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Brandon Tatum: The View Features ‘A Bunch of Hacks That Have No Value’

BNM Staff
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Brandon Tatum: The View Features ‘A Bunch of Hacks That Have No Value’

Salem podcaster Brandon Tatum criticized The View for suggesting that Hillary Clinton did not commit serious crimes by using a private email server for public communication. The Officer Tatum host railed against the show’s members, including Ana Navarro and Alyssa Farah Griffin.  

“I’ll say this again, for the people in the back smoking crack, she had a server in her house that the United States government did not know about,” he said, referring to Clinton’s private server.  

“You’re sending and receiving classified information on that server,” Tatum continued. “She had a shell government system going from her basement at home, and nobody had a security clearance to operate on that server.”  

Tatum then turned his attention to The View, which, he says, misled its audience and used misinformation and bad comparisons in their analysis between Hillary Clinton’s case and former President Donald Trump’s ongoing legal battles.  

“I want to address Ana Navarro’s mindless comment,” said Tatum. “It’s like The View is a bunch of hacks that have no value. None of the women have any value, as far as commentary. They’re all duds, wet napkins, and fake Republicans.”  

Tatum stated that Alyssa Farah Griffin and Ana Navarro, both hired as the conservative voices on the program, do not effectively challenge or debate the conservative viewpoint.  

“There’s one cute one [who sits] on the end who’s supposed to be a Republican, but she has absolutely zero value. She’s a wet napkin,” Brandon Tatum said of Alyssa Farah Griffin. “She’s a coward. She can’t stand up for values and sits there looking like a broke dog. They bludgeon her, and she cries on the show.”  

The Smart Money Was On ESPN Going All-In on Sports Betting

Garrett Searight
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McDonald’s. Walmart. Apple. The New York Yankees. ESPN.

Sometimes, you can be so big that you don’t have to be an innovator. You don’t have to be forward-thinking. You can just be such a behemoth that you can just pay a premium to gobble up what you need to remain successful, and then you remain successful.

ESPN certainly fits that bill. They weren’t at the forefront of the sports betting expansion in America. Of course, they weren’t. The Walt Disney Company doesn’t necessarily scream natural partner with a sportsbook.

But did you really think ESPN would never partner with a gambling organization?

Was Tuesday’s announcement that ESPN would partner with PENN Entertainment a surprise? Absolutely it was. Especially when you consider part of the deal included ESPN taking over the Barstool-branded sportsbooks and Barstool founder Dave Portnoy completely reacquiring his company was potentially the bigger story.

But was it shocking? Hell no it wasn’t shocking.

Think about it. ESPN once started its own mobile company when it realized cell phones were going to have staying power, for Pete’s sake. The idea that it was going to sit idly by while other companies made hundreds of millions of dollars in the sports betting space is preposterous. Hell, not that long ago, ESPN was paying Katie Nolan a million dollars a year to host SportsCenter…on Snapchat. ESPN had its own chain of restaurants with hopes of being the sports world’s Planet Hollywood or Rainforest Café.

ESPN was built, and continues to thrive, on being everywhere. It pours all sorts of resources not only into television but in both radio and podcasts, into social media, websites, digital, and anywhere else you can think.

I know that in 2019 Bob Iger said he didn’t see ESPN “getting involved in the business of gambling”. And that was in 2019. And prefaced it with “the near term”.

The Overton Window is a phrase used in politics where shifting the window on a certain issue from “unthinkable” and “radical” to “sensible” and “popular”. And it doesn’t have to be strictly to politics. ESPN was forced to wait for the sports gambling Overton window to shift to “acceptable” and “sensible”.

And it did. Now, when the iron is hot, ESPN has struck. Were they in on the ground floor like DraftKings or FanDuel? Absolutely not. But behemoth status comes with the ability to notbe on the ground floor. ESPN can afford to pay the behemoth premium.

I know that there is going to be a fear that guys like Adrian Wojnarowski, Adam Schefter, and other ESPN reporters can affect the betting lines, similar to the accusations Shams Charania faced during the NBA Draft. Make no mistake about it, ESPN is simply giving PENN Entertainment a license to use its brand. PENN is coughing up the dough – and a lot of it – to utilize the ESPN brand. The end. I’m sure there will be utilization of ESPN’s talent for events, marketing, promotions, etc…but the idea that Adrian Wojnarowski could be compromised by looking to create more value for PENN Entertainment seems unlikely.

ESPN deserves a bit more credit than it has been given, especially over the past calendar year. People lost their minds when the company inked Pat McAfee to a megadeal during the midst of mass layoffs.

While avoiding my best Brian Windhorst impersonation – why would they do that? Doesn’t it all make sense now?

Pat McAfee is going to be the face of ESPN Bet. You are going to see and hear McAfee associated with the brand ad nauseam. Even more so during the football season. He is going to make the endeavor a lot of money…which is why ESPN gave him a lot of money.

ESPN partnering with a sportsbook was a foregone conclusion. If you thought otherwise, you’re naïve. The future of sports media content is in sports betting. I know it. You know it. Let’s not pretend ESPN didn’t know it. The focus now becomes making it a more successful undertaking than FOX Bet, which recently ceased operations.

ESPN Radio is Trusting Radio People Again

Demetri Ravanos
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ESPN Radio is Trusting Radio People Again

Raise your glass to ESPN Radio! The network got it right! 

I have respect for Keyshawn Johnson, Jay Williams and Max Kellerman. I know they worked hard to get where they did in their media careers, but come on. Their radio show never coalesced into something greater than the some of its parts. Sure, Keyshawn and Max spent time on radio in the past, but they and Jay Williams were TV guys playing radio. The show was never bad, but it was never something I felt like I couldn’t miss either.

Will Chris Canty, Evan Cohen and Michelle Smallmon become that? I don’t know, but I have more faith in them than I would have even if Keyshawn, JWill and Max had another year on air together. 

On-demand music streaming has made radio as a whole less relevant. It doesn’t matter who your DJ is on Peppy 102. Fifteen seconds of “hey, there’s a new Panera on Main Street” is not enough to get me to sit through a song I hate when I can just say “Run the Jewels” into my iPhone and my favorite music starts playing.

What remains relevant are real conversations – local conversations in particular. That has put national sports talk in a weird place. As the format thrives on a local level, striking the right tone has become harder for national networks. 

Maybe there are some affiliates that want big names on the national shows they carry. Star power can attract listeners to conversations they may otherwise find irrelevant, but I commend ESPN Radio. They have done the star power thing in mornings and what we got was…fine.

The nationally syndicated shows that remain relevant are the ones that are routinely great – hosts that give you real insight or new points of view to consider, bits that are reliably hilarious, and guests that make you want to take the long way to or from work. 

Who is doing that right now? This is just my opinion, but I would say Colin Cowherd, Dan Patrick, Damon Amendolara, Chris Carlin, and Adam Schein. 

All of them are radio guys, and that is really important. They know the value of their words. They know that you sticking around for another minute is not guaranteed. They do not have the aide of pictures, so it is on them to be compelling every second. That is what ESPN Radio is counting on Canty, Cohen and Smallmon to do.

Television is its own challenge. I don’t want to dismiss the accomplishments of SportsCenter or someone like Charles Barkley just because they can let the pictures do the heavy lifting. It is a completely different skillset than radio and that HAS TO BE acknowledged.

You can point the finger at ESPN all you want. The reality is that the days of getting rich in this business are either over or are ending. Every media company is asking talent in every department to do two or three shows for one paycheck. 

The biggest misstep ESPN made with its 2020 overhaul is that the people at the top were operating under the assumption that talent is talent. There was no consideration given to the reality that specialization matters in a world with an overwhelming number of media choices. Radio is not television. Hell, radio isn’t even podcasting. You can’t throw a star from one medium onto another and decide the job is done. 

I have written before about the uncertain future facing ESPN Radio. As I sit here today, I am still not sure what to expect for the network going forward. If ESPN is going to trust radio people with the most important day parts on its radio network though, then I feel a lot better about it now than I did 24 hours ago.

How TikTok Made the Radio Star

BNM Staff
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How TikTok Made the Radio Star

It’s not enough to be heard in 2023. You really need to be seen, too. TikTok helps. Unfortunately, a lot of radio folks either can’t do it … or don’t get it.

For some (ahem, me), it’s difficult enough to put a show together every day. Or so I think and say.

However, if you truly want to grow a brand these days, you need to be creative, and you need to be a multi-media producer.

Matt Shearer of WBZ Radio in Boston gets it… and does it. And it’s paying off big time.

He has nearly 50,000 followers on Instagram, more than four times the number of his station’s account. On TikTok, his videos are even more impressive, often garnering more than 100,000 likes.

He started the old-fashioned way: At the bottom.

“I’ve been a radio producer for a long time,” he told me. “When I started reporting at WBZ, it was audio-only, but then the bosses chose me to get the TikTok up and running.

“I was hesitant at first, but they were right. It’s been a total game-changer.”

The game-changing element of it all is that he’s authentic and authentically fun. His signature series is to go to a town, announce he’s there to find something fun, and then traipse around town talking to people and trying to find something fun.

@wbznewsradio

Biggest party-pooper on the North Shore. . #BeverlyMA #Massachusetts #NewEngland #NorthShoreMA #EndicottCollege #SalemMA #GloucesterMA #WenhamMA #ManchesterByTheSea #DanversMA #PeabodyMA #Boston #MassachusettsCheck #MassachusettsTikTok

♬ original sound – WBZ NewsRadio

“Someone left a comment on a video that simply said ‘Go to Bellingham, try to find something cool.’ I thought it was a hilariously bad pitch, so I had to do it,” he said.

“After that, the requests came pouring in for me to visit everyone’s town.”

Brian Shactman: When did you know you were into something?

Matt Shearer: When I started seeing comments like “When did WBZ become cool? My grandpa used to make me listen. Can’t wait to show him this video.” So much potential to reach a new audience that has never pushed the AM button on their car radio.

BS: People now see you and the mic and the camera and know you and what you are doing?

MS: Absolutely. When I have the mic with me, I always get recognized. Even without the mic, it’s very common. It’s nice because I’m not on celebrity status where I’m constantly getting harassed, but having random people say “Hey, I love your TikToks” is really cool.

BS: Are you still a “radio guy”?

MS: Yeah, I’d say so. But I also try to avoid boxing myself into a particular role like that. When I make radio, I don’t want to sound like everyone else on the air. When I cover a story, I don’t want to sound (or look) like every other journalist. It’s important to me to always be seeking new ways to tell a story, and try something unique with every video, even if it’s only a subtle difference.

@wbznewsradio

By request, trying to find something cool in Shrewsbury… and I found it in the middle of a lake! #ShrewsburyMA #Massachusetts #NewEngland #WorcesterMA #CentralMA #NorthboroughMA #WestboroughMA #NorthGraftonMA #GraftonMA #BoylstonMA #WestBoylstonMA #BustaRhymesIsland #Boston #lakequinsigamond #MassachusettsCheck #MassachusettsTikTok

♬ original sound – WBZ NewsRadio

BS: Do all the views and likes help the actual business?

MS: Without a doubt. I don’t have access to the numbers, but I’ve heard that streaming is up, and sales is always looking to make sponsored posts on the socials now. At the very least, brand awareness is so important, even for a 102-year-old heritage station like WBZ.

BS: Anything else you’d want me to know?

MS: I could talk about this stuff all day, but two main things to keep in mind when you start making videos are authenticity and originality. Post what you would want to watch, and don’t worry too much about the numbers, especially in the beginning. If your stuff is consistently good and unique, eventually the views/follows will come. Plus, the algorithm is so unpredictable, no matter how much you try to manipulate it.

New Fox News Primetime Lineup Sees Bounce Back After Post-Carlson Struggles

BNM Staff
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New Fox News Primetime Lineup Sees Bounce Back After Post-Carlson Struggles

As we had documented last month, the absence of Tucker Carlson Tonight cost Fox News Channel’s prime time a loss of nearly one million total viewers and nearly half its 25-54 demo in the one month following Carlson’s exit.

FNC perked up a bit in the month of June. For weeknights in prime time for June 5-23, their prime time averaged 1.78 million viewers including 184,000 adults 25-54, according to Nielsen Media Research. Those were increases of 14 percent (in viewers) and 18 percent (in demo) compared to the previous month (Apr. 24-May 26; 1.56 million viewers and 156,000 in 25-54). June’s news coverage was highlighted by another Trump indictment, town halls by several other Republican presidential candidates, and the Titanic submersible tragedy.

The final week of FNC’s interim prime time lineup that had featured Fox News Tonight at 8 p.m. hour had posted 1.685 million viewers and 152,000 adults 25-54 for July 10-14.

On July 17, FNC’s revamped weeknights launched: Jesse Watters Primetime at 8 p.m., Hannity remaining at 9 p.m. and Gutfeld! at 10 p.m., with The Ingraham Angle moving to 7 p.m. The following numbers indicated an immediate bounce in each hour of prime time:

Jesse Watters Primetime

 • Weeknights at 7 p.m. June 5-23, 2023: 2.083 million viewers; 185,000 adults 25-54

 • Weeknights at 7 p.m. July 10-14, 2023: 2.076 million viewers; 180,000 adults 25-54

 • Premiere at 8 p.m. July 17, 2023: 2.463 million viewers; 163,000 adults 25-54

 • Weeknights at 8 p.m. July 17-28 & Aug. 1-4, 2023: 2.397 million viewers; 211,000 adults 25-54

The 3-week period was significantly up over the final week of the 8 p.m. Fox News Tonight from July 10-14 (1.559 million viewers/ 139,000 adults 25-54): +838,000 viewers; (+54 percent) +72,000 adults 25-54 (+52 percent). In addition, “Watters” added viewers to his program with the shift to one hour later.

Hannity

 • Weeknights at 9 p.m. June 5-23, 2023: 1.978 million viewers; 201,000 adults 25-54

 • Weeknights at 9 p.m. July 10-14, 2023: 1.903 million viewers; 157,000 adults 25-54

 • 9 p.m. July 17, 2023: 2.243 million viewers; 150,000 adults 25-54

 • Weeknights at 9 p.m. July 17-28 & Aug. 1-4, 2023: 2.265 million viewers; 213,000 adults 25-54

While Hannity is still not yet as high as it performed following Tucker Carlson on April 10-21 (2.466 million viewers; 266,000 adults 25-54), Watters providing a better lead-in for Hannity proved beneficial.

Gutfeld!

 • Weeknights at 11 p.m. June 5-23, 2023: 1.633 million viewers; 238,000 adults 25-54

 • Weeknights at 11 p.m. July 10-14, 2023: 1.534 million viewers; 208,000 adults 25-54

 • Premiere at 10 p.m. July 17, 2023: 2.143 million viewers; 250,000 adults 25-54

 • Weeknights at 10 p.m. July 17-28 & Aug. 1-4, 2023: 1.971 million viewers; 258,000 adults 25-54

The talk show formerly in the 11 p.m. late-night slot has now become the network’s top prime time hour in the key 25-54 demographic, crossing the 300,000 threshold three times (308,000 on each July 26 & Aug. 1; 311,000 on Aug. 3) since it moved to its new time. It jumped 62 percent in that demo from what former 10 p.m. occupant Ingraham had done back on July 10-14.

Thus far, thru fourteen prime times from July 17-28 and Aug. 1-4, Fox News has averaged 2.21 million viewers including 227,000 adults 25-54 — a marked improvement from the previous two months but still, 320,000 viewers and 68,000 adults 25-54 short of Fox News Channel’s prime time of Carlson’s last two weeks (Apr. 10-21).

As for The Ingraham Angle, it nearly matched what “Watters” had done at 7 p.m., while exhibiting noticeable growth among total viewers from her recent 10 p.m. levels.

The Ingraham Angle

 • Weeknights at 10 p.m. June 5-23, 2023: 1.665 million viewers; 184,000 adults 25-54

 • Weeknights at 10 p.m. July 10-14, 2023: 1.594 million viewers; 159,000 adults 25-54

 • Premiere at 7 p.m. July 17, 2023: 2.093 million viewers; 162,000 adults 25-54

 • Weeknights at 7 p.m. July 17-28 & Aug. 1-4, 2023: 1.930 million viewers; 176,000 adults 25-54

Cable news averages for July 17-23, 2023:

Total Day (July 17-23 @ 6 a.m.-5:59 a.m.)

  • Fox News Channel: 1.122 million viewers; 128,000 adults 25-54
  • MSNBC: 0.779 million viewers; 84,000 adults 25-54
  • CNN: 0.426 million viewers; 75,000 adults 25-54
  • Newsmax: 0.170 million viewers; 14,000 adults 25-54
  • HLN: 0.146 million viewers; 40,000 adults 25-54
  • CNBC: 0.127 million viewers; 29,000 adults 25-54
  • Fox Business Network: 0.111 million viewers; 17,000 adults 25-54
  • The Weather Channel: 0.081 million viewers; 19,000 adults 25-54
  • NewsNation: 0.055 million viewers; 11,000 adults 25-54

Prime Time (July 17-22 @ 8-11 p.m.; July 23 @ 7-11 p.m.)

  • Fox News Channel: 1.862 million viewers; 181,000 adults 25-54
  • MSNBC: 1.200 million viewers; 121,000 adults 25-54
  • CNN: 0.523 million viewers; 98,000 adults 25-54
  • Newsmax: 0.260 million viewers; 26,000 adults 25-54
  • NewsNation: 0.096 million viewers; 18,000 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. Hannity (FOXNC, Tue. 7/18/2023 9:00 PM, 60 min.) 2.847 million viewers

2. The Five (FOXNC, Wed. 7/19/2023 5:00 PM, 60 min.) 2.766 million viewers

3. The Five (FOXNC, Thu. 7/20/2023 5:00 PM, 60 min.) 2.682 million viewers

4. The Five (FOXNC, Tue. 7/18/2023 5:00 PM, 60 min.) 2.649 million viewers

5. The Five (FOXNC, Mon. 7/17/2023 5:00 PM, 60 min.) 2.588 million viewers

6. Jesse Watters Primetime (FOXNC, Mon. 7/17/2023 8:00 PM, 60 min.) 2.463 million viewers

7. Hannity (FOXNC, Thu. 7/20/2023 9:00 PM, 60 min.) 2.451 million viewers

8. The Five (FOXNC, Fri. 7/21/2023 5:00 PM, 60 min.) 2.436 million viewers

9. Jesse Watters Primetime (FOXNC, Tue. 7/18/2023 8:00 PM, 60 min.) 2.396 million viewers

10. Hannity (FOXNC, Wed. 7/19/2023 9:00 PM, 60 min.) 2.384 million viewers

11. Rachel Maddow Show (MSNBC, Mon. 7/17/2023 9:00 PM, 60 min.) 2.357 million viewers

165. The Lead with Jake Tapper “Fl. Gov. Ron Desantis Interview” (CNN, Tue. 7/18/2023 4:00 PM, 60 min.) 0.786 million viewers

394. Forensic Files (HLN, late Tue. 7/18/2023 1:00 AM, 30 min.) 0.308 million viewers

395. Kudlow (FBN, Thu. 7/20/2023 4:00 PM, 60 min.) 0.307 million viewers

464. Closing Bell (CNBC, Tue. 7/18/2023 3:00 PM, 60 min.) 0.248 million viewers

648. Cuomo (NWSN, Fri. 7/21/2023 8:00 PM, 60 min.) 0.165 million viewers

661. The Earth Unlocked “(208) Space Weather” (TWC, Sat. 7/22/2023 9:00 PM, 60 min.) 0.156 million viewers

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

1. Hannity (FOXNC, Tue. 7/18/2023 9:00 PM, 60 min.) 0.321 million adults 25-54

2. The Five (FOXNC, Wed. 7/19/2023 5:00 PM, 60 min.) 0.304 million adults 25-54

3. The Five (FOXNC, Thu. 7/20/2023 5:00 PM, 60 min.) 0.287 million adults 25-54

4. Gutfeld! (FOXNC, Wed. 7/19/2023 10:00 PM, 60 min.) 0.278 million adults 25-54

5. The Five (FOXNC, Tue. 7/18/2023 5:00 PM, 60 min.) 0.260 million adults 25-54

6. Jesse Watters Primetime (FOXNC, Tue. 7/18/2023 8:00 PM, 60 min.) 0.256 million adults 25-54

7. Gutfeld! (FOXNC, Tue. 7/18/2023 10:00 PM, 60 min.) 0.253 million adults 25-54

8. Gutfeld! (FOXNC, Thu. 7/20/2023 10:00 PM, 60 min.) 0.253 million adults 25-54

9. Gutfeld! (FOXNC, Mon. 7/17/2023 10:00 PM, 60 min.) 0.250 million adults 25-54

10. The Five (FOXNC, Mon. 7/17/2023 5:00 PM, 60 min.) 0.232 million adults 25-54

18. Rachel Maddow Show (MSNBC, Mon. 7/17/2023 9:00 PM, 60 min.) 0.194 million adults 25-54

47. The Source with Kaitlan Collins (CNN, Tue. 7/18/2023 9:00 PM, 60 min.) 0.162 million adults 25-54

194. Forensic Files (HLN, late Tue. 7/18/2023 1:00 AM, 30 min.) 0.098 million adults 25-54

353. Closing Bell (CNBC, Tue. 7/18/2023 3:00 PM, 60 min.) 0.069 million adults 25-54

393. Weekend Recharge (TWC, Sun. 7/23/2023 11:00 AM, 60 min.) 0.062 million adults 25-54

586. Newsnation Prime (NWSN, Sun. 7/23/2023 7:00 PM, 60 min.) 0.039 million adults 25-54

619. Varney & Company (FBN, Thu. 7/20/2023 9:00 AM, 60 min.) 0.036 million adults 25-54

Source: Live+Same Day data, Nielsen Media Research

ESPN Radio Pairing Chris Canty, Michelle Smallmon, Evan Cohen For New Morning Show

BSM Staff
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ESPN Radio Pairing Chris Canty, Michelle Smallmon, Evan Cohen For New Morning Show

ESPN Radio is set to pair Chris Canty, Evan Cohen, and Michelle Smallmon as its new morning show.

The trio will replace the departed Keyshawn Johnson, Jay Williams, and Max Kellerman, according to a report from The New York Post.

Canty has been with ESPN Radio since 2021, and began hosting Canty & Carlin in afternoon drive in 2022, while frequently filling in for #Greeny in middays.

Cohen will leave his SiriusXM Mad Dog Sports Radio show Morning Men where he hosts alongside Mike Babchik and Willie Colon. In addition to his work with SiriusXM, Cohen has served as the Vice President of Content at Good Karma Brands, which recently struck a deal to handle advertising sales and operations for ESPN Radio.

Meanwhile, Smallmon joined the “Worldwide Leader” in Bristol last year after a run in morning drive at 101 ESPN in St. Louis alongside Randy Karraker.

The show will be ESPN Radio’s fourth morning show in six years after the network pulled the plug on Keyshawn, JWill, and Max during its latest round of layoffs. Previously, Mike Golic and Trey Wingo teamed for Golic & Wingo after the demise of Mike & Mike, and Zubin Mehenti briefly hosted a morning show with Johnson and Williams before exiting the timeslot due to health concerns.

ESPN, PENN Entertainment to Launch Sportsbook This Fall

BSM Staff
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After years of speculation, ESPN is going to be launching a sportsbook. The “Worldwide Leader” has inked a $2 billion deal with PENN Entertainment to launch ESPN BET this fall in the 16 states where the casino operator has gambling licenses. This will replace the Barstool Sportsbook, which was announced in early 2020 in partnership with Barstool Sports. PENN Entertainment later acquired the remaining 64% stake in the company for $388 million, granting it full oversight as it pertains to the company’s operations and content. Dave Portnoy, the founder of Barstool Sports, reacquired the company from Penn Entertainment as part of the agreement. If the company is to be sold again, Penn will get 50% of the gross proceeds.

Penn Entertainment is paying ESPN $1.5 billion over 10 years to acquire media, marketing services, branding and additional rights owned by the company, along with an additional $500 million in warrants that will vest throughout the term. The company also has the right to extend the contract for another 10 years upon a mutual agreement. ESPN talent will be involved in the endeavor, which comes just months before a revamped programming lineup that will include Pat McAfee bringing his digital program to the network’s various platforms.

“Our primary focus is always to serve sports fans and we know they want both betting content and the ability to place bets with less friction from within our products,” said Jimmy Pitaro, chairman of ESPN, in a statement. “The strategy here is simple: to give fans what they’ve been requesting and expecting from ESPN. PENN Entertainment is the perfect partner to build an unmatched user experience for sports betting with ESPN BET.”

ESPN will work in tandem with Penn’s responsible gaming programming and promote responsible gambling practices. Some of the actions the company will take include developing its own committee for responsible gaming to review policies, compliance and programming, along with collaborating with industry experts on best practices. At the same time, the network will retain a level of journalistic integrity in its work and in covering the sports betting domain.

“This transformative, exclusive agreement with ESPN marks another major milestone in PENN’s evolution from a pure-play U.S. regional gaming operator to a North American entertainment leader,” Jay Snowden, Penn’s CEO, added. “ESPN BET will be deeply integrated with ESPN’s broad editorial, content, digital and linear product, and sports programming ecosystem. ESPN BET will also benefit from PENN’s operational experience, extensive market access and proprietary technology platform, which successfully debuted in the U.S. this July.”

Penn National estimates that the deal will create $500 million to $1 billion of annual long-term adjusted EBITDA potential in its interactive segment. The news comes just days after Flutter Entertainment and FOX Corporation announced a phased closure of FOX Bet’s operations between July 31 and Aug. 31, 2023. Penn National stocks surged 20% upon the company’s announcement late Tuesday.

“Our agreement with ESPN will provide us access to the largest ecosystem in sports, with 105 million-plus monthly unique digital visitors, an audience of more than 370 million across social platforms, 25 million ESPN+ subscribers and the nation’s No. 1 fantasy database,” Snowden added. “PENN’s ability to leverage the leading sports media brands in both the U.S. and Canada with ESPN and theScore, combined with our newly launched sports betting app, will allow us to significantly expand our digital footprint and catapult ESPN BET into a strong podium position in this space.”

Dave Portnoy Re-Purchases Barstool Sports From PENN Entertainment

BSM Staff
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In a shocking development Tuesday, Barstool Sports founder Dave Portnoy has completely reacquired the company from PENN Entertainment.

Portnoy’s purchase comes as PENN Entertainment struck a deal with The Walt Disney Company to brand all of the organization’s current Barstool Sportsbooks as ESPN Bet in the 16 states where the company currently holds gambling licenses.

PENN Entertainment sold 100% of its stock in Barstool to Portnoy in exchange for non-compete agreements and other certain stipulations.

The gambling company completed its purchase of Barstool Sports earlier this year after previously acquiring a 36% stake in the digital outlet in 2020. In total, PENN Entertainment purchased complete control of Barstool Sports for $388 million.

In a video posted to X, formerly Twitter, Portnoy revealed the news.

“Maybe the biggest mercy press conference we’ve ever had here. PENN Entertainment and Barstool Sports have gone our separate ways as of this moment. While you were watching this video, I have purchased back Barstool Sports from PENN,” said Portnoy. “So, for the first time in a decade, I own 100% of Barstool Sports.”

Portnoy continued by saying he had “nothing but great things” to say about PENN, but added that a relationship with an organization that dealt with government regulations wasn’t an ideal partnership for the digital media outlet.

“We underestimated just how tough it is for myself and Barstool to operate in a regulated world, where gambling regulators, The New York Times, and Business Insider hit pieces f—ing with the stock price every time we did something, it was one step forward, two steps back,” admitted Portnoy. “We got denied licenses because of me, you name, it, so the regulated industry is probably not the best place for Barstool Sports and the type of content we make.”

The Barstool Sports founder shared that he views the future of the company as returning to its roots.

“This is now going to place for content, content, content content. Every time I think I’m out, they pull me back in,” concluded Dave Portnoy. “I’m not going anywhere, Barstool Sports. The pirate ship that cannons they will plunder for now next 100 years. So welcome back, back in control.”

Tom Hamilton: ‘Down Goes Anderson!’ Call was ‘Out of the Blue’

BSM Staff
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On Saturday night from Progressive Field in Cleveland, Ohio, a dust-up ensued when Cleveland Guardians infielder José Ramírez dove head first into second base to secure a double. The slide nearly interfered with Chicago White Sox shortstop Tim Anderson’s attempt to tag him out, and seconds later, he confronted his opponent and ultimately ended up dropping the gloves. The two star players were able to land a few punches before being restrained by teammates, one of which was a right hook that knocked Anderson to the ground.

Cleveland Guardians fans listening to the melee on the radio heard play-by-play announcer Tom Hamilton describe the action, using imagery and evoking a clear picture of what was going on. In a call resembling legendary broadcaster Howard Cossell’s enduring account of “The Sunshine Showdown” between George Foreman and Joe Frazier, Hamilton exclaimed, “Down goes Anderson! Down goes Anderson!” During his postgame press conference, Guardians manager Terry Francona emphasized the severity of the altercation, but also made sure to mention Hamilton’s enthusiastic and hardly melodramatic verbal composition.

In a conversation with Sports Illustrated columnist Jimmy Traina, Hamilton explained how appreciative he was of the positive feedback on the call, which went viral on social media and is being lauded by many to be among his best work. The veteran radio broadcaster, who is in the midst of his 34th season calling Cleveland’s MLB games, immediately deflected attention away from the vociferation and instead towards Ramírez.

“It’s one of those things where it’s so unexpected because sometimes you can see a fight brewing because maybe there have been guys getting drilled by pitchers in a series or in a certain game and you feel like, ‘Uh oh. If somebody else gets hit, we’re going to have somebody charge the mound and look out,’” Hamilton articulated. “This was out of the blue; I don’t think any of us saw it coming.”

Especially since the skirmish abruptly began, Hamilton had to rely on his sterling eloquence and adept diction to find the words to duly encapsulate the moment. He asserted how there was no plan or forethought about what he would say if there were to be a bench-clearing brawl and simply had to sonically depict what was occurring on the field.

“There are a lot of times you walk out of that booth after a ballgame and you go, ‘Why did I say that?’ or, ‘Why didn’t I say this?,’” Hamilton said. “That was a night I was fortunate that maybe I said the right thing.”

Hamilton is a broadcaster synonymous with his team, representative of the sound of summer to generations of baseball fans in the locale. Through all of his years watching and calling baseball, he has been on hand for numerous brawls – but never one where two players evidently squared up with one another.

“It was almost like the second base umpire was like a boxing referee,” Hamilton recalled, “and he backed out of there and let them go.”

When Hamilton arrived at the ballpark for the Sunday game between the Guardians and White Sox, players on the team wanted him to do the call for them again. Hamilton, however, declined to do so, recognizing how it occurred in the moment and being careful not to say the wrong thing and being suspended or fired. Broadcasters need to be conscientious of the effects their actions could have on their employer and career, as demonstrated by Orioles play-by-play announcer Kevin Brown’s reported suspension. It came after a relatively banal remark about the team pertaining to their record against the Tampa Bay Rays in a recent broadcast open and strides in the right direction.

As for Hamilton, his 28-year-old son called him on the phone and told him that the call was blowing up on social media. Since Hamilton is not on any social media platforms, he did not know what he was referring to, nor did he realize it was plauditory rather than castigating in scope.

“Fortunately, this time, I didn’t do the wrong thing,” Hamilton said. “Again, I just don’t get caught up in it because if you do my job as a play-by-play guy – and I’ve done every sport and college basketball in the Big Ten for 25 years – if you get caught up in the people that say they like you and the people that say they hate your guts, you will never sleep at night.”

NABJ Honors Rob Parker, Dave Roberts at Hall of Fame Induction Ceremony

BSM Staff
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Rob Parker was officially inducted into the National Association of Black Journalists (NABJ) Hall of Fame at their annual convention and career fair in Birmingham, Ala., one of the industry’s most prestigious honors. Parker currently works at FOX Sports Radio with Chris Broussard on The Odd Couple and is the founder and editor of MLBbro.com, a platform dedicated to covering Black and brown major leaguers. He has had a 37-year career in journalism through which he has broken boundaries while inspiring the next generation of reporters, normalizing multiplatform presences in a time where media was significantly more compartmentalized than it is today.

“Thank you to NABJ,” Parker said as he received the honor from the NABJ luncheon. “There’s nothing better than being honored by your own people – your peers – so this is very special to me. I want to thank my family, my friends, [and] all the people who have supported me throughout the years… all my mentees – they fuel me [and] they inspire me every day… How I got here is that plenty of people helped me along the way, and that’s what it’s all about.”

Parker began his work in journalism as the first Black sports columnist at the Detroit Free Press before contributing to a number of local television outlets. He had previously been with the New York Daily News and made his return back to the locale in 1995 to work for Newsday. In 2005, he began national coverage as a contribution across ESPN programming before moving back to local television in Detroit, Mich.

During his first year with FOX Sports Radio in 2018, Parker was honored by NABJ as its sports journalist of the year – and he continues to mentor the next generation as an associate professor at the University of Southern California (USC). Today, he is focused on his responsibilities with FOX Sports Radio and MLBbro, and has podcasts on both platforms.

“We couldn’t be more proud of Rob,” Julie Talbott, president of Premiere Networks, said in a statement. “He truly deserves this recognition for his trailblazing career in sports journalism, and for his continuing efforts to elevate and mentor the next generation.”

In addition to Parker, ESPN Head of Event and Studio Production Dave Roberts was also welcomed into the Hall of Fame. Roberts oversees production for the network’s signature studio shows, including Get Up, First Take and NBA Countdown, and he will also manage The Pat McAfee Show, which will debut on ESPN this fall. He was on hand to express his gratitude for the honor, and started his speech by reading off of the teleprompter and recalling the week he found out about the honor. It happened to coincide with his promotion to an executive vice president at ESPN and his wedding to his fiancé, T’Erica, a ceremony that had several ESPN personnel on hand.

“It is our collective responsibility to never become complacent in respect to this fight for tangible progress,” Roberts said. “If you’re starting your career journey, I urge you to strongly consider the decision-making path, and always look for opportunities to give back to those deserving and those responsible for taking the lead in this journey. We all must lift up each other, and that must be one of the priorities for each and every one of us.”

Roberts concluded his speech by announcing a donation from The Walt Disney Company and ESPN of $20,000 to go towards the existing scholarship programs run by NABJ. Both he and Parker are grateful for the guidance and support they received from the organization. They and the other Hall of Fame inductees, which include Randall Pinkston, Sheila Dean Brooks and Roy S. Johnson among others, will look to foster the next generation of media professionals and continue the fight for equality.

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