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Buster Olney, ESPN Baseball Insider, Hacked on Social Media

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Buster Olney, ESPN Baseball Insider, Hacked on Social Media

ESPN baseball insider Buster Olney had his X account hacked today. Olney, who has 1.3 million followers, had his account hacked around 5 p.m. ET according to a story posted by SI. In all, the hacker sent 10 different posts from Olney’s account over a span of approximately 20 minutes.

Some of the posts were strange videos and GIFs and others were baseball news items that included the White Sox and the Phillies making a trade involving Luis Robert Jr and one saying the Mets had worked out a deal to send Francisco Lindor to Oakland.

Another post stated, “Shoehei Ohtani has been banned for life from the MLB, in connection to charges with gambling. His trial is on August 28th, it is speculated he could get life in prison.”

Another post said, “The season is cancelled due to Covid.” And one simply said, “I Hate METS.”

All of the posts have since been deleted and all appears ok with Olney’s X account, although he has yet to post anything since the incident occured.

Nick Wright: ‘I Am Bullish on Sports Media Even if the Form is Going to Change’

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Nick Wright: ‘I Am Bullish on Sports Media Even if the Form is Going to Change’

While celebrating ‘610 Day’ today during the 30th anniversary of SportsRadio 610 in Houston, several former hosts joined the station to share memories and hit on current events. Today’s version of In the Loop was hosted by John Lopez, as per usual, but his guest co-host was his partner from over a decade ago, Marc Vandermeer, who is currently the voice of the Hoston Texans. The two of them welcomed back some other former 610 hosts including Josh Innes, who is now hosting afternoons on rock station KSHE-95 in St. Louis as well as Nick Wright of FS1’s First Things First.

Wright had a lot of praise for his former co-host on what was then known as In the Loop with Nick and Lopez. He talked about how kind of a person Lopez is and said he felt like Lopez prepared him well for fatherhood. Wright said he was 27 when he arrived in Houston from Kansas City, before eventually heading to FOX Sports in 2016.

Wright shared stories about his time in Houston and mentioned when we thought he was going to have to go to jail over protecting his source on a story about child abuse involving NFL player Adrian Peterson.

Lopez and Vandermeer asked Wright about being at the first game of the NBA Finals, his thoughts on his Kansas City Chiefs and his take on the Texans and quarterback CJ Stroud. He was then asked about the state of the media and sports talk business and whether or not he is worried about all of the changes and what could happen next.

“I am not certain what the delivery mechanisms will be, but I am certain what we do will always have a strong place in the market,” he said. “People like to argue about sports and people like to talk about their teams.

“I feel like the delivery might change, but the folks who can do what we do, well, will always be in demand in some capacity. Maybe it will be more YouTube than terrestrial radio, maybe it will be more shorter clips. I don’t know exactly and it’s not my job to figure it out. [There is] one thing that I do think local radio has going for it that no one has been able to replace, and I don’t think it’s going to be replaced anytime soon. The moment the game ends I want people reacting to that game and no matter how much you like a podcast, it doesn’t give you that instant gratification. Now, some of these shows that will hop on YouTube as soon as a game ends, now that works, it is a similar type of thing. But you can’t have that when you’re driving home from a game, you can’t have that passively the way you can the radio.”

Wright then talked about sports being the one thing that brings people together with all of the other negative things that go on and what people talk about on social media.

“I think right now, sports are almost the only thing that unites people,” he said. “Sports, in general, is the one thing where we can all come together and I think it’s one of the reasons why, that while ratings in television for everything are down, sports are up. Everything else is divisive and sports, people enjoy. So, I am bullish on sports media, even if the form is going to change somewhat.”

Stephen A. Smith: If Caitlin Clark Olympics Snub is About Marathon, ‘Don’t Be Holding People Accountable for Not Promoting the Sport More’

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Within the final segment of the opening hour of First Take on ESPN, the show was having a debate about whether or not it was the right decision to leave Indiana Fever rookie guard and No. 1 overall WNBA draft pick Caitlin Clark off of the USA Basketball Women’s Olympic Team. The show panel consisted of featured commentator and executive producer Stephen A. Smith with Chiney Ogwumike, Andraya Carter and Shannon Sharpe, all of whom gave their opinions pertaining to the question at hand.

Ogwumike expressed that she believed the selection committee was giving Clark more time to grow with the next generation and that the entity was ultimately setting her up for success. The group, she articulated, was ultimately prioritizing the actual game of basketball rather than the ability to sell jerseys.

Smith did not have time to reply to this assertion but directed the show to come back with the discussion at the top of the hour. Upon its return, the debate resumed and Carter outlined that she understood the marketing perspective behind including Clark. After all, she is one of the most popular players in the league and has been in games with high levels of viewership and ticket sales. Several teams have moved certain games on their schedules to larger venues to accommodate the crowds interested in seeing Clark and the Indiana Fever take the court. Yet Carter felt that the perspectives were short-sighted, conveying how Clark has been playing basketball consistently since November.

“A break could be appreciated, and the worst thing you would want is something to happen to Caitlin where she can’t finish out the WNBA season,” Carter said. “I know you all want to grow this game so quickly, but I don’t know how dollars from TV deals watching the Olympics translates from dollars from TV deals watching the WNBA. We’re going to continue to grow the game and the W as people tune in to watch Caitlin in the W, and her rest and the potential dynamo finish to the season that she could have could grow the game more on the backend than anything else.”

Smith then revealed that a respected figure in the journalism business reached out to him and used the word “tragic” to describe what Carter was expressing. Within his discourse, Smith implored that this was about history and paying attention to the reality of the situation. He then referenced how Isiah Thomas was left off the USA Basketball Men’s Olympic Team in 1992, something he called a “travesty” and “one of the biggest crimes in the history of Olympic competition.” In the end, Smith attributed that decision as being an ultimate appeasement aimed towards Chicago Bulls star guard Michael Jordan.

“It’s how it goes, and we sat here last week, and I personally got accused of not promoting the WNBA more by our lovely colleague Monica McNutt – no problems with her whatsoever; love her to death – but she accused me of that, right?,” Smith said. “No problem, but we then go on to acknowledge there are many others who didn’t do enough of a job promoting the WNBA.”

Smith explained that the reason that First Take did not do a better job of promoting the WNBA was because of the lack of interest, sizzle and headlines. He then tied that assertion into what just occurred with the selection committee and how people are still expressing discontent towards different facets of the sport, such as the maximum salary and lack of notoriety.

“You’re complaining about all of these things, and the one person who has proven they can alleviate that concern; that can ultimately serve the benefit, the [betterment of the] whole, now we want to sit up there and get all altruistic and stuff in talking about, ‘Hey, it’s about the sanctity of the game and the level of competition,’” Smith said. “You going to win by 30 without her just like you’d win by 30 with her. It don’t make a difference. You make the call because of the betterment of the whole in the end. That is not compromising your integrity – that is business, and y’all are going to find that out.”

Carter replied by recollecting that Team USA won its first Olympics game by nine points the last time the team competed in the proceedings. The committee, she claimed, chose to leave Clark off the roster to allow her to flourish long term and grow the game in that sense. Smith then exclaimed that she was saying the committee did it for her well-being, leading Ogwumike and Carter, along with host Molly Qerim, to try and explain the situation all at once.

“Stephen A., it’s not about her well being,” Qerim said. “It’s to put the best team out there.”

“That’s literally not what I said,” Carter articulated.

Ogwumike acknowledged that the sport is at a pivotal moment, but that it represents more of a marathon than a sprint. Placing Clark in the best position to succeed, she presumed, could come by putting her in the global spotlight when the Olympic Games come to Los Angeles, Calif. in 2028 when she has more experience and familiarity with the league and others in the sport.

“If you’re thinking about that marathon, then don’t be holding people accountable for not promoting the sport more,” Smith replied “Oh no, don’t do that. Can’t have it both ways if you think about the marathon.”

“What were your words about A’ja Wilson?,” Carter questioned. “That she was ‘the most marketable player in the sport.’ You said that, you said that. So when this Olympics comes up, we should have First Take segments on what A’ja Wilson does in the Olympics, and then people will watch because you say it; because you already said that about A’ja, so we’re already going to talk about the Olympics on First Take.”

Smith replied by explaining that he had been saying it about her, and Sharpe tried to explain that it is not how television works. Qerim, however, needed to get the show to a commercial break, resembling the debate last week between Smith and McNutt, and promised that the show could come back to the topic following the pause.

Bomani Jones: NBC Should Put Caitlin Clark on the Today Show Talking About Olympic Basketball

BSM Staff
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Bomani Jones: NBC Should Put Caitlin Clark on the Today Show Talking About Olympic Basketball

It seems every sports media personality in the country has given their take about Caitlin Clark not making the USA women’s Olympic basketball team. Most have pointed to what they consider a missed marketing opportunity for women’s basketball and the WNBA. Bomani Jones is not buying that. On today’s episode of The Right Time with Bomani Jones he came up with what he thinks is a better idea, which would invoice Caitlin Clark doing some work in the media.

Jones said he cannot understand why people in the media are getting a major attitude over the subject. “What I don’t understand about it is being passionate about the fact that she’s not on this Olympic team when you know she doesn’t deserve it,” Jones said.

“So, to me, the idea that we are sports fans and that we are into sports, and we are going to passionately advocate somebody getting something they don’t deserve,” he continued. “That’s crazy talk to me and I can only assume the people who would want to do that are the people who are… least invested in the games. It’s such a cynical outlook that I can’t believe people are getting out here, out loud and saying this.”

Jones went on to explain the viewership side of the Olympics, saying, “The Olympics is sports for people who don’t watch sports. The audience is not sports fans, you have to keep that part in mind.

“The Olympics is sports for people who watch the Today Show. The Olympics is an opportunity for NBC to showcase their fall lineup through all their ads for everybody who watches it. Now, I could make a very strong argument that that is an audience that would love them some Caitlin Clark, because I feel like that is, in part, an audience that is fueling the phenomenon of Caitlin Clark.

“You know what would get as many eyeballs on the women’s game as Caitlin Clark playing on the women’s Olympics team with that audience?…Have Caitlin Clark on the Today Show talking about the basketball. Because clearly, the people that we are talking about who want to see her that bad, don’t really care that much about the basketball, so maybe you use her to introduce the basketball. No different than having Draymond Green on the TNT set, just having a current player up there talking about it.”

Jones said he has to think Caitlin Clark is exhausted and would appreciate the time off from playing. He said he envisions a scenario where if she was on the Olympic team, the training camp would be a long hazing session for her she would probably rather not deal with. In his mind, having her on NBC programming surrounding the Olympics talking about the games and highlighting the great WNBA players on Team USA could be a win-win.

“It makes perfect sense that she is not on this team, and it is not crazy she is not on this team'” he said. “There are other ways you can use her to help further the wave we are talking about here. But the loudest voices in this discussion care the least about the basketball.”

NHL Stanley Cup Final Game 1 Averages 3.1 Million Viewers on ESPN Networks

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NHL Stanley Cup Final Game 1 Averages 3.1 Million Viewers on ESPN Networks

The NHL Stanley Cup Final series is underway, and the Florida Panthers came out hot on their way to a 3-0 win over the Edmonton Oilers to lead the best of seven series one game to none. The game drew 3.1 million viewers and peaked at 3.65 million. The total viewership is an increase of 12% over Game 1 from last year between Florida and Las Vegas which was shown on Warner Bros. Discovery networks.

Through 42 games, the Stanley Cup Playoffs on ESPN Networks are averaging 1.45 million total viewers, which is up 26% versus 2023’s average and up 16% from 2022.

Overall, the first three rounds of this year’s postseason were the most-watched playoffs for the NHL since 1996 across the United States. They are also the most-watched playoffs since 2018 across North America.

Game 2 of the final series will take place this evening and will be carried by ABC. Sean McDonaugh will call the play-by-play with ice-level reporter Ray Ferraro, and analysts Mark Messier and P.K. Subban.

Games 3 and 4 will be played on Thursday and Saturday. If necessary, Games 5 and 6 would be next Tuesday and Friday. If a Game 7 is needed, it will be played on Monday June 24.

Joe Rose Show: Caitlin Clark Story Has Turned into a Race to See Who Can Come Up with the Worst Take

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Joe Rose Show: Caitlin Clark Story Has Turned into a Race to See Who Can Come Up with the Worst Take

Over the weekend, news broke that Indiana Fever rookie guard and NCAA Basketball all-time scoring leader Caitlin Clark would not be a member of the USA Basketball Women’s National Team for the Olympic Games Paris 2024. Although Clark is one of the alternates that could be selected if a player is injured and unable to play, the roster snub has elicited conversation surrounding the WNBA superstar on a variety of different programs. Joe Rose, hosting his eponymous WQAM morning drive show alongside Danny “Hollywood” Rabinowitz, discussed Clark not being selected for the roster.

As the segment began, Rose mentioned how the show does not discuss much national news before proceeding to talk about the situation at hand. Clark has been at the center of sports debate over the last week for a variety of reasons, including Chicago Sky guard Chennedy Carter committing a flagrant foul on her during a game. Throughout her rookie year with the Indiana Fever, she has had to combat misogynistic points of view and presumptuous questions from members of the media, which began at her introductory press conference days after the WNBA Draft.

“I’m just, ‘So what?,’” Rose said pertaining to the situation surrounding Clark. “I know everybody’s got an opinion on this, and it’s brought out, you know, hear a lot of women jumping on guys now. ‘All of a sudden, you guys care about this story,’ and, ‘Where have you been for women’s sports?,’ and now all of a sudden, you don’t like the way we’re – if she’s not one of the best, she shouldn’t be on the team.”

Rabinowitz contested this point by explaining that if the goal was to grow the sport of women’s basketball, Clark would be included on the team. After all, games featuring the Iowa Hawkeyes during the NCAA Division I women’s basketball tournament frequently averaged high levels of viewership. The Hawkeyes were part of the National Championship Game that averaged 18.7 million viewers across ABC and ESPN earlier in the year, which was preceded by several record-breaking telecasts in the earlier rounds of the tournament.

The WNBA Draft averaged 2.45 million viewers this year on ESPN, which represents a 328% increase from the previous year. Additionally, Clark’s debut drew 2.13 million viewers across ESPN networks., marking the most-watched WNBA game since Memorial Day in 2001 and the first time a WNBA game surpassed an average of 1 million viewers in 16 years. Rose, however, believes that the best players should be selected on the team and that Clark’s impact on viewership should not affect the roster.

“There’s enough people on the team where you could have found a spot for her,” Rabinowitz said on The Joe Rose Show on WQAM. “It’s not like she’s terrible – and here’s the other part of it. I don’t want to be one of these ESPN people that claims they think they’re an expert on women’s basketball. I have no idea who’s good in the WNBA and who’s not. I just know that she draws eyeballs to the TV, and if you’re trying to grow the sport, having her on the team would have been beneficial.”

Indiana Fever head coach Christie Sides explained that Clark told her that they “woke a monster” upon the decision to omit Clark from the Team USA roster. Rose conveyed that if Clark had made the team, she would sit at the end of the bench and only enter the game if the team was up by 30 points.

‘“Stay around,’” Rose said, mimicking a broadcaster. “Caitlin’s going to get in even though the game was over like an hour ago.’”

“You can make that joke, but people care,” Rabinowitz replied. “People want to watch her play. That’s why the arenas are selling out; that’s why the league has the popularity it does, but this is, by the way, this has turned into a race to see who can come up with the worst take on this whole women’s basketball and all this other stuff, man. Everyone’s got a wild opinion.”

Although Rose mentioned that the top college coaches are making comments on Clark and that some women in the league are jealous that Clark is being viewed as a savior for the sport, he also stated that Clark would likely have many more Olympics ahead if she ends up being a good player. Rose, who has been a member of WQAM since 1992, the year in which the station moved to an all-sports format, revealed that he had not talked about women’s basketball previously in his radio career.

Within the segment, Rose compared the situation to what happened with the USA Basketball Men’s National Team in the 1992 Olympics, colloquially referred to as the “Dream Team,” and asked if it was such a big deal that it should be a topic. Even though he said that he does not really care about the topic personally, he believes that the most-deserving women should go to the Olympics in a quest to win a medal.

“There are a lot of people that are watching this stuff for the first time, and it’s 150% because of her” Rabinowitz said after receiving a text from a listener who claimed that Clark was the only reason they were interested in women’s basketball.

“‘Hey girls, you girls on the Olympic team, we got a spot for Caitlin because I know you don’t like to hear this, but she’s really good for business,’” Rose said, seemingly impersonating a selection committee member. “‘We don’t think she’s one of the top-12 players, but she’s good for business. More eyeballs, more money down the road for us in the WNBA, so suck it up girls. Suck it up, ladies. There you go.’”

Mike Gallagher Signs Contract Extension with Salem Media Group

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Mike Gallagher Signs Contract Extension with Salem Media Group

Longtime nationally syndicated radio host Mike Gallagher has revealed he has signed a contract extension with Salem Media Group.

While speaking at the Talkers 2024 conference on Friday, Gallagher shared that he has inked a deal that will keep him on the conservative radio network’s national lineup through 2029.

Gallagher, who has been with the network since 2001, will continue to host The Mike Gallagher Show for Salem Radio Network through the duration of the deal. Additionally, the program will continue to be simulcast on Salem News Channel.

While discussing his contract extension, Gallagher shared his excitement and enthusiasm for the contract extension. The longtime Salem Radio Network stalwart stated he’s grateful to continue with a company that holds the same values as him.

The announcement of Gallagher’s contract extension comes on the heels of his program being added to 98.9 WORD in Greenville, South Carolina last month. The move was a homecoming for Gallagher who worked at the now Audacy-owned station more than 35 years ago.

Newsmax Announces Plan to Take Company Public

BNM Staff
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Newsmax Announces Plan to Take Company Public

Newsmax has announced plans to take the company’s stock public. The company will look to complete the process and implement its initial public offering by the end of this year or in early 2025.

Before that potential IPO, however, Newsmax is offering a private investor offering for eligible investors in an effort to raise a maximum of $225 million before going public. Investors who meet the company’s qualifications can buy into the company for as low as $5,000, according to a statement from the conservative outlet.

“While achieving significant success, Newsmax has stayed true to our mission of providing Americans with honest and real news,” CEO Chris Ruddy said. “Now more than ever, especially in this election year of 2024, America needs Newsmax and you can join with us as an investor.”

The company will investigate its options with both the New York Stock Exchange and Nasdaq before deciding on who to host its IPO with. It currently reaches more than 40 million Americans regularly between its bevy of media entities.

Rich Lord: Joining SportsRadio 610 Was the ‘Best Decision I Ever Made in the Business’

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Rich Lord: Joining SportsRadio 610 Was the ‘Best Decision I Ever Made in the Business’

SportsRadio 610 is in the midst of its 30th year on the air in Houston broadcasting in the all-sports format and is celebrating the station throughout Monday with 610 Day. One of the figures who helped the outlet grow in scope and eminence over that time is former host Rich Lord, among the early cohort of voices heard on the station and synonymous with sports in the locale.

Lord formerly hosted in afternoon drive with a variety of colleagues over his 25 years with the station and also served as the sideline reporter for its Houston Texans live game broadcasts. In 2019, Lord was let go from the station as part of lineup changes, after which he expressed his gratitude for the outlet and conveyed that he felt fortunate to have had the role.

As part of 610 Day programming on Monday, Lord joined his former co-host Sean Pendergast in morning drive with Brandon Scott, who was filling in for Seth Payne, for a special guest appearance on the Payne & Pendergast morning show. The program introduced him with “Born to Run” by Bruce Springsteen, one of his favorite artists for many years. While the song did not represent a “deep cut” per se, Lord expressed that he has had somewhat of a falling out with Springsteen after paying over the list price for his last tickets to one of his shows.

Throughout the morning show, Pendergast shared that he and Scott had been receiving several texts from listeners reminiscing about the station and that his name had been coming up considerably. In fact, some people mentioned the early Section 610 days working with former Houston Post columnist Kenny Hand as his co-host.

“In 1995 when I joined the station, all-sports radio was pretty much still in its infancy and not necessarily a proven long-term format for a radio station, so a ‘leap of faith’ is a good way to put it because I felt like I was at KTRH and there was no pressure to leave,” Lord said. “The Rockets had just won a second championship and we were the flagship station, so ‘leap of faith’ is a good way to put it, but without question the best decision I ever made in the business.”

Lord elaborated on the story behind his decision to leave NewsRadio 740 KTRH after six years and join a new station, some of which had to do with former Infinity Broadcasting executive Dickie Rosenfeld. Throughout his time in Houston, Rosenfeld was responsible for several innovations within the media space and helped bring The Beatles to Houston in 1965.

“By the time he came looking for me as someone to work at 610, he was a Houston radio legend,” Lord said of Rosenfeld. “If Dickie Rosenfeld gave you a phone call, you definitely called back and wanted to know what he had to say.”

Lord described his move to SportsRadio 610 as a “leap of faith” and explained that Rosenfeld ultimately convinced him to join the station broadcasting in the all-sports format. Scott was curious to evince Lord’s thoughts about how the station and sports radio business has changed since his time on the air. Preceding his query, Scott articulated that people can watch the show through a variety of different outlets, including YouTube and Twitch.

“I think I can sum it up with one question,” Lord replied. “‘What the hell is Twitch?’”

The studio erupted into laughter before Scott explained that it was a video streaming platform. Lord revealed that he had heard of the outlet but could not say exactly what it was. Even so, he delineated how as a consumer, he has altered the ways in which he listens to SportsRadio 610 amid technological advancements making the medium even more accessible to the audience.

“Honestly guys, when I listen – and I’m sure a lot of people are just like me – it’s not like I jump in my car and throw on the AM radio,” Lord said. “I’m the same way. I’m connecting through the internet and listening that way, so that’s probably the biggest thing because I was a little worried when social media came about and all the podcasts and all the streaming came about.”

Lord explained that a large portion of the listenership when he was hosting came from people on their commutes to and from work. With more people working in hybrid and remote formats following the global pandemic, he acknowledges that the situation has evolved to meet the widespread proclivities within the modern media landscape.

“It almost feels like now there’s almost even great access to the programming than there used to be,” Lord said, “which is encouraging to me for the medium because I know there’s other things going on with regard to radio that are the opposite of that, [which] are discouraging [rather than] encouraging.”

As one of his former co-hosts, Pendergast asked Lord if he had amassed power rankings with the people whom he worked with, to which he replied that he cherished his time with everyone. Josh Innes, who served as Lord’s co-host before Pendergast, left the station in 2013, and while there were moments where their show did not go well, Lord regards him as “the most talented guy” that he ever worked with. Lord and Innes remain friends to this day despite their frequent disputations, none of which were artificial or fabricated.

“It was more fun with some than it was with others, and with Josh at times, it was not fun, but I do look back fondly on our time spent together, and we’ve had some conversations,” Lord said. “I’ve been on his show, and we’re totally good, and like I said, that might disappoint some of the people who remember the show, but we’re totally good. I don’t have any issues with anybody I ever worked with. I feel fortunate to have been in that position.”

Mike Sullivan Announces Retirement From AM 1420 KTOE

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Mike Sullivan Announces Retirement From AM 1420 KTOE

Longtime AM 1420 KTOE morning co-host Mike Sullivan has announced he’s retiring from the Mankato news/talk station later this month.

Sullivan has worked at the station since 2000, co-hosting The Morning Blend alongside Aaron Worm. In addition to his role on the show, he’s also the Sports Director for the station, where he has served as the radio play-by-play voice of the Minnesota State University hockey program.

“Sully is a true pro in the profession,” Minnesota State men’s hockey coach Luke Strand said about the longtime radio voice. “His passion for Maverick hockey and the Mankato community is second to none. We will miss his everyday contributions.”

Mike Sullivan made the announcement that he would depart the news/talk station during Monday morning’s program. His final day with the Radio Mankato station will be June 30th.

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