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Not Every Brand Can Handle A Superstar It Didn’t Build

Demetri Ravanos
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LeBron James and the Los Angeles Lakers do not belong together. The guy is going to go down as one of the two or three best players in the history of this league. The team is one of two franchises with a history that dwarfs the rest of the NBA. To the naked eye, it may be a match made in Heaven: the superstar and the iconic franchise, but the truth is they simply cannot co-exist.

It’s something sports media can take a lesson from. If the brand is what you want at the front of people’s minds, you probably can’t be in the business of courting superstars.

The Los Angeles Lakers have a history just about any franchise in sports would envy. Championships matter there because for so long, that is all the fans and the front office knew.

Jeanie Buss, like her father before her, wants to win. She wants star players on her team. But the reality is that Jeanie Buss, like her father before her, wants those things in a particular way.

She wants a team led by homegrown stars. She wants the purple and gold to be the ultimate attraction. Magic, Kobe, The Logo, and Shaq were all great, but the fact that most of them spent their whole career in LA matters. Even Shaq, who was a free agent acquisition, didn’t become the league’s single most dominant force until he became a Laker.

This is a franchise that likes stars so long as they add to the Laker mystique. LeBron doesn’t do that exactly.

By the time LeBron James decided he needed to be in Los Angeles and that he wanted to be a Laker, he already had three rings, four MVPs, fifteen All-NBA selections and had built a media empire.

He didn’t need the Lakers. He chose the Lakers because the circumstances fit his goals. He got them a title and he helped lure what at the time was a top five player in the league to join him.

It’s been three years. This relationship has clearly run its course, and Buss is dealing with it by subtweeting James.

When I was working in music radio, I had a program director that wouldn’t let my partner and I put our names on the morning show we hosted. The show was named after the station. He was militant about our talk time because we needed the music to stand out. It is what made the station what it was.

I was in my 20s then and while I did push back on these ideas, I did think that the guy knew what he was doing and there was some advantage he was trying to create.

In my 40s, I realize now that it was all about suppressing value. That’s not to say it is the reason I am not making Howard Stern money now, but it made sure that my partner and I never could create a brand that had value outside of the station.

Why would a brand do that? Why would Jeanie Buss invoke Kobe Bryant’s name to make sure her team’s current superstar knows she is unhappy?

Teams are only as good as their players. Media brands are only as good as their talent. Their entire value is based on having people that the audience wants to watch or hear. Limiting those potential stars or steering clear of established stars when they become available simply lowers the ceiling on the brand as a whole.

Media brands, just like teams, can choose to stay out of the superstar business. If you can find a way to reach your definition of success while doing that, then good for you. Stick to it. Just remember that there are competitors out there trying harder and not limiting their options for taking you down.

Over-valuing the brand is a ticket to irrelevancy. That music station I worked at? It has flipped formats multiple times since I worked there.

Look at SportsCenter. There was a time when you had to be unique and interesting to host that show. In 2022 though, where is the new Stuart Scott? Where is the modern answer to Dan & Keith?

There are still talented people that host that show, but the brand is SportsCenter. Every decision is made in the vacuum of “what is best for SportsCenter?”. I am not sure shying away from creating stars makes much sense for a highlight show in the age of the smartphone.

No matter the business, when a big-time free agent hits the market, it is up to brands to determine if there is a fit there and make their pitches. Maybe a star host doesn’t fit the identity of a station. Maybe a player’s game doesn’t work with the roster that a team has been building. It is perfectly fine to decide to sit out the courtship.

If you’re in though, you have to be all in. How is your station going to accommodate a difference-maker that may require you to adjust your brand position? How is your team going to remake its roster to maximize what it can get from its high-profile signee?

Jeanie Buss was happy to welcome LeBron James to the Lakers. Making your team a soft landing spot for every Klutch Sports Group client is probably concerning, but surely Buss knew it was a possibility. Where LeBron goes, Rich Paul goes and where Rich Paul goes, he brings his clients along.

Buss and Laker fans got their title out of the experiment. If she is ready to move on, then move on, but the Lakers are still in business with LeBron James. Subtweeting him and adding another cog to the Kobe Bryant grief porn machine won’t help the situation. All it does is create an unnecessary obstacle towards your goal.

Media brands would be wise to pay attention and take notes of what not to do.

Jon Rothstein Is Living The Dream

Peter Schwartz
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Growing up in New York, Jon Rothstein was extremely passionate about college basketball.  The reality was that New York wasn’t the biggest college hoops town, but Jon is someone with a tremendous work ethic and found that college basketball was his vehicle to search for more information.

He just couldn’t get enough of it.

“It was always something that I found to be very magnetic,” said Rothstein, a college basketball insider, sideline reporter and studio analyst for CBS Sports since 2010.  

For Rothstein, the road to becoming one of the marquee analysts and insiders in college basketball began on September 15th, 2004 when he won a “Dream Job” contest on 1050 ESPN Radio in New York (now 98.7 ESPN Radio). Couple that with a writing background covering high school basketball and recruiting, Rothstein was off and running with what has now been a career spanning two decades.

It seems like it was just yesterday when he was getting started, but Rothstein doesn’t spend too much time looking back because he’s mind is always on the present and the future.

“It’s definitely been a blur,” said Rothstein.  “I probably don’t do enough of that because I’m so focused on the next day, the next task and the next assignment.  I try to wake up every day with a mindset that my contract isn’t going to be renewed and I have to prove myself for those 24 hours.”  

Rothstein was building up his resume and his Rolodex during his time with ESPN Radio.  He was busy with a number of different gigs and then came an opportunity to join MSG Network in New York as a college basketball analyst in 2007.  

He had a busy schedule in New York with a number of tasks on his plate and then he had a decision to make in 2010.

Rothstein was offered a sports talk opportunity with the ESPN Radio station in Los Angeles but then there was also an offer to join CBS Sports.

At the end of the day, his love for college basketball brought him to CBS.

“The opportunities that I was always getting in terms of advanced assignments was always related to college basketball and that’s what I was most passionate about,” said Rothstein.  “I was hopeful that by joining CBS, the home of the NCAA Tournament, that things would evolve over time into a bigger and more pronounced role”.

Rothstein has been a big part of the CBS college basketball coverage on television over the years and also still finds time to stay busy with other gigs like writing for CollegeHoopsToday.com and hosting a podcast for Compass Media.  Last year, Rothstein signed a content partnership with FanDuel and he also serves as a college basketball correspondent for WFAN Radio in New York and CBS Sports Radio.

It’s been a very productive 18 years in the business for Rothstein, but the landscape of how college basketball has certainly changed with the advent of podcasts and social media.  There’s also a ton of games on television all season including network, regional cable and streaming so there’s always something to cover and that doesn’t just mean in-season.

“The big difference now versus years ago when I started covering college basketball is that it’s become a sport that is always relevant inside the college basketball world 365 days a year,” said Rothstein.  

“The transfer portal has changed things with the immediate eligibility and we’re still seeing more and more the opportunity to have unpredictable storylines.  I think you’re always kind of looking for that next storyline that a lot of people aren’t looking for”.

Throughout his journey, Rothstein has been very cognizant and appreciative of some help he’s had from a number of people in the business.

There are two in-particular that have been there for Rothstein with knowledge and guidance when he’s really needed it.

“Frank Isola, who is obviously a long time Knicks beat writer and now is doing a host of things…has been very helpful to me just in terms of understanding the nuances of the business from a news perspective.”

“At CBS, getting the opportunity to work with Ian Eagle has just been an incredible treat and he’s been somebody who has been there for guidance and counsel when I’ve had questions about the business or how to handle certain situations.”

If you follow Rothstein on social media, you know that he never stops working.  He’s always busy reporting breaking news and sharing his insight on everything happening with college basketball.  It may only be July, but it’s never really too early to start thinking about the 2022-23 college basketball season.

Rothstein already has his crystal ball out in terms of a potential Final Four.

“North Carolina brings back everybody of significance aside from Brady Manek who was a huge key to their run to the national title game,” said Rothstein.  “They’re my preseason number one.  Gonzaga is right behind them at two.  I think Creighton and Houston have a chance to have some of the best seasons that they’re programs have had.”

Jon Rothstein has been living out his dream since 2004.  You’ll be hard-pressed to find too many people, especially in the New York area, that are as passionate about college basketball as he is.  He’s used that passion to carve out a niche in the business and he’s at home where he set out to be and that’s in a studio role where he excels for CBS.  

“That to me is what I felt I always wanted to do at the highest level is to be on the desk in the studio,” said Rothstein.  “I love waking up on a studio day and compiling information to add to our coverage.  It’s the gas in the engine.”

And Rothstein still has plenty of gas left in his tank.  

Cassidy Hutchinson Provides Major Spike In January 6 Hearings Viewership

BNM Staff
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Following its opening night from June 9, the January 6th committee hearings in the four daytime slots during the two weeks that followed averaged 10.7 million total viewers across multiple networks.

The fifth daytime hearing, which was a last-minute scheduling, took place on Tuesday, June 28. That day’s key witness turned out to be Cassidy Hutchinson, who served as an aide to former White House Chief of Staff Mark Meadows. Her testimony described the temper exhibited by Donald Trump as his efforts to overturn the 2020 election results were unsuccessful. One most notable example that Hutchinson had offered was that Trump, who wanted to join the insurrectionists at the Capitol on that fateful day, reached from the back seat of his car to attempt to wrestle control of his car’s steering wheel from the Secret Service agent who was driving him.

Hutchinson and the bombshell information she had delivered boosted the hearings’ ratings, scoring 13.2 million total viewers across all major networks, according to Nielsen Media Research. This marked a 28 percent increase — about 3 million, in raw figures — from the committee’s previous daytime hearing (from June 23).

On cable, once again it was MSNBC that led in coverage with 3.52 million viewers — the most-watched cable news telecast of the week ending July 3.

CNN was runner-up to MSNBC in total viewers with 2.65 million, but was cable news’ top draw of the week in the key 25-54 demographic attracting 577,000 viewers within the specific age range (MSNBC ranked sixth in 25-54, as noted in the list at the bottom of this article.)

Fox News Channel, which normally averages 1.2-1.5 million viewers in the early weekday afternoon hours, only mustered 900,000 viewers (that included 143,000 adults 25-54) from 2-3 p.m. Eastern on June 28.

The next hearing is scheduled for Tuesday, July 12 at 1 p.m. ET. It is said to be focused on how the violent mob came together and the role of extremist groups in the deadly insurrection. A prime time slot for Thursday, July 14 has been tentatively slated for the committee’s final hearing.

Cable news averages for June 27-July 3, 2022:

Total Day (June 27-July 3 @ 6 a.m.-5:59 a.m.)

  • Fox News Channel: 1.366 million viewers; 200,000 adults 25-54
  • MSNBC: 0.838 million viewers; 99,000 adults 25-54
  • CNN: 0.565 million viewers; 120,000 adults 25-54
  • HLN: 0.170 million viewers; 51,000 adults 25-54
  • Fox Business Network: 0.128 million viewers; 13,000 adults 25-54
  • CNBC: 0.123 million viewers; 32,000 adults 25-54
  • Newsmax: 0.103 million viewers; 13,000 adults 25-54
  • The Weather Channel: 0.102 million viewers; 20,000 adults 25-54

Prime Time (June 27-July 2 @ 8-11 p.m.; July 3 @ 7-11 p.m.)

  • Fox News Channel: 2.088 million viewers; 281,000 adults 25-54
  • MSNBC: 1.362 million viewers; 154,000 adults 25-54
  • CNN: 0.672 million viewers; 143,000 adults 25-54
  • HLN: 0.192 million viewers; 55,000 adults 25-54
  • CNBC: 0.185 million viewers; 68,000 adults 25-54
  • Newsmax: 0.137 million viewers; 17,000 adults 25-54
  • The Weather Channel: 0.133 million viewers; 24,000 adults 25-54
  • Fox Business Network: 0.083 million viewers; 12,000 adults 25-54
  • NewsNation: 0.044 million viewers; 6,000 adults 25-54

Top 10 most-watched cable news programs (and the top programs of other outlets with their respective associated ranks) in total viewers:

1. January 6th Hearings “Hearing Day Six” (MSNBC, Tue. 6/28/2022 1:02 PM, 114 min.) 3.518 million viewers

2. The Five (FOXNC, Thu. 6/30/2022 5:00 PM, 60 min.) 3.223 million viewers

3. The Five (FOXNC, Mon. 6/27/2022 5:00 PM, 60 min.) 3.214 million viewers

4. Tucker Carlson Tonight (FOXNC, Wed. 6/29/2022 8:00 PM, 60 min.) 3.184 million viewers

5. Tucker Carlson Tonight (FOXNC, Mon. 6/27/2022 8:00 PM, 60 min.) 3.162 million viewers

6. Tucker Carlson Tonight (FOXNC, Tue. 6/28/2022 8:00 PM, 60 min.) 3.133 million viewers

7. The Five (FOXNC, Wed. 6/29/2022 5:00 PM, 60 min.) 3.130 million viewers

8. The Five (FOXNC, Tue. 6/28/2022 5:00 PM, 60 min.) 3.119 million viewers

9. The Five (FOXNC, Fri. 7/1/2022 5:00 PM, 60 min.) 3.082 million viewers

10. January 6th Hearings “Primeitme Analysis Day Six” (MSNBC, Tue. 6/28/2022 9:00 PM, 60 min.) 3.041 million viewers

17. Attack On Democracy “Jan. 6th Hearings 6/28/22” (CNN, Tue. 6/28/2022 1:02 PM, 113 min.) 2.647 million viewers

361. The Daily Show (CMDY, Mon. 6/27/2022 11:00 PM, 31 min.) 0.404 million viewers

363. Varney & Company (FBN, Mon. 6/27/2022 10:00 AM, 60 min.) 0.394 million viewers

393. Full Frontal with Samantha Bee “Episode 7215” (TBS, Thu. 6/30/2022 10:00 PM, 30 min.) 0.346 million viewers

401. Forensic Files “Watchful Eye” (HLN, Wed. 6/29/2022 11:30 PM, 30 min.) 0.335 million viewers

499. Shark Tank (CNBC, Wed. 6/29/2022 10:00 PM, 60 min.) 0.259 million viewers

662. Earth Unlocked, The “(103) Oceans” (TWC, Sun. 7/3/2022 8:00 PM, 60 min.) 0.178 million viewers

739. Newsnation: Rush Hour (NWSN, Fri. 7/1/2022 5:00 PM, 60 min.) 0.153 million viewers

Top 10 cable news programs (and the top  programs of other outlets with their respective associated ranks) among adults 25-54

1. Attack on Democracy “Jan. 6th Hearings 6/28/22” (CNN, Tue. 6/28/2022 1:02 PM, 113 min.) 0.577 million adults 25-54

2. Tucker Carlson Tonight (FOXNC, Tue. 6/28/2022 8:00 PM, 60 min.) 0.574 million adults 25-54

3. Tucker Carlson Tonight (FOXNC, Mon. 6/27/2022 8:00 PM, 60 min.) 0.482 million adults 25-54

4. Attack On Democracy “Jan 6Th H. Post Analysis 6/28/22” (CNN, Tue. 6/28/2022 2:55 PM, 61 min.) 0.476 million adults 25-54

5. Tucker Carlson Tonight (FOXNC, Wed. 6/29/2022 8:00 PM, 60 min.) 0.474 million adults 25-54

6. January 6Th Hearings “Hearing Day Six” (MSNBC, Tue. 6/28/2022 1:02 PM, 114 min.) 0.449 million adults 25-54

7. The Five (FOXNC, Thu. 6/30/2022 5:00 PM, 60 min.) 0.448 million adults 25-54

8. The Five (FOXNC, Fri. 7/1/2022 5:00 PM, 60 min.) 0.445 million adults 25-54

9. The Five (FOXNC, Wed. 6/29/2022 5:00 PM, 60 min.) 0.439 million adults 25-54

10. The Five (FOXNC, Mon. 6/27/2022 5:00 PM, 60 min.) 0.427 million adults 25-54

99. The Daily Show (CMDY, Mon. 6/27/2022 11:00 PM, 31 min.) 0.202 million adults 25-54

180. Very Scary People “The Hillside Stranglers Pt1” (HLN, Tue. 6/28/2022 12:00 AM, 60 min.) 0.143 million adults 25-54

264. Full Frontal with Samantha Bee “Episode 7215” (TBS, Thu. 6/30/2022 10:00 PM, 30 min.) 0.110 million adults 25-54

297. Shark Tank (CNBC, Wed. 6/29/2022 9:00 PM, 60 min.) 0.102 million adults 25-54

589. Making Money with Charles Payne (FBN, Mon. 6/27/2022 2:00 PM, 60 min.) 0.047 million adults 25-54

599. Storm Stories: TNC “207 Mountain Flood & Georgia Twister” (TWC, Fri. 7/1/2022 1:00 AM, 60 min.) 0.045 million adults 25-54

710. Newsnation: Rush Hour (NWSN, Fri. 7/1/2022 5:00 PM, 60 min.) 0.033 million adults 25-54

Source: Live+Same Day data, Nielsen Media Research

Steph Curry Calls Peyton Manning for ESPYs Advice

BSM Staff
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Steph Curry will host the annual ESPY awards that will air July 20th on ABC. It will be the first time that the world champion will get to do the honors. He sought out the advice of someone that’s been there and done that just weeks before the show.

Speaking at a press availability before the American Century Championship golf tournament, he said that Peyton Manning has received a phone call from him.

“I actually talked to Peyton about it,” Curry said. “Just what the experience was like once the opportunity was thrown my way”.

What did the 2017 host say to Curry?

“He said you’ll love it”.

Curry also was appreciative of the chance.

“I do appreciate the honor. I do appreciate the stage that it is and respectfully honoring and celebrating amazing athletes from all different sports and all different backgrounds”.

Curry added that he’s excited about the experience and having the microphone in his hands on that stage in that type of environment.

“So everybody be careful, if you want to come to the show,” warned Curry. “Just know you’re liable to catch a couple of strays”.

Kenny Mayne Wasn’t Satisfied With Last Offer From ESPN

BSM Staff
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The brand new podcast from Audacy, Hey Mayne, had the host himself, Kenny Mayne, on a bit of a press tour on Friday, this time stopping by Audacy’s 97.1 the Ticket in Detroit. There Mayne joined the morning show of Stoney and Jansen with Heather to talk about the podcast.

About halfway thru the interview, the end of Mayne’s tenure at ESPN came up surrounding a discussion of what has “happened to ESPN” and how the perception is they only pay people who scream all day. Mayne brought up Scott Van Pelt as an example as to otherwise, but also added comments on the end of his run.

“They made the determination that I wasn’t as valuable to them as I was the day before,” Mayne bluntly stated. “They were offering a far different deal to stay. I don’t know if that was ‘I hope he leaves’ or ‘here’s as much as we can go to have you stay’. You’d have to ask them.”

Mayne continued saying that he weighed his options and satisfaction level and decided an exit was due.

“For me, no different than anybody at any job where you’re not satisfied with your situation, so you go decide to do something else. That’s really all it was. It’s not very complicated. People leave jobs all the time, right? I left”.

Mayne also added that the changes, including pay as well as what appears might have been a different role with the network, weren’t what he had in mind.

“I didn’t think I wanted to stay for the new pay that it was going to be and the circumstances”.

Unprompted, Mayne continued talking about how ESPN evaluates their talent.

“They stick a lot of money into other people, for people they want to stay, right? And that’s fine,” said Mayne. “That’s the decision that they make based on whatever value they think this person or that person brings to the company”.

The now podcast host seemed to take a slight aim at how ESPN positioned their talent that became valuable to them.

“The old expression about moving the needle, I don’t know. I don’t know how many people really do or in some cases do they do well because they are put in places. Whoever does the biggest show, the highest-rated show, that’s already going to draw a certain audience, is inherently going to do well, right? Let me announce the Super Bowl and I bet I get a good number”.

Mayne did say he is happy with where is at and the decision he has made.

“I have zero regrets. I wish everyone there well. I’m doing other stuff”.

NBC’s Rick Allen Doesn’t Use His Real Last Name Because of Advice from a Legend

BSM Staff
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NBC’s Rick Allen says his name is Rick Allen because he took the advice of a legend and didn’t use his legitimate last name in broadcasting.

Allen, NBC’s lead NASCAR race announcer, joined the Announcers Schedules podcast and told the story of how he went parlayed being a public address announcer at the University of Nebraska into being the most recognizable lead announcer in the sport.

A donor to the university bought a dirt track outside of Lincoln and asked Allen to announce at the track. At the time, Allen had no background or knowledge of racing. After two years, a NASCAR official said NBC and FOX were looking for “fresh-faced, young guys” to be a pit announcer and encouraged Allen to submit a demo tape.

When he finally did, both networks called. FOX auditioned him in Charlotte with Darrell Waltrip. That’s when things changed for Allen.

“When I introduced myself, I said ‘Hello Mr. Waltrip it’s an honor to meet you and be sitting beside you. My name’s Rick Schwieger’. He shook my hand, looked down and about three seconds later he turned back around and said, ‘Schwieger? There ain’t no Schweigers in NASCAR”.

“Right away I was like, well this is probably not the start I was looking for”.

FOX did eventually hired Allen two years later beginning with Craftsman Truck Series races.

Roger Goodell Says NFL Sunday Ticket Will Be Moving to Streaming Service

BSM Staff
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Speaking with CNBC’s Julia Boorstin at the Sun Valley Conference, Roger Goodell wasn’t coy with where the future of the NFL Sunday Ticket package will land.

Goodell said that the negotiations are ongoing and had been taking place for over a year because “these assets are really valuable to us”. He also said the future of the NFL Sunday Ticket deal isn’t linear, it’s streaming.

“I clearly believe we will be moving to a streaming service,” Goodell said. “I think that’s best for the consumers at this stage.

He also mentioned that the decision to accept one of the offers the NFL has been handed has not been an easy one.

“We have so much interest right now,” boasted the NFL Commissioner, “and there’s so much innovation around that and how we are going to be able to change the way people watch football”.

As far as a timeline of the decision is concerned, Goodell says he believes it’ll be relatively soon.

“I think we’ll have some decision by the Fall.”

Goodell was also asked what partnering with a tech company like Apple or Amazon would mean to the league.

“We really believe these new platforms give us the ability to innovate beyond where we are today and make the experience for our consumers so much better. It obviously makes it more available to our consumers, and particularly the younger demographic which is one we really want to get to”.

John Skipper Says Four Super Conferences Are Coming

BSM Staff
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With the reported moves of USC and UCLA going to the Big 10 in 2024, many have shared their opinions on what it means for college football going forward. One person who was at the heart of negotiating TV deals for college football and college basketball was the former president of ESPN, John Skipper.

Skipper was a guest on The Dan Le Batard Show with Stugotz on Thursday and he made the point that an “arms race” is developing in college sports and it is clear that the Big 10 and SEC have emerged as the two leaders:

“Now we are in kind of an arms race where everybody wants to move to a conference in order to get more money. We are coming to an era of diminishing returns in terms of just being able to move somewhere and get a bunch more money. I think it’s clear the Big 10 and SEC have emerged as the dominant players here, particularly in terms of ratings and achievement on the football field.

The SEC’s rights are tied up until 2034 and the Big 10 is probably going to have 2 new rounds of rights negotiations before 2034, so they are in a very good position to get more money. With the streamers looking to come in, they look to take advantage of that as well.”

One of the things Skipper doesn’t think is being talked about enough in realignment is what states these schools are in and how it can help a network gain more money. He remembers first-hand the deal he negotiated with the ACC when Pittsburgh, Boston College, Syracuse, and Louisville joined the conference:

“One of the more important ones we did was with the ACC. One of the big moves made was when the ACC was in danger of losing its basketball prominence to the Big East and not seeing the same kind of increases the Big 10 and SEC were. They went and took Pittsburgh, Syracuse, Boston College, and Louisville to the ACC.”

“One of the most important factors is what state they are in. For the ACC, Big 10, and SEC, all of whom have their own well-distributed networks. Pittsburgh, Boston College, Louisville and Syracuse both created a diminution of competition in the Big East, but it also added Pennsylvania, New York, Massachusetts, and Kentucky to the footprint of the ACC. Pennsylvania, New York, and Massachusetts represent quite a lot of population and those network deals are paid based on footprint and non-footprint. One price for the state and where the subscribers live within the footprint and the price if they don’t live in the footprint. I expect that to be the case with the Big10, who I believe just added the most populous state in the United States to their footprint, which I think has gone underrecognized in this move.” 

So, what could be in the future for college sports? Skipper gave out the hypothetical that if he were running the ACC, for example, he would try to see if four super conferences were forming and what it could mean for both college football and basketball:

“I would be calling around to see if there are going to be four super conferences of 16 or so teams, which I think there will be. How about we create four super conferences and do our own basketball tournament? I also think if you created four, 16-team conferences, you have 32 bowls and every team in the conferences would go to a bowl and you might even use those bowls to play the First Round of a very expansive College Football Playoff. There’s plenty of ways to get more money in addition to trying to figure out what can be done with Amazon and Apple.”

Reggie Bush: Big Noon Kickoff Is ‘Most Relevant College Football Show’

BSM Staff
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Reggie Bush isn’t going to knock College GameDay, but he has no problem telling you he is on the better college football pregame show.

The FOX college football analyst sat down with Kyle Koster of The Big Lead recently. He spoke proudly of Big Noon Kickoff, saying the quality of the show should be clear to viewers.

“I hope they see we’re the most relevant college football show,” he said.

He did compare his show to ESPN’s more popular offering. He noted that in terms of individual accomplishment, FOX has the star power of two Heisman Trophies and five national championships on its panel.

“They know what they’re talking about. The viewer can trust that the analyst knows what he’s talking about. I can’t say the same for other shows.”

Like College GameDay, Big Noon Kickoff will hit the road this year. Reggie Bush says that the show will not shy away from showing the more fun, irreverent parts of fan culture. FOX gets that it is a major part of what makes college football special.

“We bring the fun side to college football, he said. “Our fans are amazing. They love our show and they support us and that’s why I think we’re the No. 1 college football show on TV.”

Big Noon Kickoff enters its fourth season this year. Reggie Bush has been on the show from day 1 alongside Rob Stone, Brady Quinn, and Matt Leinart. While no official announcement has been made, it is expected that Urban Meyer will return to the show this year after one year away coaching the Jacksonville Jaguars.

Kenny Mayne To Boomer & Gio: ‘You Were Forced To Interview Me, I Get It’

BSM Staff
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Kenny Mayne is doing a podcast for Audacy called Hey Mayne. It makes sense that the company would want to have the former SportsCenter anchor on a number of its radio stations to promote the new show.

Friday morning, Mayne was on Boomer & Gio on WFAN in New York. The morning show rarely welcomes guests but made an exception for Mayne.

It soon became clear why.

The introduction Gregg Giannotti read was full of promotion for the new show, including describing Kenny Mayne as “a new friend in the Audacy family”. It sounded as if it came directly from corporate. That was not lost on Kenny Mayne.

“You’re trying to say you were forced to do this interview is essentially what you just said. I get it,” he responded.

Gio laughed saying that all he wanted to do was tell people what was going on with the company.

The interview overall was very pleasant and not remotely contentious. Mayne described swearing into a microphone as “the fun part” of doing a podcast. He also paused the interview briefly to order coffee.

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