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Pat McAfee: ESPN Executive Norby Williamson is Trying to Sabotage Our Show

BSM Staff
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During the final, streaming-only, hour of The Pat McAfee Show today, host Pat McAfee called out ESPN Head of Event and Studio Production Norby Williamson by name, saying he believes the executive is intentionally trying to sabotage the show.

It is believed some of what McAfee was responding to was a New York Post article yesterday from Andrew Marchand with the headline, “Pat McAfee needs to produce better ratings to be worth $85 million – and headaches – for ESPN.” McAfee seems of the belief Williamson, or someone from ESPN, provided Marchand with faulty numbers.

“We are very appreciative and we understand that more people are watching this show than ever before,” McAfee started out. “We are very thankful for the ESPN folks being very hospitable. Now there are some people actively trying to sabotage us from within ESPN. More specifically, I believe, Norby Williamson is the guy who is attempting to sabotage our program.”

McAfee continued, “I am not 100% sure, that is just seemingly the only human that has the information and then somehow that information gets leaked and it’s wrong. And then it sets a narrative of what our show is.”

Taking it to another level, McAfee went on to say, “Are we just going to combat that from a rat every single time? I dont know. But someone tried to get ahead of our actual ratings release with wrong numbers,12 hours beforehand, that’s a sabatoge attempt..and its been happening basically this entire season from some people who didnt necessairly love the ol’ addition of The Pat McAfee show to the ESPN family.

Theres a lot of those. Weve heard them anonymously quoted in the Washington Post, and the NY Post, and the NY Times and the LA Times, in Wall Sreet Journal. And they’re never like ‘I love the show,’ it’s always like little things to try and tear us down.”

McAfee than mentioned a past history with Williamson, saying “That guy left me in his office for 45 minutes, no-showed me, in 2018. So this guy has had zero respect for me…for a long time.”

At the conclusion of the discussion, McAfee added, “We are still growing somehow. We are trying to do it as right as possible. We have good intentions every single time we come in here. We dont always get it right, but motherfu**ers (have) been getting it wrong for a long time in this specific field.”

Today, ESPN PR put out a release touting McAfee’s success across ESPN, YouTube and TikTok, noting a combined average viewers per episode number of 886,000.

Bob Carpenter To Remain on Nationals TV Broadcasts for the Next 2 Seasons on MASN

BSM Staff
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Bob Carpenter To Remain on Nationals TV Broadcasts for the Next 2 Seasons on MASN

Washington Nationals fans can rejoice — they’ll have at least two more years with beloved play-by-play man Bob Carpenter calling Nats games on MASN.

In a post to his X account, Carpenter laid out his plans for the next two seasons as he looks to wind down his career. While plans can change, it seems like Carpenter will call “most road games” and about half of the Nats’ home games.

Carpenter has called Nats games for MASN TV for the past 18 years and has basically been the voice of the Nats for their entire existence, sans one year between 2005 and 2006. Carpenter will be joined by Kevin Frandsen and Dan Kolko on the call, something he also confirmed on X:

Prior to working in Washington, Carpenter called games for the St. Louis Cardinals, New York Mets, Minnesota Twins, and Texas Rangers.

Citadel Communications CEO and Broadcasters Foundation Chairman Emeritus Phil Lombardo Dies

BNM Staff
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Citadel Communications CEO and Broadcasters Foundation Chairman Emeritus Phil Lombardo Dies

Citadel Communications CEO and Chairman Emeritus of the Broadcasters Foundation of America Phil Lombardo died Thursday after a brief illness.

Lombardo had served as the chairman of the Broadcasters Foundation from 2000 to 2015 before moving to his Meritus role.

“Last night, the Broadcasters Foundation and the broadcast industry lost a great man,” said current Broadcasters Foundation Chairman Scott Herman. “As Chairman of the Broadcasters Foundation for many years, Phil left an indelible mark. He was passionate about our mission and one of our biggest donors, giving both time and money to helping colleagues in need.”

“It would be impossible for me to quantify all that I learned from Phil Lombardo over the course of our nearly 40-year association,” added Citadel Communications President and COO Ray Cole. “Phil was a boss, a mentor, and a partner. Most of all, he was a dear friend who changed my life in immeasurable ways. While his impact on the broadcasting industry was vast and deep, Phil’s enduring legacy will be the vision and passion with which he led the Broadcasters Foundation of America. His contributions to its mission — helping fellow broadcasters in need — had no bounds. That commitment is sure to live on forever.”

In lieu of flowers, Lombardo’s family has asked that donations be made to the newly created Phillip J. Lombardo Memorial Fund, established by the Broadcasters Foundation to honor the legendary executive’s work in the field.

“Phil had a strong personality, but his heart was bigger,” added Broadcasters Foundation President Tim McCarthy. “No one worked harder than Phil to raise money from our biggest donors. He gave more than anyone in our industry to colleagues who need it most.”

After the announcement of Lombardo’s death, the NAB also released a statement memorializing the Citadel Communications CEO.

“Phil Lombardo was a pioneer in the broadcasting industry; his contributions were immense and his influence widespread. His passion for broadcasting set a standard that will continue to inspire generations to come,” NAB President and CEO Curtis LeGeyt wrote in the statement.

“Phil’s leadership extended beyond his business achievements. His service as NAB joint board chair helped shape the future of our association and left an indelible mark on our industry. But his legacy will certainly be his work to help broadcasters in their times of greatest need, through the Broadcasters Foundation of America (BFOA). I had the privilege of serving with him on the BFOA board and witnessing firsthand his unwavering dedication to the men and women of the broadcast industry, giving back to those who have given so much to our communities across the country.

“We extend our deepest condolences to Phil’s family, friends, and colleagues during this difficult time. His legacy will live on, and he will be deeply missed.”

Phil Lombardo was 88. He founded Citadel Communications in 1982, before ultimately completely divesting itself from the TV business by selling its remaining stations to Nexstar Media Group last year.

Mike Gallagher: ‘Titillating and Salacious’ to Talk About Jeffrey Epstein But There’s No New Developments

BNM Staff
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Mike Gallagher: ‘Titillating and Salacious’ to Talk About Jeffrey Epstein But There’s No New Developments

A list of those associated with disgraced New York financier Jeffrey Epstein was put out this week after initially being silenced. Mike Gallagher says while it’s fun to talk about and hypothesize who is and isn’t on the list, there really aren’t any new developments.

While discussing the topic with Mark Davis on AM 660 The Answer in Dallas, Gallagher admitted that all of the media coverage about the list connection Epstein — who died in prison before he could officially face charges related to an underage sex ring he operated — is really all contrived and clickbait.

“It’s all just titillating and salacious, and there was no development last night,” said Gallagher. “There was nothing new that came out of it, other than social media having a field day.”

Mike Gallagher and Mark Davis each took issue with reporting from The Washington Post regarding Epstein’s relationship with former President Donald Trump, despite the Republican not playing a central role in the more than 900 pages of documents relating to Epstein.

“Jeffrey Epstein was a big deal. He was a big deal in social circles and a big deal in financial circles,” Davis argued. “The list of people who probably visited him somewhere — either that stupid Island or condo somewhere — is vast. Simply being in a room with Epstein tells you nothing.”

Barstool Sports Arizona Bowl Is CW’s Third-Most-Watched Broadcast of the Past Two Years

BSM Staff
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Barstool Sports Arizona Bowl Is CW’s Third-Most-Watched Broadcast of the Past Two Years

According to Nielsen, the partnership between Barstool Sports and The CW produced a viewership total of 1.1 million viewers for the Barstool Sports Arizona Bowl. This was the network’s first college bowl game and resulted in one of the network’s top three telecasts of the past two years in total viewers and adults 18-49 (320,000). Viewership peaked at 1.9 million total viewers during the final quarter hour.

In head-to-head competition, the Barstool Sports Arizona Bowl outperformed the UCLA vs Oregon men’s basketball game on CBS in total viewers by 41 percent. The broadcast also ranks as the network’s second strongest college football game, only surpassed by the Nov. 18 matchup between then-undefeated Florida State and Northern Alabama.

“The CW’s first college bowl game in network history served as the centerpiece of eight straight hours of live sports programming on Saturday alongside our ACC men’s basketball doubleheader, highlighting the power of sports on The CW,” said Brad Schwartz, president of entertainment at The CW Network. “Live sports continue to set new ratings milestones for The CW, reinforcing the reach of broadcast television and establishing the network as a premiere destination for free, high-quality games that appeal to all sports fans.”

However, it doesn’t seem like Barstool will be back for a third year of sponsorship. According to longtime Barstool personality Dan “Big Cat” Katz, the company is unlikely to host the event next year “unless something drastic changes.”

WFAN Morning Show Celebrating 10 Years of CBS Sports Network Simulcast

BSM Staff
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WFAN Morning Show Celebrating 10 Years of CBS Sports Network Simulcast

On this morning’s episode of ‘Boomer & Gio,’ WFAN hosts Boomer Esiason and Gregg Giannotti pointed out January 6 is the 10 year anniversary date of the show being simulcast on CBS Sports Network.

Coming out of a break, Gio said, “Boomer and Gio on The Fan and CBS Sports Network. Speaking of CBS Sports Network – tomorrow, the actual date is tomorrow, but we aren’t on the air so it’s really today, is the the 10 year anniversary of CBS Sports Network simulcasting this show. A full decade.”

Stephen Waldron, a frequent show contributor and CBS Sports Producer, called in and after a quick discussion about where ten years ranks in terms of length of time a show has been on CBS Sports Network, Esiason got to the heart of the matter. “Anybody sending anything over today, or no?” he asked. Waldron replied, “10:01 you guys should get something.”

Of course, the show ends at 10 am local time.

January 6, 2014, the show, then known as ‘Boomer & Carton’ would begin its simulcast on the network and run for four years. Craig Carton resigned from the station in September of 2017, and ‘Boomer & Gio’ started January 2, 2018.

WFAN personality Al Dukes, posted on X in response to the anniversary, noting another significant anniversary happening for the station:

105.7 The Fan Garners Top Finishes in Baltimore Fall Ratings Book

BSM Staff
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Sports radio in Baltimore continued to demonstrate its appeal, garnering large ratings and shares throughout the Nielsen fall ratings book. Audacy-owned 105.7 The Fan finished first in weekday prime (M-F 6a-7p) among Men 25-54 with a 10.5 share. The mark was slightly down from the station’s 10.8 share over the summer and 11.4 year-over-year number. However, The Fan has now finished first in the target demo for eighth consecutive quarters. Among Adults 25-54, the station ranked fourth for the quarter.

Mornings saw Ed Norris, Rob Long and Jeremy Conn grab second place for the fall book with an 8.8 share. They were down one ranking and 1.1 shares from the summer book. The Big Bad Morning Show (6-10 a.m.) was even more dominant last fall, delivering a a 12.1 share, which placed the show first.

Middays (10a-2p) featuring Vinny Cerrato and Bob Haynie snagged the top spot with a strong 11.8 share. The show did experience an eight-tenths of a share dip from the summer book, and was off one tenth year-over-year, but did pick up a ranking position moving from second to first over the past twelve months.

Afternoons on 105.7 The Fan (2p-6p) with Jason La Canfora and Ken Weinman attained an 11.8 share this quarter as well, also good for first in the market. That number was up from the 11.6 share, first-place finish collected over the summer. Year-over-year was an even better story with Inside Access adding 1.7 shares and retaining first-place.

Ratings reports and analysis are written by BSM and sponsored by Crowd React Media, a division of Harker Bos Group. Learn more about the different ways sports media research can benefit your station and cut through the noise by clicking here.

Curtis LeGeyt: NAB ‘Focused on Ensuring Broadcasters Have Viable Revenue Streams’ After FCC Tightens Ownership Rules

BNM Staff
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Curtis LeGeyt: NAB ‘Focused on Ensuring Broadcasters Have Viable Revenue Streams’ After FCC Tightens Ownership Rules

At the insistence of television owners, the FCC recently reevaluated its ownership limits and came to a decision that was the exact opposite of what TV groups wanted, further restricting the number of stations one entity can own in a given market. NAB President and CEO Curtis LeGeyt lobbied for changes to the regulations, and now says the organization is focused on ensuring broadcasters maintain a path to viability.

During an interview with TVNewsCheck’s Talking TV, LeGeyt shared his disappointment in the ruling by the FCC, adding that he believes there are policymakers in Washington D.C. who share his disappointment. However, he said in spite of the decision by the FCC, the NAB remains committed to providing support to broadcasters.

“I think the newspaper industry speaks for itself. And what I’m focused on is ensuring that broadcasters have the ability, when audiences are cord-cutting, to ensure viable revenue streams,” LeGeyt said. “We know that the major tech players, Facebook and Google, have absolutely eaten up the marketplace for digital advertising. And we see that audiences are fleeing the traditional ecosystem.

“And in light of that, how do broadcasters compete, not go the way of the newspaper industry, without increasing where they choose to do it some scale, both in the local markets and in the national markets? I think it is very, very difficult to justify how tightening the ownership rules is going to enable broadcasters to achieve the scale, to invest in the type of local journalism that our audiences have come to expect, as well as to innovate,” Curtis LeGeyt continued. “So that’s really where we are focused right now, advocating for greater scale.”

SportsCenter Sees Year-Over-Year Growth for All Editions of Program

BSM Staff
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While we’ll always pine for the SportsCenter anchors of our youth, it seems like the show is back on the right track following a stellar year in 2023. Every single edition of the show saw year-over-year growth from 2022 into 2023, the largest being the 1 a.m. ET edition, which saw a growth of 22 percent from 2023 to 2022.

SportsCenter with Scott Van Pelt, which airs at midnight E.T. or immediately following live games, led the way with an average viewership of 741,000 per episode, a four percent increase over 2022. Like many ESPN programs, it ended the year with a strong December, averaging 963,000 viewers for the month, a 30 percent year-over-year increase. This included an audience of 2.7 million for the Dec. 30 edition that followed the controversial ending of the Detroit Lions/Dallas Cowboys game.

In addition, all editions of SportsCenter saw year-over-year increases in viewership among younger viewers in the Persons ages 18-49 demographic. The 2 p.m. edition, which debuted in September, averaged 290,000 viewers in its first four months. You can view metrics provided by ESPN for each edition of SportsCenter below:

Edition2023 Avg. Viewers2022 Avg. Viewers
7 a.m.255,000233,000
6 p.m.446,000444,000
11 p.m.469,000444,000
SVP741,000710,000
Midnight (non-SVP)408,000406,000
1 a.m.411,000338,000
Weekend AM437,000420,000

ESPN Chattanooga Sold; Greg Larnerd Out in Middays

BSM Staff
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ESPN Chattanooga Sold; Greg Larnerd Out in Middays

ESPN Chattanooga, 95.3 FM WALV, has been sold by Brewer Media Group to Radio Training Network, according to a report from Radio Insight. A few days prior to the sale announcement, Greg Larnerd posted on X he had been let go from the station.

Larnerd had been hosting ‘The Word with G’ weekdays from noon to 2 pm.

Brewer Media Group had previously housed the sports station on 105.1 FM before selling that station and moving the programming to 95.3.

Brewer still maintains ownership of two FM stations in Chattanooga, 93.5 WMPZ and 94.3 WJTT.

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