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Why Do We Still Treat Ratings Like Gold?

Demetri Ravanos
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We’re in ratings season. The numbers are starting to trickle out in the major markets for the spring book. The winners and losers have been recorded, and depending on the situation, bonuses are either being handed out or alternative plans are being made.

No matter who you ask in this industry, they will tell you that Nielsen ratings are still the standard measurement of success. I’m not denying that is true, but I think it is fair to ask why.

The Nielsen numbers are not seen as flawless. They are not easy to explain. In 2023, we all agree they do not tell the full story of a station’s reach. Yet, our sellers cling to them and so does ownership.

It seems to me that the answer for why is pretty simple. We have always relied on ratings. Agencies and even local businesses understand the ratings. They may not know the ins and outs of how they are measured, but they can see that Station X’s numbers are better than Station Y’s and make their choices accordingly. If your station isn’t the one that gets chosen. It is easy for bosses to say you are not doing good enough.

Long before we needed other numbers like podcast downloads and social impressions to paint a full picture of the reach of our content, sellers went to market with plenty of excuses and justifications. The numbers, unless you were number one in target demos, always were presented alongside an explanation of why they were not higher.

“The sample size isn’t large enough.”

“This book prioritized a different audience.”

“For some reason, Nielsen won’t count dogs as listeners when their owners leave on sports talk to comfort them while the humans are at work.”

Never once have you seen a seller go to a client or prospect with numbers a point or two lower than the competition and say “What can I tell you? They just did better than us.”

Excuses get a bad rap. I think too often it is assumed that they cannot possibly be factual. This is why I am so confused by our insistence that Nielsen numbers still matter more than anything else.

Covid-19 has replaced 9/11 as the goto subject in the sentence that ends with “changed everything.” It may be more true in radio than in any other industry. The disruption to daily life changed where and how people use their favorite radio stations. Until Nielsen comes up with a formula and a number to reflect that, there is a very valid excuse to not treat Nielsen numbers as gospel.

Buyers will prioritize what they want. We have to do a better job of educating them about the value in the numbers that Nielsen isn’t looking at. We also have to do a better job at taking care of talent, producers and webmasters that are told to prioritize online content and figure out how to reward them for particular benchmarks similar to ratings bonuses.

If we’re in a new age of media consumption, then we need to be willing to look at old world measurement with a discerning eye. It isn’t that Nielsen ratings are now entirely invalid. They are still part of the story, but that is all they are.

Star Wars is still a good movie that is worth watching and talking about, but you cannot say you know the entire story if all you have seen is the movie that came out in 1977. 

Doug Kezirian Exits ESPN

BSM Staff
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ESPN sports betting insider Doug Kezirian is done at the network.

Kezirian, who joined ESPN in 2012, had been hosting the sports betting show Daily Wager from March 2019 to September of last year.

Doug announced on Twitter on Tuesday that he had completed his final show appearance for The Worldwide Leader.

“I won’t even attempt to capture 11 amazing, life-changing years in a single tweet,” he wrote. “In short, I want to thank everyone. I truly am so fortunate.”

Kezirian’s departure is believed to be tied to the massive cuts in on-air staff at ESPN that have been made public in recent weeks. Front Office Sports reported Kezirian wasn’t having his contract renewed earlier this month along with boxing analyst Andre Ward.

It should be noted that Kezirian did say that he will be able to share his future plans soon. If his exit is indeed tied to layoffs, it appears he had enough warning to figure out his next step.

Doug originally joined ESPN as a SportsCenter host before going on to host a range of other programs at the network. He also has done college hoops play-by-play and hosted on ESPN Radio in his time at the network.

Todd Schnitt Isn’t Shy About Why He’s Leaving Conservative Talk Behind

BNM Staff
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Todd Schnitt Isn’t Shy About Why He’s Leaving Conservative Talk Behind

Todd Schnitt, the host of The Schnitt Show, may end his program in two weeks, but his successful career will continue. He’s been in syndication for over 20 years and was heard in 75 markets, solidifying his impact on audiences.

Along with hosting The Schnitt Show, Todd also leads a team of five on The MJ Morning Show, which airs on the legendary Q105 in Tampa. He enjoys entertaining his morning listeners without any political content. 

At 16, Todd started his career journey and has remained passionate about the industry ever since. In 1976, his family relocated from New York to Virginia Beach, where Todd discovered radio stations that captivated him in Southeastern Virginia.

He was pleasantly surprised to learn that he could even tune in to 77 WABC in New York during early mornings and evenings. As a keen learner, Todd’s inquisitive nature drove him to delve into the intricacies that make radio a possibility. 

During the early months of 1994, Schnitt was contacted by Marc Chase, who was then programming the “Power Pig” WFLZ-FM. Chase was relocating to Cincinnati to work for Jacor Communications and informed Schnitt of a job opportunity. After driving three hours, Schnitt met with executives and was informed the following day that he would become the new host of a morning drive show that became known as the MJ and BJ Morning Show.

Todd launched The Schnitt Show during his time on The MJ Morning Show, shortly after the 9/11 attacks. Although many assume the program started on 970 WFLA in Tampa, it originated on WIOD in Miami because Glenn Beck was given his national show by Premiere Networks after 9/11.

However, he was still doing afternoon drive in Tampa. The idea was for Beck to continue until the end of 2001 and then have Schnitt take over the 3-6 afternoon drive slot with The Schnitt Show in Tampa. 

Over the past 22 years, Schnitt has been juggling multiple responsibilities. As a result, he has had to prioritize and determine what matters most to him. He acknowledges that the media landscape has evolved significantly and admits that his talk show is not as enjoyable as it used to be. Schnitt finds pleasure in entertaining and engaging with his audience on Q105.

In a recent conversation with Barrett News Media, Schnitt looks back on his experiences in syndication, shares his concerns regarding the current state of media, and explains why music-intensive formats are conducive to producing exceptional talk radio hosts.

RH: As you reflect on your experience in syndicated radio, what accomplishment brings you the greatest sense of pride? 

TS: For a smaller syndicated show, I reached a peak of about 75 affiliates in some really good markets. We had San Francisco, Salt Lake City, Raleigh/Durham, Tampa, and Miami. I think I hold the record for being the longest-running talk show host on WIOD Miami.  

I am proud of the fact that we were able to do an engaging show. I always describe myself as a very, very independent conservative. We can talk about some of the pitfalls and the problems that I have with talk radio now.  

RH: Expanding on the topic, how has talk radio evolved, and what changes have you noticed? 

TS: It’s not just talk radio; it’s all the media in this genre. I think with cable news, whether it be MSNBC, Fox News Channel (FNC), CNN, or Newsmax. It’s become so polarized and toxic, and talk radio, which is mostly conservative, as you know, doesn’t escape that fact. It’s not as fun for me as it used to be, it’s just become an angry, toxic environment, and people don’t want to listen to reason; people have written off facts. Again, this is a major issue with all media. It’s TV, it’s radio, it’s internet, and social platforms have even made this worse.  

Twitter, at this point, is worse than a porta-potty at the state fair that hasn’t been cleaned in six weeks. It’s an absolute cesspool. I felt as a talk show host as host of The Schnitt Show, there’s a responsibility to be factual, and unfortunately, I think a lot of the hosts in my genre are not telling the audience the truth. They’re telling a lot of uneducated morons what they want to hear.  

There’s a talk radio responsibility. Again, it’s not just talk radio, it’s media in general that pours flammable liquid on the conspiracies, and they’re watching things light up like nitrite film in Inglorious Bastards (laughs).  

You have hosts that are afraid to lose the audience, so they appease and pander to the nuttiest fringe elements. They won’t call out [Donald] Trump. Trump had good and bad, but they (conservative media) wouldn’t call out the bad. You have hosts that would embrace QAnon crap or ‘Where we go one, we go all crowd folks.’ We know this is a fact, there are big names in talk radio who have been caught red-handed saying one thing on the air to their audience, then saying a completely different thing off the air in emails and text messages, and that’s bullshit. That’s a problem.

There is a responsibility as hosts to tamp down the conspiracy garbage and not make it worse, and that is so problematic out there. For me, Fox News is unwatchable. The nighttime shows on Fox News are like MTV. I call it Moron TV these days. MSNBC is the same on the other side of the aisle. It’s not mutually exclusive here, I’m equally disgusted. I was on Newsmax [TV] for three years. For three years, my first hour of The Schnitt Show was televised on Newsmax in the early days of the fledging network. (Schnitt’s 3-4 EST hour was on TV for three years on Newsmax).  

RH: In your press release, you mentioned that you have been working two daily jobs for more than 20 years. Did you choose to focus solely on The MJ Morning Show only because of this, or were there other factors, such as the changing media landscape, that influenced your decision? 

TS: I think it’s cumulative. I wouldn’t say that it was the environment that totally got me to drop Schintt. At this point in my life, I’m 57 years old, I’ve been doing this since I was 16 years old. I’ve been doing this for 41 years, and what do I enjoy most? I enjoy doing The MJ Morning Show the most. The driving factor was doing one show a day.  

It’s not like the content drove me away, it frustrated me, but the real driving factor here was doing one show a day, which is a full-time job on its own. I’ve got four people with me on the team; I’ve got a five-person morning show. I realize that’s what I enjoy most. We are politics-free; we do no politics on the morning show. It’s all pop culture; it’s engagement, its personal stories. To me, I think it’s great morning radio, what we’re doing on The MJ Morning Show, and of course, it’s on the legendary Q105 (WRBQ in Tampa).  

Incidentally, everything comes full circle. Q105 Tampa is where Scott Shannon invented the Morning Zoo format in the early 1980s.  (Schnitt worked for Scott Shannon at Pirate Radio, KQLZ, in Los Angeles. Schnitt also joined Shannon again for the relaunch of WPLJ in New York).

Ryan Hedrick: Why do ex-music DJs like Rush Limbaugh transition well to news/talk formats? 

Todd Schnitt: That’s why Rush Limbaugh was such a phenomenal entertainer. You might not have agreed with all of Rush Limbaugh’s politics, but there was no question that he was a talented broadcaster.  

I one hundred percent agree that his time as a music disc jockey helped him with the presentation and the timing, and he had an entertainment quality to his show that absolutely came from his time as a Top 40 jock.  

RH: Apart from their presentation skills and timing, what makes many Top 40 radio hosts successful in the news/talk genre? 

TS: It’s the speed of delivery, the engagement, it’s packing entertainment into short spaces. In many cases, it teaches you discipline. I think that’s why a lot of successful talk hosts came out of Top 40 radio.  

RH: Have you altered your morning show strategy considering the inclusion of video and social media into the show? 

TS: It expands the product. It gives more ways for listeners to engage. Social media has its pluses and minuses. As far as humanity goes, I think social media is a net negative on what it’s done for our children, body dysmorphia, all of the mental anguish, and the pressures that are put on our teenagers today.

Adam Schein: What is Happening to Newspapers ‘Pisses Me Off’

BSM Staff
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Adam Schein: What is Happening to Newspapers ‘Pisses Me Off’

The newspaper business took another massive blow this week when both the New York Times and the Los Angeles Times announced they would either be disbanding or greatly scaling back sports coverage.

For many that grew up reading and relying on those papers to provide them with the information and content they want, this is another hit to an institution for multiple generations.

SiriusXM Mad Dog Sports Radio host Adam Schein on Tuesday said he is one of those who prefers to hold an actual newspaper in his hands. He recognized that might put him in a growing minority.

“Maybe I’m just a certified freak. Maybe I’m stuck in my ways,” Schein said. “Maybe I’m just a sicko!”

“I read it to learn something, and basically the New York Times and the LA Times are telling you, you don’t want to learn anymore,” he added. “You don’t want depth, you don’t want detail. And if you don’t think this isn’t going to happen in Chicago or Philadelphia or Houston or Dallas or Detroit or Atlanta, you’re not paying attention.”

To see the papers in the two largest cities in America abandon traditional coverage like they have didn’t sit well with Schein.

“This pisses me off,” he said. “When you’re minimizing stories, when you’re minimizing – and this bothers me from the LA perspective – games. You’re minimizing results.”

“And now you’re telling me that the games don’t matter, that the recaps don’t matter, the results don’t matter, that the behind-the-scenes doesn’t matter?” Adam added. “But subscribe to The Athletic? I have a problem with that.”

Bret Baier Interview With Donald Trump Draws Massive Spike for Fox News

BNM Staff
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Bret Baier Interview With Donald Trump Draws Massive Spike for Fox News

Donald Trump, the current frontrunner for the Republican presidential nomination in the upcoming 2024 election, appeared in a one-on-one interview with Fox News Channel’s Bret Baier on Baier’s 6 p.m. nightly news program Special Report on Monday, June 19.

Baier pressed Trump on his repeated and continued claims the 2020 election was “stolen”; Fox News is the same outlet that shelled out a massive $787.5 million settlement to Dominion Voting Systems earlier this year due to reiterating the unverified instances of “rigged” machines.

The June 19th edition of FNC’s Special Report with Bret Baier drew 2.6 million viewers, according to Nielsen Media Research. This was +44 percent above its weeknight average for its previous week (June 12-16, 2023; 1.8 million). It was the most-watched edition of Special Report in total viewers since April 4 (2.983 million); unsurprisingly, a date that also involved Trump in the news: his first arraignment, from New York City.

Due to up-to-date developments in two of the world’s biggest stories, five of the week’s top ten hours in cable news in the key 25-54 demographic belonged to CNN. The network covered the short-lived Wagner rebellion that attempted to destabilize Russia and topple its president Vladimir Putin with extensive reporting for all of Saturday, June 24.

Its peak viewership occurred in the noon-1 p.m. ET hour (7-8 p.m. in Moscow, Russia) with 1.181 million viewers including 293,332 adults 25-54. It was the top demo performance for a cable news hour since its own outlet’s coverage of the Titanic submersible implosion from two days prior (June 22).

The U.S. Coast Guard held a press conference on Thursday, June 22 at 3 p.m. Eastern noting that the five men who were on board the vessel destined for the sunken wreck of the famed 1912 Titanic ship at the bottom of the Atlantic Ocean had all perished.

The 3-4 p.m. Eastern hour on the three main cable news channels as well as the two news netlets all drew well above their normal averages:

The Story (FOXNC, Thu. 6/22/2023 3:00 PM, 60 min.) 1.986 million total viewers; 313,549 adults 25-54

  • Average for June 19-23, 2023: 1.383 million total viewers; 169,000 adults 25-54
  • Comparison: +603,000 total viewers (+44 percent); +145,000 adults 25-54 (+86 percent)

CNN News Central “Titanic Submersible Debris Discovered” (CNN, Thu. 6/22/2023 3:00 PM, 60 min.) 1.526 million total viewers 452,858 adults 25-54

  • Average for June 19-23, 2023 (1-4 p.m. ET): 0.693 million total viewers; 147,000 adults 25-54
  • Comparison: +833,000 total viewers (+120 percent); +306,000 adults 25-54 (+208 percent)

Katy Tur Reports “Coast Guard on Missing Sub 3:00-3:17” (MSNBC, Thu. 6/22/2023 3:00 PM, 60 min.) 1.157 million total viewers 152,962 adults 25-54

  • Average for June 19-23, 2023: 0.982 million total viewers; 114,000 adults 25-54
  • Comparison: +175,000 total viewers (+18 percent); +39,000 adults 25-54 (+34 percent)

American Agenda (NMX, Thu. 6/22/2023 2:00 PM, 120 min.) 238,441 total viewers 25,315 adults 25-54

  • Average for June 19-23, 2023 (2-4 p.m. ET): 196,000 total viewers; 22,000 adults 25-54
  • Comparison: +42,000 total viewers (+21 percent); +3,000 adults 25-54 (+14 percent)

NewsNation Now with Nichole Berlie (NWSN, Thu. 6/22/2023 3:00 PM, 120 min.) 93,911 total viewers 12,485 adults 25-54

  • Average for June 19-23, 2023 (3-5 p.m. ET): 63,000 total viewers; 7,000 adults 25-54
  • Comparison: +31,000 total viewers (+49 percent); +5,000 adults 25-54 (+71 percent)

Cable news averages for June 19-25, 2023:

Total Day (June 19-25 @ 6 a.m.-5:59 a.m.)

  • Fox News Channel: 1.167 million viewers; 142,000 adults 25-54
  • MSNBC: 0.837 million viewers; 98,000 adults 25-54
  • CNN: 0.573 million viewers; 130,000 adults 25-54
  • HLN: 0.178 million viewers; 52,000 adults 25-54
  • Newsmax: 0.171 million viewers; 16,000 adults 25-54
  • Fox Business Network: 0.105 million viewers; 15,000 adults 25-54
  • CNBC: 0.104 million viewers; 26,000 adults 25-54
  • The Weather Channel: 0.090 million viewers; 20,000 adults 25-54
  • NewsNation: 0.062 million viewers; 11,000 adults 25-54
  • Court TV: 0.048 million viewers; 13,000 adults 25-54

Prime Time (June 19-24 @ 8-11 p.m.; June 25 @ 7-11 p.m.)

  • Fox News Channel: 1.530 million viewers; 166,000 adults 25-54
  • MSNBC: 1.309 million viewers; 143,000 adults 25-54
  • CNN: 0.696 million viewers; 159,000 adults 25-54
  • Newsmax: 0.294 million viewers; 29,000 adults 25-54
  • HLN: 0.204 million viewers; 57,000 adults 25-54
  • CNBC: 0.168 million viewers; 45,000 adults 25-54
  • Fox Business Network: 0.115 million viewers; 32,000 adults 25-54
  • NewsNation: 0.114 million viewers; 22,000 adults 25-54
  • The Weather Channel: 0.111 million viewers; 23,000 adults 25-54
  • Court TV: 0.059 million viewers; 14,000 adults 25-54

Top 10 most-watched cable news programs (and the top programs of other outlets with their respective associated ranks) in total viewers:

1. The Five (FOXNC, Mon. 6/19/2023 5:00 PM, 60 min.) 2.786 million viewers

2. The Five (FOXNC, Thu. 6/22/2023 5:00 PM, 60 min.) 2.718 million viewers

3. The Five (FOXNC, Wed. 6/21/2023 5:00 PM, 60 min.) 2.712 million viewers

4. The Five (FOXNC, Tue. 6/20/2023 5:00 PM, 60 min.) 2.703 million viewers

5. Special Report with Bret Baier (FOXNC, Mon. 6/19/2023 6:00 PM, 60 min.) 2.600 million viewers

6. The Five (FOXNC, Fri. 6/23/2023 5:00 PM, 60 min.) 2.540 million viewers

7. Jesse Watters Primetime (FOXNC, Mon. 6/19/2023 7:00 PM, 60 min.) 2.411 million viewers

8. Rachel Maddow Show (MSNBC, Mon. 6/19/2023 9:00 PM, 60 min.) 2.373 million viewers

9. Jesse Watters Primetime (FOXNC, Thu. 6/22/2023 7:00 PM, 60 min.) 2.250 million viewers

10. Special Report with Bret Baier (FOXNC, Tue. 6/20/2023 6:00 PM, 60 min.) 2.166 million viewers

55. CNN News Central “Titanic Submersible Debris Discovered” (CNN, Thu. 6/22/2023 3:00 PM, 60 min.) 1.526 million viewers

270. Pres. Trump Live (NMX, Sat. 6/24/2023 8:00 PM, 90 min.) 0.638 million viewers

404. Forensic Files (HLN, late Sat. 6/24/2023 1:00 AM, 30 min.) 0.368 million viewers

488. Kudlow (FBN, Fri. 6/23/2023 4:00 PM, 60 min.) 0.290 million viewers

642. Fast Money Halftime Report (CNBC, Thu. 6/22/2023 12:00 PM, 60 min.) 0.208 million viewers

643. Cuomo (NWSN, Thu. 6/22/2023 8:00 PM, 60 min.) 0.207 million viewers

683. Highway Thru Hell “(803) Chain Saw” (TWC, Mon. 6/19/2023 9:00 PM, 60 min.) 0.183 million viewers

812. FBI Files (COURT TV, late Sun. 6/25/2023 12:00 AM, 60 min.) 0.139 million viewers

Top 10 cable news programs (and the top  programs of other outlets with their respective associated ranks) among adults 25-54:

1. CNN News Central “Titanic Submersible Debris Discovered” (CNN, Thu. 6/22/2023 3:00 PM, 60 min.) 0.453 million adults 25-54

2. The Lead With Jake Tapper “Titanic Submersible Implosion” (CNN, Thu. 6/22/2023 4:00 PM, 60 min.) 0.351 million adults 25-54

3. The Five (FOXNC, Thu. 6/22/2023 5:00 PM, 60 min.) 0.332 million adults 25-54

4. The Story (FOXNC, Thu. 6/22/2023 3:00 PM, 60 min.) 0.314 million adults 25-54

5. The Lead With Jake Tapper (CNN, Thu. 6/22/2023 5:00 PM, 60 min.) 0.313 million adults 25-54

6. Gutfeld! (FOXNC, Tue. 6/20/2023 11:00 PM, 60 min.) 0.309 million adults 25-54

7. The Five (FOXNC, Wed. 6/21/2023 5:00 PM, 60 min.) 0.297 million adults 25-54

8. CNN Newsroom “Russian Rebellion” (CNN, Sat. 6/24/2023 12:00 PM, 60 min.) 0.293 million adults 25-54

9. Special Report with Bret Baier (FOXNC, Mon. 6/19/2023 6:00 PM, 60 min.) 0.289 million adults 25-54

10. CNN Newsroom “Russian Rebellion” (CNN, Sat. 6/24/2023 1:00 PM, 60 min.) 0.285 million adults 25-54

21. Rachel Maddow Show (MSNBC, Mon. 6/19/2023 9:00 PM, 60 min.) 0.259 million adults 25-54

194. Forensic Files II (HLN, Wed. 6/21/2023 11:30 PM, 30 min.) 0.129 million adults 25-54

481. Eric Bolling The Balance (NMX, Wed. 6/21/2023 8:00 PM, 60 min.) 0.067 million adults 25-54

520. Fast Money (CNBC, Fri. 6/23/2023 5:00 PM, 30 min.) 0.061 million adults 25-54

552. Weekend Recharge (TWC, Sun. 6/25/2023 9:00 AM, 60 min.) 0.057 million adults 25-54

657. Varney & Company (FBN, Wed. 6/21/2023 9:00 AM, 60 min.) 0.041 million adults 25-54

658. Escaping Polygamy (COURT TV, late Sun. 6/25/2023 1:00 AM, 60 min.) 0.041 million adults 25-54

671. Banfield (NWSN, Wed. 6/21/2023 10:00 PM, 60 min.) 0.040 million adults 25-54

Source: Live+Same Day data, Nielsen Media Research

ESPN Sees Ratings Drop for Home Run Derby

BSM Staff
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Major League Baseball has benefitted greatly from the implementation of the pitch clock and other rules for this season. The viewership has reflected that as well. But it appears the MLB could stand to go back to its roots with the Home Run Derby.

Monday night’s edition of the derby in Seattle only had warning track power in terms of viewership. The broadcast across ESPN and ESPN2 averaged 6.11 million viewers, down 11% from last year’s competition at Dodger Stadium.

It was also the lowest figure for the derby since 5.9 million tuned in for the 2018 contest. Just over 5.5 million watched Blue Jays star Vladimir Gurrero Jr. win the derby. The ESPN2 StatCast broadcast averaged 596,000 viewers.

Many have complained that the timed rounds and emphasis on hitting as many home runs as possible in that short span has lessened the luster of admiring monstrous swings when competitors are in the box.

Some hope that the Home Run Derby would revert back to traditional rules of batters having 10 outs instead of racing the clock.

Ice Cube: NBA Broadcaster Told Me He Isn’t Allowed to Mention Big3

BSM Staff
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No one has ever given Ice Cube a good reason why his basketball league The Big3 hasn’t been covered more by the sports media. In the past, he has said that he thought the league would be embraced by people that cover basketball.

That hasn’t been the case and he has been told that the NBA has played a role in that.

“I was told by somebody I trust, who had actually played in the Big3, who was an announcer, that he couldn’t speak on it on the air,” he told Pat McAfee on Tuesday. 

Cube did not name names, but there are plenty of former NBA players that have since become analysts, that spent time in the Big3. Among them are Chauncey Billups and Stephen Jackson.

McAfee was shocked to hear that. He told Cube that he was under the impression that more basketball fans would be better for the entire sport. Cube responded that he thought the NBA Commissioner was under the same impression. 

“When we met with Adam Silver and Mark Tatum in 2017 when we started the league, that’s exactly what he said. He said more basketball is better for all the basketball.”

When asked if he had a theory as to why the NBA wouldn’t want the Big3 talked about, Ice Cube responded that it isn’t hard to figure out.

“You know,” he said, “people will lie and do things that are diabolical to protect their interests, to protect their money, to protect their status, to not have to deal with competition.” 

Nick Wilson: ‘MLB Needs Its Own Pat McAfee’

BSM Staff
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ESPN presented two different broadcasts of Monday night’s T-Mobile Home Run Derby from Major League Baseball All-Star Week in Seattle, Wash. No matter which one you tuned into, they were outright horrible, according to 92.3 The Fan afternoon host Nick Wilson. Taking the air on Tuesday afternoon, Wilson and his co-host Dustin Fox had no idea that Toronto Blue Jays infielder Vladimir Guerrero Jr. captured the Derby title last night, largely because they felt the broadcast was unwatchable.

Whenever it pertains to one of the accompanying All-Star Week events in any sport, such as All-Star Saturday Night in basketball or the Derby in baseball, Wilson turns it on his television and requires it to keep him engaged and interested. While he feels baseball has perfected the Home Run Derby in terms of the format and engrossing the crowd, the broadcast did not live up to the same expectations.

“The broadcast now does not match what’s happening on the field,” Wilson said. “….They just suck. It was Karl Ravech and Eduardo Perez on one, and then the other one.”

The traditional broadcast paired with the Statcast-driven telecast on ESPN2 featuring Kevin Brown, Jessica Mendoza and Mike Petriello. On both fronts, Wilson conveyed that the broadcasts were treating it too much like a genuine event than an exhibition contest.

“No sport has needed their own Pat McAfee the way baseball needs [its] own Pat McAfee,” Wilson said. “Just a big-mouthed, opinionated [analyst].”

Fox replied by suggesting that ESPN could consider putting McAfee on a surfeit of its sports coverage including Major League Baseball. After all, the company inked him to a lucrative multiyear, multi-million dollar contract to bring his eponymous digital program, The Pat McAfee Show, to its platforms. Because of this, Fox assumes the company may explore broadening the scope of coverage McAfee provides, accentuated by recent layoffs of niche talent. Yet the exclusivity associated with certain commentators makes them all the more appealing, impeding a palpable and comfortable situation.

“See that’s a problem,” replied Wilson. “When Pat McAfee’s on college football; the NFL; Major League Baseball; the NBA – he does lose some of his luster.”

When Fox asked Wilson if the broadcast would have been better with Stephen A. Smith, he profoundly shot that possibility down and referred to it as “even worse.” Wilson then suggested future broadcasts implement rhapsodic broadcasters such as Dallas Braden of NBC Sports California or Kevin Millar of MLB Network. Conversely, Wilson was tired of listening to Ravech, who is frequently utilized across ESPN’s baseball coverage, for much of the night.

“Baseball is, every year, just a leaky ship trying to make it from one point to another,” Wilson said. “They finally sprung the biggest leak of all – it sucked; it was boring and they’ve changed it. They’ve made changes that were necessary for about 25 years and they finally did it. Then you watch the products and you’re like, ‘Oh, now it’s the announcers that are the problem.’”

In order to make the game more conducive to fan interest, the show suggested the league adopt the model popularized by the Savannah Bananas and “Bananaball,” intriguing fans and adding entertainment value to the sport. Wilson thought of a team obvious to take on the comedic routine – the Oakland Athletics – and believes the NBA would have been better off with the Harlem Globetrotters 30 years ago.

“Make them the Las Vegas Bananas – steal the bit,” Wilson said. “Then make Pat McAfee the play-by-play guy.”

After reading a quote from Executive Director of the Major League Baseball Players Association (MLBPA), Tony Clark, regarding an adjustment of the pitch clock in the postseason, Wilson made a vehement assertion. Essentially, he believes that if baseball was to shave as much as one second off of the pitch clock, it would presumably admit defeat and lose a barrage of fans. Across the board, the average length of a nine-inning contest is down by 26 minutes, engendering rises in league-wide attendance (8.1%) and a three-year dip in the median age of people purchasing tickets (43) – all year-over-year.

“I think baseball is more watchable,” Wilson said. “I think the in-game product feels fresher, so kindly to Tony Clark, ‘Bleep off.’”

Yankees Cameraman Pete Stendel Receives Support on GoFundMe

BSM Staff
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If you are a sports fan living in the New York metropolitan area, you have surely seen the work of cameraman Pete Stendel. Frequently capturing footage for regional sports networks including SportsNet New York and YES Network, Stendel is one of the most experienced camera operators in the business and is widely respected by his colleagues. Baltimore Orioles second baseman Gunnar Henderson made an errant throw in the fifth inning of last Wednesday’s game against the New York Yankees that struck Stendel in the face.

Stendel was working in the camera well, many of which have minimal protection across Major League Baseball. The game was paused to attend to Stendel, who had to be stretchered off the field and ended up suffering multiple facial fractures. Fans at Yankee Stadium serenaded him with chants of “MVP,” and he was able to acknowledge them during his egress.

One of Pete’s friends, Tommy Hanlon, has started a GoFundMe page to assist Stendel in his time of need. In a message posted on the website, Hanlon said that Stendel “would give the shirt off his back to help others,” and implored people to assist if possible. Since the fundraiser was created last Thursday, it has garnered 176 donations and raised $17,319, nearing a $25,000 goal. Those interested in learning more or making a donation can click here.

New York Mets on SNY director John DeMarisco shared the fundraising link on his Twitter page along with a photo of Stendel capturing Edwin Díaz entering a game last season. Stendel, an Emmy Award-winning cameraman, frequently follows the Mets closer onto the field in the ninth inning. It is Stendel who is responsible for the unparalleled footage within his viral entrance to the song, “Narco” by Blasterjaxx and Timmy Trumpet.

Although Díaz has been out all season after suffering a gruesome knee injury during the World Baseball Classic, Stendel has still been documenting the game from unique vantage points. In his free time, he enjoys creating art as a painter and lets “the colors and shapes take over.”

In a statement, YES Network shared that Stendel was home resting after being rushed to the hospital to receive medical treatment. The delay lasted for nearly 20 minutes and after the game, numerous players and personnel gave him his well wishes. Stendel also spoke to Henderson the next day and told him not to let it affect him in any way.

Bill Handel: Tucker Carlson, Fox News ‘Crossed A Line’ in Accusations Against Ray Epps

BNM Staff
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Some reports from late April surrounding the firing of Tucker Carlson by Fox News purported that one of the reasons he exited was due to his reporting on January 6th. KFI-AM 640 morning man Bill Handel believes both Carlson and the network might be guilty of defamation surrounding the role Ray Epps played in the insurrection.

During his show Tuesday, Handel noted that Epps is in a similar position that Dominion Voting Systems found itself earlier this year.

“(Epps) is suing Tucker Carlson and Fox News. Now, that’s not that easy. But again, when you talk about these kinds of losses, I think that news outlets who are hugely protected and defamation suits…I think they’ve crossed the line,” Handel said after noting that Epps had to close his business and move away from his home due to death threats received from Trump supporters and Carlson’s viewers.

Handel then detailed Carlson’s encapsulation of Epps’ role in the January 6th Insurrection, claiming that while Epps was there, he did not enter the Capitol. Handel also noted that Epps has been accused of being a provocateur by Carlson, but is seen on video telling people to ask peacefully and legally. He argued, though, that Carlson never includes that detail.

“He continues to push this notion that the attack was staged by anti-Trump elements inside the government,” said Handel. “Matter of fact, on a podcast last week, Carson said the riot was not an insurrection. The crowd that day was filled with federal agents. I mean, still saying that.

“The difficulty with a lawsuit is that when you’re going, particularly against a public figure or a news outlet, you have to show knowledge of an utter lie that goes ahead and is broadcast or such reckless disregard for the truth. You don’t know it’s a lie, but you know a certain truth and you just ignore it, and go forward? That’s defamation. And I think Epps has a hell of a case.”

Handel concluded by noting that Carlson is now reportedly commanding speaking fees in the same range as former Presidents Clinton and Obama, so listeners should not feel sorry that he lost his primetime show on Fox News.”

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