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National Voices Can Work For Local Clients

Jeff Caves
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National Voices Can Work For Local Clients

Selling personalities is one of the hottest trends in media today. Sure, most of the buzz is around social media influencers, but radio has long had a relationship with its audience based on personal connections between host and listener. And nobody has a better relationship with their audience than a sports radio host.

I am sure you are leveraging your local hosts by now. Live spots, testimonials, remotes, and promotions are all great tricks of the trade, as well as sponsored social media posts. But does your station carry syndicated shows? I am sure you do either from 7 pm-12 am Monday-Friday or on weekends.

In 2018, The Ticket in Boise, Idaho brought CBS Sports Radio host Damon Amendolara and his co-host, Shaun Morash, to town for a Boise State football game. Damon had just switched to mornings from evenings, and his show aired in Boise from 4 am-8 am Monday – Friday. His ratings were decent, but nothing that stood out considering the daypart. It was thought to be risky to sell him into sandwich shops, pizza places, appearances at local legend hangouts, and so forth.

Boise State head football coach and QB Bryan Harsin and Brett Rypien did a live shot on the show from the on-campus bookstore. At dark thirty. It all worked. DA and Morash were hits! Everywhere they went, lines and crowds awaited them and they hit spots in a two-county area.  The few days of appearances worked so well that DA is back in Boise three years later, this time for a week. Now, DA is doing his show from resort hotels 2.5 hours away, taking riverboat adventure fishing trips in Hell’s Canyon, craft beer tours for his sidekick Andrew Bogusch and hosting college football viewing parties at brewpubs. Every station that carries syndicated shows probably has a DA success story waiting to happen. 

Start by listening to the shows, know the benchmarks and quirks of the national personalities or call the affiliate rep and ask. Does the talent discuss their love of beer, BBQ, pizza, whatever? If they do, then go ahead and sell them to a local client. The national talent can do the spot and endorse your client. If it’s a product, send one to them. Figure out how to get them a pizza. If it’s a service, do a zoom call with the client and let them start a relationship. Include some social media elements with video. The video can be used in social media and can sit on the client’s website. Yours too!

If you want to bring the talent to town, do it for a big game, local event, or 4th of July parade, and the sponsors will follow. Run a promo during the talent’s daypart asking local sponsors to text in to reserve their promotional spot. Have the talent cut liners asking the same thing. Take the NFL Sunday morning host and sell a promo to a sports bar where the host zooms in to a table or room full of listeners, and they watch a portion of a game together. Or sell the same idea to a national chain and do an on-air contest for a listener to have a home watch party with the zoomed-in host complete with food and beverages from your sponsors sent to both locations. How about sending your #1 BBQ joint that handles mail orders and sends some food for the talent? They can videotape themselves reheating the BBQ and make some great Facebook and Instagram videos.  

Distance, like absence, can make the heart grow fonder. Try selling a nationally syndicated host inside your market. I promise you’ll like it. 

Did The Manningcast Work?

Andy Masur
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Did The Manningcast Work?

Is it a variety show? Is it a podcast?  The first of 10 scheduled Manning MegaCasts, hosted by Peyton and Eli Manning, on ESPN2 proved it was a little bit all of the above. It was almost like Beavis and Butthead meets Statler and Waldorf. It was fun to watch the Manning brothers poke fun at each other and at the same time, criticize some of the action they saw on the field. 

The show debuted as an alternative to the regular Monday Night Football broadcast and was met with rave reviews. To me, there was some great, some not so great, and definitely some room to grow. 

Raiders – Ravens: Peyton, Eli Manning on 'MNF' best moments
Courtesy: ESPN2

I love the concept, providing an alternative for those that would rather be entertained than tune into a traditional broadcast. Now, as a play-by-play broadcaster, it makes me pause to think about what the future may hold. There will always be a spot for a traditional broadcast, especially with viewers that have a rooting interest in the game. I’m not sure that hardcore fans of the Ravens and Raiders were tuned in for more than a passing glance. Those folks want to see the game, not the fluff or interviews and the like, offered on the alternative broadcast. That fluff though is what will earn ESPN those fringe viewers that are curious and intrigued by what a “ManningCast” might have to offer them. 

Sitting down to watch the game, I wasn’t really sure what to expect. I know that Peyton has a personality that in some cases is larger than life. I was pleasantly surprised to see what Eli brought to the table as well.  The guys played off each other well, each taking a turn to take a shot at the other. I’ll get into some of the best of those barbs a little later. 

Peyton is comfortable in front of the camera and has no trouble talking. That was the issue I had early in the game. The elder Manning really dominated the conversation. There were no times in the first few minutes of the first quarter that I felt I could take a breath because so much was coming at me. They really didn’t allow the game to breathe at all. The constant conversation while entertaining at times just kept on coming. Peyton was talking fast and once in a while he was talking over Eli. 

It didn’t help that the Manning’s were in different studios. I wondered if there was a “delay” in their feeds and if that was the reason for talking over one another at times. The delay was quite evident when Seahawks quarterback Russell Wilson joined the brothers for the later stages of the game. Wilson seemingly couldn’t get a word in, because Peyton and Eli were talking over him. 

Peyton has that quality to be able to teach the game in a way that it’s understandable. Some of his commentary was a look behind the curtain at how he played and viewed the game. Knowing what to expect when coming to the line of scrimmage, understanding the coverages and realizing what teams are trying to do to disguise things. It was fascinating to hear the brothers go through play calls and how it is relayed from the coordinator to the quarterback and finally to the team. You aren’t going to get that on a traditional game broadcast. 

It was also impressive to hear the guys interview both former players, current players and Charles Barkley. It so often is the case that the current athletes are very guarded in what they say to a regular ole member of the media. That was not the case in the Manning Cast. From Travis Kelce not knowing who the Chiefs were playing next, to Russell Wilson calling out the NFL overtime rule.  Ray Lewis was a fascinating guest, providing some great stories and terrific insight into the game he once played at such a high level. Charles Barkley, well, he’s Charles Barkley. In other words, he was as fantastic as you’d expect. 

The guests added to the broadcast and made me realize that if this Manningcast actually had a host, it wouldn’t have worked as well. A broadcaster would have gotten in the way to me. Yeah, they could have used a professional at times. Maybe someone to get them into and out of the commercial breaks, because that was a little rough early in the game. But that’s the only a host could have fit in. 

The first show was great, but as is the case most of the time, there is room to grow. I really think the Manning Cast would be so much better if the guys were actually in the same room. The dynamic between them, which was already great, would be that much better. Imagine them demonstrating plays on each other. Both putting on helmets and doing what they probably did as kids in their basement, roughing each other up.

Ok, so they’re a little older now, but I seriously think having them in the same place would make things much smoother. With all the technology out there, eliminating that dreaded delay between the Manning’s and their guests would improve the telecast as well. 

Monday Night Football With Peyton and Eli Manning on ESPN 2, reviewed.
Courtesy: ESPN2

This alternative broadcast would be a great place to teach some casual fans all about the great game of football. Not sure why this came to my mind, but like the old days of the NHL, when “Peter Puck” an animated hockey puck would teach you the game. “Peter” was part of the NBC game of the week broadcast. An animated Peyton and Eli teaching those that need to know the finer points of the game, would be spectacular. 

I can’t wait to see how they improve from last week to this week and who the guests will be this time around. Hopefully, they iron out some of the small issues that plagued them in the first telecast and continue to improve. I realize that this show is unscripted and it’s supposed to be a little looser than a normal show might be, but there are some slight fixes as I’ve pointed out that will make it even better.

With all the success the Manningcast had, I can’t help but wonder how all of these accolades are being taken by the regular MNF booth. ESPN in effect has promoted and created competition for its own product. Perhaps the novelty will wear off? Maybe, but it almost seems like the Manning’s are being groomed for a possible move to the main booth. I’m not sure what the feeling is amongst all the parties, but it’s certainly a dynamic worth watching. 

Here are some of my favorite moments from Manningcast show number one, in no particular order:

  • Derek Carr with an overthrow on the Raiders first play from scrimmage, leading Peyton to say about the Raiders season, “Lookin’ at ah 6-11, 6-11 right now.”
  • Raiders’ fans were loud during an offensive series leading to a bad snap and a few false start penalties, leading to this exchange: 

“They aren’t used to it”, said Eli Manning. Then Peyton responded, “Drink your beer, quiet down and let [Derek] Carr play quarterback.” 

  • Peyton putting on a football helmet to demonstrate the calls at the line for the Ravens. The helmet was way too small. “Helmet doesn’t fit”, Peyton said. “Shocking that a helmet doesn’t fit you”, Eli commented. “They didn’t have a XXL helmet for that forehead.”  
  • With Charles Barkley as a guest, Peyton asked him what position Michael Jordan would play if he were in the NFL, “Tight End”. Then Barkley was asked about Larry Bird playing a position, “there’s no place for no slow 6’10” guys in the NFL”, said Barkley.  

Eli: “Punter”

Charles: “that’s about it…”

  • Also, with Barkley on the show…

Peyton: “Hey Charles, you ever get booed at home? Never happened to you, right?” 

Barkley: “I played in Philadelphia, Pennsylvania. That was a regularity.” “You were lucky, Peyton. Everybody liked you. Eli knows what it’s like to get booed at home.”

Eli: “He had that stadium trained. The fans would get fined if they talked when the Colts were on offense. If a guy was trying to order a beer, everyone would tell him to quiet down until the defense was on the field.”

Eli’s fire alarm goes off in the middle of the show. 

Peyton: “Eli what’d you do?”

  • With Ray Lewis on the show, the trio recalled a game where the Giants played the Ravens in Eli’s rookie season as the starting QB. The younger Manning leading the team to the line of scrimmage, calling out the defense…

Eli: “Hey #52 (Lewis) is the Mike (linebacker)”

Lewis: “No, I’m not the mike. He’s the Mike!”

Eli: “Yeah Ray’s right, the other guy’s the Mike”

It was also revealed in that game in 2004, Eli had a quarterback rating of 0.0 and of course Peyton pointed out, “the same GPA Belushi had in ‘Animal House.’”

  • Chiefs tight end Travis Kelce on the Manningcast

Kelce: “[Watching this game] I’m not trying to get too technical because I think we’re playing the Chargers this week. Oh wait, maybe we’re playing Baltimore. I don’t even know — I’m getting lost in the season already.” 

  • Peyton about 5 minutes later: “Hey, Travis, just so you know, you do play the Ravens next week, so make sure you don’t fly to Los Angeles to play the Chargers.”

2022 BSM Summit Adds Pablo Torre, Joe Fortenbaugh, Kazeem Famuyide & John Jastremski

Jason Barrett
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2022 BSM Summit Adds Pablo Torre, Joe Fortenbaugh, Kazeem Famuyide & John Jastremski

The announcements continue for the 2022 BSM Summit. After recently sharing the news that former ESPN Radio executive Traug Keller would join us in the big apple to accept the Jeff Smulyan Award, and previously revealing the first fourteen participants scheduled to appear, it’s time to inform you of a few key talent who will participate in sessions at March’s show.

I’m thrilled to welcome ESPN’s Pablo Torre to the 2022 BSM Summit. Pablo’s been with the worldwide leader since 2012. During that time he’s served as a senior writer for ESPN.com, the host of the ESPN Daily podcast, and has appeared on shows such as Around The Horn, Highly Questionable, and The Dan Le Batard Show. He also previously co-hosted High Noon with Bomani Jones. Prior to joining ESPN he spent five years writing for Sports Illustrated. Having worked with a mixture of talent from various backgrounds, I’m looking forward to having him share his insight and opinions on the value of it at the show.

Pablo isn’t the only ESPN personality joining us in New York for the conference. I’m excited to welcome back a great friend and one of the smartest sports betting analysts on television, Joe Fortenbaugh. Joe is regularly featured on ESPN’s sports betting program Daily Wager. He also appears on other ESPN programs and segments on television, radio and digital platforms. Prior to joining the network he hosted 95.7 The Game’s morning show in San Francisco, and hosted “The Sharp 600″ sports betting podcast. He’ll moderate a conversation with sports betting executives at the show.

Given that this two-day sports media conference is taking place in the heart of New York City, it’d be silly to not include someone who’s passion, energy, sound, and content embody what New York is all about. The Ringer’s John Jastremski will make his BSM Summit debut in 2022. The ‘New York, New York’ host is known to many for his years of contributions on WFAN. It’ll be fun picking JJ’s brain on the differences between performing on a traditional platform and the digital stage.

Jastremski isn’t the only one with a connection to The Ringer who will participate at our 2022 event. My next guest is someone who I’ve followed on YouTube and Twitter for years, has infectious energy and likeability, and has taken his life experiences and sports passions and turned them into opportunities with MSG Network, SNY, The Ringer, Bleacher Report, WWE, The Source and various other outlets. Kazeem Famuyide will join us to shed light on his journey and offer his perspective on the value of traditional vs. non-traditional paths.

By the time March’s conference rolls around, we’ll have somewhere between 50-60 people announced to participate at the two day event. I’ll be announcing the addition of a very special executive in mid-October, as well as a few high profile speakers and awards recipients in the weeks and months ahead. I’m appreciative of so many expressing interest in speaking at the conference, and as much as I’d like to include everyone on stage, I can’t. Keeping the Summit informative, fresh and focused on the right issues is important, and to do that, I’ve got to introduce different people, perspectives and subjects so our attendees gain value to further improve the industry.

A reminder, the 2022 BSM Summit is strictly for members of the sports media industry and college students aspiring to work in the business. It brings together people from more than thirty different media companies and focuses on issues of relevance and importance to media industry professionals. The show takes place March 2-3, 2022 in New York at the Anne Bernstein Theater on West 50th Street. Tickets and hotel rooms can be secured by visiting BSMSummit.com. For those unable to attend in person, the Summit will also be available to view online. Virtual tickets can be purchased by clicking here. Hope you’ll join us!

What Can Radio Do To Save Sales Jobs?

Jeff Caves
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What Can Radio Do To Save Sales Jobs?

Are you to be trusted? Do you offer to help your clients or do you just sell them the latest packages right off the shelf? Do you take the time to learn enough about how somebody does their job so you can present solutions tailor-made for them? Are you emailing clients the latest “radio reaches everybody!” research that makes you look good and the rest of the media bad? 

Then we are part of the problem. And this problem may lead to the elimination of a good number of salespeople.

Radio Matters
Courtesy: RAB

When was the last time you met with an advertising agency executive beyond the buyers’ desk? They don’t want to see us and never have in general. Why? All we want to do is sell them.

We have lost trust, and without a radical turnaround, we will continue to do so. The 21-34-year-old buyers now have more information on how to buy your station without your input. Forrester Research predicted 1 million B2B salespeople would be out of work by 2020. They indicated that in 2017 BEFORE the pandemic. Plenty of buyers get by without face-to-face meetings with salespeople now.  It’s no wonder. We continue to show up with one-sided research, and radio management continues to push salespeople to ‘direct’ clients because they don’t use research and want personal relationships with us.

That day is coming to an end soon. Direct buyers read, watch, learn and listen to information on how to buy radio advertising from sources THEY consider neutral and honest. And then they get rates from you, and whatever bonus stuff they can get…maybe a free concert ticket. How long until they don’t need us for current rates? 

What is the solution for this decay in the relationship? Well, it may be too late as we are a tiny cog in the wheel of Business to Business sales reps. But, instead of paying salespeople to cold call and use pitch decks to show up and throw up, management needs to invest more long-term in salespeople. Re-train them on social media selling, using business development reps, and providing marketing support for the sales process. It would be better for broadcasters to lower their margins from 30% to 20% and have a future. Turn sales assistants into marketing reps. Use marketing that can answer why BUY, why buy NOW, and why buy from YOU. 

No One Else is Going to Do it All for You
Courtesy: Shutterstock

Eliminate office help for business development reps who do the cold calling and produce quality appointments. Hire salespeople who can sell but don’t have to cold call constantly, write copy, fill out orders, collect money, handle promotion details, and fill out pipeline reports. Get others to do that.

Radio needs to stop thinking about what and start partnering more with who. Salespeople cant do it all and they need more support. I would think even the top earners would be willing to part with 10% of their income for better support staff. The time is now, or radio will continue to see some of their brightest and best sales talent move to better-supported industries. 

Sports Radio Gears Up For The 2021 NFL Season

Derek Futterman
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Sports Radio Gears Up For The 2021 NFL Season

The 2021 NFL. season is set to kick off tonight when the defending Super Bowl champion Tampa Bay Buccaneers, led by quarterback Tom Brady, host “America’s Team,” the Dallas Cowboys, in the Sunshine State. Around the country, sports radio stations with and without team play-by-play rights are preparing for what is sure to be an unparalleled season, including the addition of a 17th game, and the threat COVID-19 imposes on teams, potentially subjecting them to forfeiting and/or canceling games if there is an outbreak of the deadly disease.

As teams return to the gridiron, they will have to judge their opponents, making adjustments during the game in order to put themselves in the best position to win. Similarly, sports radio, in a new digital age, will have to continue evolving so it fits consumption trends and technological innovations, all while remaining committed to best serving its listening audience.

“There’s a lot more information being distributed more quickly, and because of that, it creates a greater sense of immediacy in talking football on the radio,” said Raj Sharan, program director of 104.3 The Fan and ESPN Denver 1600. “Sports talk radio is live [and] local… [it] is really well-equipped to be in the moment. [We] can really help create that immediacy and intimacy with the listener.”

According to a recent Gallup poll, football is America’s most popular sport, with 37% of respondents choosing football when asked what was their favorite sport to watch. Keeping fans engaged with new content is something radio stations will strive to do as they set to embark upon a season full of uncertainty and ambivalence amid the global pandemic. Some of the ways stations intend to do this include introducing new programming and/or making existing programming accessible across a wider variety of platforms.

“We have a [Minnesota] Vikings-related show every day of the week,” said Chad Abbott, program director of KFAN Minneapolis, which holds the broadcast rights to the Minnesota Vikings. “This year, we have a podcast made for radio as opposed to a radio show made for podcasts [, and] it will feature a handful of different Vikings players throughout the season.”

In the District of Columbia, Washington Football Team Head Coach Ron Rivera is set to join The Sports Junkies on 106.7 The Fan as a weekly guest throughout the 2021 season. This valuable addition to the guest list should give fans unrivaled insight pertaining to the Washington Football Team, along with offering them perspective from a current NFL. head coach who is around the players for practices and during each game.

With football’s substantial popularity comes the ability to augment revenue, ratings and listener engagement ahead of the release of the fall ratings book. Program directors, such as Sharan, are cognizant of the book’s importance on determining the success of their radio stations, and value its numbers, along with growth across digital platforms.

“Every ratings book is important; that goes without saying,” expressed Sharhan. “Obviously the fall one is very special because football is very popular and it’s America’s number one sport. We count on this time of year financially because of how popular the sport is.”

Chris Kinard, operations manager at Audacy D.C. and the brand manager of the aforementioned 106.7 The Fan, in addition to 94.7 The Drive and The Team 980, the latter of which holds the broadcast rights to the Washington Football Team, carries a similar sentiment regarding the emphasis those across the industry put on fall ratings. He looks at a variety of numbers, both traditionally- and digitally-based, to get a broad sense of how the stations he manages are doing.

“In terms of measuring the audience, I think that’s a challenging thing right now,” said Kinard. “We do have more tools at our fingertips than we have ever had in terms of supplementing Nielsen data with streaming data, podcast downloads and website traffic. That helps give a better picture of how big of an impact the football season has on audience growth.”

While there are a handful of diehard football fans who will watch the games and engage with the teams on media platforms no matter how the season is going, some fans rapidly lose interest in football, even if their team is contending for that coveted Lombardi Trophy. While the NFL generally garners most of the sports headlines during this time of year, the NBA and NHL both begin in just a few weeks, and that, combined with the ongoing college football season and the imminent start of the MLB playoffs, sometimes cause the effects of this oversaturation of sports and ancillary content to be felt by sports radio stations.

“I think the NFL is the best sport for when teams are struggling because there is always a storyline that can be talked about during the week,” said Abbott. “My hope every year is that the team is as close to making the playoffs as they can by the end of the [fall ratings] book. Sometimes, it’s nicer to have a 9-7 team than a 14-1 team because you [then] don’t have the ability to live and die by each game.”

Unfortunately for Sharan, he’s had “about five years of practice” in covering a struggling football team. Ever since winning the Super Bowl in 2015, the Denver Broncos have failed to qualify for the NFL playoffs, finishing last or in second-to-last place in four of those five seasons. The key question for sports talk radio stations relates to keeping the audience intact throughout the entire season, even if the local team has a losing record and is quickly eliminated from playoff contention.

When radio stations hold the broadcast rights for a team, though, freely expressing critical opinions towards the team’s personnel and ownership is often seen as damaging to the partnership. The Denver Broncos currently broadcast their games on KOA NewsRadio, and for Sharan, he sees the prospect of obtaining the broadcast rights to the team, if it were hypothetically possible, as eschewing his station’s ability to be an extension of the fanbase.

“We’ve built our brand around personalities free to give their opinion without endangering any type of partnership,” said Sharan. “We view being a completely independent brand to where people can come to get unimpeded opinions as a positive. If we want to dig in on Broncos ownership and how that’s affected the issues going on, we can do that. If we want to hold a front office executive or coach accountable in a major way, we can do that. We don’t have the obligation that tends to come with those rights. I absolutely never want the broadcast rights [to] the Denver Broncos.”

For radio stations holding the broadcast rights to NFL teams, such as those managed by Kinard and Abbott though, they enter this season vulnerable to experience two scenarios; one of which will be a definitive occurrence, and the other which will be sought to be avoided entirely. The first is the addition of a 17th game to the NFL schedule, something that was officially added to the league schedule after the NFL and its player association inked a new collective bargaining agreement in March 2020.

As the first major change to the NFL schedule since the 1978 season, fans and broadcast affiliates alike are enthusiastic about the addition of another week of regular season football and content. From a program director’s perspective, though, there is more to be excited about than just the local team taking the field one extra time.

“Selfishly, it’s good for programmers,” Abbott elucidated. “It extends into the winter [ratings] book of the next calendar year, so this season will extend into the 2022 winter book. The idea of an extra game in January, which will obviously stretch the playoffs more, gives you a shot in the arm to stretch out the book.”

Concurrent with the seventeenth game, though, is the reality that all stakeholders — whether they be fans, broadcast partners, radio stations, or teams — would like to avoid: The threat of some scheduled games having to be canceled or forfeited because of the spread of the Delta variant (B.1.617.2) of SARS-CoV-2, the direct cause of the fast-spreading, more severe form of COVID-19. If cancelation or forfeiture of matchups occurs, sports radio stations will treat it like breaking news, adjusting on the fly to continue to produce relevant football-related content.

“We haven’t discussed in detail any type of contingency plan because, just like any other storyline, that becomes the thing we talk about,” said Kinard. “We’d approach that the same way we did last year when there were changes to the schedule; we talk about the effect of that, whether it is right or wrong, who is to blame [, etc.] This is a storyline.”

Entering the 102nd season of the National Football League, where, in many marketplaces, fans will be allowed to attend the games en masse for the first time since the onset of the pandemic, sports radio stations are committed to bringing their audiences extensive coverage of all the action on and off the field. In the process, they seek to improve and/or maintain ratings, generate more revenue and increase listener engagement.

“We know that during the football season we gain new listeners and clients, and we want to find ways to maintain them throughout the rest of the year,” expressed Abbott. “It’s a marketing tool for many radio stations; the challenge is maintaining listeners throughout the season.”

It is nearly time for kickoff, and sports radio stations will attempt to put themselves in the best position to score a touchdown this football season in a dynamic media landscape. The extra point, though, will surely come from fans being able to safely enjoy the games together again under diminished restrictions.

“We all had a very difficult last year-and-a-half and have looked towards September as a time where kids are going back to school, people are returning to the office, etc.,” said Kinard. “Football is back, and [with] all of those things combined, it should make for a great fall.”

Anatomy Of A Broadcaster: Rick Allen

Andy Masur
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Anatomy Of A Broadcaster: Rick Allen

In my “Anatomy of a Broadcaster” series, I’ve basically stuck to the Big 4 (Baseball, Basketball, Football and Hockey). I figured it was time to branch out a bit and tackle one of the more popular sports in America, NASCAR.

I have to admit, I’m not a huge racing fan, but many of you that read this column are, so let’s start our engines on this “Anatomy” by focusing on Rick Allen of NBC Sports. 

Allen fulfilling lifelong dream to call Verizon IndyCar Series race
Courtesy: NASCAR Illustrated

Allen grew up in Grand Island, Nebraska, and was an athlete in college. He was a walk-on for the University of Nebraska Track and Field team and was one of those great success stories. He wound up as a letter winner all four seasons, was a three-time All-American in the sport, winning two Big Eight Conference decathlon titles (1991–92). Not too shabby for a non-scholarship athlete. 

He received his bachelor’s degree of communications from the university. After graduation, he worked as a public address announcer for the University of Nebraska athletic department. He was heard on the PA system at Memorial Stadium, where the Cornhuskers football team played. This was a time where Nebraska dominated the football landscape and a 24-year-old Allen was in the spotlight, heard by hundreds of thousands of fans in the early to mid ’90s. His work at the school led him to racing. He was asked by a Nebraska Alum and donor to do the PA at a racetrack just purchased by the donor. Eagle Raceway is where it all started for Allen. 

ROAD TO NBC/NASCAR

Rick’s path to the booth was pretty unique. He never really intended to announce races when he was a student. But the opportunity afforded to him by the owner of the Eagle Raceway, set the tire rolling down the track for him. 

Allen recalled last year to a Nebraska TV station WOWT, “A NASCAR official came to me during my second year of announcing out there, and said send my demo tape in because FOX Sports and NBC Sports were taking over the broadcasts for NASCAR, and I didn’t know anything about NASCAR, so I didn’t send a tape in and about two weeks later they said hey you really need to send a tape in, they are interested,” said Allen.

From 2003 to mid-2014, Allen worked for Fox Sports, where his main duty was calling the NASCAR Camping World Truck Series and ARCA Racing Series on SPEED-TV and later Fox Sports 1. He occasionally covered Nationwide Series events as well.  

In December of 2013, it was announced that Allen would become the lead announcer for NASCAR on NBC starting in 2015. He actually started some work with NBC in 2014, hosting their daily studio show, NASCAR America while he was still at Fox. His last Truck Series race for Fox was in July of 2014. 

As part of the NBC family, Allen has been able to show his versatility as a broadcaster. He’s been called upon as a play-by-play announcer for the network’s coverage of USA Track and Field Indoor and Outdoor Championships. He also calls the Millrose Games, the Boston Marathon, and the World Indoor and Outdoor Track and Field Championships on NBC Sports. Makes sense since he was a three-time All-America in the sport, right? 

In the racing off-season, Allen calls Atlantic 10 Men’s Basketball games on the NBC family of networks.

WHY IS HE SO GOOD?

I had to do a little research to find out why Allen is so good at what he does. Viewing several of his races and learning about his path, it wasn’t hard to figure out why. Allen first and foremost is a student of the racing game. Never intending to be in the position he is now, he had to work to familiarize himself with the sport and learn along the way. Not just about NASCAR but how to broadcast it. 

During the same interview I referenced earlier with the Nebraska TV Station WOWT, he recalled a race in 2003. It was a NASCAR Truck Series race and it was a three-wide photo finish. Exciting right? I should point out that this race was held at the Daytona Motor Speedway. Allen, feeling all of the excitement in the air and of the finish he just saw, almost made a big gaffe. He told the station that he almost proclaimed Rick Crawford the winner of the Daytona 500. Nope. Wouldn’t have been true. So, when you listen back to the call of the actual result of the race, Allen says, “Rick Crawford wins the Daytona”, and after a pause of 5 seconds or so, “250”.  All good. 

The other thing that struck me by watching some races over the years is his very confident and upbeat style. He’s taken some criticism for what some perceive as him “yelling” all the time. I felt it was appropriate in almost every situation. See, he’s working with Dale Earnhardt Junior and Junior is always upbeat in the booth. Earnhardt the former driver himself, knows a lot about the sport and is one of the most hyped-up analysts around. As a play-by-play announcer, you have to try and match that energy. Matching it without sounding completely phony is a tough chore. Allen pulls it off. 

Not only is he high-energy, he’s accurate, smooth and has a very confident and commanding style. He’s in control of his broadcast and while that amped-up style may not be for everyone, to me the sport almost demands it. These are cars traveling around a track, bunched up, going over 200 miles an hour. It’s exciting just to watch what is happening and the sounds of the track are loud and the announcer has to be able to relay the excitement in his voice. The broadcast team also seems to really enjoy each other’s company. That’s important. 

The educational style of the broadcast is interesting as well. Not having grown up myself as a racing fan, I was drawn to how Allen explains things. Even the novice gains some education and I don’t think the rabid fans get offended by the simplistic nature of some of the commentary. 

In an interview with “i80 Sportsblog” Allen explained that’s all part of NBC’s approach to their NASCAR coverage. “If you didn’t grow up in racing and get introduced to the sport via your family, how would you ever get introduced? Our goal is to explain it in an easy, conversational way.”

NASCAR on NBC crew wants to point out all that is at stake in the Monster Energy playoffs
Courtesy: Hendrick Motorsports

Mission accomplished. 

5 Goals: Taylor Rooks

Ryan Glasspiegel
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5 Goals: Taylor Rooks

Taylor Rooks is a personality for Turner Sports and Bleacher Report. Here, in her own words, are her five goals:

1. I want to be an all-around interviewer.

What I mean by that is I want to reach a point where people don’t just know me as a sports interviewer, where people don’t say oh she interviews athletes and coaches and executives … I want people to see me as someone who has conversations with people who have something to say.

If that’s an athlete, great. If that’s a politician, great. If it’s an entertainer, great. If that’s just somebody who has an everyday job but they have something to say to the world, I want to be able to interview that person too. I want to speak to all people, not just a specific category of people.

A lot of that is on me reaching out to those people, and having a content vehicle that allows me to do that, but when I think of my favorite interviewers — Howard Stern, Oprah — their thing is they can talk to anyone. I want to do that.

Some people I want to interview: I got to interview Barack Obama, and that’s who I would’ve said. But, that was quick. I would love to have a long-form interview with him. Obviously, I’d have to throw in Michelle Obama as well. 

Mariah Carey, I know that’s a random one, but she’s just lived such an interesting, lavish life. I read her book, and there were some things she didn’t really touch. Obviously, in your book, you don’t touch on the things that you don’t want to talk about. I would love to interview her. 

Serena Williams, I know she’s obviously an athlete, but I’d love to interview her. Howard Stern is my favorite interviewer so I’d love to interview him. She’s unfortunately passed, but if I could interview anyone who is no longer with us I’d love to interview Princess Diana. And, Pam Oliver, who is a legend. Hopefully I can meet and later interview her. 

2. Create a foundation or initiative for women in sports.

At first, I wanted it to be just for Black and Brown women, and I might have a branch of it that’s for that, but then I wanted it to be for all women. Right now there’s this idea that women in sports don’t get along, or that it’s incredibly catty, or everyone is out to get the other. In some ways, that’s probably true, but I think the majority of women want to see other women in this field win. We understand that a win for one of us is a win for all of us.

I don’t think there’s enough focus on the culture that’s created this idea that women are catty or whatever the case may be, because I don’t believe that to be true. I think the more that we can get women in sports together, and there’s more of a sisterhood and deeper innate understanding of each other — the more we can do what we can to improve that culture and hopefully the people who have created that culture do what they can to improve it too.

Everybody is trying to work hard and get what’s owed to them. You always hear Well, women in sports, but you never say Men in sports. You never say This man is a power hungry person [or it’s at least not said in a negative way]. That’s a very unfair burden on the women to carry. I don’t like it. I think women that are entering into the space are conditioned to think that’s true, because they hear it so much. I would like to have something that dispels the one-sidedness of the rumor.

3. I want to travel more and fluently learn a second language.

Throughout the pandemic, I started doing Duolingo to learn Spanish. Americans are one of the few countries that only know one language. Almost every other country it’s almost a necessity that they know another language, even if that language is English. 

Ryan Shirts

I would just like to expand my horizons in terms of culture and language and understanding that America is only a small section of the world, but so many times we feel like we’re the center of everything. That just isn’t true. I want to learn a new language, travel more, get more in-tune with other places and cultures and get into things like soccer. I want to stop thinking of things from such an American point of view.

4. This is a lifelong goal, but I really want to be a mom.

I’ve really wanted to be a mom my entire life, and there’s something so beautiful about raising a life and having this human being that is born out of love that you have this number one job — the biggest job you’ll have in the world, which is to nurture and protect and love this human. I definitely want to be a mom.

I want to have like five kids. I probably should’ve started by now if that’s the case (laughing). I want to be a mom. That’s my number one goal above everything. 

5. I want to do more football.

Just being from Georgia, in the South, I grew up loving football. My dad played football. It was a football house. I love basketball — I love them both, but I just love football a little bit more. 

I’ve gotten kind of sucked into doing mainly NBA, which is great and has led to so many amazing experiences, but I just wish I had more of a hand in football. I would love to be able to do more of that. 

6. Bonus Goal: I would love to be a professor.

I want to teach journalism interviewing at the college level, just because I don’t love the way it is taught at universities. It’s taught in the way that the professors went through media, and media is so different now that I just think students would really benefit from having someone who came up in this new wave of journalism and social media and content creation. That’s the way it’s going.

It’s still obviously great to have these classes where everyone works as the producer one day, and the director, and the teleprompter. You go through all those things, and learn about investigative reporting. All that is so important. But that isn’t what a lot of young journalists want to do now, so being like a visiting professor at a school is something I would love to do one day.

Anatomy Of A Broadcaster: Michael Kay

Andy Masur
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Anatomy Of A Broadcaster: Michael Kay

Dreams do come true, just ask Yankees TV announcer Michael Kay. He grew up ten minutes from Yankee Stadium. He was a huge Yankees fan, so much so, that in Little League he’d wear number 1 for his favorite player, Bobby Murcer. Once he realized that a career as the Yankees’ first baseman wasn’t going to materialize, the dream turned to becoming a broadcaster for the team. To get there, Kay did all the school reports he could about the Yankees, so he could know all about them. Now many years later it’s his job to know all he can about the team. 

Sportsmedia column: Michael Kay braces for new world of MLB broadcasting
Courtesy: YES Network

Kay attended Fordham University and worked for the radio station WFUV, thinking it was the best place for him to pursue the dream. He was there with another guy that dreamed of a play-by-play career, Mike Breen, the voice of the NBA on ABC/ESPN. 

In 1992, the lifelong ambition became a reality as he joined John Sterling in the Yankees radio booth. He would spend a decade on radio, then transition to television with the advent of the YES Network. He became the main play-by-play guy for the network in 2002. So now, Kay is in his 30th year with the team as a broadcaster.  

ROAD TO YANKEES BOOTH

Kay started his professional career with the New York Post in 1982 as a general assignment writer. He had sports assignments from college basketball and the NBA, covering the New Jersey Nets. Kay worked himself up at the paper and received the Yankees’ beat writing assignment in 1987. 

In 1989, Kay left the Post for the Daily News, still covering the Yankees as his primary beat. Kay also served as the Madison Square Garden Network Yankee reporter starting in 1989. 

Kay left the Daily News to host a sports talk show on WABC in 1992, briefly returning to write “Kay’s Korner” for the Daily News in 1993, before taking the microphone job for radio broadcasts of New York Yankee games beside John Sterling. 

BUSY GUY

Kay manages to find time to do many things, aside from calling Yankees games. He hosts The Michael Kay Show weekdays from 2-6:30pm on ESPN Radio 98.7 FM and simulcast on the YES Network. The show started in 2002, the same year he started as the voice of the Yankees on TV. 

The show is now co-hosted by Don La Greca and Peter Rosenberg. Kay and La Greca have been paired on ESPN New York since 2002, with the duo working to build a successful sports radio show in a tough market over the course of two decades. Rosenberg, the show’s third voice, joined in 2015.

In March TMKS moved up an hour to give Kay more time with the New York audience. But that means an extra hour away from preparing for that night’s Yankees game. Kay will look through his Yankees notes and other things to get ready for the game, during long commercial blocks on his radio show. If there is a game to call, Kay will leave the radio show anywhere from 5:45 to 6pm, with co-hosts La Greca and Rosenberg left to close out the show. 

He’s also the host of CenterStage on the YES Network. He interviews some of the biggest names in sports, entertainment and politics for the last two decades. Kay has even collected some of his favorite moments from on and off camera into a book “CenterStage: My Most Fascinating Interviews – From A-Rod to Jay-Z.”

CenterStage | Book by Michael Kay | Official Publisher Page | Simon & Schuster

I’m not entirely sure how Kay manages this schedule. I know that the first time I was asked to host an hour-long pregame show before a game broadcast, the feeling in my stomach was not good. How could I do this show and get ready for a game that night? It meant getting to the ballpark earlier, using time between segments wisely and then getting some good exercise. I’d have to maneuver through the crowd from the home studio down the left field line, to the broadcast booth behind home plate. Stressful. 

My point is, for Kay to be able to call a Yankees game, after having been on the air already for 3-4 hours is something to marvel at. I’m sure he would tell you that a lot of the prep work comes from some of the topics on his show. He’s likely already up on the latest information regarding the Yankees and he’s pretty versed by then about what is happening elsewhere in the world of sports. Still, I admire his ability to be as busy as he is and still be sharp on his play-by-play. 

WHAT MAKES HIM SO GOOD

There is a conversational style by Kay that sets him apart from others. He doesn’t have that “typical” broadcasting voice, but that isn’t necessarily a bad thing. He seems to speak to Yankees fans as a Yankees fan. Make sense? I mean he’s rooting for the team and he’s not pleased when they aren’t doing well. You can tune into a Yankees telecast and before you even see the score, you can tell by his tone, who’s winning and who’s not. Kay is a true hometown broadcaster and people in New York crave that. He’s happy when the viewer is obviously happy, and not when they aren’t. 

Having a highly rated sports talk show helps with that delivery. Hosts are supposed to have that conversational, passionate and easy to listen to style. You talk with your audience as opposed to talking “at” them. Sports talk hosts want to build that relationship with an audience, making them feel like the host is one of them so to speak. This holds true with a baseball announcer trying to develop that same relationship. Kay truly is one of them and while his style may not work for others, it definitely works for him. 

Kay is a throwback of sorts as well. There aren’t too many true “homers” left in booths across the country. Yes, broadcasters of local teams, scream and yell more when their team is doing well, but if their local 9 isn’t playing well, choosing the right words can be challenging. Not too many announcers have free reign to criticize their own club. Gone are the days of Harry Caray and Marty Brennaman who would frequently call out their own team and its players for a variety of things. Both had built up so much equity with the teams and fan base they were free to do and say what they wanted.  

Kay isn’t afraid to call it like he sees it, even if that means blasting the Yankees, an individual player or the opposing team. He sees it as being honest with the viewer/listener. As he told the “Sports Media with Richard Deitsch” podcast, Kay doesn’t think there is anybody more critical of the team they broadcast than he is and he credits the Yankees for allowing him to do that.

“The reason I can do it is that the Yankees never say a word because they realize the value of honesty. If you are going to tell people the food stinks, then they are going to believe you when they tell you the food is great. There are so many people around the country that are blowing smoke constantly and I guess that’s what the fanbase wants. I don’t think that would play in New York. I think honesty plays in New York.” 

CRITICIZING AND BEING CRITICIZED 

In his 30-year career, Kay has done his share of criticizing. In April he went off on the Yankees for using an “opener”, Nick Nelson, in a critical game against the Rays. 

“You’re the best-looking guy at the party. Don’t try to be the smartest. Why couldn’t they start Michael King? Why were they getting cute by starting Nick Nelson, who gave up two runs and they never looked back? Why? Why were you doing that? In your organization, you don’t have another starter? It’s almost the same thing as what you did in the Division Series. You started Deivi Garcia and brought in J.A. Happ. Don’t try to outsmart the Rays!”

So, when you criticize you open yourself up for it to come back to you. He’s had back-and-forth run-ins with players on his own team, like Clint Frazier. Most recently as a result of commentary on his talk show, he’s gone toe-to-toe with Mets’ pitcher Marcus Stroman.

The funny thing is Kay claims he has thin skin. Again, speaking on the “Sports Media with Richard Deitsch” podcast he admitted to such. His inclination is to fight back, but sometimes it’s not the best way to go about it. 

Courtesy: ESPN Images

“People that criticize people do not like to be criticized. My skin is so thin, it is translucent. If I mess up a call and you say wow, Michael messed up a call. Bring it, I deserve it. When you say stuff just the way I do stuff or something that rubs you the wrong way, it bothers me. I don’t understand the meanness of it.” Kay told the podcast.

CAREER HIGHLIGHTS/CALLS

Working for an organization like the Yankees lends itself to a broadcaster having some memorable calls. This is true in the case of Kay, who got to watch Derek Jeter, Bernie Williams, Mariano Rivera, Tino Martinez, Mark Teixeira, Jason Giambi, Jorge Posada, Aaron Judge and even Alex Rodriguez play many baseball games. One of Kay’s most memorable came in 2011. 

Derek Jeter’s 3000th hit came on a home run, July 9, 2011:

“The 3-2, that one’s drilled to deep left field, going back Joyce, looking up, See ya! 3000! History with an exclamation point! Oh, what a way to join the 3000-hit club! Derek Jeter has done it, in grand style!” 

If you’ve ever wondered, where his home run call, “see ya!” came from, well in 2018 he joined the Dan Patrick Show and explained the origin:

“I got this job 27 years ago, and at the time I was dating a young lady who, when she would get out of the car at the end of a date, she would say ‘see ya, wouldn’t want to be ya!’ And I said, ‘you know, I’m going to hijack that as my home-run call. So, I’ve been doing it since the very beginning of when I got the job in 1992.”

File:Michael Kay.jpg - Wikipedia

CONCLUSION

Kay is a multimedia superstar in New York and just keeps on going. His uniqueness is in his ability to juggle a top-rated talk show and call games for one of the iconic franchises in sports history is amazing to me. To actually be able to do BOTH jobs at such a high level sets him apart. Kay has carved out his own style and it works for both him and Yankees fans alike. 

Traug Keller Named 2022 Recipient of the Jeff Smulyan Award

Jason Barrett
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Sometimes decisions are difficult. Other times they’re not. This was one of the easiest ones I’ve made since launching the BSM Summit in 2018.

If you haven’t attended the Summit before, one of the cool parts of the conference each year is that we take time to honor people who have left a permanent mark on the industry we love. Awards ceremonies are held both days to recognize difference makers who have made positive contributions to the sports radio business. At our 2022 BSM Summit, I am pleased to share that a great man will be celebrated for his life’s work.

It is my honor to announce that former SVP of ESPN Audio and President of ABC Networks Traug Keller has been chosen as our 2022 recipient of the Jeff Smulyan Award. Keller becomes the third industry executive to earn the honor. Kraig Kitchin and Dan Mason were the first two to be recognized at the 2019 and 2020 BSM Summit’s.

Upon learning that Traug had been selected as the next Jeff Smulyan Award winner, Emmis Communications CEO Jeff Smulyan said, “Traug Keller has left an indelible imprint on not only sports radio, but on all of broadcasting through his remarkable career. I’m proud to call him my friend, but I’m just one of the legions of people who have loved every minute of their time with him. He’s a broadcaster’s broadcaster, but more than that he’s one of the best people I’ve ever known.”

“I am humbled for sure but thrilled to be receiving an award with the name of my good friend on it, Jeff Smulyan,” added Traug Keller, now the EVP and COO of American Media. “Jeff did what all too few leaders in business do, he took risk and action against all kinds of headwinds and the rest of us in the great business of Sports Audio were the beneficiaries of it. Thanks to BSM for this great honor and I look forward to seeing a bunch of old friends in March!”

Anyone who has crossed paths with Traug over the past three decades knows how important he was to the success of ESPN Radio. He’s been a friend to many, a great partner to hundreds of radio affiliates, and a champion for talent. His support for BSM has also meant a lot.

Perhaps even more impressive was Traug’s ability to connect with his affiliates, clients and colleagues, offering steady leadership and on-air stability for ESPN Radio. No executive leaves with a perfect record, but Keller had a knack for landing on the right side of many decisions. None as impressive though as retiring from sports radio in February 2020, one month before the sports world came to a screeching halt and a global pandemic rocked the entire advertising industry. Talk about timing Traug, haha.

In all seriousness, having Traug and Jeff together on the same stage in front of the industry to give folks an opportunity to show their appreciation for their accomplishments is a real treat. So many enjoy professional success today due to bold and smart decisions made by each of these men, and I couldn’t be happier to spend time with both in New York City this March.

For tickets, hotel and additional details regarding the 2022 BSM Summit visit BSMSummit.com.

Mitch Rosen Named Director of Operations of BetQL Network

BSM Staff
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Mitch Rosen Named Director of Operations of BetQL Network

Mitch Rosen certainly likes to stay busy. The longtime programmer has led 670 The Score in Chicago to countless successes since joining the brand in 2005. In 2019, he added programming duties for 1250 The Fan in Milwaukee. Now, he’s taking on another role.

Audacy has named Rosen it’s Director of Operations for the BetQL Network. The move was actually announced two weeks ago in an internal memo sent out by Audacy VP of Sports Matthew Volk. In the note, Rosen was recognized for his help in planning, operating and executing the network. BetQL is presently carried in twelve markets, but much more is expected in the near future.

Rosen’s steady hand and interest in the sports betting space makes him a natural fit to guide the company’s growing sports betting audio product. If anyone can manage three quality brands successfully it’s Rosen. Having a trusted and talented on-air and behind the scenes team in both Chicago and Milwaukee certainly makes the task much easier.

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