After a second incident between the Philadelphia Eagles and sideline personnel happened on Monday Night Football, WFAN host Gregg Giannotti couldn’t believe this continues to happen.
Gregg Giannotti was the sideline reporter for two seasons on the Pitt Panthers Radio Network, and shared said getting near the action was never something he was all that interested in.
“I had limited experience — two years working sidelines for college football — and I never in my life thought about getting near a player,” said Giannotti during Boomer & Gio Tuesday. “I mean I was scared to death of getting run over. To get in the face of one of these guys was the dumbest thing ever.”
He then shared a story of a time when he was in harm’s way before someone saved him from a potential issue.
“It was Pitt/Navy down in Annapolis. It was to stand on the goal line to make sure I saw you if the guy crossed the goal line if they went down to me, ‘Do you think he’s in?’, and then we’re looking at it,” Giannotti explained. “So they had those cannons right there in the endzone. They scored, they went off, right? So I’m standing, I had no idea they were behind me, and one of the midshipmen came up and said ‘Sir, if we score we’re going to blow your head off. You might want to move’. Thank you.”
Co-host Boomer Esiason argued that the average person doesn’t realize how “tuned up” players are during the course of the action.
“That goes for every sport. It’s not just football, but it goes for every sport. But during a football game, the players are out of their minds.”
ESPN has named Josh Krulewitz as its news senior vice president of communications, tasked with leading the company’s communications department beginning on Dec. 31. The 32-year ESPN veteran is succeeding Chris LaPlaca in the role, who is the company’s longest-tenured behind-the-scenes employee.
Within his new job, Josh Krulewitz is reporting to Jimmy Pitaro, chairman of ESPN, and Kristina Schake, senior executive vice president and chief communications officer of The Walt Disney Company.
Throughout his time with ESPN, Josh Krulewitz has been part of various aspects surrounding the company’s business, contributing to communications surrounding sports broadcasts, league and event agreements, internal communications and issue management among other things. Moreover, he has helped advise executives, talent and employees within the company pertaining to media and employee relations, along with brand building, narratives and strategy.
“Josh is a dynamic, collaborative, and strategic communications leader,” Pitaro said in a statement. “I’ve worked closely with Josh for many years and have benefitted from his excellent advice during many challenging situations. I have seen him cultivate countless relationships with media and ESPN colleagues over the years, all of which will benefit him and all of us as we continue to navigate through a complex sports media environment. He will work closely with Disney colleagues and continue to look for ways for us to enhance our brand and reputation.”
Krulewitz’s journey in the communications department began as an undergraduate student at the University of Connecticut before joining full time in July 1992. Krulewitz has been serving as vice president of the department since 2006, during which he has been part of various public relations campaigns and other media relations involving ESPN.
“This one-of-a-kind role leading the world-class ESPN Communications team comes with extraordinary responsibility,” Krulewitz said in a statement. “It’s quite an honor to be trusted to represent the elite ESPN brand, collaborate with Disney, and to work alongside the most talented and dedicated colleagues around.”
Last week, ESPN held a retirement party for LaPlaca where various guests were on hand to honor his career, including Jimmy Pitaro, George Bodenheimer and Rosa Gatti. ESPN NBA insider Adrian Wojnarowski, who interned under LaPlaca at ESPN, was also at the ceremony and broke the news of Draymond Green’s indefinite suspension from the NBA after he punched Phoenix Suns center Jusuf Nurkić during a game. The event had nearly 130 ESPN staffers on hand to commend LaPlaca for his work ahead of his impending retirement.
“Chris has played a pivotal role in virtually all major events in ESPN’s history, serving as a key strategist and spokesperson and leading the Comms group since 2008,” Pitaro said in a statement. “I’ve relied on his integrity, judgment and instincts since I arrived here, and I am incredibly grateful for all he has done for me and for ESPN.”
WBEN in Buffalo has announced Lisa Polizzi is joining the station to serve as its next Brand Manager.
Polizzi joins the station after spending decades in the market, mostly working in local television. She has previously had stints at WKBW and WIVB in Buffalo working as an Executive Producer, Assistant News Director, and News Director during her tenure.
“I’m thrilled to join Buffalo’s legacy news/talk brand to help shape news and programming with innovation, integrity, and enthusiasm,” said Polizzi.
Polizzi is familiar with the Audacy cluster in Buffalo. She previously worked as a weekend news anchor for WBEN in 2002 and also spent time on sports station 550 WGR.
She will take the position vacated by the promotion of Tim Wenger, who was named Senior Vice President and Market Manager of Audacy Buffalo in July.
“Lisa’s extraordinary background in leading award-winning content generation in local television news will be invaluable for WBEN as it continues to evolve as the radio station that’s always there when the community needs it the most,” said Wenger. “I look forward to Lisa taking an already stellar brand to new heights.”
Over the weekend, a video went viral that showed a pair of male Senate staffers engaged in sexual activity inside a Senate hearing room. 1210 WPHT host Dom Giordano wonders why the story hasn’t created more headlines.
During The Dom Giordano Program Monday, the Philadelphia host noted the absurdity of the video and the subsequent headlines.
“Probably the wildest headlines over the weekend. You have this Democrat staffer — I mean, after things that we’ve seen, like cocaine in the White House — who decides to tape a sex tape video in a Senate office,” Giordano said.
Dom Giordano then questioned how the story was framed by a national outlet as being strictly a story in conservative media circles.
“NBC News frames the Senate tape video as ‘Conservative news outlets pushing the story’. Oh, so NBC doesn’t think it’s a story to be taping — and look, even I’ll concede, taping any kind of sex scene there is going to be problematic. Some outlets went a little bit crazy. Yes. How is this not news? The guy’s been dismissed. They won’t say who the other guy is.”
He then claimed if the video featured two participants tied to a Republican Senator, it would be getting more acclaim.
“If they were associated with Jim Jordan’s office, or let me think of a Senator, Lindsey Graham’s office. Oh my god. Yeah. We’d be off to the races,” Giordano said. “So the staffers were fired. And now we’re all supposed to go away. Apparently, there’s going to be another investigation by people who really don’t investigate anything.”
The New York Times Company has announced that The Athletic is joining Apple News+, granting subscribers to the service access to the digital sports journalism publication. Readers will now have access to consume content from writers and reporters such as Ken Rosenthal, Dianna Russini and Shams Charania among others. Wirecutter is also joining the service beginning early next year, adding an additional publication within its overall portfolio.
The company purchased The Athletic in a $550 million cash transaction in January 2022, looking to bring the outlet to profitability and utilize it as a vehicle to grow its overall subscriptions. Earlier in the year, the newspaper shuttered its sports department in favor of utilizing The Athletic for coverage, a move that drew the ire of The New York Times Guild and caused it to file a grievance over the decision. The initial deal adumbrated the separation between the sports section and The New York Times newspaper itself, but the strategy seems to have changed and led the approximately 35 journalists and editors on the staff to be reassigned to work in different areas of the publication.
“Like so many lifelong sports fans, I am a devoted reader of The Athletic and their fantastic sports reporting and local coverage,” Eddy Cue, Apple’s senior vice president of services, said in a statement. “We’re so proud to now bring sports fans The Athletic in Apple News+ – which millions of News+ subscribers are going to love.”
Despite undergoing layoffs earlier in the year, the outlet’s newsroom has over 450 full-time writers, editors and producers focused on delivering comprehensive coverage of professional and college sports teams. Apple News users are able to follow their favorite teams and leagues utilizing the sports tab within the application, and those who subscribe to the premium service will be able to follow The Athletic for accompanying stories.
“The Athletic is home to award-winning, deeply reported coverage of teams, leagues, and players for devoted fans around the world,” David Perpich, publisher of The Athletic, said in a statement. “We provide subscribers with every sports story that matters, brought to life by the most talented newsroom in the business. We’re thrilled to work with Apple News to introduce even more readers to the best-in-class journalism that only The Athletic can produce.”
Fred Toucher made a long-awaited announcement on Tuesday morning’s edition of the morning drive program on 98.5 The Sports Hub, revealing his new co-host beginning on January 4, 2024. Rob “Hardy” Poole, a member of the station since 2009, will join Toucher on the new Toucher & Hardy morning show from 6a-10a ET on weekdays, starting a new era in the mornings on the Beasley Media Group-owned outlet.
After graduating from Michigan State University, Hardy worked for 15 years as a rock DJ on music radio before making the switch to 98.5 The Sports Hub. Through the last eight years, he has worked with Zolak & Bertrand in middays, contributing to the ratings success of the multiple Marconi award-winning station. Hardy has continued working in music radio on Beasley Media Group’s Rock 92.9, and he has also been the host of the Sports Hub Golf Club show as well.
“Hardy is one of the most talented and creative individuals I have ever worked with in radio,” 98.5 The Sports Hub program director Rick Radzik said in a statement. “Teaming him with Fred was just a natural fit for our new morning show. I look forward to them providing great content and entertaining our listeners for years to come.”
“Hardy was the perfect candidate to join Fred and the team to take this show to even greater heights,” Mary Menna, Beasley Media Group Boston vice president and market manager, said in a statement. “Everybody loves him!”
Toucher teased an announcement about the future of the morning program on Instagram, drawing the attention of listeners with an interest in the search process. The Hub’s morning man shared that there were many people interested in the opening, with some candidates even reaching out to him personally. He recalled the situation regarding how former co-host Rich Shertenlieb and 98.5 The Sports Hub were unable to come to terms on a contract. In fact, there had been an enigma and uncertainty pertaining to Shertenlieb throughout the year, accentuated by Toucher’s absences after a medical emergency and checking himself into a rehabilitation facility for alcoholism.
Toucher inked a contract extension with the station in October while Shertenlieb’s name was omitted from the announcement, bolstering speculation on the duo’s future together. In early November, Toucher revealed that Shertenlieb was leaving the station, ending a 17-year partnership together and initiating a search for his new partner.
There were various people involved in the search, eliciting thanks from Toucher before he revealed the news Tuesday morning. He took the time to spotlight Ryan Johnston in particular, who will have accumulated over 100 fill-in appearances for the station by the end of the year. Moreover, Toucher shared his thoughts on Kendra Middleton, who reportedly interviewed for the role and has worked to establish herself in the industry.
“Kendra Middleton, who I didn’t even know four months ago, and now I think is one of the most talented people in radio,” Toucher said. “I think that Kendra, as I said, is going to be a huge star, and I think it’s going to happen soon, so someone better scoop her up. Until that happens – and I don’t know what Kendra’s future is – but Kendra, I can tell you, is going to be a big part of whatever happens going forward outside of this whole betting thing that she’s doing right now; we’ll get her involved in other stuff.”
Jon Wallach will also retain his role on the program, with Toucher mentioning that his job was never in jeopardy. Wallach has been a member of the station since 2009 while also doing work with the Boston Celtics as a commentator filling in as a play-by-play announcer on the radio for select games.
Other contributors who work on the program, including Mike Lockhart, Dan O’Brien and Nick Gemelli, were all mentioned within the segment as well and commended for welcoming Hardy to the program. From the beginning, Toucher informed his agent to tell station management that if something were to happen between him and Rich that Hardy would represent the partner he would be most interested in working with going forward.
“Now why?,” Toucher said. “Because I’ve known him for almost as long as I’ve known Rich; I consider him a good friend. He’s someone that I talk to who makes me laugh in my personal life, he’s extremely talented with production and he’s been quite frankly underutilized here at this radio station – not in terms of his jobs – he’s like one of these guys that has 17 maintenance jobs – he just works all over the place, but hopefully that can stop.”
Upon the conclusion of the announcement, Hardy expressed his gratitude towards Toucher and being able to officially sign the contract that has granted him the highly-coveted co-host role on the top-rated Boston morning program. Reminiscing over the years about some of the bits and segments he has produced, the show played them back for listeners to enjoy as he conveyed his appreciation and excitement for the new chapter set to commence.
“As a lifelong radio guy, I’m thrilled for this opportunity,” Hardy said in a statement. “I’m looking forward to working with Fred and the rest of the morning show crew on what I believe will be a great show.”
Earlier this year, 77WABC morning host Sid Rosenberg was locked in what he described as a “silly feud” with Mark Levin. The pair have subsequently mended fences, with Rosenberg revealing what led to the reconciliation.
The two traded barbs publicly after Rosenberg supported 77WABC owner John Catsimatidis and his decision to air a one-hour interview with former New York Governor Andrew Cuomo (D), which cut into an hour of Levin’s program on the New York news/talk station. Rosenberg alleged Levin used “an adjective that was really not very nice for no reason” to describe the New York hosts, which he took issue with.
During Sid and Friends in the Morning on Monday, Sid Rosenberg revealed that he and Levin are on good terms once again, with the Hamas terrorist attacks in Israel on October 7th being the catalyst for the pair setting aside their differences.
“Eight days after what happened in Israel unprovoked I reached out to Mark Levin,” Rosenberg said. “I shouldn’t say unprovoked. I was watching Fox News, and on Sunday mornings they’ve got Pete Hegseth and this girl, Rachel Campos — who’s pretty — but she sounded so stupid when they were interviewing Levin that day, eight days after the original attacks. And Levin just took her to pieces, and I thought explained the Iran situation, the whole Middle East, exactly why Israel should do exactly what they’re doing now, which is don’t pay attention to Joe Biden and the rest of these assholes and just wipe these mothereffers out.”
Rosenberg then shared that he sent Levin’s producer an email asking if he’d be interested in squashing the growing tensions between the two.
“I said, ‘Hey, man, Levin’s been talking about me, I’ve been talking about him. But eight days after these attacks, the big Jewish voices in this country — Mark Levin, Sid Rosenberg, Ben Shapiro — we need to be together. We need to be one. So do you think that Levin would be up to having a discussion this afternoon?’ And about five minutes later, I got an email back with Levin’s cell phone number saying ‘Call him at three’, and I did.
“And we had this great conversation. Levin said, ‘You’re a big man. I should have done this. You did it. I’m glad you did. I respect you. You’re a great talent and great show’. And now he’s been on the show two or three times since.”
We’re inside of the ninety day window for the 2024 BSM Summit, which means that over the next month or so you’ll see an increase in announcements. Between speakers, special events, and award recipients, there’s a lot still to reveal leading up to the show on March 13-14, 2024. If you haven’t bought a ticket, don’t wait until the last minute and miss out. You can secure your seat either on BSMSummit.com or by visiting the store on the BSM website. If you’re looking for sponsorship opportunities, email Stephanie Eads to see what’s still available.
Though there’s plenty ahead to share, I thought I’d relay one addition before the holidays. It’s an announcement I know our attendees will be excited about. I had the pleasure of welcoming Meadowlark Media CEO and cofounder John Skipper to the 2022 BSM Summit in New York, and I’m thrilled to share that John will be making his return to the show this March.
As many of you who read this website and attend our conferences know, John is sharp, plugged in, and comfortable offering his opinions on the industry. He has led the largest sports media company on the planet (ESPN), and followed that stint by teaming with Dan Le Batard to build Meadowlark Media into a thriving sports media brand. Under John’s leadership, Meadowlark has formed partnerships with DraftKings, Apple+, MAX, Prime Video, and Wondery just to name a few.
Additionally, the company has bolstered its talent and show roster by adding notable stars such as Pablo Torre, and just recently, All The Smoke featuring Matt Barnes and Stephen Jackson. Meadowlark currently produces twenty podcasts and has several documentary projects in development and production. The brand has established a position as a developer of premium content across all formats for third party buyers with an initial focus on sports.
Given the rise of streaming video, podcasts, creator independence, and partnerships, how does an upstart brand enter a crowded sports media space, produce revenue, gain nationwide relevance, and retain and attract talent while competing against legacy giants? If anyone knows the answer, it’s John Skipper. We’ll pick his brain on that and more when he joins us at in NYC.
If you missed any of the prior speaker announcements, visit the Summit website to see who’s scheduled to speak at the Ailey Theater. We deliver this event to bring the industry together, examine current challenges and opportunities, and to celebrate those who’ve made a significant difference. Considering how cluttered today’s sports media environment is, and how critical it is to occupy a dominant position across multiple mediums, the Summit is a must-attend event if you make your living in the sports media business.
I look forward to seeing you there in March, but for now, have a happy and healthy holiday!
Boston’s 98.5 The Sports Hub is set to announce Rob “Hardy” Poole as the new morning show co-host alongside Fred Toucher.
Toucher teased a big announcement at 9 AM Tuesday on his Instagram on Monday night. Tuesday is supposed to be Toucher’s last show before breaking for the holidays.
Toucher and Hardy’s show is expected to debut sometime after the first of the year.
The Boston Globeon Monday night first reported Hardy’s promotion. Poole had been considered one of the frontrunners to fill the seat vacated by Rich Shertenlieb last month. Toucher and Rich had been a staple in Boston radio since 2006.
Hardy has been at The Sports Hub since the station launched in 2009. Most recently, he had been working on Zolak and Bertrand in middays. Hardy and Toucher both worked at former rock station WBCN.
A few weeks after being part of the cuts at KNBR, host F.P. Santangelo will be returning to the Bay Area airwaves.
Santangelo announced on X on Monday that he will be joining Audacy’s 95.7 The Game on a part-time basis.
“I’m excited to announce I’m back on the air in the Bay Area baby!” F.P. wrote.
Santangelo said his first appearance on 95.7 will be this Thursday filling in for Dan Dibley on Willard and Dibs.
“I’ve missed you guys a lot!” he wrote. “LFG!!”
Upon hearing the news, Dibley joked that he was ending his vacation early to avoid being Wally Pipped. He then added he was stoked to have Santangelo on the team, especially since it means the station now has someone older than himself working there.
