Ahead of the new football season, Kansas City Chiefs tight end Travis Kelce and his brother, former Philadelphia Eagles offensive lineman and ESPN analyst Jason Kelce, have signed an ad-sales representation and distribution deal with Wondery for their New Heights podcast. The Amazon-owned podcast studio will have the global distribution rights for all audio and video episodes of the show as it enters its third season.
This includes backend content and the ability to create international audio adaptations of the podcast as well. Wondery also has exclusive rights to monetize and distribute the audio and video podcast episodes. According to a report from Variety, the contract spans three years, is worth over $100 million and officially commences on Wednesday, Aug. 28.
Travis Kelce will begin his 12th season in the National Football League as the Chiefs aim to become the first team to win three consecutive Super Bowl championships. Conversely, Jason Kelce recently retired from playing in the league and will be part of Monday Night Countdown on ESPN alongside Scott Van Pelt, Ryan Clark, Marcus Spears and Adam Schefter. Both brothers will also continue co-hosting New Heights, which will be available across podcasting services, including Wondery distribution channels and YouTube.
Aspects of the deal also include early and advertising-free listening for Wondery+ subscribers, livestreams and the rights to develop, manufacture, license and distribute merchandise based on the show. Wave Sports + Entertainment will continue providing production services for the program, something it has done since it launched in 2022.
“We couldn’t be more excited to team up with Wondery for the next phase of ‘New Heights,’” Travis and Jason Kelce said in a statement. “We love this show, and the fanbase that has grown with us over the last two seasons. Wondery understands the shared vision and will offer a wealth of experience and resources to take us to ‘New Heights’! We are going to create some groundbreaking moments together through this partnership. We are thrilled to start Season 3 – see you soon, 92%ers!”
The New Heights program provides listeners with a firsthand look at the football careers of Travis and Jason Kelce, along with their lives off the field and salient discussions pertaining to sports and pop culture. Over its two seasons on the air, the show has propelled itself into the upper echelon of sports podcast offerings on platforms such as Apple and Spotify. The show was recently honored as ‘Podcast of the Year’ by iHeartMedia at its 2024 iHeartPodcast Awards.
“Since its first play, New Heights has brought hilarious, relevant commentary and interviews, and unprecedented insider access to the NFL season and professional sports,” Jen Sargent, chief executive officer of Wondery, said in a statement. “Now a cultural phenomenon, we’re excited to grow the New Heights brand together with Jason, Travis, and Amazon through Wondery’s 360-approach that will engage and excite audiences across audio, video, live experiences, merch and more.”
The deal to bring New Heights expands the sports portfolio of podcasts offered by Wondery, a lineup that has expanded throughout the year. Richard Jefferson, Channing Frye and Allie Clifton agreed to bring their Road Trippin’ podcast to the platform, and Annie Agar recently launched an original podcast series titled The Offensive Line. Other sports programs through Wondery consist of shows such as Men in Blazers, Over the Top and The League.
In a move that surprised a lot of people, ESPN laid off football analyst Robert Griffin III as well as host Sam Ponder just a few weeks before football season started. Griffin had two years left on his contract and clearly could not have seen this coming. Griffin did a little bit of a media tour as he appeared on shows to promote his new podcast and a paid promotion with the video game Call of Duty.
Appearing on The Jim Rome Show, Griffin was asked about his departure from the network.
“I can’t talk about too much of what happened or why what happened,” Griffin said. “I love football, but I loved the experience that I had at ESPN more than anything. Getting an opportunity to be on Monday Night Countdown with the legendary broadcast crew of, Suzy Kolber, Steve Young, Booger McFarland, and Adam Schefter was a dream come true. Then to be a part of the revamping of it with Scott Van Pelt, Ryan Clark, and Marcus Spears. I just truly enjoyed those experiences.”
“And then to be able to be in college football and call games with the legendary Bob Wischusen, the voice of the Jets and Kris Budden on the sideline. And this year I was going back with Mark Jones, Quint Kessenich…You know, guys that I consider family. I’m going to miss those guys. I’m going to miss the relationships and the people behind the camera because they don’t really get the love that they deserve…I enjoyed my experience. I’ll miss the people that I got a chance to work with and I wish them the best moving forward.”
Griffin was also on The Rich Eisen Show and was asked about the support he has gotten from fans and colleagues and what it makes him think about what is next for him.
“That showed me that this is something in a business that I should be involved in, and continue to be involved in, and you know, that’s why we’re going to be doing this,” he said. “This sign you see behind me, Out of Pocket with RG3, doing a podcast in that realm, and our first guest will be dropping here in a few days, so hopefully the fans will continue to support us, and have fun as we make our way through this tough time, but we’ll be back, and we’ll be back and better in no time.”
Rome asked Griffin about whether or not this experience with ESPN has soured him on legacy media such as radio and television.
“I think there’s pros and cons to everything,” Griffin said. “…Diversifying your portfolio is the best thing that you can do. And that would be my advice to all members of the media. At the end of the day, if you don’t own anything, then you’re always going to be a slave to something else. So, I just want to make sure that we own what we’re doing, we have a good time doing it. And as far as the legacy media goes, I’ve got no bad blood with legacy media. I think that there’s always going to be a future for legacy media. It might be a little bit different than what it is today and how it’s presented, but I’m not going to fight against that. I really enjoy working with people and being part of a team.
“So this team at Out of Pocket is a team that’s near and dear to my heart. But there could be teams at Fox, NBC, CBS, Amazon, Netflix, or anywhere else that I would enjoy working with as well. So I’m not going to close the door on anything.”
If you missed it last week, Jay Weber, 6-9 AM show host at iHeartMedia’s 1130 WISN, Milwaukee, piled on to a nasty avalanche of political attacks on social media. On X, Weber called Gus Walz, the son of Democratic VP candidate Tim Walz “a blubbering bitch boy” after the 17-year-old, streaming tears of loving pride, cried out “That’s my dad!” at the DNC.
Jay found out later that Gus has a nonverbal learning disorder, and has been diagnosed with anxiety, and ADHD.
Mr. Weber has apologized: “In an X fever, I broke one of my own long-standing rules when I saw the video. I’ve said ‘the kids are off limits’ for decades, then fell into myself,” he admitted. “No excuses. Good reminder.”
“Good reminder” seems like a dismissive tag that he might have skipped. What’s worse is he posted it on X rather than coming out and saying it on his own show. Still, nothing will be gained by continuing the assault on Jay Weber though it is another learning opportunity for talk radio and its listeners.
If only we would learn.
“Blubbering bitch boy”? Who writes or thinks words like that? Never mind why, the context, political hysterics, and social media lunacy…
“Blubbering bitch boy”?
I’m not trying to add to Jay Weber’s load of significant and deserved personal regret. I do think his apology should be accepted and that he should be forgiven for one big mistake. We all screw up. People used to be allowed to learn from their mistakes. I’m just wondering how in hell we got here from our idealistic American roots and once unanimous belief in what we used to call common decency.
“Blubbering bitch boy”?
I’m sorry to keep repeating it but like you, I’m having trouble getting past the words and the fact that they were cobbled by a seemingly thoughtful man and respected radio talk show host.
The point is, as I’ve asked many times, how would we all feel if our kid said that out loud or on social media? What would you say to your child? Something like, “That’s not appropriate”? How about, “I taught you better than that”?
Mr. Weber was formerly the News Director of WISN and is a certified Wisconsin public school teacher who coached sports. The mind reels. How do you go from schoolteacher and News Director to “blubbering bitch boy”?
But it’s not just him. We’re all losing our minds. The MAGA people are just as crazy as the Never-Trumpers. Many Americans are bailing out of online toxicity but still looking for sanity and information from the radio.
Lee Rainie, Pew Research Director of Internet and Technology:
“People tend to go to sources of information that map with their point of view. And we see in our data Americans don’t trust each other the way they used to. They don’t think Americans share the same facts that they used to. And so, the charge to people who are in the thick of this new environment is to figure out how to help people find their way to the truth and not make it a hard job. And Americans couldn’t be clearer about that. They want to know what’s going on, and they want help doing it, and they are looking to journalists to help solve these problems.”
Please read the italicized bold print again.
We used to brag that talk radio informs and encourages friendly discussion and dissent. There was a time, but no longer. Today people listen to political talk shows to justify their misinformed beliefs, and we over-serve them. We add fuel to the fire and we’re very good at it. We have nice voices, we speak with conviction and the practiced craft of skilled orators.
When you sit in a studio talking to an invisible audience you sound pretty impressive, don’t you? Damn right.
Do you ever wonder if you’re being fair or even honest?
As of noon, CST today, Monday, August 26th, neither WISN nor iHeartMedia has issued a statement. Jay Weber’s Friday absence was explained as a “prescheduled day off.” The implication was that he’d be back this morning, Monday. He was not. His fill-in host didn’t say anything at today’s 9 AM sign-off except, “We’ll be back tomorrow.” I called WISN for some clarification and await a callback.
When these things happen management should be all over it. “We’re investigating,” “We’ll issue a statement shortly,” “Jay’s a great guy and we support him”; say something, anything!
Pardon me, but it’s your effing radio station.
If I were a radio station GM, or PD I’d hold an all-hands-on-deck meeting with one strong message:
“We are better than this. It has to stop, beginning with us. I won’t tell you what to say or not say on your shows, but I am telling you to use your brain and search your heart. I will go to the wall for you for your right to freedom of speech and opinion and for the integrity of our company. Nobody in this operation is going to be canceled or heckled off the air. But you need to take responsibility for what you say and how you say it, not just on the air but everywhere in the social media landscape.
“The reason you were hired was because we believe and respect you. We expect you to do the same.”
The madness isn’t entirely our fault. There have always been hyperbolic, self-righteous opinions blasted over radio. Then social media arrived, and radio got caught up in the crazy party.
And while I’m lobbing brickbats, even though this is an industry-related publication, let me take a quick shot at our audience.
Have you read any of the comments following Mr. Weber’s stupid statement on X? I’ll save you the trouble. Most of them say he should be fired because he said something the commenter doesn’t like. Many are laced with profanity. He has a few supporters, not so much for his right to speak freely but because they agree with his asinine comment.
“Fire the bastard!”
This is cancel culture.
Half of the country has lost its collective mind and personal dignity to toxic political rhetoric and their ability to say things publicly they’d never condone from their kids. The other half is disgusted and giving up on social media, politics, and government.
This can’t end well unless radio takes the lead.
You talk hosts who consider yourselves the voice of (some of) the people have a responsibility to walk it back. I’m serious, though I know nobody will do it because it might make you look wimpy or waffling.
Ask your boss if the company will support you if you step back and be reasonable. See what they say because it’s clear the mahogany row crowd tests how the wind is blowing daily. That’s where your support lies.
Radio has a responsibility to lead the media and country back to sanity and decency.
But as I write this, the Jay Weber story hasn’t played out. He’s twisting in the wind and I’m sure his life sucks at the moment. I’m still waiting for that phone call. Come on, WISN, talk to me.
Republican twitter channels lit up CBS for their reporting on Kamala Harris’ “No tax on tips” campaign idea. While many were like schoolgirls on the playground arguing ‘Trump wore it better’ there is one major lesson news media outlets have to learn from this blatant act of biased tweeting. When two parties have the same idea, the media needs to treat them equally.
On June 17, 2024, CBS – “America’s Most Watched Network” tweeted, “Former President Donald Trump’s vow to stop taxing tips would cost the federal government up to $250 billion over 10 years, according to a nonpartisan watchdog group.”
While it’s a notable knock on President Trump’s proposed policy, there is something blatantly wrong about the tweet. “Costing the government” is the wrong terminology, which any good copyeditor with any sort of ethical standard would change. The word used shouldn’t be costing but actually ‘reducing revenue.’
A cost is money going out (ie an expense like when we give money to WHO). Reducing revenue (loss of revenue is also an acceptable phrase) is when people stop buying something (or in this case turning their money over to the government because of taxes). For example less people are buying Starbucks because their coffee takes too long to make and it’s expensive. This is a loss of revenue for Starbucks.
Using the word ‘cost’ in this context makes it sound as if the government already has this money. This is not the government’s money… yet. It becomes their money when they tax it.
When journalists conflate economic terminology in its purest form it manipulates and changes the relationship the average reader has with money. Just like a gun magazine is different than a clip (but people use them interchangeably) a cost is different than a loss of revenue and we need to stop using them as equal terminology.
Nearly a month later, CBS did themselves no favors by posting, “Vice President Kamala Harris is rolling out a new policy position, saying she’ll fight to end taxes on tips for service and hospitality workers.”
The thing CBS did wrong (which no other outlet did) is make it seem like it was an original idea from Vice President Harris.The tweet is also significantly more positive than the one posted of President Trump.
Aside from the tweets, when you click the articles, they are clearly written with bias. The first sentence of the CBS article on Trump is identical to the tweet. Yet, this factoid of how much money this loss of revenue will affect the federal government is buried and can be found in the second to last paragraph in the article about Harris.
Further comparing the articles written about Trump and Harris there is a significant change in tone. The article on President Trump is completely negative and features the CRFB President Maya MacGuineas calling the stance “pander as their political strategy, which leaves the country so much weaker.” She later added, “which doesn’t address how it would be paid for.” But again, it’s not something that would have to be paid for because it is not a cost but a loss of revenue!
Meanwhile, the article on Vice President Harris notes all those who support her ideal, “White House press secretary Karine Jean-Pierre said President Biden supports Harris’ proposal.” They also note, “The Culinary Union, which represents 60,0000 hospitality workers in Nevada, praised Harris for the policy announcement.”
To CBS’ credit, the second sentence notes “It’s a proposal her opponent, former President Donald Trump, has touted all summer in an effort to win over tipped workers.” However, the rest of the article is giving her praise, while President Trumps article makes this proposal sound like a very bad idea.
Whichever party actually accomplishes this idea (it’s unlikely either will), it will still allegedly reduce the government revenue by $250 Billion over 10 years. It’s not a bad thing provided the government has the capability to cut spending. Which only one of these two candidates have proposed (and I’ll give you a hint it’s not Kamala).
If different political parties have the same idea, they need to be treated the same. Even in tweets. If one cannot recognize when candidates have the same idea and treat those two parties the same, you better not be calling yourself a journalist.
CBS still calling themselves a news organization after this tweet debacle (and several other issues over the years) is disrespectful to those who actually are. More importantly, journalists and copy editors need to choose their words more carefully and recognize when they are manipulating terminology.
Legendary composer John Williams has scored over 94 films and the Olympic Fanfare Theme.
His scores get stuck in your head like – a hit record.
Jaws – E.T. The Extraterrestrial – Jurassic Park – Raiders of the Lost Ark – Close Encounters of the Third Kind. One of those themes is certainly now – stuck in your ear.
Director Steve Spielberg has trusted John Williams to musically bring life to over two dozen of his films.
Although your title may be Brand Manager or Content Director, you’re still a – Program Director.
You are the Director – of the Program.
So – let’s THINK like a – director.
We’ve covered developing a Strategic Music Matrix and robust pathway for Music Discovery.
Now – intentionally look at the other tactics inside your – ‘movie.’
Cast Actors – Start with your morning anchors. Not everyone is a lead mic. Some have the confidence to steer the ship. Others are fantastic reactors.
Allow leaders on your team to – take the lead. Be the example others inside the building look to for inspiration.
When Michael Jordan – after capturing three consecutive NBA rings – left to play baseball in the early 90s, Scottie Pippen became the de facto ‘leader’.
His leadership failed the following year in the early round of the playoffs. With 1.8 Seconds left against the New York Knicks, Pippen refused to take the court after words with Coach Phil Jackson. The Bulls won the game but lost the battle.
Identify your Michael Jordan – treat superstars like superstars.
Unique Sound – Deploy an Aural Activator. This is something easily identified and used often when promoting ANY brand.
The sound that instantly identifies the brand. Think Intel Inside or McDonald’s “I’m Lovin’ It.” Often, McDonald’s branding only includes the first five notes of the jingle – without lyrics. You know it when you hear it
Jimmy Buffett’s Margaritaville Radio brilliantly drops steel drums between elements without I.D.’ing the stream. Listeners KNOW what they’re hearing.
Having an Aural Activator inside your brand lets the listener know who they’re hearing and is unique to only your brand.
Momentum Build – To JINGLE or – NOT to jingle. Using jingles to build – or stop – momentum in music sweeps is a lost art.
Producing jingles with Thompson Creative is an art. Intentional thought includes what key to compose the spots and cuts that start slow (out of down-tempo tunes) and end strong (into up-tempo starts), and vice versa.
Jingles – in music radio today – are simply placed on a daily scheduler without regard to what element precedes the piece or what follows. Skip the jingle process if you lack the time or insight to allow jingles to assist in scoring your brand.
Let’s also bring back imaging or jingles for our talent. We say talent is a – differentiator. Highlighting talent is distinctive (no one else is doing it) and motivates talent.
Write with Intent – What if Morgan Freeman was YOUR imaging talent? How would you write with him in mind? When you listen to his award-winning Visa commercial, note that no phrase is longer than 12 seconds. Often much – shorter. This writing technique allows Morgan Freeman to take one – and only one – breath in a phrase.
Listen to The Pure Michigan Campaign. Each word is coddled with care from the agency. Tim Allen is then coached (see next paragraph) to weigh and measure each word until the spot nearly hypnotizes you into the emotic feel of Michigan.
Quick story: In Phoenix, our robust budget included recruiting the legendary Ernie Anderson to imagine our station. During the session, our Production Director asked Ernie to put the “Star Trek—The Next Generation” effort into it. Ernie promptly shouted, “There are No f&%ing Star Trek—The Next Generation words here.”
Ernie was right.
Coach Imaging Talent – You know the drill.
You’re on deadline, and after pounding out a sheet of imaging, you email it to your voiceover talent. That person opens it—along with dozens of other pages from clients—promptly reads the words and Dropboxes the session back to you.
Problem – that inflection is robotic and didn’t reflect how you wrote (heard) it – in YOUR head.
Coach your imaging talent. IF they tell you there’s no time for a coaching session, find a new imaging VO artist.
Indianapolis, early 1970s. Fairbanks Communications boldly launched WNAP—a free-form FM brand—to protect the flank of their high-powered AM WIBC.
The brand needed stand-out imaging and the BIG voice of Chuck Riley was already in the building.
Starting with the Legal ID, National Program Director George John and Program Director Cris Conner sequestered Chuck into a small production studio to record their Top-of the-Hour Masterpiece:
“The Wrath of the Buzzard – WNAP – Indianapolis”
Seven simple words – right? The session ran over 11 minutes – to get it right.
Listen to the finished product and an edited version of the original session – including coaching – here.
Bonus! The thunderbolt for the I.D was lifted from Bad Company’s – “Burning Sky”. If you’re unfamiliar with the tune, listen – here.
Brilliant.
If Steven Spielberg directed YOUR brand and John Williams SCORED your station – even for a week – how would it sound?
Certainly – different.
An undeniable bright spot in Country music radio, Katie Neal’s bubbly and delightful personality has been bringing fun, “hanging out” vibes to listeners for years, most recently with her syndicated show “Katie & Company,” which she records out of Nashville for nearly 40 stations nationwide.
Now, she’s gearing up for the grand opening of the new sound space in Music City, born of Audacy’s partnership with Hard Rock International.
“On the 5th, Thomas Rhett is actually gonna come, and he’s gonna perform, and we’re gonna do a ribbon cutting, which I’m very excited about, and a bunch of our friends and partners from all across Nashville and the music industry will be here,” she says of the upcoming launch. The team has been using the new digs since June.
“I feel so lucky to be in a radio studio that’s built for television.” The new studio boasts cozy living room vibes, complete with a mock fireplace paired with the typical edge, neon lights, and live performance space a Hard Rock location brings. “They’ve been such amazing partners,” she says of the relationship.
Being right in the heart of Broadway in Nashville has proven to be incredibly advantageous for Neal’s access to the musicians and talent that frequent the city. “It’s been really convenient to have a space for artists to come up and do interviews,” she says.
Neal’s current home in Nashville came from a career in Country radio that she found herself in somewhat accidentally, with initial plans of going into television production when she was attending Illinois State University.
“I had always kinda thought that I wanted to be a producer,” she says. “I got to Illinois State University. I took one radio class to graduate, and I fell in love with it. And by my senior year, I had really transitioned the focus of my studies from television to radio.”
Neal got her first radio job right out of college in Illinois before moving to New York City to work for 95.5 PLJ. She just happened to be there at the same time that they launched the Country station, 94.7, and remembers fondly when Jesse Addy and Kelly Ford were hired – her future colleagues.
Spending some time working in radio ad sales, a nudge in the right direction from a program director Neal worked with in Illinois helped her land an opportunity to voice commercials for PLJ for a couple of years. Her work got the attention of John Foxx, 94.7’s program director at the time, who gave her a shot at some weekend spots with the station.
When a full-time opportunity came about, Neal focused her efforts on auditioning. “It took 3 or 4 months to convince them to give me that job,” she jests. It wasn’t long after that Foxx gave her the news that her show was being put on the network with further plans for syndication.
Country music wasn’t initially on her radar with roots in pop and hip-hop music to suit her own tastes, but growing up around the genre helped solidify her place in it.
“It is interesting because growing up, Country music was like my dad’s music. This was the golden age of Toby Keith and Garth Brooks, and so I went through a period of time where I felt like that was really cool. I remember being in my dad’s F-150 red pickup truck the first time he played Blake Shelton’s ‘Austin.’ I vividly remember hearing that song for the first time,” she recalls.
“I grew up listening to this music, so I know it.” She says of her initial start in the industry, “I kind of had to relearn everything that was popular at the moment. Now I feel like it’s all I listen to.” Having been around it in her career, she can’t imagine not being a Country music fan. “I’m very immersed in this world and very happy to be. I choose Country music to listen to,” she says.
Beyond just the music, Neal appreciates Country for the sense of community it creates among listeners and musicians.
“I can’t say for certain [about other genres], but the way things are here, I always joke that I see Luke Bryan more than I see my mom. Everyone is here and everyone is so kind and willing to show up and give you their time, and I am always just kind of blown away by that. Like the access that we have to people with the studio being in Nashville – it’s a community of people who really do care and take care of each other,” she says.
Part of Neal’s job is creating a brand around herself, which relies heavily on social media. With a strong social media presence comes a stronger connection to the listeners who follow her, giving Neal an opportunity to converse with folks in a more immediate way than an on-air platform typically allows, continuing conversations she started on her show or even just asking her followers for book recommendations.
“I think that [social media] is incredibly powerful in that it’s an extension of me and getting to know me better. What I do on social versus what I do on the air – I’m still the same person but you definitely see more of me there. The radio people are tuning in because they like the music, and I happen to be there. If you’re following me on social media, you’re tuning in because you like me,” she says. “It’s really powerful being able to communicate with people in real-time.”
When it comes to replicating this feeling of connection when she’s on air, Neal believes good radio comes from being relatable, topical, and creating a feeling of a casual and fun hang-out with the listeners.
“I want it to feel like a conversation,” she says. “That’s why I wanted the show to be called “Katie & Company” because I wanted you to feel like we were all hanging out. I’m keeping you company, and you’re keeping me company… It’s all hanging out in the living room.”
Neal is the proud recipient of an ACM, major market Gracie, and a Marconi nomination, but winning the ACM award was a stand-out moment for her in her career.
“I deserve to be here, and I have a seat at the table,” she remembers feeling at that moment. “All of these things that I have been working so hard for and that everyone on the Country team has been supporting me in for so long – everything came to fruition.”
Neal’s well-earned success in radio came when she was able to have a light-bulb moment about everyone’s tendency to compare themselves to the other greats in their lane, noting that each person brings something unique to what they do just by being who they are.
She remembers thinking, “If I actually am just myself, things will start to work out for me.”
Upon graduating from the University of Illinois in 2001, followed by a master’s degree from Mississippi State University in 2006, Brad Evans embarked on a career as an educator spending six years teaching at an alternative to high school in Champagne, Illinois.
It’s funny how things work out in life because Evans then stumbled upon a fantasy sports gig at Yahoo which eventually became a full-time opportunity.
“The rest is history,” said Evans who has spent more than two decades in the fantasy sports/gambling space in broadcasting. And now he is joining forces with Ryan Horvat to host BetMGM Tonight on the Audacy-owned BetQL Network weekday evenings from 7 p.m. to 11 p.m. ET.
“I’m over the moon about it,” said Evans. “The arsenal that (BetQL Vice President) Mitch Rosen has put together I think is unrivaled in the industry. It’s a very competitive market and he has put together a differentiation in talent unlike we’ve ever seen. I’m just ecstatic to be part of the group and have an opportunity to bring the noise.”
Not bad for someone who started out as a teacher and is now recognized in the industry as a hall of famer.
Evans was inducted into the Fantasy Sports Writer’s Association Hall of Fame in 2018.
“There’s no bust of me anywhere,” said Evans with a chuckle. “I’m extremely lucky to be where I am and I’m somebody that never takes that for granted. The fact that I was recognized as a hall of famer is just bat bleeping crazy.”
While Evans and Horvat will be working together for the first time, they already share some commonality. They are both from Illinois with Horvat originally from Joliet and Evans from downstate. They have also crossed paths in person before so it shouldn’t take long for them to create a bond on the air.
“There will be some building of chemistry,” said Evans. “We both have a Chicago lean about us in terms of the teams that we know and love and the perspectives we have in the industry about our favorite franchises, so we have that commonality already. I think the show structure and vibe is going to fit us perfectly.”
That structure and vibe will certainly include a heavy dose of “wagertainment”, a moniker coined by BetQL host Nick Kostos and now a phrase that is commonly used throughout the sports betting industry when it comes to broadcast content. It’s something that Evans fully subscribes to and he’s ready to bring to the table each night with Horvat.
“We’re going to bring parallelled energy,” said Evans. “There’s going to be humor that’s tossed in there. We’re going to present information but we’re also going to do it with some flare and some pizazz.”
Evans and Horvat begin their new journey together at what is arguably the best time on the sports calendar. Baseball is deep into its pennant races as the regular season winds down and the NFL and college football seasons are kicking off.
Talk about great timing!
“Football is king, and that portrayal is something that we’re really going to tap into,” said Evans. “We’re really excited to speak to those pigskin-centered audience. It’s the greatest time of the year.”
Brad Evans has certainly made a name for himself in the fantasy/sports gambling industry over the last 20 years and is now taking those talents to the BetQL Network. From being an educator in the classroom to being a “wagertainer” on the air, Evans is ready to take his career to the next level.
I’m not going to spend all season patting myself on the back, but I will point out that I called Nick Saban leaving Alabama for College GameDay months before it happened whenever there’s an opportunity. I think he looked around at the state of college football and at the future of Alabama and realized that there is nothing left for him to do. Any accomplishment would be part of a list and not the headline. Why stay? So, could it happen again? You bet it could! College football coaches have never been more publicly displeased with the state of their sport.
Not every coach moving to TV would shake college football the way Saban did. A guy getting fired or forced into retirement and then showing up on a TV set is not the same as the GOAT looking at what may have been one of his best coaching performances and saying “okay, that’s enough.”
Even at Saban’s age, if he was just done with life in Tuscaloosa, someone else would have hired him. So, while Mack Brown seems like an obvious pick to be on a list of candidates to be “the next Nick Saban,” I don’t think he qualifies.
To be “the next Nick Saban,” a coach has to be able to make a serious impact on the sport with his exit. That impact can be felt in the way the sport is covered or shifting the power in conference or national championship races.
So, could it happen again? Yes, but the list is very short. Here are the four candidates to be “the next Nick Saban,” leave the sideline and head to a studio or broadcast booth after this season.
JAMES FRANKLIN (PENN STATE) – It’s possible to be a really good coach and just hit a ceiling. That’s what it feels like has happened to Franklin. A little over a decade ago, he worked a miracle at Vanderbilt. That earned him the Penn State job, and in 2024, it sure seems like he has taken the Nittany Lions as far as he can.
Franklin is charismatic. He is respected by his peers and he has enough wins and accolades under his belt to be considered a “big get” by any network.
I don’t think this would be an easy sell to Franklin though. No matter how a hypothetical end at Penn State looks, he is just 52 years old. Not only will he still have the drive, it’s very likely that some other program would want him on their sidelines. But would it be a program that could pay him as much as ESPN, FOX or another network could? That might be the determining factor.
MIKE GUNDY (OKLAHOMA STATE) – By any measurable metric, Gundy is the most successful head coach in the history of Oklahoma State football. He also has a personal history of making it very clear he does not want to be in Stillwater, Oklahoma anymore.
From the mullet to the exotic pets to the political opinions, I have always thought that Gundy is carefully crafting an image for himself. Maybe that image paints him as unserious in the eyes of athletic directors, but it is the kind of personality broadcasting embraces.
Maybe the new, wide-open era of the Big 12 has breathed new life into his coaching career, but at 57, maybe he’s done banging his head against a wall. If the Cowboys aren’t a playoff team this year, I don’t think the idea of Mike Gundy walking away for a comparable, if not equal salary that comes with much less stress is that far-fetched.
DEION SANDERS (COLORADO) – Come on. It’s pretty obvious that he doesn’t want to be doing this when his kids leave Colorado. Not only is he bad at it, but he also clearly can’t stand the headaches that come along with being a P4 head coach.
Let’s be clear, Sanders would be a monumental hire for whoever pulled the trigger. Talk about his record all you want, the man is a celebrity and still one of the two or three best defensive backs college football has ever seen.
DABO SWINNEY (CLEMSON) – Okay, admittedly, this would be my idea of hell. I have talked to Dabo twice and have always thought the on-field persona is genuine, but man is he exhausting!
Swinney, by all accounts, loves football, but the business of football is clearly getting to him. He can’t stand the transfer portal and he begrudgingly accepts that NIL contracts are part of his life now. It’s the fans, though, that may be his undoing.
He could be a home run on TV. He’s as charismatic as it gets in college football. He has great relationships with some of the biggest names covering college football. It wouldn’t be hard to imagine him in a top booth or on a network’s pregame show if that’s what he wants.
It’s unlikely that many watching the Democratic National Convention last week could have guessed that the son of Gov. Tim Walz (D-MN) would ultimately lead to a media firestorm for one of news/talk radio’s highest-rated local hosts in Jay Weber.
But the 1130 WISN host went viral on X after he labeled Walz’s son, Gus, a “babbling bitch boy” after the 17-year-old fought back tears as his father accepted the Vice Presidential nomination.
Since his comments, Weber has not been featured on the Milwaukee news/talk station. The guest for his program on Friday was adamant that Weber had previously scheduled to be off on Friday and that he would return on Monday. Except he didn’t. He was not on the air as suggested, leading many to assume that the longtime host had been suspended. However, the station has yet to comment publicly on the matter.
As the situation rose in notoriety and attention, questions persisted. What should be done about the situation? What discipline, if any, should Weber face? Will this ultimately lead to him losing his job? Who should address the situation publicly?
That led us to ask similar questions of three news/talk radio leaders. After the controversy, we asked on current news/talk radio program director, a former brand leader, and a current high-level executive for their perspective on the situation. Those interviewed were granted anonymity to speak more openly about the situation and their management approach.
“If I could, I would take social media away from every talent I work with,” the current program director said. “That is unrealistic and that is where trust, responsibility, and reminders about social media come into play in coaching. It is forever and more than just a talent’s loyal audience sees it, which is always where the trouble begins.”
Both program directors believed both 1130 WISN and Jay Weber need to address the situation publicly before letting the news cycle carry the story out to sea.
“Do not deflect, ignore, or hope it will go away. It never does and will only get worse,” the current program director said. “There have been plenty of times I kept the talent away from the public and made the statement myself and then stopped commenting, knowing the news cycle would push it away.
“There have been others — and this is one — where the host needs to publicly apologize and then have no comment and let it end. But something had to be done, quickly, and with an appropriate sense of urgency and empathy,” they continued. “Off the air, you need to make sure you look that talent in the eye and have a very sincere, deep, and specific conversation about the line and what happens when they cross it. They can get near the line, they can even walk on it, but never cross it. Before that happens, though, you do need to make sure everyone understands where the line is. Then, if you trust your talent, all is good.”
“There is more than just listener complaints. There are huge clients. I think that it is essential that all clients get a call from the AE, sales manager, and/or market manager,” the former program director stated. “Nip the controversy in the bud. Have the host write notes to all clients apologizing for the mistake.”
The high-level executive Barrett Media spoke with shared that their company likes to impress upon its employees that social media is no different than over-the-air radio. Essentially, FCC guidelines extend to the on-air talent’s digital presence as much as it does to their radio show. But that company, the executive said, goes a step further.
“If your high school-age son or daughter were to see or hear this on the air, is this something you’d be proud of? Fortunately, we don’t really get into this situation very often. We have, certainly,” the executive said. “It’s sort of like the ‘What is porn? I can’t define it, but when I see it, I’ll know it.'”
The executive continued that there are still some radio talents clinging to the Howard Stern style of broadcasting that just doesn’t really fly in 2024 America.
“You have a few hangers-on that still think ‘If I say something really off the wall, I’ll get notoriety. The situation that happened recently … if you don’t know the situation, then don’t comment on it. Don’t make some kind of rash, controversial comment on something that you don’t know anything about. Those are some of those counseling or coaching sessions that we’ll get into with our people should that happen. When you do have these incidents, I will tell you as (an executive), I personally get involved in the mediation of issues of this nature. They’re that important … We don’t take these kind of instances lightly. But we also deal with the person and the situation and the specificity of the incident and the action because everyone’s different and every instance is different.”
The executive added that they are not averse to hiring and employing a host willing to walk up to the proverbial line or isn’t afraid to court controversy. However, they believe that there needs to be some transparency from the studio to the station and company leadership before those topics are discussed.
“Let’s say you’re one of my personalities and I know you’re a guy who has put me in hot water in the past. I would say to you, and I’d have our leadership team — our manager — say to you ‘Look, we’ve had hot water moments before. Here’s all I need from you: If you’re going to go down a slippery slope, you tell me before you do it. Don’t surprise me. Don’t let me get a call like this. Tell me beforehand ‘Hey, I’m going to address this. It might get ugly.’ You tell me beforehand so I can deal with it and I won’t be surprised. That’s one of the biggest problems we have as leadership, is when we get surprised by it. It’s all about communication. It’s critical.”
While Milwaukee news/talk listeners await to hear from Jay Weber, who originally walked back his comments before sharing a strongly worded apology for his comments the morning after the controversy went viral, both the current and former program directors believed balancing supporting your host who created a situation that has received international attention behind-the-scenes with public scorn can be a delicate balance.
“A PD must protect the host when and if possible,” the former programmer stated. “Sometimes, the error is so egregious that the PD must focus on protecting the brand. No host is bigger than the brand. The radio station’s reputation must be first. The PD also needs to take some responsibility. It’s the program director’s ship. Look at football coaches. They take the blame for the error that cost the game. If the host has never screwed up before, stand up for them.”
“You can do both (supporting your host internally while disciplining them publicly or vice versa) simultaneously,” the current leader shared. “Having a talent’s back and disciplining them if the situation warrants are two different things. Especially in public vs. private. Saying in public that I support my talent and that they have the right to their own opinion is easy in most situations. And then, behind the scenes, smacking them around for being stupid or having their mouth and brain moving at different speeds is also easy when it is called for and does not have to ever be in the public domain.
“In this case, however, I could not defend what the talent said. He crossed a huge line, which he addressed in his apology which is way too late. Now, I do not know this talent and have never worked with him. Everyone gets one mistake, even a big one. I hope this was a learning experience for him and then you move on. However, if it is something has has occurred repeatedly, that is a different story.”
The current leader concluded by stating, “I would never expect to have to say to any talent not to be stupid and make fun of a candidate’s son who has a non-verbal learning disability. It is a pretty easy rule that has been followed going back to Amy Carter: families are off-limits. Unless A: they are adults and in the public eye, and B: Actually did something that is newsworthy and worth talking about. Jerry Ford’s kid smoking pot in the White House, Hunter Biden, etc… Outside that, you’d think your talent has enough common sense to stay away from the kids of the people we talk about.”
