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Gator Anderson: Jim Price Was One of the Nicest Guys in Broadcasting

BSM Staff
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Longtime Detroit Tigers broadcaster and World Series champion Jim Price passed away on Tuesday at the age of 81. 97.1 The Ticket host Gator Anderson took time Wednesday to remember a friend and colleague.

Anderson was a part of the Tigers broadcast team starting in 2000, hosting pre and post-game shows.

He said Price helped make Anderson transition into the role seamlessly.

“Jim was so welcoming when I joined that team. It made me feel at ease right away,” he said on Karsch and Anderson. “It could’ve been a difficult situation. New kid on the block here, he didn’t care. He was just, ‘Hey nice to meet you,’ and wanted to get to know me a little bit. Jim Price was one of the truly nice guys in all of sports, and I haven’t heard anybody that has a bad thing to say about Jim. He was really, really great.”

Gator Anderson reflected on the relationship Price had with Tigers legend Al Kaline and how it was Price that allowed him to develop a friendship of his own with the Hall of Famer.

“It was one of the really cool things about going up in the broadcast booth before games was more often than not you would see Al come into the broadcast booth and just shoot the breeze with Jimmy,” Anderson said.

“Every time that I was in there when Al was in there, Jim took time out and said, ‘Al, you remember Scott don’t you?’ And he was like, ‘Yeah Hey how are you,’” he added. “And the last time I saw Al Kaline up in the broadcast booth a couple years ago Jim did the same thing and the three of us just sat there and had a conversation for about 15 minutes about not baseball stuff.

“And it was one of the coolest moments I’ve had in sports broadcasting that wasn’t even broadcasting. But I was given the opportunity because of the relationship I had with the guys. It was really awesome, and Jim’s gonna be missed. I mean he really, really will be missed because he epitomized friendly.”

Pablo Torre Unveils Details for New Meadowlark Media Podcast

BSM Staff
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Pablo Torre Unveils Details for New Meadowlark Media Podcast

Pablo Torre announced his new Meadowlark Media podcast on Wednesday, and how the show got its name comes with a funny story behind it.

Torre joined Meadowlark earlier this year, and at first he thought he had the perfect name for his podcast. He originally wanted to name it Here’s The Thing, because it is his pseudo-catchphrase. Only there was one problem with that.

“But here’s the thing about Here’s The Thing,” Torre said in a video posted to his podcast’s Twitter on Wednesday. “I was not the only noted gasbag, it turned out, who wanted to name their podcast this.”

As it turns out, Here’s The Thing is already taken as a podcast title. It belongs to actor Alec Baldwin.

Torre explained in the video that he tried to contact Alec and his brother Daniel by phone and via text message, but he didn’t make any progress. He just wanted to get Alec’s blessing that he wouldn’t be sued if his show was named the same thing.

Pablo got Daniel’s attention by paying $30 for a Cameo video. In it, Torre got the inspiration for the official title of the program.

“Pablo, I never met you, but if you’re anything like your fat friend Le Batard, I know you’re a talentless hack,” Baldwin joked in the video. “Listen, no Baldwin will ever let you have the title of their show. All you Meadowlark people, all you guys do is f–k around.”

“The Baldwin family was actually kind of right about the whole, ‘All you guys do is f–k around,’ stuff. And that part got me thinking,” Torre said.

And so Pablo Torre Finds Out was officially unveiled. Torre revealed that the show would debut on September 5. It’s a play on the popular phrase and meme, “F–k around and find out.”

“It’s all about f–king around, but also finding out,” Torre said. “Exploring sports rabbit holes and journalistic curiosities with my friends and occasional enemies.”

Shan Shariff: We All Owe ESPN An Apology After ESPN Bet Deal

BSM Staff
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Shan Shariff: We All Owe ESPN An Apology After ESPN Bet Deal

After speculation that ESPN would be getting into the sports betting space, it finally happened earlier this week, and 105.3 The Fan host Shan Shariff wondered if an apology was in order for The Worldwide Leader.

ESPN’s embracing of sports betting has been well documented, and after months of wondering what an ESPN presence in that space would look like, Tuesday’s announcement provided details.

After several rounds of layoffs and parent company Disney trying to right its financial ship, Shan Shariff just asked if his show should say sorry to ESPN.

“Do we all owe them an apology for burying them and predicting their demise financially with the Pat McAfee deal? All the articles you’ve been sending, Bobby, and then yesterday they work out a three-way with Barstool Sports and Penn National for gaming,” he said.

Producer Bobby Belt didn’t seem so high on things being sorted out just with this deal alone.

“I don’t know that I give ESPN credit,” Belt said. “Like I wonder is it credit, or does it strike you more as panic moves?”

Belt pointed to the Pat McAfee deal amidst layoffs, as well as stories that ESPN is also pursuing local baseball rights. He wondered if the network just felt like betting was the answer to their problems.

“It feels a little bit like they’re trying to do anything to sustain,” he said, later adding “ESPN’s just hemorrhaging money at this point and is I think throwing hail marys.”

Todd Starnes: Fox & Friends Was Only Show Willing to Promote My Book

BNM Staff
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Memphis talk radio host Todd Starnes was discussing the role of cancel culture in society when he mentioned a book he wrote in 2019 called Culture Jihad: How to Stop the Left from Killing a Nation.

Starnes discussed how some Fox News programs refused to let him promote his book except for one show. He said the biggest controversy that arose from that book is the fact that he said that there were a bunch of “sex and gender revolutionaries who are trying to destroy sexual norms in America.”  

“That actually got me banned from a number of TV programs at Fox News Channel,” he said. “Normally, they have you on to promote your books. They did not on this one. I’ve got to thank the guys at Fox & Friends. They were the only show willing to talk about my book.”  

Todd Starnes was a radio news anchor who joined Fox News in 2005. He covered Barack Obama’s 2008 campaign and reported from multiple political conventions. He also hosted a news & commentary show and wrote a popular online column. He left the network in 2019.

“I caught so much grief from my fellow conservatives over this book because I warned people that we were fast approaching a day when we would be erasing our history in America,” he said. “People thought I was off my rocker. They thought I was overstating the issue.” 

The Kevin Brown Situation Shows the Perils of Telling the Truth

Andy Masur
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The Kevin Brown Situation Shows the Perils of Telling the Truth

Sometimes team owners just can’t get out of their own way. The Baltimore Orioles are having one of their best seasons in recent memory and as of this writing, they are in first place in the AL East. But team owner, John Angelos is doing his best to take the attention away from a fun team and place it squarely on himself by suspending Kevin Brown. 

According to Awful Announcing, Angelos called for the indefinite suspension of television broadcaster Kevin Brown. This after a comment about the Orioles past woes at Tropicana Field were made by Brown in the open of the television broadcast before the Orioles played the Rays at Tropicana Field. Seriously? 

The Orioles denied that Brown had been suspended. They also announced that Brown will return to the booth saying, “We don’t comment on personnel matters and we look forward to hearing Kevin’s voice soon.” Soon may be tomorrow according to some reports. But why did it even get to this point?

“For the Orioles, Brandon Hyde’s felt like this has been maybe the toughest ballpark to play in. But the Orioles have a chance to do something special today. They’ve already clinched at least a split in the series, winning two of the first three,” Brown said. “And they could pick up a series win behind Tyler Wells today. It’s been a minute. The Orioles split a two-gamer with the Rays in June. They had lost their last 15 series here at Tropicana Field.

“You have to go back to our now colleague Brad Brach picked up the win in the series finale June 25th, 2017. The last time the Orioles won a series here at St. Pete. Already got three and two at the Trop this year after winning three of 18 the previous three years combined. It is a stark difference Ben (McDonald) and it is not a bad Rays team. It’s not like all of a sudden, the Rays became slouches in the American League East.”

I’ve watched the clip 10 times. I’m still trying to figure out how the comments or graphic support came off as negative to the Orioles. “It’s been a minute?” Were those the magic words? Was it the way he emphasized ‘combined?’ Give me a break. This is absurdity at the highest levels. What on Earth, could Angelos have taken exception to?

According to The Athletic, the comment also appeared in the July 23 Orioles game notes, which are put together by the team’s public relations staff.

“The Orioles have won three of the first five games at The Trop this season after winning three of the 21 games played in St. Petersburg from 2020-22,” the game notes said. So, despite it being in the official team game notes, ownership took exception to Brown pointing it out, because it made them sound cheap. This gets more stupid by the moment.

I’m still trying to figure out how that particular point makes them sound cheap? It’s not like the Rays have a huge payroll and they were winning regularly. Ridiculous reasoning. Oh, and for context, the Orioles’ payroll ranks 29th of the 30 teams in Major League Baseball. The comments don’t make them sound cheap. The numbers take care of that on their own.

I’ve never met Brown, but from everyone that I talk to currently in the baseball broadcasting business, he is one of those rising stars. I’ve seen a couple of his broadcasts in the past on ESPN and he’s talented. By all accounts, Brown is well-prepared, knowledgeable, and has made a connection with the fan base. What did he do wrong? It was in the team’s notes for goodness sake!

I used to get a lot of information from the notes. It would give me a basis for some questions in the clubhouse before the game. I never once thought, ‘Oh, you know, this sounds a bit negative.’ Never. How is someone in Brown’s position to know that what’s written in the notes hasn’t been “approved” for broadcast? That’s’ the intention of the notes, that’s why they are put out on a daily basis.

To single him out is laughable as well. This wasn’t a one-man operation where he just said something off the top of his head. I think Michael Kay put it best on his radio show Monday on ESPN 98.7 New York.

“They should be ashamed of themselves because not only was what Kevin said in the Orioles’ notes that night, but it was on a graphic, which means that it was planned,” Kay said to his audience. “So, if you’re going to be so thin-skinned to suspend Kevin Brown, then you have to suspend the entire Oriole truck. The producer, director, graphics, you have to suspend all of them because they’re all complicit in this,” he added.

“And if John Angelos, the owner of the Orioles, didn’t like that, that he’s thin-skinned, he’s unreasonable, and he should actually get a call from Rob Manfred, the commissioner of baseball, because it’s unconscionable that you would actually suspend a really good broadcaster for no reason whatsoever. He didn’t do anything wrong,” said Kay. “Again, then everybody in the Oriole PR department has to be suspended. It was in their notes. That very thing was in their notes. This makes the Orioles look so small and insignificant and minor league.”

Kay took it a little further. He couldn’t imagine, nor could I, what was so damning about the commentary? 

“Can you imagine how that guy (Brown) must feel? He has to keep his mouth shut.” Kay said. “So of course, we (the Orioles) look forward to Kevin coming back. But you embarrassed the guy for no reason. And most importantly, you embarrassed yourself. What you did is disgraceful to the business. Disgraceful. Fans of teams should be lucky when their announcers are allowed to be critical. And that wasn’t even critical. I believe that that was complementary of the Orioles.”

Gary Cohen during the Mets/Cubs game on Monday night via SNY agreed as well, that the decision by the Orioles was short-sighted and wrong.

“Let me just say one thing to Baltimore Orioles management. You draped yourself in humiliation when you fired John Miller and you’re doing it again and if you don’t want Kevin Brown there are 29 other teams who do. It’s a horrendous decision by the Orioles I don’t know what they were thinking but they’ve gotten exactly the reaction that they deserve and it’s just a shame because the Orioles are playing so well and now, they’ve diverted attention from that, and now made themselves a laughingstock.”

For context, John Angelo’s father, Peter Angelos fired Miller, who is now with the Giants, for not being as favorable toward the Orioles as he would have liked. Miller went on to win the Ford C. Frick Award and is now a Hall of Fame broadcaster.

Penalizing an employee like Brown that has risen through the ranks with the Orioles serves no purpose. This guy was selling the product when the Orioles were among the worst teams in baseball for several seasons in a row. Did he make you sound cheap then? Was he too negative then?

One of the hardest things to do in announcing is to keep your energy up and keep your positivity up when the team stinks. The Orioles stunk and yet, Brown and the other team announcers managed to continue to call games and encourage people to come out to watch the team. Now that the team is winning, ownership steps in and pulls a stunt like this? What an absolute embarrassment.

The Orioles have long had a history of making moves based seemingly on ego and fragile psyche. Angelos himself went off on a reporter from The Athletic in January, when asked about his family’s future owning the team. The Athletic also reports that ownership “has enacted a new policy mandating that their broadcasters wear only team gear when on-air” and that broadcasters “have also been reprimanded previously for mentioning past Orioles players who are no longer with the team.” Nothing like getting in trouble for mentioning Orioles’ greats from the past.

No matter how this situation is resolved, there is a stain on the Orioles this season and it’s thanks to an owner with tremendously thin skin. What Angelos did here is wrong. He knows it. Why not just sit back and enjoy this wonderful season?

If he had a problem with something Brown said, why not have someone call him after the game and talk it over? Why let it get to this point? A knee-jerk reaction to something that wasn’t even critical was a big mistake. Maybe Angelos didn’t think that there would be this big a reaction? Boy was he wrong.

Broadcasters have a responsibility to a fan base to tell it like it is, positively or negatively. There are ways to do both respectfully. This situation is one that didn’t have to happen. What was said by Brown, was not negative.

Owners can do what they want, because, well, they own the team. But this is reckless and sets a dangerous precedent that other owners may choose to follow. It’s a sad day in sports broadcasting when an owner feels the need to censor their own broadcasters.

Reinventing Talk Radio Post-Rush Limbaugh

Peter Thiele
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Rush Limbaugh reinvented talk radio. Rush created a way of presenting a show which has been replicated by hosts since the 1980s. Does it still work in a PPM World or in a modern radio listening era?  

Here is what a talk show sounded like until Rush’s innovations: a moderator interviewed an author of a book, and they took a few calls. It was Public Radio with commercials. There were some stations that had a psychologist, chef, or a garden guy. Yes, some stations had a guy discussing plants Monday through Friday. It was predictable, bland, and had very old demographics. 

Rush Limbaugh came after the fairness doctrine ended. His show was brash, entertaining, no guests, and discussed current events from Rush’s conservative point of view. It was revolutionary.  

Rush’s monologues were legendary. They were well thought out and spoke to millions that felt disaffected. Rush’s play-by-play of the news connected with people. He was actually reflecting their views and providing people with fresh takes, details and information. Rush’s ability to break things down was absolutely brilliant.  Listeners would agree not just on the issues, but be enlightened on the angle. 

Before Rush Limbaugh lost his hearing, his comedy bits were biting satire. He made fun of special interests and people in power in a powerful way, through humor! It was like Saturday Night Live with strong political and societal points. 

With any successful formula, there were people trying to emulate the master. Unfortunately, few understood the commitment and the resolve of Rush Limbaugh.

For a three-hour show, Rush prepped for 10 hours. From all reports, the show prep never ended. I have heard leading Program Directors and consultants in our industry say that you must prep 2-3 hours for each hour on the air. Are you doing that? This is not a classroom.  Answer it to yourself. 

The long topic monologue: I have heard hosts stumble through these and not have clear and concise thoughts. We all have different skills, but I will say this. I learned this from Walter Sabo years ago: get to the calls as soon as possible. I have challenged my hosts to get 2 calls on the air before the first break. One of my former stations, the afternoon host took 60 calls in two hours on the air for years. After the host moved onto a well-deserved big market gig, the replacement was struggling. 

The GM of my former station called me asking if I would have a conversation with the host. I listened to an hour of his show and it was no question to me why he wasn’t taking calls. He didn’t give the phone number, his monologue was laborious and drawn out. If someone tuned in at the beginning of the hour, he had bored them to death within 5 minutes. 

I asked him about his lack of calls. He complained about the station’s signal, the limited number of phone lines etc… I told him that his predecessor got 60 calls nearly every day. He was dumbfounded. He told me that people wanted to hear his thoughts. I saw the ratings. His fans were a very small number. 

Take calls if you are not working on the news wheel. Here are a couple of tips: Don’t leave the caller on the air too long. (Callers will repeat their point. They call to share one thing.) Go call to call. Thank each caller and praise them for calling, if the point is great. Praise them. Make the caller feel great. Two calls before the first break. If a caller is on hold go quickly to them.  The more calls you take, the more you get. 

The long monologue is terrific, if you can pull it off. I have heard a lot of monologues that should have been no longer than 4 minutes. Less is more! 

Now, let’s talk about what is next:  Rush’s run was unbelievable. Seinfeld lasted for 7 years.  Anyone who can do any craft 15 hours a week for over 30 years on top is a unicorn. It just doesn’t happen. Except, Rush Limbaugh did.

Look at the structure of your show. Is it listener friendly for the PPM era? If you are in a PPM market, ask your PD for a report of when listeners are joining your show. You will be shocked. 

I heard this once from a very good music PD. You have a limited time to lock them in. Music stations run a very tight playlist, because if people are not hearing the hits they are gone. Your audience tunes in constantly. They better know what you are discussing, or they are gone.

Now, I generally try to provide solutions. I want to help you make that next step. In a post-Limbaugh world, it’s about innovation. You are a talented individual. I have shared just a few of the challenges for your show. 

How long has it been since you have air-checked yourself?  I know that you hate doing that. I do as well. I learn more about overcoming my weaknesses by facing them. 

NFL season is almost upon us. I guarantee you that Patrick Mahomes is watch hours of video on his performance every week. He tries to figure out how to improve. If you want to be the best, you need to do that as well. If you cannot listen to yourself critically, you are like Zach Wilson who blames others. Take ownership. 

I believe in you. Believe in yourself. Try things that could fail. The future of our format is in your hands.

Mike Ragozino Isn’t As Bullish on AM Radio’s Future

BNM Staff
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Mike Ragozino Isn’t As Bullish on AM Radio’s Future

Mike Ragozino, former Program Director of WOWO News/Talk 92.3 FM, 1190 AM, reflects on his time in the industry with gratitude and optimism as he embarks on a new journey.

He talks about how local radio made an impact during his time with WOWO, a radio station that has served Northeast Indiana for nearly a century. Mike Ragozino recounts the hundreds of thousands of dollars raised for charity and the Marconi Award that his team achieved, making this the most rewarding year of his career. 

Mike Ragozino is part of a startup with trusted professionals he’s worked with for years. He can’t say too much about his new venture but promises more information as soon as it launches. The people he’s most grateful for are the ones who developed him from a young disc jockey to a seasoned programmer, and he believes his best years are ahead of him.

With 25 years in the business, Mike Ragozino has done a range of roles. But he’s most grateful for the work that went into making WOWO a Marconi-winning station. He values small things that have a big impact. 

Mike Ragozino is grateful for his predecessors who paved the way. He is reuniting with Chip Miller for the next opportunity. Chip gave him his first start at WNNJ in New Jersey. Ragozino also recalls how Tony Richards took him under his wing when he was programming WAOR in Indiana, and the pair worked together to put that station back on the map.

Years later, Richards would help Mike Ragozino put together imaging packages and production for 92.3 in Fort Wayne. Their mentor/mentee relationship has now come full circle in a different market. 

In an interview with Barrett News Media, Ragozino discussed transitioning an iconic AM talk station to FM, the future of the AM band, using unique social media strategies for talk stations, coaching talent with large egos, and his desire to meet a particular radio personality. 

Ryan Hedrick: Tell me about your experience with the transition of WOWO from AM to FM in Fort Wayne and any victories you had. 

Mike Ragozino: That FM dial was the reason I came to Fort Wayne. I helped launch Big 92.3. (WOWO had been broadcasting on the AM dial since 1925, making it one of the oldest radio stations in the United States. From March 2012 to January 2016, it was simulcast on 92.3 before that station became home to Big 92.3 and its classic hits format.)  

They (Federated Media) brought me to town to launch that station, so in essence, I saw its birth and brought upon its death at the same time. It was a no-brainer for us [to put WOWO on the FM band]. We got a little scared with the whole AM coming out of cars. It’s the road programming is taking. Everything is heading toward FM. With WOWO being such a strong brand, we knew we didn’t have to say 1190 AM. We just had to get our station on the FM dial of some significance and the easiest way to do that was to go to 92.3 [FM].  

It was difficult because of the imaging we had to do and all the changes we had to make. We just wanted to make sure that if AM went away, it wouldn’t matter anymore.  

RH: Talking to industry insiders, some avoid discussing AM Radio’s fate. What’s your opinion on its future? 

MR: It’s hard for me to believe that as a consumer and having a 13-year-old daughter, I don’t even know if an AM signal is conceivable to her right now. If she doesn’t know what that means, and you have all these other avenues to get the product that you want, AM is so far down on that list.

Now, there are generations that are going to love it, and stay with it, if you give them their content on it. But eventually, and I hate to say this because I love AM, I cannot see it surviving in the long run. It will always be there, but I don’t see it as an essential platform. There is a generation, maybe even two generations, that never turn it on.  

RH: Do you think it’s crucial for our industry to incorporate social media into our distribution strategy, in addition to radio as the primary platform? 

MR: You talk about the survival of radio. That’s one of the avenues that you can do that. It’s all about accentuating the brand and getting the most eyes on it. Why wouldn’t you put [radio] on as many platforms as you can?  

(Mike is asked about guys like Matt Shearer from WBZ Radio, who use TikTok to enhance the station’s news coverage and tell stories.) 

You would be dumb not to use that platform and get your brand out there, especially on a platform [like TikTok] where a whole generation is using it as their TV now. That is how the news will get consumed, so why not deliver it to them and say, ‘Hey, we’re one of these stations that do this, and you can find us on TikTok’? That’s a competitive advantage right now.  

RH: You also programmed some sports stations. Are there any similarities between programming sports and news stations?   

MR: It’s the same kind of formatics, just different content. You’re getting a product out there, whether it’s Glenn Beck or Dan Patrick. It’s pretty much the same thing, except for different words.

Formatically, you always want to tease, promote, and do everything you would normally do. It’s similar because your listener is as passionate about what they’re listening to with either format. You have strong P1 listeners in both formats. (P1 refers to a radio listener who exclusively prefers a particular station and spends more time listening to it than others.)  

RH: What qualities made WOWO a Marconi-winning radio station in 2022?  

MR: Community outreach and the strength of the brand. We did so much that year, but mostly raising money for the Penny Pinch.

(Since 1948, WOWO has asked listeners in Indiana, Ohio, and Michigan to donate coins to support families in the WOWO listening area. The Penny Pitch started after World War II when WOWO received a request to help a young quadriplegic purchase a special typewriter to pursue a writing career. Through a grassroots effort, the station was able to raise hundreds of thousands of dollars for charity.)  

We went through some changes on the air. Kayla [Blakeslee] helped a lot, and Pat [Miller]. Just the upheaval of the world, having the consistency of WOWO. We are consistent about how we deliver the news to this area here. That is without a doubt, and you can hear that in our product. If you want news here, we’re not going to slant it; we’re just going to tell you what happened.

To hold true to the brand is why we won the Marconi. I think [the judges] recognized the call letters and heard what we were doing. It’s all about Fort Wayne and Northeast Indiana. You can’t turn WOWO on and not know where you are.  

RH: How do you coach with large egos? 

MR: (Laughs) First and foremost, listening is the most important thing. They all want to tell you what’s wrong, and they all want to tell you what is right—not reacting to everything that they are saying [is important]. They were different kinds of egos with Pat [Miller] and Kayla [Blakeslee]. They are all different and talented, so you have to know how to approach each one.  

You can’t do a broad stroke and expect that they will react the same way to my coaching. I give them a lot of freedom and let them make their mistakes, tell them the mistakes that they make, and let them learn from them.

I’ve got a lot of veterans, so coaching them is more about making sure they’re okay in their personal lives so they don’t take it out on the air. The most important thing is listening to their show, but most importantly, when they’re in your office, and you’re air-checking, listening to what they have to say.  

RH: Who is the one person in radio that you’ve never met that you would like to meet?  

MR: I would like to meet Boomer Esiason. First of all, I love the show (Boomer & Gio on WFAN). I am from New York. I respect how he goes about his business on TV and radio. His charities (The Boomer Esiason Foundation provide financial assistance and educational resources to support the cystic fibrosis community). He’s a family man. All those things that he’s done the right way. Plus, he puts out a great product on TV and radio.  

RH: Have you ever experienced any professional regrets? 

Mike Ragozino: (Thinks for a minute) I wish I would’ve thrown my hat in the ring to be PD of WFAN when [Mark] Chernoff left. I didn’t have the Marconi under my belt when that opening became available, but I think I could’ve programmed that station without even batting an eye.

Maybe that’s my one regret that I didn’t think I had a chance to do that when, in reality, I probably did. I figured that the job was filled before Mark left. My one regret or wish is that it would be cool to be on [WFAN].  

Dave Portnoy Bought Back Barstool Sports For $1

BSM Staff
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In yesterday’s surprise announcement that PENN Entertainment was selling Barstool Sports back to Dave Portnoy, a curious detail emerged that said the company retained the right to 50% of a potential sale should Portnoy choose to part with the digital outlet.

It has now been revealed that the clause was enacted due to the sale price of Barstool back to Portnoy. The original founder only paid $1 to regain complete control of the content factory.

After spending more than $550 million to complete its purchase of Barstool earlier this year, PENN essentially gave the company back to Portnoy to enact a deal to rebrand all of the company’s sports betting locations from Barstool Sportsbooks to ESPN Bet.

In a securities filing, the company disclosed that it sold “100% of the outstanding shares of Barstool to David Portnoy in exchange for a nominal cash consideration ($1.00 dollar) and certain non-compete and other restrictive covenants.”

With that development, PENN Entertainment lists losses of between $800-$850 million on the deal. Those loses come after the company revealed it would pay ESPN $1.5 billion over a new 10-year deal.

Bob Iger: ‘ESPN Launching Direct-to-Consumer Product Not a Matter of If, But When’

BSM Staff
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Once the closing bell sounded on Wall Street Wednesday afternoon, The Walt Disney Company reported its third quarter earnings. Company chief executive officer Bob Iger confirmed ESPN’s plans to unveil a direct-to-consumer offering in the coming future. The plan was reported earlier in the summer and is said to be titled “Project Flagship,” with other industry insiders speculating based on intel that it could be unveiled some time in 2025 or 2026.

“Taking our ESPN flagships direct-to-consumer is not a matter of if, but when, and the team is hard at work looking at all components of this decision, including pricing and timing,” Iger said. “It’s interesting to note that ratings continue to increase on ESPN’s main linear channel even as cord cutting has accelerated. This ratings strength creates tremendous advertising potential off the board.”

One day before the earnings call, the company announced that ESPN and PENN Entertainment have come to terms on a 10-year deal to launch a sportsbook, ESPN BET. The deal provides substantial growth potential for both parties, leveraging the reach of ESPN and licenses of PENN Entertainment to cultivate an industry-leading product. Speculation related to the company entering the sports betting space had been present for several years as the sector continued to grow.

“This licensing deal will offer a compelling new experience for sports fans that will enhance consumer engagement,” Iger said. “We are excited to offer this to the many fans that have long been asking for it.”

Barstool Sportsbook will be rebranded to ESPN BET this fall as Dave Portnoy reacquires 100% control of the digital sports media company he founded once again. Upon purchasing the venture for $1, he immediately reinstated Ben Mintz, who was fired after uttering a racial slur during a podcast, and vowed that he will hold the company for the rest of his life.

PENN Entertainment purchased shares of the company in two different transactions totaling $551 million. They returned it back to Portnoy for no charge, incumbent on a non-compete agreement prohibiting the brand from receiving any advertising revenue from sportsbook or launching a betting product of their own. Moreover, Portnoy will need to cede 50% of gross profits to Penn Entertainment should he decide to engage in a transaction for the property, including a sale.

Sports revenue for The Walt Disney Company is up 10% year-over-year, with Iger emphasizing that it remains a viable source of revenue with the power to connect audiences. After all, sports accounted for 82 of the 100 most-watched television broadcasts in the United States during 2022.

“Our total domestic sports advertising revenue per linear and addressable is up 10% versus the prior year, adjusted for comparability, which speaks to the fact that the sports business stands tall and remains a good value proposition,” Iger said. “We believe in the power of sports and the unique ability to convene and engage audiences.”

In order to best position itself for future growth, ESPN is in the midst of looking for a strategic partner to acquire a minority equity stake in the company. The network has reportedly heard from leagues, technology firms and other companies interested in forging and/or strengthening business relationships. In the end, the company wants to bring on a partner that will help it realize its direct-to-consumer interests.

The Walt Disney Company owns 80% of ESPN and the remaining 20% is owned by Hearst Communications. “We received notable interest from many different entities,” Iger explained “and we look forward to sharing more details at a later date when we’re further along in this process.”

ESPN is now viewed as its own distinct business entity, and the network is expected to report its first earnings for the first time this November. In the meantime, the company divulged that subscribers to ESPN+ fell by one hundred thousand (0.1 M). Additionally, the average revenue per user (ARPU) decreased by $0.19, which was driven by low subscriber advertising revenue and more subscribers opting to engage with its multi-product offerings.

ESPN Radio Reportedly Revamps Daily Lineup

BSM Staff
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ESPN Radio Reportedly Revamps Daily Lineup

ESPN Radio has reportedly settled on its new national lineup, crafting a new sound on the airwaves that the entity hopes will appeal to sports fans and reaffirm its commitment to producing stellar audio content. News of these moves was first reported by Andrew Marchand and Ryan Glasspiegel of the New York Post, and have not yet been officially confirmed by the company.

The days will begin with a new morning show trio of Chris Canty, Evan Cohen and Michelle Smallmon – which will replace Keyshawn, JWill and Max. Mike Greenberg will remain in his 10 a.m. slot hosting #Greeny after it was reported that Malika Andrews will be the new host of NBA Countdown.

Joe Fortenbaugh and Chris Carlin will team up from noon to 3 p.m. EST, moving Fortenbaugh out of the evening slot with Amber Wilson. Carlin was previously hosting afternoon drive with Chris Canty after a stint at WFAN in middays and will now be moved up in the lineup to pair with Fortenbaugh.

Following Carlin and Fortenbaugh, the afternoon drive show will feature Harry Douglas and Freddie Coleman. For Coleman, the move is a promotion to the daytime lineup after he was frequently hosting at night – most recently with Ian Fitzsimmons. Douglas enters the role after pairing with Jason Fitz in middays, who was recently laid off by the company as part of its cost-cutting measures.

Wilson will remain as an evening host and work with Fitzsimmons from 7 to 10 p.m., while Qiant Myers will be the lead host on GameNight in the late-night slot from 10 p.m. to 1 a.m. Myers has worked as a host and program director throughout his broadcasting career.

A specific start date for the national radio network’s new programming lineup is currently unknown.

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