Steve Cohen is back! The former SiriusXM sports executive who helped build and shape the satellite company’s sports audio portfolio is heading to Las Vegas to oversee programming for VSiN. Cohen was on a plane Monday morning to Sin City, and said to be excited about the new opportunity.
Adding Cohen gives Brian Musburger and Bill Adee a strong programming executive to guide their content strategy. How the responsibilities will be divided among Cohen, Adee and Musburger is unclear. One additional bonus, Steve’s son Michael is also joining the company as a producer and graphic designer.
Cohen previously served as the senior vice president of sports programming at SiriusXM where he built and had oversight of the outlet’s sports talk radio stations, including channels in collaboration with professional sports leagues. In his new role as executive vice president, talent and programming, he will work with VSiN leadership to quickly expand sponsorship, distribution and audience while continuing to deliver credible sports betting content.
“With more than 37 years under his belt, Steve is one of the most respected and innovative executives in the media business and was key in VSiN’s original launch on SiriusXM,” Brian Musburger, founder of VSiN, said in a statement. “Having launched more than a dozen sports talk radio stations, including SiriusXM NFL Radio and Mad Dog Sports Radio following a successful 17-year career in terrestrial radio, it’s hard to find a media leader with more experience giving an audience exactly what they’re looking for. He is a beloved manager with a track record of getting the best out of talent and a unique understanding of the importance of unbiased, credible information for sports bettors.”
Cohen’s new role will include identifying talent, bolstering the overall network lineup and creating more content for broader distribution. The network will utilize his decades of experience within the sports media business to support its mission of providing trusted sports news, analysis and insights that bettors can use to inform their decision making.
“Since I first met the team back in 2015, I’ve known that they were building something special,” Cohen said in a statement. “I’m excited to join a group that has always been at the forefront of the sports betting industry and look forward to the opportunity to leverage my experience creating content across every sport and medium to deliver an exceptional product that satisfies the content needs of all sports fans, especially those who wager on sports.”
While Cohen was with SiriusXM, he was responsible for building out sports radio channels such as SiriusXM NFL Radio, SiriusXM NBA Radio and SiriusXM NASCAR Radio. Additionally, Cohen and his team worked on channels such as SiriusXM College Sports Radio, SiriusXM Mad Dog Sports Radio and SiriusXM Fight Nation. He and his team were also responsible for overseeing all live play-by-play programming available to listeners of the platform, including broadcasts of NFL, MLB, NBA and NHL games. Cohen previously worked at WFAN where he was the executive producer of the New York Jets and New York Giants radio networks.
Cohen founded the Pro Football News and Injury Report in the early 1990s, helping to pioneer the fantasy sports industry. He was recognized for his contributions to the industry with his induction into the Fantasy Sports Hall of Fame in 2017. In addition to working across audio outlets, some of which also include Westwood One and FOX Sports Radio, Cohen has also written for print and digital outlets such as ESPN.com, the New York Daily News and the New Haven Register.
VSiN was reclaimed by Brian Musburger and Bill Adee in a recent agreement with DraftKings. After the deal was in place, cuts were made internally to position the brand for the future. The cuts were agreed to in advance with DraftKings prior to assuming control.
Among the affected were VSiN programming bosses Jon Goulet and Brian Rogers. Goulet worked primarily on the radio end, Rogers with television. A few other behind the scenes employees were also let go in the reacquisition.
Cohen’s arrival gives VSiN a sports media executive with strong credentials. He also knows the ins and outs of SiriusXM, a place where VSiN previously aired its programming. The Vegas-based sports betting network paid a hefty sum to be on the satellite provider in the past, so whether or not they desire to do so in the future remains to be seen.
