Maddie Reis has announced on her Instagram that she is no longer the morning host at Hot AC 97.5 & 103.9 KMVA in Phoenix.
Reis had been with the station since last September (BMM 8/30).
Reis wrote, “I’ve been trying to figure out the best way to say this, but nothing feels right. I can’t let #nationalradioday go by without making a post, and what more of a radio thing to happen than being laid off last Friday, 15m after my show ended.”
“I’m sad that it had to go, but so happy I had it for as long as I did. Hosting my own SOLO morning show, in Phoenix, AZ, at 26 (now 27 y.o) is practically unheard of. I did my absolute best, and gave 100% of what I had to my show day in, and day out. I made so many connections, learned an EXTREME amount, and had FUN everyday with my listeners. No one can take that from me.”
Reis’ background includes Executive Producer of “The Morning Mess” at Audacy’s Top 40 Live 101.5 in Phoenix and also served as EP for “The Chet Buchanan Show” on Top 40 98.5 KLUC in Las Vegas.
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Stephen A. Smith isn’t buying into the notion that the NFL’s reported 10 percent stake in ESPN will compromise the network’s journalistic integrity or coverage of the league. Speaking on an exclusive interview with The Dan Le Batard Show with Stugotz, Smith pushed back on speculation that the business arrangement could influence how ESPN approaches critical stories about the NFL.
“They can try, but who the hell owns the other 90%?” Smith said. “Remember, you’re doing business with us. It’s not just us doing business with you. The integrity that comes with ESPN and how we do what we do is not going to be compromised just because you got a piece of ownership.”
Smith emphasized the relationship is mutually beneficial, with ESPN gaining access to valuable NFL content while the league maximizes its brand visibility and revenue streams.
“We get to air your games. We get to air some of your content. We get [NFL] RedZone and other elements that come with the equation,” he explained. “Things that are going to help you continue to monetize your brand, that is the National Football League, which is king. We get some benefits out of it, they get some benefits out of it. As is the case with any network that’s in business with anybody. That’s all that’s going on here.”
The First Take host also underscored that accountability and coverage standards won’t shift simply because the league is now a stakeholder. He pointed to the network’s longstanding rights agreements with multiple leagues as proof.
“I look at the league contracts we’ve had with the NFL. I look at the league contracts we’ve had with the NBA, with Major League Baseball and stuff like that. It doesn’t stop our investigative reporting. It doesn’t compromise our integrity,” Smith said. “You as an individual have an obligation to recognize the fact that you have a business to handle every single day. I know what my business is. I’m a pundit. I’m a commentator. I’m a journalist. I’m an entertainer as well.”
Acknowledging broader skepticism about the influence of big money in sports media, Smith said those concerns are not new but stressed that they will not dictate his approach.
“Big business, can it wield its heavy hand down upon it? People have been suspecting that for decades. It’s no different now, especially with the exorbitant amount of dollars that exist. We all understand that. But that doesn’t mean they’re going to get their way,” Smith noted.
Looking ahead, Smith made clear that his role requires him to hold league executives accountable regardless of business ties. “I’m getting ready to interview Roger Goodell in a few weeks. They ain’t gonna stop me from asking him what I need to ask,” he said. “Whatever the story is, whatever the news is, whatever the audience wants to know, it’s my obligation to bring that to the table. No deal between the league and ESPN is going to stop me from being me.”
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The Foul Territory Network announced that former Major League Baseball outfielder Kevin Pillar is joining its flagship program, Foul Territory, as a full-time host. Pillar, known as “Superman” for his acrobatic catches over a 13-year MLB career, has made guest hosting appearances on the show since retiring earlier this month.
“I am really excited to be joining the FT family,” Pillar said. “I have been a fan of the show and am thrilled they are giving me the opportunity to continue to talk about the game I loved to play. I am looking forward to sharing my love, knowledge and experiences with the FT audience.”
Foul Territory, which launched in March 2023 as an independent daily streaming and linear platform, has built a reputation for featuring outspoken and accomplished former players. The show’s roster includes A.J. Pierzynski, Todd Frazier, Erik Kratz, Cameron Maybin, Jason Kipnis, Trevor May and Jonathan Papelbon, with recently retired players Lance Lynn, Whit Merrifield and Ross Stripling making guest appearances.
Pillar’s transition from player to host comes at a time when Foul Territory continues to expand its reach and influence among baseball fans seeking in-depth, authentic coverage. By combining firsthand experience with a broad network of former and current MLB insiders, the program aims to deliver a perspective that few other shows can match.
Since its inception, Foul Territory has hosted more than 700 active players and over 1,200 other guests, including managers, general managers, reporters, and other members of the baseball community.
The show emphasizes candid discussion and broad coverage across Major League Baseball topics, blending exclusive player interviews, betting analysis, and unfiltered opinions.
The Foul Territory Network also offers a suite of related programming, including Fair Territory with Ken Rosenthal, Cardinal Territory, Crush City Territory, Dodgers Territory, Friar Territory, Hammer Territory, Mayday!, Mets’d Up, Monster Territory, North Side Territory, The Phillies Show, Pinstripe Territory, Snakes Territory, and Tiger Territory. All shows are available on YouTube and through major podcast platforms.
With Pillar joining the hosting lineup, the show adds another familiar voice from the playing field, reinforcing its commitment to connecting fans with the personalities, stories, and nuances of the game.
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The 2025 WEEI/NESN Jimmy Fund Radio-Telethon shattered previous fundraising records by raising more than $5.76 million to support cancer research, organizers announced. The milestone marks the 23rd year of the event, which has become a cornerstone of Boston sports philanthropy.
With the continued generosity of the Jimmy Fund community and Red Sox Nation, the annual telethon has now raised a staggering $80 million since its inception in 2002. The 2025 campaign alone drew 11,000 gifts from donors across all 50 states, with more than 2,700 callers contributing throughout the broadcast. Notably, over 60% of donations were under $100, highlighting the wide-ranging support from fans and local communities.
A highlight of the telethon was a $1 million matching challenge on the first day, courtesy of Celtics minority owner Rob Hale and Granite Telecommunications founder. The challenge energized donors, prompting a surge in contributions that helped propel the event past its previous records.
NESN personalities and WEEI hosts guided viewers and listeners through the two-day fundraiser, sharing stories of patients, survivors, and medical breakthroughs funded by the Jimmy Fund. Telethon organizers emphasized the lasting impact of every donation, noting that contributions directly support Dana-Farber Cancer Institute researchers in developing new treatments and therapies.
Since its first broadcast in 2002, the WEEI/NESN Jimmy Fund Radio-Telethon has become a staple of Boston sports media, blending entertainment, athletics, and community engagement for a life-saving cause. The event underscores the powerful role local media outlets play in philanthropy, leveraging their platforms to mobilize fans and create measurable impact in the fight against cancer.
As the telethon concluded, organizers reflected on the collective effort that made the milestone possible, praising volunteers, donors, and media partners for their dedication. The 2025 campaign not only set a new record for the event but also reinforced the enduring legacy of the Jimmy Fund in Boston sports culture and charitable giving nationwide.
The final tote board update for the 2025 WEEI/NESN @TheJimmyFund Radio-Telethon presented by @ArbellaIns is just over $5.76 million raised to help #KCANCER!
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Major League Baseball and ESPN are reportedly close to finalizing a framework agreement that would grant the network exclusive rights to distribute all out-of-market regular-season games digitally, along with in-market games for five clubs, according to a report by The Athletic. The deal, expected to span three years, would mark a significant expansion of ESPN’s baseball portfolio.
Under the proposed arrangement, ESPN would continue to broadcast approximately 30 regular-season games annually, though the network’s current flagship Sunday Night Baseball would move to a different weekday slot. The broadcasts on ESPN would remain exclusive, meaning fans could only watch these games through the network. The agreement, which has not yet been signed, is expected to be finalized by September. Financial terms were not disclosed, though they are described as substantial.
The potential agreement comes after ESPN opted out of the final three seasons of its previous deal with MLB, under which the network paid roughly $550 million per year for “Sunday Night Baseball,” the Home Run Derby, and Wild Card playoff games.
The current negotiations suggest a reconciliation between Manfred and ESPN Chairman Jimmy Pitaro, who has repeatedly expressed interest in leveraging ESPN to address challenges facing regional sports networks amid declining cable subscriptions. ESPN launched a direct-to-consumer streaming service at $29.99 per month today, allowing access to its network without a traditional cable, satellite, or YouTube TV subscription.
As part of the framework, ESPN would integrate MLB.TV into its direct-to-consumer offering, though details remain unclear regarding access for out-of-market subscribers through cable or linear services. Fans would likely need both an ESPN subscription and, for certain clubs, an additional fee to view local games. The five teams under this model would include the Cleveland Guardians, San Diego Padres, Minnesota Twins, Arizona Diamondbacks, and Colorado Rockies.
While ESPN appears poised to retain a prominent baseball presence, other partners are expected to claim marquee events. Netflix is favored to acquire the Home Run Derby rights for the next three years, and NBC/Peacock or Apple are leading candidates to assume Sunday Night Baseball and first-round playoff coverage. MLB is reportedly structuring these deals with three-year terms, aligning national and international rights packages through 2029, including the World Series and playoffs.
MLB and ESPN declined to comment.
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Former Alternative 106.7 KROQ-FM Los Angeles host Nicole Alvarez has broken her silence about her departure from the station in July.
Writing a guest column in The Hollywood Reporter, Alvarez laid her cards on the table, saying, “On July 30, 2025, I said my final words on air in a moment that was emotional, frenzied, and irreversible. I did not walk in that morning expecting it to be the end, but I felt something. A shift. A knowing.”
“After a heated exchange with my boss, one that crossed a line no one could come back from, the air cracked open. Time stopped. And I heard Iggy Pop’s voice cut through the static like a liberation siren: ‘‘Cause I’m a punk rocker, yes I am.’ That was my cue. I did my final break, walked out, and didn’t look back.”
Alvarez said she regretted not having the opportunity to say goodbye to her listeners.
“I never got the chance to say a proper goodbye to the city and the listeners I will always love so much. That absence will weigh heavy on me forever.”
“Leaving KROQ is the hardest thing I have ever done. But staying would have been a slow death. After being disrespected by an executive known to do those types of things, I was done. So I lit my life on fire for something that matters more than anything, my integrity. This round, I was willing to bet on myself.”
Alvarez indicated she wasn’t about bad-mouthing the station.
“I am never going to speak ill of KROQ. This isn’t about a station betraying me. It’s a story about what radio has become. About wanting more. About the way business is handled these days.”
“It is worth saying that I love and respect my boss. He, too, is trying to navigate radio as it now exists under the corporate thumb and an ever-changing landscape. This is not about him. This is about something much larger. He who first hired me will always have a place in my heart.”
Read the entire Hollywood Reporter column here. The outlet also reported, “Audacy, which owns KROQ, declined to comment on Alvarez’s letter.”
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ESPN Los Angeles has announced a lineup shuffle as football season approaches. The Good Karma Brands radio station revealed that a new schedule beginning September 2 will include The Rich Eisen Show as Eisen makes his return to ESPN Radio. In addition, the other major move in the announcement was Sedano & Kap shifting from afternoon drive to morning drive.
Furthermore, the announcement comes just days after the elevation of Tommy Lam as Market Manager of the Good Karma Brands radio outlet.
As a result, the changes provide a local option for Los Angeles sports fans in morning drive with Jorge Sedano and Scott Kaplan, replacing the current syndicated program Clinton & Friends. Notably, this marks the first time since 2020 that ESPN LA has featured a local morning program.
In addition, ESPN LA’s decision to move Sedano and Kap to mornings from 7 a.m.–9 a.m. Pacific will also create a local, hour-long program streaming exclusively on the radio outlet’s YouTube channel and the ESPN LA app from 9 a.m.–10 a.m., while the first hour of The Rich Eisen Show airs on ESPN Los Angeles 710 AM. The YouTube-only program will feature both Sedano and Kaplan but will not be broadcast over the air.
Moreover, another move in the lineup will shift Travis Rodgers and D’Marco Farr from middays to afternoon drive. Travis & D’Marco will move from their 9 a.m.–12 p.m. slot to a new time of 3 p.m.–6 p.m. Pacific. Consequently, the current live and local portion of the ESPN Los Angeles lineup will now consist of morning drive from 7 a.m.–9 a.m., then continue with Mason & Ireland from noon–3 p.m., and wrap up with Travis & D’Marco through 6 p.m.
The new ESPN Los Angeles Lineup beginning September 2 is as follows: (all times pst)
3am-7am – Unsportsmanlike
7am – 9am – The Sedano & Kap Morning Show (9am-10am – Streaming on YouTube & ESPN LA app only)
9am – 12pm – The Rich Eisen Show
12pm – 3pm – Mason & Ireland
3pm – 6pm – The D’Marco & Travis Afternoon Show
Finally, ESPN LA is the second Good Karma Brands radio station to announce the addition of The Rich Eisen Show in as many days. For example, ESPN Chicago revealed its own lineup shift on Wednesday to accommodate Eisen’s timeslot on ESPN Radio.
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Dr. James Dobson — the founder of Focus on the Family, which saw its reach expanded by utilizing AM/FM radio — has died at the age of 89, his family has confirmed.
Dobson founded Focus on the Family in 1977. He then turned to radio to help expand the reach and growth of his advocacy in the 1980s and 1990s. At its height, Dobson’s radio show was heard on 1,200 radio stations around the country.
“Dr. Dobson’s impact endures through the many lives he touched, the families he strengthened, and the unshakable faith he proclaimed,” his family said in a statement announcing his death.
Dr. James Dobson was a controversial figure. Critics argued that the conservative ministry practiced by Focus on the Family — which counseled Christians on how to be good parents — was harmful to the LGBTQ+ community. The organization lobbied against laws to ban conversion therapy.
Dobson departed the organization in 2010. He then launched the Dr. James Dobson Family Institute, where he continued his Family Talk radio show. The program is nationally syndicated and features more than 500,000 weekly listeners, according to the institute.
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Earlier this week, Nexstar Media Group announced plans to acquire TV broadcasting rival TEGNA in a $6.2 billion deal. CEO Perry Sook is sharing insight into why the move was a necessary one.
Nexstar is set to acquire all of the outstanding shares of TEGNA for $22 per share, which is a 31% premium compared to the company’s 30-day average stock price. The transaction has already been approved by the Board of Directors at TEGNA.
Once the deal is closed, Nexstar Media Group will then have 265 TV stations in 44 states and the District of Columbia. Additionally, it will feature outlets in 132 of the country’s 210 markets.
During a call with Wall Street analysts, Sook said the move was a critical step to give local journalism a chance to compete with unregulated Big Tech companies.
“We don’t think anyone wants their news delivered by a chatbot, and that’s where we’re headed if we can’t become a bigger company, a stronger company to attempt to compete with Big Tech, at least on a level playing field in the United States,” said Sook.
Nexstar says it hopes to have the transaction closed by the second half of 2026. Sook added that he is unconcerned about the deal passing through regulators.
“We feel very, very positive about moving forward with the regulatory approval process,” Sook said. “We expect that all of those processes will move forward during the pendency of the transaction, so we feel very confident, as I said earlier, we’re meeting this regulator moment where it is and we will work together with regulators as they consider modifying and repealing outdated rules and regulations.”
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Craig Carton isn’t leaving the FOX Sports family after all. Just over a month after FS1 canceled his morning television show Breakfast Ball, the veteran sports talk personality has a new platform lined up. One that brings him into Fox’s growing digital creator roster.
Carton will host The Craig Carton Show, a daily, one-hour program available as both a podcast and video show. The program is scheduled to launch in September according to the Sports Business Journal. The debut is timed to capture momentum ahead of the NFL season. Episodes will be distributed across all major podcast platforms and YouTube.
The show is being produced in partnership with Red Seat Ventures, a media company Fox Corporation acquired earlier this year. Red Seat operates within Fox’s Tubi Media Group. However, it maintains its own identity with a track record of working alongside prominent personalities who build their own content ecosystems.
Carton becomes the first sports media voice to join Red Seat’s roster. He now sits alongside conservative political commentators such as Megyn Kelly, Tucker Carlson and Piers Morgan. All of whom have leveraged Red Seat’s infrastructure to expand their personal brands beyond traditional networks.
Red Seat founder and CEO Chris Balfe reportedly was the one who lured Carton to the venture according to SBJ.
The move represents a pivot for Carton, who has navigated a series of career turns in recent years. After establishing himself as one of New York’s most recognizable sports radio voices alongside Boomer Esiason on WFAN, he faced legal troubles that temporarily derailed his broadcasting career. He returned to the station in 2020 before stepping away again in 2023 to focus on television with FOX Sports.
With the news, Andrew Marchand of The Athleticreports that this new venture by Carton would not prevent him from returning to host on WFAN in New York City. While there has been much speculation about the occurrence, there has been no reported talks between the two parties.
For Carton, the new venture also reflects the shifting media landscape. As more sports fans consume content on digital platforms rather than traditional broadcast outlets, podcasts and video shows have become an increasingly important part of how networks build relationships with audiences.
Carton’s new chapter begins just as football season arrives, giving him a runway to make an immediate impact in the most competitive part of the sports calendar.
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