Earlier this week, I wrote about the influence the sports media can have on the NFL coaching carousel. Today, let’s talk about the influence the carousel can have on sports media.
Whereas sports media can but its head into the carousel and become an actual player for some coaches, the carousel’s and coaching searches’ influence on the media is more in practice and approach. Openings in sports radio can happen suddenly or they can be the result of weeks of discussions and strategy. Either way, when there is a hole to fill in your lineup, a PD needs to hit the ground running.
Anyone that is a sports fan has heard about the list. Good GMs and athletic directors supposedly keep a list of five names in their desk. They are all people the GM or AD would turn to if he or she suddenly had to find a new coach tomorrow. That way, they are never caught flatfooted.
It may not be true of everyone in those positions, but wI have to assume it is a fairly common practice. How else would we have heard so much about it?
In the last week, we saw the New England Patriots hire Jerrod Mayo as their new head coach one day after the team announced it was parting ways with Bill Belichick. Less than 48 hours after Nick Saban announced his retirement, the University of Alabama introduced Kalen DeBoer as its new head coach.
Both were cases of the decision-maker having an idea of where they would turn when it was time to find a new coach. They zeroed in on a target, or maybe a small group of targets, they thought would fit and got a deal done.
Can that work in radio? Yes, but building that lists is a little different. Matt Nahigian, program director of 95.7 The Game in San Francisco, says he would never keep a list of people that he would hire the second he has the chance. Different situations call for different lists.
“To me the most important thing is the chemistry between the hosts,” he told me in an email. “You can have the most talented host, but if he or she doesn’t have chemistry with their cohost or they aren’t on the same page, it won’t work no matter how talented either one of them is. When I’ve had to make changes in the past, I am methodical about my approach and try to match up hosts that I know are completely different in their approaches and compliment each other on a day to day basis. I think my lineup right now really reflects that.”
Nahigian knows he is in a good position right now. The Game’s lineup is very successful. The shows resonate with Bay Area sports fans. There is no immediate reason he has to think about who he would turn to “next.” That doesn’t mean he doesn’t have his head on a swivel.
“That’s one of a program director’s top priorities and responsibilities in my opinion,” Nahigian said. “You owe it to the station to be prepared.”
It wouldn’t be absurd for a PD to wait until he or she publicly posts an opening to start forming their list. It probably isn’t the most effective strategy, but the second a new listing hits the BSM job board, the person on the other end of the linked email address is likely to be flooded with dozens, if not hundreds, of applicants.
Nahigian doesn’t advise sitting still though. That list of people a PD would turn to is supposed to be a jumping off point, not gospel.
“You always have to have a backup plan in case something unexpected happens. Listening to podcasts, youtube channels and other platforms on a regular basis to see what’s out there is extremely important. You hope if you have a successful lineup, which we do right now, it lasts for years and years, but you just don’t know so you always have to be ready.”
Chris Kinard tries to always have a plan before any personnel moves are made on 106.7 The Fan or Team 980 in Washington, DC. So far, he has done a good job of making sure things unfold exactly the way he has decided they will. That doesn’t mean he has never been caught flat-footed.
“Only once, in late 2020,” he told me. “Luckily the answer presented itself pretty quickly and we were able to pair Brian Mitchell and JP Finlay together and move Grant & Danny to afternoons.”
Like Nahigian, Kinard is always scouting. Sometimes, his target may not know it, but most times they will.
Putting a name on your list is one thing. Can you actually hire them though? That comes down to a number of factors. Kinard knows that relationships is a significant one.
“It’s all about meeting people,” he said. “I try to meet and talk to as many smart, interesting people as I can. A cup of coffee or lunch with a local reporter (broadcast or other), current or former athlete, or even someone completely out of the business, could lead to something big down the line.”
He also knows that you have to have more than one list. Part of what made the Patriots able to work so quickly to get Jerrod Mayo in place is that they were promoting him from within.
In a perfect world, Kinard will have that same advantage when he has a major role to fill on one of his stations. That’s why he scouts for everything from drive-time host all the way down to part-time board ops.
“I try to say ‘yes’ every time when I receive informational interview requests with college students,” Kinard said. “I met one of our brightest young hosts, Lynnell Willingham, that way right before Covid and kept in touch with him (and he with me) throughout. I was able to bring him in as an entry level board op as soon as we could hire again, and he was hosting within a year. He’s a rising star in this business, but I wouldn’t know it if I had blown off his email.”
You can’t take the coaching model and make it work exactly the same way in sports media, but it is clear the idea has merit. Matt Nahigian and Chris Kinard see value in following the model.
Maybe it isn’t true that most stations have zeroed in on who they want to hire when their job post goes up, but you have to assume that the programmer and maybe the GM too has done some due diligence. If you’re a job seeker, keep that in mind and start making some introductions. Most of them won’t pay off. Maybe none of them will, but if the right person starts watching you and listening to you know, you’ll be in a much better position when they are ready to make a move.
Demetri Ravanos is a columnist and features writer for Barrett Media. He is also the creator of The Sports Podcast Festival, and a previous host on the Chewing Clock and Media Noise podcasts. He occasionally fills in on stations across the Carolinas in addition to hosting Panthers and College Football podcasts. His radio resume includes stops at WAVH and WZEW in Mobile, AL, WBPT in Birmingham, AL and WBBB, WPTK and WDNC in Raleigh, NC.
You can find him on Twitter @DemetriRavanos or reach him by email at DemetriTheGreek@gmail.com.
