As the BSM Podcast enters double digits, Jason Barrett ponders if the Embrace Debate mantra is as troubling as many claim it is. Jason explains how many people are tuning in for opinion driven programs and why much of the negativity stems from fake social media outrage, piling on and limited exposure to the content. He also shares why a lack of interest in these shows should have little to zero impact on watching other programs on the same networks.
For this week’s sports media conversation, we connect with SB Nation Radio/ESPN Houston host Sean Salisbury. Sean drops in to explain the challenge of transitioning from the field to broadcasting, reaching the highest of highs and the lowest of lows during his twelve year run with ESPN, earning a new lease on life in the media business in Houston, what fans can expect from his new TV simulcast on beIN Sports, political talk in sports, the media’s role in Terrell Owens’ HOF snub, and the challenges facing Tony Romo.
TOPICS COVERED WITH SEAN SALISBURY
The start of his broadcasting career and how it happened
What he cherishes and appreciates the most from his 12-year run at ESPN
Explaining what Tony Romo is up against at CBS and how to overcome it
The media’s role and influence on Terrell Owens being left out of the H.O.F.
How low he got after losing his opportunity at ESPN and how he overcame it
Landing in Houston as a host for SB Nation Radio and ESPN Houston 97.5
Why he chose to stay in Houston when an opportunity came up in San Francisco
How he prepares and stays involved working with two different show units
A description of his radio program and what is involved with the TV simulcast
Weaving in political conversation and when it does/doesn’t make sense on a show
Quick Hits – The Benchwarmers, on-air with John Clayton, state of ESPN, player advice
Sharing a ratings story that involves two great sports stations in a major market where audiences are passionate for the format is a lot of fun. It serves as a reminder that although bragging rights are up for grabs between the two brands involved, their combined abilities to captivate local male audiences aged 25-54, leaves the rest of the market’s radio stations envious and wishing it had sports radio’s winning formula.
In the latest winter book in Chicago, both ESPN 1000 and 670 The Score had reason to celebrate. If the noise was a little louder inside 1000’s offices, there’s a perfectly good explanation for it. The station finished #1 overall during David Kaplan and Waddle and Silvy’s shows. It was Kaplan’s first time enjoying the top spot for an entire quarter. Waddle and Silvy on the other hand have been on fire, leading all of the market’s sports talk programs in the ratings for seven straight months.
Not to be ignored, Carmen and Jurko also delivered big for 1000, coming in 5th. Just twelve months ago the show was ranked 11th, which shows significant growth year to year. The station’s lone spot where it didn’t win head to head against The Score was in mornings where Mike and Mike came in 9th.
Meanwhile for The Score, Mully and Hanley continued their winning ways in AM drive, registering a 5th place finish. The popular local duo have consistently won the morning matchup against their national counterparts.
In middays and afternoons, both Spiegel and Parkins and Bernstein and Goff came in 7th, six positions away from 1000’s programs. This was the first ratings book for both Score shows. They were added to the weekday lineup in January following the retirement of longtime personality Terry Boers.
In sizing up the key demographic battles, ESPN 1000 earned wins against their local rival by placing 3rd M-F 6a-7p and 6th M-SU 6a-Mid. The Score was 6th M-F 6a-7p and 7th M-SU 6a-Mid.
Although it’s certainly a great time to be inside the hallways at ESPN 1000, The Score stands to benefit from Chicago Cubs baseball being back on its airwaves. That should help the station increase its cume next quarter and provide a few additional samples of the station’s new weekday shows.
On the other hand, ESPN 1000 may be faced with a play-by-play disadvantage, but they’ve demonstrated to local fans that their lineup is dynamic. Exceptional talent and content stands out, and the results so far show that listeners are supportive of their approach.
One thing to keep an eye on is how 1000’s recent decision to switch Kaplan to 9a-12p and Carmen and Jurko to 12p-2p affects the radio station going forward. There’s no reason to expect anything but continued success, and a highly competitive battle between two great sports radio brands, but when meters are involved, it’s anybody’s ballgame.
Until next quarter, may the best brand win, and the audience continue to be satisfied.
When you’ve been the dominant player in your business, and one of the world’s largest and most successful companies, it’s easy to become complacent and fall in love with your own press. Who could blame you? Profits are soaring, customer satisfaction is high, and the world has an affinity for what you provide.
But what happens when the world begins to change, and your company is forced to play under a different set of rules? All of a sudden, the things you’ve done for the past century are now placed under a microscope, and failure to respond properly could have a crippling effect on your next century of productivity, if you even last that long.
This is what Coca-Cola was faced with in recent years, and their story of reinventing themselves and turning their attention to the “Way Forward” is impressive. You’ll learn by the end of this piece how it relates to the sports media world you presently operate in.
Since 1886, people have enjoyed soft drinks and recognized Coke as a global leader in the beverage business. Brand awareness and company growth have been strong, and although Pepsi has been a formidable foe, the carbonated soft drink market has belonged to the original soda giant.
So what happened that forced Coke to change its business model or risk becoming less necessary to its customers?
Society demanded it.
In 2015, soda sales declined for the 11th straight year, reaching a thirty year low according to Beverage Digest. People started becoming more health conscious and focused on their diets, often replacing soda with healthier drinks. As interest in eliminating soda grew, beverage companies found themselves at a crossroads.
Sensing that adjustments were critical, Coke revised its business strategy and focused on becoming a ‘total beverage company’. As part of the company’s new plan of attack, they’d begin offering different types of soda, and increase their offerings to dairy, coffee, juices, water, coconut water and organic tea.
The timing couldn’t have been better. As sales for soda increased slowly at 2-3%, other brands under the Coke umbrella such as Smartwater, Minute Maid, Dasani and Honest Tea, began to generate stronger results. That gave Coke the confidence to pledge further support to its new vision, and announce that the company would reduce sugar in more than 500 of its drinks in 2017, while investing additional resources in marketing low and no sugar beverages.
Although Coke isn’t out of the woods yet, transformation takes time and often comes with a few bumps and bruises. The reason I brought their story to your attention is because it relates to what many of us in the media business are facing today.
When you look at the world and how your audience uses your brand, it’s much different than what you encountered 5-10 years ago. To put it in perspective, our audio/video is what soda has been to Coke. But, just as the public began pushing back on the soft drink giant to reduce sugar and help them enjoy drinks in a healthier way, our listeners and viewers have challenged us to make their experiences better, shorter, cleaner, and cheaper across multiple platforms.
From an audio standpoint, the listener wants to enjoy our content in their car, on their phones, thru voice on-demand technology, and in shorter doses. Why are podcasts appealing? Because a person can listen to them at their convenience, and be done with an entire episode in a short period of time. They’re also not forced to sit thru exorbitant commercial breaks and they can locate the content they value most and eliminate parts of the show that have less relevance.
While that presents difficulties for a traditional model which has relied on 14-16 minutes of inventory per hour, that’s the industry’s problem to solve, not the audience’s. You don’t need to do an extensive study to discover that people value their time, and if you overload them with commercials, they will tune you out and find a different audio experience to invest their time in. There are thousands of content options available and although the listener may prefer your brand, personality and content, they won’t sit thru long stretches of irrelevant material to get it.
From a viewer’s standpoint, people are cutting the cord and pushing back on cable companies because they are fed up paying for programming that they don’t value or spend their time watching. It may have been acceptable twenty years ago to have hundreds of channels available for $100 per month, but people now prefer less choice for less money.
On an average, consumers have access to 206 television channels, yet they watch only 20 per month. This is why there has been rapid growth for services from Netflix, Hulu, Sling TV, Amazon Prime, and YouTube TV. While cable companies have continued to push TV services as if they’re carbonated sodas to an audience which has told them they are actively pursuing a diet, digital media providers have offered a smaller amount of channels for a much lower monthly fee. These products aren’t perfect and still lack many of the channels we spend our time viewing, but when bills can be reduced by 50-80%, it gets the public’s attention, and eventually their business.
A huge bright spot in all of this is that the appetite for audio and video remains alive and well. People love sports audio and video and continue to seek it out, talk about it, and pay for it. The content each brand and personality creates has significant audience appeal and is the most important asset each company has at their disposal to leverage future business. The way people listen, watch, and interact may change, but gifted personalities offering unique content on subjects that captivate local and national audiences still packs one hell of a punch.
This is why I’ve been such an advocate for selling total reach over ratings. Radio and/or TV is only one part of your success story. Most dominant brands have a strong connection with their fans beyond the airwaves, and every single platform where the audience invests time with you, is an opportunity to connect them to your advertisers. Clients may request evidence before agreeing to invest in your company, but if you can deliver a consistent return on their investment, they’ll care less in the future about your market share and more about your ability to help them move product and increase sales. Whether it comes from your airwaves, the stream, a podcast, Facebook Live, TV or a social media post, all that matters is the final result.
In a perfect world, we’d still be selling soda and enjoying the benefits it provided during a less sophisticated time. But when your audience’s thirst for your product dries up, you either offer an alternative beverage or risk becoming replaceable. As Coke said it best, show people “The Way Forward”. That’s the challenge media companies must meet head on and conquer in order to stay strong in future years.
One of the real joys of my occupation is when I stumble onto a piece of content that I know will provide a great education for every single person making a living in the sports media industry. Today I’m thrilled to share one of those examples with you.
If you’re a talk show host, producer, anchor, reporter, salesperson, program director or market manager, and you haven’t yet watched Bill Belichick’s interview on CNBC, stop reading this column, and click on it right now. You’ll thank me for it later.
For those of you who have seen it, continue reading to get a better understanding of how many of Bill’s views on life, leadership, and competition relate to the world of sports media.
Stand For Something – Every successful company, brand, and individual occupies a unique position in the mind of the audience. Understand what it is that makes you special, deliver that message consistently across all of your platforms, and demonstrate thru your actions why it matters and is part of who you are.
Preparation – Inside the Patriots locker room hangs a sign “Every Battle Is Won Before The Battle Is Fought”. Simply put, it’s easier to win when you already know what to do. Before you present your content to an audience, pitch your brand to an advertiser or introduce a strategy to generate ratings and knock off your competition, you must first have a game plan and solid evidence to support your convictions. The better you know your team, product, opponent, and the challenges you’re facing, and the more your people understand the goal, process, and methods of how to win, the easier it becomes to succeed.
Focus On The Moment – It would’ve been easy for the Patriots to point fingers, second guess decisions, and become rattled after Atlanta dominated them in the first half of Super Bowl 51. Instead, Bill Belichick and his team stayed the course. They remained upbeat, focused on the next play and kept on working. In radio, this is no different than investing your energy in your next segment. Worrying about your signal limitations, the competition’s advantages or the lack of meters in your market is beyond your control. What you do control is delivering great content. When you execute consistently, you give yourself a chance to win. Those who do benefit from a little bit of luck along the way, just as the Patriots did when Julian Edelman made that miraculous catch in the 4th quarter.
Game of Adjustments – In sports, teams prepare in advance, and have an idea of what they want to accomplish when the game begins. But when the unexpected occurs, adjustments are required. Those who adapt best often emerge victorious. The same is true in radio. A host and producer may enter the studio with a great rundown, but the second breaking news happens or a guest doesn’t show up, it’s how you respond that determines if the show moves smoothly or gets derailed. Programmers can set a vision that’s sure to deliver ratings, salespeople can create presentations which are guaranteed to impress clients, and marketing director’s can develop promotions which will get the whole city talking, but the second things change, you’ve got to adjust. How you respond determines if you’ll win or lose.
Winning Is The Goal – You can enjoy your occupation and build relationships with those around you, but never forget what the ultimate team goal is. The team/company added you to the organization because they valued a skill you possess. It’s why they’re depositing funds into your bank account each pay period. Radio and sports are very competitive and when you fail they can be downright cruel. Whether it’s making your budget or delivering ratings, never lose sight of your responsibilities and the contributions that the team is counting on you to produce.
Remember Why You Do It – As you grow as a sports media professional, you learn about different aspects of the business that you never imaged being part of your job description. Whether it’s taking part in an endorsement pitch, talking to the media, helping a local charity raise funds, conducting focus groups or dissecting ratings and local meter use, these are areas of our profession that become part of what we do once we’re involved in it. But the reason we chose to chase our dreams and work in this industry is because we loved sports and the platform radio provided in allowing us to share our passion and love for it with others. It’s OK to tackle new challenges and move away from a microphone. And yes there will be days when you feel like you’re going thru the motions and doing a job that isn’t that important. But whether you see it at the time or not, your brand has great value and a special connection to everyone listening on the outside. Don’t lose sight of how powerful that connection is and what it once meant to you. After all, it’s the reason why you’re now working on the inside.
Develop Your Style – While we pursue our own paths and strive to create a unique identity, we’re also influenced by many people along the way. The best performers and teachers in the world take a little bit from everyone and find a way to make it their own. Study others who you respect, enjoy and are inspired by, and find out what makes certain areas of their game special. There’s nothing wrong with using a winning formula and adding your own personal touch.
Learn From Each Experience – While you’re pursuing world domination as a host or executive, you’ll likely first go thru a number of situations that aren’t as glamorous. Although you won’t see it immediately, these lessons will come in handy further down the line. Every little bit you absorb will make you more well rounded and better equipped to handle bigger challenges when you finally ascend to greater heights.
Take Chances – You’re going to introduce topics, features and guests that go over like a lead balloon. You’ll create promotions, sales, events, and team functions that you swear can’t miss but leave you with egg on your face. No matter how many times you get knocked down, get back up and keep swinging. Great hitters make an out 70% of the time. Michael Jordan missed 50.3% of the shots he took. If you’re afraid to fail, you will. Be creative, be fearless and trust your instincts. The wins you enjoy will be that much sweeter.
Define and Defend Your Principles – Every leader and individual has fundamental beliefs that they will not waver from. This is important in growing relationships, maintaining a winning culture and keeping people focused. If rules get broken and aren’t addressed, it’s only a matter of time until anarchy ensues. Be clear and concise on what you expect, repeat the message frequently so it’s understood, and if people violate your trust and infect the group, be prepared to act swiftly and firmly. The way you respond will have a lasting impact on those around you and will speak volumes about your integrity and leadership.
Eliminate Distractions – The job you’re doing is hard enough. When you allow outside influencers and public criticisms to seep into your head, it can become overwhelming. Although those things can be difficult to ignore, they offer little benefit to your career. If you execute your duties to the best of your abilities, deliver the results you’re accountable for, and maintain a strong professional relationship with your boss, you’ll never have to wonder where you stand, even when the outside noise gets louder.
You Get What You Earn – Jealousy and frustration exists in many buildings. Often it’s due to employees feeling that different rules exist for different team members. The reality is that there will be cases where some individuals receive longer leashes than others. Why you ask? Because they’ve earned it. When you perform consistently and help a company make money, you’re going to receive benefits that others may not. Rather than complaining about your lower position on the importance ladder, do something to change it. When leaders know they can count on you, and business increases because of your efforts, it’s amazing how much more rope you’re afforded.
Dependability, Consistency and Coachability – Great talent are always in demand. Those with a passion to improve and who deliver on a daily basis though are what many leaders classify as special. We’ve seen thousands of examples in sports of players who had a ton of talent but never maximized their full potential. In radio it’s similar. If you have skill and can be relied upon to produce, are open minded to hearing feedback, and are willing to put in the work to make improvements, you’ll have a lot of bosses going to bat to add or keep you on their teams.
It’s a Relationship Business – You can be the most talented host, executive or salesperson on Planet Earth but if you fail to possess any meaningful relationships the rest of the world may never know. One of the keys to working in the sports media business is fostering relationships. They come in very handy when all things are equal between two candidates pursuing an opportunity and one has an existing relationship or acquaintance with the hiring manager. If the only time you reach out to an executive is when they have a job posting, you’re setting yourself up for failure. Get to know people when there’s nothing at stake except friendship, education, and conversation, and you’ll be pleasantly surprised when it comes around full circle.
Celebrate Your Success – The quest for perfection is endless, and the victories you enjoy along the way become forgotten when the next day’s challenge arises. Which is why it’s critical to acknowledge your wins and celebrate them with your team when they happen. If the Patriots can take a few hours to pour and sip champagne after winning a title, and laugh, cry and act silly with their friends, family and teammates, so too should those who are busting their tails inside of a radio station each day to help their companies succeed. If there’s no team togetherness after wins, and little recognition beyond an internal email, success becomes hollow and less important. Take a few hours to appreciate the obstacle you’ve overcome, and the people who’ve helped you do it, and they’ll be helping you enjoy many more special moments in the future.
Condolences go out to the family of former Cleveland sports radio host Kendall Lewis. The “BSK” (short for Big Sports Kahuna) as he was known, passed away according to a family member. No word on the cause of his death.
Lewis was a fixture on the Cleveland sports radio airwaves in the 2000’s on ESPN 850 WKNR. He also hosted national shows on ESPN Radio and spent a brief time working in Memphis alongside Jon Madani.
“I’m not sure he liked being paired with me at first,” former WKNR partner Greg Brinda told NBC 3 WKYC in Cleveland. “There was tension and we really went after each other. But over time it really mellowed out and we got to know one another. We were two completely different people, but we developed chemistry. As time went on, we could show up in the studio without having had any discussion and know exactly what we wanted to talk about and how we would handle a topic.”
“There was a time here in Cleveland when we weren’t obsessed with the NFL Draft,” current ESPN 850 WKNR Program Director Aaron Goldhammer told NBC. “He knew more about the players than anyone in this area and was at the forefront of doing mock drafts. Now everyone does mocks, big boards, and such, but Kendall was way ahead of his time.”
Funeral arrangements for Lewis are currently being organized.
According to the Las Vegas Review Journal, Lotus Broadcasting, the sports radio market leader in Southern Nevada, is expected to become the brand new radio home for the Las Vegas Golden Knights, the market’s new NHL franchise. An official announcement is expected later today.
Lotus currently serves as the flagship station for UNLV men’s basketball and football, and Las Vegas 51’s minor league baseball. The company was chosen over CBS Radio and Beasley Broadcasting due to its ability to help the new NHL team reach the entire region. Lotus operates 10 radio signals in the market, and six of them feature some form of English or Spanish sports radio programming.
As part of the arrangement, the Golden Knights will be heard locally on Fox Sports Radio 98.9 FM and 1340 AM. There will also be no pre-empting of the broadcasts. Reports say that the team also plans to broadcast its games in Spanish on Lotus’ ESPN Deportes 1460 AM.
The English and Spanish broadcast teams for the Knights have not yet been decided.
On the 9th episode of the BSM Podcast, Barrett Sports Media President Jason Barrett examines the way FOX Sports Radio has improved its lineup over the past 4 years and explains why local stations with network affiliations could leave ESPN Radio for FSR in the future if things remain in their current form.
Also, FSR’s newest acquisition Doug Gottlieb, fresh off of a five year run with CBS Sports after a successful stint at ESPN, stops by to discuss his decision to jump to FOX Sports, the emotional difficulty of going thru the process of pursuing the Oklahoma State basketball head coaching vacancy, how he’ll remember his time at CBS, what he thinks of the narrative being written about ESPN, plus a whole lot more.
TOPICS EXPLORED WITH DOUG GOTTLIEB
Why he’s comfortable and excited about his new opportunity with FS1 and FSR
A debate over Colin Cowherd’s comments about FOX’s location helping it vs. ESPN
What FOX Sports 1 and FOX Sports Radio are doing well and where they can improve
Why Richard Deitsch’s reporting in Sports Illustrated doesn’t sit well with Doug
Reflecting on his time at CBS Sports and why he considers it a missed opportunity
What Doug feels about the current narrative being written about ESPN and ESPN Radio
How he’s grown as a boadcaster on radio and television during the past decade
His previous challenges with focus and trust and how he’s improved in recent years
What Tony Romo is going thru and how Doug would advise him to approach the job
The emotional roller coaster he went on talking to Oklahoma State after signing with FOX
Quick Hits – coaching or sports media, best host, the end of Mike and Mike, #1 influence
Andy Gresh is returning to Providence. The accomplished sports talk show host who has been co-hosting afternoons in Hartford alongside Joe D’Ambrosio on WTIC, in addition to working weekends for the CBS Sports Radio Network, has signed on with Cumulus Media’s WPRO-AM. As part of his new role, Gresh will host weeknights from 6p-9p ET on the station.
Andy’s new program The Gresh Show will debut on Monday April 17th. His role on the CBS Sports Network remains unchanged.
During the course of Gresh’s career he’s enjoyed stints with WFAN, ESPN Radio, Sirius XM’s Mad Dog Sports Radio and WPRO’s sister station 790 The Score. He was also part of the launch of 98.5 The Sports Hub in Boston where he worked alongside Scott Zolak and enjoyed huge ratings success from 2010 to 2015.
Aside from having market familiarity, Gresh is well versed in discussing Rhode Island sports and the region’s top teams, the Red Sox, Patriots, Bruins and Celtics. It’s been a heavy focus on his programs during multiple stops and he’s also been a member of the New England Patriots radio network, and a television contributor in the New England region on CSNNE. Adding to his local credibility is the fact that he graduated from the University of Rhode Island and was a starting offensive lineman on the URI football team.
“I’m excited to come back to where it all started for me 20 years ago. It’s time to turn nights at WPRO on its ear and let Rhode Island take back its sports talk,” said Gresh.
WPRO Program Director Tony Mascaro added, “This market has waited almost 10 years to bring back local sports to the airwaves. I am so thrilled to welcome Andy home. The combination of our heritage talk team and The Gresh Show with sports at night and his unique style will give Rhode Islanders that perfect mix of local talk and local sports.”
For more information on WPRO visit their website by clicking here.
The media can be a tough crowd. Never was that more clear than when the news broke that Tony Romo was retiring and heading straight to the broadcast booth to become the lead analyst for The NFL on CBS.
Given the immediate overreactions, you’d think the former Cowboys quarterback committed grand theft or physical assault. But before you write Romo off and cry foul on CBS for undercutting Simms, pump the brakes.
I recognize that Romo hasn’t worked one television broadcast. It’s true he’ll have all eyes watching him like a hawk and waiting for him to stumble. And yes there will be immediate comparisons made to Simms, who was a staple of the CBS broadcast for nearly twenty years. But despite those less than convenient circumstances, I have confidence that Romo will settle into his new role just fine.
Why am I optimistic?
Have we forgotten that NFL television booths are made up of former players who at one point didn’t know the first thing about the broadcasting business? I realize some of us in the media want to make this job sound harder than it is but it is possible for a former player to learn how to adjust to different cameras, change his facial expressions, and insert comedic lines and timely analysis and opinion during a three hour broadcast. The last time I checked, Jon Gruden didn’t venture into a small market to learn the ropes of the television business. Instead he was thrust quickly into ESPN’s Monday Night Football programming, and judging from the results, ‘Chucky’ has done just fine.
The same can be said of Simms, Troy Aikman, and most of the remaining NFL analysts who work on network broadcasts. Maybe they weren’t thrust immediately onto the #1 broadcast team but if someone is good enough to be on the 2nd or 3rd team handling an analyst role, then let’s not act like this is the equivalent of advancing from cashier to Chief Financial Officer.
As I read numerous articles, tweets and Facebook posts about how poorly Romo would do, how unqualified he was, and why CBS was on the verge of going down like a plane without two wings, I couldn’t help but chuckle. Broadcasting a football game on television can be taught. This isn’t brain surgery or being tasked with creating algorithms. I’m not suggesting that anyone on the planet can enter a booth and be successful, but if an athlete knows the game, has an ability to speak well, looks good on camera, is familiar to the audience, and is willing to work on his craft seven days per week to be great on game day, just as they did during their playing career, they’ll be fine.
In mentioning those qualities, let’s analyze how they apply to Romo.
First, an analyst must have an ability to speak well. Judging from Tony’s interviews over the years, the way he conducts himself before and after games during press conferences, not to mention his numerous appearances in commercials and other unrelated media roles, he undoubtedly possesses that skill.
Next, they must look good on camera. In case you forgot, Romo has dated Carrie Underwood and Jessica Simpson, and is married now to Candice Crawford. Although I’m sure they enjoyed the bragging rights of being involved with the starting quarterback of the Dallas Cowboys, there had to be some visual attraction involved too to gain the attention of some of those beautiful women. Romo flashes a great smile on camera, presents himself in a classy and charming manner, and has shown that he has a good sense of humor. His ability to pass the eye test shouldn’t be a problem.
That then brings us to the understanding of the game. Romo enjoyed a successful NFL career playing the position of quarterback which requires knowing what is happening on the field on both offense and defense at all times. If Tony was able to be the leader everyone took their cue from, then I’m sure he’ll settle in when presenting information to the audience that they find valuable. This is a guy who’s very bright and entering the booth directly from the field, which gives him an advantage when talking about subjects that will come into focus next season.
The last piece of the puzzle involves the three P’s – preparation, pressure, and passion.
Starting with prep, for the past 13 seasons (and even before that when he played college ball) Romo has spent 6-7 days per week studying game film and playbooks. He’s dedicated countless hours to his craft to become highly productive, and after going undrafted and lingering for a few seasons on the practice squad, he was given a chance to start for the Cowboys. That doesn’t happen if his coaches and teammates sense that he’s not a hard worker. Heck, he’s even maintained that approach with his golf game. People who possess a strong work ethic don’t just flip a switch and turn it off. Which is why I’m confident he’ll invest himself 150% into his new line of work.
Regarding pressure, is there any NFL team under the microscope more than the Dallas Cowboys? Romo has had every single throw, turnover, game result and off the field personal decision of his analyzed, scrutinized and debated for over a decade. He’s been the face of a franchise led by high profile owner Jerry Jones and it’s never caused him to break. Sure he’s had bad games and been involved in a few losing seasons, but you don’t play the position of quarterback for America’s team as long as Romo did if you can’t handle the heat.
Last but not least is the one word that we know Romo possesses on the field, but have no way of knowing if it will transfer into the broadcast booth, and that’s passion. When Tony played on Sunday, you knew he loved the game, and left it all out on the field. As a New York Giants fan, I especially enjoyed when he offered up those timely interceptions and fumbles, but all joking aside, he played with passion, and that was captured on video and in audio anytime he spoke before or after a game. Whether he’ll bring that same burning desire to this business is anyone’s guess, but we could say that about any player making the jump from the field to the booth. If being able to guarantee that a player would maintain passion for a role in television was a prerequisite for landing a high profile opportunity, we’d have a lot of booths operating without the presence and credibility of NFL players.
In making his transition into broadcasting, Romo is going to discover quickly that every sentence he utters, every opinion he delivers, and every prediction he misses, becomes headline news and the subject of conversation on Monday’s and sometimes for the remainder of an entire week. It’s what the sports media does. We grab the hot topic, regurgitate it until we get bored or the audience gets frustrated, and then move on. With red meat available, critics will be looking harder and listening closer to see if he has what it takes to get the job done. The second he misfires, the media vultures will be swooping down to feast on him as if he were mouthwatering roadkill.
But as media pundits standby waiting for their opportunity to pounce on him for mistakes and use it as a springboard to question his credentials and experience, let’s also not be hypocritical. If Peyton Manning or Brett Favre were being given this opportunity would the same media outrage exist? Neither Brett or Peyton have booth experience, yet when stories have been written in the past about their future possibilities in sports television, the narrative was certainly a lot more positive. I’d expect Tom Brady to receive similar treatment when his playing days are done if he wishes to pursue a move into sports television.
Something else which has not been mentioned much but deserves being brought to light is the track record of CBS Chairman Sean McManus. Without question, he’s done an excellent job over the years of identifying and hiring great analysts. While I haven’t been part of the CBS circle of trust, I have to believe that McManus wouldn’t have removed Simms from the lead analyst spot if he didn’t have a great feel for Romo and a belief in his ability to transition smoothly into this new role. I also don’t buy the stories that have been floated about Tony being receptive to leaving the booth next season to return to the field. This isn’t a stopgap job. It’s one you retain for a decade or longer, especially if you do it well.
Is McManus’ perfect? Of course not (Mike Carey? Really?). Even the greats swing and miss from time to time. That said, his batting average would be good enough to place him in the hall of fame. Call me naive or too optimistic, but I’m going to give the benefit of the doubt to an executive who nails the majority of his decisions before I assume that he’s lost his fastball.
And if you’re going to scream bloody murder over Simms being given a raw deal let me remind you of something – this is the media business. Things like this happen all the time. It’s very similar to the way business is conducted in professional sports. We don’t work for the government where 15-20 years of employment is given as long as we keep our noses clean. This industry is extremely competitive, and networks are going to constantly overturn every rock they can to find an edge to increase their ratings and revenues. Sometimes that requires demoting or parting ways with classy, talented, and loyal people, and even though it sucks and isn’t fair, it’s a reality of the business we’re in.
I’m not saying that what happened to Simms was right. Far from it. But Phil owned a seat for a very long time that many others have salivated over sitting in, and at some point, it’s going to be occupied by someone else. Although I’m sure it wasn’t his preference, he can take solace in the fact that he’ll still be well compensated, while performing in a new role that allows him to continue being seen by a large nationwide audience, and having now gone thru this experience, he’ll be further appreciated and respected by his peers.
Just because Joe Montana and Emmitt Smith sucked on television doesn’t mean Romo will. If Tony is willing to walk away from the NFL and pass up an opportunity to extend his career in order to start the next chapter of his professional life, while absorbing the extra pressure of being the guy who was added to the broadcast at the expense of Simms, then we should at least let him get inside the booth and perform before we order his tombstone and read him his last rites.
That doesn’t mean it’ll be easy. Romo is going to have to practice speaking in soundbytes and work on developing on-air chemistry with Jim Nantz. Audiences are going to expect him to be critical and speak on their behalf, which means that he’s going to have to cut the cord on his past and embrace his future. One advantage he has is that CBS’ NFL games package involves the AFC, which means he likely won’t be working a high number of Cowboys games. That would put him in an awkward position during his rookie broadcasting season.
Although it may be fun to debate if Romo will be a great game analyst on Sunday’s and whether or not he deserves to be in this position, the truth is none of us really know if he’ll excel in this line of work. Until he’s standing next to Nantz and opening his mouth for the first time, only then will we have something to measure him by. Maybe he’ll freeze when the lights go on just as he did during a few critical games during his playing days, but maybe this becomes the role for which he’s best remembered.
And think about the irony in that. Tony Romo could soon make the biggest impact of his career on Sunday’s, except this time from the inside of a broadcasting booth. Sometimes these stories just write themselves.
We’ve reached the final stage of our three part series featuring the men and women who broadcast baseball games on the radio across the nation. If you haven’t read part 1 click here. To read part two go here.
Radio has some amazing storytellers gracing its airwaves and selling the game of baseball and all that is associated with it. During the next six months local audiences will be treated to a heavy dose of our baseball announcers, and with these radio professionals serving in critical roles to help our radio stations enjoy strong ratings and revenue success, it felt like the right time to recognize them for the countless contributions they make to our radio stations.
On that note, let me introduce you to the voices of Major League Baseball. This is the final part of our three part series.
Philadelphia Phillies – Scott Franzke and Larry Andersen – as told by Spike Eskin.
Baseball on the radio is an amazing thing. There is something about the space, the pacing, and just the sound itself that people love listening to. Scott Franzke and Larry Andersen have taken that special thing and perfected it on their Phillies broadcasts.
People love Scott and Larry because they’re real, funny, interesting, passionate, and they know what they’re talking about. Like many of the great ones, and a lot like the beloved team of Harry Kalas and Richie Ashburn, when you’re listening to Franzke and L.A., you’re not just hearing what’s going on during the Phillies game, but you’re hearing their own little show within the play by play broadcast itself. They’re genuinely entertaining.
Scott Franzke and Larry Andersen, along with Jim Jackson (pregame, postgame, middle three innings), help SportsRadio 94WIP capitalize on the city’s passion for baseball with a truly special broadcast.
Pittsburgh Pirates – Greg Brown, Bob Walk, Joe Block, Steve Blass, and John Wehner – as told by Colin Dunlap.
Pittsburgh is the most provincial town that I’ve ever experienced, and I’m from here. Greg Brown, especially, understands as much. Greg went through the 20 years of losing with the fanbase, and now with a resurgence taking place, does a great job of playing up the winning. He is simply a regular man who most Pittsburghers identify with, and behind Andrew McCutchen, is probably the most recognizable figure in the organization.
Block is entering his second season, and his style of blending advanced stats with an old school wit has drawn many in, including myself.
Walk presents himself the same way he did as a pitcher, no-nonsense, to the point, and unafraid of shying away from emotion.
Blass is a folk hero in Pittsburgh, and a link to glory days for the old-timers. He plays it perfectly, knowing the audience is captivated by his stories from yesteryear.
Wehner, in my opinion is very underrated. He has a great ability to boil very technical explanations of a swing, play or other portion of a game down to terms and words that everyone can understand. He also grew up about 4 miles from the stadium and played for Jim Leyland’s Pirates, thus (remember that provincialism?) it makes a Pittsburgh audience really lock into him and take to him.
Collectively, Pirates fans are treated to an excellent radio broadcast thanks to the skills and contributions from a very talented group.
San Diego Padres – Ted Leitner, Jesse Agler and Tony Gwynn Jr. – as told by Rich Herrera.
In San Diego, Padres fans are treated to an iconic personality who truly reflects the community. That would be play by play man Ted Leitner. Fans here affectionately refer to him as “Uncle Teddy” and feel a closeness to him due to his having spent 37 years behind the mic calling Padres games. Ted is as unique as the city he calls games for. San Diego loves its baseball and appreciates its players and team, and if you listen to a Padres game you’ll hear him often refer to the team as “My Padres”. In other towns that would be sacrilege, but not San Diego. Because of the laid back attitude here, no one gets too worked up. They meet up at America’s Best Ballpark, enjoy the sunshine while enjoying a cold IPA and wearing their flip flops, and rely on the sound of Uncle Teddy to capture the action. He truly reflects the feel of this community.
Jesse Agler joined the broadcast last season and makes a great partner for Leitner. Chemistry is what everyone strives for in the booth and when these two call a game they bring out the best in each other. Jesse relates to fans and captures the big moment of a game and gives you goosebumps while doing so. He is a great booth mate because he’s able to bring out great stories and the rich history of the Padres from Ted, while also interacting with fans on Twitter and Facebook Live. This helps us bring generations of fans both young and old to the broadcast.
This season, the Padres have added Tony Gwynn Jr. to the radio broadcast, and with his rich family history and connection to San Diego, it will have fans doing a double take at his laugh that sounds just like his hall of fame father.
The Padres are the 12th team to migrate to the FM dial which will expose the team to a wider group of fans, and altogether it adds up to a summer soundtrack in San Diego with Uncle Teddy, Jesse and Tony Gwynn Jr. on a station that sounds crystal clear. You can drive down the highway on your way to the beach with your sunglasses on and the top down as you relish the fact you’re in America’s Finest City. The sum of these parts adds up to a broadcast that sounds like the city it represents, which is why it has a special connection to Padres fans.
San Francisco Giants – Jon Miller and Dave Flemming – as told by Larry Krueger.
Most Bay Area baseball fans feel fortunate to have the opportunity to listen to the best collection of broadcasters in the sport on a daily basis. The Giants have two former Giants, Mike Krukow and Duane Kuiper on the TV side, and Dave Fleming and the Hall of Famer Jon Miller handling the radio duties on KNBR.
Miller, the longtime voice of ESPN’s Sunday Night Baseball, has a voice that is synonymous with the sport. He has always been an easy, comfortable listen, and he works hard to be great on the air. Jon has seen decades of baseball, and thus is blessed with a wide array of anecdotes and stories. His overall wit and enthusiasm for the game are the strengths of his broadcasts.
Fleming is still a relatively young broadcaster, but he has emerged as one of the country’s best and most versatile play-by-play men. Dave is very bright with deep pipes, and his sound is so smooth. The duo have built an exceptional on air rapport.
Kruk and Kuip, as they’re affectionately known, join Miller and Fleming on the extremely popular KNBR Postgame Wrap, creating must listen conversation after each Giants game.
The main attraction of this group to fans is they are all passionate about the Giants’ winning baseball games, but they balance that passion with perspective, humor, and enthusiasm. They consistently provide Giants fans with intelligent baseball banter, and if you’re driving anywhere west of the Rocky Mountains you’ll be able to hear them on the blowtorch known as Thee Sports Leader, KNBR-680. It won’t take long for you to discover why they’re the best at what they do.
Seattle Mariners – Rick Rizzs and Aaron Goldsmith – as told by Jessamyn McIntyre.
Rick Rizzs has become the voice of baseball in Seattle. While we’ll never forget the dulcet tones of Dave Niehaus on a warm summer night, may he rest in peace, Rizzs has remained the mainstay and enters his 32nd season with the team.
Rizzs’ enthusiasm for the game can be heard throughout his entire call, but is exemplified in his homerun calls with his signature, “Goodbye baseball!” He continues to pay tribute to his long-time partner, Niehaus, on grand slam homerun calls using his famous saying, “Get out the rye bread and mustard, Grandma! It’s Grand Salami time!” Rick’s passion for the game is only exceeded by his warmth and gracious nature as a person.
Joining Rick in the booth is Aaron Goldsmith, who is in his fifth season as part of the Mariners broadcast team. Goldsmith is only 33 years old, but don’t let his youth fool you. From the moment he first took to the air, it was apparent he had the chops to hold the mic in the booth. From the ‘golden pipes’ he’s working with to the revved up calls on exciting plays, Aaron brings experience beyond his years to the broadcast on a daily basis.
The institutional mainstay in Rizzs, and youthful energy Goldsmith brings, keep Mariners fans happy and looking forward to listening to games on 710 ESPN Seattle year after year.
St. Louis Cardinals – Mike Shannon and John Rooney – as told by Tom Ackerman.
The Cardinals and KMOX have a long history, with the station’s powerful signal responsible for helping grow the team’s fanbase when it was the only franchise west of the Mississippi River. Today, the Cardinals Radio Network boasts 155 affiliates covering ten states, making it the largest radio network in Major League Baseball. But just as its 50,000 watts put baseball on the radio for millions of people, names like France Laux, Dizzy Dean, Joe Garagiola, Harry Caray and Jack Buck brought it to life. Most importantly, they’ve educated and entertained generations of listeners.
Today, Mike Shannon carries on that tradition as a link to the Cardinals’ championship past and a storyteller of the present. Shannon is a St. Louis native with a true love for the city and its surrounding areas. Now in his 46th season behind the microphone, you could make the argument no one has sold more tickets, hotel rooms and Budweiser than Shannon, one of the all-time St. Louis ambassadors. And in a true baseball town, no one has a better feel for the game. You’ll always learn something new listening to a Shannon broadcast, with his ability to identify strategy and nuances. He can set up a big moment with the best of them and deliver an exciting play with great enthusiasm. Shannon is the person you want sitting next to you at the ballpark. Luckily for Cardinals fans, they can experience that any time they want just by turning on the radio.
In addition, his partner John Rooney is one of the finest play-by-play men in the business. Name the sport and he’s probably called it on the national stage. Entering his 12th season as a play-by-play voice of the Cardinals, Rooney has established himself as one of baseball’s best. Always prepared and technically flawless, his smooth delivery is a terrific listen. Rooney has a gift of being able to describe the action in just the right amount of words, painting a beautiful picture each and every inning. He keeps a great pace and comes through with energetic calls of classic Cardinal moments, and like Shannon, is a compelling storyteller with decades of experience.
Rick Horton joins Rooney on road broadcasts, offering the insight Cardinals fans crave from the perspective of a former pitcher. Horton has a charm about him, a friendly, likable personality and true love for the game. Having played for Whitey Herzog, Horton’s expanded knowledge of baseball comes through in his play-by-play and analysis.
Tampa Bay Rays – Andy Freed and Dave Wills – as told by John Mamola.
Since 2005, Dave Wills and Andy Freed have called every pitch of Tampa Bays baseball from the depressing 101 loss season to the thrills of the franchise’s lone World Series appearance in the 2008. In a market that historically has struggled with attendance and budding stars of the game finding bigger paychecks once leaving Tampa Bay, Dave and Andy have been the rock of consistency in a community of baseball fans that has seen many changes over many years. The duo enters their 13th season together behind the mics of the Tampa Bay Rays Radio Network, and they’ve never sounded better. A delicate balance of baseball X’s and O’s with some light entertainment, Dave & Andy’s chemistry bleeds through the radio speaker as if two friends from different backgrounds found a way to work together sharing their passion for the game of baseball with the listening audience.
The three words that best describe Dave and Andy are: Engaged (They invite conversation, incorporating social media responses into the broadcast), Jolly (Always in a good mood, positive, energetic, and up for a laugh), and Polished (They work at their craft and search for coaching techniques and new things to try. There is always something different in every game broadcast).
When I talk to WDAE listeners about Dave and Andy, the responses surround certain elements of their on air persona/character. Dave Wills is the guy who likes to talk baseball and share a cold beer with anyone who will listen. A broadcaster who is not afraid to let his feelings be known, and never holds back in how he calls a game. He’s big and bold whether the Rays have smashed a home run or been the recipient of a bad call. Andy Freed is the baseball purist, and a historian of the game literally keeping every scorecard for every game of every season. A family man who always has a story about his twins, and respected by the audience for his depth of knowledge on a minor detail that always seemingly comes up as a major story later in the game.
In a market where the population is more transient than most (if not all) other MLB markets, Dave and Andy have continued to deliver a high quality broadcast for all baseball fans in the Tampa/St. Petersburg market. The “voice” of Rays baseball continues to be a destination for many, and will be for many generations to come.
Texas Rangers – Eric Nadel, Matt Hicks, and Jared Sandler – as told by RJ Choppy.
Eric Nadel. I could end it right there. The dude is an absolute monster in the booth. He’s in Cooperstown for a reason. He’s a storyteller, and his attention to detail right down to the necklace the pitcher is wearing, paints a picture as well as anyone in the game. Baseball, more than any other of the 4 major sports, has the closest connection between Broadcaster and Fan. It should come as no surprise that his homerun calls are repeated by many in the ballpark, “That ball is history!”
What makes the Rangers broadcast unique is the way they incorporate the other 2 members of the crew, Matt Hicks and Jared Sandler. Hicks’ booming voice and smooth delivery has flown side by side Eric for the last few years. They also incorporate the up and coming, 27 year old Sandler, in a way I’ve not seen a radio team, by using a 3rd voice who chimes in with a more analytical perspective, while also serving in a play by play capacity when a day off is needed.
As a radio station, the Rangers have helped 105.3 The Fan immensely. Baseball is a game changer for a radio station, and the daily cume brought our way from back to back playoff runs by the #2 team in town behind the Dallas Cowboys can’t be overlooked. They are a terrific partner, with an exceptional broadcast, and the weekly hits we receive from Manger Jeff Bannister, GM Jon Daniels, and Sandler give the station unmatched coverage of the team.
Toronto Blue Jays – Jerry Howarth, Joe Siddall and Mike Wilner – as told by Dave Cadeau.
Toronto Blue Jays games are called by a three man booth which includes Jerry Howarth, Joe Siddall and Mike Wilner. We are unique, in that the Blue Jays property is national across Canada, rather than simply local to Toronto.
Jerry Howarth is in his 36th season as the voice of the Blue Jays. Every Blue Jays fan across Canada knows Jerry’s call, and I’m sure they all feel like they know him personally. One of his best traits is that he makes himself incredibly accessible to the audience whenever they ask for his time (which is amazing for someone who in 2017 still does not own a cell phone!).
Joe Siddall played 14 pro seasons as a catcher, including MLB gameplay with the Expos, Marlins and Tigers. He is as friendly, honest and approachable as they come. Joe has a natural ability to engage with the audience and give context to the “why” and the “how” of what is happening in the baseball game.
Mike Wilner has been a presence on the Toronto sports media scene for almost 30 years, with a focus on baseball and the Blue Jays for the last 20. Blue Jays fans have become very familiar with Mike’s deep knowledge and strong opinions as he has taken their calls from across the country on our postgame show called Blue Jays Talk.
For road games, Jerry and Joe work as two-man team, and they present a classic baseball call. Jerry paints a vivid picture of the game with his signature calls to relay the action to our audience. Joe compliments him beautifully with deeper descriptions and explanations as to why something may have happened, or perhaps why it didn’t. They switch roles for 3 innings, and Joe’s growth calling the play has grown by leaps-and-bounds over the last 2 seasons.
When the Blue Jays are at Rogers Centre, Jerry and Joe call 6 innings, while Mike and Joe call the other 3. Mike and Joe create a very different experience for our audience, and frankly I haven’t heard this style anywhere else in the game. I like to think of what they do as a “baseball conversation” that includes play-by-play. As a member of the audience, I feel like I’m sitting there in the booth with Mike and Joe and learning something about the game of baseball, or a situation in the game and I’m able to picture it all unfolding. It’s a different experience, and very entertaining. I love both styles that we present to our audience, and by all accounts, our audience agrees. This allows us to showcase all 3 of our broadcasters, and their different perspectives and personalities by putting them in different seats as the games progress.
The Blue Jays are an important property to Sportsnet 590 The FAN and The Sportsnet Radio Network, and Jerry, Joe and Mike have a significant impact as the team’s radio voices. Our trio includes a mix of different personalities with huge experience, all well-respected in and around the game, and they work together incredibly well, plus they participate regularly on our talk shows and others across North America.
Washington Nationals – Charlie Slowes and Dave Jageler – as told by Grant Paulsen.
The pairing of Charlie Slowes and Dave Jageler has become appointment listening for baseball fans in DC. Having called games together since 2006, the two have grown synonymous with one-another thanks to their chemistry and longevity in the booth. Two unique voices who compliment each other beautifully, Slowes is a bit more excitable and often comes up with creative catchphrases the fan base latches on to, while Jageler is ultra smooth and has mastered pacing and description.
Their conversational style leads to witty banter and plenty of in-game laughs while rarely taking away from the game. You are never at a loss for what is going on with the action because they weave seamlessly in and out of play-by-play while delivering a scoreboard update or a story from the road. Both could handle a solo game without a problem but each does a nice job when providing color as the second voice during innings when they aren’t on the call.
The quality of the broadcast — from tight production to the audio and music in and out of breaks to the pre and post-game shows — stacks up very well with the elite radio teams around the country and is far superior to the work done in many markets. It’s quite common to see folks at the game wearing headsets, or even to hear that fans have put a radio on at their house to enjoy “Charlie & Dave.” They are smooth, informative, and they let the game breathe, and pro-Nats without coming off as complete homers. They’re an asset to 106.7 The Fan and we’re lucky to have them.
