When I announced plans for the 2026 Barrett Media Audio Summit, I said we would recharge the event and make it stronger. Our sports and news shows were restructured to feature the most important people and issues over the course of one-day. We then announced we were taking the plunge into music/radio for the first time ever. In the past few months, we’ve built an incredible lineup that features 80+ highly accomplished broadcasting professionals. The updated list can be found in the Summit section. Additional announcements will be made in the next week or so as we finalize our schedule and prepare to release our final agenda.
Events like this matter because the world of media is more complex than ever. Creators are building independent businesses, radio is becoming television, television is becoming streaming and podcasting, social media is changing algorithms to reach audiences, Search is being disrupted by AI, and gaining advertising support requires excelling across all of it. We’re no longer operating in a world where success is decided by a terrestrial radio or television number. That is both exciting and terrifying.
I believe the industry gets stronger when the sharpest people in it unite to examine critical issues. Between the on-stage conversations, hallway networking, and after party discussions, people gain real insight to help themselves and their brands by being around others who speak the same language and face the same pressures. You can watch YouTube videos, read articles and look at posts on X but there’s a deeper level of learning and a different energy when you share space with others who you know, respect, compete and/or partner with. If you manage a company, program a brand, entertain an audience, represent a talent, sell advertising, buy media, promote events and/or content across digital platforms, this event is for you. There’s no reason to not be in the room if you make your living in the media industry. Tickets are available, just go here to secure your seat.
Exceptional Leaders Join the Mix
Today, I am thrilled to add four speakers who are helping to shape the present and future of sports media. It’s my pleasure to welcome ESPN’s newly promoted Executive Vice President, Executive Editor, Sports News and Entertainment, Mike Foss, President of Yahoo Sports, Ryan Spoon, CEO and founder of Futuri, Daniel Anstandig, and host of Sharp or Square, part of The Volume, and former Action Network Chief Content Officer, Chad Millman.
Ryan Spoon has served as President of Yahoo Sports since June 2023. Before joining the company, Ryan held COO roles for Sorare and BetMGM. He also spent 8+ years at ESPN as Senior Vice President of Digital and Social Content. Under his watch, Yahoo has launched the Yahoo Sports Network, hired notable personalities such as Jason Fitz, Caroline Fenton, and Andrew Siciliano, and expanded Yahoo’s college football coverage with Josh Pate and Andy Staples. Most recently, Yahoo launched a new sports business hub, which Barrett Media is a proud partner of. Ryan will appear on Wednesday, July 1st alongside Mike Foss and Sinclair COO Rob Weisbord for an in-depth discussion on brand building, podcasting, creating digital impact, social and AI disruption, and more.
Mike Foss was recently promoted to Executive Vice President, Executive Editor, Sports News and Entertainment. He has been with the company since 2017, becoming a driving force behind ESPN’s multi-platform evolution. Foss successfully launched ESPN’s official YouTube channels and previously oversaw video production, content creation, and live streaming strategies across all major digital platforms. In addition to collaborating closely with The Pat McAfee Show, he also oversees all editions of SportsCenter, First Take, Get Up, PTI, Fantasy Football Now, ESPN Audio and Podcasts, Digital Production and original studio programming on Disney+. Before joining ESPN, Mike served as a VP at Fox Sports, developing and executing mobile and social content strategies. Foss will appear on Wednesday, July 1st with Ryan Spoon, and Rob Weisbord.
Daniel Anstandig is the CEO and founder of Futuri, which serves more than 7,000 media brands across 22 countries. Daniel and his team have developed more than 20 patents in audio, podcasting, AI, and broadcast technology. Their TopLine, sales intelligence platform delivers 300,000+ sales assets annually to advertising/promotion sales teams. Futuri’s content intelligence system, TopicPulse, is a system that detected 18M+ trending stories in the last year for newsrooms and creators. Daniel is an outstanding speaker who is passionate about AI and innovation. He will join us on Wednesday, July 1st to offer a forward-looking view on how AI is reshaping broadcasting, with a special look at how it relates to sports media operators.
Chad Millman hosts Sharp or Square, which is part of The Volume’s slate of content offerings. Millman previously served as the Chief Content Officer of the Action Network, widely considered the source for betting news and data. Prior to helping launch the company, Millman worked for ESPN as Editorial Director for domestic digital, Editor-in-Chief of ESPN the Magazine and created the gambling beat. He has written seven books, including the bestseller about professional bettors, The Odds. His career started in 1993 as a reporter at Sports Illustrated, where he covered national sports stories for five years. Chad will moderate the conversation between Ryan Spoon, Mike Foss and Rob Weisbord.
Tickets, Hotel Rooms and Sponsorships
25 partners are involved in this year’s conference. We have a few more opportunities still available. To get your company involved, contact Stephanie Eads at Stephanie@BarrettMedia.com. Our deadline to finalize sponsorships is Friday, June 19th. Act now before time runs out.
In addition, Hotel Hayden is our partner for the event. The hotel is nearly sold out. If you plan to travel to NYC for the show and need a place to stay, book your room asap. Once the final room is reserved, we can’t add more. Details are available here.
For those looking to attend, we have one-day, two-day and three-day passes available. We’ve even created a Cluster Pass to help GM’s reduce costs for larger local groups to come. This event is specifically priced lower to encourage industry participation. Help support the industry, your company, your staff, and more importantly, yourself by purchasing a ticket.
And if costs are the issue, there is an alternative to reduce expenses. Contact iMar Entertainment to explore barter packages that include covering your costs for hotel, airfare and your conference ticket.
It’s going to be one of the biggest and best media conferences of the year. I look forward to seeing you there!
Barrett Media produces daily content on the music, news, and sports media industries. Sign up for our newsletters to stay updated and get the latest information right in 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.
