After nearly four decades of working together, ESPN and the Horizon League are extending a relationship that dates back to the late 1980s, announcing a new multi-year, multi-platform media rights agreement designed to preserve the conference’s national visibility while expanding its digital footprint across ESPN’s ecosystem.
The renewed agreement keeps ESPN’s linear networks as the television home of the Horizon League men’s basketball semifinals and championship. The deal also includes six regular-season men’s games and the women’s basketball championship. The arrangement reinforces a consistent postseason presence. That exposure has helped shape the conference’s brand during March.
“We are thrilled to continue to provide major experiences for our incredible student-athletes through our continued relationship with ESPN,” said Horizon League Interim Commissioner Chris Neuman. “The significant exposure on ESPN’s platforms provides us a tremendous opportunity to showcase our nearly 4,000 student-athletes in great competition throughout the year.”
Equally significant, the deal ensures at least 500 Horizon League events will stream annually on ESPN’s digital platforms. The model began during the 2014-15 academic year. Since then, it has expanded as audiences migrated to the ESPN App and other streaming products.
From ESPN’s perspective, the renewal represents both continuity and strategic alignment, as Director of Programming and Acquisitions Mallory Kenny noted that the network values its long-standing ties to the conference and sees opportunity to further elevate the stories of its athletes and campuses while strengthening a partnership that now stretches into a fourth decade.
“ESPN is excited to continue its commitment to the Horizon League. This new agreement underscores our dedication to showcasing the success of Horizon League student athletes and member institutions, while expanding the reach of their stories to sports fans across our platforms,” said Kenny. “Our relationship with the conference has grown steadily over the years, and we are eager to strengthen that as our collaboration enters its fourth decade.”
Beyond game distribution, the new deal maintains ESPN’s role as the home of 15 Horizon League championship events each year and preserves revenue opportunities tied to commercial inventory and sponsorship assets in select contests, elements that remain vital as conferences seek diversified income streams in an increasingly competitive media landscape.
The collaboration traces its roots to 1988, when ESPN carried the Midwestern Collegiate Conference men’s basketball championship game, a broadcast that helped launch what would become one of the network’s longest-running conference partnerships outside the Power Five structure.
Looking ahead, the conference is preparing for additional growth, as Northern Illinois University is set to join the Horizon League on July 1, 2026, expanding membership to 12 institutions and potentially broadening the geographic and competitive scope of the league’s ESPN offerings.
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Chris Berman doesn’t see a 10% ownership stake as a muzzle. During an appearance on the CNBC Sport Podcast with Alex Sherman, the longtime ESPN anchor addressed concerns surrounding the NFL’s acquisition of a minority stake in the network, pushing back on the idea that the league’s investment will dictate coverage or soften criticism.
“Ten percent, what does that mean?” Berman said. “I don’t think the NFL — OK, if we’re gonna own 10%, here’s the handbook. Here’s the three pages that thou shalt not, and then thou shalt. I don’t think that happens. If it did, I’d be really disappointed in the league as much as I am our place for agreeing. But that’s not the way it goes.”
While the optics of the NFL owning part of a major media rights partner have sparked debate, Berman suggested the concern is more theoretical than practical.
ESPN has long maintained a close business relationship with the league through Monday Night Football and expansive studio and digital coverage, and Berman indicated that a minority equity position does not automatically change the editorial mission inside Bristol.
“The lines have been blurred,” he said. “In a lot of ways this is an obvious whoh! The NFL owns ESPN by 10%. I don’t think that has a stake at all. I’m not saying it’s a bad question. Let’s see how it goes. Over two years, all of a sudden, we can’t say he dropped the ball? I’m kidding, right?”
Berman joked about altering language to avoid saying a player “fumbled,” underscoring what he believes would be an absurd level of interference.
“No, I don’t think so,” he added. “I’d be shocked if it was any dictation in that way.”
His comments reflect confidence that ESPN’s credibility remains intact even as media companies and leagues grow more intertwined financially. For Berman, the proof will be in the day-to-day coverage, not in speculation about hypothetical guardrails.
The conversation also turned to the league’s long-discussed 18-game regular season and why it has yet to materialize. Berman pointed to the January 2023 cardiac arrest suffered by Buffalo Bills safety Damar Hamlin as a pivotal moment in the public discourse around player safety and league expansion.
“I don’t know this for a fact,” Berman said. “We might have seen it [18-game regular season schedule] by now if Damar Hamlin [doesn’t happen]. There was a quiet down point, because they were talking.”
He noted that any schedule expansion would require extended negotiations with the NFL Players Association, particularly with the current collective bargaining agreement running through 2030 or 2031. Owners may see additional inventory and revenue, but the league must also weigh player health, public perception and long-term labor stability.
“None of those things get accomplished unless you have three or four years of ‘we gotta get the players. Let’s redo our deal,’” Berman said, adding that the optics of pushing for more games amid a player health crisis moment would have not been good for the league.
“After that, the public outcry. You want them to play more games? The NFL is not blind, those optics would have been horrible,” said Berman.
For now, Berman appears confident on both fronts: that ESPN’s journalism will stand on its own and that the NFL will move cautiously when it comes to adding more wear and tear to its players.
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Triton Digital has released its 2025 fourth-quarter U.S. Podcast ranker, and the data shows that listening for news podcasts remained strong in the quarter.
News podcasts were the second most-listened-to genre during October, November, and December. The genre accounted for 26.7% of all podcast listening for the quarter.
The top podcast category by reach during the timeframe was comedy at 40.9%. Rounding out the top three was Society & Culture at 23%.
“Podcasting has become appointment media in moments that matter, from sports seasons and cultural milestones to end-of-year reflection and planning,” said Triton Digital Senior Vice President of Measurement Products and Strategy Daryl Battaglia. “What we’ve seen from Q4 is not just seasonal listening – it’s sustained, intentional engagement tied to real-world behaviors. These insights give marketers a sharper lens into how and when podcast audiences are most receptive, and where smart investments can drive meaningful results in 2026.”
The Ramsey Show was one of the top movers in the fourth quarter rankings from Triton Digital. It saw a 36-position increase to finish the window at 25th overall in the Demos+ rankings. The Shawn Ryan Show also saw a strong increase, moving up 38 places to finish the quarter in 27th position.
“Each quarter, Triton Digital’s Ranker tells a clearer story about how podcast audiences are evolving – and why audio deserves a central role in modern media plans,” Battaglia added. “The data from Q4 2025 proves that podcasting isn’t just resilient; it’s influential, measurable, and increasingly essential for brands looking to connect with engaged audiences at scale.”
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Glen Kuiper is set to return to a major league broadcast booth nearly three years after his dismissal from the Oakland A’s, as the veteran play-by-play voice will handle radio duties for the San Francisco Giants during Tuesday’s exhibition matchup against Team USA at Scottsdale Stadium, according to a report from the San Francisco Chronicle.
Kuiper, who spent more than 15 seasons as the television voice of the A’s before the organization fired him in May 2023 for uttering a racial slur during a pregame broadcast, will call the Giants’ spring exhibition on radio in what amounts to his most visible assignment since the incident that abruptly halted his tenure in Oakland.
The Chronicle reported that Kuiper could also serve as a fill-in option on regular-season Giants radio broadcasts, signaling that the club appears open to reintegrating the longtime broadcaster into its on-air rotation.
The incident that led to Kuiper’s dismissal unfolded during a pregame show when he referenced a visit to the Negro Leagues Baseball Museum in Kansas City and appeared to stumble over the word “Negro,” with the mispronunciation coming across on air as a racial slur.
Kuiper immediately expressed regret and later maintained that the comment was accidental, yet the A’s suspended him indefinitely the following day and ultimately terminated his contract roughly two weeks later.
In a statement released after his firing, Kuiper apologized and questioned whether a single mistake should outweigh two decades of work, writing that he would “always have a hard time understanding how one mistake in a 20-year broadcasting career is cause for termination,” while also expressing confidence that future opportunities would emerge.
Kuiper has remained active through digital projects and live events rather than traditional team broadcasts. Over the past year, he has hosted postgame shows at Oracle Park’s Gotham Club alongside his brother, longtime Giants broadcaster Duane Kuiper, and he has produced content through a YouTube-based platform titled “The Glen Kuiper Show,” where he has continued to analyze the Giants and Major League Baseball.
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Longtime Salem Radio Network White House correspondent Greg Clugston has announced he’s departing the organization for a new role outside the industry.
Clugston is set to join the faculty at Indiana Wesleyan University in its Division of Modern Language, Literature, and Communication. He’ll officially take the position on July 1st, 2026.
Greg Clugston is currently in his 30th year of covering the White House. At IWU, he’ll teach audio and broadcast courses. He’ll also serve as an advisor to the university’s student-led media initiatives.
“Returning to a university setting allows me to share my practical experience in Washington, D.C., with the next generation of media professionals,” Clugston said. “There’s a critical need to equip students with the skills and knowledge to effectively navigate today’s challenging and fast-moving media environment. I look forward to partnering with Indiana Wesleyan University in preparing students to be effective communicators and trustworthy professionals who pursue excellence through faith, honesty, and integrity.”
“The consummate professional whose solid coverage will be sorely missed by our Washington Bureau and by our listeners nationwide,” said Salem Media Vice President of News & Talk Programming Tom Tradup.
Tradup added that Clugston was a member of the White House travel pool and often reported on the White House from Air Force One.
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Stephen A. Smith says he still believes LeBron James attempted to potentially hurt his career, but the veteran ESPN personality insists he has chosen growth over grudges as he reflects on a yearslong rift with one of the NBA’s most powerful figures.
During an appearance on In Depth with Graham Bensinger, Smith addressed the tension directly, stopping short of detailing specific actions yet making clear he feels confident in his assessment. “I can’t talk about it,” Smith said. “I’ve never talked about it, and I won’t. Other than to say, I know that to be true, and that is unfortunate.”
Smith added that his belief was reinforced when James appeared on The Pat McAfee Show, a program that airs after First Take, and discussed him publicly. In Smith’s view, choosing that particular platform carried symbolic weight because it created a direct programming adjacency that amplified the criticism. He characterized the move as disrespectful and suggested it validated concerns he had previously kept private.
The friction between the two men intensified in March 2025, when James approached Smith courtside during a nationally televised Los Angeles Lakers game, a moment that quickly circulated online and fueled speculation about deeper animosity. At the time, Smith publicly downplayed the encounter, framing it as a father reacting defensively, yet he later acknowledged feeling blindsided by both the timing and the optics of the confrontation.
James, whose decorated career has spanned the Cleveland Cavaliers, Miami Heat and Lakers, has long operated under intense media scrutiny, including pointed analysis from Smith on leadership, legacy and team performance. Smith conceded that his commentary may have affected James in ways other critics have not, potentially contributing to the superstar’s reaction.
“I might have affected him in ways that other people haven’t, and that might have provoked him to do whatever,” Smith said. “At the end of the day, I just know that I’m 58 years old, and I’m not interested in walking around bitter and with a grudge.”
Although Smith maintained that he has known about “several things in the past,” he emphasized that he has moved beyond dwelling on them.
“Like I said, I moved past it,” he explained, underscoring a desire to focus on his work rather than revisit perceived slights.
In recent months, Smith has made a conscious effort to keep his analysis centered on basketball performance and league storylines instead of personal friction, signaling that he wants to avoid escalating a dispute that already commands national attention. He also acknowledged James’ broader impact, noting the four-time champion’s contributions to the sport and the community.
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Nexstar Media Group has reported its 2025 fourth-quarter financial results, and the company saw a dip in overall revenue during the period.
During the period, Nexstar reported just under $1.3 billion in net revenue. That represented a 13.4% decrease compared to the same window in 2024. For the entirety of 2025, the company’s revenue fell 8.5% overall.
The company noted that the $199 million decline in the fourth quarter can largely be attributed to a significant drop in political advertising related to the presidential election in the prior year. Advertising revenue during the quarter rested at $549 million, down 27.6% year-over-year. While the company was off $209 million from 2024, it noted that political advertising dropped from $233 million in 2024 to $21 million in 2025. Non-political advertising, meanwhile, rose 4.5%.
“Nexstar delivered another quarter and year of solid financial results, while taking bold steps to better compete with big tech and big media by reinforcing our position as the nation’s leading local broadcasting company through our proposed acquisition of TEGNA Inc. In Q4 2025, we completed all outstanding 2025 renewals with our distribution partners and achieved better-than-expected growth in non-political advertising revenues,” said Nexstar Media Group chairman and CEO Perry Sook.
“In 2025, NewsNation achieved its strongest year ever for news programming viewership bolstered by our commitment to fact-based, unbiased reporting. Benefiting from our sports programming strategy, The CW exceeded financial expectations for the year and ended 2025 as the 10th most-watched and second fastest growing ad-supported network overall,” continued Sook.
The company earned $720 million in the fourth quarter from distribution revenues.
Its Adjusted EBITDA was $433 million, down from $628 million the prior year.
Included in the Nexstar Media Financial results was a statement from Sook stating that the company believes that it’s proposed merger with TEGNA will receive regulatory approval later this year.
“Our 2026 plan includes closing our acquisition of TEGNA, capitalizing on the political advertising opportunities presented by the mid-term elections, and continuing to optimize our business operations across the company, all of which we anticipate will contribute to shareholder value creation,” said Sook.
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Beasley Media Group is adding one of sports radio’s most recognizable national voices to its Tampa Bay lineup, announcing that The Herd with Colin Cowherd will debut Monday, March 2, 2026, on WJBR, Florida Alumni Radio 1010 AM.
The show will air in it’s weekday timeslot of Noon to 3 p.m. ET and additional distribution across 92.1 FM in Hillsborough County, 103.1 FM in Pinellas County and 104.7 HD2.
The move aligns the Beasley-owned Tampa cluster with FOX Sports Radio, which syndicates the program nationally. It gives the market a high-profile midday show built on opinion and personality. The format also leans into headline-driven storytelling. For a station targeting passionate local and alumni-focused fans, the addition signals intent. It reflects a strategy to blend national perspective with regional energy in a competitive media landscape.
The Herd with Colin Cowherd launched in September 2015 with FOX Sports Radio. Since then, it has grown into one of the most widely consumed sports talk brands in the country. The show’s expansion has been driven by long-form interviews and strong editorial commentary. It also maintains a steady presence across digital platforms.
Cowherd, who entered the Radio Hall of Fame in 2025, has cultivated a style that leans heavily on narrative framing and cross-sport comparisons, elements that frequently spark debate well beyond traditional radio audiences.
The program was recently removed from the 95.7 WDAE lineup as part of the stations move from 95.3FM to 95.7FM and a return to local programming in The Herd’s daypart.
According to network-provided metrics from multiple measurement partners, The Herd with Colin Cowherd has surpassed 800 million podcast downloads over several years. The show has also generated billions of video views across digital platforms. Those platforms include X, Facebook, and YouTube. The figures highlight how modern sports talk extends beyond terrestrial radio. Much of today’s conversation is driven by on-demand and social clips.
“We’re excited to bring The Herd to WJBR,” said Cowherd. “Tampa is one of the best sports cities in America – passionate fans, championship teams, and nonstop storylines. I’m looking forward to being part of the daily conversation and connecting with listeners across the market.”
Ron deCastro, vice president and market manager for Beasley Media Group Tampa, described the addition as a meaningful step in enhancing WJBR’s weekday lineup.
“We’re thrilled to welcome Colin Cowherd and The Herd to WJBR,” said deCastro. “Colin’s strong opinions, insightful interviews, and national perspective will provide our listeners with premium sports content every weekday afternoon. This addition further strengthens our lineup and underscores our commitment to delivering the very best in sports programming to Tampa Bay.”
Justin Chase, Beasley’s chief content officer, framed the move as both a programming upgrade and a broader strategic play. Emphasizing Cowherd’s ability to generate must-hear moments that travel seamlessly from broadcast to podcast to social feeds. Where audience engagement increasingly determines a show’s overall impact.
With The Herd now set to occupy the midday window, Beasley strengthens its sports platform in Tampa Bay at a time when audience habits continue to evolve, wagering that a multiplatform brand anchored by a polarizing and proven host can command attention across radio dials, mobile apps and social timelines alike.
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Fox News led all of television for President Donald Trump’s State of the Union address on Tuesday evening.
In the 9-11 PM ET window, when the majority of Trump’s speech took place, more than 9.1 million viewers were tuned to Fox News, on average. The network also saw the largest audience for the Democratic response from Gov. Abigail Spanberger (D-VA), with 4.7 million watching that speech.
ABC News was the next closest challenger, with 5.1 million viewers throughout the speech.
In the cable news space, Fox News far outpaced MS NOW, which averaged 2.4 million viewers, and CNN, which saw 2.2 million.
The race was closer in the broadcast television sector. While ABC saw 5.1 million viewers, NBC News averaged 3.6 million, and CBS News featured an average audience of 3.3 million. The FOX broadcast network averaged 2.1 million viewers throughout the window.
An additional 269,000 viewers watched the speech on Fox Business Network, according to Nielsen. Fox News Digital averaged 252,000 concurrent viewers in its vast array of viewing options for President Trump’s speech.
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The FCC is now interested in how you watch sports on television. Yesterday, the Federal Communications Commission opened a wide-ranging inquiry into the evolving sports media marketplace, requesting public comment on how games moving to streaming platforms are affecting consumers.
If FCC Chairman Brendan Carr would like to look at my personal bank account, I’d be happy to oblige. My monthly payments to Prime Video, ESPN Unlimited, Peacock, and Netflix prove that watching sports in 2026 is not only becoming more fragmented, but also more expensive. Oh, I almost forgot the added MLB.tv add-on I need to watch my local MLB team this year because Main Street Sports Group couldn’t pay its bills.
It’s sort of cute to see how the FCC tries to balance testing the First Amendment while fighting the good fight for the sports fan. However, what can the FCC even do to curb the path the sports viewing experience has already taken long ago?
When I read the inquiry posted Wednesday afternoon, I chuckled. I knew this was another attempt by a government body that cannot prevent leagues from selling their rights to streaming platforms. That’s why it was amusing to see a reference to the 1939 World’s Fair, when NBC broadcast a college baseball game between Princeton and Columbia at Baker Field in New York, used as historical context.
Just like anything else in government, it’s always looking backward to make sense of the present but rarely looking forward.
For decades, Americans enjoyed turning on their TV & quickly finding the game they wanted to see.
Yet watching your favorite team play isn’t as easy these day. Many games are still on broadcast, but an increasing number are on a range of different online platforms.
Here are the questions the FCC is asking in its inquiry.
Q: How have recent developments in the marketplace affected the ability of broadcasters to obtain media rights to sports programming?
A: Prime Video, Netflix, and YouTube entering the live rights space have drastically changed how traditional broadcasters can afford rights. That’s why traditional broadcast networks like CBS (Paramount+), NBC (Peacock), FOX (FOX One), and ABC (ESPN DTC) have all built their own direct-to-consumer platforms to compete.
Q: How have changes in the marketplace affected viewers’ ability to watch nationally televised live sports, as well as their local team(s) on broadcast TV?
A: Not every sport is the same. Let’s focus on national NBA broadcasts. Before the season began, MarketWatch found fans who want to watch every NBA game online this season — regular season and playoffs — will need to spend roughly $939 across five streaming services. Cable subscribers can still access NBC, ABC, and ESPN, but they’ll miss exclusive matchups on Peacock and Amazon, which stream games weekly.
If you have a local team, you may need to purchase access to your local RSN to watch local broadcasts because not every RSN is carried on cable without an upcharge. Also, that model will change next season with the demise of Main Street Sports Group.
In other words, it’s tougher and more expensive. That’s just one example from one league. Let’s not even get into the added costs and fragmentation with MLB, NHL, and the NFL. Plus, if you’re a fan of F1, MLS, or NASCAR, there are additional hurdles to clear.
Q: What type of rights are included in agreements between leagues or conferences and national video programming distributors? (This is in reference to exclusivity, simulcasts, and replays.)
A: From a consumer standpoint, no one watches a replay of a live sporting event. Technology has already addressed the consumer’s need for information and outcomes in real time almost erasing a need for a replay.
Q: How prevalent are sports media rights deals between local TV broadcasters and local sports teams, and what are their terms and conditions?
A: With the decline of the RSN model, over-the-air agreements are becoming fewer as teams and leagues build and produce their own streaming platforms. See MLB this season.
Q: How have changes in the marketplace impacted costs to consumers?
A: Chairman Carr, give me a ring and I’ll let you peer into my checking account.
The bigger question regarding the inquiry is why? The FCC cannot prevent sports leagues from making money from distributors willing to pay for their product. Leagues benefit from fragmentation in sports media. The more platforms audiences gravitate toward, the bigger the checks they receive.
It’s been reported that YouTube will get a four-game NFL slate next season. Do you think the NFL will turn down money from Google because it could affect how fans access the game?
After the 2028 season, MLB is looking to cash in on its RSN mess with a more centralized distribution model. That could include a combination of traditional networks, streaming platforms, and possibly another route not yet invented, which would only further fragment the industry.
The NBA is locked into its deals for the next decade. Is the FCC under the current administration going to tell the NBA it needs to rework those agreements to better cater to consumers?
Do you truly think the FCC is going to tell Roger Goodell he has to pump the brakes on media rights discussions this summer?
Sports is a luxury commodity, and it’s moving toward what was once called pay-per-view. Watching sports is becoming a luxury item for consumers.
I used to love watching my teams on over-the-air television. Then cable arrived, and I had to start paying to watch my favorite teams. That was a change in habit. Then streaming platforms came along, leagues chased the dollar, and the fan became secondary. Fans have already adapted and continue to do so with each new media rights agreement. Another change in habit.
Does it cost more to watch sports? Of course it does. Are fans ever going to stop following their favorite teams? No. But attending games isn’t exactly cheaper than paying a flat fee to watch from your couch.
I respect the effort by the FCC. However, getting involved in the private business decisions of broadcasters is a fight it simply cannot win. Sports organizations and leagues have the absolute freedom to sell their rights to any platform for any price they choose.
So yes, Mr. Chairman, by all means hold the inquiry. Ask the questions. Open the comment window.
But understand this: the marketplace already voted. The contracts are signed. The checks have cleared. The leagues aren’t looking for guidance — they’re looking for the next bidder. The FCC can study the fragmentation of sports television all it wants. The fragmentation isn’t the problem.
It’s the business model. And that model isn’t broken. It’s working exactly as designed. Sports has evolved from a civic pastime to a premium subscription ecosystem. The only real question left isn’t what the FCC will do.
It’s how much more fans are willing to pay before they finally change the channel.
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