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Why Sports Radio Cannot Ignore The FIFA World Cup This Summer

John Mamola
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Why Sports Radio Cannot Ignore The FIFA World Cup This Summer

The New York Knicks are your NBA champions. The NBA Finals delivered the best television viewership since The Last Dance, when Michael Jordan left Bulls fans for good. Lord Stanley’s Cup has been raised to the heavens in Raleigh, North Carolina, for the second time in just over two decades. That, too, followed impressive viewership numbers not seen in years. Baseball is in full swing, and the NFL is on hiatus. Welcome to June, where sports radio discussions often stray away from games on the field and into the evergreen territory of Mount Rushmore discussions and G.O.A.T. debates.

It’s a dangerous landscape to navigate, especially this summer. For the next five weeks, sports radio talent will likely settle into that familiar summer rhythm. Stations will lean on additional syndication. Plus, if you’re not in an MLB market, there’s likely a shortage of local, day-to-day headlines that command the collective attention of your audience.

However, this summer provides an opportunity. One that only arrives every few years, and this year it’s taking place on American soil.

It’s a decision that isn’t easy to make. Should sports radio be more embracing of the World Cup in casual conversation? Each market is different, and so is its talent. Not every host could name a single player on the USMNT, and some may not even know what the acronym means.

What’s fascinating, however, is how the approach is judged.

The Audience Leads Your Content

Most sports radio stations were glued to the NBA Finals. The series involved the largest market in the United States. The presentation was full of celebrity. Every game was micro-analyzed from pregame through postgame. NBA basketball is familiar to most Americans. It draws a broader audience than most sports because of its history in the country.

That’s why the NBA Finals are always must-see television and frequently become topics of discussion on sports radio across the country.

The Stanley Cup Final didn’t feature major U.S. markets. In fact, two of the league’s youngest franchises battled for the Stanley Cup. However, viewership surged to unexpected levels. The Stanley Cup Final will likely go down as the most-watched Cup Final in more than a decade despite the lack of familiarity and star power.

Viewers showed interest, yet most sports radio stations chose the NBA over the Stanley Cup Final when it came to topics, discussion, and social engagement.

For both events, viewership was strong. However, they competed against one another for airtime among sports radio brands across the country. The World Cup doesn’t have that competition, but will sports radio make it a day-to-day topic over the next five weeks?

If viewership is your guide, Americans are watching.

Ball Don’t Lie

The United States’ win over Paraguay was the most-watched USMNT FIFA World Cup telecast in English-language U.S. history. Nearly 16 million people watched the U.S. dismantle Paraguay while scoring a record four goals in a single World Cup match.

For comparison, the Stanley Cup Final will likely average just over 4.5 million viewers. The NBA Finals finished with an average audience over 20 million.

If viewership is your guide, doesn’t the World Cup make sense for sports radio to embrace? If the goal is to follow what your audience is watching, shouldn’t content selection reflect that same approach?

We always talk about lost opportunities when it comes to sports radio’s ability to connect with audiences in different ways. Sure, the NFL drives the bus when it comes to cume and TSL. However, when there’s no NFL and limited NBA, NHL, and, in many markets, MLB storylines to discuss, you need to get creative with the opportunities in front of you.

The World Cup is exactly that opportunity. It’s not just a soccer event. It’s a cultural one.

Content Angles Are There

There is plenty of star power and no shortage of discussion points involving sponsorships, commercials, commentators, and social media reactions. Every United States match resonates with people differently as the country celebrates its 250th birthday leading into July 4.

Have you seen how visitors from other countries are sharing their American experiences online? That’s content in itself. Connect with those people online, book them as guests, and reveal the uniqueness of their journeys to your audience.

The World Cup provides numerous ways to lean into the entertainment value that sports radio delivers. If you don’t know much about the game, be curious. Be ‘Ted Lasso’ for your audience and ask questions. You may learn something along the way while connecting with listeners on a level you haven’t experienced before.

Yes, there will be NBA free agency. Of course, the NHL will generate headlines as well. And the Midsummer Classic will always be a focal point for sports radio. However, America is telling sports radio what it cares about right now. The question is whether sports radio is listening.

Embrace, Not Evade

Sports radio has always been at its best when it meets audiences where their passions already exist. It doesn’t require every host to become a soccer expert overnight, nor does it mean abandoning the sports that traditionally drive ratings.

It simply means recognizing what is unfolding right in front of us.

The numbers suggest Americans are watching. The crowds suggest they’re engaged. The social media conversation suggests they’re invested. When millions of people are tuning in to the biggest sporting event on the planet, hosted in your own backyard, sports radio doesn’t have the luxury of pretending it isn’t happening.

Five weeks from now, the World Cup will be gone. The opportunity to be part of the conversation will disappear with it. Sports radio can either treat it as a niche event and watch from the sidelines, or embrace the curiosity, energy, and cultural relevance it has created across the country.

The audience has already made its choice.

If every indication points to the World Cup being the defining sports story of the summer, sports radio shouldn’t ignore it. It should embrace it.

The biggest sporting event of the summer is already commanding attention, generating conversation, and attracting millions of viewers. Sports radio doesn’t need to become soccer radio. It simply needs to recognize where the audience is spending its time and meet listeners there. When every sign points to the World Cup becoming the story of the summer, the smartest move isn’t to avoid it. It’s to embrace it.

Barrett Media produces daily content on the music, news, and sports media industries. Sign up for our newsletters to stay updated and get the latest information right in your inbox.

Ten Years Of Locked On: The Rise of a Podcast Empire Eyeing Its Next Chapter

John Mamola
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Ten Years Of Locked On: The Rise of a Podcast Empire Eyeing Its Next Chapter

Survival in the sports podcast industry is not easy. Every day, hundreds of new competitors enter a space that many already consider to be oversaturated. It’s a battle of identifying your audience, creating unique content for consumers, and navigating every change and shift in the evolving ways that content is distributed. A battle that the Locked On Podcast Network continues to win year after year for the last decade.

Yesterday, Locked On celebrated the network’s tenth anniversary. What began as a project by founder David Locke to find a way to pay the fees for his children’s ski academy has grown into a model the rest of the industry continues to marvel at.

“The initial conversation with my wife about this included two rules when I started Locked On. One, I couldn’t do anything that would harm us financially. Two, I had to admit it when it wasn’t working and stop working on it,” explained Locke, who still serves as the President of the Locked On Podcast Network. “We never would have thought what if it works, and ten years later you’re still running it. That was never a discussion point.”

What started as a single team-focused podcast hosted by Locke on the Utah Jazz, the team for which he serves as play-by-play voice, has grown into a behemoth of on-demand local voices providing daily content about nearly every team in every professional league. The Locked On Podcast Network currently consists of 275 daily programs. The network relies on hosts who bring firsthand knowledge of their local markets and teams to every show.

Last year, Locked On set new records with 515 million listens and views and is currently pacing to eclipse one billion listens, views, and social engagements in 2026.

“It’s local passion on a national scale,” said Locke. “Our local hosts connect with each local fanbase, connecting fans with a product they care about most in life: their sports team.”

Investing For Success

Locke says his vision to launch his own company with the Locked On model stemmed from his time working alongside Carl Weinstein, who now serves as Locked On’s COO. When Weinstein launched his SeasonTicket.com company near the turn of the century, his approach sparked Locke’s creative mindset while he was working in local sports radio in Seattle and Salt Lake City.

After Locke began building Locked On, the two remained in touch throughout the process. So much so that Weinstein was impressed by the model and decided to join the Locked On team just two years after its launch.

Locked On 2025 Stats (Social Screenshot)
Locked On 2025 Stats (Social Screenshot)

“I was at a point in my career where I wanted to get my hands dirty again. I love building businesses,” said Weinstein about what attracted him to joining Locked On. “It was a perfect mix of my sports, media, and entrepreneurial backgrounds. I always try to be involved with building what’s next. Podcasts were the next thing. Plus, doing something on a large scale with integrity and professionalism was appealing.”

Identifying the podcasting boom so early has played a major role in the success of the Locked On model. Equally important was identifying how the company could stand out from the competition. Locked On prides itself on a talent-friendly model. The company identifies and hires talent who are deeply passionate about the teams they cover while maintaining an objective perspective.

In return, Locked On supports its talent with assets, coaching, data, and technology, much like Locke experienced during his sports radio programming days. That investment has helped the company retain a large percentage of its talent across the country. Those hosts have reinforced the bond between creator and consumer for years, contributing to the success Locked On enjoys today. It’s a story the company isn’t afraid to share.

“We get to tell that story because we’ve been fortunate and smart. Nonstop growth for ten years, that’s a great story to tell,” explained Weinstein. “There’s a tendency that businesses have to hold things close to the vest… David and I don’t believe that’s a good strategy. Telling our story is important for everyone involved with Locked On.”

Earning Consumer Trust

For the last decade, Locked On’s approach has been to improve the local sports fan experience through daily content from trusted voices offering objective and informed opinions. For Locke, maintaining that objectivity remains essential.

Especially as the lines continue to blur between creators, influencers, and talent in the podcast industry.

“Our talent are not influencers,” said Locke. “We can offer unique perspectives because we have experts on every single team… We have always sided on the side that our content must be great but also authentic to be successful.”

Another key to Locked On’s continued success was its forward-thinking decision to expand all content to video distribution platforms. In 2021, the company went all-in on video. It ensured every Locked On program was either recorded or streamed live on YouTube while also being available across podcast platforms.

“We give ourselves permission to win, as well as permission to fail,” said Locke. “We try a lot of things. The audience will tell you where they want your content.”

More recently, research has shown a growing audience for podcast content on video platforms, while audio remains a strong consumption channel. Because of that forward thinking five years ago, Locked On today is operating from a position of strength compared to many of its competitors.

“We’ve seen massive growth on video while continuing to see growth on audio. To us though, it’s all podcast. Some people like to differentiate where one is audio, one is video. It’s all podcast, because the consumer defines it that way,” said Weinstein. “Locked On has always embraced bottom-up thinking. Companies often try to drive corporate objectives toward the way consumers actually behave. We choose to listen to the audience. They told us they were watching and listening to podcasts.”

Navigating Challenges Of Change

With success comes greater demand for more content. When that demand increases, Locked On leans on its talent-friendly approach when adapting to AI.

Locke says the company is “robust” in its use of AI. While the company embraces AI when it leads to greater productivity, it has not ventured into using AI to create Locked On content.

However, content discoverability faces new challenges because of AI. Consumers increasingly rely on AI instead of traditional search. Weinstein says Locked On is responding aggressively, viewing the technology as an opportunity and another way to identify what’s next for the company.

“The world has changed with AI. The tools we used to drive search don’t work the way they used to. The whole search business is a shell of what it used to be,” explains Weinstein. “With every technology, there are still opportunities. So, we’re constantly evaluating how people are using AI to find the information or content they want. At the end of the day, we serve local sports fans. How we ultimately do that could come in a variety of forms, especially in the AI era we live in.”

The future of Locked On also comes with plenty of questions. The company was acquired by TEGNA in 2021. TEGNA was then acquired by Nexstar Media Group in March, though a recent court order halted the acquisition just one month later. Weinstein noted his understanding that TEGNA is owned by Nexstar, but the two companies currently continue to operate separately.

The delay in the acquisition hasn’t diminished Weinstein’s optimism about the future of Locked On.

“We’re optimistic about the prospect of being a part of a much larger media company with a bigger footprint. Also, the ability to do some bigger things with some assets we didn’t have previously,” said Weinstein, noting Locked On worked with Nexstar for only three days before the court order. “We’re operating as usual, and pretty good at that. Being part of TEGNA was a great move for us, but they let Locked On be Locked On. We’re grateful for that.”

Focus Towards The Future

Ten years after David Locke launched a single Utah Jazz podcast with no guarantee it would ever become a business, Locked On finds itself in a position few media companies ever reach. The network has survived industry consolidation, platform shifts, changing consumer habits, and now the emergence of artificial intelligence.

Through each challenge, its core mission has remained remarkably consistent, supported by a powerful commitment to that mission.

“Without the commitment of everyone involved. Especially those that joined Locked On early when they weren’t making a dime. Had those people bailed, there’s no next day for Locked On,” said Locke. “Our success is literally because of them, and their willingness to believe there is something down the road. They’re the people and a big part of the reason we’re still here ten years later.”

In an era when many media companies chase scale by becoming broader, Locked On has grown by becoming more specific. The company bet that local fans would always crave trusted voices who understand their teams, markets, and communities.

A decade later, the numbers suggest that bet was right.

The next ten years will undoubtedly bring new platforms, new technologies, and new questions about how audiences consume content. But if Locked On’s first decade proved anything, it’s that while distribution methods may change, passionate sports fans still want the same thing they’ve always wanted: reliable voices who share their obsession and understand what matters most to them.

As long as that remains true, Locked On appears well-positioned to keep finding ways to meet fans wherever they are, locked on.

Locked On Podcast Network 10 Anniversary (Canva | Locked On Press)
Locked On Podcast Network 10 Anniversary (Canva | Locked On Press)

Barrett Media produces daily content on the music, news, and sports media industries. Sign up for our newsletters to stay updated and get the latest information right in your inbox.

Talk Radio Hosts Should Ask This One Question After Every Show

Garrett Searight
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Talk Radio Hosts Should Ask This One Question After Every Show

News/talk radio has a competitive advantage it’s barely tapping into, and the data from the podcast world proves it. According to the Mintel Podcast Listening Report, 55% of podcast listeners say that sharing what they listen to helps them start conversations and connect with others — often introducing them to new perspectives and cultures along the way.

That’s a powerful number. It’s also a number that should make every program director and morning drive host stop and ask themselves a pointed question.

Think about what that statistic actually means. More than half of podcast listeners aren’t just consuming audio — they’re using it as social currency. They’re walking into the office, sending a text in the family group chat, or nudging a friend with, “You’ve got to hear what this person said.” That’s organic, word-of-mouth marketing that no ad budget can manufacture. And here’s the thing: podcasting didn’t invent this phenomenon. Talk radio did.

At its core, a podcast is spoken-word audio. So is news/talk radio. The formatics are different — the length, the structure, the release cadence — but the fundamental product is identical. If podcast listeners say their medium sparks conversation at a 55% clip, there’s no logical reason radio can’t achieve the same result. The content just has to earn it.

What Are You Actually Giving Listeners to Talk About?

Here’s the question every host needs to ask themselves before they walk out of the studio: “What in my show created that for my listeners today?” Specifically — what piece of information, what opinion, what story did you share that someone felt so moved by that they’d bring it up with a coworker or fire off a text about it?

If the honest answer is “I don’t know,” that’s the problem worth solving. Hosts who consistently generate talk-worthy moments don’t stumble into them. They build their content around them. They ask themselves what’s genuinely surprising, what’s emotionally resonant, what’s going to make someone laugh or get angry or see the world a little differently. Those are the moments that travel. Those are the moments that grow audiences.

The irony is that news/talk radio is uniquely positioned to manufacture these moments at scale. A country station’s DJ can’t play a Drake track and keep their job. A pop host can’t drift into a 12-minute conversation about local zoning laws because it’s interesting. But a news/talk host? The format is wide open. Politics, pop culture, sports, human interest, local controversy, national outrage — the subject matter is genuinely endless. That’s not a small thing. That’s a massive structural advantage.

Stop Playing It Safe With the Format

Too many news/talk stations are operating like the format has rules it doesn’t actually have. They’re sticking to the obvious topics — national politics, the same syndicated voices, the familiar narratives — when the format’s greatest selling point is its flexibility. Listeners don’t just want to be informed. They want something to feel. They want content that gives them something to say.

Use that freedom intentionally. Branch into the unexpected. Make your audience feel like insiders by taking them somewhere they didn’t anticipate. Give them a story they hadn’t heard yet, a perspective that reframes something familiar, or a moment of humor that breaks the tension of a heavy news cycle. Those are the moments that convert casual listeners into loyal ones — and loyal listeners into advocates who do the marketing for you.

Podcasting has figured this out, even if it hasn’t always articulated it clearly. News/talk radio already has the tools, the talent, and the infrastructure to do the same.

The only thing missing is the intentionality. Start building toward shareable moments every single day, and don’t be surprised when the audience grows. There’s a reason the data looks the way it does — and it’s time talk radio started acting like it understands why.

Barrett Media produces daily content on the music, news, and sports media industries. Sign up for our newsletters to stay updated and get the latest information right in your inbox.

Greg FM: Because Nobody Ever Requested “15 Songs In A Row”

Phil Becker
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Greg FM: Because Nobody Ever Requested “15 Songs In A Row”

Radio has spent the better part of the last fifteen years arguing about music. Meanwhile, for $11 a month, listeners already have access to every song ever recorded. They can build their own station, skip the songs they hate, and replay the ones they love. They also never have to sit through a sweeper reminding them they are listening to “the best variety for your workday, playing at least 15 songs in a row on the station that picks you up, makes you feel good, delivers a better mix, has more winners than anyone else, and is now streaming.”

Music is still the emotional engine of a radio station. But in 2026, getting the music right is a minimum requirement. Expecting applause for that is like asking your boss for a raise because you showed up to work sober.

Instead, the investment for broadcasters has to be talent. Ideally, talent that is not everywhere, all the time, available on every platform in the same form. Talent that creates a reason to come back and a reason to listen now.

Meet Greg FM

That is why Yea Network’s Greg FM caught my attention.

Greg FM is a new, syndicated, personality-first format built around Greg Beharrell. In fact, he serves as the personality, writer, producer, voice, and connective Kleenex of the entire format.

Jack, Bob, and the other imaginary guys radio executives invented in a boardroom full of dudes over the years. Greg, however, is an actual person.. A person your listeners, clients, PDs, and stations can actually connect with. Try that with Jack FM. He won’t respond. He’s too busy playing what he wants.

Affiliates can use the Greg FM imaging, voicework, writing, and production while maintaining local control of their own music. Alternatively, they can pair the format with a tested and focused music feed.

Actual Person, Not an Algorithm

In my listening, what stood out is that Greg FM is not just a playlist. It is not just a few subjectively funny ChatGPT liners sprinkled on top, either. It is a 24/7 entertainment architecture built around talent with wins in Los Angeles and 90-plus other markets. That talent has done Super Bowl commercials, sitcom and film writing, cartoon voiceovers, and delivered radio brands winning results.

Greg is independent. Indeed, he is not beholden to a company that stole its naming convention from Apple. He’s also not named after a cloud or a model line of a Honda minivan.

I find Greg Beharrell to be one of the most interesting radio personalities working in the United States and Canada. I also think he is often misunderstood by the legacy, AARP-card-carrying corner of broadcasting that still believes personalities have to “crush and roll” with “hey gang” energy left over from a 1997 R&R convention at the Beverly Hills Hotel

The Comedy Radio Doesn’t Know What to Do With

Greg is Steven Wright, Mitch Hedberg, Matt Rife, and Andy Kaufman blended together. He brings innocence, restraint, strange angles, and really sharp timing.

Greg FM is not trying to beat streaming by pretending radio can out-music Spotify. It is doing what streaming still does not do well: personality, oddity, and humanity. It offers a voice that reminds the listener that somebody is actually there.

Greg Picks Up the Phone

Because he is. Constantly. Like, call him right now. (888-760-1977) He’ll answer before your voice-tracked midday person from Pittsburgh responds to your email from last Thursday asking if they are available to do an endorsement for Comcast.

I asked Greg to sit down with me and talk about this refreshing 24/7 personality-driven format. Here is what he replied:

In fact, it goes on for 58 more pages.

But that’s the point. Greg FM is creative, unique, different, and what radio needs — that, and more winners, more often!

Barrett Media produces daily content on the music, news, and sports media industries. Sign up for our newsletters to stay updated and get the latest information right in your inbox.

Inside Manraze: How Def Leppard and Sex Pistols Members Formed a Trio

Terrie Carr
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Inside Manraze: How Def Leppard and Sex Pistols Members Formed a Trio

I love a good power trio, and I always have. What’s more fun than a supergroup? There is something special about three people making amazing noise, especially when two of them are already in the Rock and Roll Hall of Fame.

Don’t know Manraze? The band has been around for over twenty years, just released a five-disc collection of their work, and counts members of two legendary bands among its ranks: Def Leppard and the Sex Pistols. Manraze is Phil Collen (guitar, Def Leppard, Girl), Paul Cook (drums, Sex Pistols), and Simon Laffy (bass, Girl).

Manraze has put out music over the years, and I first discovered the band on their second record, “PunkFunkRootsRock.” The group kept making music during downtime from their respective main bands, and now all of that work is finally out.

Lock, Stock & Barrel

They just released “Lock, Stock & Barrel,” a five-disc set featuring the band’s first two albums, a disc of unreleased rarities, a disc of live acoustic performances, and a full instrumental disc. It’s massive Manraze. The music is scrappy, with a punk polish, an R&B infusion, and rock rhythm — all the influences melding together with master musicians.

I recently caught up with Manraze guitarist and vocalist Phil Collen and drummer Paul “Cookie” Cook for a fun hang on my Carr Stereo Podcast. We discussed how the band formed, whether they’ll tour, and how the “London lifestyle” has influenced music and pop culture over the years.

How Manraze Came Together

*Editor’s Note: Answers have been edited for clarity and length.*

Terrie Carr: Oh my gosh, my heart is so full. Being the rock fan that I am, I get to sit down with the one and only Phil Collen and, of course, Paul Cook from the Pistols — the guys behind the band Manraze. Wow!

Before we get into everything going on with Manraze, since you guys are doing a retrospective and every disc in this collection is a unique band experience, we’ll get into that. But first…

I have a vision of you guys meeting as young guys. If my vision is wrong, just “BS” me and go along for the ride. I’m picturing Phil in the band “Girl” and Paul in “The Pistols,” meeting as scrappy lads with a pub involved and maybe even a fight. Was it anything like that when you guys met, or no?

Paul “Cookie” Cook: No, well actually probably! it was. It probably was in a pub because we’d run into each other before we actually knew each other.

Phil Collen: Yeah, that was a pretty apt description of some of them pubs. Scrawny teenagers, you know, whatever they are, lorrying around and all of that stuff. Yeah, and other bands, lots of bands in the scene. There was just a great scene in London, And I think that’s where we would have probably run into each other in the first place.

Paul “Cookie” Cook: We crossed paths definitely along the way, but we were always kind of eyeing each other up with suspicion, you know, like we did in London. The cynical English: “Oh, he’s in that bloody heavy metal band” and “Yeah, and we’re the punks, you know. We’re not talking to them!” It was all a bit like that back in the day.

Phil Collen: Very territorial. Yeah!

Terrie Carr: You know, I got into you guys, Manraze, on the second record — that’s really when I discovered the band. I went back afterward and checked out the first one too. But my gosh, has it really been over twenty years since you formed?

Manrazr (Social Media)

Phil Collen: Yeah, it’s like 22 years, I think. Wow!

Paul Cook: We were really under the radar when we done this. You know, it was Phil’s idea, really. He wanted to do something outside of Leppard. And I think I’m right in saying that Phil and Simon (Laffy) on bass got the original idea together. They just thought it’d be great if we could get “Cookie” on drums, you know. And lo and behold, Phil bumped into me, literally. He was driving his car and nearly knocked me over in West London. And said, “Hey, I’ve got this idea for a band.” It’s true, a true story. “I’ve got this idea. Have a listen to this. Have a listen and see if you’re interested.” And that’s how it happened, basically. And when I listened to it I thought, “This is sounding interesting. Let’s get together and see where we go with it.” And like I said, it was really under the radar at the time. We put two albums out and nobody knew what was going on. And not that interested, to be that honest, but it’s good. It’s getting a new lease of life at the moment.

Finding the Manraze Sound

Terrie Carr: It’s interesting that you say that, because you say it was “interesting,” but people weren’t really interested. Interesting is an understatement, though, because there are so many flavors, textures, and feelings in this music. I am such a sucker for a power trio. You guys have a very unique feel with Manraze; there’s a little bit of a sprinkling of something for everyone in this band. So how did all of these flavors come together?

Phil Collen: I think you just summed it up. I mean, it’s a bit of all of those things. And I think the great thing is that you don’t have to paint yourself into a corner. We don’t have to sound like The Pistols or Def Leppard or anything, really. We could just open it wide open. So it was really creative and it was really artistically refreshing and inspiring to be able to just do that. And being a 3-piece, honestly, it was magical the first time we played. We were like, well, it just had a sound. It just worked. And you could go off on a tangent. And no one was saying, “Well, perhaps we shouldn’t do that?” It was none of that. It was like, this all works. So I think that was it, really. It, I mean, we we didn’t even know what to call it. Well, I still don’t know what to call it, but it’s it is eclectic. It’s it’s got a thing, it’s diverse, it’s culturally and musically genre diverse.

Will Manraze Tour?

Terrie Carr: Phil, you’re days away from leaving for the Def Leppard tour, but we need a Manraze show in New York City! This is custom-made for New York. Can we make that happen? How do we do this?

Phil Collen: I agree. We’re actually talking about if we get the time doing a tour of London, like, you know, do three places, two little, three little places around London within a week or so because we’d all be there, you know, so it’s not much of a stress. But yeah, depending on if we can pull that off and all goes well there, who knows? New York would be amazing.

Terrie Carr: Cookie, can you get on this? I’m thinking if anybody can make it happen, it’s Cookie. Paul Cook has got the clout!

Paul Cook: Well, it all depends on schedules, obviously. Like Phil said, he’s out on the road again and we are as well with the Pistols featuring Frank Carter for the rest of this year. If we get a bit of feedback and a bit of love of what’s going on at the moment with Manraze, it’ll be worth doing it and it’d be nice to do it because I don’t think we got the kudos, when we originally released the first two albums. We put a lot of work into it. And if, like I said, we get a bit of feedback, who knows? Strange things happened in this crazy rock and roll world, don’t they?

Want to learn more about Manraze? Check out my interview with Phil and Cookie, plus the “Lock, Stock & Barrel” five-disc set and their new single, “I Surrender,” which also features vocalist Debbie Blackwell Cook (and actually sounds a lot like Pink Floyd!). And a huge thanks to these two legends for the time to chat and the fun I had talking Manraze!

Barrett Media produces daily content on the music, news, and sports media industries. Sign up for our newsletters to stay updated and get the latest information right in your inbox.

YouTube Music Surges Past Amazon Music in Global Subscriber Share

David Hill
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YouTube Music Surges Past Amazon Music in Global Subscriber Share

Five years of global streaming data just landed from MIDiA Research. The headline number is almost boring: Spotify’s market share hasn’t moved. The platform controlled 32.3% of global music subscribers in Q4 2020. It controls 31.4% today. In an industry that prizes disruption, that kind of stability is its own kind of news.

But the flat line at the top is hiding real movement underneath. For anyone watching the streaming market closely, the undercurrents matter more than the top-line number.

The Spotify Constant

Global music streaming subscribers nearly doubled over the five-year window, climbing from 472.2 million in Q4 2020 to 921.6 million in Q4 2025. Spotify simply grew at the same rate as the market itself. That’s not a small feat. Holding a near-third share while the pie doubles in size means Spotify added hundreds of millions of new subscribers without losing relative ground to a single rival. As a result, consistency has become Spotify’s real competitive advantage.

Apple and Amazon’s Slow Fade

The real story sits just below Spotify. Apple Music has bled share every single year, dropping from 18.4% in 2020 to 12.6% in 2025 — nearly a third of its position, gone. Amazon Music tells a similar tale, sliding from 12.3% to 8.5% over the same stretch. Neither platform collapsed. Instead, both simply got outpaced, quarter after quarter, by faster-growing rivals chasing the same listeners.

That’s the lesson worth sitting with: in subscription audio, standing still is losing. Apple and Amazon didn’t shrink in absolute terms. They just grew slower than the market around them, and the math punished them for it.

YouTube Music’s Quiet Takeover

If there’s a single chart line that should grab attention across the music industry, it’s YouTube Music’s. The platform has climbed steadily and then sharply over the past five years. Its biggest single-year jump came in just the last twelve months. It’s now closing in on Apple Music’s spot as the No. 2 player globally, and the trajectory suggests it will get there soon.

Why does this matter? Not because every platform is chasing the same prize in the same way. Each major player’s growth strategy looks different once you dig into how it’s actually positioned. YouTube Music has quietly built itself into a search and discovery engine for music, not just a streaming app. Therefore, its growth says less about catalog or curation, and more about how people now find new songs in the first place.

Different Platforms, Different Playbooks

Amazon Music tells a different story. For Amazon, music increasingly functions as a justification for Prime membership fees rather than a standalone product competing on its own merits. In other words, the value isn’t necessarily in Amazon Music itself, but in what it adds to the broader Amazon subscription. Apple Music’s strategy is harder to pin down. Unlike YouTube Music’s discovery angle or Amazon’s bundling logic, it’s not yet clear what singular advantage Apple Music is leaning on right now.

Tencent Music and NetEase, both built on dominant positions in China, continued posting gains, while Yandex grew steadily out of the Russian market. Together, these regional players now account for roughly a quarter of global subscribers, a reminder that “global” streaming competition is increasingly a patchwork of regional giants rather than one universal battlefield.

For labels, marketers, and platforms watching the subscriber numbers, the real takeaway isn’t just who’s gaining share. It’s recognizing that each platform is playing a different game entirely, whether that’s discovery, bundling, or something still being defined. The platforms growing fastest aren’t necessarily the ones with the best music experience. They’re the ones that have figured out what role music should play inside a larger strategy.

Spotify’s stability proves a strong, singular product can hold its ground indefinitely. However, the diverging paths of Apple, Amazon, and YouTube Music prove there’s more than one way to compete for subscribers. In streaming, the real fight may no longer be about who has the best app. It’s about who has figured out what music is actually for.

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Jim Rome Show Adds Video Distribution On YouTube Beginning June 22

John Mamola
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Jim Rome Show Adds Video Distribution On YouTube Beginning June 22

Jim Rome is bringing his show to YouTube. Starting Monday, June 22, The Jim Rome Show will stream live on the platform as well as several other options.

What We Know: Rome announced the YouTube expansion Tuesday during his radio program. The show already reaches audiences across multiple platforms, including terrestrial radio via Westwood One and satellite radio through SiriusXM. Additionally, the program airs as a video simulcast on X, distributed through the Rome channel and eight additional platforms. YouTube represents the latest addition to that growing distribution footprint. Rome originally signed an exclusivity agreement with X in January of 2024 for the video stream of his program.

What They Said: (All quotes via Jim Rome Show)

Jim Rome on The Jim Rome Show adding video distribution to YouTube: “The goal has always been, since this change started, to put the program in as many places as possible. To be ubiquitous and as accessible to as many people as possible. Because we know that you all consume the product in very different ways. This is why we’re still on terrestrial radio with Westwood One. Also, this is why we’re still on satellite radio with SiriusXM. This is why the radio show is a video simulcast that is aired on X and the Rome channel that has an additional eight platforms.”

Jim Rome announcing the show streaming on Monday June 22 on YouTube: “This should come as no surprise, as we’ve been building out this channel. We are really pleased with how it’s grown. We’re really pleased with your reaction to it. So, come Monday, the show will air live on YouTube.”

Jim Rome on what will make the YouTube viewing experience unique: “You are going to love watching the show on YouTube. Number one, it’s going to be the best and easiest way to watch the show on the internet. Number two, there are things we can do over there that we cannot do in other places. For one, live chat. It’s going to give you a completely new way to interact and engage with the show and with other clones.”

What Remains Unclear: If Rome no longer has exclusivity to the video stream on his program, could other video platforms be in play. Rome also didn’t detail anything regarding the exclusivity agreement with X signed in 2024.

What It Means: Rome is clearly prioritizing accessibility. By stacking distribution across radio, FAST channels, satellite, X, and now YouTube, he’s casting a wider net for audience engagement. Notably, YouTube’s live chat feature gives fans a new interactive layer unavailable on other platforms. This shift is in line with how many sports radio programs are moving to a multiplatform model. If viewership rises via the YouTube platform, it would be interesting to see if Netflix might be an option down the road.

Barrett Media produces daily content on the music, news, and sports media industries. Sign up for our newsletters to stay updated and get the latest information right in your inbox.

NBA Finals Average Viewership Finishes Highest Since 1998

John Mamola
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NBA Finals Average Viewership Finishes Highest Since 1998

Game 5 of the 2026 NBA Finals averaged 24.5 million viewers on ABC. That peak climbed to 33 million as New York closed out its championship victory.

What We Know: The 2026 NBA Finals averaged 20.6 million viewers across five games, setting an ABC and ESPN audience record. ABC and ESPN also scored the most-watched NBA Finals since 1998 (average 29 million). That figure doubled last year’s seven-game series — a 100 percent increase. Game 5 alone was the most-watched NBA Finals game since 1998. Every night, ABC led all of television in key male and adult demos.

What The Data Shows: (all data via ESPN PR)

Game #Average ViewershipPeak Viewership
116.93 million19.63 million
216.43 million19.42 million
323.8 million26.3 million
420.9 million23.2 million
524.5 million33 million

What Remains Unclear: No top market data was released with the final figures. In addition, no social or digital metrics were also released.

What It Means: This is a massive win for ABC and ESPN. Obviously having the top market in the country involved helps. However, the results are quite impressive. Along with a record setting Stanley Cup Final, the early summer has proved extremely positive to ESPN.

Barrett Media produces daily content on the music, news, and sports media industries. Sign up for our newsletters to stay updated and get the latest information right in your inbox.

OutKick Sees Massive Growth In Multiplatform Success For May

John Mamola
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OutKick Sees Massive Growth In Multiplatform Success For May

OutKick recorded explosive growth across key metrics in May 2026. The national multimedia sports platform posted 11.8 million desktop and mobile unique visitors, a 207% jump versus April.

What We Know: Total multiplatform views reached 56 million, up 176% month-over-month. Multiplatform minutes climbed to 61 million, a 26% increase. OutKick also ranked 18th out of more than 350 sports entities with 17.1 million total digital multiplatform unique visitors. That placed the platform ahead of DraftKings, AP News-Sports, Complex Sports, and The Ringer. The Fox News Digital integration also recently launched, expanding OutKick’s reach through the FoxNews.com homepage and app.

What They Said: Gary Schreier, OutKick’s senior vice president and managing editor: “OutKick’s growth has been driven by its willingness to cover stories that most sports outlets overlook and to feature voices offering unique perspectives on the issues shaping sports today. In May, that included leading the coverage around biological male AB Hernandez winning multiple events at the track and field championships and interviewing Martina Navratilova to discuss the transgender movement in sport.”

What Remains Unclear: The May data doesn’t break down which content categories or hosts drove the most traffic. It’s also unclear how much of the traffic lift stems from the Fox News Digital integration versus organic audience growth.

What It Means: OutKick continues to see growth in nearly every metric regarding multiplatform views, minutes, and unique visitors. However, OutKick shares the same challenges every brand has with social media. In comparison to last year’s May 2025 data on social and total video views, the brand is seeing some slight declines year over year. The Fox News Digital partnership absolutely gives the platform broader distribution and mainstream visibility despite the challenges on social and video views.

Barrett Media produces daily content on the music, news, and sports media industries. Sign up for our newsletters to stay updated and get the latest information right in your inbox.

Omaha Productions To Produce World Series Of Poker Return To ESPN

John Mamola
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Omaha Productions To Produce World Series Of Poker Return To ESPN

Omaha Productions is heading to the felt. Peyton Manning’s company will produce the 2026 World Series of Poker Main Event and Final Table in Las Vegas for its return to ESPN.

What We Know: The WSOP returns to ESPN after last airing on the network in 2021. Last year, it aired on CBS Sports Network and PokerGo. Omaha will deploy more than 50 cameras across three feature tables. Coverage includes player profiles, commentary from Ali Nejad, Nick Schulman, Lon McEachern, and Norman Chad. Also, features giving viewers an inside look at amateur and professional gameplay.

What They Said: Ty Stewart, CEO of the World Series of Poker (via The Hollywood Reporter): “We’re thrilled to partner with Omaha Productions to lead our broadcast production as we return to ESPN. The WSOP Main Event and Final Table are the most exciting moments of the year for poker fans. Omaha understands how to tell stories to fans around live competition, which will elevate our broadcasts to new heights. We’re excited to have them bring this year’s event to viewers as WSOP returns to ESPN platforms.”

Dan Gati, head of content at Omaha Productions: “As a company, we continue to look for opportunities that allow us to grow and tell compelling stories across sports and entertainment. Producing the World Series of Poker Main Event & Main Event Final Table gives us an exciting opportunity to expand our live event slate and bring our production approach to one of the most recognizable competitions in sports and entertainment.”

What Remains Unclear: The WSOP broadcast schedule is unknown. It’s also unclear which ESPN platforms will carry the event or how many episodes are planned. Omaha’s growing portfolio — including Monday Night Football’s Manning Cast on ESPN, Netflix’s Quarterback, Receiver, and Starting 5.

What It Means: This deal signals Omaha Productions’ expands on the company’s push into live event programming. In addition, the WSOP partnership follows its weekly League One Volleyball commitment and expands its ESPN relationship. For poker fans, the return to ESPN — with a proven storytelling outfit running production — is a significant upgrade.

Barrett Media produces daily content on the music, news, and sports media industries. Sign up for our newsletters to stay updated and get the latest information right in your inbox.

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