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Dan Patrick Is Sounding the Alarm About the Waning Interest in the NBA

John Mamola
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Dan Patrick Is Sounding the Alarm About the Waning Interest in the NBA

Has there ever been a greater time to be a sports fan? You could say the same about being a fan of entertaining programming in general. For all the complaints about having too many options, the abundance is actually a blessing. Every niche and micro-niche has something available. The challenge now isn’t access — it’s attention. With limited time, deciding what to watch has become harder than ever. That’s the issue the NBA is facing, whether it fully recognizes it or not.

Every network, show, program, sport, and personality competes in the same daily game: capturing and keeping attention. What can I offer that grabs your eyes and locks you into my product for as long as possible? Appointment viewing has largely disappeared in modern media, except in one powerful case — live sports.

And that’s exactly what recent load management and tanking discussions across sports media are missing.

Far too often, an NBA game feels more TBA than must-see. Teams have never driven interest in a league built on athleticism and personality. Stars do. Lately, however, the main characters have been missing from the screenplay too often, leading even the most plugged-in fans to tune out.

There may not be a bigger NBA fan on sports radio than Dan Patrick. He has followed the league for nearly six decades. He has covered it extensively, interviewed its biggest stars, and delivered its stories to a global audience.

On Wednesday’s program, Dan Patrick told the NBA he’s out.

“Is Trae Young playing? This is a guy who was averaged 27 and 10. I don’t know. After a while, if they’re not playing, I’m not watching. And you’ve got to win me back,” said Patrick about his disgust with the load management approach that NBA teams have adopted in recent years. “I don’t know what the commissioner can do. We’ve been down this road. We’re going to continue to go down this road. The regular season doesn’t mean anything,”

Load management isn’t new. It has remained one of the NBA’s most debated and least understood issues for more than a decade. Teams argue that it preserves their most important players for the season’s biggest moments. Fans who invest time and money, however, often see it differently.

The league attempted to address the issue in 2023, yet even with new guidelines in place, frustration persists among fans and media members alike. Attendance doesn’t suggest a crisis. Last season marked the NBA’s second-highest attendance total ever, and there are no clear signs that turnstile numbers have slowed.

Viewership, however, presents a more complicated picture.

This season benefits from Nielsen’s Big Data + Panel measurement, making year-over-year comparisons tricky. Last year’s regular-season viewership dipped 2 percent overall. This year, under the new measurement model, ESPN reports a 35 percent increase through the first 21 games before Christmas.

Did 35 percent more people suddenly decide to watch NBA games? Or does the measurement shift tell part of that story? A glance at NFL regular-season numbers shows similar benefits from the updated system.

Where load management could have its greatest impact isn’t necessarily attendance or ratings. It’s conversation.

Sports television, radio, and podcasts depend on star players and the storylines surrounding them. Coverage thrives when the best are on the court. Without them, the daily content machine loses fuel. The broader sports audience loses urgency.

There’s no such thing as bad publicity — only publicity. And conversations are always more compelling when stars drive them. If sports talk royalty like Dan Patrick feels disengaged and says he needs to be won back, that should resonate inside the NBA’s executive offices.

It’s not just Patrick that’s using their megaphones to shout their warning to the NBA. ESPN New York’s Michael Kay referenced the league not addressing the issue as a disservice to it’s network partners.

“They’re not going to get the same audience. Same thing with Amazon. Same thing with NBC. When those guys go to Adam Silver and go, ‘This is nonsense. We paid for your product, not for people sitting on the bench,’” said Kay on Wednesday.

The point is simple. Play the game, and do your job. When stars sit, there’s little to hook interest. If the regular season continues to lose steam because of load management, when does the breaking point arrive for the league and the players union?

NBA players earn paychecks just like their most loyal fans. Most fans can’t take days off work for “load management.” They also don’t have access to specialized training staffs, personal chefs, or elite recovery resources. Fair or not, the optics matter. When the biggest names are in street clothes instead of jerseys, perception takes a hit.

Fans spend money to see a product. They invest time hoping a star will shine. The question isn’t whether players need rest. The question is how often uncertainty can creep in before urgency disappears.

The NBA doesn’t have an attendance problem. It doesn’t have a talent problem or even have a measurement problem.

It has a perception problem.

And perception is reality in the attention economy.

Sports remain the last true appointment viewing experience. That’s their superpower. When fans circle a date, buy tickets weeks in advance, clear their schedules, or tune into a national broadcast, they aren’t investing in depth pieces. They’re investing in stars, certainty, and the belief that when the lights come on, the main characters will be on stage.

If that certainty fades, so does urgency.

Leagues can survive temporary ratings dips and negative media cycles. What they can’t survive is indifference. Indifference creeps in when fans start asking, “Is he playing?” before they ask, “What time is tipoff?”

The NFL doesn’t dominate because every game is flawless. It dominates because when Sunday arrives, fans expect the stars to show up unless something is truly wrong. That reliability builds habit. Habit builds conversation. Conversation builds culture.

The NBA has built a global brand on personality, athleticism, and star power. But brands rarely collapse overnight. They erode gradually — one rest night, one shrug, one disappointed fan at a time.

In an era overflowing with viewing options, the league cannot afford to make itself optional.

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.

What Can We Learn From the Chasm Between Small Business and Consumers

Bob Lawrence
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What Can We Learn From the Chasm Between Small Business and Consumers

There’s a tricky truth about small businesses and their respective consumers. They’re worried about the same things. Often it feels like they’re on opposite sides of the proverbial fence. Both deal with rising costs, shrinking profits and patience. Add in a nagging sense that everything around them is moving faster than they can keep up.

Addressing these concerns begins when we recognize the overlap and rebuild from there.

The good news is that strategic solutions exist, and both sides benefit when the relationship feels human again. Small businesses shouldn’t act like big corporations, and consumers shouldn’t treat small businesses like faceless operations. Highlighting the people behind the business, sharing supporting stories, and rewarding loyalty create mutual investment.

Addressing the real concerns of business owners and consumers isn’t about choosing sides. Instead, it’s about rebuilding trust, where honesty, patience, and a shared sense of reality matter most.

No one needs to explain the woes of the small business owner. The pressure is relentless. The metrics and variables used to measure results face constant, mind-numbing scrutiny.

Costs are up on all fronts, including rent, insurance, payroll, inventory, and utilities. Frankly, the list is endless. Because of this, margins are thinner. Risk is higher, and the safety net feels smaller and weaker with every new day.

At the same time, owners and their employees are being asked to do more. Add in pressures of more transparency, more responsive, and more digital—often with less time, fewer people, and less money.

The secret few mention aloud is that it is often less about growth and more about pure survival. The goal is often sustainability. How do I keep the doors open without burning out or cutting those things that represent my all-important point of differentiation?

Meanwhile, consumers are parsing through their own economic reality. Prices have become unpredictable, and trust is fragile. We’re overwhelmed by choices and skeptical of the thousands of marketing messages we receive daily. As a result, we disengage at lightspeed when something feels off.

Convenience may matter, but so does fairness. Value is no longer just about price. It’s about the brand experience, authenticity, honesty, and whether a business genuinely cares. As consumers, we’re all asking a basic question before every purchase: “Is this worth it, and can I trust who I’m buying from?”

The truth is, as consumers, we are far more understanding when we are told “why.” Clear pricing, realistic expectations, and plain, honest policy language reduce friction. It’s important to remember that confusion erodes trust, while transparency builds it.

Empathy means designing experiences that acknowledge real life. For owners, that might mean setting boundaries, limiting hours, enforcing firm policies, and offering fewer but better products or services. For consumers, it means feeling seen, not processed.

Training staff (or yourself) to listen first, respond calmly, and solve problems without defensiveness goes a long way. People don’t expect perfection; they expect respect.

Consistency is where trust takes root. Small businesses win when they do what they say they’ll do, every time. Consumers relax when they know what to expect.

This applies to everything from product quality to tone to how issues are handled when something goes wrong. Consistency reduces stress for owners and decision fatigue for consumers.

Ultimately, the opportunity lies in strategically addressing everyone’s concerns with clarity, empathy, and consistency. That said, small businesses don’t need to apologize for increased pricing, but they should explain the strategies and tactics behind 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.

How 700 WLW’s Bill Cunningham Has Stayed On Top For More Than 40 Years

Garrett Searight
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How 700 WLW’s Bill Cunningham Has Stayed On Top For More Than 40 Years

For more than four decades, 700 WLW midday host Bill Cunningham has defied every industry rule about age, longevity, and relevance.

At 78 years old and 43 years into his radio career, Cunningham is still ranked the top midday host in the nation in Barrett Media’s latest rankings. In an era when radio reinvention is constant and careers burn out quickly, Cunningham’s continued dominance is rooted not in nostalgia, but in an approach that has barely changed since the Reagan era.

“I’ve done this for 43 years, and I find myself each day getting up every morning wanting to find out what happened while I was sleeping,” Bill Cunningham said. “For some reason, before I go on the air from noon to 3, I get a little nervous. I think that if I ever lose that feeling, if I ever think I’m going to blow this off, that’s a problem.

“Every day, someone is listening to me for the first time. They may know who I am, or they may have never heard of me. I want them to come away thinking that guy entertained and informed me,” said Cunningham. “My goal is to entertain people, make them laugh a little bit, and inform them on issues they might otherwise be ignorant of. Third, maybe I can change a few opinions to my way of thinking, to some extent.”

That mindset has kept Cunningham relevant long past the point where many broadcasters step aside or fade out. While the media world around him has transformed repeatedly, he views the show itself as a familiar instrument, even as the music evolves.

“I hate to say this, but I’m as energized now as I was in 1983,” he admitted. “The issues change constantly. I have a piano in front of me. The music might change. The songwriters might change. But my piano is still there. If I can do something fresh, new, and different, make someone laugh, inform them, change an opinion, or adjust an idea, that’s what motivates me. I don’t have to do it, but without this, my life would not be complete.

“I signed another three-year contract extension, so maybe my goal is 50 years,” Cunningham said of his future. “How long was Paul Harvey on the air? He was going strong into his 80s. I think if Rush Limbaugh had not met his maker, he’d still be on the air. The last few years of Rush’s tenure, the greatest of all time, he was as good then as he was at the beginning. That’s my goal. If I get up every day thinking someone’s listening for the first time, I want them to say, ‘I can see why that guy’s pretty good.’”

Bill Cunningham said he thought he’d get to his 40th year in radio and then re-evaluate whether he still wanted to keep going. That was three years ago, and he’s still going strong. And despite his age, Cunningham doesn’t speak like someone winding down. He speaks like someone keenly aware of time, but still energized by the work.

“Physically, I have the body of a 61-year-old and the mind of a 45-year-old. At some point, Father Time is undefeated. My tomorrows don’t exceed my yesterdays,” he said. “Eventually, I’ll have to hang up the microphone, but I don’t think I’m close.”

Part of that longevity comes from a schedule that fits him and a format that still excites him.

“There’s nothing about the job I don’t enjoy. Noon to 3 fits me perfectly,” Cunningham shared. “The day is half done. Overnight and morning news has happened. Most news breaks by 3 o’clock. It fits who I am and what I want to do.

“I also interact constantly with high schools and colleges. I appear three or four times a week, speaking at functions. I want to stay in touch with the people listening to me in Ohio, Kentucky, and Indiana. I build the audience. The greatest thing people say to me is that they listened to me as kids, and now their children listen to me. I hear that regularly from people in high school and college.”

That generational connection is something Cunningham values deeply, viewing it as validation that his impact extends beyond ratings charts.

“I couldn’t feel more proud of that. I hope I’ve changed the politics in my part of the world a little, for the better. In the 80s and 90s, Ohio, Kentucky, and Indiana were thoroughly blue. Now they’re thoroughly red. I hope I played a small part by reflecting the American way of life: fear of God and love of country.”

Cunningham also believes radio’s best days aren’t behind it, even as other media platforms struggle.

“Radio is doing very well. Audio is doing very well. TV is crashing. There are 500 channels. Cable news is stuck between far left and far right. I try to represent the conservative middle, maybe a little right. There’s no part of my job I hate. I like what I’m doing. As long as people like listening to me, why not? Compared to what?”

Being recognized by Barrett Media as the nation’s top midday host carries special meaning for someone who has spent a lifetime in the business.

“Being voted number one means everything. It’s great to have listeners and advertisers, but when those in the business, who know radio and love it, designate you as number one, that means more than ratings or revenue. Those who walk beside you saying, ‘That guy’s pretty good,’ fills me with emotion and pride.

“I want to thank Barrett Media, the talk show hosts around the country, program directors, and operations managers who take the time to listen. Because of how ubiquitous radio is today, you can listen to local radio anywhere in the country. I feel a sense of pride that’s difficult to express.”

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.

5 Reliable Essay Writing Services in 2026 Compared

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5 Reliable Essay Writing Services in 2026 Compared

These days, there are so many essay writing services to choose from. All of them claim to be the best, and most of them have both good and negative reviews.

With this being the case, we decided it was high time to test the most popular essay writing companies operating today. We wanted to see which sites actually keep promises, which ones consistently deliver high-quality work, and which should be avoided.

So we tested dozens of services and read hundreds of reviews to determine which five are reliable and worth using.

If you’ve been searching for a site that can help you with research papers, essays, and other kinds of academic assignments, we encourage you to read about all of the companies we spotlight, as we’re sure one will be the perfect service for you.

WriteMyEssays.net – #1 Service Provider in All Categories

Service Overview

Write My Essays offers over a dozen services to high school, undergraduate, graduate, and Ph.D. students. Its pricing is reasonable, and first-time customers get 15% off their first order.

The site guarantees on-time delivery, unique work, secure payment, 100% customer confidentiality, and three free revisions per order.

Our Test Results

The research paper we ordered from Write My Essays was first-rate. Our in-house grader deemed it worthy of an A+. There were no spelling or grammatical mistakes, and all sources were properly cited both in the text and in the bibliography. Plus, it was clear that the writer understood all the sources she was citing.

The essay we received was top-notch as well. It received an A. All of the arguments in it were solid, and again, it was clear that the writer had taken their time to write a cohesive paper. It received an A instead of an A+ because there were a couple of grammatical mistakes, but these were quickly fixed during the editing process.

EssayTigers.com – Best Collection of Services

Service Overview

Essay Tigers offers over two dozen services, including resume and cover letter writing. Its prices are similar to Write My Essays’, and first-time customers get a 15% discount.

Its guarantees are similar as well. Customers can expect unique writing, on-time delivery, secure payment, complete confidentiality, and one free revision per order.

Essay Tiger also has free resources, like writing guides and sample essays.

Our Test Results

Essay Tigers’ writers performed well. The research paper we received earned an A, and the essay received an A−.

The research paper included a wide variety of sources, and all of them were properly cited. There were no spelling errors or formatting issues. The only problem was that some proper nouns weren’t capitalized, and that’s why we couldn’t give the research paper an A+.

The essay was solid. It was argued well, and all of the facts were properly cited. There were a couple of areas where the flow could have been better, and again, some proper nouns weren’t capitalized.

IvoryResearch.com – UK Students’ Go-to Provider

Service Overview

Ivory Research offers nearly three dozen services. Its dissertation services are widely regarded as some of the best in the industry.

As far as guarantees go, this site promises unique writing, on-time delivery, free revisions within 10 days of receiving your order, complete confidentiality, secure payment, and free bibliographies.

It also has a unique and potentially lucrative referral program.

Our Test Results

Ivory Research delivered an excellent research paper, but the essay could have been better. The research paper received an A+, while the essay received a B+.

There was virtually nothing wrong with the research paper; everything was properly cited, a wide variety of sources were used, and it was clear that the writer knew what they were talking about.

The problem with the essay was that it was too sophisticated. The essay was supposed to be for a lower-level undergraduate course, yet it was written like something for a graduate program. Fortunately, the content was made more suitable during the editing phase, so this company deserves a spot on our list.

EssayMarket.net – Simplest Ordering Process

Service Overview

EssayMarkets offers a variety of writing services, all of which are affordable. Also, ordering on this site is remarkably simple, as is selecting the writer you want to work with. It’s a good platform for students who don’t need a lot of extras.

Our Test Results

EssayMarkets’ research paper was acceptable, and the essay was solid. The research paper received a B+, and the essay received an A−.

The research paper could have included stronger sources, and at times, it seemed like the writer didn’t fully grasp what the sources were about. The essay was well argued, and there were no grammatical, spelling, or formatting issues.

Based on our experience, we believe EssayMarkets is a good site for those who need short, simple assignments completed.

SpeedyPaper.com – Quickest Turnaround

Service Overview

SpeedyPaper’s distinguishing quality is its quick turnaround. The platform is also easy to navigate, and its services are affordable. Plus, it’s easy to communicate with your writer, and the customer support is top-notch.

Our Test Results

SpeedyPapers’ research paper was acceptable, as was its essay; both earned a B+. The main thing we liked about this provider was that we received the papers quicker than expected, so there was plenty of time for editing.

There were some grammatical, spelling, and formatting mistakes in both papers, but nothing major, and they were all corrected during the editing phase. We conclude that this is a good site to use if you need an assignment completed quickly and don’t need perfect quality.

Concluding Thoughts

After testing dozens of essay writing companies and reading hundreds of reviews, we came to the following conclusions:

  • Write My Essays is currently the absolute best service because it consistently delivers high-quality work for a fair price.
  • Essay Tigers is a first-rate company offering many useful services, though Write My Essays’ writing quality was slightly better.
  • Ivory Research is an excellent site for undergraduate and graduate students studying in the UK, but its services are more expensive than those offered by other sites.
  • EssayMarket’s ordering process was the simplest of all the sites we tested, and its writing quality was acceptable.

SpeedyPaper delivered our orders before the given deadlines, and there was no indication that anything was rushed.

Michael Kay: NBA Load Management Doing Disservice to League Media Partners

BSM Staff
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Michael Kay: NBA Load Management Doing Disservice to League Media Partners

ESPN New York host Michael Kay didn’t mince words Thursday when discussing what he sees as a growing problem for the NBA and its television partners, arguing on The Michael Kay Show on ESPN New York that load management has evolved from a competitive strategy into a business liability that directly impacts networks paying billions for broadcast rights.

Kay said the ripple effects now extend well beyond disappointed ticket buyers, stressing that national partners such as ESPN, Amazon and NBC depend on star power to drive ratings and justify their investments.

“It’s gotten so bad now that it’s affecting partners,” Kay said, explaining that if a marquee player like Shai Gilgeous-Alexander is ruled out before a featured matchup, the audience will inevitably shrink.

“They’re not going to get the same audience. Same thing with Amazon. Same thing with NBC. When those guys go to Adam Silver and go, ‘This is nonsense. We paid for your product, not for people sitting on the bench.’”

While the league has worked with teams on rest policies to support long-term health and postseason success, Kay criticized the approach. He argued that the optics damage the sport’s credibility. That concern grows when healthy players sit out high-profile games.

He pointed directly at Commissioner Adam Silver, suggesting the league office needs to take a firmer stance reminiscent of former commissioner David Stern.

“When you see what other teams are doing, keeping healthy players on the bench or not playing them at all, not even dressing them, it’s a bad look for the sport,” Kay said. “Adam Silver has to get a little bit of a David Stern transfusion. He has to. Because Stern would not allow this. He would get in their grill and say, this cannot go on.”

Kay also questioned the competitive logic behind resting stars in marquee matchups, describing the strategy as shortsighted and unfair to broadcast partners. “It’s awful for the rights partners who are paying a lot of money,” he said, adding that choosing to sit players in anticipated showdowns undermines the value of those games.

Ultimately, Kay framed the issue as one of accountability, contending that if the NBA wants to protect its brand and media relationships, it must ensure that healthy stars regularly appear in the very games designed to showcase the league at its highest level.

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.

Bloomberg Announces New Weekend Show with David Gura, Christina Ruffini, and Lisa Mateo

BNM Staff
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Bloomberg Announces New Weekend Show with David Gura, Christina Ruffini, and Lisa Mateo

Bloomberg has announced it is expanding its live programming with a new weekend show to debut later this month.

Bloomberg This Weekend will debut on Saturday, February 28th at 7 PM ET. The new three-hour show will air each Saturday and Sunday morning.

The new weekend show will feature co-hosts David Gura and Christian Ruffini from the network’s New York studios. Meanwhile, Lisa Mateo will feature the latest headlines and news analysis on the program.

Gura is an anchor and correspondent for Bloomberg TV and radio, as well as the co-host of the network’s Big Take podcast.

Ruffini joins Blomberg after previously working as a host for NBC, MSNBC, and The Atlantic Live. She also previously worked as a correspondent for CBS News.

Lisa Mateo has most recently worked with Bloomberg Surveillance Radio. Prior to joining the network, she worked as a news anchor for CBS News Radio and as a TV correspondent for CBS Newspath.

Caroly Cremen will serve as the executive producer for the show. She most recently worked in a similar capacity for CBS Evening News when Norah O’Donnell served as the anchor. She also previously spent 15 years working at CNN.

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.

Nicolle Wallace, Brett Cooper, Show From Megyn Kelly’s Network Earn Spots on Edison Research’s Top 10 New Podcasts of 2025

BNM Staff
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Nicolle Wallace, Brett Cooper, Show From Megyn Kelly’s Network Earn Spots on Edison Research’s Top 10 New Podcasts of 2025

Edison Research has released its top 10 new podcasts of 2025 list, and a trio of women — including Nicolle Wallace and Brett Cooper — saw their news/politics shows earn the honors.

The list consists of the programs that earned the largest weekly U.S. audiences that debuted in 2025, according to Edison Research’s podcast metrics.

Good Hang with Amy Poehler, which earned the inaugural Golden Globe Award for the best podcast, took home the top spot on the list.

However, The Brett Cooper Show and The Best People with Nicolle Wallace each saw top-five finishes. Cooper’s program earned third, while Wallace followed directly behind in fourth.

Brett Cooper launched her new show after her exit from The Daily Wire in late 2024. Wallace, meanwhile, hosts Deadline: White House for MS NOW, as well as her podcast for the company.

Elsewhere, The Nerve with Maureen Callahan earned sixth place on the list. That show was launched by MK Media in 2025, the endeavor founded by Megyn Kelly.

Edison Research noted that those who launched a show earlier in the calendar year at a much greater advantage to make the list due to the average audience size being larger due to the extended time airing in a calendar year.

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Dave Thomas Named Program Director, Morning Host At 96.9FM WSIG

BMM Staff
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Dave Thomas Named Program Director, Morning Host At 96.9FM WSIG

Saga Communications has reshuffled key programming roles inside its Virginia cluster, elevating a familiar voice to lead one of its heritage country brands while repositioning another veteran programmer to a sister station. Dave Thomas, who currently serves as program director for Classic Hits Rewind 105.1 and AC More 96.1, has been named program director and morning host at Classic Country 96.9 WSIG in Harrisonburg, Virginia.

Thomas has also been a regular on-air presence at WSIG, making the move a natural extension of his existing responsibilities within the cluster.

He replaces Tom Morgan, who transitions to Saga’s Classic Rock WWWV 97.5 in Charlottesville as program director and morning host. Morgan had overseen WSIG’s programming and handled afternoon drive prior to the change, and he will continue tracking afternoons at WCVL in Charlottesville, a role he has held since 2024.

For Thomas, the appointment marks a return to a leadership role within the Saga cluster.

He previously worked for the company from 2014 to 2021, serving as brand manager before departing for Townsquare Media in St. Cloud, Minnesota. While there, he managed Classic Rock 103.7 The Loon and Classic Hits 96.7 The River and added on-air duties that included afternoons at Country WWJO and mornings at KZRV.

Meanwhile, WSIG has adjusted its midday and afternoon lineup to accommodate the leadership transition. RJ Kelly moves into afternoon drive, providing continuity for listeners during a key daypart. Robbie Vogler will handle middays on an interim basis as the station evaluates its long-term plans for the slot.

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WTOP Names Kristin Diaz as New Morning Co-Anchor

BNM Staff
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WTOP Names Kristin Diaz as New Morning Co-Anchor

WTOP has announced a new morning co-anchor for John Aaron, as Kristin Diaz will step into the daypart on the Hubbard Radio Washington, D.C. all-news station.

Diaz joins the station after previously anchoring news at 1080 KRLD in Dallas since 2020. She also worked as a morning news anchor and meteorologist for KIII-TV in Corpus Christi for eight years before joining 1080 KRLD.

“I’m incredibly excited to be joining the WTOP team and to begin this next chapter in Washington, D.C.,” said Diaz. “It’s an honor to step into a newsroom that is so deeply rooted in its community and committed to impactful storytelling. I look forward to bringing my experience, authenticity and passion for connecting with people to a city that represents such a powerful intersection of voices, cultures and perspectives.”

“From the moment I met Kristin, I knew there was something special about her,” added WTOP Director of News and Programming Julia Ziegler. “Her commitment to telling stories that impact the diverse, local community she serves and doing so across platforms, aligns perfectly with WTOP’s mission. I can’t wait for the WTOP audience to get to know her.”

She steps into the shoes vacated by Michelle Basch, who exited WTOP at the end of 2025. Basch spent two decades working at the station.

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.

FOX Sports Reveals Broadcast Plans For 2026 World Baseball Classic

BSM Staff
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FOX Sports Reveals Broadcast Plans For 2026 World Baseball Classic

FOX Sports and the World Baseball Classic have outlined how American viewers will watch the 2026 World Baseball Classic, a global baseball spectacle that begins in early March with preliminary games in Tokyo and continues through mid-month with the championship in Miami.

The tournament’s U.S. broadcast slate stretches across FOX’s family of networks, including FOX, FS1, FS2 and FOX Deportes, as well as the FOX Sports App, Tubi, and its streaming hub FOX One. All 47 games will be televised or streamed live, marking one of the most expansive domestic coverage plans in Classic history.

The event opens with Pool C games in Tokyo on March 4 (Eastern Time) before teams in San Juan, Houston and Miami take the field beginning March 6. Organizers said the schedule reflects the Classic’s growing appeal in the United States and abroad.

FOX will showcase seven marquee matchups, beginning with Team USA’s Pool B opener against Brazil at Daikin Park in Houston on Friday, March 6 at 8 p.m. ET. The broadcast lineup also includes two quarterfinal games, one from Houston on March 13 and another from loanDepot Park in Miami on March 14, culminating with the Championship Game on Tuesday, March 17 at 8 p.m. ET.

FS1 will carry 19 Classic games and is slated to broadcast both semifinal matchups in Miami on March 15 and 16, each kicking off at 8 p.m. ET. The network’s schedule also highlights key pool play contests, such as Korea versus Japan on March 7 at 5 a.m. ET. Also, Cuba’s game against Puerto Rico on March 9 at 7 p.m. ET, and the Dominican Republic versus Venezuela on March 11 at 8 p.m. ET.

While English-language coverage dominates FOX Sports’ plan, Spanish broadcasts are robust. A total of 41 games will air in Spanish across an array of platforms, including FOX Deportes, the FOX Sports App, Tubi and FOX One. Tournament officials described this as part of a broader effort to reach diverse baseball audiences across the U.S.

All matchups in the tournament will be available to stream live and on demand via FOX One, ensuring fans can follow every pitch regardless of platform.

As March approaches, broadcasters and organizers alike are positioning the 2026 Classic as not just a tournament, but a showcase of international talent and an increasingly central event on the baseball calendar.

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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