We are just thirty eight days away from uniting the sports media industry in New York City for the 2024 BSM Summit. If you haven’t reserved your hotel room and are traveling for the show, book it immediately. Special room rates expire after February 13th. Extensions will not be available. Furthermore, make sure you’ve purchased a ticket if you’re attending the event and not involved as a speaker. Rooms, tickets and information on this year’s speakers can be accessed via BSMSummit.com.
Though I am in Las Vegas this week promoting the BSM Top 20 and connecting with partners, I do have an announcement to share. I’m excited to reveal that Michael Kay, Don LaGreca and Peter Rosenberg will join us at the BSM Summit.
The Michael Kay Show has been 98.7 ESPN New York’s lead show for over two decades. The chemistry between Michael, Don and Peter is outstanding, and collectively they’ve enjoyed a lot of success together. All three men bring different skills and styles to the air, which allows them to produce compelling and entertaining content. They are also accomplished outside the show as well with Michael calling New York Yankees games, Peter working on the popular Ebro in the Morning on HOT97 as well as contributing for the WWE, and Don calling select New York Rangers games and hosting NY Jets pre/post game shows.
Beyond their on-air talents, Michael, Don and Peter all well versed and passionate about the industry. We had Peter on stage at our 2020 show in NYC. Michael and Don attended the after party that same year. However, we have never had them on stage together so I’m looking forward to changing that. I know our attendees will enjoy hearing from them on Wednesday March 13th from 1:15pm-1:50pm.
I try hard to make sure our lineup remains fresh each year. Featuring new voices/faces, panel combinations/topics, and reacting to what’s happening currently in the industry is important. A lot of folks ask to speak and I do appreciate it. If I decline the offer, please don’t take it personal. I can’t accommodate everyone.
We have a gameplan for each event that involves having content for many different areas of the business. We’re trying to reach executives, market managers and salespeople too not just hosts and programmers. It’d be easy to tap the same folks but that would make the show predictable. Once that happens, there’s little incentive to go. I’d rather not host a conference than execute that way. We have a lot of key industry people flying in and leaving local offices to be with us. The least I can do is provide an entertaining, interesting, and original event. It’s why I spend six months building each show.
With that said, I’m finalizing speakers and sessions by the end of next week. That’s necessary to get our programs and on screen content ready for next month’s event. I’m aiming to post the full schedule on BSMSummit.com by the end of February.
Additionally, we have had great sponsorship support for this year’s show. Thank you to all who have signed on as partners. We have a few opportunities still available. If interested in being part of the Summit, email Stephanie asap at Sales@barrettsportsmedia.com to see what’s left. We will close up sponsorship opportunities on Monday February 26th.
A reminder, tickets for the 2024 BSM Summit are on-sale through BSMSummit.com and the BSM Store. I look forward to seeing you in NYC next month.
On a recent epiosde of Don’t @ Me with Dan Dakich on OutKick, the host took a look at Stephen A. Smith’s reactions to both Joel Embiid and Luka Doncic joining the NBA’s elite list of players with 70 or more points in a game. Or, as Dakich put it, Smith was “talking about how great it was for Joel Embiid to drop 70 and how ball-hoggish and ridiculous it was for Luka Doncic.”
On Monday Jan. 22, Joel Embiid set a Philadelphia 76ers record, scoring 70 points in a win over the San Antonio Spurs. Four days later, Luka Doncic of the Dallas Mavericks put up 73 in a win over the Atlanta Hawks. Embiid and Doncic became the 9th and 10th players to eclipse the 70 point mark.
Dakich played clips of Stephen A. Smith’s talking about Doncic’s game the next day on television. “Let’s not go overboard with this,” Smith said. “Do fans want this? No, the league wanted it. They say it’s because of the fans. I am saying the fans don’t want guys getting mugged and no fouls getting called. But, the fans didn’t want what we saw last night in Atlanta.”
Smith was mainly talking about the lack of defense the Hawks played against Doncic, feeling like the game was simply everyone wanting to play offense and nobody wanting to defend. “What transpired last night in Atlanta was disgraceful,” Smith continued. “You don’t need for this to resemble the first three quarters of NBA All-Star weekend which is what last night looked like.”
Dakich believes race played a role in the comments Smith made about Doncic versus what was said a few days earlier when Embiid had his big game. “What Stephen A Smith is trying to do…is show his NBA brethren, the guys in the league, that he is down with their cause which is ‘whitey can’t play,” Dakich said. “It’s kind of fascinating really. I don’t know if ‘whitey can play’ or not, but I know Luka Doncic can play.
“I don’t know if this is racist, I don’t know if this is code…but it is the change that everybody wanted. I’ve been looking for the change, you guys haven’t. People just want to say this is the change, we need change. Well one of the changes is guys like [Stephen A.] Smith can be blatantly, or in code, racist and we are excepting of it, that’s the change. Racism without fear, that’s the change.”
CNN is set to announce major changes to its daily lineup in an effort to rectify sagging ratings, a report from Puck News’ Dylan Byers claims.
According to Byers, CNN will remove Phil Mattingly and Poppy Harlow from CNN This Morning. Harlow is the only original member of the embattled program still remaining. The revamped morning show debuted last year as part of a Chris Licht-led restructuring that paired Harlow, Kaitlan Collins, and Don Lemon for the show. Collins was later promoted to primetime anchor, while Lemon departed the network on the same day as Fox News primetime host Tucker Carlson in April of last year. Mattingly was named co-anchor alongside Harlow last August.
In his report, Byers claims CNN will see Kasie Hunt anchor from 5-7 AM, with a new edition of CNN News Central to air from 7-10 AM. Jim Acosta will host a one-hour show at 10 AM, followed by a new show from Pamela Brown at 11 AM.
With the moves, all morning production from CNN will now be based at its Atlanta studios.
In an email to staffers, CNN CEO Mark Thompson said, “I’m very aware that today’s announcement means a great deal of uncertainty for many valued colleagues.”
CNN This Morning is expected to end its run by the end of this month.
The newly-formed United Football League will kick off its 2024 campaign on Saturday, March 30 with a doubleheader pitting former USFL and XFL teams against each other. Over the next 10 weeks, four former XFL clubs and four former USFL teams will battle it out under the UFL banner to claim an inaugural league champion.
FOX starts the season with two marquee matchups. In the very first UFL game, league champions do battle as the reigning USFL champion Birmingham Stallions take on the XFL’s champion, the Arlington Renegades. In the afternoon game, the St. Louis Battlehawks travel to Detroit to take on the Michigan Panthers.
ESPN takes over on Sunday, March 31, with a doubleheader of their own. The championship runners-up, the D.C. Defenders, break out the Beer Snake when the San Antonio Brahmas come to town. In the afternoon game, the Houston Roughnecks host the Memphis Showboats in interconference action.
“We’re excited to introduce fans to the United Football League with its high quality of play, innovative rules, and entertainment,” said Tim Reed, ESPN vice president of programming & acquisitions. “Last year, we provided XFL fans with unparalleled, on-field access to players, coaches, and league officials. With the UFL kickoff season, we will further build upon that across our strong schedule, with games on ABC, ESPN, and every game on ESPN+, in addition to coverage across our social and digital platforms.”
Both network’s commentator teams will be announced at a later date. You can view the entire 2024 United Football League schedule below.
550 KTSA in San Antonio is mourning the loss of weekend host Duane Charping after he died unexpectedly last week at the age of 52.
Charping co-hosted Roof Talk Radio on the news/talk station, lending his expertise from being the owner of Roof Fix San Antonio and Critter Shield solar panels.
“He struggled with his mental health and it wasn’t always easy to connect on an emotional level but even through his internal battles he always strived to provide. He always sought to help those around him,” Charping’s daughter, Lindsay, wrote in a note announcing her father’s death.
“Tragically, my dad’s battle with his inner demons reached an insurmountable point, leading to his passing. As we mourn the loss of this complex and caring soul, let us also remember the positive impact he had on the lives of those around him. My father’s memory will endure through the friendships he forged and the lives he touched with his generosity.”
A GoFundMe has been launched in an effort to cover the costs of a funeral director, cremation, and a celebration. In a message on the GoFundMe site, Charping’s daughter claimed he did not wish to have a traditional funeral, and instead wanted a “big party.”
The 9th annual BSM Top 20 series starts with the Top 20 National Sports Radio Shows of 2023. There is always confusion when this category is presented so let’s set things straight. These shows air on radio stations across the country. They are not solely podcasts or video shows on social or TV. That means programs such as the Pat McAfee Show, Pardon My Take, Dan Le Batard Show and Bill Simmons Show are NOT eligible since they do not broadcast on radio.
Now that we’ve covered that, let’s get into the process.
As you review this year’s selections, please remember that these results represent the collective votes from fifty eight (58) industry programming executives. My thanks to Alex Reynolds and Stephanie Eads for helping with the Top 20 creative process. I’d also like to thank Steve Stone Voiceoversfor being our exclusive sponsor for the Top 20 series. Steve’s voice is heard across the nation on many top sports and news radio and television brands and networks. He’s an excellent voice talent, great to partner with, and if you’re not familiar with him, click here.
As it pertains to the voting, here are a few key things to be aware of.
– These results are based on 2023’s performance. 2024 changes have no effect on the voting.
– Our executive panel consists of fifty eight (58) program directors and corporate executives from a number of top broadcasting companies including Audacy, iHeart, Cumulus, Beasley, Hubbard, Good Karma Brands, ESPN Radio, FOX Sports Radio, SiriusXM, Spotify, and a number of independently owned and operated radio stations. We involve a large group in this process in order to include feedback from all parts of the country, as well as to prevent the results from heavily favoring one company.
– A total of 97 shows were eligible for voting consideration in the National Sports Radio Shows category. This includes programs on all of SiriusXM’s sports channels, and betting programs from BetQL, VSiN, SportsGrid, etc..
– Voters are asked to consider a myriad of factors when making their selections. Among the criteria taken into account included the ear test, originality, ability to entertain, multi-platform impact, on-air chemistry, and ratings success. Keep in mind that voters live in different cities, work for different companies, have different tastes, and value certain factors higher than others. This is not a perfect science, but it’s the best system we’ve come up with to showcase how sports radio’s brain trust view the best in the format.
Which brings us to the rankings for this year’s National Sports Radio Shows. For the 2nd time in 9 years, the top honor for National Sports Radio Show of 2023 belongs to The Dan Patrick Show. DP finished in front of Colin Cowherd by sixty two (62) points to claim the top prize. We congratulate DP, Paul, Todd, Seton, Marvin and all involved with Fox Sports Radio on the well deserved recognition, as well as every other show which appeared on this year’s list.
Now, here are the full results of “BSM’s Top 20 National Sports Radio Shows of 2023!”
Additional Notes:
The Dan Patrick Show finished sixty two (62) points ahead of Colin Cowherd. Cowherd did have more first place votes though, landing twenty (20) to DP’s sixteen (16).
Spots 21-25 were occupied by The Zach Gelb Show,You Better You Bet, Pro Football Talk w/ Mike Florio, Amy Lawrence and Busted Open.
The closest contest saw Paul Finebaum edge Doug Gottlieb by one (1) point. Unsportsmanlike also nipped Carlin vs. Joe by two (2) points.
Of the 97 shows eligible for consideration this year, ten (10) received at least one 1st place vote.
Here is the remaining schedule for the BSM Top 20 of 2023.
Tuesday February 6 = Top 20 Local Major/Mid Market Sports Radio Morning Shows of 2023
Wednesday February 7 = Top 20 Local Major/Mid Market Sports Radio Midday Shows of 2023
Thursday February 8 = Top 20 Local Major/Mid Market Sports Radio Afternoon Shows of 2023
Friday February 9 = Top 20 Local Major/Mid Market Sports Radio Program Directors of 2023
Monday February 12 = Top 20 Local Major/Mid Market Sports Radio Stations of 2023
To view prior years of BSM’s Top 20 results, click here.
For the past few years, I’ve been down on radio row. As a programmer, I saw how much it mattered to talent to be on the road for the big game. The bonds formed, stories told, and fun created made the trips worthwhile. Escaping the studio and city you broadcast in to be live from the Super Bowl host city was always special. In many cases, ad revenue was made too to at least offset the expenses.
Seeing it through the lens of a publisher and consultant, I notice far too often how shows focus more on what they see in the room and less on what their audience hears. It’s why Garrett Searight wrote last year that it’s one of the worst weeks of the year for listeners. Demetri Ravanos though explained how this week can pay dividends if you have a plan and do things differently.
The value of this week goes beyond ratings. But that’s not an excuse for your content to suffer. Hosts frequently turn over their shows to guests simply because they’re available in a crowded convention center. That’s the wrong strategy. You may point to your guest list at the end of the week and say, that was impressive, but what about those who are listening? It becomes more about hosts pleasing themselves rather than the audience.
If you control your airwaves and deliver your normal show but with greater access and storytelling, listeners will take the ride with you. Otherwise, you’re just playing out your sports fantasies in real time and insulting your fans by trying to convince them that fifteen full-segment interviews are what’s best. Good talent knows that it’s about the full week experience, not just who had the best guest list.
Having said that, in recent years, radio row hasn’t felt as special. I still enjoy going and seeing industry folks and will be on-site the next few days talking to people about this very subject. Attendance in recent years has been lower, brands with no connection to audio/video have owned large spaces in the room, and many I’ve chatted with have viewed this a business trip rather than a special opportunity. The scene in Miami in 2020 was as bad as I’ve seen it. Los Angeles and Phoenix were better but still down from pre-pandemic events.
However, this year feels different.
From the buzz on social to the vibe in the airport and the visuals all across the city, Las Vegas is well prepared for this week. The entertainment capital has never hosted the Super Bowl, which explains the increased interest in broadcasting here. Major brands will be here. So too will a ton of stars. That’s exactly what should be expected from a Super Bowl host city. The only negative is the weather forecast. Even then, 50 degrees in Vegas trumps what many other cities deal with in February.
The NFL got a record number credential requests for the Super Bowl and a record number of organizations requesting dedicated space at Radio Row. There will be over 160 radio/audio outlets at Radio Row this year. Radio Row and the Super Bowl Media Center is at the Mandalay Bay. pic.twitter.com/sTCqN4WiTA
Radio row at Mandalay Bay is also expected to be jam packed. Casinos such as Bellagio, Circa, Paris, Resorts World, Fontaineblue, etc. will be as well. And if that’s not enough, there will be no shortage of entertainment options. One quick glance here shows you what to expect.
And this is how it should be.
This is the biggest event in sports. It drives record viewership year after year. It also produces large revenues especially for sports television and digital. There are temptations provided by Las Vegas that can be problematic, but if this week goes well, I expect the NFL will want to be here more. Sin City has all the ingredients to be part of a regular rotation. Judging from the number of media brands heading west for the week, the week feels big again.
Whether brands should be here or not depends on who you ask. I thought Ryan Brown asked a great question last month about whether it pays to broadcast at radio row. He said, “What question do you most want to answer: How will you pay for this or why aren’t you there?” I’ve written before that Super Bowl week isn’t a big revenue driver for sports radio. That doesn’t mean though that it’s not worth it. If costs can be covered, how is it not a positive for a sports media brand to be on-site creating content in the Super Bowl host city? Other opportunities may be more lucrative during the year, but not every success can be measured financially.
What I hope broadcasters in Las Vegas remember this week is that this is supposed to be fun and special. Make the most of the experience. These opportunities are not guaranteed to last forever. One way you repay your company’s investment is by staying in control of your show. You know what works better than a team official or publicist. If you end up with a bad show, it’s because you allowed it to happen. So don’t make that mistake. Beyond that, work hard, have fun, and don’t jeopardize your career or company’s reputation by making poor decisions. There’s a lot to be gained from broadcasting at radio row during Super Bowl week. There’s also just as much to lose.
Audacy Washington D.C.: I’m a sucker for a great idea and Audacy in Washington D.C. delivered one last week. The concept of pitting 106.7 The Fan against Team 980 was smart and lured in a lot of local people. When I first saw the event promoted, I thought instantly ‘that could work in a lot of places or become an annual staple for both brands.’ Events are important and can produce significant revenue if done properly. Chris Kinard and his team might be on to something here. Nice job by all involved selling out the Bethesda Theater.
Corey Graves: The WWE color analyst switched roles on Smackdown, moving into the play-by-play role. He passed the first test with flying colors. He was smooth, energetic, set up Wade Barrett perfectly, and handled the transitions to production pieces and sponsorship reads with ease. Though I never like to see someone lose their job, Graves was stronger calling the action than Kevin Patrick. For the first time in a while, WWE may have two complete broadcasting teams on its top two programs.
I haven’t been that nervous in years.
A new role. A new mountain. A new challenge.
There will be bumps in the road. There is plenty of room for improvement.
Pickswise: Give them credit, they found a loophole to partner with one of ESPN’s top stars. The company that describes itself as providing everything needed for sports betting including free picks and analysis, has teamed up with Stephen A. Smith on his podcast. Talking to a few folks last week when the news hit, many were surprised. Penn National is paying ESPN 1.5 billion dollars over 10 years plus 500 million in stock warrants to promote ESPN BET yet one of the network’s key personalities will be online promoting another betting brand.
I realize that Smith’s podcast is independent of ESPN, however, much of his social following has come from his ESPN identity. If you’re ESPN and being expected to pay millions more in the future to Stephen A. or if you’re a Penn National executive seeing this news, it can’t sit well.
Mark Schlereth: An industry friend of mine likes to say, ‘it doesn’t take much to sell happy’. Well, that’s exactly what Mark Schlereth did this week. Stink has likely done this many times and probably didn’t think much of it, but it came across very classy. It’s good to see talent, especially those who played the game, still appreciative of fans who reach out.
Absolutely. Please return postage I've made to many trips to the post office lately 104.3 the Fan Mark Schlereth 7800 E Orchard Rd, Suite 400, Greenwood Village CO 80111 https://t.co/CaGrsXt6m1
Craig Larson: The SportsMap Radio programmer is celebrating 25 years of being affiliated with the national sports network. Larson has gone through brand and ownership changes, working for One on One Sports, Sporting News Radio, Yahoo Sports Radio, SB Nation Radio and now, SportsMap Radio. Here’s to the next 25.
New York Post: In my opinion, the best sports media news breaker in our business is Andrew Marchand. He was must-read for the New York Post. Not only did the Post let him get away, but they lost him to The Athletic/New York Times. How does that happen? In radio, hosts rarely leave one brand and move to the competitor two weeks later. For the Post to not have one of their best writers locked down, supported, and happy for years to come is a major blunder. Heck of an addition though for The Athletic.
The Rock: Being a diehard wrestling fan, I’ve loved Dwayne ‘The Rock’ Johnson for decades. He is one of the most entertaining people on the planet and one of the greatest superstars to ever work for WWE. Having him back on WWE programming to set up a main event match at WrestleMania against Roman Reigns should be a massive homerun.
Instead, the entire fanbase is pissed. The Rock’s return on Friday resulted in Cody Rhodes being made to look weak, killing momentum of one of the hottest stories in wrestling for the past two years. It’s since led to #WeWantCody trending nonstop on social media over the weekend, and WWE’s video of The Rock’s return on YouTube being the company’s most disliked piece of content of all time.
The Rock & Roman Reigns’ segment from this past Friday’s episode of #SmackDown has now surpassed half a million dislikes in under 36 hours.
Extending its record as the most disliked @WWE YouTube video of all time.
I’m thrilled to welcome three more speakers to our lineup for the 2024 BSM Summit. Meadowlark Media COO Bimal Kapadia, 97.1 The Fan Program Director Matt Fishman, and 104.5 ESPN afternoon host and program director Matt Moscona have been added as speakers. I’ll have another announcement today about three on-air personalities who are joining the show as well.
You may be tired of me saying this but if you haven’t bought a ticket to the BSM Summit or reserved your room, please do so asap. Rooms at our special rate are only available until February 13th. Right now, they are $150 less than what you’d pay without our discount. On February 14th, I can’t help you. Additionally, I want to thank Audacy, Westwood One and Beasley Media Group for coming on board as event partners. We have a few sponsorships still available. If interested, email Stephanie at Sales@BarrettSportsMedia.com.
Derek Futterman and I will be on radio row Monday-Wednesday. Derek is spending time with VSiN and Fox Sports Radio for upcoming ‘Day Spent With’ projects. I’m making the rounds visiting partners, friends, promoting the Top 20 and Summit, and planting seeds for BSM stories. I’ll also be returning to Jonathan Zaslow’s show on Wednesday.
Two stories we’re working on this week focus on Taylor Swift’s impact on the Super Bowl, and the pros and cons of radio row. We’ll be stopping by tables to chat but if for some reason you don’t see us, shoot an email to JBarrett@sportsradiopd.com and I’ll find you.
The BSM Top 20 of 2023 rolls out this week and concludes next Monday February 12th. To see who made the lists or to look back at prior years, click here. As I make the rounds through radio row, remember, I don’t decide your fate. I simply add the votes and present the collective feedback.
For those wondering how to rank higher, my advice is simple: kick ass on the air, generate industry buzz, and make sure you have a lot of programmers and executives familiar with and a fan of your work. There isn’t a blueprint for how to stand out. However, the most successful shows and talent do earn high marks each year. Results drop daily at 8am ET.
If you have a question, comment, news tip or are interested in writing a future guest column, email me at JBarrett@sportsradiopd.com. Press releases and interview requests can be passed along there as well. Thanks for reading!
In the days leading up to kickoff, quarterbacks in the National Football League engage in an extensive amount of preparation. Scrutinizing over formations, schemes and different plays, the leader of the offense studies opposing defenses and tries to prognosticate what will be thrown in their direction. By the time gameday arrives, it is incumbent on the offensive personnel and coaching staff to adapt and make adjustments should they be warranted. Kurt Warner knows this routine well and was able to effectively master the craft, attaining two most valuable player honors and a Super Bowl championship in his NFL career.
As the stars set in Las Vegas, Nevada, the Vince Lombardi Trophy hangs in the balance. Patrick Mahomes, Travis Kelce and the Kansas City Chiefs aim to further cement their dynasty with a second consecutive Super Bowl championship. Conversely, the San Francisco 49ers, containing Brock Purdy and Christian McCaffrey, are focused on trying to win the organization’s first championship in nearly three decades. Warner will be featured on the Westwood One broadcast of the game for the sixth time since being named the full-time analyst for its Monday Night Football coverage in 2018. Throughout the marquee event, he will look to apply his unique knowledge gained through competing and render it comprehensible to the listening audience.
“It’s the pinnacle of what we do,” Warner said. “Just like playing, you want to be in the game; you want to play in that game because it separates you [and] it’s historical. This is going down in history. No matter how it plays out, it’s going down in history.”
Warner’s football acumen and performances cemented him an induction into the Pro Football Hall of Fame, but he is still keenly interested in learning more about the game. Although he played professional football for 12 years, there are still facets of the sport – specifically the broadcasting of that thereof – he is curious to better comprehend. There are numerous occurrences when Warner is approached by fans and complimented on the national radio call, which he then follows up with an earnest plea to discover the reason behind that inclination.
“My job is to bring my expertise and say what was great and what wasn’t great and to share it with the fans and take them into a place that they wouldn’t be able to go if it weren’t for me,” Warner said. “That’s not always an easy thing to do because we do want to be liked and we want people around the league to respect us, and we want them to be willing to talk to us and not look at us as the enemy, but it becomes part of the job.”
As a football analyst, Warner is not trying to be the star of the show and instead looks to project the grandeur and appeal of the game itself. In presenting candor and veracity through his commentary, giving critiques is an aspect of the role that imparts this authenticity. Since he has been coaching in various capacities, Warner has adopted a phrase encapsulating his approach to analysis no matter the setting.
“I’ll always attack a problem, but I’ll never attack a person,” Warner said. “Now sometimes a person is at the root of the problem, but it’s not personal, and that’s kind of the mantra I try to use when I analyze things.”
Throughout his football career, Warner had to pass various tests of adversity in order to actualize a spot in the NFL. After playing for four years at the University of Northern Iowa, he was cut by two teams and was stocking shelves at a local grocery store. He ended up going undrafted and did not make the Green Bay Packers upon a tryout, leading him to return to school as a graduate assistant.
A few years after signing with the St. Louis Rams, Warner had a chance to start upon a season-ending injury to starting quarterback Trent Green, and he did not take it for granted. Warner ultimately ended up retiring as the organization’s all-time leader in passing yards (4,830) and passer rating (97.2).
“You look at it like a franchise quarterback on the football field; you want to become that as an analyst,” Warner said. “You want to be that person that they want to build around that is vital to their success and that they can’t lose, and that became the challenge for me is trying to figure out, ‘What is that for me? How do I shape that?’”
Warner worked on FOX Sports broadcasts of NFL games in 2010 as a color commentator, pairing alongside Chris Myers to call regional matchups. The new vantage point and technological capabilities allowed him to break down plays and communicate his thoughts to the viewers. Additionally, Warner called regional games for NFL Network and began contributing to its studio coverage as well, augmenting his versatility and broadening the scope with which he could disseminate his perspectives.
Although Warner was entering these roles as a veteran quarterback with recent success in the league, he knew that judgment would be predicated on his analysis rather than his past achievements. There are some parallels elicited between comparing his journey and that of Tom Brady, a seven-time Super Bowl champion quarterback expected to join FOX Sports’ lead NFL broadcast booth next season. If everything goes according to plan, Brady would be slated to call Super Bowl LIX in New Orleans, La.
“If you’re not good at this, they’re not going to continue to say, ‘But he went to 10 Super Bowls.’ Well, nobody cares at this point,” Warner articulated. “I want you to be good at what you’re doing. Be a good analyst; bring something to the table that’s different that separates you, and that’s going to be the challenge.”
While in the studio, Warner appeared on the Thursday Night Football pregame show and NFL Total Access among other programs. Executing such an adjustment required him to ponder over how he talks about the sport to others, along with an understanding of his specialties.
Soon thereafter, Warner became a regular member of NFL GameDay Morning, a Sunday morning show on which he is situated alongside host Rich Eisen and analysts Steve Mariucci and Michael Irvin. In balancing live game broadcast assignments with studio obligations, Warner rapidly refined his craft and became a well-rounded media professional.
“If you’re replaceable, then you never know what your future’s going to be or where you’re going to be or what you’re going to do,” Warner said, “so you want to try to create a brand that is different and is unique and that is something that you do as well or better than anyone else, so you hold on to that value for the long term.”
Prior to NFL GameDay Morning, Warner participates in extensive film study effectuated through watching all of the NFL games from the previous week. Akin to when he was playing quarterback, he studies the opposing defenses and remains aware of fluctuations so he can adjust in real time.
For example, if a topic being discussed by the panel is taken in a different direction, Warner aims to ensure he can partake in the conversation. Attaining a comprehensive understanding of the sport that can be conveyed to the audience keeps his analysis genuine and, in turn, further bolsters his credibility. Moreover, he wants to emit analysis replete with knowledge towards the subject matter rather than being nonplussed.
“I feel like I always go in prepared, and so being prepared, nothing really throws me for a loop,” Warner said. “There’s not anything that I can’t talk about in terms of the landscape of the NFL or what’s going on specifically around where my strengths are; around the quarterback position or the passing game or offensive football – and that to me is always the key.”
One of the reasons Warner does not participate in any studio shows on Monday – aside from his Westwood One obligations – relates to aiming to watch all of the games before discussion. Warner surmises that most of the individuals on Monday studio shows cannot be fully informed due to the extent of viewing and comprehending the most recent action. As a result, he has his schedule organized where Wednesday commences his media obligations for the new football week.
“I can actually watch the film and be prepared,” Warner said, “and then that leads me into Sunday and allows me to feel like I’m educated on all the stuff that I’m talking about and I can bring a unique, individual take to it that maybe other people won’t.”
Warner greatly values the NFL having its own media network since it presents football-related content 24 hours a day, seven days a week. From having worked there for over a decade, he has never been restricted in what he could say on the air.
Recent reports that the NFL is taking part in discussions with The Walt Disney Company about purchasing a minority stake of ESPN indicated that the league’s media entities, collectively known as NFL Media, would be included in a potential transaction. The league has reportedly been trying to unload these assets for several years, and would do so if the deal is agreed to and subsequently approved.
“I definitely think there are some concerns with what we’ve created at NFL Network and what our niche is,” Warner said. “What does that look like if an ESPN or another entity buys in or gets involved in some way? How does that change what we are and what we do? Those are definitely questions that I have having been a part of this for over a decade.”
Warner ultimately added Westwood One to his responsibilities in 2014 where he began splitting Monday Night Football assignments with Boomer Esiason as he reduced his schedule. Esiason continued to host the morning show on WFAN while also appearing on CBS Sports’ studio program, The NFL Today, throughout the day before. Warner has occupied the role on a regular basis since the 2018 season, but he needed time to become accustomed to the nuances of calling games on the medium.
“In radio, I get to talk about whatever I want,” Warner said. “I don’t have to follow the replays. I can share my own story and I have a blank canvas, and so each one is different; each one is unique, but each one challenges you in different ways.”
Each role has its challenges related to the allotted time one has to speak, along with how detailed the analysis can be in its very essence. Calling games with Westwood One in particular grants Warner a chance to provide his analysis, the lack of visual aid coercing him to paint a picture to the listeners. Even so, he is cognizant of how things are incumbent on the descriptions from the play-by-play announcer.
“I get to paint the entire picture for the audience,” Warner said. “It’s not like on television where they go, ‘Hey, we’ve got this replay,’ or, ‘I’m going to show you the offensive line,’ or, ‘I’m going to show you the receiver.’ In radio, I get to talk about whatever I want.”
Warner considers himself driven by football fundamentals, which are oftentimes referred to as Xs and Os in the parlance of the game. Once the contest starts, Warner equips the plan to guide his analysis and form the backbone of his opinions backed with calculations and research. From playing in the league and speaking with relevant personnel, he uses these quantifiable data with qualifiable discourse.
“There’s times you’ve got to lift people up and there’s other times we have to attack the problem and we’ve got to talk about it,” Warner said. “Analysts need to do the same thing. They’ve got to call out things when they need to be called out; they need to lift up guys when they need to be lifted up and celebrated, and finding that balance is hard.”
From the time he began working at the entity, Warner has been paired with Kevin Harlan, a proficient and adept play-by-play announcer for Westwood One, CBS Sports and TNT Sports. Part of Harlan’s broadcast repertoire are his impassioned calls of exhilarating moments, something that Warner sees firsthand within the Monday night games.
While on the air, they listen to one another and are able to reference conjecture later in the proceedings. Warner observes Harlan’s energy and genuine thrill with each matchup, and he also permits him to do his job. Neither broadcaster is dominant, but rather they work in tandem, form synergies and compile a stellar account of the game.
“It becomes a part of that broadcast as opposed to just being thrown in front of somebody or forced upon someone,” Warner said. “We still have the ability to entertain and have fun, but I think we do a great job of tying it all together within our broadcast so it feels like you’re listening or watching a TV show and it’s just naturally a part of the fabric of your call.”
As the excitement is taking place, Warner discerns how he should lay out and let Harlan make the accompanying call. Throughout their years together in the broadcast booth, Harlan has punctuated numerous game-winning touchdowns, interceptions and key defensive stops. After the initial fervor settles, Warner adds to the moment by informing people of the reason behind what happened.
“When the best in the business are doing their thing, you get out of the way, and that to me is my role in those situations,” Warner said. “Nobody’s better than Kevin.”
UDFA rookie Xavier Gipson just walked it off ????????
Hear the magic from Kevin Harlan and Kurt Warner ????️
Rather than ignoring constructive criticism, Warner values conveying coachability and is open to feedback and suggestions from his colleagues. While he was playing and accruing numerous accolades, he sought to identify his deficiencies and improve upon them to move in the right direction as a whole. This premise holds true especially when he is on a television live game broadcast since he only commentates those games a few times per year, usually alongside Eisen for NFL Network.
“I think it’s very similar to when I was playing is that I wanted to be the best that I could be, and you realize in life that you seldom learn things on your own,” Warner said. “Everything that I’ve learned about the game of football is really something I’ve been taught, or at least started with being taught something, and then I was able to evolve from that learning.”
Working in a commentary role, Warner does not earn wins or losses as he did while playing on the football field. Instead, he thinks about his personal success as a gauge on how he handled the situation and the work that he put in beforehand. Being open to feedback rather than ignoring it completely, however, has been critical in his mission to become the best broadcaster possible.
As gameday approaches on Westwood One, Warner genuinely looks forward to arriving at the stadium, conversing with Harlan and personnel involved and presenting a broadcast unique to radio. That will be his goal on Sunday as two teams battle it out for a chance to capture the league’s ultimate prize.
“We can fully pull you into this masterpiece that we’re creating, and that’s what I love about it; that’s what’s unique about it,” Warner explained, “and I think there’s people out there that once they jump on the radio, they understand how really special and unique it is and how it brings a different element to our great game.”
In some ways, February 17th, 2021 doesn’t feel that long ago. In others, it has felt like an eternity. Rush Limbaugh, the conservative radio pioneer, died that day at the age of 70 after a battle with lung cancer. Limbaugh left behind an indelible legacy on the medium, and it’s a torch his former producer, Bo Snerdley, continues to carry to this day.
Snerdley, who now hosts a daily one-hour afternoon show on 77 WABC in New York, told Barrett News Media he has a deep understanding and appreciation for what he accomplished in the business alongside Limbaugh for more than 30 years. However, he admitted comprehending the timeline can be a struggle at times.
“It’s weird because it all went by so fast. And it was incredible. The achievements that he made were profound, I think, in helping to shape not just the radio medium but he had an impact on the print medium, on television, and the electronic media. He really did change the American media landscape,” said Snerdley.
“So looking back on it now, I’m even more convinced that in the long run, history will be very kind to Rush. It will notice what the media landscape was before his show took off, how incredible of a run he had on the radio, but also how much impact he had on not just the medium that he was engaged in directly, but the other mediums as well.”
Like Limbaugh, Bo Snerdley makes his living in conservative talk radio. But that doesn’t mean he spends much time listening to others in the format.
“I don’t listen to a lot of radio,” he admitted. “I can’t because I’m doing my own radio show and one of the things that I am really conscious about is not imitating other people, not picking things up that they do. And I think a lot of radio people do that. So we read a lot and I spend most of my days reading and watching other mediums. I don’t want to inadvertently use someone else’s lines or whatever. I just want to have an original presentation for what it is that I do.”
That original presentation is an important aspect of Snerdley’s on-air persona.
“It is important, and there is going to obviously be some overlap. Many of us have similar thoughts about things, I suppose,” said Snerdley. “But that has always been so important — just to be original, to be your most authentic self, based on your own thoughts and your own prep.”
If anyone knew Rush Limbaugh’s show prep habits, it’s Bo Snerdley. He shared that he would often still be at the office and see papers being printed by Limbaugh from his home office to his studio computer for content on the next day’s program. Snerdley has carried that tenacious drive to find the best content into his show for 77 WABC.
“I think that if there’s anything that working with him all those decades has left me with is that that kind of work is absolutely necessary if you’re going to be extremely successful. You can’t leave it to somebody else,” Snerdley shared. “No matter what anybody else is reading and hands you — the people that work with you, whatever — you have really got to absorb a great deal of knowledge yourself.
“And no matter how much you absorb, you’re not going to get it all because we live in a world where, as you know, the news is constant. I am old enough to remember what those of us in the business used to call the ‘Dog Days of Summer’, when Congress was out and not in session,” he continued. “And it would also happen in December, around the Christmas holidays. The new cycles would come to a halt. You’d be scrounging for stories.
“Those days have been long gone. This 24-hour news cycle has been relentless now…even through the holidays, even through summer vacation for legislators. It just doesn’t stop. And if you’re going to be facing the public — and they’re looking at you for information — you’ve got to be tuned into it.”
The process of finding the correct content for his audience is a tedious one, but one Bo Snerdley takes seriously.
“I don’t feel comfortable at least I’ve done four to five hours of show prep for an hour,” he said.
In addition to his daily afternoon program, he hosts a three-hour morning show on Saturdays on the Red Apple Media-owned station. The two shows share similar purposes, but the presentations can be diametrically opposed to one another at times.
“It’s a different pace,” said Snerdley of the weekday program compared to his Saturday show. “If you have an hour, you really, really want to make sure that you get the top news and the top stories and your top take on whatever it is there. So you have to go a little bit different pace.
“In a way, it’s fun because it’s a challenge to see how much you can get in during that hour and still make it fun to listen to and — one hopes –make it engaging, and then do a good show. So it’s a lot of fun. I think we were able to accomplish that. It’s good to be able to accomplish doing a show where the listener feels that they’ve gotten the top news of the day and they’ve gotten a good dose of humor with it.
“And in my case, I’m really passionate about music. So we also throw in a bunch of music history. From what happened that day in the world of music, but we make it quick, so it’s fast-paced, but it’s jam-packed.”
Snerdley joined 77 WABC after Limbaugh’s 2021 death. He had previously hosted a call-in show on the station from 1992-1998, before returning to the New York news/talker after it was purchased by John and Margo Catsimatidis. He credited the billionaires for their commitment to returning to the station to its former glory.
“I have nothing but praise for John and Margo for the way that they have put together WABC’s resurgence,” said Bo Snerdley. “And how have they done it? They’ve done it by reaching out to all New Yorkers. They do things that you don’t normally find on ‘conservative’ talk radio. They will reach out and celebrate the LGBT community. And they’re doing that because they’re a part of New York. They are on top of every single group that is in New York, that is part of the New York culture. They get recognized on WABC.
“Yes, it is political. There’s political talk, but more than that, they have made it a cultural hub, where people can come in from whatever part of life you are as a New Yorker and be celebrated on that radio station. And I think that’s one of the keys to their growth,” he continued. “Of course, you have Chad (Lopez) there, who has an amazing career as a broadcast executive, who’s heading up as president. You have a lot of talented young people that are there, but the energy, the spirit came from the top down, that’s what’s made the station very successful.
“They love radio, they wanted WABC to become a success again, and that’s what they’ve been able to deliver on that vision,” praised Bo Snerdley. “It has just been a thrill to watch WABC climb through those ratings again, and now find themselves in one of the top stations in New York. It’s just such a thrill.”
I probably spend too much time reading the radio and television research trade press, and now that I’m part of it, apologies in advance that this column may be adding to someone else’s addiction. The good news is that much of the trade press can be skipped, either because it’s not that important or the item has already been reported in five other emails or websites.
Reading so much trade press can be instructive when you apply “outside” news to the radio/audio business. If you haven’t been keeping up, measurement in the video space is becoming highly competitive and that has a direct impact on radio measurement as well.
The TV/video industry has seen several Nielsen-wannabe competitors enter the fray and the industry has not only taken notice, but it’s also taken action as well. Around 15 years ago, a group called the Coalition for Innovative Media Measurement (CIMM) was formed and is now a part of the Advertising Research Foundation. You should be aware that the word “media” in CIMM’s name applies only to visual electronic media as stated in the “About” section of CIMM’s website. CIMM has released several reports on advanced video measurement that are worth reading.
Next, a number of video industry players started a Joint Industry Committee (JIC) a year ago to steer research providers to provide services that better suit their needs. In other countries, JICs exist to act as a monopsony (when the marketplace has only one buyer, in other words, the opposite of a monopoly) purchaser of audience measurement.
It’s long been considered that JICs would be illegal in the United States based on our antitrust laws, but this JIC is different. It has set up criteria for “certification” of cross-platform data and invites all companies to participate. In September, the JIC announced that it had granted “conditional certification” to comScore, VideoAmp, and iSpot. Other companies did not make the initial cut, but they may make it through the next time. One important sidenote: Nielsen did not apply for certification from the JIC.
While radio and audio are not part of these groups, there is a downstream effect. Former Canadian prime minister Pierre Trudeau once said that the US-Canadian relationship resembled a mouse sleeping with an elephant, “No matter how friendly and even-tempered is the beast, if I can call it that, one is affected by every twitch and grunt.”
Radio/audio is a Canadian mouse and video/TV is the U.S. elephant. When the video industry has measurement competition with a number of companies trying to enter, the incumbent (Nielsen) has to go to battle. And that battle means more investment in the product and typically lower prices for customers.
Nielsen just announced a renewal for their services with FOX Television and Nexstar, the latter owning the largest number of US local television stations. Obviously, financial details were not disclosed, but I’d put a dollar or two on a wager that FOX and Nexstar will be paying less and probably getting more or at a bare minimum, dealing with much lower escalators than in their previous contracts. Nexstar also signed a contract with comScore for cross-platform data.
This leaves radio measurement in a precarious position. Our industry depends on Nielsen as the currency source of audience measurement (yes, I’m aware of Eastlan, but it has survived all these years by not going head-to-head with Nielsen; an astute strategy). Now that private equity interests own Nielsen and is smaller with the breakup from the other part of Nielsen (marketing data), where does that leave us?
Let’s consider the state of the current measurement technology. The diary dates to the mid-1960s. Arbitron began working on PPM in the ‘90s although the system didn’t make it to market until the mid-aughts. Since that time, have we seen any new measurement systems arise? PPM has a new form factor (a watch) rather than the old “pager” configuration. The diary has been updated over the years, but it’s still a seven-day, self-administered instrument. The basics have remained the same for a long time.
As I noted in this column, when Nielsen One, the cross-platform product was announced, the words “radio” and “audio” were nowhere to be found. On the ten-year anniversary of Nielsen’s takeover of Arbitron, I paraphrased the Ronald Reagan question “Are you better off now than you were ten years ago?”. Anyone for a “yes” answer out there? Please raise your hands!
Nielsen recently announced that they will be “offshoring” more of their operations and that likely means more RIFs for the Nielsen Audio staff here in the US based on recommendations from McKinsey. As Captain Renault said in Casablanca, “I’m shocked…shocked.”
Do you think you’ll get better service and a better product when most everything is handled in India, Mexico, and Poland with less oversight here?
What to do? Radio and audio usage is tougher than ever to measure, but there are likely some good ideas for different approaches to the problem. Why can’t our industry get together and search for new entrants?
Some time back, iHeart put out an RFP for a new system which didn’t get anywhere. Many years ago, Cumulus tried to find a competitor and convinced Nielsen to measure some markets with a diary. After a couple of years, Nielsen folded their radio tent and eventually bought Arbitron. Why would one company go it alone? The industry, along with the agencies and major advertisers, needs to get together and encourage competition in the audio measurement space.
The economist Joseph Schumpeter was known for a number of quotes, perhaps the most famous being “At the heart of capitalism is creative destruction”. We’ve seen that in so many industries and growing up in a Kodak family, I know what can happen to a Fortune 500 company that doesn’t change with the times. Perhaps it’s time for some creative destruction in our space.
