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RJ Choppy: MLB Wants to ‘Control All the TV Rights for All the Teams’

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RJ Choppy: MLB Wants to ‘Control All the TV Rights for All the Teams’

The Dallas Stars and Diamond Sports Group came to a mutual agreement last week that will terminate their existing media rights agreement pending court approval. Diamond Sports Group, which has been in Ch. 11 bankruptcy since last March, is nearing a confirmation hearing to attempt and receive official approval of its reorganization plan, which would include $450 million in debtor-in-possession financing as part of the deal. Diamond Sports Group currently holds the rights to nine NHL teams, along with several teams within the NBA and MLB.

While the Stars are reportedly looking to find a new regional television deal, the team and A Parent Media Co. Inc. are creating VICTORY+, a new free ad-supported direct-to-consumer streaming service that will allow fans in the team’s locale to watch live game broadcasts. The Stars are the second National Hockey League team to depart Diamond Sports Group in the last few weeks following the defending Stanley Cup champion Florida Panthers deciding to sign a deal with Scripps Sports.

Rob Manfred, the commissioner of Major League Baseball, was unsure last month when asked about the league’s support pertaining to Diamond’s reorganization plan. Manfred testified in bankruptcy court last year that Sinclair Broadcast Group executive chairman David Smith threatened bankruptcy and the selective rejection of contracts after he did not receive direct-to-consumer broadcast rights to bolster its Bally Sports Plus app. Diamond dropped the San Diego Padres and Arizona Diamondbacks in the midst of the 2023 season, teams that currently have their games produced and disseminated by Major League Baseball itself.

Evan Drellich of The Athletic reported earlier this year that the league and some of its owners had discussed the possibility of nationalizing its television rights. The conversation came from concerns regarding cord cutting, the situation surrounding regional sports networks and the growing presence of live sports within an environment in which more consumers are deciding to stream content. Centralizing the manner in which the media business of the league operates, however, is a hypothetical plan to which RJ Choppy does not foresee large-market teams willingly acquiescing.

“MLB’s pivot – they really want to house all the media rights under one umbrella,” Choppy said on Monday morning’s edition of Shan & RJ on 105.3 The Fan. “They want to have it like the NFL does [where] they control all the TV rights for all the teams. That’s what they want, but you’re never going to get the Red Sox to agree to that or the Yankees or the Dodgers – or these teams have these giant – [or the] Mets – that have these giant regional networks that they own. You’re never going to get them to agree to that.”

Choppy explained that MLB and the NHL have similar television contracts in that most of their games are televised on local networks. He proceeded to outline the three options that he believes the company faces at the conclusion of its Ch. 11 bankruptcy hearing, the first of which is the company exiting bankruptcy and honoring the contracts, something he stated the company does not view as possible. The second option is that Diamond would emerge as an unstable organization akin to where it started, while the third would be MLB taking over its local television rights with games accessible through MLB.TV.

Earlier in the segment, morning show producer Bobby Belt remembered the days when he would be able to watch the Texas Rangers or Dallas Mavericks every night on local television. Belt then explained that there was a time when they could not be seen without a cable package, risking complications as it pertained to carriage agreements. When the Mavericks had a slate of games at the end of the year made available on ABC, it represented a “refreshing change of pace” to him.

“If the Stars are looking to do more of this DTC stuff – a free app where they can basically just do a revenue share with advertisers and things like that – I like the idea of moving back towards this accessible to everybody in the metroplex, not just the ones who have the right cable package or who have the right cable subscription,” Belt said, “because in some instances, where you live, you can’t even get some of these different cable packages.”

Sean Aronson Gets Called Up to the Minnesota Twins Radio Booth

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Sean Aronson Gets Called Up to the Minnesota Twins Radio Booth

Sean Aronson has seen many players called up to the majors in his days as a minor league baseball broadcaster. This time, he was the one to get the call up. Aronson posted the news on his X account over the holiday.

“After 24 years in this business, countless bus rides around the country, and more than 2,600 games in Independent ball and affiliated ball, I’m getting the opportunity to do Major League Baseball,” he wrote. “Six games next week with the Minnesota Twins as they take on the White Sox and Giants.”

Aronson will fill in for Kris Atteberry and call the games with Dan Gladden starting tonight and ending on Sunday before the Twins and the rest of baseball takes off for the All-Star break. Coincidentally, it was Aronson who replaced Attebury in 2007 as the broadcaster for the St. Paul Saints. Aronson has been with the team ever since and has called over 1,900 of their games.

“I’m extremely appreciative to the Minnesota Twins organization, Kris Atteberry, and Andrew Halverson for giving me this opportunity,” said Aronson in a release. “I’ve dreamt about this moment my entire broadcasting career and to finally get the chance to broadcast Major League games is something I won’t soon forget.”

“The Saints family couldn’t be more excited for Sean,” said Saints Executive Vice President/General Manager, Derek Sharrer. “He is a true professional, combining exceptional talent with an unwavering work ethic to be recognized and respected as one of the best in his field. Beyond his own accomplishments, he’s quietly been a door opener and mentor to more young broadcasters than can be counted. For all he’s done, and will continue to do, no one deserves this opportunity more.”

In their release, the Saints noted they have had other announcers in addition to Atteberry and now Aronson who have made the next step into professional sports broadcasting including Anthony LaPanta (Minnesota Wild), Joe Block (Pittsburgh Pirates), and Ryan Lefebvre (Kansas City Royals).

FOX Nation to Debut Series Hosted By Kellyanne Conway

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FOX Nation to Debut Series Hosted By Kellyanne Conway

The FOX Nation streaming platform will have a new show hosted by former White House advisor and Fox News contributor Kellyanne Conway.

Here’s the Deal with Kellyanne Conway will debut on Thursday, July 11th, and will feature new episodes weekly through the 2024 presidential election. The name of the streaming program mimics that of her 2022 New York Times best-selling book.

“The American people are smart; they are also worried about the state of our nation and paying close attention to the issues, individuals, and ideas that will govern our future,” said Conway. “We will go beyond the news headlines and polling toplines to have a deeper conversation and equip the viewers with the compelling illustrative anecdotes and thoughtful analysis that they crave.”

The streaming show will offer Conway’s insights into the race for the White House, her predictions on what will transpire, and look at the biggest issues impacting voters’ choices in the lead-up to the election.

“During an unprecedented election year, we are proud that Kellyanne’s insights into the inner workings of political campaigns based on her unique experience will be available to FOX Nation subscribers,” FOX Nation President Lauren Patterson said.

Joe Buck Set to Return to St. Louis Cardinals Broadcast Booth July 29

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Joe Buck Set to Return to St. Louis Cardinals Broadcast Booth July 29

Joe Buck was scheduled to make his return to the St. Louis Cardinals broadcasting booth for the first time since 2007 earlier this season on May 24, however, the game between the Cardinals and the Chicago Cubs was rained out. Now, a makeup date has been set for July 29 when Buck will join Chip Caray for a game in the Bally Sports Midwest booth.

Buck’s father, Jack Buck and Caray’s grandfather, Harry Caray, worked together calling Cardinals games in the 1950’s and 60’s.

Buck sat in with Caray while the rain came down back in May and the two were able to talk about the significance of them being together and the family history they share. Bally Sports Midwest had several produced pieces they aired with famous calls from all of the members of the Buck and Caray families.

“Holy cow, this should be fun,” Caray said in a Bally Sports release back when the announcement was first made. “I’ve known Joe since our days together in the early days with FOX. I grew up listening to his dad, and my kids have grown up listening to him. I’m really looking forward to a night of laughs, stories, and great memories of the guys who made us possible.”

The July 29 game will feature the Cardinals and the Texas Rangers. Those same two teams faced each other in the 2011 World Series and Buck was on the call for FOX Sports. Buck has not done a baseball game since the 2021 World Series.

Ben Shapiro, Dan Bongino Maintain Top 10 Podcast Audiences in June

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Ben Shapiro, Dan Bongino Maintain Top 10 Podcast Audiences in June

The latest Podtrac podcast rankings for June have been released and shows hosted by Ben Shapiro and Dan Bongino continue to do well.

In the U.S. unique monthly audience category, The Ben Shapiro Show finished in eighth place, while The Dan Bongino Show was ninth. Neither program had any movement compared to the previous month’s rankings.

Six of the top 10 podcasts in the category were from the news genre. The New York Times’ The Daily took the top spot, with NPR News Now, NPR’s Up First, and Fox News Hourly Update all finishing inside the the top 10.

Additionally, one of the biggest moves on the charts was The Shawn Ryan Show from the Cumulus Podcast Network. It jumped seven places to finish 13th.

In the publishers sector, iHeartMedia finished with the top two spots in the U.S. Audience category. Libsyn, Wondery, Acast, NPR, The Walt Disney Company, Daily Wire, Vox Media, and Fox Audio Network also finished in the top 10.

Dallas Stars Reveal VICTORY+ Sports Network

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Dallas Stars Reveal VICTORY+ Sports Network

The Dallas Stars have entered into a seven-year agreement with A Parent Media Co. Inc. (APMC) enabling all regional telecasts of the team games to be streamed for free beginning in the 2024-25 season. Live game broadcasts will be available to watch on VICTORY+, a new direct-to-consumer service created by both the Stars and APMC. The free ad-supported streaming service will be available for download on smart TVs, tablets and smartphones beginning in September 2024, ensuring fans within the team’s regional territory will be able to watch the games. Fans who are located outside of this area, which consists of Texas, Oklahoma, Louisiana and Arkansas, will be able to utilize VICTORY+ and watch ancillary content from the team.

“After years of researching the right solution and careful planning with our partners at APMC, we’re proud to announce this pioneering streaming platform that will literally change the game for sports distribution on VICTORY+,” Brad Alberts, president and chief executive officer of the Dallas Stars, said in a statement. “Our first priority has always been our fan base, and on VICTORY+ fans will be able to stream 100 percent of Stars content for free through this innovative and unique streaming platform for sports programming.”

Jason Walsh, former FOX Sports executive producer and Dallas Stars vice president of broadcasting, will be working for APMC to lead VICTORY+ and deliver stellar broadcast quality. The Stars are the first client of VICTORY+, which will look to implement additional sports teams in the future with advertising as its primary driver of revenue. The service will utilize APMC’s ad-tech solution Safe Exchange to facilitate direct and programmatic advertising on the service to grant clientele access to the full audience.

“With more than a decade of safe streaming and monetization experience, we are excited to expand beyond Kidoodle.TV and Dude Perfect into sports,” Neil Gruninger, president and chief executive officer of APMC, said in a statement. “This presents a remarkable opportunity to collaborate with the Dallas Stars, an organization that is prioritizing their fans. Leveraging our digital expertise, we aim to create a cutting-edge platform that unites fans, teams, athletes, content providers, advertisers and brands in a unique streaming service that celebrates them all collectively.”

The news comes just days after Diamond Sports Group and the Dallas Stars mutually agreed to terminate their television broadcasting contract as the regional sports network owner continues to dwindle its portfolio. Stars games were previously available to watch on Bally Sports Southwest and available to stream utilizing the Bally Sports+ app in addition to other teams in the National Hockey League and National Basketball Association. With this move, Diamond Sports Group currently has the rights to nine NHL teams after it had previously carried 12 clubs before entering into Ch. 11 bankruptcy.

“Rejection of the Stars Agreement is well within the Debtors’ business judgment and is in the best interest of their estates,” Diamond Sports Group said in a court filing issued last Wednesday. “As a result of the Debtors’ ongoing analysis of its team rights portfolio, the Debtors have determined that the costs associated with performing under the Stars Agreement for its remaining term, including payment of substantial rights fees, outweigh the revenues the Debtors are able to obtain through broadcasting Stars games.”

Earlier in the month, the defending Stanley Cup champion Florida Panthers moved television rights from Diamond Sports Group’s Bally Sports Florida to Scripps Sports, now broadcasting games on over-the-air networks. Diamond has a confirmation hearing later in the month that is expected to determine the fate of the company after being in Ch. 11 bankruptcy for over a year. The company received a $115 million investment from Amazon that would involve it taking a minority stake in Diamond should its restructuring agreement receive court approval.

Bally Sports Southwest is 90% owned by Diamond Sports Group and 10% owned by the Texas Rangers, which entered into an extension with Diamond through the 2024 season. Mark Cuban, former owner of the Dallas Mavericks, said last November that the team would look at all its options upon the expiration of its deal with Bally Sports Southwest that reportedly lasts through the end of the decade. Bally Sports networks are no longer carried by Comcast or Altice USA after the entities were unable to come to terms on new carriage agreements. Networks owned by Diamond currently reach 84% of U.S. pay TV subscribers, according to court filings from the company.

“Despite the mutual agreement between the Dallas Stars and Diamond Sports Group to end our current relationship pending court approval, we would like to acknowledge that we wouldn’t be here today without the partnership and commitment of Bally Sports and their staff over the past 25 years and thank them for their partnership,” Alberts said in a statement.

Report: Gregg Rosenthal to Anchor ‘NFL Daily’ as ‘Around the NFL’ Comes to an End

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Report: Gregg Rosenthal to Anchor ‘NFL Daily’ as ‘Around the NFL’ Comes to an End

The Around the NFL podcast featuring Gregg Rosenthal, Dan Hanzus and Marc Sessler has come to an end as NFL Media makes changes to its programming lineup. The show had not released a new episode since May and later resulted in an announcement from Rosenthal on social media that the show was ending.

Over the 11 years it was recording new episodes, the podcast had cemented itself into content synonymous with the National Football League and released more than 1600 episodes. Rosenthal averred within his message that he did not expect the last show to take place on May 23 but that it was the reality of the situation that had unfolded. Prior to that point, Around the NFL released new episodes three times a week and was a nominee for “Best Sports Podcast” from iHeartMedia.

Rosenthal is reportedly remaining with NFL Media for a new show titled NFL Daily, which officially makes its debut on Tuesday, according to a report from Jacob Feldman of Sportico. The program will be released five days per week and include additional NFL Media talent and experts from outside of the company. NFL Network host Patrick Claybon and Jourdan Rodrigue of The Athletic will reportedly appear on the debut episode of the program. ESPN analyst Mina Kimes will also join the show later in the week, according to the report from Sportico.

Several other voices from NFL Network will contribute to the program, including Nick Shook, Colleen Wolfe and Steve Wyche. Although Rosenthal will be on this program, Hanzus and Sessler are no longer part of NFL Media as the company continues to refine its content oeuvre.

“We are excited about the new direction of ‘NFL Daily’ and our entire podcast lineup, and look forward to what Gregg and all of our unique and talented voices will bring fans this season and beyond,” the National Football League said in a statement provided to Sportico.

NFL Media has undergone a series of changes throughout the offseason surrounding its content, including layoffs of on-air personalities including James Palmer, Andrew Siciliano, Melissa Stark, Will Selva and Michael Irvin, according to reports from The Athletic and the New York Post.

The company also canceled NFL Total Access after it had been on the air for 21 years, along with moving its morning show, Good Morning Football, from New York, N.Y. to Los Angeles, Calif. and adding a two-hour syndicated edition. NFL Network has a current distribution of 49.6 million homes, according to recent data from Nielsen Media Research, part of a larger decline as consumers engage in cord cutting and consume content through OTT streaming services and virtual multichannel video programming distributors (vMVPDs).

Glen Macnow Hosts Final Sunday Show with Jody McDonald on 94WIP

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Glen Macnow Hosts Final Sunday Show with Jody McDonald on 94WIP

After 31 years behind the microphone at SportsRadio 94WIP, Glen Macnow hosted his final Sunday show over the weekend with his partner Jody McDonald. Macnow still has one more shift on the schedule which will happen next Saturday and then that is it for the longtime member of the station’s air staff.

As they started their final show together, Macnow said, “Well, after three decades and thousands of shows together, Jody Mc, this is the final one where it will just be the two of us.”

Macnow talked about their time together and mentioned how while he bounced around from middays to evenings back to middays to afternoon drive and then to the weekends the last two years, McDonald had left and come back more than once.

“I just want to say as we begin this show today, we will be back together next Saturday in what will be my final, final show at 94WIP,” Macnow said. “Coming into the show, I really want to say that you, Jody McDonald, have been a terrific partner, have been a guide for me at times, always a friend. And I appreciate everything about you. I am going to very much miss doing this with you on the air.”

McDonald is not buying that next weekend will be Macnow’s final show on the station.

“Are you telling me you’re never going to do a show again on WIP after next weekend?” he asked. “If Rod Lakin calls you in October and says someone is sick and we need you to fill in. You’re going to say no? It’s going to be the last regularly scheduled show, that I get, but don’t tell these people you’re never going to show up on WIP again. I know you better than that. You’re not moving to Istanbul or anything.”

“I don’t know,” Macnow replied. “I have honestly not discussed that with Rod Lakin. I told him I’m retiring; he shook my hand and said, ‘Good Luck.’…It is not part of my future plans. Remaining on the air at WIP really isn’t something I have considered.”

When he announced this would be happening in April, Macnow calculated that he has hosted approximately 6,5000 shows on WIP and spoke into the station’s microphones for more than 25,000 hours.

“For more than 31 years – 20 of them as a full-time host and the last 11 of them on weekends – I have had the pleasure of sitting in these studios sharing my thoughts on Philadelphia sports, celebrating and suffering with this marvelous fanbase,” Macnow said in April. “I worked with talented partners and producers, I have wrestled with bosses and always tried to be honest in my opinions. I’ve had the privilege of seeing amazing performances on the field, on the ice [and] on the court. I got to broadcast two championship parades – and to be honest, I thought there were going to be more of those, but I’ll take two – and now it’s time to put down the headset.”

Salem Radio Network to Host Shows From Republican National Convention

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Salem Radio Network to Host Shows From Republican National Convention

The 2024 Republican National Convention is scheduled for next week in Milwaukee, and Salem Radio Network is already making preparations to be on location.

The Mike Gallagher Show will be heard from Milwaukee for the duration of the convention at Media Row in Panther Arena, adjacent to Fiserv Forum which will host the event.

Additionally, SRN News and TOWNHALL News will provide top and bottom-of-the-hour newscasts from seats inside Fiserv Forum. The twin news networks will also provide live feeds of acceptance speeches from presidential nominee Donald Trump and his yet-to-be-announced running mate.

“As the 2024 Presidential campaign kicks into high gear, SRN and SNC will provide live coverage of the RNC that will be second to none,” said Salem Radio Network Vice President of News & Talk Programming Tom Tradup. “Along with Mike Gallagher, SRN News White House correspondent Greg Clugston, and SRN News U.S. Senate correspondent Bob Agnew, we’ll have on-site perspective from our AMERICA FIRST host Dr. Sebastian Gorka, himself a former National Security strategist in the first Trump administration.”

WFNZ Hosts Kyle Bailey and Wes Bryant Named Broadcast Team for USA Football

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WFNZ Hosts Kyle Bailey and Wes Bryant Named Broadcast Team for USA Football

USA Football announced its broadcast team for the upcoming Week at The One, a series of flag football competitions held at Dignity Health Sports Park, home of the LA Galaxy, from July 11-14. WFNZ hosts Kyle Bailey and Wes Bryant will do the honors. HomeTeam Live will broadcast every game live and for free at app.hometeamlive.com.

“The Week at the One presented by Under Armour is home to USA Football’s premier flag football events, and we’re thrilled to have a pair of announcers in Kyle and Wes who will bring the fast-paced, creative and exciting nature of flag football to life for our viewers on HomeTeam Live,” said Joe Banach, Director of Corporate & Strategic Partnerships for USA Football in a release. “Flag football’s popularity, growth and reach are accelerating at an unbelievable pace. The excitement that both Kyle and Wes have already shown for this discipline of the sport, and their familiarity with each other, make them a great fit for USA Football.”

Bailey, who hosts The Kyle Bailey Show from 3 p.m. to 6 p.m. weekday afternoons, said “Becoming the voice of USA Football’s premier flag football events is an unbelievable honor. The athletes that comprise these teams are amazing, and so are their stories. I can’t wait to share this experience with the players, coaches and fans of the sport, and I’m especially excited to work with my good friend Wes Bryant. His professionalism, preparation and enthusiasm for the game will shine on these broadcasts. To play a small part in representing USA Football means a great deal to me, and I can’t wait to get started.”

Bailey’s play-by-play experience includes football, baseball and basketball at the high school, collegiate and professional levels. He has called a variety of events from high school state championship games to Power 5 college football to Division I men’s basketball.

Bryant co-hosts The Wes and Walker Show in middays and is a host, producer, editor and voice-over talent for the ACC Digital Network. He has also provided coverage of ACC football and basketball, including the ACC Football Championship Game and the ACC men’s and women’s college basketball tournaments. Bryant was a three-year letter winner at Wake Forest from 2003-05 after earning All-America honors at Vance High School in Charlotte.

“Taking this opportunity with USA Football was a no brainer for me because I’ve enjoyed football, in all its variations, since I was a kid. I simply enjoyed the sport and wanted to be part of it,” said Bryant. “I love the athleticism, skill and different strategies in flag football, and I look forward to seeing the best in the sport compete. To be able to call the games with Kyle is the cherry on top of this opportunity. We’ve become fast friends, and our relationship is only going to enhance our ability to bring a great experience to the viewers.”

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