Home Blog Page 1276

Eavesdropping: The Fellas with Anthony Gargano and Jason Fitz, FOX Sports Radio

Dave Greene
-
0
Eavesdropping: The Fellas with Anthony Gargano and Jason Fitz, FOX Sports Radio

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.

Do you ever wonder what is talked about on sports radio while you’re sleeping? I started thinking about that this week as I was looking around for a show to check out. At the beginning of my career, I did morning radio for about 8 years and had that alarm clock set at 4:34 a.m. (yet another nod to my guy Charles Barkley!). I thought that was crazy, but then realize some people are on at even crazier times like overnights or like the show I eavesdropped in on this week, The Fellas with Anthony Gargano and Jason Fitz.

The Fellas is a once per week show on FOX Sports Radio that airs Saturday mornings from 5 a.m. to 9 a.m. ET, which has to be tough on the Friday night plans for the hosts. It also probably struggles a bit for audience on the west coast where it’s airing from 2 a.m. to 6 a.m. PT. However, it is national radio and both Gargano and Fitz are more than worthy of at least this time on the network.

Gargano is the former Philadelphia radio sports talk host who spent time at WIP before leaving for 97.5 The Fanatic in 2015. He spent eight years at The Fanatic and then left for All City’s PHLY which led to a lawsuit with Beasley Media Group. Gargano has been a part of the FOX Sports Radio lineup for more than 15 years

Before becoming a radio host, Gargano began his career as a writer for the Associated Press in Chicago, the New York Post and the Philadelphia Inquirer.

Jason Fitz joined FOX Sports Radio in the fall of 2023. Fitz also joined Yahoo Sports in 2023 to cover the NFL, fantasy football, and college football. He was previously at ESPN and served as co-host of Fitz & Harry on ESPN Radio but was part of the network’s layoffs midway through 2023. Fitz spent six years at ESPN, hosting several digital and streaming programs encompassing college sports, NFL, NBA and more. He also hosted SportsCenter on Snapchat, ESPN Radio’s First and Last and was a regular contributor to Golic and Wingo.

Prior to his career in sports media, Fitz was a Grammy Award-nominated musician, most notably serving as the musical director and fiddle player for the popular country music group The Band Perry.

It cannot be easy to have energy and be ready to go at 4 or 5 in the morning on a Saturday, but even as Gargano sounded a little bit under the weather, the two sounded not that much different than if they were doing it in the afternoon on a weekday. I don’t know if it was caffeine, adrenaline or both, but in listening to this Saturday’s episode neither had trouble getting going.

While the show would normally feature wall to wall football talk this time of year, especially college football on a Saturday morning, the show started off with a good baseball discussion which started about the World Series and then led in to how MLB compares to the NBA.

Fitz said what I think a lot of people who watched the World Series outside of the home markets were saying in that it was hard to take your eyes off it once you started watching, even if like him, you hadn’t watched many or any full nine inning games in recent years. Fitz said he was glued to it and that it is big moments that can connect you as a fan, and he said Freddie Freeman’s heroics did that for him.

Gargano added, “On a team of stars like Shohei and Mookie Betts – it was Freeman who stood out.”

Fitz continued talking about the ratings and how this series did well with younger viewers which has been difficult for anything on television these days. As for it being two teams at the way high end of the payroll spectrum, both hosts pointed out that hasn’t always worked in baseball and Fitz said, “Whatever the system allows, if you want to work that system to get your team and your city a championship, that’s well within the rules.”

Like most of you, I was asleep when the show was airing live, so I was listening to the podcast. I was fairly shocked at how quickly the two were able to get into a really strong sports discussion and it was funny because I don’t think Gargano was prepared for what happened either.

The two hosts started talking about where baseball is at in comparison to other sports and came to the conclusion baseball is in a good place, while the NBA has a lot of work to do and is headed in the wrong direction. They brought up the point that the leagues have to understand where football and the NFL are right now and that you aren’t going to overtake them so be happy with your position and work to strengthen it rather than thinking you can reach the heights of the NFL.

Fitz then made a very interesting comparison using his time in the music industry and saying there are two types of bands who play county fairs. The first type is the band on the way up and they are stoked about playing the fair. The other is the band on the way down who can’t believe they’re back to having to play fairs.

In this case, the MLB is the band on the way up and the NBA is the band on the way down. Fitz made the point to embrace wherever you are, rather than making something that used to be a huge positive a negative.

It was 5 o’clock in the morning where the hosts live, and this was a great point made by Fitz and Gargano acknowledged so as the point started to sink in. Fitz added, “All of these sports are wildly secondary [to the NFL]. [Baseball should] revel in the glory of what this is, the biggest stars went out and represented the hell out of the sport and that’s a beautiful thing. Let the NFL do what they do.”

Gargano, who follows the NBA and the Philadelphia 76ers on a daily basis said the NBA is “close to long-term decay.” Fitz added, “The NBA is a lot closer to becoming the NHL than it is the NFL.”

As the discussion continued, Gargano’s ‘Philly’ started to come out as he talked more about the league. “I hate this freakin league,” he exclaimed. “I love basketball. The NBA is…a meaningless 82 games.” He then went on a full rant about Joel Embiid who has been in the news at the beginning of the season for not playing. Embiid has been ripped by the Philadelphia media and held a press conference where he referred to “what he has done for the city.”

Gargano said Embiid, the NBA players and league have “no perspective” and that Embiid has to expect some criticism when he has “made $500 million dollars, to do your job.”

As seems to be the case a lot lately, much of the NBA discussion centered around load management and Gargano made the point that it takes away from the journey the regular season used to be about. Fitz added the NBA regular season is now background noise to him when it is on, and Gargano made the case for why all of it should be blamed on San Antonio Spurs head coach Gregg Popovich who started the trend of resting players during the regular season, so they are more ready come playoff time.

In recognizing the NBA’s recent media contracts and the global success, Fitz said, “Rich does not mean good. The NBA is rich, that doesn’t mean it’s good.”

After that it was pretty much football city leading up to FOX Sports Radio’s Countdown to Kickoff show. The two hosts showed their expertise in football as they talked about the big college games and went through the NFL schedule thoroughly as they weighed in on all the news from the week in the league, reviewed the Thursday night game and the key matchups coming up.

Included in the football talk was a good reminder to college football fans about recognizing the polls and the rankings aren’t the same as what seeds the teams may get come playoff time. As the system is a very unique one, all sports talk hosts need to make sure they are up on how it all works so as not to be surprised down the road and Fitz gave a good explanation.

Gargano and Fitz know their sports. They are also sports talk radio veterans who understand the idea of playing the hits and mixing strong opinion with entertaining subjects. They go back and forth well and are a bit of a yin and yang as far as how they sound, with Gargano the rougher sounding Philadelphian who can rant with the best of them while Fitz has a smoother delivery and never got too high or too low while keeping the energy throughout.

Towards the end of the show, the lone guest was ‘The Brain’ who gave picks on college and pro football games which was a good way to lead up to the college football show. By the way, ‘Brain’ nailed the outright win for South Carolina over Texas A&M.

No matter the sport or even if they were talking trick or treating, days of holidays, daylights savings time or just giving out Gargano’s pasta sauce recipe, Gargano and Fitz had fun and informed and as was said many times, the show really is just “the fellas hanging out.”

As it turns out, there is really good sports talk going on, even while most of us are sleeping.

Uri Berliner of The Free Press Relishes the Days When the Story Mattered More than Your Side of the Aisle

Krystina Alarcon Carroll
-
0
Uri Berliner of The Free Press Relishes the Days When the Story Mattered More than Your Side of the Aisle

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.

Impulsive, fearful, and not honest. All reasons why for the third year in a row more Americans (36%) have no trust in the media than those who do (31%). It’s more than just a Getty poll, many media insiders feel the same way, including Contributing Editor at The Free Press, Uri Berliner. “There are certain subjects that I think the media was quite fearful to cover and didn’t do honestly and I think [they have] paid a price for it,” the former NPR Business Editor said.

Berliner started as a newspaper reporter on Long Island’s east end, “I covered the cops and the zoning board and fights over fishing rights and things like that and I loved it. I took photographs and sometimes even went to the printing plant and brought the papers back. I wrote headlines, copy edited, covered sports. I did everything.”

One characteristic learned in these formative years is something Berliner has carried through his entire career. “I remember covering a school board meeting and it was on a very controversial subject, and these are open meetings,” he said. “But the head of the school board was whispering to one of the other school board members. So, I’m sitting there in the first row, and I can’t hear a word they’re saying.

“So, I walked up to them and stuck my ear in there and said ‘What? What are you saying? Because this is an open meeting you can’t hide this from me.’ It’s that kind of attitude that is very helpful. Whether you’re covering a school board meeting or Congress or anything else.”

Later, the tenacious Berliner moved to the west coast where he worked for papers in San Diego and Santa Barbara. A short time later, in 1999, Berliner made the jump to radio. “I loved radio as a kid, I just loved it,” he said. “I had a little transistor radio, and I would take it to bed with me like a lot of people did and listen to sports, but also like the earliest kinds of conversation talk shows. I just loved it.”

Berliner noted of the medium, “It’s so personal and so immediate. So, when I had a chance to get a job at NPR, which I had always listened to, I jumped at it and moved from California to D.C.”

For 25 years he grew with NPR before he felt the outlet (along with other media agencies) had lost America’s trust. “There was a sense of becoming part of the resistance to [President Trump]. Dealing with him as if he were somehow completely different than any other president and needed to be held to a completely different standard. It was something that happened throughout the media. My own experience, of course, was at NPR.”

Today, one of the topics Berliner believes the media hasn’t covered honestly is the mental decline of President Biden. “As early as Biden’s first successful run in 2020, you could tell that he was slowing down a bit,” he said. “I think everybody knew that he wasn’t as quick on his feet as he was as a younger man. Then throughout his presidency, I think a regular person could see the stumbles, the pauses, the inability to complete thoughts and sentences. It was something that I think ordinary people talked about but for some reason it wasn’t reported in the media, and it all came crashing down in that debate.”

This culmination of events has led us to having Vice President Harris as an ‘accidental candidate’ on the democratic ticket. However, the esteemed editor believes the media is still not doing their job. “It’s all over the place,” said Berliner. “I mean the problem, from my perspective, is both are such deeply flawed candidates. Trump is so erratic and unpredictable and he’s so narcissistic and is given to lying. Vice President Harris has sort of turned her back on her previous positions, almost every single one of them. She also has trouble completing clear thoughts. You can listen to her for minutes at a time and don’t really understand what she’s saying or what she believes in.”

Berliner believes, “For a lot of Americans, this is not a great choice.” While most, but not all of, the coverage has been “pretty poor,” according to Berliner, there’s a lot the media could be doing to do a better job reporting on. “With Trump, so much attention goes to his outbursts rather than what are actually his ideas,” Berliner said. “I think you could say this for both of them. What would a second Trump presidency look like? Aside from the fact that he’s unpredictable, I don’t think there’s been much scrutiny on his economic plan, the impact of his tariffs, or what his plans would do for the deficit.”

As for Harris, Berliner believes the media needs to be covering her the exact same way. “Her economic ideas, her ideas on housing, but also just the totally incoherence on foreign policy. We don’t know how she would handle Israel in the Middle East. We don’t really know what she would do with the threat from China because she’s so vague in everything she says. So, I think we have these enormous stakes because the world has become a much more dangerous place. We have huge economic challenges. The concerns about unfettered immigration are real. I think there are ways to address it that we don’t really know what the specifics are from either of the candidates.”

For voters to get a good sense of both candidates, Berliner believes it’s not neutral news people need but outlets who have, “A fierce sense of independence. [Meaning,] the idea that you need to get over as much as possible, your own priors, your own beliefs and sort of approach each story with curiosity rather than deciding in advance what your take is.”

The veteran journalist noted, there used to be a time where the story was the boss. Perhaps it’s time to get back to this idea. “So many of those stories are like, that’s a great story,” he said. “You find out about some scandal. It didn’t matter if it was Democrat or Republican or left or right. You just go. You find out, you got a tip, you dig, and you uncover a scandal, or you do some great reporting that uncovers something and now it’s more become like is this going to reflect well or badly on our side? But I just love that old school way of doing things, which is like it’s all about the story.”

For those looking to follow in Berliner’s accomplished footsteps, he suggests focus on your writing. “I still think writing is very important, for a number of reasons,” he said. “Writing stories often will endure more than videos or podcasts. Also, writing helps clarify your thinking. So, if you write well, you can think better, and I think it’s the foundation for a lot of journalism.”

As you continue to grow in the industry, Berliner suggests having knowledge on a specific subject is helpful. “If you find something that you’re good at or you’re interested in, or maybe you just wind up there. It could be science, developments in AI, business, economics, whatever. It helps to have a body of knowledge that you can lean on and that you develop sources in.”

Most importantly, standing out in the crowded media field does not mean you become “A career contrarian. Step back and say are they really doing it right or is there another way to get into this story? It’s not always easy because [sometimes] there’s a consensus [which] develops on a story or an angle. But I think taking yourself outside of the media consensus can be very helpful.”

Prime Video Draws 12.82 Million Viewers for Texans-Jets on Thursday Night Football

BSM Staff
-
0
Prime Video Draws 12.82 Million Viewers for Texans-Jets on Thursday Night Football

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.

On Halloween night, Amazon’s Prime Video scored an average audience of 12.82 million viewers for their Thursday Night Football matchup which featured the Houston Texans and the New York Jets. That won the night on television and is TNF’s 30th consecutive week winning in prime time, which dates back to the 2022 season.

At the midway point of the season, Thursday Night Football is averaging 14.07 million viewers per week. That is more than 5% over the eight-game average for 2023 and over 10% more than the 2023 full season average.

The game peaked at 13.16 million viewers from 9:15 p.m. ET to 9:29 p.m. ET.

Prime Video reports the content is reaching younger viewers through its stream. TNF average 2.28 million viewers in the P18-34 demographic and was the most-watched program of the week for that demo. For the season, TNF is averaging 2.74 million viewers amongst the group which is a 14% increase over the full season a year ago.

For the season to date, TNF on Prime Video’s median age is 48, more than 7 years younger than audiences watching the NFL on linear networks which is 55.2 and almost 15 years younger than the broadcast primetime average age of 62.9.

The figures used in this story are from Nielsen’s Panel Only measurements, the full numbers will come out on Monday.

Superstar Country 96.1’s Robb Reel Completes 172 Mile Charity Walk

BMM Staff
-
0
Superstar Country 96.1’s Robb Reel Completes 172 Mile Charity Walk

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.

West Virginia morning host Robb Reel successfully completed a 172-mile charity walk on Halloween to deliver $172,000 from listeners for WVU Medicine Children’s Hospital.

Reel hosts “Up Reel Early” on Superstar Country 96.1 KWS in Charleston, WV, and promised listeners to walk the distance if they met the station’s radiothon objectives. (BMM 10/21)

“I was a little concerned by the day one numbers,” Reel said. “So, on the morning of day two, I challenged our listeners that if they beat last year’s total, I would walk the check back to Morgantown from our Charleston studios myself.”

On the morning of October 17, Reel began his journey, navigating a mix of highways and local roads that led him to note a) Amma Rd. is almost entirely uphill going toward Left Hand. And b) West Virginia is littered with litterbugs. Y’all gotta quit throwing your trash and especially your empties out the car window. C’mon now….

Reel added, “I am humbled but not at all surprised that West Virginians came through for kids here in the Mountain State. I am proud to live here among people with such care and commitment. I owe it to them to keep my word.”

Here’s the moment Reel arrived with the check.

Chris ‘Mad Dog’ Russo’s High Heat Ends It’s 11 Season Run on MLB Network

BSM Staff
-
0
Chris ‘Mad Dog’ Russo’s High Heat Ends It’s 11 Season Run on MLB Network

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.

Chris ‘Mad Dog’ Russo said on today’s edition of High Heat that it was the last episode and that the show, hosted by the SiriusXM host and ESPN contributor along with Alanna Rizzo, would no longer air on MLB Network. The network posted on social media, “Cheers to High Heat on a great 11-season run!” and had a video montage of some of the best clips from over the years.

“We’ll do as good of a job as we have done in the last 2,200 of these shows in the last 11 years because this is the last High Heat here on the MLB Network,” Russo said. “…So, we do this show in conjunction with all those who have worked on it in the last 11 seasons and that includes Benji Goldsmith today who is the director, producer, and of course our buddy Chris Bonetti.”

The show launched on Opening Day in 2014 and featured Russo’s signature energetic delivery and passionate takes. Rizzo, who won the 2020 Southern California Sports Broadcasters Association’s TV Reporter award, covered the Los Angeles Dodgers for SportsNet, but prior to that had been a contributor to MLB Network.

MLB Network released a statement that said, “In more than 2,200 episodes over the last 11 seasons, High Heat created a signature edgy and entertaining look at the game. It’s been a great ride, and we thank Chris and Alanna for everything they’ve given to the show. As Chris likes to say, ‘that’s a good job by you.'”

Russo headlines SiriusXM’s Mad Dog Sports Radio, and hosts its anchor program, Mad Dog Unleashed, live every weekday afternoon from 3:00 to 6:00 p.m. ET. Russo joined SiriusXM Radio in 2008 after nearly 20 years in New York hosting the popular Mike and the Mad Dog show. 

Russo will still make appearances on various MLB Network shows.

Ben Shapiro: ‘Trash’ Stories From New York Times, Washington Post ‘Attempting to Quash Conservative Media’

BNM Staff
-
0
Ben Shapiro: ‘Trash’ Stories From New York Times, Washington Post ‘Attempting to Quash Conservative Media’

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.

Both The New York Times and The Washington Post released stories this week about election misinformation. Ben Shapiro was featured in each and took issue with the stories.

The Times story is entitled “Election Falsehoods Take Off on YouTube as It Looks the Other Way”. The Post released a feature called “In the Podcast Election, Top Shows Cast Doubt on Integrity of 2024 Vote”.

Both looked at election misinformation and disinformation from prominent conservative figures like Shapiro, Tucker Carlson, Rudy Giuliani, Tim Pool, and others.

On social media, Ben Shapiro was not shy in his criticism for each piece, arguing that the goal of both The New York Times and The Washington Post was clear.

“Just hours apart, the two most ‘prestigious’ legacy media newspapers in the country have released pieces attempting to quash dissemination of conservative media,” Shapiro said. “Both pieces are trash.

“According to The Times, YouTube ought to take down shows like mine. Otherwise, they’re apparently profiteering off the grave evil of conservative viewpoints being disseminated,” said Shapiro. “To the credit of YouTube, they’ve said ‘none of the 286 videos violated its community guidelines.'”

Shapiro added that the story from the Times was “a pathetic hit piece,” but the story from The Post was “even worse,” he argued.

Both Ben Shapiro and Tucker Carlson shared strong responses to offers for comment from the New York news outlet on social media, with each using profanity to respond.

Navy Athletics Radio Voice Pete Medhurst Undergoes Successful Surgery After Brain Cancer Diagnosis

BSM Staff
-
0
Navy Athletics Radio Voice Pete Medhurst Undergoes Successful Surgery After Brain Cancer Diagnosis

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 radio voice of the Navy Midshipmen athletics program, Pete Medhurst, has been diagnosed with brain cancer and has undergone surgery to remove a tumor.

On Thursday, Medhurst’s condition was revealed, noting that he had been diagnosed with brain cancer and that he would quickly undergo surgery to remove a tumor manifesting itself in his brain.

Friday afternoon, Medhurst’s wife, Brenda, shared an update on social media that the surgery was successful.

“Thank you so much everyone for all of your continued thoughts and prayers. We appreciate them so much,” she said. “Pete Medhurst is in recovery and the surgery went well. They were successfully able to remove the largest brain tumor. I should be able to see him in about 2 hours. Please continue prayers and good thoughts as we navigate the next steps. Thank you again. We love you all.”

She also shared that the medical team played the Navy fight song — “Anchors Aweigh” — as he entered the operating room, which brought a smile to his face.

Pete Medhurst has worked on the Navy Athletics Radio Network since 1997, rising to play-by-play voice in 2013.

The brain cancer diagnosis will end a 240-game streak of Medhurst being on the call for Navy football broadcasts. Color analyst Joe Miller with sideline reporter Keith Mills stepping into the analyst role for the program’s game against Rice on Saturday.

In addition to serving as the voice of Navy Athletics, Pete Medhurst is also a studio host for the Baltimore Ravens Radio Network.

iHeartMedia Launches Bilinqual AC Mix 96.1 In San Antonio

BMM Staff
-
0
iHeartMedia Launches Bilinqual AC Mix 96.1 In San Antonio

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.

iHeartMedia has spun the format wheel and flipped Top 40 Now 96.1 San Antonio to Bilingual AC as Mix 96.1.

At noon today, the station known as “Tus Favoritas de Siempre” officially launched, commercial-free.

The lineup features artists including Whitney Houston, Marc Anthony, Madonna, Lionel Richie, Shakira, Michael Jackson, and Celine Dion.

This initiative is noteworthy as it represents the first attempt at this format within a cluster already featuring a traditional Adult Contemporary station, as iHeart operates “Q101.9” KQXT.

“We’re thrilled to introduce Mix 96.1 to San Antonio, a station that celebrates the vibrant Latino community with the best music from the ’80s and ’90s, in both English and Spanish,” said PJ Gonzalez, Senior Vice President, iHeartLatino. “Mix 96.1 will bring together the timeless hits our listeners love, creating a unique listening experience that resonates with our bilingual audience and reflects the rich culture of San Antonio.”

Market President Rosie Perez said, “We are thrilled to announce the launch of Mix 96.1, Tus Favoritas De Siempre. This new format will unite and celebrate the vibrant energy of San Antonio’s Hispanic community.”

Pedro Escalera, Director of Programming and Brand Strategy for iHeartLatino added, “I’m excited to bring Mix 96.1 to life. This station blends the best of 80s and 90s English hits with timeless Spanish AC favorites, creating a nostalgic yet fresh listening experience. With Mix 96.1 joining 104.5 Latino Hits and La Preciosa 105.7, iHeart San Antonio is positioned as a powerhouse in Hispanic radio and we’re dedicated to offering brands that speak to this community.”

iHeartMedia acquired KXXM in 1998 from Inner City Media for $10 million. Previously known as KSJL-FM, the station initially featured a Rock format. Between 1986 and early 1991, it operated under the KSAQ call letters and was known for its Top 40 music format.

K-LOVE Arrives In Columbus OH Along With Frequency Swaps

BMM Staff
-
0
K-LOVE Arrives In Columbus OH Along With Frequency Swaps

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.

As part of a significant shift in multi-frequency programming implemented today, the Educational Media Foundation has launched its Christian Adult Contemporary network, “K-Love,” in Columbus, Ohio.

Southeastern Ohio Broadcasting Company’s 102.5 WWLG in Baltimore, Ohio, has officially transitioned to EMF’s programming as of midnight, adopting the new WKVR call letters. This shift follows the completion of the station’s Local Marketing Agreement with Radio One. With this change, WWLG will now compete directly with River Radio Ministries’ “104.9 The River” WCVO in Gahanna, which is expanding its statewide presence.

The introduction of “K-Love” marks the culmination of a four-station reconfiguration resulting from Radio One’s new collaboration with La Mega Media. Alongside the launch of 102.5, significant changes occurred today, including the rebranding of Spanish Variety “Mega 103.1” WVKO-FM in Johnstown to WWLA. This station will now simulcast on 107.1 WJYD, which will be rebranded as WWLG. Meanwhile, WJYD’s previous Gospel format, “Joy 107.1,” transitions to 106.3 WHTD London, taking over from a simulcast of the Hip Hop “Power 107.5” WCKX in Columbus.

Dan Dakich: Pat McAfee ‘Told Me He is the Enemy of Most of the Talent at ESPN’

BSM Staff
-
0
Dan Dakich: Pat McAfee ‘Told Me He is the Enemy of Most of the Talent at ESPN’

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.

OutKick’s Dan Dakich spent time on his Don’t @ Me show talking about former Indianapolis Colts punter and current media megastar Pat McAfee. The conversation started after Dakich noted ESPN executives recently talking about wanting to target younger viewers. Dakich was making the point that McAfee has helped the network in that regard. That turned into Dakich talking about how McAfee’s colleagues at ESPN all aren’t necessarily on board the McAfee train.

“McAfee’s the enemy at ESPN,” Dakich said. “Not among [ESPN Chairman Jimmy] Pitaro and [ESPN President, Content] Burke Magnus and the rest of the suits. No, no, no, no. He is the enemy of the ESPNers that are African American that are siding with Stephen A. Smith. True story. I’ve been told that by him. He knows that. We all know that…He’s told me he is the enemy of most of the talent.

“He is. He’s making more money. Pat’s more popular. He’s looser. Of course he’s the enemy.”

Dakich went on to talk about a recent post on X from McAfee where he was soliciting suggestions to get a former NBA player as an analyst for his show. McAfee said he was having difficulty booking ESPN NBA talent, which surprised him since he figured his partnership with the network would net him plenty of options.

He then talked about something Pitaro was recently asked in an interview about what keeps him up at night. Pitaro said it was the “challenge of resonating with younger viewers distracted by Netflix and social media.”

Dakich later added, “See, look, guys sitting there yelling at each other, like Stephen A. Smith and a pack of idiots do, doesn’t really resonate.” He added more from Pitaro who said, “ESPN research shows that Pat McAfee’s impact on younger viewers has been staggering and very helpful to the overall brand.”

1...1,2751,2761,277...2,896Page 1,276 of 2,896