OutKick founder Clay Travis reacted earlier this week to Elon Musk’s comments to Bill Maher about the so-called woke ideology. The Twitter CEO told Maher that Americans must tread carefully when suppressing free speech.
“We can’t reach real results in this country when cancel culture and identity politics disallow real debate to happen,” Travis said. “To me, cancel culture is the difference between ‘I disagree with you and here’s why’ and cancel culture is ‘I disagree with you, and you don’t deserve a job’.”
During a conversation with Maher, Musk shared his concerns about two dangerous aspects of the “woke mind virus.” He believes that the tendency to avoid questioning things and the prevalence of cancel culture are closely related. Musk also noted that Maher had faced attempts at being canceled by specific individuals.
“Woke culture is the idea that your race and gender only define you, and we are in a constant war, the oppression Olympics and that’s a good example of that and that we can’t contextualize history.”
Musk responded to his critics who labeled him right-wing by stating that he views himself as a moderate. He cited his extensive efforts to promote sustainable energy through his work on electric vehicles, batteries, and solar power, which are not aligned with far-right beliefs. He remarked that free speech was once regarded as a value associated with the left or liberal ideology. Still, he finds it alarming that some individuals identifying with the “left” seek to censor speech, which he considers absurd.
MacCallum stated that a significant portion of the issues stems from public education, which is currently facing a growing problem of teachers prioritizing advocacy over teaching fundamental educational skills.
Tucker Carlson is reportedly in talks with former President Donald Trump regarding possibly moderating a forum for 2024 Republican presidential candidates.
The Washington Post notes that Carlson’s Fox contract was scheduled to run until the end of 2024. If he wishes to receive the millions the network is legally obligated to pay him, his choices for establishing a new media presence may be limited.
“Carlson and his team have discussed the possibility of moderating a candidate forum outside of the traditional protocols surrounding the GOP primary debate system, according to two people familiar with the considerations,” the report said.
Recent reports suggest that Donald Trump may decline an invitation to appear at one of the GOP’s primary debates due to his displeasure with being questioned by Fox News anchor Bret Baier.
Additionally, it has been reported that Trump is set to participate in a town hall event hosted by CNN, marking his first appearance on the network in several years after previously criticizing their coverage of him.
“These people said the setup — as well as Carlson’s availability to take on that kind of role, given the noncompete constraints of his contract with Fox — remains unclear. But Carlson has personally expressed enthusiasm about the idea, according to people familiar with his comments. At least one major candidate — Trump — has told Carlson he’s interested, according to a person familiar with the exchange,” the report added.
The Dominion Voting Systems’ defamation lawsuit revealed that Tucker Carlson reportedly called Donald Trump a “destroyer” and a “demonic force” in private messages following Trump supporters’ violent attack on the U.S. Capitol. In one text message, Carlson expressed his passionate hatred for Trump. Despite these revelations, Trump has made no public response and instead lamented Carlson’s departure from Fox News, claiming he was telling the truth.
The Washington Post’s report also explores Carlson’s considerations for his next career move, including the possibility of starting a podcast or a new brand. One America News Network and Newsmax have been reported as potential employers interested in hiring Carlson.
The winter ratings book has come to a close. This is one of the most divisive books of the year. Some programmers put less value in this book than the other three. Others say all information is useful and important.
In an effort to keep industry professionals up to date on what transpired, Barrett Sports Media has created a single recap highlighting as many markets as possible based on information made available to us. If you have numbers to share that aren’t listed here, please send an email to demetrithegreek@gmail.com. We will happily update the piece with new data.
For reference on book-to-book performance, click here to see the Mid Market ratings round-up for the fall. You can also check out the winter numbers in the Major Markets by clicking here.
BALTIMORE
105.7 THE FAN
6 – 10 AM (Big Bad Morning Show) – 10.2 (2nd)
10 AM – 2 PM (Vinny & Haynie) – 13.2 (1st)
2 – 6 PM (Inside Access) – 12.2 (1st)
M-F 6A-7P – 11.6 (1st)
M-Su 6A-MID – 11.8 (1st)
PORTLAND
1080 THE FAN
6 – 9 AM (Dirt & Sprague) – 3.8 (9th)
9 AM – 12 PM (The Herd) – 1.4 (17th)
12 – 3 PM (Danny & Dusty) – 2.2 (14th)
3 – 7 PM (Isaac & Suke) – 4.5 (6th)
M-F 6A-7P – 3.3 (11th)
M-Su 6A-MID – 2.8 (13th)
MILWAUKEE
97.3 THE GAME
6 – 10 AM (Steve Czaban 6-9, Nine to Noon 9-10) – 3.8
10 AM – 3 PM (Nine to Noon 10 – 12, Mike Heller 12-3) – 2.8
3 – 7 PM (Drew & KB 3-6, local shows 6-7) – 3.4
M-F 6A-7P – 2.9
M-SU 6A-MID – 3.2
94.5 ESPN MILWAUKEE
6 – 10 AM (Keyshawn, JWill & Max 6-7, Jen, Gabe & Chewy 7-9, Wilde & Tausche 9-10) – 2.9
10 AM – 3 PM (Wilde & Tausche 10-12, Greeny 12-2, Homer & Tony 2-3) – 3.1
3 – 7 PM (Homer & Tony 3-4, Scalzo & Brust 4-6, ESPN Radio 6-7) – 3.1
M-F 6A-7P – 2.9
M-SU 6A-MID – 3.2
1250 THE FAN
6 – 10 AM (The DA Show) – 0.0
10 AM – 3 PM (Reiter Than You 10-12, Jim Rome 12-3) – 0.3
The presence of women in sports media has precipitously grown, and women’s sports as a whole have become part of the mainstream culture over the last several years. The launch of espnW in 2010 surely helped hasten that process, bringing a revamped approach in covering games themselves and empowering future women to render it sustainable. The brand operates with the goal of promulgating the stories of women while blending sports and culture.
On Thursday from Brooklyn, N.Y., it held its 13th espnW Summit. Women from sports media, advertising partners, ESPN company executives and aspiring professionals were on hand to gather insights from some of the best and brightest in the industry, and foster professional relationships.
Laura Gentile, EVP of Marketing at ESPN, had a significant role in launching espnW and was inspired to initiate a distinct brand dedicated to communicating the augmentation and assimilation of women in sports. At the time of its launch, women were estimated to accumulate for less than a quarter of ESPN’s total viewership, as the network focused much of its coverage on men in professional sports. Today, ESPN provides all viewers a wide array of coverage pertaining to both men’s and women’s sports, and Gentile has arguably been a key component of the mission’s effectuation.
“The momentum’s clear, and the deal-making is happening and the conversations are in-depth and specific,” Gentile said. “It’s growth on so many levels. Whether it’s women’s college basketball; women’s gymnastics; WNBA. There are so many things that are ascendant, and it was awesome to be in this space first, and now it’s awesome to be a part of a bigger team really having great conversations about where we go next.”
The annual event was hosted by ESPN’s Sarah Spain, and the inspiration she receives from other women in the industry is renewed each time she participates.
“I love being the host because not only do I get to kind of guide everyone through this awesome day of content, but I always have so many comments and opinions on all of the panels, even the ones I don’t host,” she said. “When I get back up on stage to go to something I’m hosting or just to throw it to break or something, I have the opportunity to offer a little insight or reflect on something that I heard that was meaningful to me.”
The momentum of women in sports media has rapidly progressed over the last decade, and there have been myriad professionals innovating in the space. Through constructing new opportunities to share opinions and express themselves, women are acting as entrepreneurs and establishing a new standard in which the industry’s progeny will be able to share. Now, perhaps more than ever before, women are taking ownership of their collective visions and commanding the manner in which they create and disseminate content.
“These women know how to build their own platforms and aren’t waiting for a media company or a legacy media company to tell their story,” said Jessica Robertson, co-founder and chief content officer of TOGETHXR. “They’re also building audiences that are much bigger than some of these media companies in the first place, so they get to dimensionalize themselves [and]… they are their own brands.”
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ESPN’s First Take just completed its most-watched April. The show includes ESPN commentator Stephen A. Smith with a rotation of panelists such as JJ Redick, Christopher “Mad Dog” Russo and Marcus Spears. Show host Molly Qerim values her colleagues, but finds it especially fulfilling when the show gives women a chance to express themselves, including Kimberly A. Martin, Mina Kimes and Monica McNutt. She met additional ESPN personalities for the first time at the event, including Cristina Alexander and Blake Bolden, moderating a panel about the lives of women working at the network.
“I always wanted to just attend the event, let alone be a speaker,” Qerim said. “For it to finally come together and culminate, I’m just extremely grateful. It’s such an honor to be on the stage and in the room with so many incredible women both in front of the camera and behind the scenes.”
Qerim had to adjust to First Take’sformat, centered around Smith debating various challengers, upon the departure of former commentator and debater Max Kellerman. She was unsure about how the new format would work, but knew that her role on the show would adjust as the only other daily cast member.
“This ‘Stephen A. vs. The World’ has worked,” Qerim said, “and I think it just brings a lot of energy and a lot of interest to the program in having so many different voices. I know for myself it opened up more space for me and my role was able to grow on the show as well.”
As one of ESPN’s most prominent hosts, Qerim seeks to engender support for women in sports media by being candid and supportive of her counterparts. She draws inspiration from her colleagues and others in her life, part of the reason she felt prompted to share her battle with stage 4 endometriosis. Qerim worked at the network earlier in her career, starting as an intern before covering football and basketball for CBS Sports and NFL Network. She ended up returning in 2015 to join Smith on First Take. Upon her return though, she noticed a marked shift in culture pertaining to the way in which women were viewed and how they interacted with one another.
“There’s such a shift with women in every industry in every capacity just empowering one another, encouraging one another, championing one another,” Qerim expressed. “….I’m just so grateful to see this trajectory and to see this shift and to see this change. There’s still a long way to go, but the momentum has been tremendous.”
ESPN SportsCenter host Kelsey Riggs admired the espnW Summit for many years, but she was never able to attend the event. This year, she made the trip to New York City to watch the panels and speak to the audience about her professional experience.
Riggs, who was a college soccer player at Charleston Southern University, got her start in sports media working in local news, and was afforded a chance to help launch the ACC Network in 2019.
“You have to make it your own, which means you have to be yourself,” she said. “I might not be what somebody else is with getting all the jokes off or having a certain personality. I want to always be authentic to myself, and so I just try to do that.”
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Part of Qerim’s, McNutt’s and Riggs’s jobs with ESPN is to speak with athletes, many of whom consume the network’s programming from afar. Additionally, the athletes utilize their platforms to help promote the growth of women’s sports, both by speaking at functions akin to the espnW Summit and serving as role models for the next generation.
“I’m trying to kind of reach out to people and see what I could do to help the game,” said Detroit Pistons point guard Jaden Ivey. “Obviously, coaching is a big part. If I’m done playing, maybe I’ll be able to coach women and inspire little girls.”
Ivey just completed his rookie season with the Pistons. He is already embracing the city’s history in women’s sports by advocating for the return of the Detroit Shock, a WNBA team that moved to Tulsa in 2010 before ultimately settling in Dallas, Texas and being rebranded as the Dallas Wings.
“There’s so many talented players now going into the WNBA, so it’s really fun to see,” Ivey said. “….I want to see the Detroit Shock back. Me and my teammates have been talking about [if] they could do that, along with some other teams they used to have. It includes money and a lot of other factors that go into it, but hopefully we could see it change.”
The 2022 WNBA season was its most viewed campaign since 2006, averaging 412,000 over 49 live game broadcasts on ESPN. Furthermore, its postseason play – which ended with the Las Vegas Aces defeating the Connecticut Sun to win the league championship – averaged 456,000 viewers, 22% higher than viewership in the 2021 postseason.
The league recently signed a new media rights deal with Scripps Sports and is entering its 27th regular season set to tip off on Friday, May 19, and there are a plethora of storylines to follow amid expansion to a 40-game schedule. The New York Liberty made a series of transactions during the offseason, adding Jonquel Jones via trade and signing Courtney Vandersloot and Breanna Stewart in free agency. They will suit up alongside young phenom Sabrina Ionescu with the goal of securing the franchise’s first championship while seeking to expand interest in women’s sports both locally and abroad.
The Liberty were the focus of a panel at the summit. Jones, Stewart, and moderator LaChina Robinson discussed the impact a new “super-team era” could have on interest in the WNBA.
“We’re just barely scratching the surface of where we can be,” Stewart said. “I think that women’s sports and women’s basketball have so much untapped potential. It’s nice to see everyone else kind of realizing that because from the players’ perspective, we know that, and now everybody else sees it.”
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Bleacher Report has become a prominent brand and an entity which has rapidly expanded, providing untapped, niche coverage pertaining to various professional sports leagues. The company’s women’s platform, HighlightHER, was founded by Ari Chambers. It was prompted partially because of her experience at a previous espnW Summit.
“I was just re-ignited with everybody’s energy from here in order to fulfill my mission and really build what I wanted to build,” Chambers said. “The espnW Summit is a family; a community that all wants the same thing – to push the game forward. To be able to represent on the stage of this community [and] there’s nothing like it.”
As a brand, ESPN is leading the industry in women’s sports programming, garnering a net share of 68% and a total of 33,180 hours of content produced. Moreover, ESPN+ amassed 19,713 hours of women’s college sports programming, which includes basketball, field hockey and a variety of other sports. Yet there is a lack of shoulder programming surrounding the coverage; therefore it can sometimes render games difficult to appeal for consumers to watch and become fully immersed in the content.
“I think there’s a lot of interesting conversations and things will come out of media rights deals that are up right now,” Jessica Robertson said. “I’m hoping to see investment where these games that are broadcast feel premium and special to that as the men’s games and events.”
“You see the percentages year-over-year continue to increase because the visibility is there; because the consistency is there with coverage,” Chambers added. “I don’t anticipate it slowing down any time soon. We’re coming into a generation that’s accustomed to women’s sports at an elite level and being broadcast. The next generation is confident in stepping into knowing that their ceiling doesn’t exist.”
ESPN has a variety of brands within its portfolio and shares its work across various social media platforms, following a year where it generated 7.5 billion engagements, a 34% annual increase. The majority of the audience its social media platforms serve is under 35 years old, yet its linear audience is over 50, wherefore it is essential to construct specialized content with which they can connect.
“The most important thing is that your followers on a particular platform know that you’re just not talking to them like you are talking with them,” said Kaitee Daley, vice president of social media at ESPN. “You are giving them content that they will engage with.”
The social media ecosystem has experienced turbulence over the last year. Algorithms of nearly every platform seem to change consistently, and users are looking for engaging, short-form content.
“Our team practices nimbleness all the time,” Daley said, “but to us, the most important thing is that we’ve built authentic communities off our platforms. If a platform changes it up and decides they’re going to do something, [we have to say], ‘Okay, how do we still keep the core DNA of what we know our community wants, but adjust some of our tactics to what the platform is elevating?’”
The mission of espnW is supported company-wide, evinced through the presence of those in other departments at the conference. Marsha Cooke, who works as the vice president and executive producer for ESPN Films and 30 for 30, felt a sense of pride watching women create their own opportunities and showcase progress.
“It really shows our commitment as a company to bridge the gap between what people perceive women’s sports to be and what the reality is of women in sports,” she said. “We do it all. We do it well. We should be recognized for it, and most importantly, it’s something that I think we need to find a level and equal playing field not only in what we broadcast and what we cover, but how we support [it].”
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One method through which espnW connects with its audience is in producing original podcasts. ESPN soccer commentator, reporter and host Julie Foudy hosts Laughter Permitted. Since the show’s inception in 2019, Foudy and producer/co-host Lynn Olszowy have interviewed influential women in the world of sports, including WNBA coach Becky Hammon, Olympic gymnast Simone Biles and former tennis player and women’s rights advocate Billie Jean King.
Foudy was a midfielder and captain of the U.S. Women’s National Team. Over the course of her playing career, she won two World Cup titles (1991, 1999) and two Olympic gold medals (1996, 2004), giving her unparalleled insight and perspective into what it takes to achieve goals and be part of a team.
“Once people hear a story, their curiosity is piqued about an athlete because they’ve watched them on TV, but they don’t know enough about them,” Foudy said. “Then all of a sudden you’ve got that hook. I think we’re doing – obviously with all of the different platforms and forms of media – we’re doing a lot better job of telling stories.”
Foudy and Olszowy taped an episode of their podcast in front of a live audience at the espnW Summit and welcomed NASA astronaut Nicole A. Mann, who made history by becoming the first indigenous woman to travel to space. She was recently working out of the International Space Station as commander of the NASA SpaceX Crew-5 mission, spending just over five months away from earth. She had previously appeared as a guest on Laughter Permitted during that time.
“I remember being a young child growing up and it was difficult to find your mentors in life and your heroes in life because it just wasn’t readily available,” Mann said. “It’s just great to see everybody sharing their story. I think it helps to inspire the younger generation and really give them the opportunities to reach out so they have the tools to achieve their dreams.”
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Ally Financial Chief Marketing Officer Andrea Brimmer joined Foudy on stage prior to the taping of the podcast and was joined by members of the company’s new initiative, “Team Ally.” Various athletes and creators shared the significance of being part of the team and helping expand the collective reach, awareness and support for women’s sports.
“With Ally, we’ve done such incredible things because the moment we met, we were like, ‘Tell me I can’t and I’ll show you I will,’” said retired NWSL player and Gotham FC creative advisor Ashlyn Harris while on stage. “The rest has been history and I love aligning myself with companies who get it, who want to create a change who aren’t checking a box.”
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Women in sports media have made significant strides to coerce mainstream consumers to recognize that it is indicative of more than just a niche audience with esoteric knowledge. In the last year alone, viewership for The NCAA Women’s Basketball Tournament experienced an estimated 81% growth, and athletes both in college and playing professionally have earned more followers and engagement on social media platforms. Through all of the panels with athletes, media personalities and journalists, it is salient that a critical part of maintaining and hastening momentum is through togetherness.
“You’re never going to accomplish anything on your own, so it’s important to surround yourself with people who are going to be there to support you – whatever that may be – family, teammates or just people in your community,” Mann said. “You’ve got to set those dreams.”
“Keep fighting,” said Stewart. “Obviously, we’re the ones that know what we need the best and what we need the most. Sometimes it’s an uphill battle, but that doesn’t mean we stop.”
“At some point, my dream is that we’re not having an entire panel dedicated to, ‘What does the growth of women’s sports look like?,’ because it’s already so massively overgrown that it’s saturated the market,” Robertson added. “Know your value; know your worth; and follow in the paths of those that have trail-blazed ahead of you.”
Back in 1965, Otis Redding released the single “Respect.” The song hit #35 on the pop charts. Aretha Franklin recorded her version in 1967. She changed the gender of the lyrics and added backup singers, Muscle Shoals guitar riffs, and sax solos. It went to #1. In 2021, Rolling Stone named “Respect” the #1 Greatest Song of All Time.
Now, let’s update the testimonial letter. It’s time to progress to Google reviews.
Long before Google reviews, I would ask my clients to write me a letter about their campaign’s success on my stations and how they felt I helped them. Often though, I wrote it, they signed it, copied it to their stationary, and carried it with me to show prospects. It helped, because it made sense.
Until the early 1990’s, sending and receiving letters was common. Once the internet caught on by 2000, we weren’t writing letters so much. We have adapted and improved.
Here’s why you should prioritize getting Google reviews and some tips for effectively doing it.
Why do Google reviews matter?
When building your sales brand, Google reviews are essential to your online presence. When a prospect starts searching your name or your station, don’t you want that to be one of the things they read?
And, yes, negative reviews are bad! Make sure you ask your successful clients for reviews! Positive Google reviews can help you attract new clients and build trust before they even reach out to you.
How do I get reviews?
Ask for them! When you finish a successful campaign, email your client thanking them for their business and asking if they would be willing to leave a review on Google. Be sure to include a link to get it done. Ideally, it should link to the Google My Business page you created.
Make it Easy: Show them other reviews you have received. Create a few yourself. A good review should cite results, ease of doing business, tactics, packages purchased, reactions to production values, etc. Include clear instructions in your email and offer to help them in person, via Zoom, or over the phone.
Back scratch: Offer to do a review for your client if they do one for you. Since you only ask successful clients, you won’t violate Google’s policy about incentivizing reviews. And, if you are doing a review for a client, hopefully, you can comment about their strengths or offerings even though you may not have purchased anything.
What do I do with my reviews?
Be responsive. When you receive a review, respond to it. Be sure others see you take feedback seriously and are committed to providing excellent service.
Thank them for their feedback, and answer any issues or concerns they may have raised. I think it’s important for reviews to have at least one thing the client wants to see improve so it is more authentic.
Google reviews can be essential to your online presence as a radio salesperson. They are crucial to getting new clients and can produce inbound leads. Anything we can do to build trust with prospects is a good thing.
It’s been nearly two weeks since the shocking departure of Tucker Carlson from Fox News. Carlson was the top-rated host on cable news and was clearly the star of the primetime lineup for the No. 1 cable news channel.
Additionally, he had his own side projects via FOX Nation that were getting plenty of investment and exposure. We don’t have both sides of this story yet, but regardless, there’s plenty that radio hosts can learn from this unceremonious ending.
Here are the top three things we can all learn, or at least get friendly reminders on, from this wild news story.
1. If there is a microphone in the room, be careful.
As you may have seen this week, leaked tapes of Carlson are being put out publicly. This angle here is clearly to try and justify Carlson’s exit by Fox. While much of what we’ve seen thus far seem fairly benign in the grand scheme of things, whether or not the leaked comments are in any way justification for Carlson’s departure can be up to the loyal Fox viewers. But it ties back to a point we all learn on our first day of broadcasting: If there is a microphone in the room, don’t say anything you wouldn’t say on air.
OK, fine.
We all hear it, digest it, and then eventually forget about it. We get comfortable with the microphone. We know when it’s not “on” or “live”. But the reality is that microphone you’re next to can be picked up by you, or others around it, whether it’s broadcasting on the air or not.
And whether it’s a mistake that gets on air, a colleague trying to sabotage you, or anything else of the ilk, the steadfast rule remains: Don’t say anything near a microphone you wouldn’t say on air.
2. You’re Never “Too Big To Fail”.
Tucker Carlson had the highest ratings in cable news. He was effectively shown the door.
Regardless of the “why” behind it, it was clear that FOX thought it could survive just fine without their top host, who, as I noted earlier, wasn’t just hosting his nightly show, but was also involved with several other projects on the network’s subscription service FOX Nation.
I’m not here to suggest a host/employee should always play it safe, never take risks, never be controversial, be a company shill, or have no backbone, but simply to remember that if Fox News thinks it can survive without Tucker Carlson’s loyal 3+ million nightly viewers, than who isn’t indispensable?
3. That Being Said… Options Exist.
Carlson has a future. That’s indisputable. A new report from The Washington Post suggests Carlson may forfeit millions of dollars Fox News owes him so he can have a voice in the 2024 election cycle.
The report notes, “Most ambitiously, Carlson wants to moderate his own GOP candidate forum, outside of the usual strictures of the Republican National Committee debate system. The idea, which he has discussed with Donald Trump, the front-runner for the party nomination, would test his vaunted sway over conservative politics.”
It would have been unfathomable, even a few years ago, for a single media person to even think about pulling something like this off. The logistics and technology alone would have been too big of a hurdle. But it’s a different world.
As I noted in last week’s column, fragmented media has its pros and cons. This is certainly a pro, as Carlson plots his next move.
To think that a former popular TV host could sidestep an entire media and political establishment and potentially host his own presidential primary debate for one of the two major American political parties shows how far we have come.
And with that even under consideration, it’s a sign that the next 10 years of media could be even more disruptive than we can even imagine today.
Media Matters has continued to release behind-the-scenes footage of former Fox News host Tucker Carlson that paints him in a negative light. The network has sent a cease & desist letter to the organization in hopes of stopping the leaks.
According to a report from The Washington Post’s Jeremy Barr, Media Matters received the letter claiming Fox did not give the organization permission to publish the videos.
“We write on behalf of FOX Corporation to clarify any misunderstandings Media Matters may have had regarding previously unaired footage that Media Matters has published in a series of articles headlined ‘FOXLEAKS’. That unaired footage is FOX’s confidential intellectual property; FOX did not consent to its distribution or publication; and FOX does not consent to its further distribution or publication,” a letter from Wilson, Sonsini, Goodrich, & Rosati law firm reads.
“This proprietary material was given to you without FOX’s authorization. FOX demands that Media Matters cease and desist from distribution, publication, and misuse of Fox’s misappropriated proprietary footage, which you are now on notice was unlawfully obtained. We reserve all rights and remedies.”
New York Yankees play-by-play announcer and 98.7 ESPN New York host Michael Kay found himself going back and forth on Thursday with Yankees fans over general manager Brian Cashman.
Cashman addressed the media this week and was asked about the team’s struggles to start the 2023 season. Kay, on Wednesday night’s broadcast on Amazon Prime, drew blowback from some Yankees fans who felt like Kay was a Cashman defender when talking about the press conference.
Kay even apparently sent one fan a direct message asking for proof that anything he said on the broadcast was a defense of Cashman. He said if they could, he’d make a sizeable donation to a charity of the fan’s choice.
On The Michael Kay Showon Thursday, co-host Peter Rosenberg understood a little bit about the fans feeling a certain type of way about Kay.
“You can Yankee-splain. You explain on their behalf,” Rosenberg said. “But people don’t want to hear it. They don’t care what the explanation is.”
“The bottom line is we are here to try to explain why decisions are made, not to co-sign on those decisions,” Kay responded. “I’m trying to explain why those decisions were made.”
Kay added that he has never in his career called for anyone to be fired. Co-host Don La Greca affirmed.
Rosenberg later just couldn’t understand why there’s this expectation for the team’s official TV broadcaster to speak and hold extreme opinions on players and staff like fans do.
“Why do we have to play this game that Michael Kay, the voice of the New York Yankees, is supposed to go as hard on the Yankees as a fan?” he asked. “Let’s be honest. You’re going to be as critical as you can while being respectful of the organization that has changed your life. The idea that you want him to go ranting and raving like he has no connection to the team, is not only ridiculous, you would never do it yourself. You would never have the guts in your life to go after one of your employers as hard as humanly possible.”
Kay said if you want some proof that he’s been critical of the Yankees previously, you can look no further than when New York was swept by the Astros in the ALCS last season. And even then, Michael made it clear he’s not on a tight leash when it comes to sharing his opinion on Brian Cashman.
“I rip him plenty good, much to his dismay sometimes,” Kay said. “The Yankees are really cool with me being ultra critical, but if you think that I’m going to be like a fan and just go off on the people on the Yankees, do you think that the Yankees really want the person that’s broadcasting their games to be a raving lunatic about them? They have never said a word. But there is a delicate balance in life, everybody.”
Don pointed out the fact that Kay is one of the only people in America who is not only the voice of a major pro sports team, but also hosts a sports talk show where he’s paid to share his opinions on the team he works for. But that doesn’t mean he can just say that this person or that person needs to lose their job.
The E.W. Scripps Company has made it clear they were in a position to help pick up the pieces for teams when things began to change for RSNs like Bally Sports and AT&T Sportsnet.
In Las Vegas, the Golden Knights announced Thursday that Scripps Sports reached an agreement on a multi-year local rights deal. Games will air locally on KMCC-TV, which is owned by Scripps and carries ION programming. The channel is expected to be rebranded as an independent station ahead of next season, and will be available in Nevada over the air for free, on cable and digitally. Games will also have distribution into neighboring states like Idaho, Montana, Utah and Wyoming.
“This deal is a significant win for our fans because they will be able to see our games on television and for free, if they wish,” Golden Knights president and CEO Kerry Bubolz said. “That was our goal in finding a new TV partner. We wanted to serve our fanbase in the best way possible.”
Scripps also owns the ABC affiliate in town, KTNV. The station has carried preseason games since the team’s inaugural campaign in 2017-18.
A direct-to-consumer streaming option is also in the works, and more info on that will be revealed when everything is finalized.
Game broadcasters Dave Goucher and Shane Hnidy will continue to be on the call. Broadcasts will also include pregame and postgame coverage.
The Golden Knights’ deal with Scripps is very similar to the one the Phoenix Suns and Mercury did with Gray Television to get NBA and WNBA games off of Bally Sports and onto broadcast TV across Arizona. Diamond Sports Group, parent company of the Bally Sports RSNs, has filed a lawsuit against the teams to stop that move.
NBA insider Shams Charania turned some heads on social media last week, tweeting that the Carolina Panthers were selecting Bryce Young first overall in the NFL Draft.
Charania didn’t stay on tweeting picks last Thursday for too long, after incorrectly reporting an Arizona Cardinals pick before it got traded to Houston.
NFL insider Ian Rapoport told Sports Illustrated’s Jimmy Traina on SI Media that he and Chams chatted about it this week.
“Shams is my guy. We talked this morning, actually,” Rapoport said. “He texted me. I’m not a fan of it, which I told him. But it’s fine.”
The main thing wasn’t that he was tweeting about the NFL Draft, but it was more so that Charania was essentially out of his lane when tipping picks.
Admittedly, though, Rapoport said if given the chance to drop a scoop on a sport other than football, he would.
“If I got a basketball scoop, I would probably tweet it,” he said. “When I heard LeBron James was in Indianapolis to get his foot checked out when everyone was at the Combine, I debated tweeting it. I didn’t, but it’s true.”
He reiterated, though, that he understood Charania was just doing it for fun. No harm, no foul.
“Chams is great, and he’s done an awesome job. So it’s fine,” he said.
