The Tony Bruno Award was introduced in 2019 by Barrett Sports Media to recognize a national sports media personality who has expanded their profile and cut thru the noise by offering a unique, unfiltered, and authentic approach. Clay Travis of FOX Sports Radio and FS1 was selected as the first award winner at the 2019 BSM Summit in Los Angeles, and with the 2020 BSM Summit taking place next month in New York, it’s time to announce our 2020 recipient.
To help us determine this year’s winner, twelve industry executives were asked to cast a vote for one of the following five nominees; Pat McAfee of Westwood One/DAZN/ESPN/WWE, Nate Burleson of CBS Sports and the NFL Network, Mina Kimes of ESPN, Nick Wright of FOX Sports 1, and Dave Portnoy of Barstool Sports. After tallying the results, Barrett Sports Media is pleased to share that Pat McAfee has been selected as our 2020 recipient of the Tony Bruno Award.Pat will accept the award at our special awards ceremony presented by Premier Radio Networks, next month in NYC.
2019 was a big year for McAfee. After leaving Barstool Sports in 2018, the former NFL Punter partnered with Westwood One to launch a nationally syndicated sports radio show. That program was given a television simulcast on DAZN. The CBS Sports Radio network has since added the show to its weekday lineup in January 2020.
But that’s not all. McAfee also struck an agreement with ESPN to work Thursday night College Football games as an analyst, and make appearances on the network’s popular shows ‘College Gameday’ and ‘Get Up’. The charismatic host also continued to grow his popularity by appearing on WWE pay per view pre-shows, and stepping in for emergency color analyst duty on an episode of Friday Night Smackdown. All of this was done while continuing to strengthen his social media presence and host a popular podcast multiple times per week.
“Pat McAfee’s blend of energy, drive, authenticity, and entertainment has helped him stand out on the national sports media stage,” explained BSM President Jason Barrett. “At just 32 years old, Pat has dove head first into the business, building an incredible brand across multi-platforms by being relatable, credible, and highly motivated. Though his best days in the industry are still ahead of him, executives are well aware of his rapid rise and special talent, and I am looking forward to presenting him in New York with what I’m sure will be the first of many broadcasting honors, the 2020 Tony Bruno Award.”
After being told he’d been picked to receive the Tony Bruno Award, McAfee expressed his gratitude to those who chose him for it: “It’s an honor to be recognized as this year’s Tony Bruno Award recipient. For as long as I can remember, I’ve always enjoyed great conversation. I thought that if I knew a little bit about everything, I could talk to anybody about anything. So, whether it was talking with a custodian about a new mop they were using or chatting up a billionaire about their choice of a new plane, I lived for those exchanges because I knew they were a chance to learn something. My genuine curiosity and willingness to chat about whatever hasn’t always led me to “perfect” situations but I’m thankful that in this beautifully intimate form of entertainment, radio, those 2 traits can set you up for some magical on air moments.
He continued: “My life has been filled with a slew of insanely cool moments happened upon serendipitously and I am grateful for every single one of them. When I tell a story, I hope the listener feels as if they were right there with me. When I interview someone, my intention is for the listener to think “I would’ve asked the same damn thing.” My goal for each show is to help listeners escape from whatever’s going on in their lives and enjoy a mental vacation for a few hours. It’s been quite a thrill to be mentioned alongside the other nominees because they are doing the exact same thing and inspire me daily. I’m a fan of all of you. Massive thanks to whomever decided I should win this award, I’m not sure I agree with you BUT I appreciate it mucho nonetheless. Cheers to the future of radio.”
Bruno was also pleased with this year’s selection, and praised McAfee’s quick surge on the national stage: “In addition to being honored by having my name on this award, seeing the incredible list of yearly finalists proves sports media’s future is in good hands for decades to come. Pat McAfee was the “go to” guy in the Colts locker room for refreshingly candid and hilarious ability to relate to media and fans alike, and since entering the media business, his star power has continued to skyrocket. Pat Summerall was the greatest kicker turned HOF broadcaster ever, and now – dare I say: Pat has *out kicked the coverage, and keeps nailing it on the air every single day (*courtesy of 2019 winner Clay Travis).”
In addition, thanks to Benztown Branding and Westwood One, McAfee will have a little more on his plate than just collecting hardware at the BSM Summit. A special BSM Summit Kickoff will take place on Tuesday February 25th at 8pm ET at The Watson Hotel. McAfee will serve as the special guest and discuss his football and media career, in addition to taking photos with conference attendees. The event, which is being billed as a casual affair (no suits and ties permitted) will include free drinks and appetizers to the first 100 thru the door.
Tickets to the 2020 BSM Summit on February 26-27, 2020 at the Ailey Citigroup Theater in New York are currently on-sale to media professionals. A special $99.00 per night hotel rate has also been established at The Watson Hotel for those wishing to attend and keep costs down. For further information visit https://bsmsummit.com.
Jason Barrett is the President and Founder of Barrett Media since the company was created in September 2015. Prior to its arrival, JB served as a sports radio programmer, launching brands such as 95.7 The Game in San Francisco, and 101 ESPN in St. Louis. He also spent time programming SportsTalk 950 in Philadelphia, 590 The Fan KFNS in St. Louis, and ESPN 1340/1390 in Poughkeepsie, NY. Jason also worked on-air and behind the scenes in local radio at 101.5 WPDH, WTBQ 1110AM, and WPYX 106.5. He also spent two years on the national stage, producing radio shows for ESPN Radio in Bristol, CT. Among them included the Dan Patrick Show, and GameNight.
You can find JB on Twitter @SportsRadioPD. He’s also reachable by email at Jason@BarrettMedia.com.
