Over eight years ago I made a strategic decision that I wasn’t sure was right at the time. I named my company Barrett Sports Media. I thought about Barrett Sports Radio, Barrett Consulting, and a few others but felt the word media was important. Though I spent two decades in radio and planned to assist audio brands, I saw the bigger picture. Digital was rapidly growing, radio was stagnant, and video was dominant. Understanding that content would soon blend together, I chose consulting and covering sports media not just sports radio.
I mention this because I spent last week in Las Vegas where radio row was renamed media row. For good reason. There were over 170 outlets on site last week. Guess how many were radio stations? Under 55. That means that two thirds of the brands covering the biggest event in sports delivered content either through television, podcasts, social video, social audio or online publishing.
During my time on media row, I saw Overtime, Omaha Productions, AllCity Network, Outkick, Meadowlark Media, Yahoo Sports, and Sports Illustrated (who’s paying their expenses for that trip?) on site. Sports betting was well represented too by DraftKings, FanDuel, VSIN, BetQL, and Sports Grid. Far too many traditional sports radio brands were nowhere to be found.
The value of access and quality content created at important sporting events matters to fans and sports digital brands. These digital outlets ramped up coverage to serve audiences everywhere, while many radio groups decreased their presence and prioritized radio over multi-platform programming.
That is a big mistake.
Look back at the past decade and ask yourself, which sports media brands have produced the largest impact? If you work in radio, you may point to The Sports Hub, The Ticket in Detroit and Dallas, WFAN, and on the national level, Fox Sports Radio. All of them are excellent and great examples of format success.
But now look at it through the lens of sports media.
During the past 5-10 years, Spotify bought The Ringer for $250 million, Barstool Sports got purchased for $450 million, Outkick was acquired by Fox for a large sum, and brands like The Volume, Omaha Productions, Jomboy Media and Meadowlark Media have become highly valued as well. I didn’t even mention the record deals struck by ESPN with Penn National or the WWE with Netflix. How many sports radio brands have generated that type of value?
It extends to talent too. Pat McAfee built an empire on YouTube, earning a bigger paycheck from ESPN than any other talent. Shannon Sharpe launched a digital company and through a partnership with The Volume now earns more than he did at FS1. Dan Le Batard and his crew exited ESPN and instantly had a major financial investment waiting from Draft Kings. Many others landed in similar situations.
Great sports media brands and content creators are worth a fortune. Outlets will pay premium rates for those capable of attracting large audiences, regardless of where they originate from. Which leads me to wonder, why would radio groups stay home rather than take advantage of access and content opportunities in Las Vegas? Is it smart to give away audience, awareness, and potential advertising to digital outlets? Is spending a few thousand dollars to support the biggest game in sports not a smart investment? What’s gained by a brand by not being there?
I asked iHeart Sports EVP Don Martin about this during a stop at the Fox Sports Radio set. He pointed out that FSR is not only there to serve listeners, advertisers and the NFL, but they’re also the network many local stations depend on to deliver content from the biggest events in sports. In addition, their large set tells their radio partners on media row that they take their business seriously. They also had a podcast studio set up right next to the main set to create additional digital content. Very smart.
When stations look around the room and evaluate options, they can see FSR means business. There’s a multi-platform plan, and a focus on standing out. It’s why the network continues to gain steam in the national space.
During my three days on media row I saw some radio stations using lighting, cameras, and social to promote themselves. But I also saw many focused on radio shows and lacking a digital plan. YouTube, X, TikTok, Facebook, Instagram allow brands to reach different audiences than the ones they connect with on the radio. The more people inside your tent, the greater your brand’s reach, and the larger your sales opportunities. To have little to no video strategy during a massive week is criminal.
If you’re programming a radio station and not leading the charge to deliver multi-platform content and impact, you are setting yourself up to become extinct. Radio companies will change. As they do, there will be less interest in PPM experts and more demand for brand builders and multi-platform producers. Knowing how to excel at video, audio, and social is a must. AI may become a larger factor too down the road.
It used to be that radio owned audio, television owned video, and newspapers owned print. Those days are gone. We now compete in all three spaces. Being the best sports radio station in a local city still has value but being the best sports media brand in a city has far greater impact.
When I think of the great programmers of the past decade, I don’t think of many radio folks. There are still some great ones (Spike Eskin, Mitch Rosen, Chris Kinard, etc.) but if compared to Dave Portnoy, Jamie Horowitz, Clay Travis, Bill Simmons, Colin Cowherd & Logan Swaim, etc. it’s a different story. Those folks have changed the sports media landscape. Not many in radio can say that.
To make a dent against stronger competition, you’ve got to be available and exceptional in multiple places. By relying just on radio, you’re giving away the present and future. You can tell me how great your ratings are but how much does that matter when digital sports brands are eating your lunch, advertisers are spending more on digital than radio, and multimedia outlets are worth more despite less time in the space?
It boils down to a few simple things. How seriously do you take your business? Are you willing to invest in it to stand out? Who are you hiring and are they capable of adapting to a rapidly changing sports media environment? Those questions may be difficult to answer. Showing up to key events shouldn’t be.
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Top 20 Review:
Each year we do this, I’m reminded of two things. First, how much it means to people across the sports radio business. Two, how subjective things are. Being the one who presents the results, I stay true to the votes even if I disagree. I also know going in that larger groups benefit more than independent companies. That’s because more voters represent bigger operations. There’s no way to change that.
Most of what gets shared is positive. I’m thrilled for every individual, brand and show that earned recognition in the BSM Top 20 of 2023 presented by Stone Voiceovers. However, there were three decisions this year that I strongly disagreed with.
First, Chris ‘Mad Dog’ Russo is not the 6th best national host in America. Russo, Cowherd and DP should be battling for spots 1-3. Sixth is way too low for Mad Dog. Second, Adam Schein ranked 18th? Sorry guys, that’s absurd. That might’ve been the result that bothered me most. Adam does an excellent job and should be in the upper tier on the national list. Third and final, Matt Moscona should’ve been on the mid-market PD’s and afternoon show lists. His omission is a classic case of missing out due to working for an independent group. If you know about the work he’s done in the state of Louisiana, you’d see that this was a miss.
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Under The Radar News:
Talking to folks at SiriusXM last week I learned that the company will soon be taking over operations of the Blue Wire studios at Wynn Casino. Wynn made a significant investment in 2021 to build the studio and partner with Blue Wire. Now, it will welcome SiriusXM as its new tenant. The exact date of that changeover I’m not sure of.
Blue Wire increased exposure and revenue during the last year, renting the space to high profile talent and shows. Whether Sirius continues to operate that way and retain key local staff remains to be seen. They’d be smart to do so as it’s produced revenue and exposure. Where Blue Wire moves next I’m not sure. The company did recently announce a few internal promotions.
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Thumbs Up:
The Volume: Colin Cowherd’s company has quickly created one of the best, must-attend parties during Super Bowl week. Everywhere you turn, smart, successful people are nearby.
A quick glance across the room and you saw talent on site such as Cowherd, Shannon Sharpe, Clay Travis, Mina Kimes, Dominique Foxworth, Kyle Brandt, Kevin Clark, Chad Millman and John Middlekauff. Execs were present too from Jamie Horowitz to Logan Swaim, Don Martin, Julie Talbott, Scott Shapiro, Bruce Gilbert, Kevin Jones, Maggie Clifton and Jon Goulet. Power agents were also there such as Michael Kline, Matt Cramer, Kevin Belbey, Mark Lepselter, Shaun Wyman and Jerry Silbowitz. Even reporters and social media leaders were visible from Andrew Marchand to Michael McCarthy, Omar Raja, Steve Braband, Matthew Kline, and Bailey Carlin.
Overall, another great event, and an outstanding location. The Beer Park at Paris, directly across from Bellagio was a tremendous choice.
Joy Taylor: When an earthquake hits, most people run for cover. Not Joy Taylor. The FS1 host continued her commentary on Patrick Mahomes, even as the room around her shook. Showing that she’s calm under pressure, it’s apparently going to take a lot more than a 4.6 earthquake to slow down the Queen of Speak.
1010XL: Dan Hicken is the gift that keeps on giving. The morning co-host of The Drill paid off his first “dime bet” of Jaguars season, which involved having to walk eleven miles to work. 1010XL went live on Facebook several times, posting original clips of Hicken’s journey.
Hicken’s second punishment was even worse. After losing a bet to Tony Boselli who correctly predicted that Josh Allen and Travon Walker would have over 25.5 sacks, Hicken had to take part in the ‘Mayo Sandwich Challenge’. That involved being doused in mayonnaise and having cold cuts tossed at him. He then had to make a sandwich out of it. Hicken may want to resist the urge to bet again next season. Though I can’t see how, it could potentially get worse 🙂
670 The Score: A tip of the cap to Shane Riordan, Chris Tannehill, Danny Parkins and Matt Spiegel for their work on the rapid-fire Super Bowl predictions segment. This was well done, well produced, and an example of what can be done when shows have big ideas and determination to create exceptional content. Take a bow boys.
Jeremiah Fennell: Write his name down, and check back in the future. He’s going to be awesome if he sticks with the industry. The 11 year old whiz kid was poised, prepared, and polished interviewing members of the 49ers and Chiefs during opening night. The well spoken young man was a social media sensation, all due to being ready for the moment.
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Thumbs Down:
Press Pass Pick Ups: Las Vegas was an awesome Super Bowl city, the media party was a smashing success, and the visuals for media outlets across the city looked outstanding. What wasn’t great was the walk from Reno to Las Vegas to pick up a day pass or the five mile trip to get back to media row if for some reason you chose to leave the room for lunch or to make a call or see someone. Much of the week at Mandalay Bay was perfect but even the security guards and day pass folks acknowledged, the process for media folks getting in and out didn’t have to be so long and difficult.
Gregg Giannotti: I’ve been a fan of Gio’s dating back to his 93.7 The Fan days and remain a supporter of WFAN’s morning show. Gregg’s been great to BSM and our writers and the one time he called us out, he was justified in doing so. We butchered a social media post, which was hilarious though very inaccurate.
But last week he said something on the air about yours truly which was incorrect. It isn’t a big deal and normally I’d not even mention it but I didn’t want my team or clients to get the wrong idea. A few folks told me that the morning show mentioned me. I figured it had to do with the BSM Top 20 since Boomer and Gregg were voted the #1 Major Market morning show. I then learned that Gio mentioned me as a PD candidate for WFAN and said I previously interviewed for the job when Mark Chernoff left. That is incorrect. I’ve never spoken to WFAN about their PD opening. As I’ve said before, I’ve built a successful brand, love what I’m doing and have no desire to change it. Chris Oliviero is a great leader and he will find the right fit for The Fan. It just won’t be me.
Derek Futterman: Our bulldog reporter does an awesome job for BSM. He’s determined, smart, a strong writer, and constantly hunting to create good features. However, he’s also susceptible to a prank, which I do enjoy pulling from time to time.
During our Vegas trip, I informed Derek that Pat McAfee and Kay Adams were both anxiously awaiting to chat with him on media row for upcoming features. Not wanting to miss out on an opportunity, Futterman hurried to Mandalay Bay to discover no such situation existed. A few laughs were enjoyed afterwards. I’m pretty sure he’s still aggravated that he lost thirty minutes of prep time and rest over it. He’ll survive 🙂
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BSM Summit:
I’m thrilled to add Maggie Gray as a session host to our upcoming BSM Summit. I’m also excited to have the WWE returning as a conference partner. Being a lifelong fan and supporter of the company, I’m pleased that we’re able to extend the partnership. It’s greatly appreciated. We have a handful of sponsorships still available. If interested in being involved, email Stephanie Eads at Sales@BarrettSportsMedia.com.
Last but not least, hotel room reservations must be made by Tuesday February 13th in order to take advantage of discount pricing. On February 14th, normal rates kick in. There will be no extensions. We’ve promoted this for six months. At some point, you’ve got to take care of business if saving money is important. To make sure you’re all set, click here.
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Day Spent With:
If you didn’t get a chance to yet, check out Derek Futterman’s ‘Day Spent With: Fox Sports Radio. I thought it turned out really well. A special thanks to every host and show who made time for the story. This Friday, we’ll have our next installment, a day spent with a sports betting network, VSiN.
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If you have a question, comment, news tip or are interested in writing a future guest column, email me at JBarrett@sportsradiopd.com. Press releases and interview requests can be passed along there as well. Thanks for reading!
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.
