boisterous personality with the quirky John Jastremski, they might find the modern version of Mike and the Mad Dog for the next 15 years.
Trading Francesa before he leaves on his own also guarantees he stays out of the division and away from terrestrial radio where he could compete for ratings. Change the satellite channel’s name to “Mike and the Mad Dog Sports Radio,” give Francesa a Howard Stern-like three day schedule with seemingly unlimited vacation and The Sports Pope will get on-board with the move.
THE ONE THAT BREAKS THE INTERNET – Andy Masur
Things have gotten stale inside the NFL broadcast booths. I think they are in need of a shakeup. I propose a three network deal that also involves a free agent pick up.
Romo is the rising star in the group. The chemistry between Romo and Jim Nantz in my opinion is good, but I think it would be even better with Joe Buck. Plus Romo, the former Cowboy would be calling mainly NFC games now.
Collinsworth on the other hand would be a better fit with Nantz, plus as a former AFC player living in an AFC town this is a no-brainer.
Aikman and Buck have been together for years, but the former Cowboy QB is needed in the ESPN booth to give it credibility. He would be a great addition for the Monday Night Game.
With all the “Cap Space” NBC would have with the loss of Collinsworth, they could pick up a high priced free agent like Peyton Manning. He’s needed in a booth and working with Al Michaels would be a great first gig.
