DAZN has added another major piece to its growing boxing portfolio, announcing a multi-year agreement with Top Rank that significantly strengthens its position as a central hub for the sport while extending the reach of one of boxing’s most established promotional brands.
The deal signals a notable shift in distribution strategy for Top Rank, which now aligns its future events and content with a platform that has aggressively pursued global boxing rights.
Under the agreement, DAZN will carry Top Rank fight cards worldwide. Subscribers will gain access to a steady pipeline of events featuring champions and rising contenders. The platform will also include Top Rank’s extensive fight library. It offers a deep archive spanning decades of boxing history. The library features many of the sport’s most memorable matchups and defining eras.
The historical catalog adds value beyond live rights. DAZN is building a content ecosystem to keep fans engaged outside fight nights. By pairing current events with legacy programming, the platform offers a more complete viewing experience. It also leans into nostalgia and storytelling. Both have proven effective in combat sports media.
“Since the day I started Top Rank 60 years ago, our focus has been simple: sign the best fighters, develop them into champions and make the best fights possible,” said Bob Arum Top Rank Chairman. “DAZN’s position as the global home of boxing makes this a natural partnership, and I’m confident it will be tremendously beneficial for fighters, fans and the future of the sport.”
Top Rank’s roster will play a prominent role in that strategy. More than three dozen fighters are expected to appear regularly on DAZN. The group includes titleholders, rising prospects, and recognizable names across multiple weight classes. That depth supports consistent programming throughout the year. It also enables high-level bouts that resonate globally.
For DAZN, the addition reinforces a broader push to dominate boxing’s fragmented media landscape. The service already offers an expansive schedule with numerous fight nights, pay-per-view events, and supporting programming. Adding Top Rank increases content volume. It also enhances credibility given the promoter’s longstanding reputation and history in the sport.
“Boxing belongs on the global stage, and this landmark partnership with Top Rank brings one of the sport’s most iconic promoters and legacies to DAZN – the global home of boxing,” said Shay Segev, DAZN Group CEO. “DAZN already delivers more premium fight nights than any entertainment platform in the world and the addition of Top Rank’s elite events and historic archive further strengthens our position. For fans, fighters and the sport, this partnership is about scale and setting a new standard for how world-class boxing is experienced.”
Details surrounding the first Top Rank event on DAZN have not yet been announced, but the partnership immediately reshapes the sport’s media landscape and sets the stage for a new phase in how boxing is distributed and consumed globally
A 60 Year Legacy 🤝 The Global Home of Boxing
Top Rank Boxing and DAZN sign a landmark multi-year streaming deal bringing elite events and a storied archive to DAZN. pic.twitter.com/yBjLORR8mc
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Premiere Networks is expanding its footprint in the podcast space by adding a wrestling-focused program to one of its growing audio hubs. The company, in partnership with award-winning radio and television personality Bobby Bones, announced that Battleground Podcast has officially joined the Nashville Podcast Network, marking an immediate addition to a lineup that continues to target niche but highly engaged audiences.
Hosted by iHeartMedia Nashville personality Battle, who is heard weekday mornings on 105.9 The Rock. The weekly show centers on the biggest headlines across professional wrestling, while also leaning into interviews and analysis tied to major organizations including WWE, AEW, UFC and TNA.
“‘Battleground’ is hosted by fans, for fans,” Battle said. “We care about what’s happening behind the scenes, what’s unfolding in the ring, and the stories that make it all matter.”
Rather than serving strictly as a recap show, Battleground blends insider perspective with fan-driven conversation. It offers a deeper look at in-ring developments and behind-the-scenes narratives. The approach reflects a broader trend in sports audio. Personality-led programming and community engagement are becoming central to audience growth.
In addition to his on-air role, Battle serves as the in-arena DJ for the Nashville Predators. The position has helped shape his performance style and connection with live audiences. That energy carries into the podcast. The goal is to mirror watching a premium live event with friends. The show features debates, reactions, and real-time analysis of major moments.
Bones emphasized the show’s ability to resonate with a dedicated fan base, noting that authenticity remains a key driver in podcast success.
“Battle has built a show wrestling fans truly connect with,” he said. “We’re excited to add Battleground to the Nashville Podcast Network.”
The addition strengthens the Nashville Podcast Network roster. It already includes established titles across entertainment, lifestyle, and sports. Those shows include Bobby Bones Presents: The BobbyCast, 25 Whistles, Feeling Things with Amy & Kat, and Movie Mike’s Movie Podcast. All are distributed by iHeartPodcasts. They contribute to the network’s expanding reach.
New episodes of Battleground will release weekly on Mondays, with distribution available through the iHeartRadio app and all major podcast platforms.
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Bob Iger didn’t just run Disney — he defined it for a generation. On Wednesday, as he formally steps away, the temptation among media observers will be to call his legacy “complicated.” I don’t buy that. Not for a second.
Yes, there were stumbles. There were controversies. There were moments where the company’s direction drew criticism from shareholders, activist investors, creative partners, and fans alike.
But zoom out for a second.
What Bob Iger leaves behind is a Disney that stands among the elite institutions — not elite media companies, mind you, but elite companies, period. That’s a distinction worth making.
When Iger first took the reins in 2005, Disney was a storied brand that had lost some of its creative footing. He changed that. He acquired Pixar. Then Marvel, Lucasfilm, and then 21st Century Fox. Each of those moves was bold. They drew skeptics. And yet, each proved prescient. He helped magnify the empire-building culture at Disney. Continually.
Thinking his mission was complete, he departed the company, handing the reins to Bob Chapek.
Then came the return. When the Bob Chapek era unraveled and Disney needed steadying, Iger came back. Critics called it ego, me included. Some called it a refusal to let go. Or that Bob Iger was a control freak, unable to watch someone fumble what he left them.
In hindsight, I’d call it something simpler: he cared. Leaders who truly believe in an institution don’t watch it struggle from the sidelines when they can help. You can debate his motivations, but the results speak for themselves. Disney stabilized. The course corrected.
The Chapek situation is probably the most legitimate criticism you can level at Iger. Succession planning isn’t a science, and his original choice didn’t pan out the way most anticipated. That’s real. It belongs in the conversation. But here’s my honest take — when that’s the biggest asterisk on your résumé after nearly two decades at the top of one of the world’s most scrutinized companies, you’ve done something genuinely remarkable. Most executives would trade anything for that to be the biggest problem they encountered.
What often gets undersold in the Iger conversation is just how brutal the media landscape became on his watch. Cord-cutting accelerated. Streaming wars erupted. Heck, there was a time where it might have felt more likely than not that the theatrcial model of the movie business was about to collapse.
Through all of it, Disney adapted. Disney+ launched. The theme parks business boomed. The brand, somehow, remained aspirational in a cultural moment that’s skeptical of almost everything.
Josh D’Amaro now steps into a role with big shoes to fill. Streaming profitability remains a challenge across the industry. The content pipeline requires constant tending. Consumer tastes keep shifting. He’s inheriting a strong hand, but it’s not a simple one. Nobody who follows a figure like Iger gets an easy transition. That’s simply the nature of the job.
Iger wasn’t perfect. No executive who operates at that scale and that pace ever is. But “complicated” implies a murkiness to his record that I don’t think the evidence supports. He led, returned when needed, and left the company in a stronger position than he found it — twice.
That’s the story. It’s not complicated at all.
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When Sean Brace left the surroundings of Philadelphia’s 97.5 The Fanatic in April of 2015, his heart never did. After rising from an intern to a co-host of The Jon & Sean Show from 2013 until his final program on April Fool’s Day just two years later, Brace was unsure he’d ever have another opportunity with The Fanatic again.
Just under a decade later, that second chance arrived. An opportunity to return to his old stomping grounds. After being part of iHeartMedia’s layoffs in October of last year, Brace received a phone call he never expected — especially not so quickly.
“I can’t thank Jon [Marks] enough for reaching out right after I got let go and telling me there might be an opportunity at The Fanatic,” explains Brace. “I was through the moon just to get an opportunity to team back up with him.”
Just over a month after being let go from iHeartMedia following seven years with the company, Brace was back home filling in as a co-host with Jon Marks on The Fanatic. Marks, who had returned to the station in late September, was originally set to reunite with longtime Fanatic host Mike Missanelli.
However, following Missanelli’s departure during layoffs by Beasley Media Group in late August, the formula for the timeslot shifted. Marks told Barrett Media in early October that the plan was to bring in several candidates to work alongside him in an effort to find the right fit.
For Brace, the original phone call from Marks changed his perspective on returning to the sports radio industry altogether.
“When you’re let go from a position that you battled and put your blood, sweat, and tears into, you ask yourself the question ‘do I want to be in this space [sports radio] anymore?” said Brace. “We know that the content game is a young man’s game. I’m getting a little older, but I love sports. And Jon’s been a loyal dude from the beginning and a true friend.”
After a few fill-in opportunities, Brace was named the full-time co-host of Middays With Marks on 97.5 The Fanatic. A reunion more than a decade in the making. Now, with Marks and Brace gaining experience outside 97.5 The Fanatic, the industry has also shifted in recent years. Brace said he feels confident about the opportunity to recapture the magic the duo previously created.
“We’re just beginning and experimenting with some new things, especially now with football season yet to come,” said Brace. “At the end of the day, it’s all about doing good radio. Putting the best product out there, but that’s all we care about. That hasn’t changed at all.”
Brace said he and Marks were mentored by Missanelli during their time at The Fanatic. He noted the experience helped shape their approach. The education they gained built a devoted following. That audience has stayed with both personalities throughout their careers.
From afar, Brace watched the ongoing changes The Fanatic experienced over the past calendar year. In addition to Missanelli’s departure, the station also reshaped its afternoon drive programming as Tyrone Johnson exited last April as the final piece of The Best Show Ever?
Brace said it “pained him” to see so much change happen in such a short period of time to a station he still considered home.
“I love this station, and the listeners. To see everything that they were going through, it stunk to see that. No one wants to see anybody lose their job,” said Brace. “You want to see people succeed and be a successful part of a station that you were able to be a part of. I wasn’t cheering from afar and didn’t want to see these guys fail.”
Despite the number of changes The Fanatic experienced over the past year, the situation did not give Brace any hesitation about rejoining the station when the opportunity arose.
“All radio companies are the same. Everybody is trying to do their best. There’s a lot of stipulations coming from the top down no matter what the company. Regardless, it’s just difficult to be in this industry,” says Brace. “There were a lot of reasons for me to feel different about returning here. It was a positive situation… Radio in general is just a little more difficult than what it used to be.”
Growing as a Programmer
Prior to returning to The Fanatic, Brace served as the program director of Philadelphia’s iHeartMedia sports outlet, The Gambler. It marked his first programming opportunity and allowed him to build a radio brand from the ground up.
He continued to host a daily afternoon drive program while also serving in a programming role, which he says helped elevate his skill set to a new level as a talent.
“Night and day. Building it from the ground up will change your approach with everything,” said Brace. “It really relaxed me. It made me a better host because of the amount of hats you have to wear at a given time. You’re always putting out your best product, and you have to believe in it.”
The experience also allowed Brace to grow his digital skill set. With a signal that he jokes resembled “a red solo cup,” the goal was pushing the listening audience to the iHeartRadio app and video streaming platforms for content.
Over the years, identifying young talent while guiding teams toward growth instilled in him a passion for the role.
So much so that Brace remains interested in possibly returning to a program director role later in his career and has shared that interest with his current manager, Scott Masteller.
Understanding Your Competition
Philadelphia is one of the most passionate sports markets in the country. It is home to a rabid fan base for every team, both professional and collegiate. Sports radio has long served as an outlet for that fan base, driving stations to ratings and revenue success that many in the industry can only dream of achieving.
Having worked in the market for nearly two decades, Brace understands the challenge of competing with 94 WIP. The station carries two of the market’s biggest brands, the Eagles and Phillies. It also remains Philadelphia’s heritage sports radio destination. Knowing the current landscape, Brace understands the challenge of the competition.
“You know what you’re up against. They’re going to continue to get great numbers. It’s built in. You can go down to the Philadelphia Zoo and pick any animal to put behind a WIP microphone, and they’ll get a rating,” said Brace. “The product we’re putting out, we just have to continue being who we are. Having some fun and being that midday show where you tune in, be informed, and have a laugh or two as well.”
Knowing the challenge, setting goals for success can also prove difficult against such strong competition.
“Scott Masteller has laid out some realistic goals as far as digital is concerned. For me personally, I look at financial more than anything, and good ratings will translate to things happening financially,” said Brace. “A win for Middays with Marks is the numbers continuing to rise, and for us to be out and about too meeting our listeners.”
For Brace, the return to 97.5 The Fanatic represents more than just another job in sports radio. It’s a rare opportunity in an industry that seldom offers second chances — especially in the same place where a career first took shape.
Nearly a decade removed from the day he was walked out of the building unsure if he would ever return, Brace now finds himself back where it all began, reunited with a longtime partner and armed with years of experience he didn’t yet have the first time around.
And while the sports radio industry continues to evolve around him, one thing remains constant.
For Sean Brace, Philadelphia — and The Fanatic — still feels like home.
“Ultimately, we want to be the best show out there. If you’re in your car from ten to two, we want our show to be your number one stop when it comes to radio,” said Brace. “We’re going to give you the best information and put a smile on your face each and every time.”
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Congratulations to the sport of baseball. The World Baseball Classic was everything and more than Major League Baseball (MLB) could have hoped for: record viewership, attendance, and intrigue around a tournament that seemingly had no true lasting impact on the sport itself. The conclusion of the World Baseball Classic should be a positive lead-in for the sport as it officially kicks off the regular season next week.
Doesn’t this sound all too familiar to three years ago?
For everything that has been written and said about the success of this year’s World Baseball Classic, it sounds very similar to the same hype baseball experienced in 2023: a year filled with excitement entering the season but producing very little return during it. Will MLB take the lessons of the past and avoid repeating them in 2026?
Let’s take a stroll back to 2023. The World Baseball Classic final between the United States and Japan drew record viewership. Last night’s final between the USA and Venezuela will likely top that mark. Three years ago, the tournament was hailed as a celebration of the game, with the best players and brightest stars battling for the right to call themselves the best in the world.
Through Tuesday, the four game average across FOX, FS1 and FOX Deportes garnered 3,171,000 viewers – Team USA's best showing ever for WBC Pool Play. pic.twitter.com/mZXwG2O7It
MLB envisioned the tournament as a global phenomenon, a World Cup of baseball, especially since the Olympics have featured the sport only once since 2008. Following the tournament’s conclusion, as Japan held the trophy for a record third time, many speculated about what impact it would have on interest in MLB.
Overall, in 2023, regional sports network viewership of Major League Baseball increased by 7%, according to Forbes. Sixteen MLB clubs saw gains in viewership, while 10 showed declines and three were flat year over year.
The immediate aftermath of the 2023 World Baseball Classic also included MLB’s first installation of the pitch clock, among other new rules. Viewership on Opening Day increased 42% on MLB.TV, while FOX Sports and ESPN’s first weekend of MLB action saw viewership rise by double digits.
In retrospect, the positive vibes didn’t last all season. In 2023, MLB also recorded a low point in viewership for the All-Star Game and the lowest viewership ever for the World Series.
It was a mixed bag by many standards, but after an immediate bump, the sport couldn’t hold onto the national interest the World Baseball Classic generated.
This year, the same questions arise now that the World Baseball Classic has concluded. Can MLB keep the momentum the tournament provided during the stretch between the conclusion of the Winter Olympics and March Madness? Three years ago, the World Baseball Classic didn’t follow a record-setting Winter Olympic games.
This year, the challenges are different. There are no new rules to speed up the pace of play that baseball fans have not already grown accustomed to. ABS will only find ways to slow down a game that has already seen many attempts to accelerate play. Also, this will be the first year in which baseball fans may have more difficulty figuring out where to watch games than in previous seasons.
NBC Sports and Peacock will have baseball for the first time since the turn of the century. Nine Major League Baseball teams left their regional sports network agreements with Main Street Sports Group. Some have announced destinations for fans to watch games through distribution deals, while others are still left with a .TV option that requires fans to pay more to stream games.
That’s a disruption many could not have foreseen just three years ago.
Netflix will also be a player this year with Major League Baseball. In fact, the first baseball game of the season won’t air on a traditional network of any kind. The season opens on a streaming service where the content lives behind a paywall. Is that making the game more accessible for fans in an effort to capitalize on World Baseball Classic momentum?
Make no mistake about it: baseball is in a good spot.
Last year marked the third straight season in which MLB saw an increase in attendance. That came even with two teams playing in minor league stadiums. While the official 2025 revenue total has yet to be released, many speculate that MLB posted another record revenue year above the $12.1 billion generated in 2024.
The league also saw double-digit increases in national television viewership and posted a strong audience for the World Series with the Dodgers’ involvement against the Toronto Blue Jays.
There was already momentum for MLB heading into 2026, even without a World Baseball Classic to fuel the hype machine. But with a looming lockout likely in December, MLB will be tested like never before in 2026 as it tries to carry that momentum throughout the entire regular season and playoffs.
The difference this time is simple: baseball doesn’t need another spike by a World Baseball Classic. It needs staying power.
Three years ago, the World Baseball Classic proved the sport could still command global attention. It delivered stars, drama, and moments that felt bigger than the game itself. But once the calendar flipped to the regular season, that energy faded into the background of a long, regionalized grind.
That can’t happen again.
This year’s tournament didn’t just remind people why baseball matters. It reintroduced the sport to an audience constantly being pulled in a dozen different directions. The challenge now isn’t creating interest. It’s maintaining it. It’s making sure the casual fan who tuned in for Team USA, Japan, or Venezuela in March still has a reason to care in May, July, and September.
Because momentum in today’s sports landscape doesn’t carry itself.
With a more fragmented viewing experience, new media partners, and no major rule changes left to jolt curiosity, Major League Baseball can’t rely on novelty to drive engagement. It has to connect the emotion of the World Baseball Classic to the everyday rhythm of the regular season and do it intentionally.
If 2023 was about proving the World Baseball Classic could matter, 2026 is about proving it can last.
Otherwise, baseball risks once again creating a global moment, only to watch it disappear by summer.
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Five days a week, two different markets, one really great show. The Ryan Gorman Show hit Barrett Media’s Top 20 Major Market News/Talk Radio Morning Shows list at number 15. And for the host, what he believes makes his show a success is ensuring the entertainment of the audience.
“My goal going into every show is to entertain first and then inform. So, we’re always looking at different lighter angles that we can take with different topics,” Ryan Gorman told Barrett Media.
Somedays the notion of light isn’t always in the news cycle, but he made clear, “I’m not trying to beat you over the head with a hard opinion every morning or try to persuade you. I just kind of tell you what I think about different stories, give you the information, and have some fun with it along the way.”
Airing on both 610 WIOD in Miami and WFLA Newsradio in Tampa, Gorman and his team hit the day’s biggest local, state, and national topics, which is sometimes hard to do with an audience on both the east and west coasts of Florida.
“A lot of what we do is very similar, even though they’re not similar markets in and of themselves. Miami is very different from the Tampa Bay area. But a lot of the things that impact people that are in the news are relatable regardless. So whether it’s property insurance and cost of living here in Florida, that’s something that relates to both audiences,” Gorman said.
Another issue that unites both markets is e-bikes. “Florida’s trying to rein in the craziness around e-bikes and e-scooters,” Gorman noted. “That’s something that they’re dealing with in South Florida, and it’s something that they’re dealing with in the Tampa Bay area — all of those kinds of things.”
Gorman made it clear that he and co-host Dana McKay are giving the news for everyone. “I think the show has a chance of reaching an audience that maybe gets forgotten from both sides of the aisle. There are a lot of Americans who are kind of a little bit more in the middle and aren’t that active in politics. So we want to reach some of them — younger people.”
He added, “I think on the social side, what we’re trying to do on social media is different from what a lot of shows do, in that we’re putting out a huge variety of content takes. We have fun with all kinds of different things.”
Speaking of socials, McKay handles most of it, and Gorman said of her work, “I’ve got a great co-host, Dana McKay — she’s really the one on social media. She’s the one doing all the magic there. She’s putting out all those videos and all the social media content that we do every day.”
Being in Florida, there is no shortage of content to choose from. While other markets may have “Florida Man” segments once or twice a week, for Gorman and the team it’s just part of their news of the day. “We do our top stories at the top of every hour, and then we just have our normal segments, and they just include Florida Man stories because there are so many of them,” Gorman enthused.
“We get a kick out of it, and a lot of times it’s funny because I’ll be talking about Florida Man stories that are originating from where I grew up — like in Hernando County. So we’ve got a unique angle on it because we’re here in Florida.” He later added, “We get a kick out of them. The listeners get a kick out of them. And we certainly don’t shy away from them.”
In fact, pop culture does well for the morning talk radio host. “I know news talk radio doesn’t always do pop culture. There’s a big focus on politics, and I think people get kind of burnt on politics nonstop.”
He noted, “So when we’ve got one of those stories like Nancy Guthrie’s disappearance, we’re all over it, and we’re not afraid to do it a lot during the show. It’s those kinds of stories that I think — along with our unique take on the news, not being so far one way or the other — really differentiate us from most of what you’re going to hear on news talk radio.”
For Gorman, a native Floridian, his joy of entertaining is palpable. “It’s what I’ve been doing since I was 16,” he told Barrett Media. “My inspiration comes from Larry David and Jerry Seinfeld and those kinds of people. So I like that lighter take on the news — or the ridiculous take on the news. Like a Daily Show kind of setup for a segment, if I can pull it off and if the content’s there. I think in the morning especially — and these days, with how much news there is, how heavy it is, how divided we are — I think people like that.”
Which is why he follows a simple idea to make a great show. “For those who are listening to start their day — to laugh, to be entertained, whether it’s on their way to work or dropping their kids off at school or whatever they’re doing.”
Gorman added, “And to give them credible information, as objective as possible on the biggest stories of the day, and then also give them some takes that they’re not going to get anywhere else — especially in the news talk format.”
Having made the Barrett Top 20 several years in a row, Gorman said of the accomplishment, “It’s a great way to see how people are doing in the industry, and it means a lot because it’s people in the industry respecting the work that you do. We work hard to put together as good of a show as humanly possible every single morning — to build that consistency and entertain the audience — and for the industry to recognize that definitely means a lot.”
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A month ago, legendary music producer Jimmy Iovine said streaming services are “minutes away from being obsolete.” His point was that streaming services have become a utility and don’t help develop a relationship between the artists — like Taylor Swift and Ed Sheeran — and the consumer.
Take Iovine’s words and couple them with a point made to me years ago by the greatest manager in show business, Irving Azoff. He said artist income was all about “asses in seats.” Irving has historically managed artists who have a great relationship with their fans and can sell out arenas. One of the bands he’s managed since their start is the Eagles, and they’ve been putting asses in seats for over 50 years.
I strongly believe radio is still key for an artist to create the relationship that will sell concert tickets, merchandise, and music. Let’s take the biggest star in the world, Taylor Swift. Radio was a big part of her start. Her team even enticed Frank Bell to leave his successful radio programming job to make sure radio was part of the plan.
Taylor and Frank went so far as to host radio programmers at her home. I was there. I also took calls from Frank through every release as he shepherded those songs to the top of the charts. Frank sent us boxes of merch for on-air giveaways and hosted programmers in his suite at every show on every tour. He made sure radio was in lockstep with Taylor’s music. He was even there to slap our hand when a wayward DJ would post something negative. Taylor Swift was a part of radio shows in those early years as she cemented the bond with her audience.
Frank calls radio today to make sure “Opalite” gets the spins it deserves. Radio still loves Taylor Swift to this day, and our talent can’t stop talking about her.
Radio stations and their talent provide companionship to the masses. Great talent creates a one-to-one relationship with their audience and a trust. This is one reason endorsement commercials work. It also works when that talent and their station endorse an artist. If a radio station hosts an event with a new artist, it gives them credibility.
I remember the first time we had Ed Sheeran as a brand-new artist for an event. It was his introduction to New York — nobody knew him. A few years later, when he appeared for our third event together, it was the hottest ticket in town. Ed clearly remembers how radio helped him from the start, as he continued to be a part of major radio shows just last year. Ed is a ninja on social media, but he is someone who cares deeply about his relationship with radio.
Today, record companies have fewer pop promotion people and a new breed of artists that seem to be focused on streaming numbers as opposed to relationship building for the future. I foresee a crop of one-hit wonders if that is the new world. Olivia Dean made a great album but doesn’t seem to care about radio. She’s on top at the moment, but will she have the career of Ed or Taylor, or the longevity of someone like the Eagles? Social media can help build a connection, but there is no better marketing plan for creating a career than one that can come from radio. If you add our digital tools to the over-the-air delivery and event expertise, you’ve got massive exposure to potential fans.
Radio is also the long tail to a hit song that causes it to sell and stream beyond its natural life. Radio may not have been first to play Alex Warren’s “Ordinary,” but we were the medium that made the song a hit to the majority of America who don’t use Spotify. Thankfully, Alex is aware and supports radio.
Country music stars have not forgotten radio. Bobby Bones and Katie Neal have featured the biggest stars in country music on a regular basis. And yes, iHeart’s Jingle Ball and Audacy’s We Can Survive still pack arenas with great talent, but those shows are getting harder and harder to book because many artists just don’t want to do radio shows, or they make costs prohibitive.
May the words of Jimmy Iovine and the meager streaming checks cause pop artists and their record companies to see the light. From the first Elvis Presley interview to the artists that Elvis Duran is waiting to interview today, radio is here to build relationships, careers, and yes — put asses in seats.
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Jeremy Boreing, who co-founded The Daily Wire and served as its CEO until exiting last year, has announced plans to launch his own podcast.
The Jeremy Boreing Show will launch on Tuesday, March 24th. The program will be made available on all major podcast platforms, as well as on YouTube and Rumble.
In a statement announcing his new podcast, Boreing shared insight into what he hopes the program will deliver, and why now marks the right time — with conservative infighting being at the forefront of his monologue — to launch the show.
“It’s the so-called podcast wars, and it’s pitting many people — many people I know personally — against one another and turning former friends and allies into seemingly irreconcilable enemies,” said Boreing. “The political coalition that ascended Donald Trump to the presidency twice in a decade has been shattered, and the future of the GOP and the MAGA movement seems up for grabs.”
According to promotional materials for the show, Jeremy Boreing’s project will “sit down with the artists and visionaries, the newsmakers and the troublemakers who are shaping what comes next. Together, we’re going to explore the stories the blackpillers and doomscrollers don’t want you to know.”
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Deirdre Lester has been selected as the first executive chair of JaneWallStreet, a newly launched platform from JohnWallStreet. The initative is aiming to reshape how sports and media executives access insight by elevating perspectives from female leaders operating at the highest levels of the industry.
JohnWallStreet has built its model on the idea that meaningful learning happens within executive circles. There, decision-makers share real-world strategies, successes, and failures. The company believes this approach is increasingly valuable as the sports business grows more complex. It requires deeper understanding rather than surface-level reporting.
However, leadership at JohnWallStreet recognized a consistent gap in those conversations. Too often, the viewpoints driving analysis and discussion have come from male executives, leaving a significant portion of industry insight underrepresented. JaneWallStreet launches with the intent of addressing that imbalance while strengthening the overall conversation, not segmenting it.
The platform will focus on the core areas that define JohnWallStreet’s coverage: sports, media, and finance. It will approach those topics through the perspective of female decision-makers shaping the industry’s future.
By doing so, the company hopes to provide a more complete view of trends across teams, leagues, investment firms and emerging properties, while also highlighting how women are influencing strategy, innovation and growth.
Content will be distributed across multiple formats, including written columns, podcasts, and live events. The goal is to foster insight and connection among senior leaders. Existing JohnWallStreet subscribers will automatically receive JaneWallStreet content. That content will include a monthly column and a biweekly podcast. The podcast will feature a rotating group of executives, investors, founders, and operators.
Lester brings more than two decades of experience across sports, media and business strategy. She will write the monthly column and host the podcast JaneWallStreet: At the Table, which will center on topics such as investment strategy, revenue generation and media distribution, while also incorporating male executives when relevant to the discussion.
Lester’s first column will be distributed next week. It will examine how the big four leagues could command more than 80% of the projected $37 billion in U.S. media rights spending by 2030. It will also explore the implications for emerging leagues. The debut podcast episode will launch March 26. It will feature Stephanie Alger, chief growth officer of LOVB, as the inaugural guest.
Beyond content, JaneWallStreet will emphasize community-building through integration with JohnWallStreet’s existing IQ network, advisory initiatives and exclusive events, including a planned Female Front Office Forum later this year. The platform will also dedicate coverage to the business of women’s sports and strategies for engaging female fans, areas that continue to gain traction across the industry.
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MLB Network host Matt Vasgersian is taking responsibility for a widely discussed interview moment involving Team USA manager Mark DeRosa, pushing back on criticism that followed comments made prior to the United States’ loss to Italy in the World Baseball Classic.
The situation originated during an appearance on MLB Network’s Hot Stove, when DeRosa suggested Team USA had already clinched a berth in the tournament’s quarterfinal round. In reality, the Americans had not yet secured advancement, and the comments gained traction as the team later fell 8-6 to Italy, placing its path forward in jeopardy.
As the clip circulated across social media, questions quickly emerged about DeRosa’s awareness of the tournament scenario. Particularly after he acknowledged postgame that he had “misspoke” while attempting to sort through tiebreaker implications involving Mexico and Italy.
Vasgersian addressed the moment publicly, offering a detailed explanation while placing the responsibility on himself and others involved in the conversation rather than on DeRosa alone.
“First of all, I and some of my colleagues take full responsibility for bringing him down a bad path in that interview,” Vasgersian said. “Unfortunately, he went with a little and it just spiraled out of control. But that was at 10 o’clock on a gameday. If anybody thinks he was unaware of the circumstance after that interview, they are mistaken.”
Vasgersian, who interviewed DeRosa alongside fellow MLB Network analyst Harold Reynolds, continued by emphasizing that DeRosa had clarity on the situation immediately after the segment concluded, pushing back against the notion that the manager lacked urgency or awareness heading into the matchup with Italy.
“By the way, he knew what was going on the whole time. He was clarified on that as soon as the interview ended,” Vasgersian said. “So, there was this narrative that a lot of hacky people built about how he rested key players and didn’t manage it with any urgency, that’s nonsense.”
The remarks reflect a broader effort to reframe the narrative that developed in the hours following the game, as attention shifted from the result itself to the pregame interview and its implications. While the viral nature of the clip fueled criticism, Vasgersian’s comments suggest the moment was more a product of how the conversation unfolded than a true indication of DeRosa’s preparation.
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