The Pat McAfee College GameDay disapproval rating story has been a topic of discussion over the last several days, and now some of McAfee’s colleagues are coming to his defense.
McAfee over the weekend acknowledged the survey by The Athletic that showed 49% of respondents disliked McAfee on GameDay. Pat also said the disconnect with fans is a reason why he hasn’t committed to returning to the show next year.
But GameDay reporter and ESPN Milwaukee host Jen Lada tweeted Monday that while he may have turned some fans of the show-off, McAfee has helped elevate the program.
“McAfee doesn’t need my endorsement AT ALL but he has made CGD better & invigorated our team,” she wrote. “His fearlessness dares us to question formula & take chances. TO GROW.”
McAfee doesn’t need my endorsement AT ALL but he has made CGD better & invigorated our team. His fearlessness dares us to question formula & take chances. TO GROW. A supremely smart/talented entertainer & positive teammate who respects the sport, the show & its hardworking people
ESPN NBA announcer Doris Burke is set to make her debut Wednesday as part of the network’s new number-one broadcast team alongside Mike Breen and Doc Rivers, and former colleague Bomani Jones stood up for her.
Burke has become a trailblazer for women in sports media, becoming the first female to be on the call for several men’s sporting events including the NBA.
For those critics out there who feel like Burke is unqualified to sit alongside Breen and Rivers, Bomani Jones told Front Office Sports that those people should reevaluate their positions.
“Basketball is not gender-specific,” he said. “Doris Burke played basketball. Doris Burke has been around basketball. There is no plausible argument that anybody can make for why a woman would not be as capable of doing this job than any man would be.”
Bomani Jones also said that her background in the sport says everything you need to know about her qualifications. This isn’t ESPN just throwing a woman on the broadcast for the sake of being diverse.
“With Doris, there’s zero novelty factor involved in her doing basketball,” he said. “She is a basketball player who knows a lot about basketball; talking about basketball. Her name just happens to be Doris. That’s it.”
Jones felt like those taking issue with Burke having this opportunity because she’s a woman is an argument that caters to the lowest common denominator.
“There’s nothing else you can point to,” Jones said. “And so I think that’s going to make it, for her, a very easy transition into this – at least in terms of dealing with the Neanderthals who always struggle with women getting to places that they’re not used to.”
All 32 NHL teams will be in action tonight, and ESPN is going to have fans covered with wall-to-wall coverage.
NHL Frozen Frenzy coverage begins at 5 p.m. on ESPN2 and ESPN+ with The Point hosted by Steve Levy with analysts Mark Messier, P.K. Subban, John Buccigross, and Kevin Weekes. They will get fans ready for the night breaking down top storylines from across the league.
Additionally, several feature stories centered on stars Alex Ovechkin and Auston Matthews, rookie Connor Bedard and the Vegas Golden Knights.
Coverage of the first game of the night begins at 6 p.m. as the Maple Leafs visit the Capitals. Mike Monaco will be on play-by-play with AJ Mleczko. Leah Hextall will be reporting from the ice. Levy, Messier, Subban and Arda Ocal will handle studio coverage.
Two other games, Ducks/Blue Jackets and Sabres/Senators, will start at 6:30 and 6:45 p.m. eastern, leading into NHL Frozen Frenzy Live at 7 p.m. on ESPN+. Buccigross and Weekes will lead whip-around coverage as they give viewers live look-ins at every game of the night. At 8, the show will pick up on ESPN2 and carry on until the final game of the night concludes, with the broadcast ending at 1:30 AM ET.
ESPN will also air two games in addition to Leafs/Caps matchup. When the action in DC is finished, Sean McDonough, Ray Ferraro, and Emily Kaplan will be calling Bruins/Blackhawks at 8:30.
The final game of the tripleheader features the Flyers and Golden Knights. Bob Wischusen and Ryan Callahan will be on the call.
The day marks the second time in NHL history, and first weekday, that all 32 teams in the league will be in action on the same day.
As a University of Kentucky swim team member, Riley Gaines never imagined herself as a political activist. She aimed to complete her education and become an endodontist to help those with dental problems, but if you want to hear God laugh, make plans.
OutKick host Riley Gaines was in the spotlight in 2022 while representing Kentucky’s women’s team in the 200-yard NCAA freestyle championship. In that meet, she finished fifth place with biological male Lia Thomas, competing for the University of Pennsylvania. Born William Thomas, Lia became the first transgender person to win a championship title in the NCAA women’s division.
As part of her role with OutKick, Riley Gaines travels across the country to speak at various college campuses, where she discusses the controversial topic of men participating in women’s sports. However, her presentations have been met with resistance from some students who strongly oppose her views.
At Penn State University, two individuals were arrested for disrupting her presentation, while at San Francisco State University, Riley Gaines had to lock herself in a room for her own safety after being met with hostility from students who disagreed with her perspective. Despite the challenges, Riley Gaines has been actively campaigning against transgender athletes competing in women’s sports and has taken her cause to the Texas Senate, NCAA convention, and numerous university campuses.
In her first interview with Barrett News Media, Riley Gaines discusses several topics, including what led her to choose Outkick as her workplace, the advice she has received from Tomi Lahren and Clay Travis, her definition of success, her future goals, her trusted advisors, and her advice for radio/TV executives on recruiting younger talent. Additionally, she shares some tips for growing social media platforms.
Ryan Hedrick: What makes OutKick the right fit for you?
Riley Gaines: OutKick is unique because it mixes sports and politics. It’s an un-woke ESPN while also getting into all our country’s real cultural issues. The things they cover, how they cover it, are right on brand with me, and it’s what people need to hear. It’s actually what the public wants to hear. People are hungry for what OutKick is putting out there. There isn’t a better place for me.
RH: What type of advice did Tomi Lahren and Clay Travis offer you before you started this journey?
RG: They did, and it’s funny because I’ve grown up in Nashville my whole life, born and raised. Of course, that’s where Tomi and Clay spend some time. My uncle is neighbors with Clay Travis, and his sister lives in my neighborhood. It almost feels in a way that we’ve known each other for a long time. Clay is one of the most knowledgeable, genuine, and personable people I have met in this space. I just texted for advice unrelated to anything I normally talk about yesterday.
Clay is someone I trust and someone I look up to. He was so quick to respond and give me advice. They both are role models to me. How they cover, what they cover. I admire them, and I look up to them a lot. Also Charly Arnolt. I look up to all three people who gave me courage and support. This space is new to me, never a position I saw myself in. They all can recognize that and are very quick and willing to help.
RH: What do you consider professional success?
RG: In the space that I have found myself in, defending women’s sports, there are a lot of layers to the onion. You can implement legislation at the state level and look at federal legislation, but there are also specific sports governing bodies. The broader picture of what success looks like to me in the realm of what I have put my foot in is that no girl or woman should have to physically compare themselves to a male or should have to compete or change in a locker room with a male.
And so, all 50 states passing legislation, or course upholding the original intent of Title IX, and all specific sport governing bodies including the NCAA, the IOC, FINA, the governing body of swimming, track, and field, the list goes on and on. No girl should worry about losing out on opportunities to a male. The broader goal of defending women’s sports transcends beyond just allowing men into those spaces and those categories, but that’s ultimately what success means to me.
RH: What are your larger aspirations?
Riley Gaines: Before I competed against Lia Thomas, my goal was to go to dental school. What I wanted to do was specialize in root canals. That was what I had planned for myself. I am not drilling on teeth now. I am trusting God and his direction and where he’s leading me. Every night, I pray for direction, and I pray for strength. I ask myself, ‘What does five years look like?’ It’s really hard for me to pinpoint what that looks like.
I’ve been doing what I’ve been doing selflessly. It’s not about me, it’s not about personal advancement, it’s not about money or anything like that. It’s truly about the mission. Looking at that five years later, who knows where this will be?
Hopefully, this issue will be curbed by then, and I can return to pursuing dentistry. But in the meantime, I am certainly full steam ahead advocating for people like my little sister. Being married for a year and a half, one day, I want to have a daughter of my own fighting for her. That’s certainly what’s on the forefront of my brain right now. Wherever that leads me, I am there.
RH: What advice do you have for radio/TV executives that would help them recruit younger talent?
RG: I think people my age are looking for unity, and right now, I don’t think we are seeing that, even in the Republican party, and of course, the United States in the broader scope as a whole and so I think it turns people off. It turns them away from getting involved in the media. And so, people need to understand, people that are interested in this space, it’s important to understand that no one is perfect.
I went back and watched my first-ever interview with Tucker Carlson, and I will tell you that I was so embarrassed when I watched it. But, of course, I’ve developed; I’ve matured. I am comfortable in front of a camera. Now, I couldn’t care less how I look. I am speaking from the heart. This, of course, takes time, and it’s important for employers to understand that, especially among our generation.
RH: What tips can you give to people for growing their social media platforms?
Riley Gaines: It’s important to be consistent. People are looking for consistency. They are looking for somebody that they can go back to and hear from because they value their perspective. To grow your platform, it’s important that you continue posting even when things seem mundane or silly. In this space, I realize what seems standard because I’ve seen it so much, but it’s not standard to someone else.
For example, in everything that happened at Penn State, where I went to speak, there were multiple people arrested. That’s normal to me at this point, which is kind of crazy, but highlighting that through social media or whatever means that looks like resonates with people.
People must understand what’s happening, especially young people and college-age students. It’s important for the generation that came before us to know the direction colleges are going. It’s nothing short of criminal what colleges are doing regarding silencing people and emotional blackmail to control what people think and say. The way professors indoctrinate people blows my mind that people pay for a degree. Those are the kinds of things that younger people can highlight.
RH: Who do you most disagree with in the media industry, and what can you learn from them?
RG: The Krassenstein brothers. They are on Twitter, and they are on my page all the time. They claim to be independent journalists. If you look at their tweets, it’s clear to see that they are not independent and biased, but they do have some things that they put out there that I agree with regarding Israel and what’s going on there right now. I’ve seen several of their tweets that I agree with, and I find myself not wanting to like the tweet because I don’t agree with a lot of what they say, and I realize that that’s not beneficial to anyone, even when I’m responding that way because we should be able to look past other issues. That’s the sign of a functioning, thriving civil society.
RH: How do you generate revenue from social media? What have you learned about that?
RG: The only platform that I make money on is Twitter. I invested in Twitter Blue, the blue checkmark, but there’s been a return, which is cool. I would have never expected to be paid for posting content. It would be enough to be a full-time gig or anything like that, but to have extra cash in your pocket each month, it pays out every two weeks, and for some clarity, I made about $400-$500 for simply posting.
I am not monetized on other platforms like TikTok because I get my TikToks deleted every time I post something because of the censorship. Instagram is not monetized. That’s due in large part to the people who control the apps that are censoring.
Major props to Elon Musk and what he’s done with Twitter. Referring to the Middle East, if we didn’t have him, a lot of people would be in the dark. A lot of people would have skewed perceptions about what’s going on. What Elon Musk has done with Twitter has been incredible.
RH: Who do you watch or listen to most in this space?
Riley Gaines: There are a lot of people. I love Megyn Kelly. I think she’s wonderful. I think how she has come around; she is unapologetic now. She’s stern, and that’s something that I admire, and that’s something that we need more of. Being unwavering is an admirable quality.
I love Michele Tafoya; she does a phenomenal job. Of course, all the members of OutKick. I think Dan (Dakich) is one of the coolest people ever. I just love it when I am on with him. I have so many people that I’ve grown to be big fans of, but again, I want to be friends with, which is one of the coolest parts about doing what I do is not only do I get to watch these people on the screen but I get to form relationships with them.
After catching flack for comments seeming to downplay Dolphins quarterback Tua Tagovailoa’s impact on the Miami offense, Stephen A. Smith on First Take on Monday took Dan Orlovsky to task for the barrage of hate he received from Dolphins fans.
Last week when discussing the Dolphins win over the Giants with Jeff Saturday and Shannon Sharpe, Stephen A. Smith implied that the bulk of wide receiver Tyreek Hill’s success so far this year can’t be attributed to Tua’s throwing abilities.
“All of these passes ain’t for 19, 20, 30, 40 yards,” Smith said. “You just got Tua dipping it two yards to (Hill) and he’s the one taking it to the house. He’s the one going 20, 30, 40, 50 yards.”
On Thursday when discussing Sunday night’s Dolphins/Eagles game, Stephen A. went on the defensive at first, wondering where all the critics were that were “victimizing” Tua. Orlovsky in their interaction said Smith is overlooking the fact that Tua throws it downfield quite a bit.
“If you watch this offense, Tua’s throwing the ball downfield more than anybody in football,” he said. “You gotta stop intimating that.”
Fast forward to Monday’s First Take with Orlovsky back at the desk, and Stephen A. Smith in his reaction to the Dolphins loss to the Eagles blamed the NFL analyst for the whole story being blown out of proportion.
“It’s your fault that damn nonsense went viral,” Smith said pointing to Orlovsky. “It was your fault.”
“Because I sat up there and it was taken out of context but it’s alright. You know good and damn well if I’m watching games I know all Tua ain’t doing is throwing two or three-yard passes. I know better than that.”
Orlovsky wondered how it was his fault, but Smith ultimately said he was just joking and that he really “doesn’t really give a damn” aboutwhat outsiders have to say.
ESPN and the NHL have worked together over the last two seasons, presenting a Stanley Cup Final broadcast and coverage of the sport across multiple platforms. While the sports media entity has implemented many innovations within its broadcasts, it will attempt something that has never been done before on Tuesday night. The network will present NHL Frozen Frenzy, a live whiparound studio program hosted by John Buccigross and Kevin Weekes that begins exclusively on ESPN+ at 7 PM ET before being simulcast on ESPN2 from 8 PM ET until 1:30 AM ET.
This occurrence marks the second time the league has had all of its teams active on one night since its most recent expansion. Buccigross, who is a longtime ESPN employee, has participated in many facets of hockey coverage on the network but has yet to participate in a project quite like this. The 15-minute staggered start times for the 16 games around the league positions the broadcast in the best place possible to ensure that there will always be action.
Tuesday night marks one of two instances where the league will have all 32 of its teams in action throughout the 2023-24 regular season, a rare chance to instantiate a new tradition.
“There’s so much enthusiasm and expectation behind it,” Buccigross said. “I’m like, ‘Man, I hope we can deliver and get lucky,’ because yeah, you can go to a game and nothing might happen for two minutes. At least in a red-zone situation like the NFL, you’re going to have a winner or a loser within the game.”
The whiparound style of programming cultivates a certain sense of enthralling drama that captivates the viewer and adds to the overall experience. As a sports fan from the time he was young, Buccigross remembers the excitement surrounding all of the games around the league; however, it was difficult to watch them in real-time. With technological advances and changes in the way fans consume media content, ESPN is tackling something new, and through the special event, the network will hope to expand interest in the sport.
“We’re a bit at the mercy of the players in the games themselves that we can get lucky and pop it around, and me and Kevin Weekes with our enthusiasm,” Buccigross said. “Kevin’s like me – we’re both hockey nerds [and] consume everything every night.”
Buccigross received a tape recorder from his parents at the age of 11, which instantly captured his imagination. Throughout his youth, he would practice commentating games across all different sports, including staging faux, nine-inning baseball games during the league’s work stoppage. Additionally, he scrutinized television programs, frequently noticing minor changes in graphics, production elements and camera angles.
Equipped with the mindset of a producer, Buccigross considers himself a “geek” in the recondite space and positioned himself to gain repetitions in television and radio by attending Heidelberg College. The 900-student institution allowed him to major in communications while continuing to play basketball; in fact, he may not have discovered the landing spot had the head coach not called to recruit him.
“All that initial interest, pre-cable TV, was already there watching network sports – NBC; CBS; ABC – and doing my own thing with my tape recorder,” Buccigross said, “and then when the cable world came, it just exploded with these certain interest channels – 24-hour weather; sports; music – and then so that just fed right in.”
Versatility remains a critical aspect of Buccigross’ mindset as he continues covering hockey at the national level. By the time he started matriculating as an undergraduate student, he had picked up audiovisual editing skills, written newspaper articles, and possessed a strong work ethic with a willingness to take constructive criticism. Under the mentorship of professor Gary Dickerson, Buccigross helped bolster the communications program and has served as an inspiration for generations to come as a bonafide success story. Even so, he always remained persistent and focused on the next challenge, amassing myriad air checks.
Once he graduated from the university, it took 14 months for him to land his first job as an anchor for Cape 11 News in Cape Cod, Mass. Buccigross realizes that his path may differ from others having never attended job fairs or actively pursuing a college education. Before he began to be paid for his work, however, he took initiative by looking for broadcast outlets in a phonebook and inquiring about openings. Residing in the New England area at the time, he got in touch with Channel 58 and was told that he could work for free. Despite the dearth of compensation, Buccigross seized the chance and tackled the challenge of compiling a demo reel.
When he landed the paid job several months later, he was content with his lifestyle and focused on staying true to himself. It is part of the reason why he decided to neglect changing his surname, going against the encumbering advice of his boss, and working hard covering sports at all levels over the course of five years.
Whether it was covering high school sports, charity events, or other local events, he made the most of the experience to make mistakes and hone his craft. By the time Buccigross was hired by WPRI-TV in Providence, R.I., he was adept on television and covered both college hockey and the American Hockey League (AHL). Throughout those years, he was no longer operating as a one-man band and interviewed sports figures such as Bobby Orr and Tiger Woods.
ESPN had always stood out to Buccigross as a trusted, reliable source for sports news and insightful opinions. The network took the air during his youth, and he promptly became a viewer of SportsCenter, the entity’s flagship highlight show. In watching anchor Chris Berman deliver highlights and discuss the action of the day, he became interested in working on the show later on.
“When I was in college, I saw this quote that said, ‘I’m like a man who walks down the street, trips over something, reaches down to pick it up and it’s exactly what I want,’” Buccigross said. “I’ve always kind of lived that way – keep showing it up; take it slow; be patient and eventually something will come along that I’ll trip over [that] I want.”
When plans of Time Warner merging its CNN brand with Sports Illustrated (SI) to create a 24-hour news network became public, ESPN diligently worked to beat the company to its launch date. Because of this, the company hired several new on-air talents, including Buccigross, to serve as anchors on ESPNEWS, something that may have not come to fruition had he not seen a USA Today article authored about Al Jaffe. The longtime ESPN vice president of talent was tasked with exploring and recruiting candidates for consideration to join the network.
Despite thinking he was around five years away from applying to the network, he had tripped over the opportunity and decided to send Jaffe his tape anyway, hopeful it would elicit a response. Two months later, the company contacted Buccigross and invited him for a day-long audition process. Shortly thereafter, his hiring was made official and he was on the air helping launch a new facet of the network’s sports coverage.
“ESPN is a place for grinders, so it was perfect for me,” Buccigross said. “I was always a grinder as an average high school athlete; always a grinder as an average broadcaster, but you just kind of keep grinding.”
At the time of Buccigross’ hiring, ESPN was in its second media rights agreement with the National Hockey League, the sport he had grown up watching and closely studying. With an axiomatic knowledge of the game, he began to fill in on select programs during the Stanley Cup Playoffs and was eventually named the lead host of NHL 2Night.
The 30-minute highlights and news show kept viewers cognizant about the latest occurrences around the league, and his familiarity with the sport was conspicuous throughout. Even today, he can effectively identify players and teams without excessive preparation because of the consistent effort he puts in to stay informed about the league.
Buccigross has constructed an auspicious career through his ability to combine his passion and knowledge for the game with an understanding of how to appeal to consumers. Since NHL 2Night was on after playoff games – which can drag on for several hours if they reach overtime due to the absence of a shootout – Buccigross and his colleagues would each select which player they thought would score the game-winning goal.
Once Twitter launched in the mid-2000s, he decided to extend what became known as the “#BucciOvertimeChallenge” to users on the platform and would reward 10 correct guesses with retweets.
“It’s kind of clunky and long,” Buccigross said of the name. “If I had a focus group, it probably would have been something else, but maybe that’s part of the charm and the early going – this guy just made this up – and it just kept growing and growing and growing.”
One of those analysts was Barry Melrose, a former hockey coach and fixture on ESPN’s hockey coverage who recently stepped away from the network after being diagnosed with Parkinson’s disease. Buccigross had the privilege to work with Melrose for several years and refers to him as the face of hockey in the United States over the last several decades.
“It’s like being with Elvis,” Buccigross said of Melrose. “Everybody stops and watches him walk across the room, always dressed well [and] always early.”
When the NHL endured a lockout that canceled the entirety of the 2004-05 season, it led ESPN to opt out of a new media deal it had agreed to with the league. As a result, negotiations re-opened for the slate of games, which was eventually rewarded to Comcast. Nonetheless, Buccigross remained employed by ESPN as a hockey columnist and SportsCenter host. In some ways, he felt he would have more freedom in his abilities to criticize facets of the game and demonstrate augmented candor in his work.
“It probably created value for me at ESPN,” Buccigross said. “One reason why, again, I stuck around so long without being a star or anything was that, ‘Just in case we [get] hockey back, we need somebody here,’ so maybe they [had me stick] around just in case.”
In being able to contribute to coverage in numerous formats and means of dissemination, he proved himself to be a commodity rather than an impediment from a previous broadcasting era. Even though Buccigross feels he would have likely been watching just as much hockey without the column, being tasked with such an assignment forced him to stay informed and knowledgeable. One thing he would never do is submit to indolence, and by thoroughly executing his role without a share of league media rights, he was always ready should the property return.
“Maybe [it] just gave me this outsider view for the viewer at home saying, ‘Oh, he’s a hockey guy, because look how much he’s pushing the sport but they don’t have it,’” Buccigross articulated. “So I think maybe it worked out in my mind.”
In the time when the network did not have NHL broadcasts, Buccigross contributed to coverage of the Frozen Four NCAA Championship and has served as the play-by-play voice of the tournament for the last decade. Telling the stories of these collegiate hockey players is something he considers to be an honor and a responsibility with an impact he does not impugn or take lightly.
“You know at some point, you’re going to have a National Championship call that that kid and that team is going to listen to for the next 80 years,” Buccigross said. “Your voice is part of history; you’re part of the history books because now we’re such an audiovisual world.”
The Walt Disney Company reacquired rights to the NHL in a seven-year deal worth a reported $400 million annually and, in turn, introduced a new lineup of commentators at the rink and in the studio. Buccigross currently serves a dual role as both a host and play-by-play announcer, the latter of which he had been looking to become involved with once the deal was completed.
While he does not want to mimic the inimitable styles of other announcers, he always makes sure that his love of the game is evident. From the preparatory process – which consists of meetings, interviews, and research – to the actual call itself, Buccigross embraces the grind and does not take anything for granted.
“It’s not often you’ll be at the same company for 27 years, and then late, you get this new opportunity – like this breath of fresh air – without leaving the company,” Buccigross said. “A different role; a different challenge, and it kind of reinvigorates you and re-energizes you.”
Buccigross balances the play-by-play assignments with hosting The Point, a weekly NHL-focused show broadcast on ESPN2 and ESPN+ complete with highlights, news, and analysis, along with in-depth storytelling from network reporters. In 2022, he was able to host the program live from the Stanley Cup Final and is excited to push towards the championship series again, the second time it will be broadcast by ESPN under the current rights deal.
“It is tough to go through this long slog of a season and then like last year at the end, ‘Man, we don’t get the Cup. I’ll just go home and watch on my couch,’ so it’s nice to have that cherry on top of your year,” Buccigross said. “I’m sure the TNT guys feel the same way; it was awesome, probably, to have the last game of the year.”
Within all of his roles, Buccigross consistently brings creativity and inquisitiveness to the table, always trying to discover ways that ESPN can pragmatically strengthen the scope of the property. In an era predicated on interconnectivity and the haste circulation of content, Buccigross knows that he provides value to the network by lending his voice and opinions gained through years of experience and feedback.
“Even though I’m not the most talented person at ESPN – I’m really a nuts-and-bolts kind of bench guy utility guy,” Buccigross said, “but again, I’ve been around now since 1996, 27 years. I think one reason why I’ve stuck around is [because] I’ve had ideas. I’m not afraid to voice my ideas.”
Buccigross’ contract with the network expires in two-and-a-half years, and he hopes to be extended so he can finish out the media rights deal, including an additional Stanley Cup broadcast. Down the road, he may look to convert elements of his hockey coverage into a brand, producing independent content through a podcast channel and/or mobile application.
“I love collaborations and a small team, and maybe trying to build something from the ground up,” Buccigross said. “That’s been in the back of my mind in a while.”
This is a normal night for me. ESPN+ 7-8pm ESPN2 8pm onward. Limited commercial breaks and bathroom breaks. Lots of Chicken Parm breaks. First time every team plays on a weekday. Staggered starts. ❤️???????????????? pic.twitter.com/OEAZ6mxtoe
As part of the network’s media rights deal, ESPN+ carries NHL Power Play, a slate of more than 1,050 out-of-market contests available to all of the platform’s subscribers. This functionality renders the NHL Frozen Frenzy undertaking possible in the first place, which will be paired with a simultaneous tripleheader of traditional game broadcasts on ESPN beginning at 6 p.m. EST/3 p.m. PST.
Buccigross is determined to deliver his best on the air, reflecting back on his time with ESPNEWS when highlights would come in during the midst of the broadcast and he would try to narrate them extemporaneously. The NHL Frozen Frenzywhiparound show ostensibly combines elements of play-by-play announcing and studio hosting, experiences he will blend in order to excel.
“I love that challenge of doing a highlight without a script,” Buccigross said, “and so this is right up my alley.”
At the moment, it remains unknown how the whiparound show will be perceived by hockey fans and if there will be a sequel to this project. Part of the allure and appeal imbued within the sport is how pivotal instances during a game can occur in a matter of moments. Buccigross’ sedulous approach towards his work will keep him poised and alacritous should things unexpectedly slow down or speed up. Whatever ends up happening Tuesday night in the 16 arenas across the United States and Canada, he will try to impart his fervor and excitement to the viewers.
“You certainly have two big hockey fans in me and Weekesy who love the sport and sell the sport and know the sport,” Buccigross said. “….It’s kind of a test to see how it looks [and] how it goes, and if it’s something maybe we can repeat.”
The NBA season will debut Tuesday, and every regular season game, as well as the NBA playoffs, NBA Finals, and the newly created NBA In-Season Tournament will be available on SiriusXM.
The satellite radio provider unveiled plans for the upcoming season today, showcasing every NBA contest throughout the league. Additionally, the platform will provide coverage of all 67 games in the NBA’s new in-season tournament. All 30 teams will be vying for the NBA Cup, which begins on Friday, November 3rd, and culminates in the Championship on Saturday, December 9th in Las Vegas.
SiriusXM NBA Radio Channel 86 will continue to provide not only game broadcasts but also a daily lineup of talk shows focused on NBA analysis and interviews with both current and former players.
All 30 NBA teams will also have dedicated channels that will broadcast each team’s home radio broadcasts.
LIV Golf currently airs on Saturdays and Sundays on The CW network, leaving its Friday portions airing on the organization’s YouTube channel. It would like to change that model going forward.
Friday evenings have often been a wasteland for sports television. However, after abandoning its WWE properties, FOX Sports plans to air college football and basketball in the timeslot. LIV Golf is hoping others will get into the daypart.
“We’ve always intended, if they weren’t going to clear Friday for sports, which they have not done, then we’d go back to the marketplace for another partner, so a split package,” LIV Chief Media Officer Will Staeger told Sports Business Journal. “So, we’ve just now moved (to market), we’re having conversations with all major networks, for 2024.”
Due to its involvement with the Saudi Arabian government and its competition against the PGA Tour, LIV Golf saw a frosty television market when it launched. FOX Sports was reportedly interested in securing the television package, but denies it had serious talks with the league. Other reports claim LIV considered purchasing time on FOX Sports rather than being paid a rights fee.
The golf league eventually struck a deal with The CW that puts the events on over-the-air television. Staeger said he’s been happy with the arrangement.
“Those have shown consistent growth. Where audiences know where to find us, they keep coming back and that group is growing.”
Despite its current television deal, a package of only Friday LIV Golf action isn’t likely to drum up a significant licensing fee. The group’s pending merger with the PGA Tour could shed future light on how television contracts are agreed upon by the two organizations.
NFL Sunday Ticket is in its first season with YouTube TV after leaving its longtime home with DirecTV. An executive with the satellite provider shared that the company wasn’t all that sad to see the package leave.
YouTube TV inked a deal that pays the league a reported $2 billion per year for the package. DirecTV held the rights since 1994, but when the contract came up, had to decide whether or not it was interested in renewing.
In an interview with Sports Business Journal’s John Ourand, DirecTV Chief Content Officer Rob Thun was asked whether it was weird or not to no longer hold the rights.
“Well, we’re a billion dollars richer,” Thun admitted. “Let me ask you a question. ‘Do you like losing a billion dollars a year?’ That was the old deal. The new deal, it’d be a billion and a half. It didn’t make sense for our platform because … We’re losing subs because we’re a pure-play video provider and the price of content continues to escalate beyond what people are willing to pay.
“We were very data-driven about whether or not to pursue those rights. We didn’t even engage frankly in the conversation,” Thun said. “The only piece that we engaged upon was getting the commercial rights.”
While Thun claimed that the company attempted to secure the commercial rights, that package went to EverPass Media.
In its first season holding the package, YouTube TV has reported subscriptions to NFL Sunday Ticket are up from the previous numbers seen by DirecTV.
Rick DiPietro has done well for himself in the radio business after a promising NHL career later floundered. Despite his radio success, he shared he doesn’t need validation from listeners for his second career.
During DiPietro & Rothenberg Monday, the pair were discussing an email sent to the show that credited Dave Rothenberg for the business success of a listener. The listener claimed that a Rothenberg line saying a former Mets manager failed to “manage with conviction” led to his downfall. The listener reported the line motivated him in his career, and led to a promotion.
DiPietro joked that the email said nothing about him or his radio prowess, so Rothenberg read another email praising the former New York Islander.
“‘Rick is the best one at the station. He’s the reason to listen to the radio’,” the email read. “How’s that make you feel?” questioned Rothenberg.
“I don’t need that. I didn’t need that,” reiterated DiPietro.
“What do you mean?” Rothenberg asked. “You said nobody ever says anything nice about you.”
“Well, that’s over the top nice,” said DiPietro. “I don’t feel like I’m the best at the station. The combination of you and I is real solid.”
Rick DiPietro was the first overall pick in the 2000 NHL Draft by the Islanders. He signed a whopping 15-year contract with the franchise in 2006, before his career was derailed by injuries. He officially retired in 2013 before joining 98.7 ESPN New York.
