Margaret Brennan is denying reports that she pushed back against a CBS News investigation. The controversy centers on Bari Weiss’ coverage of Alaska’s Senate race.
What We Know: A Fox News Digital report claimed multiple CBS News staffers pushed back against Weiss’ insistence that the network investigate a controversy involving two candidates named Dan Sullivan on Alaska’s Senate ballot. According to the report, some employees questioned the network’s decision to pursue the story. However, when Jonathan Turley suggested Brennan was among those who objected, the Face the Nation moderator disputed that characterization. Brennan said the discussion involved exchanging ideas about coverage rather than opposing the assignment. Her comments came from a post on X.
What They Said: “Fox is wrong. That is not what happened in the meeting at all. No one who spoke at the network meeting opposed covering the campaign or story but rather exchanged ideas on how to do it. All of the AK candidates also know they have an open invitation (repeatedly offered) to join Face the Nation. So does the NH GOP candidate, who has also been repeatedly invited. I look forward to seeing my colleagues cover it too.” -Margaret Brennan
What Remains Unclear: It’s unclear which CBS News employees, if any, raised concerns about Weiss’ approach to the story. Additionally, the precise nature of the internal discussion and whether staff members expressed reservations about specific reporting strategies hasn’t been established.
What It Means: The disagreement highlights the challenges Weiss faces as she reshapes CBS News’ editorial direction. Meanwhile, Brennan’s response draws a distinction between questioning how a story should be covered and opposing its coverage altogether.
Fox is wrong. That is not what happened in the meeting at all. No one who spoke at the network meeting opposed covering the campaign or story but rather exchanged ideas on how to do it. All of the AK candidates also know they have an open invitation (repeatedly offered) to join… https://t.co/MeJSNVq4ZT
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Jake Paul is heading back to the ring on Christmas Eve. However, his return fight will not stream on Netflix, according to the New York Post.
What We Know: Paul plans to fight in Dubai, nearly a year after Anthony Joshua broke his jaw. Additionally, Most Valuable Promotions has contacted Darren Till, Chris Eubank, Edgar Berlanga and KSI. Meanwhile, two of Paul’s last three fights aired on Netflix. His Mike Tyson bout drew 108 million viewers, while the Joshua fight drew 33 million. Yet, less than two months till the event and despite previous success on Netflix, the event has yet to establish a streaming platform.
What’s At Stake: Jake Paul’s MVP Promotions has a proof of concept and success with the Netflix platform. However, with executive shakeups and layoffs earlier this month, Netflix could be standing by to see if other players in the space are willing to bid for the content that they have owned.
What Remains Unclear: Paul still has no opponent or broadcast partner for the event. Likewise, organizers have not named a venue. Whether or not the event is postponed due to these hurdles is unknown.
What It Means: DAZN PPV looks like the probable home, just as it was for Paul’s three non-Netflix fights. DAZN historically has been a streaming destination for fight sports. Still, Netflix’s absence raises questions after the streamer fired Chief Content Officer Bela Bajaria this month. Her replacement, former FOX Sports executive Peter Rice, started Monday. Even so, Netflix still carries a Christmas Day NFL doubleheader and Joshua vs. Fury.
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Nielsen has asked the Supreme Court to review a lower court ruling favoring Cumulus Media in their antitrust dispute. The radio ratings battle is now scheduled for the justices’ November 13 conference.
What We Know: The Supreme Court scheduled Nielsen’s petition for a November 13 conference. The justices will consider whether to hear its antitrust dispute with Cumulus Media. Cumulus sued in October 2025, alleging Nielsen unlawfully tied its national Nationwide ratings to local ratings purchases. Cumulus wanted to keep national ratings for Westwood One while using rival Eastlan Ratings in certain local markets.
However, Nielsen then offered standalone Nationwide access at what’s reportedly ten times Cumulus’ previous rate. As a result, U.S. District Judge Jeannette Vargas of the Southern District of New York issued a preliminary injunction in December. It blocks Nielsen’s policy and prohibits commercially unreasonable standalone pricing. The Second Circuit upheld the ruling in July and denied rehearing in August. Nielsen then petitioned the Supreme Court in September, arguing the ruling conflicts with other appeals court decisions.
Meanwhile, Cumulus waived its right to respond unless the Court requests one, and two outside groups backed Nielsen’s petition. Separately, the Second Circuit stayed an enforcement order that threatened Nielsen with $50,000 in daily penalties. Moreover, the original injunction remains in effect.
What Remains Unclear: It’s uncertain whether the Supreme Court will agree to hear Nielsen’s appeal or leave the preliminary injunction in place. Meanwhile, the separate dispute over standalone Nationwide pricing remains unresolved. Finally, It’s unclear whether the outcome will encourage more broadcasters to consider competing local ratings providers like Eastlan.
What It Means: The dispute could change how broadcasters purchase radio ratings in the future. If Cumulus ultimately prevails, stations could gain more flexibility to choose different providers for national and local ratings. That could create opportunities for smaller competitors like Eastlan while potentially putting pressure on Nielsen’s pricing practices. For Cumulus, a favorable outcome could provide greater control over ratings expenses while maintaining access to Nielsen’s national data for Westwood One. Beyond radio, Nielsen argues the ruling could have broader implications for how businesses bundle and price their services.
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Kris Valentine is returning to Hubbard | Media That Connects as general manager in Alexandria and Wadena, Minnesota. He’ll also join his wife Chelsea to bring the Kris & Chelsea Morning Show back to KIKV-FM (100.7 KIK-FM) Alexandria.
What We Know: Hubbard | Media That Connects appointed Valentine on Thursday. He’ll oversee KIKV-FM, KULO-FM, KKWS-FM, KNSP-AM, KWAD-AM and 2060 Digital. Valentine previously served as operations manager for both markets from 2020 to 2023. Chelsea will also lead social media strategy for both markets. Additionally, Valentine has served as Leighton Broadcasting’s director of country programming. Since November 2025, he’s hosted afternoons alongside Chelsea on Wild Country 98.9 in St. Cloud.
What They Said: “I’m incredibly excited to return to Hubbard and take on the General Manager role for Alexandria and Wadena. I’m very grateful to Dan Seeman, Ginny Morris, and the entire Hubbard team for believing in me and giving me this opportunity. I have a lot of history with these markets, and I’m excited to come back, build on what’s already there, and help take Alexandria and Wadena to new heights.”- Kris Valentine
“Coming back to Hubbard feels incredibly special Alexandria is home. My roots here run deep. Returning alongside Kris to bring theKris & Chelsea Show back to mornings feels like coming full circle. I’m also excited to serve again as a community ambassador and digital brand strategist. We’re grateful to be back as part of the Hubbard legacy and can’t wait to serve this community, grow these brands, and build an exciting future together.”– Chelsea Valentine
“Kris is an incredible talent and programming mind. He has proved it with great success at every stop in his career. We are so excited to have him lead our heritage radio properties and 2060 Digital in Alexandria and Wadena.”- Dan Seeman President/Region Manager for Minnesota, Hubbard | Media That Connects
What Remains Unclear: Hubbard hasn’t announced when the Kris & Chelsea Morning Show will return to 100.7 KIK-FM. It’s also unclear whether the duo will continue hosting afternoons at Leighton Broadcasting’s Wild Country 98.9. Moreover, whether Kris will retain his country programming responsibilities there remains to be seen. Additionally, Hubbard hasn’t detailed whether Valentine’s appointment will lead to broader programming or operational changes across its stations. Financial terms remain private.
What It Means: Valentine’s return highlights the continued importance of familiar local personalities in radio, particularly in smaller markets where community connections can help build listener loyalty. His dual role also reflects a broader industry trend of broadcasters taking on multiple responsibilities. Meanwhile, bringing back the Kris & Chelsea Morning Show underscores the value of established on-air talent in maintaining audience relationships. Ultimately, the move shows how radio companies can lean on familiar voices and experienced leadership to strengthen their local presence.
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iHeartRadio is making its app easier to use. On Thursday, the company introduced Lite Mode, a simplified listening experience for iOS and Android users.
What We Know:Lite Mode lets listeners cut the clutter and focus on the essentials. A toggle at the top of the app’s homepage turns it on or off with one tap. When it’s active, the screen centers on what’s currently playing. Likewise, shortcuts to presets, recently played and local radio sit within easy reach. According to the company, the design prioritizes speed and clarity for listeners who already know what they want. Additionally, the full app remains available whenever someone feels like exploring. Users can switch between the two as their needs change.
What They Said: “Radio is uniquely personal — it’s about companionship. Our listeners sometimes want to browse and discover, and at other times they simply want to go directly to what they’re looking for. This new ability to toggle between full functionality and Lite Mode, which has just the essentials, gives them the opportunity to make every experience the right one for them.” – Conal Byrne, CEO of the iHeartMedia Digital Audio Group
“We know that listeners have enormous loyalty to their favorite radio stations and personalities: The average radio listener listens to 2-3 radio stations in a month vs. watching 40 TV channels in a month. Lite Mode serves a real purpose when listeners are trying to quickly get to the shows and personalities they’re passionate about and aren’t looking to browse the entire service. We know that people use the iHeartRadio service at different times for different reasons, and the ability to seamlessly switch between those two functionalities serves that need.”-Tom Poleman, iHeartMedia Chief Programming Officer.
What Remains Unclear: The company hasn’t shared any early feedback, so it’s hard to know how listeners are responding. Likewise, the announcement doesn’t explain how the feature might affect discovery of new stations and content. Moreover, the release covers only the mobile app. It remains unclear if desktop or in-car versions will get the same option.
What It Means: Lite Mode reflects a bigger shift in how streaming services design their apps. Many platforms have loaded their platforms with podcasts, playlists and recommendations. This can overwhelm those who just want to hit play. iHeartRadio is building an option around those simpler habits. Finally, A faster path to favorite stations also protects the loyalty that drives iHeartMedia’s radio business.
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Monday Night Football tied a Week 7 viewership record with Monday’s Cowboys-Eagles matchup. In addition. the NFL package is averaging 19 million viewers through seven weeks on ESPN.
What We Know: The Cowboys-Eagles game on October 26 averaged 18.8 million viewers across ESPN’s family of networks. The viewership tied the Buccaneers-Lions from 2025 as the network’s most-watched Week 7 Monday Night Football game since 2006. The alternate telecasts, Monday Night Football with Peyton and Eli and Monday Night Football Playbook, combined for more than 1 million viewers on ESPN2 and NFL Network. Meanwhile, Monday Night Countdown drew 1.6 million viewers beforehand.
What The Data Says:
Category
Viewership
Cowboys–Eagles (Oct. 26, 2026)
18.8 million
Buccaneers–Lions (Oct. 20, 2025)
18.8 million
Peyton & Eli / MNF Playbook combined
More than 1 million
Monday Night Countdown
1.6 million
MNF 2026 season average
19 million
Year-over-year growth
+26%
Source: ESPN, Nielsen Big Data + Panel.
What Remains Unclear: ESPN hasn’t provided a breakdown of traditional television and streaming viewership, leaving it unclear how much each platform contributed to the audience. However, it’s uncertain how Nielsen’s Big Data + Panel methodology affected the year-over-year comparisons. However, through seven weeks, Monday Night Football is averaging 19 million viewers, up 26% from the same point last season.
What It Means: As a result, the strong ratings reinforce the NFL’s value to ESPN as the network prepares to broadcast its first Super Bowl in February. Likewise, the alternate telecasts also show how ESPN is reaching fans through different viewing experiences, and the season-to-date growth could strengthen its position with advertisers. Moreover, sustaining that growth would validate the network’s investment in NFL programming and its multiplatform strategy.
Cowboys-Eagles in Week 7 of Monday Night Football continued ESPN’s strong Super Bowl season 🏈📈
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I’m a fan of David Samson. The former Marlins executive turned host at Meadowlark Media speaks candidly, and usually supports his positions with solid evidence. He’s been gracious with his time to our writers over the years. His prior conversations with Pablo Torre and John Skipper on The Sporting Class always made me think. Whether Marlins and Expos fans like him or his opinions are right more than wrong doesn’t change my position.
But earlier this week, David stepped on a landmine. He declared that we don’t need baseball on the radio anymore. David said, “We all live by the clock that is kernels of sand through an hourglass. So, radio will go the way of Kodak and Blockbuster. It doesn’t mean the voices will go away. The voices will find a different way to get into your brain because you have a different way of engaging with content.”
In my opinion, David couldn’t be more wrong. The response to those remarks has been huge across social media. Most feel similar to yours truly. I respect David’s knowledge of the baseball business. He ran the Miami Marlins for 15 years. He spent a few years with the Expos too. He’s been a part of media deals on the team’s side pointing out that teams “buy a block of time, and then go out and sell ads.” Some clubs do that. But most big brands don’t. Let’s examine the issue a little deeper.
Radio’s Reach Isn’t Shrinking
Reach matters in today’s media climate. Nielsen data shows AM/FM radio reaches 87% of U.S. adults every week. Those numbers aren’t from 10-15 years ago. They are from the first quarter of 2026. That beat smartphones at 82%, TV-connected devices at 78% and live TV at 71%. Even among adults 18-34, radio reaches 81%.
Is radio’s revenue down from its peak? Yes. The industry produced over 21 billion in 2006. BIA projects local radio will earn $12.2 billion in 2026. That’s still a lot of money even if it’s less than what existed 20 years ago. Still, Samson said there is no money in radio. Twelve billion Benjamin’s suggests otherwise.
Samson pointed to podcasting and YouTube as growth areas, two spaces most stations are active in. I love both and believe there’s a lot of room to explore and grow business there. But those two spaces don’t come close to delivering the financial return that radio advertising does. iHeartMedia posted $3.87 billion in revenue in 2025. Cumulus generated $741.7 million. Stations such as 98.5 The Sports Hub and WFAN made over 30 million each and were among the top 10 billing stations across all formats in 2025. Those aren’t Blockbuster or Kodak numbers.
If we turn our attention to television, linear revenue has declined from 56 billion to 41 billion since 2006. Streaming and connected TV are responsible for adding 28 billion, which is great except that’s only half of what linear produced 20 years ago. Put the linear and streaming numbers together and the television industry has a winner.
Conversely, podcasting produced just under 3 billion in 2025. That’s up significantly from 2006. Add podcast revenue to radio the way streaming gets coupled with television, and the audio business collectively earns 15 billion. However, if you do a side by side comparison, radio currently delivers 4x the revenue that podcasting does.
Will that remain the case in 20 years? Maybe. Maybe not. I’m bullish on podcasting, streaming, and YouTube and believe all are growth areas for brands. But replacing and even surpassing 4-5x the revenue let alone the massive reach is a tall order.
Radio Still Owns the Dashboard
Now let’s consider the car. Edison Research’s Share of Ear data shows AM/FM radio claimed 55% of in-car audio time in early 2026. All streaming audio combined took just 16%. Even among listeners 13-34, radio led streaming 46% to 30%.
Podcasts are great but nobody’s waiting for a podcast to tell them the score in the eighth inning. That’s live. That’s local. And that’s radio. Both mediums have value and matter for different reasons. Suggesting one is needed and one isn’t misses the complete picture.
Nielsen data showed MLB broadcasts in PPM markets averaged an 8.9 share in 2024. In fact, more than 40% of teams posted double-digit shares. The Guardians led that year with a 27.5. In 2026, WEEI was strong at night thanks to the Boston Red Sox. Seattle Sports 710 enjoyed similar success courtesy of the Mariners. I’ve also seen massive ratings turned in by the San Francisco Giants, St. Louis Cardinals, Los Angeles Dodgers and many other teams across most markets.
Those numbers reflect 25-54 listening to live, local, baseball games on the radio. They’re not reflective of a 65+ audience or group of people standing with one foot in the grave. In fact, research from Katz Radio Group in 2026 showed that 61% of all U.S. sports audio time is spent with AM/FM radio, compared to 27% with podcasts and 12% with SiriusXM. Scarborough USA data showed 85% of Adults 18+ interested in MLB listen to radio weekly. One in five MLB-interested adults listened to MLB play-by-play on radio, with that figure increasing to one in four tuning in among the game’s most passionate fans.
If one wants to ignore the research and Nielsen data, fine. Juan Galdamez presented findings at the 2026 Barrett Media Audio Summit based on actual in-car listening through Xperi. Watch the session below. You’ll learn how much fans value baseball play by play on the radio.
Big Brands Don’t Rent Time
Samson’s radio experience in Miami is different from what exists in other cities with other teams. For instance, the Dodgers own an equity stake in iHeartMedia’s AM 570 KLAC. The Cardinals and KMOX keep extending a partnership that also gives the team daily shows. Likewise, KNBR has carried the Giants since 1979, and commands a strong rights investment. The Atlanta Braves command the same respect from Dickey Broadcasting and deliver big results.
Those are partnerships. Stations invest because baseball on the radio delivers audience and advertisers. Yes, the Marlins and Athletics have operated closer to the model Samson described. So do a few others. But those clubs aren’t in position to command major investment the way other brands can. That’s a team problem, not a radio problem.
Why Root for Radio’s Funeral?
What I don’t understand is why so many people feel the need to declare radio dead. People not involved in it frequently take aim at it. Even some working in radio or previously involved in the business can’t resist publicly bashing the medium they say they love. Rarely do I see radio people trashing television on social media. They don’t use their airtime to bury podcasts or streaming. They know their industry isn’t perfect but they care about it, enjoy working in it, and want it to succeed.
Creators, executives and businesspeople should want every medium and platform to thrive. More brands generate interest in their content that way. That allows broadcasters to continue earning a living and the outlets they work for to continue operating. On top of that, radio connects local and national businesses to local communities. That helps owners support their families, and their employees and their employees’ families. It also links the local audience to the businesses, products and services they rely on.
Will podcasting and YouTube replace radio tomorrow? No. Within five years? Also no. Anyone who says otherwise isn’t fully informed.
Radio has challenges. Revenue tops the list. Industry perception is right behind it. Many frame the medium as outdated and less effective than it truly is. My biggest criticism is that industry owners and executives do a poor job combatting that narrative. Few invest in marketing their stations or their industry’s strengths. They remind the ad community that they’re also in digital, social, podcasts, and video because they lack confidence in their own medium. Yet that very medium is one they control and it delivers results. Digital is awesome but it is rented land with landlords who won’t think twice to raise the rent or move someone else in.
If radio’s critics want the business to fail, the dashboard has to change first. Every major automaker would need to redesign it. Roads would need the infrastructure to deliver WiFi to every vehicle. Autonomous cars would need to handle most driving, letting people enjoy their phones without watching the road. Until all of that happens, the dashboard remains a big part of radio’s story. And no matter how loud the naysayers raise their voices against the medium, radio is going nowhere.
JB’s Final Take
I love podcasts and video streaming. Having audio and video content available for any subject we can think of is a positive. More people care about consuming and creating content today than ever before. Creativity is also higher and better. But as much as I love video and podcasts, they are additive to radio and television. Podcasts are not replacing live and local radio. If anything, they will become radio more than radio will become podcasting. People value real-time reaction, local connection and in-person engagement, things radio has done well for decades.
Let’s not ignore or deny how big radio’s reach is. Or the fact that it still produces more than 12 billion dollars annually. It dominates the in-car dashboard experience. Teams value that reach because it helps them reach fans, sell tickets, remain part of daily conversations, and earn rights fees to grow their bottom line. There may be a few smaller situations where teams operate without radio partners, but if you look closer, it’s usually because local operators see limited value in the rights for those teams.
When I spoke with John Skipper at the BSM Summit in 2024 he made it clear that he wanted no part of selling ads at Meadowlark. It’s why the company partnered with DraftKings to own all of its content. The reported investment in 2021 according to the Wall Street Journal was 50 million for 3 years. Other outlets reported the number being closer to 40 million. The two sides renewed their partnership later but no financial details were disclosed.
In looking at Samson’s channel, he’s built a base of nearly 60,000 subs. His channel posted 92 videos during the past 30 days, averaging over 20,000 views per video. One video in particular, Red Sox facing NIGHTMARE performed exceptionally well, generating 157K. If you go by YouTube’s monetization rules, the RPM (revenue per mile) is usually between $1 and $5 per 1,000 views, depending on the niche and where the audience lives. Most channels sit around $2 to $4. That adds up to $20-$100 per video per 20K views. Multiply that by ninety two videos and you have $1,840 to $9,200 per month.
More dollars are likely pouring in between a Meadowlark salary, brand deals, Super Chats, memberships, merchandise, licensing of content, and other revenue steams. I’m sure the financial structure is even better for Meadowlark because this is just one show. They have many others too. They’re also not saddled with some of the expenses that traditional radio operators encounter. But even if their deal with DraftKings doubled from the first agreement, that’d just put the company on par with WFAN and 98.5 The Sports Hub. Ironically, those two brands operate in a business that was just declared dead and making no money.
Having programmed and consulted on the East Coast, West Coast and in the Midwest, I know of many different business arrangements in place with teams. David Samson knows one side of this story based on his own personal and professional experience. I don’t fault him for believing baseball on the radio is set to expire based on what he’s encountered. I just wish he knew the rest of the story before suggesting the industry’s use and value to baseball is on borrowed time.
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Fox News just posted a number that has plenty of people sounding the alarm. In October, the network averaged 1.7 million primetime viewers, down 28% from last year. That’s the largest year-over-year drop in the month before an election in the past decade.
Naturally, the hot takes followed. Many observers see a blue wave on the horizon, and they point to unfavorable feelings toward Republicans. President Trump’s low approval ratings, they say, only deepen the slump.
I don’t buy it. The real explanation is simpler, and it has less to do with any party’s popularity than with how exhausted Americans are.
This Isn’t the First Dip
Fox News has seen midterm-season drops before. In October 2020, the network averaged 2.2 million primetime viewers. That year was hectic, but it was also a presidential election. In 2022, the figure fell to 1.5 million. It rebounded to 1.6 million ahead of the 2024 presidential election.
Here’s the part the doom-mongers skip, though. This October’s 1.7 million actually beats the 2022 number. Percentages look scary when the starting point is high, but the raw audience still sits in familiar territory. So the slump is real, but it’s hardly unprecedented.
The Real Culprit: Political Fatigue
I’ll say this, and I believe it to my core: the issue is much more about political fatigue than any one party’s unpopularity.
The 2026 cycle will feature the most political advertising ever, with more than $11 billion spent. That didn’t start six weeks ago, either. Political messages have bombarded Americans for months.
Consider my own week. Twice, the only items in my mailbox were political ads. I also watch a lot of YouTube. How many ad breaks did I sit through during roughly two hours of content on Monday night that didn’t include a political ad? Zero.
The ads are inescapable. Billboards, radio, podcasts, TV, YouTube, digital and direct mail all carry them. One candidate’s a crook, the other’s a sleazeball, and the country’s going to hell in a handbasket.
Ratings Aren’t Ballots
Remember, too, that ratings measure who’s watching television, not who’s voting. Plenty of people tune out cable news and still show up at the polls. Others watch every night and never cast a ballot.
Viewership is a shaky way to forecast anything about turnout.
Meanwhile, if unpopularity drove the drop, you’d expect the slide to last longer than a single month. Instead, we’ve got one October number and a lot of speculation.
One Month Doesn’t Make a Trend
So wouldn’t it be logical to think people are plum tired of it all? Why would they seek out even more political content by tuning in to Fox News? That makes sense to me, and it should make sense to you.
Of course, I’m not saying ratings never matter. If February arrives and Fox News still sees 28% declines, concern is warranted. Until then, one month doesn’t make a trend.
People are tired, man. And oftentimes, the most likely answer is the correct one.
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All sports television programs come with their share of technical challenges. However, a live, hourlong remote broadcast of a potential World Series-clinching game is as high-stakes as it gets. The MLB on FOX Pregame Show faced that challenge in Game 5 of the 2026 World Series. What ended up being a crowning moment for the Brewers was also a coronation for the FOX Sports production staff.
The on-air group of Kevin Burkhardt, Alex Rodriguez, David Ortiz, Derek Jeter and Tom Verducci delivered a strong performance, but even higher marks go to the behind-the-scenes talent. Led by Producer Aaron Stojkov, Coordinating Producer Bardia Shah-Rais, Producer Jonathan Kaplan, Assistant Director Mark Maxham, and Director Derek Manning. Along with Game Production Director Matt Gangl, with the with the broader production team, they delivered a colorful, informative and nearly flawless telecast.
The show opened with a shot of Brewers game five starter Jacob Misiorowski and his teammates entering the bowels of Tropicana Field. As they walked inside, a graphic in the upper-left corner of the screen counted down the minutes until the first pitch. From there, actor Bill Hader offered a comedic take on the gravity of game five. FOX Sports paired Hader with a dark, minimalist set featuring just a small table and chair. The segment also incorporated slickly edited highlights from the series.
A Postseason Worthy Presentation
The World Series editing was outstanding in both the live and preproduced segments. Quick cuts, dramatic zooms and vibrant pans effectively showcased every angle of the action. I especially loved the exterior zoom through the St. Petersburg high-rises toward Tropicana Field at the start of the MLB on FOX Pregame Show.
The graphics were equally impressive. Both in presentation and content. As viewers watched Brewers star Jackson Chourio warm up, a graphic revealed that his 10 hits tied him with Babe Ruth for the most in the first four games of a World Series. Another displayed the relevant statistics for the Game 5 starters.
Misiorowski for the eventual champion Milwaukee and Drew Rasmussen for Tampa Bay.
FOX’s graphics did more than inform viewers; they also offered a glimpse of what might come. One chart highlighted the history of World Series teams that forced a Game 5 after falling behind 3-0. Every previous team had lost that game, a pattern the Rays continued.
The MLB on FOX Pregame Show also featured a short package on Chourio, complete with close-up, slow-motion shots and dramatic camera angles. The feature impressed with both its shot selection and editing.
Verducci then took viewers into the dugout for an interview with Rays Game 4 hero Ben Williamson. As they spoke, a graphic noted that Williamson’s pinch-hit walk-off single was the second World Series walk-off hit in franchise history. Joining Brett Phillips’ Game 4 heroics in the 2020 World Series.
“It’s everything you dream of as a kid to hit a walk-off in the World Series”
A truly great technical broadcast combines data with drama. Does the shot selection capture the enormity of the game? Are the graphics relevant? Does the audience learn something new?
Sometimes, the smallest details make the biggest difference. As the on-air talent discussed specific players, FOX’s pregame cameras cut to those athletes stretching or running. These touches brought viewers into the stadium and onto the field, offering a glimpse of the pregame action.
Honoring The Fall Classic
The MLB on FOX Pregame Show production team also recognized that few sports connect themselves to history as deeply as baseball. In a brief video reflecting on Williamson’s game-winning hit in Game 4, the editors included quick shots of past World Series walk-offs by the Cardinals, Red Sox and Royals. The sequence beautifully connected Williamson’s moment to the lineage of clutch World Series performances.
Although audio is often more closely associated with radio, the MLB on FOX Pregame Show crew clearly understood its importance to television. The pregame crowd noise was balanced perfectly, allowing viewers to hear Burkhardt and company without losing the atmosphere inside the stadium. From music and natural sound to player interviews and sound bites, what viewers heard was just as important as what they saw.
Another standout feature explored Misiorowski’s background in Grain Valley, Missouri. The package centered on speed and how the small community embraces it. Everything from speedboats and fast cars to Misiorowski’s blazing fastball. The rapid, rhythmic editing reinforced the theme and made for an entertaining segment.
The MLB on FOX Pregame Show also covered Julie Falcon’s performance of the national anthem with impressive attention to detail. The video featured striking slow dissolves that moved from the dimly lit field to the United States Special Operations Command Color Guard. Then to the pensive players preparing for the biggest game of their lives.
The result was a vivid spectacle. FOX made the right call by going straight to a commercial break after Falcon’s stirring performance. No words were necessary.
Great songwriting relies on both words and music. Great sports television does, too. The MLB on FOX Pregame Show production team presented the sights, sounds and statistics of the World Series through championship-caliber directing, producing, editing and videography. In a broadcast where every detail mattered, FOX’s production staff delivered a performance worthy of the game’s biggest stage.
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Major League Baseball has a problem. For once, it isn’t the pitch clock, the length of games, or starting extra innings with a runner already on second base. It’s the NFL. That 800-pound gorilla not only owns the room but apparently owns every television in it.
On Monday night, the Milwaukee Brewers and Tampa Bay Rays were playing Game 3 of the World Series. Meanwhile, the Dallas Cowboys and Philadelphia Eagles were playing a regular-season football game. Not the playoffs. Not the Super Bowl. Just another Monday night in October. Football attracted roughly 18.8 million viewers, while baseball drew about 8.3 million. Somewhere, Rob Manfred probably wondered whether the World Series could be moved to Tuesday morning.
Before we declare baseball dead and start measuring its coffin, those numbers deserve a closer look. The World Series was drawing a respectable audience before the NFL showed up and started devouring everything in sight.
Game 1 between Milwaukee and Tampa Bay averaged 12.26 million viewers. Game 2 drew 10.85 million. That’s not exactly a national shrug for a matchup featuring two teams from smaller television markets that rarely command the national spotlight. The opening games also trailed last year’s Dodgers-Blue Jays audiences by only a modest margin, despite the absence of Shohei Ohtani, baseball’s biggest television draw.
You could hear television executives reaching for the antacids when this matchup was set. No Yankees, Dodgers, or Ohtani. Just two dominant baseball teams from markets that don’t usually make advertisers start throwing confetti.
Then Monday happened. Milwaukee routed Tampa Bay 10-1 while Cowboys-Eagles dominated the television landscape. Was America rejecting small-market baseball, or was a lopsided game getting steamrolled by the NFL?
Probably some of both. Ratings tell us how many people watched, not why everyone else stayed away.
Baseball Has Momentum
The next night offered a useful clue. Tampa Bay’s dramatic 12-inning Game 4 victory drew a preliminary audience of around 13.5 million. Suddenly, millions of people who supposedly didn’t care about the Brewers and Rays found their remote controls again.
Milwaukee ultimately won its first World Series championship ever in five games. That’s exactly the kind of story sports are supposed to celebrate. A smaller-market organization building a winner, beating the mighty Dodgers along the way. Thus proving that a championship doesn’t have to belong to whoever writes the biggest checks.
Would Yankees-Dodgers have attracted more casual viewers? Quite possibly.
The 2023 Rangers-Diamondbacks World Series averaged a record-low 9.11 million viewers, proving that some matchups struggle to break through nationally. This year’s numbers also show that smaller markets don’t automatically spell ratings disaster.
The NFL, meanwhile, operates on a different planet. Football has figured out how to turn practically every game into a national event. Fans watch teams they don’t like, players they barely know, and games that aren’t particularly good. Put an NFL logo on the screen, add betting and fantasy football.
Twenty million viewers show up.
Baseball doesn’t have that luxury. It needs compelling games, recognizable stars and meaningful stakes to attract casual viewers. Its challenge isn’t simply convincing people to watch the World Series. It’s making them care about Milwaukee or Tampa Bay before October. So when those teams don’t arrive on the national stage looking like strangers.
A Looming Labor Issue
Just as baseball appears to be making progress, here comes another potential labor stoppage.
The collective bargaining agreement expires December 1. Owners and players face difficult negotiations, with the possibility of a salary cap among the major flashpoints. A lockout is possible. Although a winter shutdown wouldn’t automatically mean losing regular-season games.
That’s an important distinction, but it’s still a gamble baseball doesn’t need.
Remember 1994? A players’ strike wiped out the World Series and left fans furious. Baseball recovered, but it took time. The steroid era and an emergence of major stars with a legendary home run chase eventually helped rebuild enthusiasm. The sport shouldn’t assume today’s audience would be equally patient.
The competition is relentless now. There’s the NFL, NBA, and college football. In addition, an endless menu of streaming entertainment. If baseball misses games, fans won’t sit in front of a blank screen waiting for billionaires and millionaires to agree on how to divide the money.
They’ll watch something else. Some might not come back.
That makes the timing so maddening. Baseball has improved its pace with the pitch clock. Young stars are emerging, and postseason audiences have offered encouraging signs. Milwaukee just delivered the kind of championship story that reminds us why sports matter. Instead of building on that momentum, the people running the sport could spend the winter arguing over the financial rules governing the next agreement.
Baseball isn’t going to beat the NFL in television ratings. It doesn’t have to. There’s room for more than one successful sport. The Brewers and Rays showed that a World Series doesn’t need New York or Los Angeles to find an audience.
But baseball can’t afford to become its own worst enemy. It can’t control whether Cowboys-Eagles steals viewers on Monday night. It can’t control which teams reach the World Series.
However, it can control whether there are baseball games to watch in 2027. If owners and players can’t figure that out, they won’t have to worry about the NFL stealing their audience. They’ll have handed it over themselves.
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