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Scott Van Pelt: LIV/PGA Merger ‘Changes Everything From a TV Perspective’

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One of the big questions moving forward with the LIV/PGA merger is what will happen with the media coverage and distribution of tournaments. SportsCenter anchor Scott Van Pelt told Dan Patrick that he’s not sure.

SVP was a guest on The Dan Patrick Show on Wednesday, and he told Dan that he thought the announcement of the merger was fake initially. But now that it’s real, and details on the TV rights side are scarce, it’s hard for Van Pelt to speculate on what golf on television will look like a year or two from now.

“I don’t know what I don’t know in terms of the contracts. How long do they run?” he asked. “This changes everything from a TV perspective I would think. If you’re CBS or NBC or whomever has paid for one thing, well now it’s going to be a different entity – which I think this new entity is going to sit down and say, ‘Alright let’s talk about what it’s going to cost to have us on your air.'”

LIV Golf made waves and drew the ire of PGA Tour officials, players and fans with each new announcement of a superstar player signing. Often when a big name got announced as a new addition to the league, details of a signing bonus worth tens or hundreds of millions of dollars followed.

SVP said where LIV will benefit is in the potential with a new rights deal.

“You bought players, but on LIV you just didn’t have the distribution where you were being consumed as a product,” he said. “You need to have a television partner where you have eyeballs. They didn’t have that.”

LIV Golf went the entire 2022 season without a TV broadcast partner in the United States. Just ahead of the start of the 2023 season, the league announced an agreement to carry the final two rounds of tournaments live on The CW. And not all CW affiliates across the country even opted to air coverage, thus drastically impacting viewership.

Buck Reising: I ‘Don’t Have Any Kind of Edict’ To Promote MLS

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Lionel Messi is coming to America. The biggest star in sports is leaving Paris St. Germain to join Major League Soccer’s Inter Miami. Buck Reising thought the story was big enough to devote a few minutes to on Wednesday. One of his listeners disagreed.

A texter calling himself TN Berg wrote, “I don’t understand. I understand they have to push it because of Nashville SC, but nobody even watches it lol. It’s Miami Marlins attendance.”

Reising took exception to the idea that he and his producer, Lucas Panzica are forced to talk about Major League Soccer on 104.5 The Zone because there is a franchise in the market.

“We don’t have any kind of edict to push anything,” he said. “Lucas is the voice of Nashville SC. I am curious to know, as somebody who is not a soccer diehard, but who is interested in the United States acquiring the biggest international sports star going at this point, what that means.”

Messi is on the short list when soccer fans discuss the best player in the history of the sport. He joins a long line of international stars that come to the United States in the final days of their playing career.

Resising added that the MLS luring Lionel Messi to Miami is bigger than just a soccer story. The league made a deal last year with Apple TV+ for national coverage of all of its games. Messi will receive a percentage of all of the money generated from those subscriptions. That makes his signing a business story in Buck Reising’s eyes.

“I understand you may not be considering all the different things,” he said directing his frustration at the texter. “I’m not going to call you a mouth breather, but I’m saying that you’re displaying the behavior of one if you don’t realize the impact this is about to have on Apple’s bottom line to acquire the biggest international star in sport.”

Nick Kayal: ‘CNN is Done’ After Chris Licht Ouster

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The shocking, while not surprising, announcement that CNN CEO Chris Licht would leave the company Wednesday morning is the talk of the news media world. 1210 WPHT morning man Nick Kayal believes Licht’s departure signals a death knell for CNN.

“It confirms a lot of things for me, personally. I think CNN is done. I think they are dead. They are never getting out of third place, or last place, if that’s how you want to look at it,” the Kayal and Company host said Wednesday morning.

“Looking up at MSNBC, who does their type of news coverage at a much more consumed level than CNN, and certainly looking up at Fox News, the leader in cable news…he makes it a year and a month and Warner Bros. Discovery, CNN’s parent company, says ‘You know what? We’ve seen enough’.”

Kayal said the situation at CNN was untenable with some employees still being loyal to former CEO Jeff Zucker, but said one situation in particular led to Licht’s downfall.

“There always seems to be some drama there,” said Kayal. “I started thinking about this last night, and now with his departure, here’s the thing: if you’re the boss — especially at these networks — you should not be part of the talking head show fodder…I’ve always felt like if you were one of these guys, and I can only do it from a talk radio — sports or news — perspective, nobody wants to know who you are. By and large, if you are about creating the brand, the content, the image, the personas, you do that behind the scenes and you really do that behind the scenes and don’t be someone your opposing rivals can talk about.”

Kayal argued that Licht stepped into a “crummy” situation, and was likely destined to fail.

Inside the NFL Headed To The CW For 2023

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Inside the NFL Headed To The CW For 2023

After being cut loose by Paramount+ earlier in the year, Inside the NFL has found a new home on The CW, premiering on September 5 at 8 p.m. EST/5 p.m. PST. The transition will mean the show is set to air on a broadcast network for the first time. It previously was carried by HBO and then Showtime. It will also be available to stream on The CW app and on cwtv.com.

The Emmy Award-winning series, which has been on the air since 1977, is centered around highlights and interviews from the previous week, with distinctive footage and audio supplied by NFL Films. It gives football fans an outlet to catch up on the action they might have missed, even though the scope of highlight shows is diminishing because of the advent of social media in an immersive content landscape.

“We are excited to partner with NFL Films and welcome Inside the NFL to The CW Sports family,” Dennis Miller, president of The CW, said in a statement. “For almost five decades, Inside the NFL has been an industry leader in showcasing can’t-miss weekly highlights, unprecedented behind-the-scenes content, exclusive access to players and lively discussion. By combining this premiere NFL content with our robust broadcast audience, we look forward to bringing this legendary sports series to more fans than ever before and to advertisers for the first time.”

Producers and hosts for the latest iteration of the show will be announced at a later date, and it will also have an impact on the fall programming schedule for the network itself. Recent editions of the show were hosted by James Brown and featured various former players, such as Brandon Marshall, Phil Simms and Julian Edelman.

“Generations of football fans have grown up watching Inside the NFL,” Ross Ketover, senior executive of NFL Films, added in a statement. “It is a show we cherish at NFL Films and we are thrilled to bring it to a great new partner in The CW. This is a special opportunity to reimagine and reboot Inside the NFL for a wider audience and a new generation of fans. We can’t wait to get started.”

KFI-AM 640 Debuts Podcast Series on Rise of Antisemitism

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KFI-AM 640 Debuts Podcast Series on Rise of Antisemitism

KFI-AM 640 has launched a podcast series exploring the rise of antisemitism in America.

HATE: Modern Antisemitism is produced by Steve Gregory and Jacob Gonzalez. Guests include American Jewish Committee CEO Ted Deutch, Rabbi Abraham Cooper, and American Jewish University curator Dr. Michael Berenbaum.

Other guests include a Jewish school principal, an Asian-American artist who paints murals honoring silent heroes of the Holocaust, and a District Attorney.

“I, along with others, recently watched in horror as anti-Semitic protesters were seen making Nazi salutes to passersby on the 405 freeway,” KFI-AM 640 Program Director Robin Bertolucci said.

“As broadcasters, it is our duty to educate and inform our listeners and this podcast brings attention to the unseemly underbelly of Antisemitism which is sadly alive and well online and in our communities.”

The podcast description says the limited series will examine “where Antisemitism originated and why it continues to grow.”

HATE: Modern Antisemitism is available on the iHeartRadio app.

Frank Thomas Joins Friday Night Baseball on Apple TV+

BSM Staff
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It didn’t take long for Frank Thomas to find a new gig. He is joining Apple TV+. He will make his Friday Night Baseball debut this week according to Front Office Sports.

Thomas’s role will involve multiple duties. He will conduct interviews with some of the game’s biggest stars. Those will take place on the field and in clubhouses before the games. He will also be in the booth for select games.

After FOX hired Derek Jeter to join its studio coverage of Major League Baseball, the network let Thomas go. He had been part of MLB on FOX since 2014. Royce Dickerson, who worked with “The Big Hurt” at FOX is now Apple’s executive producer for live sports.

Frank Thomas will not be available for Apple every week. He will be used on marquee matchups.

He will make his debut on June 9. Thomas will interview Mike Trout ahead of the Angels’ visit to Seattle to take on their division rivals, the Mariners.

WWE Legend The Iron Sheik Remembered By Sports Media

BSM Staff
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The Iron Sheik is one of the legendary villains in the history of professional wrestling. While he reached the peak of his fame in the ring in the 1980s and 90s, he found new life on Twitter thanks to his often profane, sometimes vulgar, and always funny commentary on the world.

The Sheik, whose real name was Hossein Khosrow Ali Vaziri died on Tuesday. He was 81 years old.

While most know his professional wrestling career, his amateur career is no less impressive. He competed for Iran at the 1968 Olymipcs and served as a coach for the United States national team at the 1972 games.

Following the announcement of his death, many sports talk shows took time out to pay tribute. Pat McAfee called the Iron Sheik “one of the greatest heels of all time” before offering a moment of silence. In Boston, Felger & Mazz producer James Stewart took to the 98.5 The Sports Hub website to post a tribute.

On social media, tributes poured in from all over. It started in the wrestling world.

https://twitter.com/foleyispod/status/1666479859709739013?s=20
But the appeal of The Iron Sheik was far bigger than just professional wrestling. As an entertainer, Sheik had plenty of fans across the sports media. They came with their own tributes that included favorite memories and taunting The Iron Sheik’s bitter rival Hulk Hogan.

Mike Gallagher Mesmerized By Reach of ‘Tucker on Twitter’

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Mike Gallagher Mesmerized By Reach of ‘Tucker on Twitter’

Former Fox News host Tucker Carlson debuted his digital video program Tucker on Twitter Tuesday, and radio host Mike Gallagher shared his surprise at the reach of the program on the social media platform.

“He is back on Twitter. He had a scathing takedown of the mainstream media. More than 10 million people have viewed it already. It is unbelievable,” The Mike Gallagher Show host shared Wednesday. “He is going to reach more people on Twitter than he ever did with his TV show.”

Gallagher then played a clip of Carlson’s discussing the lack of reporting about where the money the US government has sent to Ukraine to fight the war against Russia has been allocated. Carlson said the media’s lack of interest in the story is disappointing, claiming “in journalism, curiosity is the gravest crime.”

“What a profound thing. Typical Tucker Carlson. In journalism, curiosity is the big crime. You are not allowed to be curious about COVID. We’re not allowed to ask about a vaccine. How dare you say anything about election integrity,” said Gallagher. “No, that is the greatest crime and you need to be shut down. You need to be shut down big time.”

Joel Klatt Launching Big Noon Conversations Podcast

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Joel Klatt Launching Big Noon Conversations Podcast

FOX Sports has announced the launch of a new interview-based series as college football season quickly approaches. The series, titled The Joel Klatt Show – “Big Noon Conversations” will feature lead college football analyst Joel Klatt and contain compelling and intuitive conversation about the sport.

The subset of The Joel Klatt Show: A College Football Podcast, will premiere on Monday, June 12 with an exclusive sitdown interview featuring Colorado football coach Deion Sanders. FOX will also carry Sanders’ first two games as the leader of the Buffaloes on Big Noon Saturday – first on Saturday, Sep. 2 on the road against TCU and then, one week later, in Boulder, Colo. against the University of Nebraska.

Other guests set to appear on the series include Ohio State football coach Ryan Day, Southeastern Conference commissioner Greg Sankey and UCLA football coach Chip Kelly. The endeavor is in collaboration with FOX Sports Podcasts, and a preview of the series was tweeted out by the podcast shortly after Wednesday’s announcement.

Klatt has worked at FOX Sports since 2013, concurrent with the launch of FS1, where he began as a studio analyst for college football coverage. In addition, he joined broadcasts as a game analyst on select Thursday night games and the 2014 Pac-12 Championship Game, while also hosting FOX NFL Kickoff.

Boomer and Gio Caller Explains Saudi Investment Realities vs. Media Narrative

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Boomer and Gio Caller Explains Saudi Investment Realities vs. Media Narrative

Following Tuesday’s news of the merger between the PGA Tour, DP World Tour and LIV Golf, jolting reactions of astonishment and betrayal pervaded the sports and media landscape. The entities are set to operate as one commercial company with a name to be determined in the coming future, marking a seminal moment in the history of golf. The agreement also ended litigation between the PGA Tour and LIV Golf, and gave the Saudi Public Investment Fund (PIF) ostensible purview regarding the evolution of the game.

Most players found out on Twitter, and even LIV Golf CEO Greg Norman was informed of the news shortly before its public announcement via a phone call. All of the eccentricities and nuance embedded in this type of situation has led sports fans to wonder whether this is just the metaphorical ‘tip of the iceberg’ for the PIF to expand its sphere of influence in the industry.

“I think it’s going to lead to the other sports doing the same thing,” Dennis, a caller on WFAN’s Boomer & Gio said. “If you have a league or commissioner – MLB; NBA; whatever it is – I think that they may do the same thing. Start their own league; get their own players on the backend or have a big name; give them these big contracts and kind of stir the pot for other leagues to do the same thing.”

The original source of indignation between the PGA and LIV Golf can be traced back to the launch of LIV Golf and its attempt to lure away players from the PGA Tour. The tour was successful in its mission, attracting stars such as Dustin Johnson and Phil Mickelson, and ultimately resulted in an unexpected, somewhat brash announcement of the agreement.

It has been a topic of discussion across sports media, but one that is perhaps more hyperbolic than it needs to be – at least according to another show caller who works on Wall Street.

This caller, named Mike, said that he visited Saudi Arabia and met with the Public Investment Fund, along with the fact that many businesses already have some presence or involvement with Saudi Arabia.

“The media makes it out to be a big deal, and I sort of look at it and say, ‘Everybody’s there. Everybody is there,’” Mike articulated. “This might get a lot of notoriety, but it’s a different thing.”

Mike divulged how golf was vulnerable to this kind of a transaction because all of its players are independent contractors who sign agreements with different tours to compete. Conversely, athletes in Major League Baseball, the NBA and the NHL are all under contract, and they could only be lured away through free agency or buyouts.

“The total adjustable market of players that could actually [be] picked off at any one time is basically 100% of all players [in golf],” he stated. “It’s much, much easier to pick off a large swath of players when nobody is really under contract.”

“That’s why we thought Kyrie Irving would be the perfect guy to lead the NBA over there because he’s a free agent right now and no one’s going to give him a supermax [contract],” co-host Boomer Esiason opined.

Despite the difficulties associated with the leagues being able to sign players affiliated with teams in contracts, show co-host Gregg Giannotti believes the affluent Saudi Public Investment Fund will try another way to carry out its mission. The entity simply has too many investors and is flush with cash; therefore, it may consider trying to own teams outright.

“I just don’t think that’s going to stop them,” Giannotti said of the composition of players available. “I know exactly what you’re saying, and it’s a great point and it was a very, very good call, but I still think they’re going to try.”

“I don’t see the NHL playing in Riyadh any time soon to try [and] get rid of the players’ escrow plan,” Esiason replied. “As much as Gary Bettman would love to do that and the players would love to do that, I don’t think hockey is the No. 1 thing over there.”

Esiason believes the PIF is more captivated by the allure of traditional events, such as horse racing, boxing and Formula 1 racing among others. He would not be surprised to hear about interest in acquiring a stake in some of them, an outcome that could aggravate geopolitical affairs because of the country’s human rights record.

“The hypocritical nature of what’s going on here, and all the things that had been said over the last year, and then, all of a sudden, after Jimmy Dunne reaches out to the Saudi investment fund… now everything changes,” Esiason said. “Oddly enough, he gets put on the PGA Tour’s board for policy.”

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