Imagine if a free agency period existed in the sports media business. How would things change if those covering and commenting on the news were the ones involved in it? Would networks announce signings, counter‑offers, and contract exclusivity periods? How would the financial market change if ESPN, Fox, NBC, CBS, Amazon, Barstool, Netflix, YouTube, X, Facebook and every other company had an open season to hire the best in the business?
It’s fun to think about and discuss but unless there’s a seismic collapse in how talent contracts are structured and in how media rights are packaged, it’ll never happen. For a free‑agency window to work, it would need aligned expirations, opt‑outs, negotiating exclusivity, and league‑style tampering rules. That would require the equivalent of a Players Association, and I don’t foresee that being an option.
Media companies would also have to concede mobility, and talent would have to be ready to relocate. More transparency would be needed with contracts too, something talent, agents, and companies seek to keep private. Right now, leaks and rumors run wild, formal signings and contractual details are mostly unavailable unless it involves higher earning personalities like Stephen A. Smith, Pat McAfee, etc..
If a free agency period existed, it’d be interesting to see if companies value personalities, reporters or play-by-play announcers most. Who offers the most value? Is it the opinion leaders who generate the most attention? The best announcers of the biggest broadcasts? Or those breaking the news who everyone else creates content off of?
As I watch the NBA off-season dominate the daily on-air and social conversation I can’t help but wonder how something like this would work. Would ESPN’s NBA booth be instantly fixed? Would FS1 add more heavy hitters to close the gap against ESPN during the week? Which outlets who aren’t competitive threats today would be tomorrow? How would salaries change if companies had to choose between Adam Schefter, Shams Charania, Stephen A. Smith, Colin Cowherd, Pat McAfee, Joe Buck, Troy Aikman, Tony Romo and Jim Nantz?
If top-tier personalities could be lost tomorrow, it’d reduce brand momentum and revenue. Secondly, if you thought salaries were crazy now, imagine what would happen if everyone was available at the same time. Networks would do things that you never thought possible. The top people would be rewarded, but support staff and lesser known talent would likely be reduced as expenses would have to be balanced in other areas.
In today’s media climate, networks have holdover leverage. Renewals are never a foregone conclusion. If talent are commoditized, holding them hostage becomes easier without seasonal windows. And don’t think the top platforms wouldn’t coordinate. A sealed bond that says “no signing before July 15” would lock in stability while pressuring talent to undercut speculators.
The idea of a media free agency window would make for an incredible drama. Without structure, shared incentive, and enforceable governance though it’s a pipe dream. We’ll continue to see individual situations play out such as ESPN snagging Peter Schrager, Tom Rinaldi leaving ESPN for FOX Sports, and NBC luring Mike Tirico away years ago from ESPN. Those situations might be prioritized differently though if others were free at the same time. Is that better or worse for each highly skilled broadcaster?
The reality is that control is power, and transparency is kryptonite. Sports media companies would do everything possible to fight this because the risks outweigh the rewards. Agents on the other hand would love it for their top people, and dread it for those less vital. Without a collective bargaining agreement to demand windows, companies are in the driver’s seat. Advertisers aren’t going to invest significant resources in personalities and programs that could be gone in an instant. A voluntary agreement among competing networks to coordinate free‑agency windows would also be an antitrust‑nightmare.
It may not be a reality during my lifetime, but it sure is fun to imagine the possibilities. Question is, who’d go first, and command the most?
Correcting a Mistake
Our goal at Barrett Media is to Educate, Celebrate, and Challenge. I love the media business and try to keep the industry informed, inspired, valued, appreciated, connected, and when needed, challenged. My staff and I have relationships in many companies, and we strive to be accurate and fair to all. However, we are human, and sometimes, we make mistakes, myself included. When they happen, I think it’s important to correct it.
Three weeks ago, I wrote a column: Why Do Radio Executives Continue to Distance Themselves From Radio? In that piece, I shared why I felt Townsquare Media was viewed similarly to other radio groups, countering remarks made by CEO Bill Wilson. Townsquare, iHeart, Audacy, and others operate in different markets, prioritizing different opportunities, and delivering different results. Wilson feels Townsquare belongs in a different stock group, supported by the fact that most radio companies receive 75-85% of their revenue from radio. Townsquare meanwhile drives most of its earnings from digital.
I went back and listened to Townsquare’s call with investors this week. Wilson shared that while he’s proud of Townsquare’s digital transformation, he’s still a firm believer in radio. That mirrored similar comments he made on a podcast in 2024. I suggested that his remarks indicated he was distancing himself from radio the way other executives have, and didn’t capture this properly.
Audiences and employees remain confident in radio, but advertisers and investors are less enthusiastic. Bill sees Townsquare as a digital-first media company, and understands that digital offers the larger opportunity for growth. One can debate if Townsquare should be placed in a different stock group from other radio companies but after hearing him speak about his love and belief in radio, I felt it was important to make a correction. I have not met Bill yet and am comfortable challenging decisions but I never want to misrepresent anyone’s beliefs about the business. My apologies to Bill and the Townsquare team for the error.
Last Call on Discounted BNM Summit Tickets
Today is the final day to take advantage of discounted tickets for the 2025 BNM Summit. Tickets are on-sale for $224.99 until 11:59pm ET tonight. Rates increase at midnight to $324.99. They will not be this low again leading up to the show.
The 2025 BNM Summit presented by Newsmax takes place September 3-4, 2025 in New York City at the Ailey Theater. Already scheduled to speak are Glenn Beck, Chris Ruddy, Erick Erickson, Sid Rosenberg, Mike Gallagher, Chris Berry, Drew Anderssen, Mark Simone, Ken Charles and Mary Sandbgerg Boyle. Additional names will be revealed in July and August. For ticket(s) and to reserve your hotel room visit BNMSummit.com.
Quick Hits
- I am proud to officially welcome Dylan Barrett to our team as our Social Media Manager. We’re working on refining our social media strategy, and you’ll start seeing some of those changes in August. Additional projects are in the works as well. Dylan joins us as Derek Futterman signs off. Derek did a nice job for us the past few years, and I wish him nothing but the best moving forward in his career.
- John Mamola and Garrett Searight were in NY last week. In addition to reviewing our content plans for sports and news media coverage, we visited SiriusXM, Fox News, 77WABC, and ESPN. Connecting with folks we cover, seeing how their operations run, and being reminded of the importance of what we do is always helpful. It was a pleasure being there, and an added bonus running into Mark Simone.
- I’m an avid reader and enjoy smart offerings from others who work in or previously spent time in the media business. If you’re similar, make sure you connect with Phil Becker and Jason McCollim on LinkedIn. Both are highly accomplished professionals who deliver interesting perspectives that make you think. Phil’s recent column on Morgan Wallen, and Jason’s connection between Cheap Trick and leadership were excellent.
- Congrats to Dave LaGreca and SiriusXM on the launch of Pro Wrestling Nation 24/7. The growth of ‘Busted Open’ led by LaGreca is a big reason for SiriusXM’s investment in pro wrestling talk. I’ve been a fan of the show for over decade, and appreciate SiriusXM’s commitment on continuing to innovate. The surplus of unique, original content offered across the company’s hundreds of channels is impressive.
- We are two weeks away (July 15th) from celebrating our move to BarrettMedia.com and our expansion into covering music radio. To celebrate, we’re bringing back 20 Brands in 20 Days. The series, which profiles top programmers across the music radio business starts July 3rd and ends July 31st. Already confirmed are Skip Dillard, Kevin Weatherly, Jill Strada, Patti Marshall, and Gregg Swedberg.
- It was cool having Ella Langley featured on the website last week. She’s on the fast track to stardom. Thanks to her record label and management team for the assist. Jeff Lynn is working on an upcoming piece on LOCASH too as we’re looking to expand our music coverage to include artists along with radio folks. If there’s an artist you’d like to see featured here, email Jeff@BarrettMedia.com or Jason@BarrettMedia.com.
- Speaking of artists, I attended the Avril Lavigne, Simple Plan, We The Kings concert on Friday night at Bethel Woods. I’ve been a Simple Plan fan for over 20 years, which is why Stephanie Eads, Dylan Barrett and I went to the show. As usual, Simple Plan were fantastic. Avril was great too. I love it when you attend a show and the acts deliver above expectation. If they come to your town and you dig their music, check out the show. It’s a good night out.
- One of my favorite bands of the past 25 years is Papa Roach. I was hooked the second I heard their debut album ‘Infest’, and in recent years, Ego Trip and Who Do You Trust were awesome records. Jacoby Shaddix and company have hit another homerun as their latest single Brain Dead is an absolute gem. It debuted on SiriusXM’s Octane and is now available on YouTube. A must-listen if you enjoy Papa Roach’s music.
- There’s more still to be announced but it’s great to see WIP bringing back Wing Bowl. Whether it matches prior events or not remains to be seen but big ideas that generate big audiences need to be leaned into more by sports radio brands. Sadly, there aren’t enough Wing Bowl’s and Ticket Stock’s in the format. This is a great reminder to radio executives and programmers to think big and take some swings.
- YouTube is at it again. Over the weekend, emails were sent to NFL Sunday Ticket subscribers that prices were going up again. Those with YouTube TV will see a spike to $420 for the season. Those without it will be required to pay $500. Between Amazon, peacock, Netflix, and YouTube subscriptions and regular TV access, fans are learning quickly how expensive it has become to watch sports. The wave of public resentment may continue growing but don’t expect rates to decrease anytime soon.
Barrett Media produces daily content on the music, news, and sports media industries. To stay updated, sign up for our newsletters and get the latest information delivered straight to your inbox.
Jason Barrett is the Founder and CEO of Barrett Media. The company launched in September 2015 and has provided consulting services to America’s top audio and video brands, while simultaneously covering the media industry at BarrettMedia.com, becoming a daily destination for media professionals. Prior to Barrett Media, Jason built and programmed 95.7 The Game in San Francisco, and 101 ESPN in St. Louis. He was also the first sports programmer for SportsTalk 950 in Philadelphia, which later became 97.5 The Fanatic. Barrett also led 590 The Fan KFNS in St. Louis, and ESPN 1340/1390 in Poughkeepsie, NY, and worked on-air and behind the scenes at 101.5 WPDH, WTBQ 1110AM, and WPYX 106.5. He also spent two years at ESPN Radio in Bristol, CT producing ‘The Dan Patrick Show’ and ‘GameNight’. JB can be reached on Twitter @SportsRadioPD or by email at Jason@BarrettMedia.com.
