Rob West has joined the Reising Radio Partners cluster in Columbus, IN, as OM. He will also handle afternoons on Country WYGB (Corn Country 100.3) and mornings on Hot AC WRZQ (QMIX 107.3).
West was most recently with Saga’s Country WVVR (Beaver 100.3)/Clarksville, TN.
He takes over in Columbus for VP/GM Fritz Moser, who left in May.
Other prior stops include KDXY/Jonesboro, AK; WJVL/Janesville, WI; KXKZ/Lincoln, NE; and KQYB/La Crosse, WI.
Congratulate him here
Nielsen has released the next round of June Monthly and Spring 2024 quarterly ratings.
Monthly
Albuquerque
Spanish Variety KANW is up 3.6-4.5
Classic Rock KIOT is up 4.1-4.4
Country KRST moves 4.0-4.4
Allentown/Bethlehem
Country WCTO gains 7.7-8.8
Top 40 WAEB post a big gain 6.4-8.3
AC WLEV drops 6.4-5.2
Rock WZZO down 4.7-4.0
El Paso
Classic Hits KOFX drops 13.4-11.3
Rock KLAQ off 8.8-7.7
Spanish Adult Hits KINT grows 3.5-4.6
Fresno
Top 40 KBOS up 6.4-7.0
Country KSKS drops 4.0-3.5
Spanish Adult Hits is up 2.1-3.4
Knoxville
Country WIVK holds on to the market lead 10.-11.8
AC WJXB drops 8.1-6.9
Country WCYQ grows 3.9-4.8
Rhythmic AC WKHY off 3.6-3.0
Spring Quarterly
Johnson City/Kingsport/Bristol
Country WXBQ leads the way up 14.4-16.2
Classic Rock WQUT up 9.5-10.5
Top 40 WAEZ gains 5.0-5.5
AC WTFM drops 11.0-8.6
Las Cruces
Country KGRT leaps 4.4-6.2
Classic Hits KVLC falls 10.0-9.3
Top 40 KHQT down 6.9-5.6
Country KXPZ up 4.4-5.6
Williamsport
Country WILQ falls 17.8-15.5
AC WKSB up 7.5-10.9
AC WBYL gains 2.8-3.6
Rocker WZXR drops 12.1-11.8
The National Basketball Association (NBA) has renewed its partnership with The Walt Disney Company and signed new agreements with NBCUniversal and Amazon for telecasts of league games beginning in the 2025-26 season and running through the 2035-36 campaign. Within this new media rights agreement, the reach of NBA telecasts will be augmented through the utilization of linear and digital means of distribution, including on streaming services such as Prime Video, Peacock and the forthcoming ESPN direct-to-consumer product.
The NBA App will serve as a universal access point through which fans will be able to find national games on platforms for all three media rights partners. Various reports have indicated that the media rights deals are worth a collective $77 billion over 11 years, which nearly triples the remuneration from the league’s existing contract with The Walt Disney Company and Warner Bros. Discovery, which expires after the 2024-25 season.
On Wednesday afternoon, the NBA officially rejected Warner Bros. Discovery’s exercise of its backend rights provision, deeming that it did not match the offer set forth by Amazon’s Prime Video. As a result, Warner Bros. Discovery will no longer broadcast games for the league after next season, ending a partnership with associated entities that dates back to 1984.
“Our new global media agreements with Disney, NBCUniversal and Amazon will maximize the reach and accessibility of NBA games for fans in the United States and around the world,” Adam Silver, commissioner of the National Basketball Association, said in a statement. “These partners will distribute our content across a wide range of platforms and help transform the fan experience over the next decade.”
The Walt Disney Company (ABC/ESPN) will distribute 80 regular-season NBA games per year, which includes more than 20 games on ABC and up to 60 games on ESPN. Games airing on ABC will generally take place on Saturday nights with an NBA Saturday Primetime broadcast and on Sunday afternoons with NBA Sunday Showcase. The games that will air on ESPN will generally take place on Wednesday nights and occasionally on Friday nights as well. Both ABC and ESPN will continue to telecast the five NBA games on Christmas Day and provide exclusive national coverage on the final day of the regular season as well.
“Disney and ESPN have been part and parcel of the growth and coverage of the NBA over the past 22 years,” Adam Silver, commissioner of the NBA, said in a statement. “And we are eager to build on this terrific partnership, which is one of the league’s most extensive and longest-standing relationships.”
ABC has carried the NBA Finals since 2003 and will continue to do so under the new media rights contract. The Disney-owned networks of ABC and ESPN will telecast approximately 18 games in the first two rounds of the playoffs and one of the two Conference Finals for 10 of the 11 years in the deal. All games from ABC and ESPN will be available on the upcoming ESPN direct-to-consumer streaming service, which also includes the NBA All-Star Celebrity Game, NBA Draft and NBA Draft Lottery, plus half of all NBA Summer League games.
“We look forward to building upon our incredible legacy of innovation and growth with our longstanding partners at the NBA,” Jimmy Pitaro, chairman of ESPN, said in a statement. “The NBA is a vibrant, ascendant league and through this premium collection of rights, including every NBA Finals on our platforms, we will continue to evolve together while successfully navigating the global digital transition and delivering the highest quality coverage for fans.”
“As the media landscape continues to evolve, this forward-thinking agreement represents a significant and bold step in our mission to serve sports fans, anytime, anywhere, including opportunities to successfully navigate the global digital transition,” Pitaro added in a separate statement. “Through a premium collection of regular- and post-season game rights, culminating with the NBA Finals and WNBA Finals, plus studio and original content initiatives, we look forward to building upon our legacy of innovation with the NBA and continuing to play an important role in the extraordinary growth trajectory of the WNBA.”
Through the new NBA media rights deal, the company has the right to launch a new NBA studio show with whiparound coverage on game nights. This will include more game access, player arrivals and interviews, along with rights to include real-time highlights and live cut-ins to games. This program will also implement segments focused on other aspects of the game, such as culture and fashion, player arrivals, produced features and breakdowns. ESPN will continue to air its NBA Countdown and NBA Today studio programs under this new agreement with the league as well.
Moreover, the network will continue to provide broad coverage on ESPN Radio and ESPN Deportes, including the NBA Finals, NBA Conference Finals, NBA Playoffs, regular-season games and the NBA Draft. ESPN will also develop an official documentary regarding the 2020 NBA Bubble when the NBA Playoffs and NBA Finals took place at the Walt Disney World Resort in Orlando, Fla. More alternate broadcasting opportunities utilizing the depth of Disney’s global brands and platforms are also within this new media rights agreement. By the end of this media rights deal, The Walt Disney Company will have a partnership with the league that has lasted for 34 years, dating back to the 2002-03 season.
Disney is reportedly paying $2.62 billion per year for this new package of NBA rights, which also includes a package of WNBA and NBA G League regular-season and postseason games. Within its WNBA media rights package, its platforms will be the home of the WNBA Finals exclusively for five out of the 11 seasons and also carry an exclusive WNBA Semifinals series in eight of 11 seasons. There will also be comprehensive packages for regular season and postseason WNBA games for both ESPN and ABC, along with annual exclusive WNBA Draft and WNBA Draft Lottery broadcasts and expanded WNBA Countdown. This extends the partnership between ESPN and the WNBA, which began during the league’s inaugural 1997 season.
“Our partnership with Disney has been instrumental to the growth of the WNBA and women’s basketball, as Disney networks have been the home of the WNBA since the league launched 28 years ago,” Cathy Engelbert, commissioner of the WNBA, said in a statement. “We look forward to building on the incredible momentum we have accomplished together to enhance the visibility of the players and teams and providing more engaging experiences for our fans in the years to come.”
NBCUniversal (NBC/Peacock) will present live NBA game broadcasts for the first time since 2002, bringing back the NBA on NBC property and its “Roundball Rock” theme song. The company will distribute up to 100 NBA regular-season contests per league year, more than half of which will air on NBC, primarily on Sunday and Tuesday nights. NBCUniversal will air the league’s opening night doubleheader on NBC each year and at least two games on Martin Luther King Jr. Day on NBC and/or Peacock each season.
“The return of NBA basketball to the NBC Sports family comes with enormous benefits and excitement for our fans,” Adam Silver, commissioner of the NBA, said in a statement. “And through its multiple platforms – especially NBC and Peacock – and its expansive resources, NBCUniversal promises to build on the deep tradition and history of the NBA on NBC.”
Peacock, NBCUniversal’s OTT streaming service, will present an exclusive doubleheader on Monday nights during the regular season. NBC will then telecast two games across certain NBC affiliate broadcast stations in different regions of the United States. The first of these games will begin at 8 p.m. EST and be available on NBC affiliate stations in the Eastern and Central time zones. Three hours later, the second contest will commence at 8 p.m. PST, available on NBC affiliate stations across the Pacific and Mountain time zones. All games taking place on Tuesday nights will be available on Peacock nationally, and certain affiliate stations may decide to televise both games on the night as well.
“We are proud to once again partner with the NBA and WNBA, two iconic brands and the home of the best basketball in the world,” Mike Cavanagh, president of Comcast Corporation, said in a statement. “We look forward to presenting our best-in-class coverage of both leagues with our innovative programming and distribution plan across NBC and Peacock to entertain fans and help grow the game.”
NBC will acquire the media rights for the NBA All-Star Game, which it had previously broadcast under its prior media rights deal with the league. Furthermore, the company will be the home of State Farm All-Star Saturday Night, which includes the AT&T Slam Dunk, Starry 3-Point Contest and Kia Skills Challenge. During the playoffs, NBC and/or Peacock will telecast approximately 28 games in the first two rounds, half of which will air on NBC. These games will be exclusive in all markets for both national and local broadcasts. The NBC television network will also broadcast one of the two Conference Finals series in six of the 11 years, rotating with Amazon. The total media rights package will reportedly result in NBCUniversal paying $2.45 billion per year.
“We are excited to once again become long-term partners with the NBA and WNBA, as well as USA Basketball,” Mark Lazarus, chairman of NBCUniversal Media Group, said in a statement. “With a unique presentation plan across NBCUniversal platforms during the regular season and postseason, as well as the midseason tentpole All-Star Game and events of All-Star Saturday, we have a strong slate that will help supercharge our overall content strategy across the portfolio.”
NBCUniversal will present at least 50 WNBA games in the regular season and early postseason under this new deal, with five of those games being broadcast on NBC. USA Network and Peacock will split the remaining games during the regular season slate of play. NBCUniversal will also present three WNBA Finals series (2026, 2030, 2034) and games from seven of the WNBA Semifinals series over the 11-year broadcast deal.
“Returning to NBCU at a time when momentum around the WNBA and women’s basketball has never been higher presents numerous opportunities to engage with new fans and grow the league’s core audience,” Cathy Engelbert, commissioner of the WNBA, said in a statement. “We look forward to bringing WNBA games to NBCU’s vast audiences on its networks and platforms, which will not only help elevate the league but also enhance the storytelling of the WNBA’s incredible athletes.”
NBCUniversal will also broadcast USA Basketball men’s and women’s games leading into the Olympic Games in 2028, 2032 and 2036. Additionally, the company has the broadcast rights to women’s pre-FIBA World Cup games in 2026, 2030 and 2034 and men’s pre-FIBA World Cup games in 2027, 2031 and 2035, the majority of which are going to be exclusive to Peacock. NBC Sports will also present the Nike Hoop Summit featuring men’s and women’s international all-star games for players who are 19 years old and younger, which will be televised on USA Network every April starting in 2025.
Telemundo Deportes will present 10 games each season, including the NBA All-Star Game, which will also be available to stream on Peacock. Sky Sports will distribute all NBCUniversal NBA and WNBA game broadcasts in its marketplaces. Additionally, Xfinity has become a marketing partner as the official TV service of the NBA, WNBA and USA Basketball. This partnership will involve collaboration for marketing and storytelling opportunities, along with virtual signage during game telecasts and activation for signature NBA, WNBA and USA Basketball events.
Following the rejection of matching rights from Warner Bros. Discovery, Amazon’s Prime Video has become an official league partner with a streaming-focused package as the means of viewership continues to increase in the United States. According to the latest Gauge Report from Nielsen Media Research, streaming accounted for 40.3% of total day viewership among P2+, its highest share of television usage ever recorded by the company.
“The digital opportunities with Amazon align perfectly with the global interest in the NBA,” Adam Silver, commissioner of the NBA, said in a statement. “And Prime Video’s massive subscriber base will dramatically expand our ability to reach our fans in new and innovative ways.”
Amazon will distribute 66 NBA regular-season games on Prime Video each year, which includes Thursday night doubleheaders in January after the conclusion of its Thursday Night Football package of NFL games. Friday evening doubleheaders and select Saturday afternoon games are also part of this media rights deal, granting the company exclusive inventory on its platform. The OTT streaming provider will also add to its Black Friday programming with at least one game broadcast on the day after Thanksgiving. Prime Video will also broadcast an opening week doubleheader at the start of the 2025-26 season. The company will present live pregame, postgame and halftime shows within its coverage, with more details surrounding talent and production to be announced at a later date.
Emirates NBA Cup games in the quarterfinals and semifinals of the Knockout Round will be broadcast by Amazon’s Prime Video. The platform will also present the Championship Game of the in-season tournament, which the Los Angeles Lakers won last year over the Indiana Pacers. Prime Video will also distribute all six SoFi NBA Play-In Tournament games, broadcasting the playoff round that was introduced in 2020, albeit in a slightly different iteration. The company will also stream one of the two Conference Finals in six of the 11 years of the deal, rotating with NBCUniversal starting in the 2026-27 season. Prime Video will also stream half of all NBA Summer League games and a package of WNBA and NBA G League regular-season and postseason games.
“We are honored that the NBA has entrusted Prime Video to deliver its one-of-a-kind action and excitement to viewers around the world,” Mike Hopkins, head of Prime Video and Amazon MGM Studios, said in a statement. “We look forward to continuing to innovate and evolve live sports coverage for our customers, and are fully committed to building an incredible video experience for millions of NBA fans starting in 2025.”
“NBA and WNBA basketball will serve as yet another cornerstone of the robust sports business our Prime Video team has built in just the last six years,” Hopkins added in a separate statement. “When combined with our original films and shows; partner streaming services; licensed content; and rent or buy titles – our sports offering is a major driver of Prime Video’s evolution into a genuine one-stop shop for everything our customers want in video.”
Amazon will reportedly pay $1.93 billion per year for the media rights deal, which also includes global distribution rights for the NBA. There will be an expanded package of games in select territories, some of which include Mexico, Brazil, France, Italy, Spain, Germany, the United Kingdom and Ireland. Rights in Canada within the international games package will begin in the 2026-27 season. Within this package, there are a minimum of 20 additional prime time regular season games each year, along with a Conference Finals series each year and the NBA Finals for six of the 11 years.
Prime Video also becomes the NBA’s strategic partner and third-party global destination of NBA League Pass, the league’s in-game subscription service, and also has expanded distribution rights for the property in the U.S. and internationally. At the moment, NBA League Pass is operated through a partnership between the NBA and Warner Bros. Discovery’s TNT Sports. NBA TV has been airing from TNT Sports’ Atlanta studios, and Warner Bros. Discovery has a partial ownership stake in the network as well.
“We are proud to be the first exclusive streaming partner for the NBA, bringing Prime members across the globe one of the most exciting and most popular sports in the world,” Jay Marine, global head of sports for Prime Video, said in a statement. “With 66 regular season games, the NBA Cup, the Play-In Tournament, more than 20 playoff games every year, and NBA League Pass, we’re giving basketball fans around the world more ways than ever to watch the action.
“Over the past few years, we have worked hard to bring the very best of sports to Prime Video and to continue to innovate on the viewing experience. We’re thrilled to now add the NBA to our growing sports lineup, including the NFL, UEFA Champions League, NASCAR, NHL, WNBA, NWSL, Wimbledon, and more. We are grateful to partner with the NBA, and can’t wait to tip-off in 2025.”
The company will continue to broadcast the WNBA in which Prime Video will exclusively stream 30 WNBA regular-season games worldwide each year. This includes the rights to the Championship Game of the WNBA Commissioner’s Cup and three WNBA Finals. Prime Video will have other exclusive WNBA postseason games as well, including one first-round series per year and seven Semifinal series over the 11-year term of the deal.
“Elevating our partnership with Amazon allows us to provide more games and access to fans who subscribe to Prime Video around the world at a time of historic interest in the WNBA and women’s basketball,” Cathy Engelbert, commissioner of the WNBA, said in a statement. “Amazon has demonstrated its dedication to the growth of our sport throughout our current partnership and will now be a significant contributor to the long-term sustainability of the WNBA for the players, leagues and teams.”
Prime Video channels will also be the home of WNBA League Pass, the league’s subscription service, to stream live and on-demand games both in the United States and internationally. Amazon has broadcast WNBA games since the 2021 season and will be expanding its role with this new media rights deal.
“The WNBA is soaring in popularity, and we’re so gratified to continue our relationship and to have the chance to showcase these incredible athletes to even more Prime members around the world,” Marine said in a separate statement. “This is an incredibly exciting moment for the league as more fans discover just how fun and thrilling WNBA action is – we’re proud to have been their partner over the past four seasons, and to re-affirm our commitment to the W and its fans, both old and new, for years to come.”
The NBA has rejected the terms of Warner Bros. Discovery’s attempt to match the media rights proposal set forth by Amazon’s Prime Video, the league announced on Wednesday afternoon. As a result, the NBA has decided to add Amazon as a media rights partner, which is reportedly paying $1.8 billion per year for a package of games that includes six conference finals, the Emirates NBA Cup and additional regular season contests. Warner Bros. Discovery is slated to broadcast the 2024-25 NBA season pursuant to the terms of its existing deal, which could also mean an end to the award-winning Inside the NBA studio program.
“Warner Bros. Discovery’s most recent proposal did not match the terms of Amazon Prime Video’s offer and, therefore, we have entered into a long-term arrangement with Amazon,” the league said in a statement. “Throughout these negotiations, our primary objective has been to maximize the reach and accessibility of our games for our fans. Our new arrangement with Amazon supports this goal by complementing the broadcast, cable and streaming packages that are already part of our new Disney and NBCUniversal arrangements. All three partners have also committed substantial resources to promote the league and enhance the fan experience.
“We are grateful to Turner Sports for its award-winning coverage of the NBA and look forward to another season of the NBA on TNT.”
Warner Bros. Discovery’s TNT Sports division issued a statement on Wednesday afternoon pertaining to the league’s decision to reject its matching rights bid where it stated it will take “appropriate action” regarding the situation. Entities owned by the company have aired NBA games since the 1984-85 season and are now prepared to be without live broadcast rights for the first time in four decades.
“We have matched the Amazon offer, as we have a contractual right to do, and do not believe the NBA can reject it,” Warner Bros. Discovery said in a statement. “In doing so, they are rejecting the many fans who continue to show their unwavering support for our best-in-class coverage, delivered through the full combined reach of WBD’s video-first distribution platforms — including TNT, home to our four-decade partnership with the league, and Max, our leading streaming service.
“We think they have grossly misinterpreted our contractual rights with respect to the 2025-26 season and beyond, and we will take appropriate action. We look forward, however, to another great season of the NBA on TNT and Max including our iconic Inside the NBA.”
In a release, the league laid out various elements of the new agreement, saying, “The new media deals will expand the reach of NBA telecasts, with all national games available on broadly distributed streaming services – Prime Video, Peacock and ESPN’s forthcoming direct-to-consumer service – and with dramatically increased exposure on broadcast television. Approximately 75 regular-season games will be on broadcast TV each season, up from the minimum of 15 games under the current agreement.”
The league also said Disney, NBCU and Amazon also secured the right to distribute an unprecedented number of WNBA games. Full details regarding the WNBA’s media agreements will be announced at a later time.
iHeartMedia Jacksonville’s Urban WJBT (93.3 The Beat) and Urban AC WSOL (V101.5) will host the ninth annual “Sista Strut” breast cancer awareness event on October 12 at the Jacksonville Baseball Grounds.
The day starts with a rally at 8:30, followed by a walk at 10. Money raised benefits local organizations dedicated to breast cancer research, education and patient support.
In a news release, iHeart said, “Breast cancer affects countless lives, and the ‘Sista Strut’ walk serves as a powerful demonstration of unity, strength, and support for those impacted by the disease. By organizing this event, iHeartMedia raises awareness about breast cancer in the African American community, celebrates survivors, and provides essential resources for early detection and prevention. Throughout the walk, participants will have the chance to connect with other survivors, healthcare professionals and organizations committed to fighting breast cancer.”
Paul Rogers, local Market Manager, said, “iHeartMedia Jacksonville is proud to sponsor and present ‘Sista Strut’ as part of our ongoing commitment to community engagement and support. By sharing stories and experiences, we hope to foster a sense of unity and empower all attendees to take an active role in their own breast health.”
A sustained run of success has seen Scott Kaplan put another feather in his cap, as his podcast and YouTube show has been picked up to air on SiriusXM.
Kaplan & Crew, which has aired exclusively on YouTube and in podcast form since 2019, has been added to the SportsGrid Radio lineup on SiriusXM channel 159.
The show features Kaplan and co-hosts Alex Padilla and John Browner each weekday, and will air from 1-3 PM ET on the satellite service.
Scott Kaplan — who last month announced a contract extension that will keep him with ESPN Los Angeles — shared his excitement for the development on Sedano & Kap Tuesday.
“I really wanted to get onto like a bigger platform. So, Sirius Satellite Radio dude? I love traditional, terrestrial, AM, old school radio,” he said, before stating that taking his show to a national platform has been a dream for more than 25 years.
“I had this concept back then that I wanted to take my then-infant radio career and I wanted to move to New York City,” Kaplan said as he detailed how he has “stalked” Mel Karmazin to know where he would be at the Super Bowl so he could confront the radio executive and pitch his idea.
“I’d already done all the work, already found the exact radio station. Mel said to me, he goes, ‘Alright. You know what? You’ve made your case.’ And I would say probably four or five months later, I replaced Steve Mason at that radio station. Now his son owns this company. And we just put our gutty little pod on SiriusXM, which he’s the godfather of.”
In addition to airing on SportsGrid Radio, the video simulcast of Kaplan & Crew will also appear on the SportsGrid television app as well as its previous home on YouTube.
The month of July often represents an ostensible lull in the production schedule where members of the award-winning production staff at NFL Films can enjoy a brief respite. In that same moment though, there is a deluge of planning that takes place in order to ensure that the league’s production arm is ready to document the new season effectively.
For the last two seasons, resources have been allocated to an all-access documentary series in which cameras follow different position players throughout the regular season and playoffs. The first venture, titled Quarterback, captured elements of life on the gridiron and away from the field of Marcus Mariota, Kirk Cousins and Patrick Mahomes.
This past season, the series shifted its focus to wide receivers. The symbiotic relationship between the quarterbacks and receivers is evident throughout the eight-part docuseries, which is co-produced by Omaha Productions and 2PM Productions, and once again ends with a trip to the Super Bowl. Stakeholders felt comfortable in highlighting five different players within the series, two of whom play for the San Francisco 49ers. Deebo Samuel and George Kittle played pivotal roles in the organization’s NFC championship and trip to the Super Bowl, demonstrating their clutch factor and propensity for success throughout the journey.
Joseph Zucco had the responsibilities of overseeing both projects and ensuring that they would run smoothly. Within the most recent series, NFL Films assigned one director to each of the five players they were highlighting. Back at the headquarters, Zucco managed operations and creative processes, including storyboarding and ideating how the production would disseminate the footage it captured. The docuseries are both available to watch on Netflix.
“Because of the sensitivity of the nature of the footage that we’re capturing all year, no footage leaves NFL Films until after the season is over, so we’ll have rough cuts of episodes ready to go here and then we share, once the season’s over, with Netflix and the team at Omaha,” Zucco said. “Like any good creative process, they have creatives on their end that’ll share notes, and there’s always good discourse between all of us to try to put together the best product possible.”
In addition to Samuel and Kittle, the series follows Davante Adams, Justin Jefferson and Amon-Ra St. Brown. These five players all had vastly different seasons with various triumphs and tribulations, many of which were documented by NFL Films. In addition to game action, training, practices, meetings and other football-related activities, the project also explores the personal lives of these players.
Early in the season, directors of the project work to build a genuine relationship with the families and garner trust. The project is unscripted, and players are informed that being honest and open will more accurately convey their narrative in the end product. Adams, a member of the Las Vegas Raiders, emphasized his desire not to have anything fabricated and followed through despite physical impediments amid a mediocre season.
“When he signed up to do the show, I’m sure Davante did not expect his personal season or the Raiders’ season to start off the way that it did,” Zucco surmised, “but watching the series, hopefully you can tell [that] he was very, very candid with us when we were on location with him and in the interview setting about the struggles that he was going through really for the first time in his career.”
Gaining behind-the-scenes access provides consumers with glimpses into football operations while also fostering elements of relatability in different areas. Last year when the series followed NFL quarterbacks, a clip of Cousins shopping in Kohl’s went viral, and he ended up wearing a Kohl’s Cash chain to a game this season. This year’s series followed Jefferson, his teammate, and delineated how he transforms into his alter ego, ‘Jets,’ before games. Going into the series, NFL Films knew about the diametric personalities of receivers as compared to quarterbacks, part of which Zucco attributes to a lack of media training.
“They’re always [wanting] to be heard and be seen,” Zucco said. “They’re the quote-unquote ‘divas’ of the NFL, right? So we kind of knew just going into it that we wanted to highlight the personality of the players as much as anything else.”
Throughout the season, NFL Films kept the production of the show largely concealed from public knowledge. The clandestine nature of their work is something that the company has mastered over its more than six decades in operations, staying out of the way while being present in a voyeuristic manner. In fact, the show has featured athletes who have played in the Super Bowl for the last two years, allowing them to focus on devising and carrying out a game plan to defeat the opponent. Ahead of its production, the venture targeted players with chances to win, and while the strategy has proven advantageous, there are difficulties associated with qualifying for and winning a Super Bowl championship.
“We’ve certainly been very fortunate from a storyteller perspective having those seasons get as far along as they did,” Zucco said, “and if we get a season or some players [for whom] the season don’t go quite as far, it’ll be up to us to make it just as entertaining for the fans even though it wasn’t maybe at the final stages of the season.”
Balancing the type of content NFL Films and its partners present during these series is something that weighs heavily throughout the editing process. Yet the company has found a successful formula evidenced through rankings across five different platforms. Last year, NFL Films content had seven projects attain the No. 1 ranking in this regard, including Quarterback, Bullies of Baltimore and two editions of Hard Knocks.
“It’s a lot of work, [and] we have a lot of great people here, but let’s put it this way,” Zucco said. “Nobody’s complaining that we have this many shows and shows that are really hits right now.”
This offseason, NFL Films and HBO Sports announced that Hard Knocks would add an offseason series and transform its in-season edition to covering an entire division. The New York Giants are being featured for the offseason, conveying the processes and rationale behind free agency, the NFL Draft and preparing for the upcoming training camp.
While the schedules for these shows often line up well for NFL Films, a majority of the company tends to focus on the training camp version of the show through the month of August. Many staff members were split between post-production for Receiver and the offseason edition of Hard Knocks in recent months, further broadening and amplifying the content that is produced.
Having the Hard Knocks series air throughout the year is a testament to the NFL possessing palpable year-round appeal. In documenting games and airing episodes after they conclude for both Receiver and Hard Knocks, NFL Films aims to determine how it can add to the story and showcase elements from a different perspective that encompasses the game and its surroundings.
“When you’ve been doing this for a while, you kind of get a feel like, ‘We need a little break of football here. What type of stuff have we captured off the field that can kind of help us pace the show a little bit?’ and that’s really it,” Zucco said. “It’s more of a feel thing than anything else, but I do feel that showing these players’ personalities and how hard they work and everything it takes to play the game on the field is just as important to the series as a tremendous playoff game is.”
Maintaining a shrewd future outlook while being ready to react to unexpected permutations or shortcomings remains essential in being able to thrive within the media space. Although the aggregate attention span has diminished over the years, the longform content from NFL Films that is presented across its programming has found a way to cut through and aims to inform, educate and entertain viewers.
“When you’re watching it just on a game broadcast from a camera that’s up in a basket in the 200 level, it doesn’t quite resonate as much as it does when you’re right there on the sideline with them and you’re hearing them talk, and then you’re hearing them after the game talk to their wife about, ‘I wish I had done this,’ or, ‘This was such a great play,’” Zucco said. “It makes these guys more relatable.”
As the pay-TV penetration rate diminishes concurrent with cord-cutting, most media networks have seen their traditional means of distribution decline. For MLB Network in particular, the league-owned broadcast network is estimated to be in 33 million homes, according to data from Nielsen Media Research. This is down from the 50 million homes with pay TV in which the network launched in 2009, reflecting a change in viewership habits towards which companies are adjusting. With the start of the second half and upcoming trade deadline, MLB Network will now be available as a direct-to-consumer option for consumers to purchase either as a standalone offering or in a bundle with the MLB At Bat.
MLB Network, the award-winning, league-owned broadcast entity with several signature shows and live game broadcasts, is granting fans a new means to watch the action. The broadcast channel is available to watch for $5.99 per month through the new direct-to-consumer outlet. The “MLB Network + At Bat” option costs $6.99 per month and gives fans all of the network’s content and features within the MLB At Bat app. These include live game audio for all 30 MLB teams, live Minor League Baseball game broadcasts and access to MLB Big Inning.
Current and future paid subscribers to all-teams and single-team packages through MLB.TV are able to stream MLB Network for the remainder of the season. Fans with a participating pay television subscription can also stream the network through an authenticated stream for the 10th straight year.
“As the way viewers consume content continues to evolve, we are excited for baseball fans to have this new option to experience MLB Network through direct-to-consumer streaming,” Bill Morningstar, president of MLB Network, said in a statement. “Going this direction allows us to significantly expand our reach to fans and gives them more choices on how they want to watch the Network’s Emmy Award-winning coverage. With the season approaching the trade deadline, pennant chases and Postseason, MLB Network will provide the most extensive baseball coverage and analysis available anywhere for our viewers.”
MLB Network will have a variety of programming surrounding the second half of the MLB season, including the return of MLB Network Showcase for the New York Yankees and Philadelphia Phillies game on Monday, July 29 at 6:30 p.m. EST with Matt Vasgersian, Tom Verducci and Jon Morosi on the call. The Emmy Award-winning MLB Tonight continues to air featuring live look-ins, game highlights and expert analysis. MLB Network will air 12-and-a-half straight hours of live broadcast coverage on Tuesday, July 30, the day of the trade deadline, starting with MLB Central at 9 a.m. EST.
During All-Star Weekend, MLB Tonight garnered a 52% year-over-year increase for its pregame and postgame coverage across programming surrounding the Home Run Derby and MLB All-Star Game. Additionally, the encore presentation in prime time of the All-Star Red Carpet Show was the second-most watched telecast in the history of the event. Earlier this year, MLB Network attained another viewership milestone when it presented an out-of-market telecast of Jackson Holliday’s major-league debut for the Baltimore Orioles.
Podcast advertising continues to rise as the genre becomes more popular. A new Magellan AI estimate shows just how high the growth has gotten.
According to the company, the top 15 podcast advertisers saw their spending increase by 7% during June. Magellan AI estimates that the top 15 advertisers spent $42.7 million during the month. Of those top 15 purchasers, 66% increased their ad purchases during the month. Additionally, 66% of top 15 podcast advertisers saw their largest spending placed with shows in the sports genre.
The top five brands utilizing podcast advertising during June were Better Help ($7.2 million), Toyota ($4.7 million), Amazon ($3.9 million), Ultra Mobile ($3.7 million), and Shopify ($3.4 million).
Joining Better Help and Amazon in decreasing their spending during the month were MGM Resorts (6th), Progressive (9th), and Simplisafe (12th). Despite reducing their advertising, those companies still spent between $1.7 million and $2.3 million on podcasts last month.
The largest increase in podcast spending came from two unlikely sources during June. Purdue University spent $4,900 in podcast advertising in May, according to Magellan AI. In June, that figure rocketed to $535,800. That represents a 10,835% increase. Meanwhile, television streaming video pioneer Roku increased its podcast spending from $14,900 in May to $997,300 in June, a 6,593% rise.
