Home Blog Page 1194

The Ariel Helwani Show is the Undisputed Champion of Combat Sports Content

Dave Greene
-
0
The Ariel Helwani Show is the Undisputed Champion of Combat Sports Content

Ariel Helwani isn’t just an MMA insider, he is the MMA insider. In most other sports there are multiple people considered in the discussion for the top insider. In MMA, there’s Ariel Helwani and then there is everybody else. And the more you learn about Helwani, the more you realize his insider knowledge includes all combat sports and that he is a very good broadcaster, not just a very good combat sports broadcaster. That’s what I found as I eavesdropped in on The Ariel Helwani Show.

Helwani, 42, has been at this for more than 20 years. In that time, he has grown his following to include 1.4 million followers on X, 1.3 million on Instagram, 328,000 on TikTok and 223,000 subscribers on his YouTube page. A fighter once referenced him as the ‘GOAT of MMA reporting’ and he has won every ‘Journalist of the Year’ award at the World MMA Awards from Fighters Only magazine since 2010.

Helwani has been with MMA Fighting/AOL, SiriusXM, FOX and ESPN, amongst others. He was most recently with Spotify/The Ringer as well, however, his contracts with both Spotify and MMA Fighting were up for renewal recently and Helwani landed a partnership with Yahoo Sports, which is what Helwani called “a dream,” when it was announced, adding, “I’ve always wanted to own my own content, and I’ve always wanted to lead. And we are finally here, with the great Yahoo Sports by my side.”

‘Uncrowned’ is the name of the new venture and the flagship show is The Ariel Helwani Show which is live four times per week at 1 p.m. ET and available everywhere podcasts are available afterwards. Fans can also expect extra content around major events. The shows average a couple of hours or more with interviews, discussion and insight in the worlds of MMA, boxing and wrestling.

Helwani has his crew, known as ‘The Boys in the Back’, which includes Executive Producer Eric Jackman, Producers Conner Burks and Jordan Kamzan, Technical Director Andy Henriquez, Audio Engineer Frank Lenz, and Irish combat sports journalist Petesy Carroll who join in and also create some of their own content for the platform.

I chose the November 19th edition of the show to eavesdrop in on as I saw that the featured interview was with Helwani’s former co-host on ESPN’s Ariel and The Bad Guy show, Chael Sonnen, and the YouTube video of just that interview did over 250,000 views.

As the episode started, Helwani was promoting a new product from Uncrowned, in partnership with DAZN, where he will partner on a weekly show with DAZN boxing insider Ade Oladipo. “Another jewel to add to the crown,” Helwani said about the show which will air Tuesday afternoons in the US and originate from DAZN outlets. “It’s very exciting, another big thing we are doing, and we’ve got more to come as well.” Helwani then added, “The dream is becoming a reality. We are becoming an actual production facility – this is unbelievable.”

Helwani has a great set which people marvel at when they come visit in studio as a guest. A comparison would be how The Dan Patrick Show is set up, complete with the host bringing in his sidekicks for comedy relief from time to time. On this particular episode the gang makes fun of the sleeping schedule of Burks, who goes by GC, before getting into the main topics.

Helwani does a ‘This Day in History’ and while I realize the materials for the segment were researched, Helwani’s recall of things that happened over a dozen years in combat sports is pretty remarkable. In this case it was looking back on UFC 139 with Dan Henderson defeating Mauricio Rua in the featured match.

Helwani said expectations were low for the card, but “We ended up getting arguably one of the greatest fights in UFC history, certainly top five…one of the all-time great fights. Please, do me a favor if you have not watched this fight, it is Hall of Fame worthy, in fact it is in the Hall of Fame, do me a favor and watch it…incredible action…it was magic.” He then went through the rest of the card and then got into Bellator 58, where Michael Chandler defeated Eddie Alvarez which happened the same exact night as UFC 139 and all the main action happened within a couple hours of each other.

As the show went on, Helwani and his team provided information and insight in several different areas including a Bare Knuckle Fighting fight coming up, BKFC Knucklemania 5. They also had video of a Misfits Boxing press conference where there (shockingly) was extracurricular pushing and shoving between Tommy Fury and Darren Till

As Helwani brought his guys in on the topic of that fight, Petesy Carroll was hilarious when he was asked if he was interested in the Fury-Till fight (which never actually ended up taking place). Carroll said, “I’m not that interested in this fight…I think I’ll watch it because I’ve obviously got an issue when it comes to combat sports and think I need to watch everything.” Carroll then asked Helwani, “Are they contractually bound to have some type of altercation at these press conferences? I thought the novelty of these kinds of things was that they happened once in a blue moon.”

The group on the show has a lot of fun together all centered around their common love of combat sports. They play off each other well and the information and opinion you get from them is off the charts.

Proving that it isn’t all fun and games on the show, Helwani and Carroll were very serious when providing an update on a civil suit involving fighter Conor McGregor. A judge in Ireland ruled in favor of the complainant in a December 2018 incident where McGregor was accused of sexual assault. McGregor has maintained the incident involved consensual sex but was ordered to pay $257,000, a decision McGregor says he will appeal.

The in-studio interview with Chael Sonnen was next and it was content gold. The two ex-partners had a blast reuniting with one another and Sonnen is instant offense on any topic around combat sports. Sonnen is one of the great talkers of all-time in MMA and he and Helwani hit on several topics about fighters, fights, leagues, media and distribution.

Additionally, Helwani expressed his disappointment with Sonnen who failed to mention Helwani’s work on the Netflix coverage of the Paul-Tyson fight. Sonnen then went on to talk about the job Helwani did and the two engaged in a really good discussion about that fight, the card and what it meant for boxing.

After a pretty thorough breakdown, Helwani summed it up saying gambling was the real reason behind any outrage about it. Additionally, he said the promotion of the fight locked people in and made them think something was possible that probably wasn’t even close to reality when it came to how well Mike Tyson could fight at his age.

“The promotion ‘sold’ the fight,” Helwani said. “It made you believe Tyson was going to be the old Tyson with a 20-second clip…it was what people had made themselves believe – part of the art of promotion.”

The wide-ranging conversation included talking about MMA’s role in politics with the relationship between Dana White and Donald Trump. It really was a great interview, mostly because it didn’t feel like an interview, more like a phone call between two great talkers about something they are extremely passionate about. You could listen to these two talk combat sports for hours and be both entertained and informed.

Later in the show, Brazilian Jiu-Jitsu black belt competitor and four-time World Champion fighter Mikey Musumeci joined the show from his car. Musumeci has a fantastic nickname which mixes his love for Star Wars with his Italian heritage – ‘Darth Rigatoni’. Sonnen had stuck around for the interview and at one point was on the floor asking Musumeci to give him advice on how to break a certain hold. After Sonnen had left the studio, Musumeci said he wanted to ask him one more question and as the show is going on, Helwani runs to track Sonnen down to bring him back in the studio.

While a Program Director of a traditional broadcasting outlet would probably have gone nuts while all of this was going on and people are talking without being close to microphones, it made for great content to be able to see what was happening as it was happening. You definitely felt like you were a part of the broadcast.

As they start to wrap up, the news comes across that Netflix has now reported 108 million viewers around the world tuned in (or tried to) for Paul-Tyson. Helwani says, “Netflix is like ABC in the 1970’s – the Wide World of Sports…That’s the lane they are occupying, and it is a pretty damn good lane.” He adds, “It is a fascinating time in the world of sports, sports business, sports streaming and I am happy to be a part of it.”

Helwani ends promoting the show coming up later with Ade Oladipo and as he does, he again realizes how this is exactly where he wants to be and what he wants to be doing. Helwani says, “The childhood dream is all coming true. When I was 8 years old, I used to dream of hosting a show on a set much like this one talking about combat sports, reacting to mega-fights…breaking things down, having guests in studio…these are all dream-like scenarios.”

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.

Radio Needs to Play Into the ‘New’ Factor Everyone Craves

Perry Michael Simon
-
0
Radio Needs to Play Into the ‘New’ Factor Everyone Craves

They opened a new Whole Foods Market at the end of my block the other day. On opening day, a queue of shoppers formed that wrapped around the building, and the parking lot was so jammed that police were on hand to keep the cars moving. This came after about two years of anticipation, during which the slow Palm Beach County permitting process kept the locals guessing as to when the store would open. To the rest of the world, the most important news — especially in the radio world — coming out of here involved the circus at Mar a Lago; to our town, it was all about the new Whole Foods.

Here’s the baffling part: It’s not like we didn’t have Whole Foods already. In fact, two locations are about a 15-20 minutes drive from the new store. Anyone who wanted what Whole Foods offers could just hop into their cars and go. They could also go to several Sprouts stores, a couple of Trader Joe’s, lots of Aldi stores, and — since this is Florida — a Publix seemingly on every corner, along with Target and Walmart. Another supermarket? Nice and convenient, but why are people in a frenzy over it?

Because it’s new. It’s right here and it’s shiny and new. Never mind that the contents of the store are the same as the stores we already have. Forget that there weren’t any grand opening doorbuster deals for the first arrivals. It’s new, and people like new.

This explains why some radio stations call themselves “the all-new” when they’ve been in the same format for decades. Everybody’s on to the scam – the audience knows the station isn’t “all-new” – but they go along with it because it’s a harmless fib. But what would happen if a station truly WAS different and new? (I know, I know. Humor me for a minute.) Would people even know about it? How?

Radio is a product with practically no marketing to address consumers’ preferences. A format change will generate a couple of digital billboards and a social media post or two. Meanwhile, Whole Foods blanketed the immediate area around the store with direct mail coupons and sent representatives of the strip mall developer to HOA meetings to advise neighbors of construction progress and leasing updates. You’re launching a new station or a new show? Shouldn’t you tell someone about that?

I know that nobody’s left in local radio marketing, but even if all marketing is coming out of corporate, you have to be creative to get the word out. One thing radio could learn from its own past is that outlandish publicity stunts work. Is anyone doing anything with drones while that story is in the news? Like, faking a drone invasion that turns into a drone display promoting the station? Are you helping people deal with inflation by giving out cartons of eggs (they’re not that expensive right now, but you get the idea)? Are you going to where your listeners are – football tailgates, city Christmas displays, even grocery store openings – and doing something more provocative than setting up a card table and canopy and having some bored street teamers hand out beer koozies?

If you have something that’s new and different, let people know. Or just call what you’re already doing “new” and promote it. People like new even if it’s the same thing they can get elsewhere. I bet there weren’t lines to get into the other Whole Foods stores this week.

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.

Soggy Amazon ‘TNF’ Rams-49ers Matchup Draws 12.29 Million Viewers

BSM Staff
-
0
Soggy Amazon ‘TNF’ Rams-49ers Matchup Draws 12.29 Million Viewers

Amazon Prime Video’s latest edition of Thursday Night Football attracted 12.29 million viewers as the L.A. Rams topped the San Francisco 49ers in a rain-soaked, low-scoring content.low-scoring contest.

The audience was up 54% from a year ago, when the Chargers and Raiders were featured, Prime Video said, citing data from Nielsen.

Prime Video also pointed out that its Black Friday Football game registered a 41% year-over-year jump and that the previous Thursday night game featuring the Lions and the Packers was up 61%

TNF has enjoyed a stronger schedule with top teams mostly playing close games.

With two regular-season games left on the schedule, TNF is averaging 13.51 million viewers per game, up 12% from the same point in 2023 and 14% higher thant the full-year average for 2023.

Among young-adult viewers 18 to 34, TNF is averaging 2.71 million viewers, up 13% from last year at the point. TNF is up 13% with viewers 18-49. The median age of TNF viewers is 48.8, nearly seven year younger than the media for viewers on linear networks.

The TNF Tonight pregame show is averaging 1.57 million viewers up 13% from last year’s full-season average and the post-game show, TNT Nightcap is averaging 2.06 million viewers, up 12%.

Prime added that its steaming presentation of the NFL drew a bigger audience than any shown on broadcast or cable.

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.

Nielsen Study Shows Urban Radio Is Having Its Best Year Ever

BMM Staff
-
0
Nielsen Study Shows Urban Radio Is Having Its Best Year Ever

Urban radio celebrated a significant milestone as it recorded its best year to date, as confirmed by Nielsen measurements. The highlight came with SZA being honored as the top R&B Artist at the Billboard Music Awards last night, marking a remarkable achievement for the genre.

In 2024, the Urban Adult Contemporary/R&B format achieved a significant milestone, ranking as the 6th most listened-to format with an audience share of 5.3%.

This marks the highest audience share for the genre since the introduction of Nielsen’s Portable People Meter (PPM) methodology in 2011. R&B’s success this year highlights its broad appeal across diverse audiences.

R&B music experienced a significant boost in audience share, rising nearly 10% compared to the previous year, driven by key events that captivated listeners. Notably, Super Bowl LVIII attracted 123.7 million viewers, highlighting R&B’s prominence as Usher delivered a standout performance during the halftime show.

 His appearance, along with a successful Vegas residency and an extensive tour, contributed to iHeartMedia designating him as R&B Artist of the Year.

A new generation of rising stars, including SZA, Victoria Monét, and Coco Jones, is shaping up to deliver a record year, with many receiving Grammy nominations or wins that highlight their growing influence.

Notably, Black listeners between the ages of 18 and 34 are nearly 20% more inclined than the general population to discover new music through radio. This trend is reflected in the popularity of the Urban AC/R&B format, which has become one of the top 10 most-listened-to formats among 18–34-year-olds, showing a significant increase of 36% since 2020.

R&B and hip-hop radio continue to serve as a crucial gateway for marketers seeking to reach and connect with the communities where these genres originated. Black Americans spend an average of more than nine hours per week listening to radio across a variety of genres.

Regarding daily ad-supported audio consumption, radio accounts for 75% of Black Americans’ listening time, making it an integral component of any comprehensive audio marketing strategy.

Podcast engagement is experiencing significant growth, building on the appeal of traditional AM/FM stations. Notably, Urban One, Inc.’s podcast network has seen its engagement levels triple since its inception.

According to a recent report by Edison Research, 11% of ad-supported listening among Black audiences is now attributed to podcasts.

Approaching 2025, a comprehensive understanding of audience engagement is essential for developing effective data-driven marketing strategies. The utilization of broadcast radio, along with its distinct engagement trends, remains a vital component for enhancing brand awareness and achieving positive outcomes for advertisers.

Learn more about the impact of audio on reaching diverse consumers here:

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.

Dave Portnoy: I Fired Kirk Minihane for Four Minutes Two Days Ago

BSM Staff
-
0
Dave Portnoy: I Fired Kirk Minihane for Four Minutes Two Days Ago

Dave Portnoy, the founder and owner of Barstool Sports, recently revealed that he fired podcaster Kirk Minihane for four minutes on Wednesday. On the latest episode of The Unnamed Show, Portnoy divulged that there was a video of someone asking how Brianna LaPaglia (“Brianna Chickenfry”) went from hating Taylor Swift to now being the biggest fan of her music. In response, Minihane called LaPaglia a fraud, adding that she is one of the biggest frauds on the planet. The video was cut and made its way across social media, which apparently resulted in LaPaglia reaching out to Portnoy.

LaPaglia asked what was going on with Minihane, communicating that she had never spoken to him in his life. Furthermore, she asked to come on the show to give her perspective, something that Portnoy advised her not to do. From there, Portnoy texted Minihane with several expletives, prompting him to call his boss while in the car with his daughter driving back from a college visit. Portnoy acknowledged on the show that it was the angriest he has been in a long time, and he prompted to curse Minihane out on the phone. As this was taking place, Minihane expressed that he had no idea what the issue was.

“You then hang up the phone on me, and I text you back and I say, ‘I’m going to say whatever I want,’” Minihane recollected, “which by the way, I’m going to say whatever I want, and you said, ‘You’re fired.’ And for about 10 minutes, I was driving in upstate New York thinking, ‘Well okay. We’ll see what I can do next.’”

Minihane, who joined Barstool Sports in 2020 after working at WEEI, wondered why he had been fired and thought about other things he was doing with his life. Minihane called Portnoy back and was much calmer. He then expressed to Minihane that he did not even know LaPaglia, reacting to the clip of him saying that she was a fraud.

“If you had gone public, had a press conference and said, ‘I’m firing Kirk Minihane because he called Brianna Chickenfry a fraud,’ you would have got f****ng barbecued and her life would have been way worse if that happened.”

Portnoy acknowledged that Minihane’s fanbase would have probably come after him if he decided to take this course of action. Ryan Whitney then asked why Portnoy was sensitive towards LaPaglia compared to other employees who have worked at the digital media brand. Before Portnoy explained what was taking place, Minihane articulated that he was doing nothing wrong.

“You guys aren’t in a world, and neither of you have dealt with it, where you’re getting the most hate. She gets the most hate you can get on the internet right now. I’m not saying rightly or wrongly.”

Minihane added that she has her own life and is more successful but personally does not care. In fact, his attitude upon discovering what transpired was adversarial to LaPaglia, and Minihane invited her to come on the show. Minihane does not like her and is not sure if he can say that because he may be fired.

“This is somebody who’s in a different world, and I’m telling you. I haven’t seen anybody get this type of hate in 20 years of me doing this. Bri just turned down $12 million, and she’s trying to build her career up, and then within a week and a half, she’s the most hated person, and somebody who was at the same company you’ve never met from the clouds is being like, ‘She’s the biggest fraud.’”

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.

Former Radio Host Jeff Thurn Sentenced To 46 Months in Ticket Fraud

BSM Staff
-
0
Former Radio Host Jeff Thurn Sentenced To 46 Months in Ticket Fraud

Former Sioux Falls, S.D., sports radio host Jeff Thurn received a 46-month prison sentence for running a fraudulent ticket scheme that brought him more than $5 million, according to local reports.

The sentence will be followed with three years of supervised release and Thurn was order to pay his victims back the money they lost.

Thurn left ESPN Sioux Falls, where he was host of the mid-day Overtime show in 2023 to take a national job with ESPN Radio. That job fell through when Thurn was indicted later that year. 

According to court papers posted online, Thurn unlawfully enriched himself by “fraudulently inducing individuals to provide him money to be purportedly used to purchase sporting and other entertainment event ticket through BACKSTAGE [Thurn’s company], and then misappropriating those funds for the defendant’s personal use and benefit.”

Investors were promised a minimum 30% annualized guaranteed return on the money they gave him. Thurn used the money for his personal benefit, writing checks for cash, gambiling and trading cryptocurrency.

Thurn pled guilty to the charges.

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.

Luminate Identifies Streaming Artists Poised Radio Airplay

BMM Staff
-
0
Luminate Identifies Streaming Artists Poised Radio Airplay

According to a recent blog post by Haley Jones, Luminate‘s Head of Independents, Tyler Childers, Koe Wetzel, and Red Clay Strays may be poised to transition from streaming success to radio airplay.

 Jones wrote, “The data shows discovery still occurs through a wide variety of channels, with radio and streaming tied for influence among the average U.S. music listener after recommendations from friends and family. A Case for Musical Serendipity!” “Another surprising insight? Radio still resonates with younger audiences — 38% of Gen Z and 54% of Millennials report using it as a discovery tool.”

To leverage current discovery trends, Jones advocates for analyzing the top 1,000 artists within a specific genre who garnered the highest streaming numbers this year, comparing them to those acts that received the most airplay.

 “The sweet spot for opportunity lies above the yellow line where streaming outpaces radio, and these artists may be primed for a broader fanbase and increased exposure,” Haley added.

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.

The ‘Rick & Bubba Show’ Signs Off For The Final Time

BMM Staff
-
0
The ‘Rick & Bubba Show’ Signs Off For The Final Time

The Rick & Bubba Show has concluded its run after three decades on air. Co-hosts Rick Burgess and Bill “Bubba” Bussey bid farewell for the final time on Friday morning. Both are set to embark on new ventures in broadcasting and other fields starting in 2025.

The final broadcast was marked by sentimental moments, most notably a guest appearance from Bussey’s children, Hunter and Katelyn. The duo shared their experiences of growing up in the show’s spotlight, which aired for over 8,000 episodes.

Originating from SummitMedia’s 104.7 WZZK in Birmingham, AL, the program developed a dedicated fan base throughout the Southeastern United States, reaching more than 60 stations across 18 states.

Rick Burgess will launch his new syndicated program, The Rick Burgess Show, on January 6. The show will be distributed by Syndicated Solutions, Inc., the same company that previously managed Rick & Bubba.

Alongside Burgess, familiar faces Speedy, Greg, and Adler will join the new venture. All current Rick & Bubba affiliates have secured the program, and SSI announced that additional affiliate updates will be forthcoming.

Bussey has begun a new chapter as the assistant athletic director for Broadcasting at Jacksonville State University. A graduate of Jackson State, where his radio career started at WLJS, he now leads all broadcast operations for Gamecock athletics.

Since taking on this role in August, he has successfully expanded the Gamecock Radio Network to include 11 stations across eight cities, marking the largest affiliate network in the program’s history.

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.

Regional Mexican ‘La Z 96.5’ Launches In Phoenix

BMM Staff
-
0
Regional Mexican ‘La Z 96.5’ Launches In Phoenix

Orozco Broadcasting has officially launched its new Regional Mexican station, “La Z 96.5” in Phoenix. This follows the company’s acquisition of “Oldies 96.5” KIKO-FM Claypool, AZ, and 96.5 Phoenix for a combined total of $2.4 million.

96.5 KIKO serves the Phoenix market from the east, near Globe, Arizona. The station is supported by Audacy’s 94.5 KOOL-HD3, which broadcasts to northern Phoenix and neighboring areas, including Glendale, Peoria, and Sun City.

Humberto ‘El Pelotero Vaquero’ Luna, previously with “La Indescrita” 1540 KASA, will host 9 am to 12 pm on the station.

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.

Brian Stelter to Exit ‘Inside the Hive’ Podcast with Vanity Fair

BNM Staff
-
0

Brian Stelter has announced the end of his involvement with the Inside the Hive podcast from Vanity Fair.

Stelter’s exit from the show isn’t unexpected. Earlier this year, he re-joined CNN after his high-profile 2022 exit when the network was under the direction of Chris Licht. He returned to CNN after media reporter Oliver Darcy departed to launch his Status News digital media entity.

Brian Stelter joined Vanity Fair in April 2023 to cover the Fox News defamation lawsuit brought forth by Dominion Voting Systems. It then evolved into a podcast covering the intersection of news and politics.

“I want to say thank you for tuning in. This is officially my last episode hosting the show for Vanity Fair,” Stelter said to begin the final episode of 2024. “Now that I’ve returned to CNN full-time as their chief media analyst, it has been such a pleasure serving as your host since the spring of 2023, when I signed on to cover the Dominion defamation lawsuit against Fox News.

“One thing led to another and it’s been such an honor to keep hosting here since. Every week, I learned something new from the guests here at the table, and I hope you did as well.”

Stelter added that Vanity Fair will continue the podcast “to cover Trump 2.0”, with more information available in early 2025.

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.

1...1,1931,1941,195...2,896Page 1,194 of 2,896