Vice President JD Vance was slated to participate in a town hall event with CBS News next week. That has now been postponed.
Vance was slated to sit down with CBS Evening News anchor Tony Dokoupil as part of the network’s Things That Matter series. The event was scheduled to take place next week, with the broadcast airing on Saturday, March 14th at 8 PM ET.
However, following military action in Iran, the Vice President has postponed his appearance.
In a statement, CBS News remained hopeful that the discussion could be revived at a later date.
“CBS News Things That Matter: A Town Hall with Vice President JD Vance, originally scheduled for next week, has been postponed by the vice president due to the war,” the network’s statement read. “A new date and more details to come soon.”
UPDATE: "@CBSNews Things That Matter: A Town Hall with Vice President JD Vance," originally scheduled for next week, has been postponed by the vice president due to the war. A new date and more details to come soon.
Vance was slated to be the second guest in the series. Previously, Gov. Wes Moore (D-MD) sat for a conversation helmed by Norah O’Donnell. That followed a standalone town hall with Turning Point USA CEO Erika Kirk following the assassination of her husband, Charlie Kirk. CBS News Editor-in-Chief Bari Weiss led that event.
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Prime Video is expanding its streaming relationship with the New York Yankees for the 2026 season, announcing that 21 regular-season games involving the franchise will stream exclusively on the platform for fans located within the club’s regional footprint.
The games will be available to Prime members at no additional cost across New York state, Connecticut, north and central New Jersey and portions of northeast Pennsylvania, continuing a digital distribution strategy that has steadily grown alongside the evolving sports media landscape and the increasing demand for streaming access to live local games.
Seventeen of the 21 contests will air on Wednesday evenings, beginning April 8 when the Yankees host the Athletics at Yankee Stadium.
The schedule also features several marquee matchups, including an April 22 meeting with the Boston Red Sox, a rivalry that consistently produces strong television audiences across both traditional and streaming platforms.
Other notable games on the slate include a May 20 contest against the defending American League champion Toronto Blue Jays, along with multiple matchups against recent postseason clubs such as the Detroit Tigers and the Cleveland Guardians.
The schedule also includes three games against the Baltimore Orioles and two against the Tampa Bay Rays, providing viewers with several American League East divisional battles across the streaming schedule.
The game broadcasts will once again feature the familiar presentation and production style associated with the YES Network, whose Emmy Award–winning broadcast team will collaborate with Prime Video’s sports production unit to produce all 21 games.
Longtime Yankees play-by-play voice Michael Kay will continue to anchor the broadcasts, marking his 35th season covering the franchise. Kay will share booth duties throughout the season with analysts David Cone, Paul O’Neill and Joe Girardi, all of whom have played prominent roles in the network’s Yankees coverage in recent years.
The streaming package will also feature the return of a 30-minute pregame show designed to provide analysis, storylines and matchup context ahead of first pitch. Bob Lorenz will serve as the primary host, while Justin Shackil will step in for select broadcasts throughout the season. Meanwhile, field reporter Meredith Marakovits will deliver reports from the ballpark, including interviews with players and coaches along with real-time observations during the telecast.
Prime Video’s Yankees broadcasts will also incorporate enhanced digital features intended to complement the streaming experience, including live statistical overlays, updated player and team data and real-time play-by-play information accessible to viewers watching on Android, iOS mobile devices and Fire TV platforms.
Fans located outside the Yankees’ home television territory will still be able to watch the games through MLB.TV, which will carry the Prime Video telecasts for out-of-market subscribers as part of Major League Baseball’s broader streaming distribution structure.
The continued partnership between Prime Video and the Yankees represents another step in the ongoing shift toward streaming platforms as a key distribution outlet for live sports, particularly as leagues and teams seek additional ways to reach younger and digitally focused audiences.
Our 2026 schedule is here ⚾️@Yankees are back on #PrimeVideo starting April 8th!
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Cumulus Media has announced it has filed for a prepackaged Chapter 11 bankruptcy, seeking to eliminate $600 million in debt.
In a statement, the company says it will continue operating “in the ordinary course throughout the process, with no impact to employees, partners, or listeners.”
The company began the prepackaged Chapter 11 proceedings in the United States Bankruptcy Court for the Southern District of Texas on Thursday morning. A proposed plan for a comprehensive restructuring support agreement calls for the cancellation of 100% of the company’s existing debt in exchange for 100% of the company’s reorganized equity and $50 million of new convertible notes. That plan is subject to court approval.
In a statement, Cumulus Media CEO and President Mary Berner shared that this is a necessary step for the company.
“While we have outperformed the market on many of our most important metrics, including share gains in both local and digital revenue, the broader macroeconomic and industry-wide pressures we have faced have remained unrelenting,” said Berner. “Against that backdrop, it became clear that Cumulus’s remaining debt burden limited our ability to fully realize the Company’s potential, and this agreement represents a major step forward.
“The prepackaged process is intended to address the Company’s debt efficiently with no disruption to our operations, our people, and our strategies. On emergence, a stronger financial foundation will better position Cumulus to continue investing in premium content, enriched audience experiences, advertiser performance enhancements, and the ongoing growth of our digital marketing offerings.”
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ESPN will again blend sports and animation for a unique viewing experience when the network partners with Disney, Pixar and the National Hockey League to present the Inside Out Classic, a real-time animated telecast of the Washington Capitals facing the New York Rangers on Sunday, April 5 at 7 p.m. ET.
The alternate broadcast will stream on ESPN+, Disney+, Disney Channel and Disney XD, while ESPN will carry the traditional game telecast. The event continues a growing effort by ESPN and Disney to create family-friendly sports presentations that merge live competition with recognizable characters from the company’s entertainment portfolio.
Inspired by Pixar’s award-winningInside Out franchise, the animated production will recreate the on-ice action through a digital environment where characters from the film interact with animated versions of the players as the game unfolds in real time.
To produce the broadcast, ESPN will rely on a combination of advanced tracking technologies that convert live player movement into animation. NHL EDGE positional data — which tracks both puck and player movement — will merge with optical tracking technology from Sony’s Hawk-Eye Innovations to capture detailed skating motion, stick movement and body positioning.
Producers designed the animated setting to take place inside the mind of Riley, the central character from Inside Out. Within that environment, “Hockey Island” will serve as the main location where Riley’s emotions skate alongside animated versions of Capitals and Rangers players during the game.
ESPN’s commentary team for the alternate presentation will include Drew Carter, Kevin Weekes and Arda Öcal. To help place them within the digital world, the announcers will wear virtual reality headsets that allow motion capture technology to translate their movements into the animated environment. Sony’s Beyond Sports developed the virtual commentator system, enabling the broadcasters to appear as animated figures within Hockey Island while calling the action.
The telecast will also feature voice talent from the Inside Out films, including Phyllis Smith as Sadness, Lewis Black as Anger, Tony Hale as Fear and Maya Hawke as Anxiety, who will appear throughout the presentation.
The production builds on earlier collaborations between ESPN, the NHL and Disney properties that use animation to attract younger viewers and families. In 2023, the companies introduced the “NHL Big City Greens Classic,” which featured the same Capitals–Rangers matchup and marked the first real-time volumetric animated presentation tied to a live sporting event.
ESPN will again collaborate with the ESPN Edge Innovation Center and Sony’s Beyond Sports to create the telecast. Using proprietary virtual recreation technology, Beyond Sports converts the league’s tracking data into animated gameplay moments as they occur on the ice.
The broadcast also reflects an expanded agreement between ESPN and Sony’s Beyond Sports announced in 2025 that focuses on producing alternate sports telecasts featuring Disney intellectual property.
Beyond its U.S. distribution, the Inside Out Classic will stream internationally on Disney+ across Latin America, the Caribbean, Australia, New Zealand and several European markets, while South Africa will receive the game live without replay availability. Disney+ will also offer video-on-demand access shortly after the live presentation in most territories, including the United States.
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YEA Media Group has introduced a new 24/7 radio format designed to bring a personality-driven approach to the Adult Hits category, announcing the launch of Greg FM, a format centered around syndicated host Greg Beharrell and built to blend humor, music variety and interactive listener moments.
The company said the format represents a multi-year development process that combines Beharrell’s comedic style with the programming guidance of veteran radio consultant Mike McVay and the strategic direction of YEA Media Group leadership.
Unlike many Adult Hits stations that rely primarily on large music libraries and minimal personality presence, Greg FM places Beharrell at the center of the listening experience throughout the day while maintaining a wide-ranging playlist designed to appeal to adult audiences.
The format mixes elements of Adult Hits and Adult Variety and features artists including Journey, P!nk, U2, Joan Jett, Sugar Ray and Alanis Morissette.
YEA Media Group President Shawn Nunn said the concept emerged from the belief that the format could benefit from a stronger personality component while maintaining the musical familiarity listeners expect.
“Greg Beharrell is the funniest person in radio, so we thought, why limit him to one daypart,” Nunn said. “Adult Hits and Adult Variety needed to evolve, and now it has with Greg FM. On Greg FM, the callers will be fresh and real, the music will be on target, and listeners will keep coming back because you truly never know what will happen next. There’s nothing else on the radio like Greg FM.”
The company says the format aims to provide affiliates with a turnkey programming option that balances music with entertainment-driven content, while also giving stations a format designed to stand out in markets where Adult Hits has become increasingly music-heavy and personality-light.
Beharrell, whose syndicated show already airs on numerous stations across North America, has built a reputation for blending satire, absurd humor and unconventional listener calls into his broadcasts. Those elements will continue to serve as the backbone of Greg FM’s presentation, which YEA Media Group says will feature spontaneous conversations, comedic segments and unexpected moments designed to keep listeners engaged across multiple listening occasions.
When asked about the launch, Beharrell delivered a response consistent with the quirky tone that has helped define his on-air persona.
“I was talking to you and Greg about the narrative causality being very happy to launch Greg FM,” he said.
While YEA Media Group has not yet announced the first affiliate stations for the format, the company indicated that Greg FM is immediately available to radio stations seeking a new Adult Hits alternative that pairs music familiarity with a personality-driven approach.
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The Foul Territory Network is expanding its baseball-focused content lineup with the addition of five new shows, including a program hosted by Hall of Fame baseball writer Tim Kurkjian, as the digital platform continues to build a broader slate of team-specific and subject-driven programming.
The network announced that Kurkjian’s podcast, Is This A Great Game Or What?, will join the platform alongside four additional shows — Injury Territory, Blue Bird Territory, Brewer Territory and Fish On First. Each program is now available through YouTube and major podcast platforms as part of the company’s growing content ecosystem.
Kurkjian, whose voice and storytelling style have become synonymous with baseball coverage during his decades at ESPN, has hosted Is This A Great Game Or What? alongside his son Jeff for the past two years. The show blends humor, storytelling and interviews with people who have helped shape the game across generations.
“We are thrilled to join the Foul Territory Network,” Kurkjian says. “No hot takes here. We laugh and we learn. I am especially happy that Jeff will now get some help carrying poor PopPop three times a week.”
While Kurkjian’s show leans into baseball’s lighter moments, Injury Territory tackles a very different part of the sport. The program is hosted by injury analyst Will Carroll. He has spent years studying the intersection of sports medicine, analytics, and roster management. Carroll’s reporting on player health has influenced conversations across Major League Baseball. His work often reaches front offices, broadcast booths, and training rooms.
“Injuries are a billion-dollar bleed on the game,” Carroll says. “The more attention and analysis they receive, the better chance teams and players have to move toward prevention, reduction and understanding.”
Team-focused coverage also plays a significant role in the network’s expansion strategy. Blue Bird Territory centers on the Toronto Blue Jays and features a lineup that includes former All-Star pitcher Ricky Romero, former Blue Jays outfielder Kevin Pillar and Mitch Bannon of The Athletic.
Pillar spent more than six seasons in Toronto and earned the nickname “Superman” for his defensive play. He said the show will offer perspective shaped by firsthand experience and daily coverage of the club.
“As someone who played in Toronto and spent the majority of my career there. I’m thrilled to talk about the team and organization I care deeply about,” Pillar says.
Meanwhile, Brewer Territory focuses on the Milwaukee Brewers. The show pairs former All-Star closer Corey Knebel with Curt Hogg, the Brewers beat reporter for the Milwaukee Journal Sentinel. The show blends player insight with beat reporting as the hosts break down the team throughout the season.
Coverage of the Miami Marlins arrives through Fish On First and its companion show Fish Unfiltered. The program features contributions from former Marlins closer AJ Ramos, along with reporters Isaac Azout and Kevin Barral. The outlet was founded by Ely Sussman in 2023 and has grown into a dedicated digital hub for Marlins coverage.
“Joining the Foul Territory Network is a satisfying milestone for Fish On First,” Sussman said. “We’re confident new subscribers will quickly appreciate what makes our coverage unique.”
The new additions join an already expansive lineup that includes shows such as Fair Territory with Ken Rosenthal and several team-focused programs across the league.
Launched in March 2023, the Foul Territory Network has positioned itself as a daily streaming baseball platform featuring former players, reporters and executives discussing the sport from multiple perspectives. The flagship program, hosted by Scott Braun, regularly features appearances from industry voices including Rosenthal, Bob Nightengale, Robert Murray, former general manager Jim Bowden and four-time Manager of the Year Buck Showalter.
We're thrilled to announce that @GreatGameOrWhat with Tim and Jeff Kurkjian is now part of the Foul Territory Network!
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I am not a hockey fan. I oversaw radio stations in New York for almost 30 years and saw the Yankees, Mets, Knicks, and Nets live and in person — but never the Rangers, Devils, or Islanders. Maybe it was the ice thing. I prefer it with a little vodka. But last Sunday, I was watching the epic contest between Canada and the USA on the Olympic rink. And, according to what I read in Barrett Media, I was part of a 26-million-person audience in that final overtime period. That number is particularly outstanding since it all happened before 8 a.m. on the West Coast.
Monday morning, I got up and did my usual — listening to morning shows all over the country. I heard very few mentions of this amazing win just 24 hours earlier. It shocked me for several reasons.
The morning after the Golden Globes, many shows talked about the movies that nobody saw getting awards. The Golden Globes broadcast had about one-third of the viewing audience of the Olympic hockey game. The Grammy audience was also down again this year. Under 14 million tuned in for the prime-time broadcast.
And yes, I found lots of Grammy audio on morning shows the day after. On some shows, there was way too much talking about songs their station would never play.
One morning show (targeting women) told me they didn’t make the hockey win a focus because women don’t care about sports. That, to me, was like saying male-targeted news radio shouldn’t have mentioned the Nancy Guthrie story because men don’t care about kidnappings. And how about the women’s Olympic hockey team, who also beat Canada and won gold? I dare you to tell me that women didn’t care about that victory.
Jack Hughes became the most famous Jack in America when he scored that winning goal. Smart pop music morning shows may have found the connection between him and Tate McRae. They were seen having dinner last year, and she even attended a New Jersey Devils game. What makes this potential romance great radio fodder is the fact that she is CANADIAN — and he scored the winning goal for AMERICA. Talk about drama.
Jack also lost some teeth in that match. There’s an entirely new angle on content for a fun show. Is there a dentist in the house?
But the bottom line here is even bigger than Jack Hughes. This was a story of adversity, much like the Miracle on Ice in Lake Placid 46 years earlier. The undermatched, underdog American team had far fewer shots on goal during the game but came on strong and won in the overtime period. David and Goliath. The unlikely heroes on a Sunday morning to end the Olympics.
This was human emotion at its finest. President Trump tapped into this immediately, and it became the biggest moment in his State of the Union address. Even Saturday Night Live featured players from both the men’s and women’s hockey teams to huge cheers.
The Monday morning after the hockey win, a major snowstorm did hit the Northeast. Another show mentioned that the snow was a much bigger event than the Olympics. Agreed. But everything was closed, and most people were going nowhere — so why not relive the victory and make people feel something good on a day the weather sucked?
I’ve always believed one of the best ways to grab an audience is to touch an emotion. In a world where the bad news comes fast and furious, this was the ultimate feel-good news story. This story of Olympic gold was audience gold. The path to success is always to make your audience FEEL something. NEVER miss these moments.
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The single highest honor an athlete can achieve is to be recognized by their peers as the best in the game. While trophies and Hall of Fame inductions require validation from those outside the sidelines, acknowledgment from those who play the game ranks highest. Greg McElroy played and won at the highest level of college football. He was the starting quarterback of the Alabama Crimson Tide when they clinched the BCS championship in 2010.
After being drafted in the seventh round of the 2011 NFL Draft, McElroy announced his retirement from the NFL just three years later. He had his sights set on law school but took the advice of his friends and pursued an opportunity in sports media. Since joining ESPN in 2014, McElroy has carved his own lane in sports media through success at the network and in local sports radio at WJOX in Birmingham. Last month, for the fourth straight year, McElroy was once again recognized by his peers as part of the best morning show in a mid-market.
“The people that vote on it are program directors and people that know what good sports radio is supposed to sound like,” said McElroy. “A lot of awards are awesome and it’s great to get recognition. It’s even more special when it comes from people who know how hard it is to do morning radio.”
For the last four years, McElroy and co-host Cole Cubelic have been the voices waking up Birmingham sports fans on JOX 94.5. The opportunity, like most of McElroy’s media breaks, came down to timing. While working at ESPN with SEC Network, McElroy also expanded into sports radio with SiriusXM.
Listening to sports radio as a child sparked his interest in the format. Growing up in Los Angeles, McElroy recalled tuning in to Lee “Hacksaw” Hamilton and Jim Rome. Those influences fueled interest in what once felt unrealistic but remained a dream job.
“When I was getting ready to finish up my contract with SiriusXM, I started entertaining the possibility of going local or doing a podcast,” said McElroy. “The national radio perspective is great, nothing wrong with it. I just always want to follow my gut instinct about where things are going, and found myself listening to a lot more team-specific content. For me, I found myself going a little more local and that really opened up my mind.”
WJOX Impact On Alabama Football
McElroy credits his work in radio, both on satellite and locally at WJOX, for strengthening his television presence. Television marked his start in sports media in 2014, but he prefers radio for its flexibility and time to develop conversations beyond the constraints of live television. The immediate fan reaction and freedom to explore topics helped him find his voice.
An admitted morning person, McElroy cannot imagine working another time slot at WJOX. The eagerness to be the first voice on the biggest topics energizes him, reinforced by his athlete’s mentality. Ironically, he now works at WJOX after a successful college career at Alabama.
“That was the one time in my life that I didn’t listen to sports talk radio. When I was playing for Alabama,” said McElroy. “It just wasn’t healthy.”
For the last 20 years, WJOX has served as the local flagship of The Paul Finebaum Show, a nationally recognized sports radio program featuring one of the most consequential voices surrounding the Southeastern Conference and Alabama football. McElroy, who played at Alabama from 2007 to 2010, admitted he never listened to Finebaum while he was a player.
Now years removed from his playing days, McElroy finds himself a teammate of Finebaum at ESPN and SEC Network. Time has also brought appreciation for the respected sports talker and the role he plays in keeping fans engaged with Saturdays in the South.
“He’s been so big for so long in this market. It’s been good for fans here in the southeast to give them a voice. There’s a lot of benefits to that,” explained McElroy. “People in this part of the world have such ownership in their teams. Giving them a platform where they can make their feelings known is really unique. It’s not surprising to see the success he’s had.”
During McElroy’s time at Alabama, he played under Nick Saban. The seven-time national championship-winning head coach has also moved into sports media. Saban signed with ESPN in 2024 as an analyst on College GameDay and has since earned recognition as an Emmy Award-winning analyst for the network.
McElroy, now working alongside his former coach, says Saban still does not consider himself “one of you” when it comes to sports media. Still, the opportunity to collaborate with his former head coach has brought McElroy great joy.
“We spend quite a bit of time together. It’s funny because he still doesn’t view himself as a member of the media. He won’t,” said McElroy. “There have been a lot of great voices in sports media that coached for a long time. But no one has had the success he’s had. It’s great to hear his perspective. It’s funny that he’s on this side of the microphone giving his disdain for press conferences.”
Balancing the Sports Media Playbook
Between his ESPN responsibilities and hosting mornings at WJOX, McElroy also leads a growing college football podcast, Always College Football. When ESPN approached him about the project after partnering with Peyton Manning’s Omaha Productions, McElroy called the opportunity a no-brainer.
“We had talked about doing a podcast forever, but we never had the right partner,” said McElroy. “With Peyton, this is going to be staffed and resourced properly. I know with him, there’s no stone left unturned… Also knowing that it was going to be in relationship with ESPN. It was like if not now, then when.”
McElroy’s reasoning for taking on the challenge is simple. Balancing a podcast, daily radio show, and analyst duties at ESPN becomes a “beast” for five months each year. However, the season carries a clear expiration date, and his professional life has always followed a seasonal rhythm. The podcast’s growth now reaches millions of listeners, surpassing 15 million last year.
“It’s just grown a lot. We’re very lucky and proud of what we built, and continuing to build on it,” said McElroy. “Right now, I just don’t want to mess anything up and keep going. That’s where I’m at with it.”
ESPN Impact on Football
A self-admitted football traditionalist, McElroy has circled this coming February on his calendar for some time. It marks ESPN’s first opportunity to broadcast the Super Bowl.
Having contributed to the network’s presentations of the College Football Playoff National Championship, McElroy paid closer attention to this year’s Super Bowl broadcast while thinking about what could come next February.
“There’s so much more going on at the Super Bowl than any other game. You can feel that as a former player. I think I might have paid more attention to it this year than in the past because I know ESPN is going to have it next year,” explained McElroy. “I’m really looking forward to seeing what ESPN/ABC does.”
Without positioning himself as a “company man,” McElroy believes ESPN presents college and professional football better than any other network. His only advice for network executives covering his favorite game of the year is simple: do not overthink it.
“I’m going to watch the traditional broadcast. That’s the way I’ve always been. I’ve been a part of a million mega-casts, but I know that my wife would want to watch something that might be more personality or story driven,” explained McElroy. “It’s all about celebrating the game and presenting it tastefully.”
Despite his success at ESPN and national recognition from his peers for his work at WJOX, McElroy still loves being in the booth on Saturdays above all. He never takes opportunities for granted, but he chooses radio and podcasting because of the games themselves.
“Those games are why we’re in the business we’re in,” said McElroy. “As long as those games are being played, there’s going to be an audience for radio and podcasting. If those games go away, I’m not sure who’s listening. But they all feed each other; that’s the beauty of it. We have people that watch our games because we build the interest all week on radio and podcasts. They go hand in hand.”
In many ways, McElroy’s career has come full circle — from tuning out sports radio as Alabama’s quarterback to becoming one of the most respected voices shaping it. He worked under Nick Saban, alongside Paul Finebaum, and now shares production meetings and conversations with both as colleagues.
Yet for all the titles, platforms, and accolades, his compass has not changed.
The validation that matters most still comes from people who understand the grind — coaches, players, program directors, broadcasters — those who know how difficult it is to remain consistently sharp at 6 a.m. or on live television when the stakes are high.
McElroy once walked into stadiums as the quarterback entrusted with Alabama’s offense. Today, he walks into WJOX studios and broadcast booths around the country carrying a different responsibility: to inform, to entertain, and to respect the game that built his career.
As long as football is being played, Greg McElroy plans to be there — microphone on, headset ready — still chasing the same standard that defined him as a player: earn the respect of the people who know the game best.
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Every content creator in the sports media industry wants credit for their work. Anyone who has worked in the industry has seen photos and videos reposted as original content by others without permission. Copy and paste are some of the most dangerous words in digital media. The hard work of every content creator is often subject to those who steal and take full credit while the efforts of the original creator are forgotten.
That’s why you have photo services, watermarks, and code attached to every single piece of content in an attempt to hold people accountable if they are caught.
There’s also a correct way to go about posting content that isn’t yours: asking permission. That’s what ESPN’s Assignment Desk on social media has been doing for years. The role is to search for digital content that can be shared on ESPN platforms while crediting the creator. It’s an honorable thing in a shareable world to simply ask first. That’s why I can’t understand why so many are applauding content creator Dane Moore for using the gesture as an opportunity to chastise the outlet requesting his permission.
Earlier this week, content creator Dane Moore posted a video of Minnesota Timberwolves guard Anthony Edwards discussing a defensive scheme used against him by the Denver Nuggets. Edwards credited the Nuggets for showing him respect by double-teaming him, which opened opportunities for his teammates to take the ball and score.
A simple comment. Nothing controversial, but topical at the moment as the Timberwolves went on to beat the Nuggets that evening.
After the video was posted, the ESPN Assignment Desk contacted Moore on X to request permission to use the clip. I have received similar messages myself. ESPN typically credits the original source by tagging the account in its post.
Many sports content creators see this as a strong cross-promotional opportunity. Their username gets tagged by ESPN, the largest sports brand on social media.
Instead, Moore used the request to showcase his disdain for the network’s roster cuts of insiders and local reporters. Dane replied to the request from the ESPN Assignment Desk, saying, “You do not have permission to use it – as I’ve told you numerous times in DMs. Shouldn’t have laid off all those reporters if you wanted locker room content.”
You do not have permission to use it — as I’ve told you numerous times in DMs. Shouldn’t have laid off all those reporters if you wanted locker room content.
While many on X applauded Moore’s statement, the denial itself makes little sense. Of course, Moore has the absolute right to deny access to content he filmed in a public postgame setting. However, using the moment for a form of virtue signaling is a giant error that other sports content creators should learn from.
The content creation game is all about natural growth. There are many different paths to that growth, but collaboration is one way to improve your social footprint. Nothing is guaranteed when collaborating with other sports creators or platforms, but dismissing opportunity should never be an option for any creator.
No matter how they feel personally about the company making the request.
What collaboration creates between professional networks of creators and media hubs is credibility. Moore deserves credit for building his company in the five years since being laid off from Hubbard Broadcasting in 2020. He has a successful podcast and a large social following for everything Timberwolves related.
However, when your work is recognized and offers you access to a much larger social audience, you take it.
Instead, Moore turned the offer into a personal vendetta against ESPN and its staffing policies. Talking about missing a layup.
When I talked with Cumulus Media and Westwood One Chief Insights Officer Pierre Bouvard about AM sports radio stations switching to FM, he shared an interesting example of why moving to FM is more vital today than ever.
“Ten percent of all American radio listening is going to AM. Ninety percent goes to FM,” Bouvard pointed out. “Let’s say you had a small store in a small mall. Then there’s this other mall that’s nine times bigger than your mall. Wouldn’t you want to have a store in the bigger mall with nine times the amount of people in it?”
Let’s use Bouvard’s example in relation to Dane Moore. If Moore is “AM radio,” being consumed by an engaged following of 61,600 followers on X, ESPN represents the other mall on the “FM” signal.
ESPN on X has more than 57,000,000 followers. ESPN’s NBA account on X has more than 9,100,000 followers. Assuming no duplication, that’s a higher follower count than the populations of California and Texas combined.
In the month of January alone, ESPN social across its platforms saw 543 million engagements, which averages out to 17.5 million engagements per day. The social team at ESPN has finished as the top social platform in engagement for 55 straight months, according to Comscore Shareablee data.
While nothing is guaranteed when building a larger following through collaboration with ESPN, why shoot down the opportunity? Why give up a chance to enhance your credibility globally? Simply because you didn’t like the way ESPN conducted its internal staffing decisions?
That’s a giant mistake.
Denver was sending a second defender at Anthony Edwards when he crossed court in today's game.
Asked Ant, who used to be really frustrated by that look, about playing through that type of aggressive coverage.
ESPN did the right thing by asking. Moore did the wrong thing not just by saying no, but by making a scene out of the request. In fact, if you scroll through the public requests made by the ESPN Assignment Desk over the past several months, Moore appears to be living onacreator’sislandallbyhimself.
None of this means Dane Moore had to say yes. Content creators deserve full control over how their work is distributed and credited. In an era where original reporting, video, and photography are routinely lifted without permission, protecting your content is not only understandable — it’s necessary.
But ESPN didn’t take Moore’s video. They didn’t repost it without attribution. They followed the exact process creators have spent years asking major outlets to respect.
Instead of recognizing that, Moore used the moment to take a swipe at ESPN for decisions that have nothing to do with the social media team making the request. That might play well in certain corners of social media, but it ignores the larger reality of how digital media growth actually works.
Pierre Bouvard’s analogy about malls is simple, but it applies perfectly to this situation. You can run a successful store in a smaller mall with a loyal customer base. Many creators do exactly that, and Moore has clearly done a strong job building his own platform.
But when the larger mall with exponentially more foot traffic offers to feature your product, the smart business decision is usually to take the opportunity and see what happens.
That’s why this situation feels less like a principled stand and more like a missed opportunity. Moore had every right to decline certainly. But sometimes the easiest way to grow your store isn’t by arguing with the mall manager — it’s by opening the doors to a bigger crowd.
Creators spend years hoping their work gets noticed by platforms that reach millions of people. When that opportunity presents itself, most don’t treat it like a political statement. They treat it like a stepping stone.
Moore had every right to say no. But by doing so the way he did, he also demonstrated how easy it is to mistake a viral moment for a smart business decision.
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While NBC is getting much of the NBA media attention with a new vibe and throwback programming, it is NBA TV that is churning out the best pro hoops content this season. In addition to live games, shows like Basketcast, NBA Shot Clock, NBA Playback, and specialized fare like Plays of the Month and Dunks of the Month give hardcourt mavens some excellent options.
Perhaps the best of the NBA TV lineup is The Association. This nightly program provides analysis and live look-ins to NBA game action. Normally presented in a three-hour format, the show also serves as a prelude to the network’s live game coverage.
Entitled The Association: Pregame, it includes everything from highlights to opinion, statistics, and historical reflections. NBA TV promotes The Association as a program that celebrates the game, players, and culture of the NBA, aiming to both inform and entertain viewers with news and storylines. In both its pregame and postgame formats, The Association is a fast-paced hodgepodge, moving from topic to topic and story to story.
This past Monday’s edition of The Association: Pregame previewed the Eastern Conference matchup featuring the Boston Celtics at the Milwaukee Bucks. The game marked the return of Giannis Antetokounmpo to the Milwaukee lineup.
Mike Yam sat in the host seat with ex-NBA stars Rudy Gay and Isaiah Thomas as analysts. Both played for several teams throughout their respective pro careers and bring a lot of concrete know-how.
Celtics vs. Bucks on NBA TV TONIGHT 🏀🔥
Tune in to The Association at 7pm/et on NBA TV and the NBA App as @Mike_Yam, @RudyGay, and @isaiahthomas break down tonight’s 4-game slate and get you set for Celtics/Bucks at 7:30pm/et.
What immediately struck me about The Association: Pregame was the colorful and casual set. Yam occupies a comfortable chair, while Gay and Thomas sit on a couch with a couple of modernized coffee tables in front of them. The backdrop resembles a man cave or sports den, with sports memorabilia and photos filling the shelves. The attire is casual, falling in line with many programs trying to attract younger viewers.
Let’s take a moment to talk about Yam, who is fast developing into one of the best and most versatile hosts in sports television. Yam’s greatest strength is moderating his tone and drama. He is terrific at tempering excitement with realism. In an understated fashion, he is well prepared, fun to watch, and really good at setting up his analysts with leading questions. His work on NFL Network is similarly notable.
This episode of The Association: Pregame started with real talk about Antetokounmpo coming back from an injury that caused him to miss the previous 15 games. The discussion was accompanied by live video of Antetokounmpo in warmups from Milwaukee.
From there, the show moved to a rundown of the Top 10 plays from the previous night’s games. As Yam, Gay, and Thomas narrated highlights, the lower-third graphics showed the NBA schedule for Monday night, including game odds provided by FanDuel.
The Top 10 segment was entertaining, with fast-moving highlights and gripping action. Yam did a great job with his relaxed narration. Leaving plenty of open space for Gay and Thomas to give their views on the plays.
Coming out of the Top 10 segment, a graphic showed the current playoff picture in the Eastern Conference. Gay said Antetokounmpo’s return could help the Bucks at least qualify for the play-in tournament at the end of the regular season.
"There's only one way for him to play, and that's 100 miles per hour." @Mike_Yam , @IsaiahThomas, and @RudyGay share expectations for Giannis Antetokounmpo's return to the floor.
While Gay is a rapidly developing TV presence, Thomas is a relative neophyte.
The 12-year NBA veteran and two-time All-Star with the Celtics appears quite relaxed on television. Maybe even a little too relaxed. The man they called “IT” was a bundle of energy as a player. I’d like to see him bring some of that same enthusiasm to the broadcast.
Still, I enjoyed his commentary and can see him really growing as an analyst.
I like the variety of The Association: Pregame. Viewers move from highlights to commentary to coaches’ press conferences. Yam shifted the discussion to the Celtics while a graphic asked how expectations of the team will change if Jayson Tatum returns this season from a torn Achilles injury. The six-time All-Star suffered the injury last May. But has made a remarkable recovery and is on the brink of returning.
Thomas made a good point that despite Tatum’s hard work, the NBA at this time of year is quite physical, and Tatum’s body will have to adjust to that. He also reflected on injuries he suffered as a player in his late 20s while trying to return. Thomas cautioned that he wants Tatum to be 100% healthy and not rush back.
The trio then looked back on the Minnesota Timberwolves’ 117-108 victory over the Nuggets the day before. The victory highlighted by an impressive showing from Anthony Edwards: 21 points, 3 rebounds, 6 assists, and 2 blocked shots.
Gay and Thomas discussed Edwards’ scoring prowess but also gave credit to the players around the superstar. Both agreed the Timberwolves are definitely a threat to make the Finals.
The Association: Pregame does a nice job of moving the show away from the studio. Whether it is sound from a coach or player, pregame warmup video, game highlights, or even a graphic, the visual variety on the show is excellent. Yam is at the controls like Captain Kirk in the Starship Enterprise bridge command center.
As the show continued, a timer counted down the minutes to the Boston-Milwaukee matchup. Lower-third graphics also previewed upcoming national games not only on NBA TV, but on other networks as well.
Coming back from one of the breaks, the production staff strung together speedy highlights of Gay as a player, leading into a segment called Rudy’s Rim Rockers. Gay returned from the highlights in standup mode, flanked by Yam and Thomas. He jokingly called the segment, “The most electrifying segment in sports entertainment.”
This section of the show underscores the never-ending fan and media fascination with NBA dunks.
His number three rim rocker was Jonathan Kuminga of the Hawks flying high over the Portland Trail Blazers for a lefty slam. As he narrated the dunks, Gay not only called attention to the power but also the athleticism and creativity of the athletes.
His number two dunk came from the game between the San Antonio Spurs and New York Knicks. He chose Victor Wembanyama’s long-armed jam over OG Anunoby. The number one Rim Rocker for Gay was Denver’s Jamal Murray taking it to the house and posterizing Rudy Gobert of the Timberwolves.
This was a fun and fluffy segment, but I did like Gay’s commentary as he truly analyzed each play.
In closing the program, Yam brought the show full circle, revisiting Antetokounmpo’s return from injury and mentioning that Jaylen Brown would not be playing for the Celtics. He asked a direct question to Gay about the realistic expectations for Antetokounmpo. Gay responded that he expects the full dose of Antetokounmpo.
Yam then asked Thomas whom he thinks will step up for the Celtics in Brown’s absence. Thomas did not hesitate, saying he has two players in mind: Payton Pritchard and Nikola Vucevic.
The Association: Pregame served as a tremendous lead-in to NBA action that night. With fluid variety and pinpoint commentary, it is truly worthy of All-NBA TV recognition.
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