Night one of the spectacle that is the NFL Draft is in the books. I caught some of it on TV but spent quite a bit of time in the car, so I listened to the radio coverage. Thanks to SiriusXM, I was able to flip between ESPN Radio and FOX Sports Radio.
Now, ESPN of course carries the draft on television, so they put a lot of manpower behind it. And as most of you know, ESPN and ABC offer two separate presentations—one from more of a pro perspective, the other leaning into the college angle.
On the radio side, even ESPN’s own press release treated its coverage as a bit of an afterthought, noting only that Chris Carlin would be joined by Max Starks, Mike Tannenbaum, Ian Fitzsimmons, and Jordan Reid. They had the advantage of being on-site, and the ambient noise of the draft added a layer of authenticity. Still, with all the firepower ESPN has, I was surprised they didn’t invest more into their radio product.
FOX Sports Radio, meanwhile, was in a studio with a crew led by Jenny Taft, featuring Jay Glazer, LaVar Arrington, and Joe Douglas. At first, I wondered if long-form Jay Glazer was something I was ready for. Turns out, he was great to listen to. You could tell when he was digging into his phone, and suddenly real-time scoops would start trickling out. It was compelling radio.
The ESPN Radio coverage wasn’t bad by any means—Chris Carlin did a solid job as point guard—but it just wasn’t what you would have expected from ESPN Radio in its heyday. And the key words there are “would have.”
Not long ago, ESPN Radio was the undisputed leader in national sports talk. It was the brand. From Mike & Mike to Dan Le Batard to Colin Cowherd, the network was stacked with stars and had must-hear programming. FOX Sports Radio, by contrast, was the scrappy underdog—lacking consistency and star power.
Fast forward to 2025, and the roles have completely reversed. FOX Sports Radio isn’t just the better product—it’s in a different league. The personalities are sharper, the programming is more consistent and compelling. ESPN Radio now feels more like a placeholder than a flagship.
It’s not that hard to break down. It all comes down to talent. And FOX Sports Radio simply has more of the talent that listeners like and trust. Facts are facts.
ESPN has cycled through a number of morning shows since Mike & Mike ended in 2017. Nothing has come close to replicating that success. Unsportsmanlike with Evan, Canty & Michelle is a good show, but compared to what ESPN had in that slot for 17 years, it’s apples to oranges.
FOX Sports Radio kicks off its day with 2 Pros and a Cup of Joe featuring LaVar Arrington, Brady Quinn, and Jonas Knox. It’s fairly underrated. Naturally, it shines during football season, but I’ve been surprised at how funny and natural the chemistry is—it just works.
Now, I try to stay up to date, but if you asked me what comes on ESPN Radio after Unsportsmanlike, I honestly couldn’t tell you. A quick Google search says it’s Clinton & Friends with Clinton Yates—whoever that is. I know Mike Greenberg used to be in that slot, but like many others, I always found it hard to listen to him on the radio without Mike Golic.
FOX Sports Radio, meanwhile, hands the mid-morning slot to Dan Patrick—technically an independently produced show, but one that is a master class in sports radio. Dan is funny and conversational; and he doesn’t chase hot takes. It’s smart discussion, top-tier guests, and a vibe that’s unmistakably his own.
Next up: Joe & Q on ESPN Radio vs. The Herd with Colin Cowherd on FOX Sports Radio. If I stopped 100 random sports fans and asked them who “Joe and Q” are, I’d set the over/under on correct answers at two. For the record, it’s Joe Fortenbaugh and Qiant “Q” Myers. Once again, FOX owns this timeslot.
I could go on with the rest of the schedule—it’s more of the same. I don’t think ESPN has tried a full-time Division I basketball coach as an on-air host yet, but otherwise, FOX has the edge across the board.
When I asked a few industry friends if they agreed, several responded with some version of: “Do you think ESPN has given up on radio?” I don’t think that’s the case, but it’s clear that radio isn’t a priority for them anymore. FOX Sports Radio feels like a network fighting to win—and win big. ESPN feels like it’s just holding on until someone decides what to do next.
In a world where sports fans crave personality, opinion, and connection, FOX Sports Radio is delivering. The programming is consistent. The tone is modern. The execution is tight. The network has momentum.
Several years ago, ESPN Radio had the stars, the stations, and the swagger. But now? FOX Sports Radio is leading the conversation.
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The Best/Worst Thing I’ve Heard/Watched/Read Recently
Playoff hockey. There really is nothing like it and the first round is usually the best to watch. I know there is some controversy with some broadcasters not traveling and that is so bush league, but the intensity of everything come playoff time is unlike any other sport as far as how much it rises from the regular season.
Watch a Darren Pang or an Eddie Olczyk analyze a game or see the passion that comes from studio guys like Anson Carter and Paul Bissonnette. You can feel it through the screen. These guys know what that first round feels like and I feel like they always do a good job of getting that across to the viewers.
If you are not a hockey person but have wanted to give it a try – do it during the first round of the NHL playoffs and I bet you get hooked (although hooking is a 2-minute minor penalty in hockey).
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In Case You Missed It
If you are only reading the sports material here on Barrett Media, you are missing out on some other great content that absolutely crosses over into sports. Earlier this week, Garrett Searight had a column called Why Dave Ramsey and The Ramsey Network Should Be Who Content Creators Copy and it was a terrific read.
I have written in this space before about Jim Rome and what he has done, pushing his content to people instead of waiting on them to come to him. Dave Ramsey is doing the same.
Garrett wrote, “Everywhere I turn, I see Dave Ramsey. TikTok, YouTube, in my podcast feed, on social media platforms like Facebook, X, or Instagram. No matter where I’m at, I see his content. That’s a valuable aspect to have, not just because it proves algorithms work, but because you should want your content to be as diverse as possible. Independent content creators need to be everywhere their audience is. Is that exhausting? Absolutely. But, like many other endeavors, it isn’t always the most talented or the most skilled people that find success. It’s those who persevere. Who outlasts the competition. The ones who never give up.”
It’s not simple folks but is it a simple formula if you are paying attention.
Read Garrett’s full column by clicking here.
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Dave Greene is a former Editor and Columnist for Barrett Media. His background includes over 25 years in media and content creation. A former sports talk host and play-by-play broadcaster, Dave transitioned to station and sales management, co-founded and created a monthly sports publication and led an ownership group as the operating partner. He has managed stations and sales teams for Townsquare Media, Cumulus Media and Audacy. Upon leaving broadcast media he co-founded Podcast Heat, a sports and entertainment podcasting network specializing in pro wrestling nostalgia. To interact, find him on Twitter @mr_podcasting.
Great point about FSR, but FS1’s draft coverage was minimal at best. We could’ve done without the ESPN television anchors joking about their wardrobes on air.