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Does Playing The Game Prepare You For Sports Radio?

Derek Futterman
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Does Playing The Game Prepare You For Sports Radio?

Put yourself in the shoes of a professional athlete. You have just retired from playing the game that you love, a craft you have been perfecting from the moment you stepped onto the field, and are wondering what comes next. These thoughts are quite common among retiring athletes. For many of them, stepping away from the sport as a player does not mean they step away from it completely.

After 15 years in the NBA, JJ Redick retired from playing but still remains involved in the landscape of the game as an analyst for ESPN. Similarly, former National Football League defensive end Chris Canty, following 11 years in the NFL, joined 98.7 FM ESPN Radio New York as an on-air host, and has seen his role evolve into working as a national host for ESPN Radio.

Many former athletes have or are in the process of establishing themselves as integral parts of the world of sports media, whether it be as an on-air host, analyst, contributor, executive, etc. Former athletes bring a perspective other commentators lack; that is, the ability to place themselves in the mindset of those on the field or court or ice, and discuss things from that angle.

Lou Merloni played Major League Baseball for nine seasons, the first five of which with his hometown Boston Red Sox. Merloni finished his career with a .271 batting average, and a .716 OPS as a second baseman in stints with the Red Sox, San Diego Padres, Cleveland Indians and Los Angeles Angels. After retiring in 2007, Merloni worked to find his niche in sports media, starting at WEEI as a co-host on The Big Show. Additionally, Merloni began his foray on the television side as an analyst on NESN’s Boston Red Sox pregame and postgame shows during the 2008 season. Today, Merloni continues to work at WEEI with Fauria as a co-host of Merloni and Fauria on weekdays from 2-6 p.m.

Tom Waddle played six seasons in the NFL as a wide receiver for the Chicago Bears. In 60 games, Waddle had 183 receptions and 2,109 yards, and retired from the game prior to the start of the 1995 season. Waddle has had roles on radio and television since his retirement Waddle currently serves as a football analyst for WLS-TV, and a co-host of Waddle and Silvy with longtime radio personality Marc Silverman on ESPN 1000 Chicago on weekdays from 2-6 p.m.

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Derek Futterman: How would you describe your relationship with the media during your playing days?

Lou Merloni (Host, WEEI): I think I had a pretty friendly relationship with all of those guys. I was a utility guy in Boston, but I think I made friends with a lot of the media members.

Tom Waddle (Host, ESPN 1000 Chicago): It was very friendly. I played from ‘89 to ‘95 and thought the relationship between all the players and the media – for the most part – was pretty good. I would definitely say that I had a good relationship with a lot of the guys covering the team. I actually was also doing some media work towards the tail end of my career, so I kind of looked at some of those guys as a good resource to guide me to do what I was going to do.

Futterman: What similarities exist, if any, between playing and talking about the game?

Lou Merloni: [As an athlete,] the test… is the game itself. And the test for us is the actual show itself. You really can’t accomplish either one if you don’t put the work in beforehand. If you’re playing — if you’re not doing the right things — taking your ground balls; taking batting practice; going over scouting reports, you’re not going to be prepared for the game. I feel like it’s the same thing with radio and the show. All the real work is done the night before in watching a game and writing down notes and waking up the next day and reading and thinking about what you want to do and putting a show together. And the test is the actual show, and at that point you have everything in front of you and you just perform.

Tom Waddle: [It is] very competitive. There are very few jobs and an immense number of people that want those jobs. There is a certain level of competition. It’s a challenge for sure; you’re in an arena that you might not be as comfortable in. You have to perform; when the light goes on in television, or when the music stops and it’s your turn to talk on the radio, you’ve got to have something to say.

Futterman: What do you say to those who might say you are unable to understand a fan’s point of view due to not experiencing the highs and lows in the same way they have?

Merloni: For me, it’s being in Boston where I grew up. I was a fan of the teams — following them as a fan, thinking as a fan, before I was a member of the Red Sox. When we were in the ALCS, you’re thinking as a professional athlete in the moment, but there are times you sit back, and say ‘Man, we win this game, we go to the World Series.’ And thinking as a fan: ‘[If we win,] we are going to the World Series.’ Sometimes the job takes you in different areas where you have to be more critical than you would be if you were just a fan, but I was a fan first before I was a professional athlete.

Waddle: I think I got a head start on that because I was a blue collar player who was probably less athletic than most of the fans who were listening to us. I think I had a great relationship to begin with because there was an identity that existed from my playing days. I came into the industry, and my thought was: ‘I’m going to be honest. I’m going to give you the perspective I have. I’m going to be professional and tell you how I feel.’ I respect the players; the audience; and the fans, and in some ways, you have to walk a fine line by giving them what they deserve and respect, but not becoming personal. I came into the industry with the benefit of kind-of knowing how it stings when people are critical in a personal manner, and kind of felt that would be something that was going to be a focal point of my next career.

Futterman: How has being part of a team as an athlete differed from being part of a team as a broadcaster?

Merloni: It’s interesting. As much as baseball is a team sport, it’s probably the most individual sport of them all because my teammates, even though there’s things we can see and help with one another, whether it be scouting reports, when I’m in the box it’s up to me. When a guy hits me a ground ball, it’s up to me. There are ways where teammates definitely help you, but for the most part, it’s up to you to get the job done. I actually think in the media when you are doing a show with somebody, you rely on them more than you rely on a teammate to help you do your job in baseball. When it comes to baseball, I rely on my teammate for that show to click more.

Waddle: There’s some similarities, obviously. I don’t know that it is significantly different. Maybe smaller teams — on the air, it’s myself and Marc Silverman, and we have two producers. I live by the same concepts that everyone’s contributing and that no one is more important than anyone else. I was one of 11 in an offensive huddle; now I’m one of four doing a show from 2-6. I think there are more similarities than differences to be honest with you.

Futterman: Having been coached as a player, what similarities and differences have you noticed in handling feedback from media bosses?

Merloni: I think it’s a lot easier being a pro athlete receiving constructive criticism than maybe somebody who’s never gone through that before. As an athlete, if I’m not hitting well, I’m searching for answers and relying on resources and coaches to try to get me to where I want to be. And I don’t care what kind of criticism I hear from them; as long as it gets it to where I want to be — that’s all that matters. When you’re in the radio business, that doesn’t bother me — I just want to know what I need to do to be better. I think hearing that as a pro athlete; you are able to take those criticisms in this profession a little bit better than maybe some.

Waddle: You’ve got to be receptive to it. Just because I played in the NFL doesn’t mean I deserve any special type of treatment or recognition as a broadcaster. I want to be treated the same way by my bosses as I was by Mike Ditka – minus some yelling – as a player. I don’t have any problem with somebody coming in and saying, ‘Hey, guess what? I think you should have gone this direction with the interview.’ I am not above being coached, that’s for damn sure.

Futterman: How do you manage criticizing former teammates or friends on the air?

Merloni: That was the hardest part — the first few years of doing radio. When some of my former teammates and friends were still on the team. It made it a lot easier when some of those guys left, and I was able to look at it critically. I’ve always kind-of felt like the athlete will always be able to look himself in the mirror. Initially, they might not like what they hear, but at the same point, if it’s wrong that’s one thing. But if you are talking about ex-teammates or friends, you know them well, and you kind of know the reasons why things are going south. It’s not that they want to hear those things, but deep down, they might know that that’s the reason. That was probably the toughest thing to do for those first few years.

Waddle: It’s part of your job. I think you can be critical without being an asshole. As long as you don’t cross the line, or start making comments that are personally offensive, I don’t think that you’re crossing the line. I think the job is to give the opinions and analysis they brought you in to give; you have to have strong thoughts. I don’t have any inclination to want to take cheap shots at anybody; I don’t think it’s necessary, and I don’t think you’re doing anyone any favors.

Futterman: Who was the first player, coach or executive who you ticked off with something you said?

Merloni: Probably the first one was Terry Francona. I remember it was NESN right after a game, and there was a situation. I think I said after a game that I felt like [a player] should have bunted [in a situation]. That was the first time I had a conversation with a manager [as a member of the] media. It was one of those — you don’t have all the information; you don’t this, you don’t that. And I was like, ’No, I don’t. Unless you want to call and discuss it. All I can base it off of is what I see and what I know.’ We know in the media that we don’t know. There’s a lot of things that happen in the dugout and clubhouse that we don’t know about, but when we’re asked to react about it immediately, we can only base it off of our experiences and opinions. I always respected the fact that Terry wanted to talk to me about it, and we sort of moved on.

Waddle: There’s no question about that. I was working with David Kaplan on WGN Radio, and we were in a broadcast trailer outside of Wrigley Field. I think it was a weekend game, and we were doing postgame coverage of the Cubs, and our show branched out into all sports arenas. We had Jerry Krause on, and we were previewing a draft prospect or something of that nature and I asked a question about a particular player in college, and the college season was over at the time, so it wasn’t an inappropriate question. Jerry bit my head off, and became very unprofessional with me. I remember taking my headset off, and looking at David Kaplan, and going ‘Well, you can take this the rest of the way — I’m done.’ That just didn’t sit well with me, and maybe I was being a dumbass or a hothead about it, but even someone as accomplished as Jerry Krause, I just thought it was an unnecessary approach he took to my question. I think that was the first time I was exposed to somebody giving me hell about something, and I didn’t handle it with the maturity I would handle it with 25 years later.

Futterman: If there is one piece of advice you can share with athletes who might be considering moving into this business, what would it be?

Lou Merloni: Don’t hold back. Be fair, but give a strong opinion, and remember that this is your job. Your job is to be truthful and analyze what you see. I think some guys that come in the media that aren’t all in the media kind of soft pedal a little bit. Their friendships are more important than their next career, and I’m not saying you should just destroy your friendships, but your friends should realize that you’ve moved on and this is now your job if they are really your friends.

Tom Waddle: Be prepared. No different than when you were playing against the Lions, or you lined up against the Packers. If you weren’t prepared, you’d be exposed quickly, and your job security would be challenged and you wouldn’t last long. The same goes for the broadcast industry. There are guys who go out and work just as hard covering teams or the different things who are talking about as former players because of the work ethic that got them to where they got to. I would always tell anyone — be willing to do the hard work; don’t think you are going to get by just because of your accomplishments on the field. You are in a different arena, and will be exposed quickly. I think the same lessons you learned on the playing field will serve you well and the television and radio booth. What you did as an NFL player — there’s a shelf-life to that if you don’t hone your craft and work at it.”

Futterman: What remaining goals do you hope to accomplish in the media industry?

Merloni: I think it’s funny because when you’re done with baseball — whether you are a Hall of Famer or not — I think a lot of athletes would tell you that an important thing is how a lot of your former teammates talk about you. You can be a Hall of Famer [with] nobody [liking] you. It’s how they talk about you afterwards. When the career is over, or whatever my goal is, people can look back and say ‘He said what’s on his mind. It wasn’t just cheering for the home team all the time.’ I hope people look back and say I gave an honest opinion. My goal isn’t any more than that — to do my job and to do it the best I can.

Waddle: I’ve been so blessed at this point. I never would have thought that I would work at the NFL Network or ESPN in Bristol; that I would do national work, or have my own radio show with anybody. I feel so blessed that I’ve been given so many of the opportunities I’ve been given. I don’t have these lofty goals — I feel like I’ve been able to accomplish and experience a lot. I just want to continue to be better every day, and continue to work hard at it and hopefully entertain people. Maybe that sounds like I don’t have a lot of goals — I do — I’ll be 55 in February. I want to do this for the foreseeable future, and get better at it every day.

Just Walk In

Jeff Caves
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Just Walk In

Suppose you want to know more about a local or even regional business. Walk-in!

Lately, my prospecting has been about one thing, getting to know who is in charge. That’s it. I walk in, ask for the manager or owner who would make the marketing decisions, and leave. Just yesterday, I attacked a typical Best Buy, JC Penny, and Dicks Sporting Goods-retail area right off a freeway. Several strip centers with dentists, salons, and quick service/sit-down restaurants. 

You get the picture. Here is what I found.

TIME

It took me about 4 hours, from 11:30am-3:30pm, to get in and out of twenty-eight businesses. I passed on the national fast-food chains, restaurants like Olive Garden and Best Buy. I know the local manager doesn’t have much influence on what the agency is going to do. If you have found different, let me know.

I hit virtually every other business without fail and even some smaller national chains with success. I walked right past a Jersey Mike’s and into a Smoothie King. I was rewarded. I met the General Manager face to face, and he immediately texted an introduction to the owner whom he said would be interested in advertising. He gave me the owners’ cell phone numbers, and I am making a proposal for their consideration. I may have to add them to my 18 total prospects list. Each stop was about 5 minutes or less, and I stopped to make some phone calls, go to the bathroom, eat, Christmas shop, and drive.

Some calls were longer where managers insisted on seeing me or giving me a tour. When was the last time that happened to you emailing a prospect?

APPROACH

I used the same line over and over. I wanted to introduce myself to the manager, owner, or person who made the marketing decisions and let them know about a new ad program we had for their business. I would leave behind my card and a one-sheet to give them if they were out. Most employees understood 100% why I was there and had no problem with it—most of the time.

I had my fair share of “we don’t give the decision-makers names, emails, or particularly cell phone numbers out”. The classic “leave us what you want, and we will get back to you if we are interested” line was used frequently. I admit to feeling a bit rejected on that one. It classified me as an annoyance and threat to their safety, somehow. I realize that is my stuff, and I will work to overcome that. I highly recommend you read Don Miguel Ruiz Four Agreements, especially why we should never take things personally. 

In my 28 walk-ins, I bet I only met three decision-makers, and all of them were too busy at the time to know more but invited me to come back. One owner was preparing to work lunch, and another medical office manager had a caller on hold but wanted to know all about my idea.    

RESULTS

I learned so much about who the decision-maker was, where they worked, how many stores they had, what they were like, and how motivated they may be to advertise. Sometimes I was given the decision-makers cell phone, but consistently I was handed their email (I just handed them my notebook, and every one of the gatekeepers just wrote down the info I needed).

I was told how busy they were. I saw what the store looked like; I earned the endorsement of the assistant who liked my idea and would champion it forward. My follow-up emails to the decision-makers will now include my recent visit to their store, whom I met, and I can ask them if they saw the one sheet I left for them. All great ways to make a cold call warm. 

Wear your tennis shoes and just start walking in.  

Dick Vitale Is Getting Back All The Love He Gave

Andy Masur
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Cancer sucks. Plain and simple. There’s no other way to look at the disease that takes so many good people from us, oftentimes, way too soon. I’m sure you all know someone who’s had it. Those that have it share a quality that just amazes me. Not just strength and conviction, but a positivity that isn’t fake or forced. They know what lies ahead. They take it on and face each day with a determination that is fierce. It’s an emotional rollercoaster for the individual and their family and friends. Many of these people fight in private. They of course have a support base of those close to them, but it’s mainly kept to those in the inner circle.  

Imagine if you are someone recognized by millions of people. Say you’re a television analyst for college basketball and your name is Dick Vitale. “Dicky V” is a fixture in the sport on our televisions and computer screens.

In mid-October of this year, he learned he had cancer again. After beating a different form of the disease in the summer, Vitale had another battle ahead. He, himself revealed to the world, that he was diagnosed with lymphoma and the prognosis was good. Vitale said he would be able to work around doctor appointments.

“With all that said, I consider myself very lucky,” he said in a statement released by ESPN in October. “I’ve seen firsthand the devastation that cancer can have on families, on children, and on all of our loved ones. It can bring you to your knees. It’s physically and emotionally exhausting. It robs you of so many things, including life itself for some of the most unfortunate patients. I never lose sight of that, and that’s why I feel so lucky.”

Vitale wasn’t always destined for work on television. He was a basketball coach. After a couple of years as an assistant at Rutgers, he was hired by the University of Detroit in 1973 to become its head coach. Vitale took Detroit to the 32-team NCAA tournament in 1977. The season included a 21-game winning streak and a win over the eventual champion Marquette in Milwaukee.  He coached the Pistons for a season and 12 games before being let go in 1979.

From there, the rest is history. Vitale was given an opportunity to work at a then ‘upstart’ network, ESPN. He wasn’t sure that it would work out. Vitale didn’t know anything about television and wanted to get back into coaching. He was reluctant to accept the position but his wife Lorraine told him to go have fun, so Vitale accepted on a temporary basis until another coaching job became available. He called ESPN’s first college basketball game on December 5, 1979, when DePaul beat Wisconsin 90–77. The rest is history. 

Fast forward back to the present day. I happened to be at the Gonzaga/UCLA game with my girlfriend, a UCLA alum, in Las Vegas. We were settling into our seats and the scoreboard showed the broadcast table. Dave O’Brien and yes, Dick Vitale. Fans started to clap and then the PA announcer at T-Mobile Arena asked all the fans to rise and ‘give it up for Mr. Dick Vitale!’ It was a pretty cool moment. It was one of those moments where the hair on your arm stands up. Vitale got up from his chair and acknowledged the ovation. For a moment we all forgot we were about to watch the #1 and #2 teams in the country battle it out. Since I was present for the game, I did not hear the exchange Vitale had with O’Brien. Here is their conversation from November 24, 2021, Vitale’s first broadcast since being diagnosed with cancer.

The same situation happened for Vitale last week when he did the Baylor/Villanova game from Waco, Texas. The Baylor crowd gave Vitale a standing ovation at one point, which moved Vitale to tears almost immediately.

Vitale has been receiving well wishes, congratulations, and words of encouragement from all around the game. His dear friend, Duke Head Coach Mike Krzyzewski spoke about him at length following Duke’s 107-81 victory over The Citadel the night before Vitale’s game in Vegas.

“I communicate with him probably every other day, he and I are really close friends,” Krzyzewski explained.

“I’m so proud of you because you doing this shows the thousands of people who have cancer that you are going to fight it…I’m really proud of you showing that,” Coach K relayed to Vitale in a text message the other day.

Krzyzewski reminded everyone that Vitale has been an advocate for helping children fight cancer in his annual gala to raise money for the cause. “What he’s doing is God’s work,” Krzyzewski said.

Dick Vitale is also a huge supporter of the Jimmy V Foundation, but was unable to attend the games this season. Vitale says he was inspired to fight for pediatric cancer research because of his friend Jim Valvano’s ‘courageous fight.’ 

Dick Vitale: Why I'll Never Give Up Fighting Cancer With the V Foundation - InsideHook

Dick Vitale deserves all the love. Not many are brave enough to disclose the battles we are fighting. Especially when you’re a nationally known person. Whether he realizes it or not, Vitale is setting an example, with every Tweet and appearance on television that he makes. He is an inspiration to some, a living example of how to go about this fight. Vitale is humanizing it, and he continues to show such courage. We all know how much he loves the game of basketball. We know that his words express his love for the sport, now more than ever. I’m sure that as he continues to get a chance to do what he loves, the fans will show him their adoration at every stop. 

The kindness of strangers is said to be some of the best medicine. Dick Vitale has always been a character. His catchphrases, “He’s a diaper dandy!”, “PTP’er, Prime time player” and his “All Windex Team” are as much the game as anything. Fans can’t help but root for Vitale. For a man that has given so much of himself for the fans, it only seems right that they return the favor. Boy are they ever and it’s “Awesome with a capital A!”

Radio Row At Army-Navy Was The Live Event We’ve Been Waiting For

Derek Futterman
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This past weekend, the Army-Navy football game made its return to the New York-Metropolitan area for the first time since 2002 to observe the 20th anniversary of the September 11 attacks. The game, being played for the 122nd time in history, was an incredible show of patriotism, with MetLife Stadium in East Rutherford, N.J. hosting 82,282 spectators, a number that broke its college football attendance record.

The people were treated to a thriller on the gridiron as the Navy Midshipmen took home the Commander-in-Chief’s Trophy with its upset of the Army Black Knights, 17-13. Navy held Army scoreless in the second half of the game, and ended an otherwise difficult season on a high note, winning the contest for just the second time in six years.

The day prior to that, though, another event took place on the Hudson River at Pier 86 in New York on a former aircraft carrier that was in use for 31 years. USAA and the Intrepid Sea, Air, & Space Museum hosted a media row ahead of the Army-Navy game. The event welcomed radio stations and other media outlets from across the country. On-air hosts, engineers and content creators left studios around the United States for the day and broadcast live from the USS Intrepid, bringing listeners a unique perspective on the game from a historic location.

Some of the shows that broadcast from the USS Intrepid included Boomer & Gio on WFAN, In The Loop on SportsRadio 610 Houston and Tiki and Tierney on CBS Sports Radio, along with programming from WDAE in Tampa, 97.3 The Fan in San Diego, KNBR in San Francisco, 106.7 The Fan in Washington, D.C., 104.5 The Zone in Nashville, KFAN in Minneapolis and Armed Forces Radio – just to name a few.

Guests at the event ranged from former athletes to active military officials and were available to be interviewed throughout the day. Secretary of the Navy Carlos Del Toro, former Navy running back Napoleon McCallum, ESPN College GameDay panelist and former Heisman Trophy winner Desmond Howard, CBS play-by-play announcer Brad Nessler and Westwood One color commentator Ross Tucker all made the rounds. Additionally, event attendees had the ability to tour the Intrepid, and take photos with the Commander-in-Chief’s Trophy.

As the second-largest media row behind the Super Bowl, this event was representative of a rebirth of radio stations doing live shows on the road again. Radio stations were side-by-side broadcasting local and national programs. They also utilized video to create unique content to be shared on social media.

For many media outlets, it was the first time they were able to be outside of the studio since the onset of the COVID-19 pandemic, and the realization of a yearning to be among colleagues within the industry once again. As a hub for content creation and dissemination, the USS Intrepid was certainly the place to be last week. It represented a choppy transition to a “new normal” for society as a whole. A former aircraft carrier for the U.S. Navy docked in the waters of the Hudson River served as an ideal location to welcome media personnel back outside of the studio on a crisp and sunny day in New York City.

102.5 The Game Elevates Chase McCabe To Program Director

BSM Staff
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102.5 The Game Elevates Chase McCabe To Program Director

Earlier today, Ryan Porth announced he was heading to Chicago to become the Assistant Brand Manager of 670 The Score. Porth spent nine and a half years in Nashville with Cromwell Radio including the past five serving as the program director of both ESPN 102.5 The Game and ESPN 94.9. His exit left the station with a key vacancy to fill.

Fortunately for the company, they didn’t have to look long or far to find their next leader.

Cromwell Radio has announced the internal promotion of Chase McCabe. The Nashville sports radio veteran will be responsible for both the programming strategy and operations of both ESPN 102.5 The Game and ESPN 94.9. His first day in the PD chair will be January 3rd.

“We are fortunate to be in a position to promote from within our ranks,” said VP/Market Manager Dennis Gwiazdon. “I’m confident that Chase will use this opportunity to sustain ESPN 102.5 The Game’s momentum and his promotion allows us to maintain continuity as we build on our reputation as Nashville’s Best Sports Talk.”

Gwiazdon continued, “We are excited for Ryan’s opportunity to be in the #3 radio market in the country. Throughout his tenure with ESPN 102.5 The Game Ryan has been instrumental in our success over the years. All of us at Cromwell Media are happy for Ryan and wish him continued success. I have no doubt that Chase will be his worthy successor.”

McCabe is a graduate of Middle Tennessee State University and a member of the BSM Member Directory. Similar to Porth, he’s been with Cromwell for nearly ten years. During that time, he has worked his way up from producer to assistant program director to co-host of The Game’s midday show ‘Darren, Daunic and Chase’.

“I am absolutely thrilled to lead ESPN 102.5 The Game and ESPN 94.9 and grateful for the opportunity that owner Bud Walters and Dennis have given me. I can’t wait to see what new heights we can reach,” said McCabe. “I have also been blessed to work with Ryan Porth for the last 9 years and have not only learned a lot from a colleague, I’ve gained a friend for life and wish him nothing but the best.”

ESPN 102.5 The Game is Nashville’s broadcast home of the Nashville Predators. The station features local programming each weekday starting with Robby and Rexrode in mornings, Darren, Daunic and Chase in middays, and Stillman and Company in afternoons.

Ryan Porth Joins Audacy Chicago As Assistant Brand Manager of 670 The Score

BSM Staff
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Ryan Porth Joins Audacy Chicago As Assistant Brand Manager of 670 The Score

Ryan Porth is moving from the music city to the windy city. After nine and a half years with Cromwell Radio in Nashville, which included spending the past five years as the program director of 102.5 The Game, and ESPN 94.9, Porth has announced he’s leaving to join Audacy in Chicago. His final day inside the Nashville offices will be Wednesday December 22nd.

Porth’s new position will be Assistant Brand Manager of 670 The Score. He’ll work in tandem with PD Mitch Rosen providing digital ideation, organization and operations support for Chicago’s top rated sports brand. With Rosen also handling programming oversight of The Fan in Milwaukee, and serving as BetQL’s Director of Operations, it gives him a trusted partner to help move the brand’s forward.

The first day on the job for Porth will be Monday January 3rd. The Score will celebrate 30 years in operation on Sunday January 2nd. The soon to be departing Nashville PD is expected to meet his new teammates later this week.

As Porth moves on to his next adventure, Cromwell Radio will soon need a new leader to move their brands forward. The company is expected to make an announcement soon regarding its plans for the PD position.

BSM extends its congratulations to Porth, Rosen, and the Audacy Chicago staff.

The Six B2B Buying Jobs A Client Has To Do

Jeff Caves
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The Six B2B Buying Jobs A Client Has To Do

We have been reading that the traditional selling model has been dead for a few years now. Buyers today, some say, don’t react to a simple phone call, pitch, and close formula. That may be true. No matter what type of radio buyer we deal with, it is safe to assume they have access to much more information than any buyers did 20 or more years ago. They are more informed, have options at their fingertips that don’t include using salespeople and don’t phone in as often looking for help. We better consider changing our tactics.

Research from Gartner indicates that B2B buyers only allow for 17% of their time to be spent meeting with potential suppliers. And, if you have ever tried to slow down a busy store owner long enough to consider your new digital package or afternoon endorsement, you know what I mean. Radio operators have long known that agencies didn’t need as much attention as a direct business because they pay them 15% to place the order and pay salespeople way less to insert it. 

How much time do we spend selling to and with agency media buyers? Not much.

We can focus on what we can control, and that is direct buyers most often. And we can do a better job of understanding how to assist our clients through their buying process best. I have adapted Gartner’s six B2B buying “jobs” that clients must complete to their satisfaction to make a deal with you.

Let’s consider that this sales process is with a small business owner. This client is multi-tasking daily operational issues, product suppliers, and long-range planning like buying radio advertising for 2022.  

  • Problem identification. “We need to do something.” The owner knows they have a store traffic issue, declining sales, or market share. Or they have a new location opening or are changing their name. SOMETHING on their end has sparked a need. It’s our job to know what that “something” is and help them with this problem. 
  • Solution exploration. “What’s out there to solve our problem?” This is the action step when the owner starts asking around, searching the internet for other businesses in his category, or talking to his manufacturers’ rep or national ad agency. They may even appoint someone internally to head up finding the 2022 plan. They may even buy a plan from an industry consultant. Our research with a specific proposal is what is needed at this moment. A white paper with our case history of helping a similar business. A 3rd party endorsement. This is a “job” that we can help fill. The busier a store owner is, the more likely they will find someone they trust who will do it for them and report back to them with the plan. Can you be that someone?   
  • Requirements building. “What exactly do we need the purchase to do?” This can slow down the process. This is where other feedback comes in, and we need to have been as objective as we can about what our plan can do and how it can complement other activities the client has on board. It is wise to complement ad buys already in place, so they don’t need to dive into too many ad buying processes at once. This job also demands clarity, so the client knows what they want.
  • Supplier selection. “Does this do what we want it to do?” Here comes the comparison shopping. We need to explain, email, or white paper the results of your ad plan. Metrics can come into play here, so knowing the clients’ numbers for average sale, annual and lifetime value of a client, and customer turnover rate can be crucial.  
  • Validation. “We think we know the right answer, but we need to be sure.” Buyers remorse could be hitting! Or, your rates may be shopped. The client may ask a friend who does business with your station what he thinks about his plan. Make sure your client has a list of other clients you have helped and make them as high a profile as possible. They may know that person and will source you. Provide “why radio ?” bullet points so the client can defend your plan to whoever he seeks for validation. Beware of the manufacturer who says radio doesn’t work. 
  • Consensus creation. “We need to get everyone on board.” This could be the step where a business partner or accountant doesn’t agree with your spending level. Or the commercial is played for a room full of employees. Bombproof the client to know how to defend your plan.

It would be nice if these jobs all happened in a particular order, but they don’t. Be prepared for any or all of these jobs to be mastered, and make sure you apply for all of them. 

Anatomy of a Broadcaster: Brad Nessler

Andy Masur
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Anatomy of a Broadcaster: Brad Nessler

It’s never easy to replace a legend.  When the time came for Brad Nessler to slide into the chair previously occupied by the great Verne Lundquist, he handled it well. Nessler paid tribute to Lundquist and acknowledged he had big shoes to fill. Nessler has made the transition over the last four years into the lead SEC chair on CBS look easy, because he’s one of the most professional announcers in the industry. To me, he’s one of the more unheralded play-by-play guys around. While he may not get the headlines like, Al Michaels, Mike Trico and others, Nessler just continues to do a solid job.  

Brad Nessler on LSU-Alabama: "You have to be ready for a big play on just about every snap."

It’s not that the others don’t deserve the press they get. They do, but you can’t forget about guys like Nessler. He’s been around the block, calling everything from the NFL to the NCAA Tournament. He’s carved out a niche for himself using his big voice for some big moments in college and professional sports. 

ROAD TO THE SEC ON CBS

Brad Nessler began his professional broadcasting career sharing play-by-play radio duties with Al Ciraldo on Georgia Tech basketball on WGST from 1980–85 and handled the play–by–play for the Atlanta Falcons from 1982 to 1988 on WGST and WSB before taking the same position for the Minnestoa Vikings during the 1988 and 1989 seasons. 

In 1990 and 1991, Nessler spent his first tour of duty with CBS, calling the NFL, College Football and College Basketball, both men’s and women’s. 

Nessler left CBS for ESPN in 1992. His career there began with calling college hoops and also Big Ten and Thursday night football games. When ESPN and ABC moved under the same umbrella, Nessler’s assignments expanded. When he started calling college football on ABC in 1997, he was the #3 play-by-play announcer, behind Keith Jackson and Brent Musburger. Nessler moved up to #2 when Jackson scaled back his workload in 1999. 

In July 2009, ESPN announced that Nessler would move to the top play-by-play man for ESPN’s coverage of college football, being primarily responsible for ESPN’s Saturday Primetime game. Upon the announcement of Nessler’s move to ESPN’s Saturday Primetime telecasts, it was also announced that he would be teamed with former Penn State quarterback Todd Blackledge and sideline reporter Erin Andrews beginning with the 2009 college football season; this crew also called the January 1, 2010 Capital One Bowl on ABC.  

From 2002 to 2004, Brad Nessler was a broadcaster for the NBA including calling the 2003 NBA Finals. Starting in 2006, Nessler provided play-by-play for SEC games on Super Tuesday and Thursday Night Showcase. He also covered Saturday afternoon games for ESPN during the regular college basketball season, and previously appeared on ABC. 

On September 11, 2006, ESPN began its coverage of Monday Night Football with a Week 1 doubleheader. Nessler teamed with Ron Jaworski, Dick Vermeil and Bonnie Bernstein to call the second game, featuring the Chargers and Raiders. Nessler worked several more of the doubleheader NFL games for the network.

In 2011, Nessler was hired by NFL Network to call its Thursday Night Football telecasts. He continued to call the game package in 2012 and 2013, expanded to thirteen games, before CBS Sports took over responsibility for the package in the 2014 NFL season.  

Nessler made his return to CBS Sports in 2016. He would serve as lead play-by-play announcer for SEC college football games beginning in the 2017 season, replacing the outgoing Verne Lundquist. He was then reunited with Danielson, who he worked with at ABC from 1997–1999. Nessler also provides play-by-play for college basketball for the network and called his first NCAA March Madness action since 1992 in March of 2018 on TBS as part of the CBS/Turner partnership. 

WHY IS HE SO GOOD?

Brad Nessler is smooth, authoritative and in control of his broadcasts. You can tell he does his homework and in the opens to his television games, there’s a bit of a swagger that is noticeable if you watch closely. It is the type of swagger that’s not saying “I’m the man, look at me.” Instead, it is one that I believe says, “watch this broadcast, I know what I’m talking about and you’ll enjoy it.”

I watched the 2021 SEC title game a second time and paid attention to tempo, energy and mood setting. I thought Nessler did an excellent job of setting up the match up. He stayed within himself, not letting the hype and noise inside the stadium get the best of him. It seemed to me like he and Gary Danielson set a very good tone and set the mood well. 

Nessler was up to the big moments in the game, like a first-half strike for Alabama to Jameison Williams. The Tide receiver pulled away. “Extra speed, on the gas and gone!” exclaimed Nessler. I really thought he and Danielson were on point for most of the game. I also appreciated that even with all that was on the line for the teams, Nessler and Danielson really allowed the game to breathe at times. Meaning, they weren’t just talking to cover up dead spots, there was enough in the way of crowd energy to make up for the silence from the booth. 

I thought the storylines were fairly even, to each of the teams. For someone like me with no skin in the game, the coverage and excitement level seemed very balanced.  I know that fans of both Alabama and Georgia will disagree with that last statement, but that’s the way I saw it. 

In general terms, I’ve always liked the way Nessler calls games. There is that tone that I spoke of, which is really hard to describe. It almost creates a sense of “I know this game is important” to the audience. That is not to say Nessler and his analysts can’t break into a little levity when the time calls for it. He knows when it’s time to have fun and when it’s time to dedicate himself to the game. He has a nice balance in his broadcasts. 

His love of the games he calls really shines through as much as than anything. There was a little bit of giddiness in his voice just before that SEC Title game in Atlanta. But that never gets in the way of him doing what he’s there to do. He is there to use his personality to compliment the game, not get in the way of the game call because that’s what the audience expects and deserves. The other great thing about him is it doesn’t matter who he’s working with, that person knows he/she has a great partner in Nessler.

There isn’t just one obvious thing that makes Brad Nessler stick out from the rest of those that call games. The combination of his voice, knowledge and personality really works for him. There’s not a lot of flash to his calls, which is not a bad thing. As I wrote about him in March, just before the NCAA Tournament started, “smooth and always under control is Nessler. You always know you’re getting a good broadcast when he is on the call.”

I’ll stand by that statement today. 

Gary Danielson apologizes for his commentary after Chamberlain Smith sideline injury

CONCLUSION

Nessler has always been one of those guys who has seemingly flown under the radar. He’s not jumping up and down, coming up with a ton of catchphrases (he does have ‘I mean…’) saying look at me, not the game. Unfortunately, it seems more and more that guys in that latter category are getting ahead, because producers and networks want more personality from their announcers. Brad Nessler represents the best of voice and subtle personality, that actually makes the GAME the star of the show. The way it’s supposed to be. 

Chris Canty Is A Better Version Of Himself On Air

Derek Futterman
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Chris Canty Is A Better Version Of Himself On Air

If you are a New York sports fan, you may remember Chris Canty from his days on the gridiron as a defensive end for the New York Giants. Originally drafted by the Dallas Cowboys in the fourth round, Canty departed the Lone Star State in the spring of 2009 when he signed a six-year deal with “Big Blue.” Two years later, he was an instrumental part of the Giants’ defensive line that secured the franchise a Super Bowl Championship. After the 2012 season, Canty signed with the Baltimore Ravens, where he eventually finished his eleven-year pro football career in 2015.

Chris Canty calls Ray Rice's actions 'deplorable,' condemns national media for airing video on television - Baltimore Beatdown

Upon his retirement, Canty was looking to stay involved with football. However, he didn’t wait until he hung up his cleats. While a member of the Ravens, Canty would join Hahn and Humpty on 98.7 FM ESPN Radio New York for weekly hits, giving him experience talking about the game as an active player and affording him an early foray into what would eventually become his second career. A year later, he got the call from then-General Manager at 98.7 FM ESPN Radio New York Tim McCarthy to join Anita Marks on New York Gameday, a weekend program that previewed the games during the 2016 season.

Just a short time after that, Canty’s career ascension continued when he was added to the local programming lineup as a member of the midday show: Hahn, Humpty & Canty. After Alan Hahn departed the show to host an evening solo program, Dave Rothenberg joined Canty and former New York Islanders goaltender Rick DiPietro, as a co-host, and the show was renamed DiPietro, Canty & Rothenberg. Coming out of his career as a professional football player, Canty says that his co-hosts assisted him in honing his craft as a sports radio host.

“Those guys are meticulous in their preparation,” the Bronx native said. “I think as I was trying to find my voice [understanding how to prepare] really helped [me]… You have all this information you want to share with your audience, but [I think those guys helped me] understand how to frame it and prepare to share with your audience.”

After four years as a local radio host, Canty was moved to ESPN’s national programming lineup this past September as a co-host of the new Canty and Golic Jr. While he expressed that he did not leave his role on the local program DiPietro, Canty and Rothenberg on the best of terms, he affirms that his experience helped prepare him for the opportunity to host on a national scale.

“I feel like, within every experience, good or bad, there’s a lesson to be learned,” Chris Canty said. “Being with my new team now, it just gives me an appreciation for the positivity and everybody on the team pulling the rope in the same direction. To be part of a group where everybody is obsessed with making the show sound as good as it can sound, I think it’s an important thing.”

Working with former Notre Dame defensive tackle Mike Golic Jr. has been a unique experience. Canty calls him “the voice of a generation.” Canty credits him for expanding his comfort level in talking about topics outside of the world of sports and genuinely understanding the nature of radio as a communication medium.

Canty and Golic Jr.
Courtesy: ESPN Radio

Golic Jr. had a renowned mentor in his father, Mike Golic, who hosted ESPN Radio’s morning show in various forms for more than 20 years and currently serves as an analyst on Pro Football Talk on NBC Sports.

“His delivery and style is where sports media and sports radio is going,” said Canty. “Being able to weave in pop culture and talk about things on the periphery of sports – the human interest side of sports; I think that’s important… Everybody can get the content from anywhere, but it’s really just a matter of being able to provide the entertainment value – the color – and GoJo puts me in positions to do that, and it allows me to be a better version of myself on air.”

Having the perspective of a former athlete has been an asset Canty has leveraged to his advantage throughout his time in sports radio.

“I have a wealth of knowledge because I was in the game at a high level for a really long time. There’s a huge amount of information I can pull from to provide color [and] context for the listening audience.”

Learning how to balance the perspective with what will be most relatable and useful for the listening audience, though, has been something he has had to adapt to doing as a former athlete. Chris Canty seeks to continuously improve on his skills, just as he did as a professional athlete.

“Just making sure I don’t get too nuanced is probably the biggest challenge,” he said. “It’s tough – When you’re passionate about sports and football in particular, you want to be able to go into that deep dive. Sometimes, I have to pull back so my audience can go on that journey with me.”

While his national show is not regularly broadcast over 98.7 FM ESPN Radio New York, he remains cognizant of the competition between ESPN Radio New York and WFAN in The Big Apple. As a host though, is focused on compiling and producing an entertaining on-air product every day.

“The talent and the depth on the [ESPN Radio] roster is something that’s really special,” said Canty. “I think that the people that are in charge of putting together the [programming] slate have done a good job of putting together a really good roster. [The ratings are] one of those things that ebb and flow, but ultimately, I think the product that ESPN is putting out there is something everyone on the team can be proud of.”

As his career in sports media continues to unfold, Chris Canty aspires to be part of what he calls the “linear side” of the industry. That includes having more opportunities to appear on television as a studio analyst or color commentator. He hopes to be able to function as a catalyst for the industry’s evolution. The demand for content is proliferating, while the attention span for such content is diminishing. Plus, there are so many sports media options, that it is important to Canty that there be a specific goal and role for sports radio in the landscape.

Super Bowl Champion and Former New York Giant Chris Canty Joins ESPN New York 98.7FM - ESPN Press Room U.S.

“I think the thing is everyone is going to be looking for that instant reaction. When you get news, and something that’s breaking, people want to hear their favorite talent talking about it. They want to hear people with credibility give compelling reactions and insight into it… I think that’s the role of radio in modern sports media; I think it’s ultimately about being able to give that instant reaction and being able to have that intimate relationship where you can have a conversation that goes on for hours.”

The Art of the Interview

BNM Staff
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The Larry King-style interview set the standard and set the stage for all others who have followed in recent decades.

But this approach often seems to be fading into extinction. They are nearly gone, with flickers of life emerging only so constantly.

One of the essential attributes of a great interviewer is getting the guest to open up, allowing him to answer questions and offer his insight and unique perspective.

This approach is so rare in news media, and its implementation is complex because it requires something antithetical to most modern-day news personalities. It demands that the host or interviewer simply keep quiet and let the interviewee speak.

As Marty Glickman used to say in the sports realm, “people tune in to hear the game.”

Similarly, during a television news media interview, viewers mostly tune in to hear the guest. Otherwise, they’d have ditched the segment and headed elsewhere for content or entertainment.

In a world of larger-than-life egos, fighting endlessly for “hot takes,” attention, and clicks, a host clamming up and letting the guest steal the show is scarce indeed.

On that note, it was hard not to notice the epic interview last week between Fox News’ Tucker Carlson and Michael Saylor, the pioneering CEO of Microstrategy.

Saylor, arguably the largest Bitcoin holder in the world, and one of the asset’s biggest proponents, joined Carlson’s Tucker Carlson Today weekend program last week. A shortened version of the conversation then aired during Carlson’s weeknight primetime program.

Carlson set the table by admitting to being a Bitcoin neophyte before asking the Bitcoin guru to explain the technology and why it is valuable.

“Bitcoin is the first engineered monetary system in the history of the human race,” the forward-thinking Saylor began. “The first question is, what’s money. The second question is, what’s the problem? And the third question is, what’s the solution?”

Over the next hour, Saylor explained why he and the company he runs started accumulating Bitcoin in March 2020. Saylor also discussed the role of money, the risks of inflation, Bitcoin as digital gold, the value of the asset for citizens worldwide, among many other angles related to the digital asset. Carlson nodded often and occasionally commented briefly as the technology genius laid out his case.

“The point of Bitcoin is to fix the money. And money is energy, and energy is life. And if I keep sucking the energy out of the economy, I’m sucking the oxygen out of your system,” Saylor said. “Under the best case, you perform poorly. Under the worst case, I suffocate you to death or freeze you to death. That’s the problem. That’s why empires collapse.”

“You spoke on and off for about 50 minutes,” Carlson pointed out. “That was amazing. That was one of the most unbelievable things I’ve ever heard. You’ve made the most compelling case I’ve ever heard for the need for something like Bitcoin.”

True indeed, but only because Carlson did his job as an interviewer. The marvelous content was only the result of Carlson’s wonderful approach.

Fascinating enough, another talk host also discussed this very same facet of communication last week. On the December 2nd episode of his Daily Hope podcast, entitled Learning to Live Wisely, Pastor Rick Warren explicitly discussed the role of a host when interviewing a guest.

“One of the keys is listening. If you don’t listen, then you’re not going to grow,” Warren began his monologue. “I have never learned anything while I’m talking. If my mouth is moving, I’m not learning. I’m only learning when I’m listening. You don’t learn when you’re talking. You learn when you’re listening, so you gotta learn to listen.”

In other words, your audience only learns if you listen.

“I’ve done an awful lot of interviews. ABC, CBS, NBC, PBS, BBC, CNN, and on and on,” Warren, the author of The Purpose Driven Life, explained. “What I’ve noticed is that the interview shows have changed. They’re no longer about the guest. Instead, they’re about the interviewer. And the whole goal is, the interviewer wants to draw attention to himself. The interviewer wants to explain his or her opinions, and you’re just the foil.”

Marty Glickman got it. Tucker Carlson gets it, and Rick Warren receives it. Many others do as well, albeit far fewer than we’d hope.

“I long for the old Larry King days,” Warren said. “You know what I liked about Larry King? He would ask a question, and then he’d let you talk. And he realized that the interview, people weren’t going to listen to Larry King. They were going to listen to all of the fascinating guests that he had and learning from them.”

Warren quoted the late King saying, “in an interview show, if the host is talking 50 percent of the time, something is terribly wrong. The host listens the most. The host talks the least. The host sets up the question and then just listens. That’s what a good TV host does.”

Completely different realms – Glickman, Carlson, and Warren – yet each one, in their own way, acknowledges one of the keys to effective communication (and media success).

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