“A-B-C. A, always. B, be. C, closing. Always be closing. ALWAYS BE CLOSING!”
A great line from a great movie. If this is the first time you are hearing of it, please stop what you’re doing, immediately, and go watch “Glengarry Glen Ross,” a must-see for anyone in any kind of sales.
The best sellers I know in sports media live by this. They are only happy when they are closing business and growing their own personal portfolio. The thrill of the sale and money are their passions and what drives them.
For sales managers though, it’s more like “A-B-H. A, always. B, be. H, hiring. Always be hiring. ALWAYS BE HIRING!”
Simply put, you are only as good as the people around you and the higher you are on the totem pole, the more it rings true.
One of the biggest mistakes I made as a young manager was to only look for employees when one was needed. As I now know, that is the worst time to be looking for someone, as that’s when you’re more likely to make a bad hire, since you’re more desperate to get the job filled.
The first time I managed a region, I learned this the hard way. I was working for Simmons Media Group, who was putting a lot of ESPN stations on the air at the time, and I was running a station on the Missouri side and one on the Illinois side. The company was in the process of building a station in Memphis and since I had previous experience there, I was asked to take that market on as well.
After an exhaustive search for staff in Memphis, I finally felt comfortable with where things were and began the process of figuring out a travel routine and how best to manage everyone. The last thing I was thinking about was interviewing more people.
Then, about sixty days in, I had to replace an Operations Director in one market and a Sales Manager in the other – all in the same week. Had just one of those things happened, the first move would have been simple – I would step in and be able to hold things together while I searched for a replacement. This time, I was one person, and the markets were separated by four hours down highway 55. I couldn’t be in both places at once.
Not having any candidates for either position set off a spiral that took me months to get out of. Scrambling to do interviews, followed by making bad hires just to get positions filled, followed by starting the process over again when the replacements didn’t work out.
It’s like a depth chart in football. It’s not quite “next man up,” like we hear all the time from coaches, but it is at least having some people in mind, or that you’ve spoken with, who may be interested in a future position. I always want that to come from within, but unfortunately, there are just times when that’s not an option.
Today, as noted in a previous column, I am “always hiring great sales talent.” I make sure I block out, at minimum, two interview days per month. I simply assume, just like with advertisers, there will be attrition on the team. I no longer want to be caught in a situation where the first time I am posting or interviewing for a job is after the previous person has departed.
Having the right people on your team is incredibly crucial and, often, it’s the difference between the Cadillac Eldorado and the set of steak knives.
To say that the inside of a sports media office is similar to the inside of a locker room would be a fair comparison. The language among colleagues can be colorful, egos get easily bruised, competitive juices are constantly flowing, clicks get formed behind the scenes, and if you operate in a place where other brands exist that don’t create sports programming, you may receive a few nasty looks, hear a couple of whispers and maybe even earn a call from the HR department. Inside these operations there are a lot of locker room programmers who question the company’s programming choices and feel they deserve to be consulted before anything gets added to their employer’s airwaves.
It’s one thing when individuals become jealous of each other over timeslots and paychecks or if passionate people debate and argue about various sports opinions, but the one line that should never be crossed is getting personal. The second you explore that territory, future conversations and relationships are terminated. Depending on your words and the people involved, it can even lead to physical assault. As important as sports, money, and an individual’s career might be, when you attack someone on a personal level, it rarely ends well.
On Monday night I saw Sam Ponder’s tweets about Barstool Sports and came away with the opinion that most people had, she wasn’t a fan of ESPN (her employer) adding Barstool’s personalities to the network’s programming schedule. Some questioned why the network allowed Ponder to criticize their newest partner when they’ve taken others like Bill Simmons and Tony Kornheiser to task for comments made about other network shows and anchors. To many on the outside, it seemed once again to be a case of double standards and inconsistency.
As I processed Ponder’s criticisms I wondered why she was so worked up over a few distasteful tweets from the past, especially over a weekly show that was set to air on the network at 1am ET on a Tuesday night. Once I dug in deeper though, I began to understand why.
I’ll be the first to admit, I was late to the Barstool party. When the brand first began to pick up steam a few years ago it seemed like a product built for the college crowd. Given that I was in my late-30’s at the time, I wasn’t their target audience. The content appeared to be a mixture of funny, juvenile, mindless, tasteless, and offensive, but clearly it had connected with the younger demographic.
In recent years, the company has maintained its original attitude while adding better programming. Along the way, they’ve created a major impact in the social space, becoming a great study for media brands when trying to understand social engagement. They’ve also dominated the iTunes charts with the “Pardon My Take” podcast, a program which is highly entertaining and features exceptional chemistry between Big Cat and PFT Commenter, plus the company has hired other opinionated and colorful personalities such as Dallas Braden, Michael Rappaport, and Pat McAfee. Not everything Barstool does is classy or tasteful but their batting average has been much better than it was a few years ago.
However, when you rewind back to 2014 and take a listen to the rant Dave Portnoy and Dan “Big Cat” Katz went on about Sam Ponder, it’s understandable why someone like Ponder would have a long memory and take issue with ESPN giving Barstool a larger platform. What Katz and Portnoy said about Ponder is indefensible, slanderous, and offensive and there’s no way to justify to any individual inside ESPN (who isn’t a fan of Barstool) why this is a good business decision if those type of personal attacks are going to be permitted, even if the content originates on another platform. That doesn’t mean Barstool’s staff isn’t entitled to feel or express those views, but by doing so, it can jeopardize their ability to extend professional relationships with companies like ESPN.
To ESPN’s credit, their management released a statement denouncing Barstool’s previous rant. ESPN EVP of programming Burke Magnus stated, “The comments about Sam Ponder were offensive and inappropriate, and we understand her reaction. She is a valued colleague and doing a great job for us. As stated previously, we do not control the content of Barstool Sports. We are doing a show with Big Cat and PFT, and we do have final say on the content of that show.”
But that begs another question, why would ESPN work with a group that allows and encourages taking aim at its employees?
Whether you’re a fan of Ponder or not, she was elevated to replace Chris Berman on Sunday NFL Countdown so clearly the network values her contributions. The company also received complaints from other personalities who were turned off by the rumored partnership and still decided it was a worthwhile endeavor. Ponder doesn’t have a voice in the company’s programming decisions, nor should she, but ESPN should be taking into consideration the feelings of their employees before entering into business with groups who create an immediate divide in the locker room.
Ask yourself this, would you invite someone into your home who punched your father in the face and called your mother a whore? Would you give access to your bank account to someone with a history of stealing money? Would a team sign a player with a history of sharing personal and private information about coaches and teammates? That’s essentially what ESPN did in this case as seen thru the eyes of professionals like Ponder and others. To expect her or other colleagues with similar feelings to stay silent would be foolish.
I can’t fault anyone at ESPN who considers it painful, embarrassing, and confusing for their employer to team up with a company that has taken aim at them on a personal level, but let’s also be clear about one key thing – not everyone inside ESPN has a problem with Barstool. Scott Van Pelt and Ryen Russillo have shown themselves to be fans of the brand, inviting members of the company to join them on radio and television, and new addition Katie Nolan has appeared on the brand’s programming as well.
Although I can understand Ponder’s disappointment and frustration with ESPN entering into business with Barstool, there’s a reason for it. Dave Portnoy and Erika Nardini have done a tremendous job growing Barstool Sports. It may not be your cup of tea but if you don’t think Barstool has seized an opening in the sports media landscape then you haven’t been paying attention. Some consider it low-brow entertainment but usually those who feel that way are mature fans above the age of 40. Like it or not, Barstool has tapped into the younger generation of sports fans in a deeper way than even ESPN has, similar to how Donald Trump has struck a nerve with supporters and critics alike. Keep in mind, they’ve created their success without full fledged support from radio, (SiriusXM eventually signed on) television, and print.
The interesting part of this conversation is whether or not Barstool is ready to become a bigger mainstream act. To do so, they’ll likely have to modify the type of content they’ve created which hardcore fans will deem “selling out”. But to secure bigger partnerships with brands like ESPN, FOX Sports, the NFL, MLB or major advertisers, it’s going to be nearly impossible to do that when personal shots are taken at others who you’re entering into business with.
Do you think ESPN is going to advance its relationship with the Barstool brand if that type of behavior continues? How do you think those high level conversations will go if the targets become Mike Greenberg, Stephen A. Smith or Michelle Beadle? Better yet, what if Bob Iger, John Skipper or Connor Schell were viciously attacked verbally the way Samantha Ponder was by Barstool? If you think Roger Goodell, Adam Silver or Rob Manfred are going to sign off on allowing NFL, NBA or MLB brands to align with a company that personally attacks them, guess again.
I understand that Barstool’s platform is independent of ESPN, and the network has no control over what happens on it, but it does have the final say in who it chooses to work with and feature on its radio and television stations and websites and social media platforms. Would The Undefeated hire and promote a writer who has an independent website and racist agenda? Hell no. Nor would it be wise of the company to ask their other employees to accept someone as a partner who represents the opposite of their personal and professional values.
This story will be fascinating to follow because Barstool has built its identity by being aggressive, unfiltered, unapologetic and sophomoric and that strategy has worked to perfection. Say what you want about Dave Portnoy’s approach, but he’s created real, edgy, funny, disturbing and emotionally moving content that dedicated fans don’t turn away from. The reason they’ve been a hit with their audience is because of their anti-establishment persona and a willingness to fight the system and stay true to themselves. There’s no better example of that then how Portnoy responded after Ponder put the company on blast on Twitter.
It may offend some but Barstool’s formula has proven to be successful without ESPN. To reach the next level though, where both parties can feel comfortable working together and advancing each other’s professional agendas, it’s going to require change. The two parties may intend to pursue marriage but divorce will follow quickly if the personal shots I heard fired in 2014 continue in 2017 and beyond, even if they’re taking place on independent platforms.
I don’t know if this is the best marriage for ESPN or Barstool, but I do understand why they need each other. Should the relationship reach the point where it gets extended down the line, there will be a lot of internal conflict and the rumblings you heard this week from Samantha Ponder will sound like church noise compared to future conversations.
The question Bristol executives must ask themselves is, is the price of future success worth it if it means having to sell your soul? Barstool has one to answer themselves, is playing nice with corporate America aka the establishment, worth it if it means having to adjust your identity? Each company has to look in the mirror, determine if they’re happy with what they see, and prepare themselves for surgery because their appearance will be altered the second they agree to extend this business relationship.
In the meantime, for those on the outside watching it all unfold, enjoy your popcorn.
The 12th episode of Season 2 features a conversation with Charlotte sports radio morning host Chris McClain. Over the course of thirty two minutes, “Mac” as he’s known by his audience, shares his thoughts on being drawn to sports radio at the age of 11 by listening to WIP and WFAN and arguing with and getting hung up on by local hosts, transitioning to a new city, working with the same producer for over a decade, the importance of calls, the goal when conducting interviews, hosting a sports radio show in the summer in a market with no major league baseball team, how he navigates social issues, plus the early days of his career which included sharing space in the same building with Craig Carton, Scott Kaplan and Sid Rosenberg.
Also, in this week’s 5 in 5, Jason offers his opinions on Entercom choosing WEEI over 98.5 The Sports Hub, Shan and RJ’s interview with Dallas Cowboys owner Jerry Jones, Bill Simmons’ column on ESPN, Barstool Sports being put on blast for their legal language in contracts, and the NFL’s ratings decline.
SUBJECTS COVERED WITH CHRIS MCCLAIN:
Taking a liking to sports radio as an 11-year old in York, PA
Getting started in broadcasting at Towson University
Landing his first job in Florida at CBS Sportsline
Moving into local radio in Jacksonville and getting fired
How WFNZ has changed since he joined the station 13 years ago
Keeping a 13-year relationship fresh and productive with a producer
Hosting mornings with Jim Celania and what he learned from him
Working for a PD (Tony DiGiacomo) who rose up the ranks internally
Separating personal fandom from what’s professionally beneficial
Choosing what to feature when the Hornets and college hoops are hot
How NASCAR content in Charlotte has been reduced in recent years
The battle of creating content in the summer without interest in MLB
Deciding on whether or not to dive into social issues on his show
What his daily routine consists of as a morning talk show host
Featuring callers but also adapting to include texts and tweets
Conducting interviews and what his goal is with each guest
The most difficult part of hosting a sports radio morning show
Quick Hits: Cam Newton, Charlotte host, Strength/Weakness, Final goal
Former NFL defensive back turned national sports media personality Eric Davis has increased his role on ESPN Los Angeles 710AM. Davis joins former NFL player Marcellus Wiley and Kelvin Washington on the renamed afternoon show “Marcellus, Kelvin and E.D“, hosting weekday afternoons from 3p-7p PT.
Since moving to Los Angeles, Davis has been a fixture on television. He’s been a regular contributor for FOX Sports 1 and previously hosted and served as an analyst for the NFL Network, NBC Sports Bay Area and KPIX. In addition to working on television, Davis has contributed on radio to ESPN LA 710’s Rams pre and postgame shows, and prior to moving to Los Angeles, he co-hosted afternoons in San Francisco on 95.7 The Game, and served as the lead analyst on San Francisco 49ers radio broadcasts.
Davis’ expanded role with 710 will not impact his involvement on FS1 or his contributions to Rams pre and postgame shows.
I assume a lot of us in sports media sales start our day’s the same way – by perusing industry news. I get daily emails from the RAB, Radio Ink and Talkers. I will typically click over to InsideRadio.com, as well, and we all know Jason Barrett will keep our in-boxes full, with all the latest happenings in sports radio.
Most days there is at least one tidbit I keep for a future sales meeting, or something I will email out to my team before they get their day started. Plus, I always like to see which of my former co-workers is on the move to the company they said they would never work for.
This week, the first article I read was a piece by Beau Philips titled “How to Unsuck Radio, in 10 Easy Steps.” (http://tinyurl.com/y7kz3z94). The first line of the article caught my attention as it asked a question every radio station manager should ask themselves often: “Is your radio station great, or just good enough?”
The premise of the article is that if you are striving to be great, you won’t settle for good and that broadcasters have a tendency to play it safe rather than take risks. A list then follows of ten things the author suggests radio does in order to be great.
It didn’t take long for me to realize it was an article that applies less to sports radio/spoken word than other formats. Listed first was “cut the clutter – start by reducing your spot load.” Translated – here sales team, make do with less.
Despite what you may have been told, spot loads and sponsorship interruptions are not the problem with our format – and I can prove it to you. What would you say if I told you there was a show doing 50 minute segments!? Or if I told you there was a show doing 12 to 15-minute commercial breaks at a time!? What if I also told you that despite not have a ratings success story, the show is typically near sell-out, at a high rate!?
I wouldn’t believe it either if I hadn’t seen it with my own eyes and heard it with my own ears, but I have. I referenced my time at KFNS in last week’s column and this week I want to tell you about The Morning After, which currently airs weekdays on the station in morning drive. To put it simply, the show breaks a lot of the “standard” rules of radio and they get away with it. Why? Because the content is so good, the listeners don’t care.
They don’t take regular breaks. They don’t stop good interviews because the clock says they have to. They don’t overly limit their inventory. They don’t do Mike Greenberg-esque teases. And it doesn’t matter. Advertisers fight to get in the show because the audience is super loyal. Everything is sponsored in the show: hours, segments, features, you name it. If the audience is dying to hear the content, they will sit through just about anything from a sponsorship standpoint. It all works because the programming itself is so well done that it overcomes any tactical shortcomings.
I have previously mentioned that if you’re in sports media sales and you make a pitch that isn’t bought, chances are it wasn’t a good enough idea. The same holds true on the programming side. It’s about the content. I realize the importance of all the intricacies of programming, but in the end, it simply comes down to the content. Great, compelling content can overcome a lot and have advertisers clamoring to be involved.
A lot can be learned from a show such as The Morning After, one that is willing to take risks, and in doing so, is proving that content really is king and is the only thing that can take you from good enough to great.
The Vegas Stats and Information Network is the brainchild of Brian Musburger. On the 11th episode of Season 2 of the BSM Podcast, Brian shares how the network was born, what the first year in business has been like, how he convinced Brent Musburger to join the upstart company and leave ESPN, where he sees opportunities for future growth, the length of commitments the network has received from SiriusXM and the South Point Casino, how the NFL squashed a potential television partnership, why other broadcast groups will get deeper involved in the sports betting content space and much more.
Jason also tackles the 5 in 5 by offering his thoughts on the split between Mitchy Levy and Sports Radio 950 KJR, a strong summer ratings period for sports radio brands, Michelle Beadle’s comments about white males on ESPN, FS1’s aggressive marketing campaign aimed at the New York Knicks and Mike Missanelli’s views on female play by play announcers on NFL games.
AREAS OF CONVERSATION WITH BRIAN MUSBURGER:
When he got the idea to start a sports radio betting network
Why he believed the network could be a business success
The initial steps that had to be taken to build VSIN
Convincing Brent Musburger to join and leave ESPN
The commitment length he asked Brent to give to VSIN
His satisfaction with the network’s current crop of talent
Whether he’d consider airing shows in other cities and casinos
What the length of commitment is between VSIN and SiriusXM
Trying to measure the network’s audience growth and impact
Future aspirations for putting VSIN content on television
How satisfied the South Point Casino is with the partnership
South Point’s measurement of the effectiveness of the relationship
Overcoming the stigma of shady handicappers and bad companies
Future possibilities with Brent on television as a betting expert
Why more audio providers will add sports betting content
Tough lessons and challenging decisions as a startup company
The plan to expand the network’s awareness via marketing
Quick Hits: Best PXP, Legalization, Interesting client, Most trusted expert
Earlier this week, BSM reported that Mitch Levy’s stint at Sports Radio KJR in Seattle was likely to come to an end. Today, the radio station and Levy announced an end to their 23-year relationship. The situation was created as a result of Levy being arrested during a prostitution sting in August. He had been off the air since the incident.
Levy addressed the matter on Twitter, taking full responsibility for his actions. In addition to posting the statement below, he sent out the same comments via a series of tweets thanking the station, his staff and colleagues, and everyone who has listened to and supported him over the past two plus decades.
Sports Radio KJR also provided the following announcement on social media Friday evening to inform their listeners and advertisers of the station’s plans moving forward.
It’s an unfortunate end to to a relationship which lasted more than two decades and proved to be personally and professionally fulfilling for both Levy and KJR. Given the circumstances though, it was probably best for both sides to move forward in different directions.
No word yet on what projects Levy plans to invest his time in to rebuild his image or if he’ll resurface locally or elsewhere in radio. KJR plans to continue with Dick Fain, Matt Mikolas, Hugh Millen and Mike Holmgren filling in during morning drive. Whether that becomes the permanent plan in mornings for 2018 and beyond remains to be seen.
A few years ago, I added the words “always hiring great sales talent” to my LinkedIn profile. Since that time, I have had exactly two people reach out and say they were looking for a job. Two.
I am guessing there isn’t a single sales manager out there that isn’t “always hiring great sales talent,” but where is all the talent?
When I first started in radio, I watched an incredible transformation happen. I was working for KFNS in St. Louis when a local ownership group took over the heritage sports station. The first order of business was to bring in almost an entirely new sales team.
I watched as a group of men in their 20’s came through the doors. Even though I hadn’t been in the business very long, I had been around long enough to know that 50% of them probably wouldn’t be around in six months. I immediately started to try and pick out which ones might make it in my head.
What I saw over the next couple of years, however, was remarkable. These guys not only worked their tails off to drive a ton of new business, but they were doing it while being required to raise rates substantially on a station with little to no ratings.
These guys were competitive, they were motivated by money and success and they did what was expected of them (well, most of the time anyway!). The manager used to have meetings at 7:30 in the morning and the sellers had to sign in and sign out throughout the day. They had very little sales collateral and even less help from the programming team.
None of it phased them. They were determined to make it, determined to make it fun, and mostly determined to give themselves raises. There was no secret formula besides following the playbook (see last week’s column) and just good ol’ fashioned hard work.
Not only did a few of those guys make it, but a few others came along and did as well. To this day, the ones that I have kept up with are still doing great things and, I am sure, owe a lot of their success to working as hard as they did at the very beginning.
So, where is the next group of great sports radio sellers going to come from? I know this is a question a lot of sales managers ask themselves often. I think about it all the time. I am constantly looking, and rarely finding, people willing to put in what the group at KFNS did twenty years ago.
As I have said many times, what we do is very hard. In fact, when I interview people, I am always sure to tell them how hard of a job it is. I don’t ever want them to be able to come back and say I didn’t tell them how hard it would be.
But it’s still a great career. If you have the work ethic and are self-disciplined enough, you can do very well financially (and remember, you won’t ever have to ask for a raise!). If you like to help people solve problems and be creative, it is incredibly rewarding and fulfilling. For me, it’s the passion you can have for what you are selling. You can like selling insurance, but you can love selling sports media.
Yes, help is very much wanted and needed. If you’re interested, I am always hiring great sales talent!
98.5 The Sports Hub announced today that Judd Sirott has been named the new radio play-by-play voice of the Boston Bruins. The Sports Hub, which serves as the official flagship station of the Bruins, will pair Sirott and analyst Bob Beers effective immediately.
“We are very excited to have someone with the exceptional reputation and experience that Judd has, join our team at The Sports Hub and call the Boston Bruins games on the radio,” said Mike Thomas, Vice President of Programming, CBS Radio Boston & Vice President, Sports Programming, CBS Radio.
“I didn’t just hit the lottery, I hit the Powerball,” said Sirott. “An Original Six team; a spectacular hockey market; one of the world’s greatest cities; a terrific partner to work with in Bob Beers; and a fabulous station to be a part of. I am incredibly fortunate, privileged and humbled to be the radio voice of the Boston Bruins on 98.5 The Sports Hub. As the saying goes, ‘Success has a thousand fathers’, I’ve probably had double that. There are so many people to thank, in particular, Mike Thomas, Mark Hannon, Rick Radzik and Howie Sylvester with CBS Radio Boston, as well as The Jacobs Family; Cam Neely; and Matt Chmura with the Bruins. I’d also like to thank the Chicago Blackhawks and WGN where I spent 10 terrific years. My family and I can’t wait to move to Boston.”
Since 2008, Sirott has worked as a host and fill in play-by-play announcer for the Chicago Blackhawks on WGN AM in Chicago. He has called NHL games nationally for HDNet (now AXS TV) and the NHL Network, and served as play-by-play voice for the Chicago Wolves of the American Hockey League for twelve seasons. In addition, Sirott spent six years with the Chicago Cubs broadcast team as a host and play-by-play announcer while with WGN.
The 10th episode of Season 2 features a 50+ minute conversation with St. Louis sports radio host Bernie Miklasz. The longtime writer and current morning man for 101 ESPN reflects on his multimedia career and discusses his views on a number of topics related to the current state of the radio and print industries.
Jason also bypasses the 5 in 5 this week to focus on the big story involving the media’s coverage of the national anthem protests and how they’re affecting sports radio, television, print and social media.
SUBJECTS DISCUSSED WITH BERNIE MIKLASZ:
When he first discovered he wanted to pursue sports media
His first job as a High School sports editor and photographer
Landing an opportunity at the Baltimore News-American
Changes in media but old school principles that remain
The challenge of writing on a deadline and excelling at it
Why it’s important to be more than one dimensional
What the early days of St. Louis sports radio was like
Staying at 1380 over KFNS and how it ended up paying off
His initial hesitation of going to work for Jason at 101 ESPN
The balance of introducing calls and whether a co-host matters
What he looks for out of a producer and his role in their careers
Losing the Rams but not missing a beat as a radio station
How the losses of Bryan Burwell and Joe Strass affected him
Earning the respect as a host of the industry’s top programmers
Navigating a programming clock and the pros and cons of it
Quick Hits: Advice for writing, Best/Worst of JB, Best STL host
