The Toast to 10 series presented by Premiere Networks, is a month-long series looking back on 10 years of Barrett Media. Throughout the month, you’ll hear from those who’ve shaped the company, managed and created the content, read the site, and partnered with the brand between 2015-2025 to share how they’ve seen it play a role in covering the media industry and educating, celebrating, and challenging the business.
Sports and television put together are like peanut butter and jelly—a mix of lemonade and iced tea on a hot summer afternoon. Two completely different things in structure, but blended, they make sweet theatre together. For the last decade, Barrett Media has strived to cover the sports television business from all angles. This includes feature pieces with the largest personalities on and off the screen. Taking you behind the scenes of how your favorite sports personalities mold their craft to the screen. Plus speaking with executives of all networks on how they craft programming, talent, and media rights agreements alike.
The world of sports television is a dynamic and ever-growing industry with more players in the space than ever before. What used to be tentacles of major networks making the headlines, the insertion of streaming platforms of all kinds has now made up for. Today, the sports television landscape is not just made of high-dollar talent in high-dollar television production studios. Sports television as we once knew it is no longer just major productions. It now comes in much smaller and more cost-effective measure, with talent ranging from experienced professionals to podcasters.
Barrett Media has witnessed sports television’s metamorphosis over the last ten years. So, while we celebrate our tenth anniversary in business, we reached out to a select group of sports television personalities. To see how they’ve followed the industry through the lens of Barrett Media.
Mike Golic – FanDuel Sports Network
The name Golic in sports media circles carries a massive amount of weight. Mike Golic has been a fixture on radio and television for over thirty years. When he signed with ESPN in 1995 following his NFL career, Golic quickly became one of the rising stars at the network. With his ESPN roots on Sunday NFL Countdown, in 2000, when he was paired with Mike Greenberg to form Mike & Mike, the stars aligned.
Golic hosted alongside Greenberg from 2000 till 2017 as the morning voice on nationally syndicated ESPN Radio. The show was also simulcast on ESPN2 and served as an example for sports radio programs to break through on television. Providing a tremendous cross-promotional opportunity for the brand.
Today, Golic says he’s an avid reader of Barrett Media. After being introduced to the brand a couple of years ago. What has kept his attention is the depth of coverage it provides.
“The variety of stories,” said Golic when asked what keeps him coming back for more at Barrett Media. “Feels like all areas of media are covered.”
The current co-host of Golic & Golic on FanDuel Sports Network says the morning and evening newsletters catch his eye every day. Providing the top stories from around the sports media landscape with the most updated information possible.
“They take you about as inside as you can go [at Barrett Media],” said Golic. “Very trustworthy writers.”
While he balances a daily sports talk show for FanDuel Sports Network. Plus weekly appearances on podcasts and radio shows during the NFL season. Golic knows a thing or two about leaning on a trusted source—something he learned throughout his sports media career. Something he looks forward to Barrett Media continuing into its next decade.
“Continued excellent coverage and inside stories in sports media,” noted Golic. “It’s where I go for my info.”
Jay Glazer – FOX Sports
NFL on FOX insider Jay Glazer is one of the more plugged-in personalities with the National Football League. Since 2004, he has become a trusted source of information for sports radio and sports television networks alike. A legacy of building personal relationships with teams, players, and agents all around. Glazer has been a main fixture for the latest information for FOX Sports’ presentation of the NFL on game days since 2003.
In between breaking news regarding coaching hires, player injuries, and franchise signings, Glazer is a fan and student of sports media. Several years ago, he became familiar with the Barrett Media brand, covering all angles of the sports media industry.
“Not sure how I first got onto it [Barrett Media], but glad I did,” said Glazer.
Glazer calls Barrett Media the “industry insider.” Crediting its coverage of sports television and celebrating the growth of personalities within the industry.
“It’s great because I feel it celebrates us rather than tears us down like so many other places or social media,” noted Glazer.
In January 2022, Glazer released the book Unbreakable: How I Turned My Depression and Anxiety Into Motivation and You Can Too. The book chronicles Glazer’s journey in dealing with depression while working the grind of the sports media industry. With his book and voice, Glazer became—and remains—a powerful advocate for many struggling with mental health issues.
Barrett Media honored Jay Glazer with the annual Champions Award at the 2023 BSM Summit in Los Angeles. After he shared his mental health struggles to increase conversation and awareness of a very real and serious issue impacting millions of people.
Glazer embraced being uncomfortable and talking about personal challenges he’s gone through on television, social media, podcasts (in partnership with FOX Sports Radio and iHeartMedia), and as an author.
For Glazer, the honor will never be forgotten.
“They were kind enough to recognize me with an award for speaking up about mental health for all of us. It was the first time I was actually recognized for it, which was big,” said Glazer. “Rather than be shamed for my mental health issues, I was actually being applauded for being of service to others. Huge shift for me.”
Joe Fortenbaugh – ESPN
Joe Fortenbaugh and Jason Barrett go back to their days working together in San Francisco in 2014. The ESPNBet analyst has since gone from local radio to nationally syndicated radio. He then joined ESPN in 2020 during the COVID-19 pandemic. Fortenbaugh co-founded NationalFootballPost.com, where he was a writer and manager from 2008–2014. He hosted several shows as a betting analyst as the sports betting industry continued to grow.
Fortenbaugh latched onto Barrett Media from its beginnings in 2015. Due to his admiration for Jason Barrett and the support he showed over their short time together.
“I grew to have immense respect for him and his knowledge of the industry,” said Fortenbaugh. “The second I found out he was transitioning into a career in which he’d be covering the industry. I knew that was something I was going to want to follow.”
In an industry that continues to grow, Fortenbaugh noted the increase in depth with the content Barrett Media provides. He said it’s a “must-read” for anyone interested in coverage of sports media as a whole.
“The scope of the coverage. I love the insights into how certain television rights deals get done,” noted Fortenbaugh. “I’m fascinated by that world and the negotiations that take place within it.”
Fortenbaugh has attended several BSM Summits in the past as a moderator for panels. The challenge of guiding the conversation was met with the opportunity to network with the best and brightest the industry has to offer.
“The networking was incredible,” said Fortenbaugh. “You truly come away from the experience with a deeper understanding of both the industry itself as well as the trajectory of where things are headed.”
One of the highlights for Fortenbaugh at the BSM Summit was the opportunity to meet the digital mind of Phil Mackey of SKOR North.
“I got a chance to meet Phil Mackey at the Barrett Sports Media Summit in LA back in 2019. We’ve been friends since,” said Fortenbaugh. “The guy is a wizard when it comes to social media, and I’m in awe of what he has built with SKOR North. I’m so happy for him and all his success.”
The goal of the Barrett Media summits is to bring together the best and brightest minds of the industry to address and challenge each other for a better day. Something Fortenbaugh noted he looks forward to attending again in the coming years.
Paul Finebaum – ESPN
Finally, the legendary Paul Finebaum has been a reader of Barrett Media for the majority of the last decade. From his roots as an award-winning columnist and investigative reporter, Paul Finebaum has transformed his career from paper to the microphone. For over 30 years, Finebaum has been a leading voice of college football and the Southeastern Conference. Legions of fans find connection through community every time Finebaum opens his mic, hosting his program the only way he knows how.
Finebaum noted Barrett Media’s importance to the sports television industry as “highly important” and a “must-read” for the latest news and analysis surrounding the field. He noted that “the accuracy, insight, and detailed coverage of the industry” is what guides him to be a continued reader and follower of Barrett Media.
“It’s the best media outlet in the business,” noted Finebaum.
The ESPN veteran attended and was a guest speaker at the 2020 edition of the BSM Summit. Finebaum explained his passion for the radio format and his hopes for its future in an interview earlier this year, referencing his one appearance at the BSM Summit.
“I just hope that the people who run radio will continue to embrace talent that matters, and not try to be so micromanaging,” said Finebaum to Barrett Media in July. “I got in trouble. Jason [Barrett] had me at his BSM Summit a couple of years ago. I was fairly critical of radio programmers and what they were doing wrong—how their interference with talent was over the top. It’s quite ironic; I haven’t been invited back since then.”
Finebaum has built a career on not pulling punches and being honest with the audience. Even when the audience is filled with those he is critical of.
“I have enjoyed meeting Jason, Demetri [Ravanos], and the recent interview with John Mamola was meaningful and enjoyable,” said Finebaum of the sports staff at Barrett Media.
Over the time following Barrett Media, Finebaum noted how the brand has evolved with the time. Moving from just a sports media venture to expanding into news and music. He says the continued growth he’s seen over time promises a brighter future for Barrett Media into its next ten years.
I echo all the sentiments of the esteemed sports television talent who contributed their time to this piece. Ten years is a lifetime for most small businesses, but also should be considered a mark of achievement. While the industry in all its facets faces many challenges of yesterday and today. Barrett Media has supported those in positions of power to think differently, be recognized, and create community for a better tomorrow.
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.
John Mamola is Barrett Media’s sports editor and daily sports columnist. He brings over two decades of experience (Chicago, Tampa/St Petersburg) in the broadcast industry with expertise in brand management, sales, promotions, producing, imaging, hosting, talent coaching, talent development, web development, social media strategy and design, video production, creative writing, partnership building, communication/networking with a long track record of growth and success. He is a five-time recognized top 20 program director in a major market via Barrett Medi’s Top 20 series and has been honored internally multiple times as station/brand of the year (Tampa, FL) and employee of the month (Tampa, FL) by iHeartMedia. Connect with John by email at John@BarrettMedia.com.
