Pardon The Interruption has been an ESPN mainstay since the program launched on the network in 2001. Featuring Tony Kornheiser and Michael Wilbon, who both at the time wrote for The Washington Post, PTI has become the longest-running daily program on ESPN outside of SportsCenter.
Recently, Wilbon was a guest on The Jim Jackson Show Podcast and discussed how, initially, he turned down the offer to co-host Pardon The Interruption.
“It wasn’t my goal. It wasn’t my objective to be on the broadcast. I was a print journalist working for The Washington Post,” said Wilbon. “I wasn’t thinking about that. I was comfortable. I was, at the time to be fair, being compensated in a way that I never thought I would when I was 18, 20, 25, 30 years old. Then ESPN said we want you and Tony to bring what you do as journalists to the screen. We were like yeah right, get out of here.”
Furthermore, the former Washington Post columnist said he was counseled by several high-profile people in sports to truly consider taking the concept from ESPN and move forward with it. Wilbon also spoke about a dinner he had with Charles Barkley, where the NBA superstar pushed Wilbon to truly consider and take advantage of the opportunity.
“I was with Charles (Barkley), and we were working on a book,” explained Wilbon. “Charles (Barkley) and I were in Atlanta, and he said we’re going to dinner. We went to this place called The Clubhouse in Buckhead and he said ‘You got to talk this through. You can’t just say no. The world is changing.’ Finally, after several of these conversations that Charles had with Tony and me, I said OKAY fine, if we do this you got to be the first guest, you got to help out.”
As it turned out, Charles Barkley was the first guest on the debut episode of Pardon The Interruption, which aired October 22, 2001.
Since then, Pardon The Interruption has always followed Around The Horn, which will air its final episode on May 23. Although ESPN has not announced what show will replace the departing program, The Athletic reported that ESPN executives have initial ideas about extending PTI from its current 30-minute format to fill the full hour.
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Brandi Britain is joining Classic Hits 98.9 WMMO Orlando to co-host mornings with Jay Edwards.
Britian arrives from Rock 100.5 in Atlanta, where she most recently served as co-host of the “Bailey & Southside” show.
Britain said, “I’m a roller skating and joke-telling radio personality with a distinctive voice and lots of stories. I’m passionate about creating compelling and entertaining radio, connecting with an audience by sharing my personal life and opinions, and making people laugh. I want to be the reason someone says to a friend, ‘Hey, guess what I heard today.’”
Edwards added of his new partner, “I have never been more excited. Twenty-five-plus years on the radio in Orlando, and now I get to start the next chapter with an incredibly talented and very funny co-host! My mornings just got better, and I think Orlando will agree, theirs did too!”
Director of Operations/Program Director Steve Stewart added, “I’m thrilled to have such a popular talent join our WMMO family. Brandi is going to be loved by our Orlando listeners, just as she was in Atlanta.”
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WTOP has named Nick Iannelli its new evening anchor at the Hubbard Radio Washington D.C. all-news station.
Iannelli fills the void vacated in the evening anchor chair after Dimitri Sotis died in January at the age of 55. Sotis spent two decades anchoring the daypart for WTOP.
In a post to social media, Iannelli shared that he has been named the new evening anchor.
“You can find me anchoring each evening now on WTOP,” Iannelli wrote. “Excited for this new chapter at the station. This shift, of course, will always belong to our dear friend Dimitri Sotis. I’ll just be trying my best.”
You can find me anchoring each evening now on @WTOP. Excited for this new chapter at the station. This shift of course will always belong to our dear friend Dimitri Sotis. I’ll just be trying my best. pic.twitter.com/BRt4KPiB7o
Nick Iannelli has been with WTOP since 2013. Previously, he spent time as a news writer for Real Estate Today Radio, as well as five years as a news anchor and reporter at 620 WTMJ in Milwaukee.
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NewsNation hosted a town hall with President Donald Trump to discuss his first 100 days in office. The Chris Cuomo-led event led to a large audience for the cable network.
The broadcast delivered 731,000 total viewers during the 8-10 PM ET window on Wednesday evening. The total viewership was split across the NewsNation cable network and the simulcast made available on The CW.
On NewsNation, 360,000 viewers tuned into the broadcast that featured Chris Cuomo, Bill O’Reilly, and Stephen A. Smith. The trio was joined by others, like Steve Bannon, Sarah Palin, and James Carville, among others.
Additionally, 371,000 viewers tuned into the town hall on The CW Network.
Of the 731,000 total viewers, 111,000 were from the coveted Adults 25-54 demographic.
It marked the highest audience on NewsNation since its coverage of the Republican Primary Debate in December 2023.
The event also marked the highest-rated telecast for Chris Cuomo since he joined the network.
In addition to airing on NewsNation and The CW, the broadcast was also made available to radio stations through a partnership with Key Networks. More than 100 stations carried the broadcast, which was also available on SiriusXM’s P.O.T.U.S. channel.
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Bill Gamble has exited his position as VP of Content for Mid-West Family Broadcasting in South Bend, IN. Gamble had been with the cluster for 15 years, starting as Director of Programming content when the group was owned by Schurz Broadcasting in 2010.
Writing on Facebook, Gamble said, “News that is all too common, and not limited to radio…. My position as VP of Content for Mid-West Family South Bend has been eliminated. I’ve been with Mid-West Family since they purchased the stations in 2016. I want to thank them for the many opportunities they’ve given me, from VP programming to General Manager for the cluster. I’ve had the chance to work with some very talented, great people. I’m proud of the team we’ve assembled, and I know that they’ll continue to thrive and succeed for Mid-West Family. And just to cut off any rumors before they start: I’m not retiring. Anyone who knows me knows I have just about zero hobbies. I intend to keep working because I love what I do (and I’m great at it).”
Gamble is also remembered for his time in major markets, including Q101, US99, and Fresh 105.9 in Chicago
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Tony Barnhart has been writing about college football for half a century, and as he enters his 50th year of coverage, the longtime scribe has announced this will be his final year covering the game. Posting a message to his personal Facebook page, Barnhart announced that he will be retiring following the conclusion of the upcoming college football season.
Widely referred to as ‘Mr. College Football,’ Barnhart began covering college football in 1976 for the Union (SC) Daily Times immediately after receiving his diploma from the University of Georgia’s Grady College of Journalism.
“The 2025 season will be my 50th covering college football for newspapers, radio, television, and the internet,” wrote Barnhart. “After many talks with my bride, Maria, friends, family and colleagues I have decided it will be my last.”
Currently, Barnhart works for TMG College Sports as a columnist. However, over the course of his distinguished career, he has also worked for the Union Daily Times, Greensboro News & Record, Atlanta Journal-Constitution, as well as ESPN and CBS Sports. Moreover, Barnhart hosted The Tony Barnhart Show on CBS College Network and has received numerous awards, including the 2009 Bert McGrane Award from the FWAA Hall of Fame and the 2008 Edwin Pop Vanguard Media Award.
“I will spend this season on a ‘Thank you’ tour of SEC sites that have given me a treasure trove of incredible memories,” Barnhart wrote. “I will write an essay at each stop with the intent of turning them into a book. I will work through the CFP National Championship game in Miami on Monday, Jan. 19. Then I will retire.”
Furthermore, he noted that he never envisioned writing those words regarding retirement. Nevertheless, he clarified that health is not the reason he is stepping away and that he still feels he has a couple of books left in him to write.
“There will be details to share when we start putting the tour together,” said Barnhart. “Maria and I want to thank you for your support during this incredible journey. It would not have been possible without you. Carry on.”
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Dale O’Brian has been named Operations Manager for 7 Mountains Media’s Frankfort, KY cluster. He will also Program Froggy 101.7/104.9 & 101.7 while hosting PM drive.
O’Brian arrives from 93.1 The Wolf Greensboro, where he hosted morning drive until Audacy’s March job cuts. Other stops include Country WLXX and WVLK/Lexington, KY, WNNF Cincinnati, WBTS Atlanta and WMXL Louisville.
RAMP is reporting on the circulation of a staff memo from Market Manager Rusty James, which reads in part, “With a proven track record as a multi-format programmer and on-air talent, Dale is widely respected across the industry for his leadership, creativity and results. He has expressed that returning to Central Kentucky has long been a goal of his, and we are thrilled that the timing was right for him — and for us. Please join us in giving Dale a warm welcome to the 7MM Frankfort Team. We’re excited for what’s ahead!”
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Earlier in the year, Sinclair Broadcast Group launched its AMP Sales & Marketing Solutions division, a new advertising sales and integrated marketing division for its companies that allow clientele to streamline results. Furthermore, the company also has a wide array of live sporting events across several networks and podcasts that reach consumers across the country. On top of that, Sinclair continues to invest in broadcast television through its sports and news genres. The new initiative is uniting all of its assets and operating under the slogan of “One Partner, Endless Possibilities.”
The event, which took place from the Moonlight Studios in New York City, featured a variety of advertising and media professionals on hand to see the new developments. This show had a primary emphasis on the sports genre, demonstrating the growing media portfolio that is composed of content spanning the audio and visual spaces. John Zeigler, the chief marketing officer of Sinclair, proffered how the company was essentially reintroducing itself and presenting its revamped and centralized product to the business community.
“This isn’t just a name change,” Ryan Moore, senior vice president and chief revenue officer of Sinclair, said to begin the event. “It’s really about reflecting who we are today. Yes, many people know Sinclair for broadcasting or the Tennis Channel. What they might not realize is we have No. 1-rated podcasts, we generate billions of impressions through our original social content channels, plus we reach over 90% of the U.S. population through our streaming business and create award-winning content activations and news.”
Eric Welles, senior vice president and chief digital monetization officer, announced a new local sports video podcast network that will compliment the national shows featuring personnel representing Ohio State (Cardale Jones, Beanie Wells), Texas (Mack Brown, Vince Young), Alabama (A.J. McCarron, Trent Richardson, Chris Stewart) and Notre Dame (Mike Golic Jr., Jessica Smetana). More announcements will also be coming soon pertaining to the states of Michigan and Oregon, along with Penn State.
On top of that, there will be an increased presence in the NFL space featuring shows surrounding the Green Bay Packers, Washington Commanders, Baltimore Ravens and more. MLS champion Landon Donovan was also on hand to discuss the Unfiltered Soccer podcast he is co-hosting alongside Tim Howard and the upcoming FIFA World Cup. The tournament will air on FOX affiliate stations across the country, 45 of which are owned by Sinclair.
“A key differential between our company and a lot of others is what we do from a local to national perspective,” Welles said. “Whether that be taking clips from The Triple Option, our national college football show and bringing it to the heart of America in Ohio, Michigan, Penn State, or any other markets in our country.”
Rob Weisbord, the chief operating officer and president of local media at Sinclair, articulated how the company has constructed a vast oeuvre of podcasts with compelling and entertaining personalities. Within his appearance, he conveyed how the company focuses on activating brands and giving them what they want through activations and back its promises.
Weisbord also recollected when the company bought Tennis Channel in 2016 for $350 million and divulged that it has locked up rights for events such as the WTA Tournament and ATP Tour as well. From there, he proceeded to discuss Jeff Blackburn, the new chief executive officer of Tennis Network, who was formerly announced to the new role on Wednesday. The company is also launching Tennis Enterprises with the Tennis Channel and assets as its media backbone with more details to come.
“Tennis Enterprises is your turnkey opportunity to engage with the sport of tennis in a frictionless way,” said J.R. McCabe, chief business officer at Sinclair. “This is only the beginning of major announcements that are coming from some of the biggest brands in the U.S. taking advantage of tennis in ways like never before.”
AMP Sports also talked about its women’s sports offering with legendary tennis star Martina Navratilova, who spoke about growth in tennis and advances that have been made in recent years. The company also spoke about the launch of Women’s Day for dedicated coverage of WTA matches on Tennis Channel 2. The company later revealed a forthcoming podcast with WNBA superstars Candace Parker and Aliyah Boston that will bring the authenticity and realness of being a basketball player and human being
“To be able to have honest conversations, talk about the hard stuff, talk about life after basketball, talk about being able to navigate while playing professionally,” Boston said. “Just being able to tap into those different things and really relate to us is super exciting to me.”
Jerry Ferrara and Matt Leinart, co-hosts of the Throwbackspodcast, appeared earlier in the event and discussed how the venture has grown since starting in the last year. Leinart explained how AMP Media takes good ideas and makes them great, and he drew a comparison to characteristics of championship teams. In addition, he highlighted how live events have helped the podcast stand out and serve as a means of differentiation, including working with Fanatics at its red carpet event ahead of Super Bowl LIX with guests such as Myles Teller, Shaquille O’Neal and Kevin Costner.
“With AMP Media, helping us separate from the thousands upon thousands of other shows and what makes us different and special,” Ferrara said. “It’s only been eight months, but it feels like we’ve been doing it for eight years already.”
The podcast also co-hosted a crossover episode with The Triple Option from Green Bay, Wis. for the NFL Draft, working alongside Urban Meyer, Rob Stone and Mark Ingram II. All three co-hosts of the show appeared in person for the event as well, during which they talked about the proliferation of their endeavor that launched seven months ago. The trio are also colleagues at FOX Sports on Big Noon Kickoff, traveling the company on the college football pregame show. Meyer admitted that he was not sure he wanted to host a podcast at first, but the company allowed him to work from home and pick his partners.
“We sat down one meeting, and what they said to us, they’ve over-delivered,” Ingram added. “The team that we have behind us, the support that we have behind us, it’s been super impressive, and I’ve been so grateful to be a part of [it]. I’ve done a podcast before, and this has just been a completely different experience.”
Rich Cooke, the vice president of audio programming, acknowledged the success of AMP Media and how the company has been able to execute ideas in the space. Cooke later introduced Angel City FC striker Sydney Leroux, the co-host of the recently-announced BFFRpodcast with teammate Ali Riley. Leroux conveyed how the podcast will go beyond women’s sports and speak about aspects of daily life such as mental health, parties and relationships, trying to differentiate themselves in the marketplace.
“This is a show for anyone who’s ever been called ‘too much.’ Too loud, too real, too emotional, too honest-we’ve heard it all. But ‘too much’ is exactly the right amount,” Leroux said in a statement. “BFFR is where we get to be unapologetically ourselves-funny, bold, unfiltered-and say all the things we’ve been saying behind the scenes for years. If you’ve ever said, ‘I probably shouldn’t say this,’ we already did. Welcome to the chaos.”
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Why does sports media care so much about Bill Belichick and his personal life?
I wondered that question all this week as the fallout from Belichick’s appearance on CBS Sunday Morning continued to become the biggest topic in the world of sports media. The hashtags #Belichick and #Hudson were trending over #NBAPlayoffs on social media, and there were layers of sourced “reporting” on what’s going on behind the scenes with Jordon Hudson’s relationship to the six-time Super Bowl champion head coach.
If Bill Belichick wanted publicity for his new book, he got it. But was it worth it?
The old saying is “any publicity is good publicity.” I’ve worked with several sports radio talents over my twenty years in broadcasting who lived by that mantra, some acting out just to prove it’s still true. The simple fact is, in a world filled with noise, people pay more attention when drama happens.
This week, there was a whole lot of drama. What I couldn’t understand is why there was drama in the first place.
“We Need To Go Back and Watch the Tape”
I went back and watched the CBS Sunday Morninginterview with Belichick to gain a better perspective on how it went with reporter Tony Dokoupil. The interview began by talking about Belichick’s ripped-up Navy sweatshirt, then moved into his accomplishments with the New England Patriots. The discussion continued into his youth and the high school Belichick attended, which is where the interview took place. It pivoted back to the Patriots, Tom Brady, dealing with the media, and his split with Patriots owner Robert Kraft.
The interview was already six minutes in, then came the twist—getting into the personal life of the 73-year-old head coach and his relationship with 24-year-old Jordon Hudson.
Ninety seconds of the over eight-minute interview with one of the biggest names in football was the talk of the sports media world all week.
Drama, drama, drama. Again, why?
In the final edit, CBS did what they were supposed to do in telling the story of Belichick and Hudson’s relationship. They said that Hudson was a “constant presence” after she was heard on tape asking someone involved in the interview to “make sure that” something was referenced. CBS then showed a still photo of Hudson with Belichick while a producer was talking with Dokoupil.
Then came the moment when Hudson stepped in during the interview, not allowing Belichick to answer a question about how the two met.
Sports media, assemble!
What has ensued over the past week has been nothing short of a middle-school rumor mill as sports media personalities from around the country have taken ninety seconds of an eight-minute interview and tried to go viral with their latest hot-take rant.
“How can Belichick be dating someone so young?”
“Who is this moron woman?”
“This isn’t right, and it needs to stop!”
Why does sports media care so much about Bill Belichick’s personal life?
Jordon Hudson Was Doing Her Job
Let’s first address the elephant in the room. If you’ve ever worked in media, publicists such as Hudson attempt to control how interviews go all the time. There’s a reason why communications departments still exist and why PR firms are always around. Anyone in media who has done any sit-down with a big personality knows there are people around the interviewer trying to craft the narrative and steer the conversation the way they want it to be framed.
Why is Hudson any different?
Another element that a lot of sports media missed this week was the question asked by Dokoupil before the infamous “How did you two meet?”
“You have Jordon right over there. Everybody in the world seems to be following this relationship,” said Dokoupil to Belichick. “They’ve got an opinion about your private life. It’s got nothing to do with them, but they’re invested in it. How do you deal with that?”
Belichick, not appearing fazed by the question, answered like he did for most of his 23 seasons with the Patriots.
“Never have been too worried about what everybody else thinks,” said Belichick. “Just trying to do what I feel like is best for me and what’s right.”
Why does sports media need more than what Belichick provided with that answer? Not everyone is open to discussing every little sliver of their personal life in a worldwide media ecosphere, so why were so many upset when he didn’t give up more?
If Belichick and Hudson want to keep certain things private, that’s their right.
If Belichick and Hudson wanted to keep the conversation focused on football, that’s their right to ask.
Instead, many in sports media took the easy route—which unfortunately was too predictable.
Sports Media Gets Personal, Judgemental, Shameful
“Your relationship is weird,” said one nationally syndicated sports radio host this week. “It’s not illegal, but it’s weird.”
“You’re allowed to have sex with women and take care of them. They don’t have to come to work with you the next day,” said another radio host this week.
“This girlfriend of his—I mean, I’m sorry. She’s a young kid. She’s 24 years of age. She knows nothing about the media spotlight, especially the sports media spotlight,” said another nationally syndicated radio host. “It looks like she has Bill (Belichick) twirled around her finger. Let’s call it like we see it. This is a dog show.”
“You have no idea what the hell you’re doing. What’s your experience in this? Banging an old guy?” said yet another sports radio host this week. “How the hell are you ever orchestrating this interview?”
The easy route was numerous sports media personalities getting personal about a man and a woman who didn’t want to get personal. There’s a level of shame with that, but here’s what we can learn from it.
Bill Belichick needed someone like Jordon Hudson as a head coach in college football for the University of North Carolina. He doesn’t understand how to recruit players in today’s NIL world and needs someone he can trust to help guide him along the path. Who better than someone he met on a flight to Palm Beach in 2021, when she was 20 years old, and developed a relationship with over the past four years?
The two have built a level of trust with each other and have grown into a relationship together. That should be celebrated instead of mocked and ridiculed like it has been for the past week.
As Belichick said in his answer on CBS Sunday Morning, he’s just trying to do what he feels is best for him and what feels right. If this feels right for him, who are we to judge?
It may be his life and his career that is chronicled in the book, but not everything needs to be included. If Robert Kraft didn’t make the 267-page book, why should Jordon Hudson?
Why does sports media care so much about Bill Belichick’s personal life?
I guess they were tired of talking about Shedeur Sanders.
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As crowds gather on college campuses around the country bright and early Saturday morning to witness a live broadcast of the award-winning ESPN College GameDay, Rece Davis is making his final preparations for the show. There is no traditional rehearsal for the college football extravaganza that keeps audiences informed and entertained on a weekly basis aside from walking through the scene set. Staying agile and observant of alterations and developments in real time allows the show to flourish, and it all commences with Davis delivering a poetic open evoking vivid imagery.
ESPN recently completed its first season broadcasting the 12-team edition of the College Football Playoff, during which Davis hosted special versions of College GameDay from iconic venues in the United States. This followed the company reaching a six-year media rights agreement to continue televising games in the annual tournament, reportedly worth a total of $7.8 billion over the term beginning in the 2026-27 season.
This deal played a role in contract negotiations for Davis as he weighed his options, and thought about his colleagues while remaining cognizant of his three decades working in a variety of roles for the network. In the end, he decided to stay with ESPN under a new multi-year contract under which he will continue hosting and also call more football games from the booth.
“GameDay meant too much to me,” Davis said. “There were attractive opportunities for which you are very flattered and grateful to have things to consider, but ultimately of all the things that I do, I am most identified with college football, and it is the sport that is nearest and dearest to my heart, and there is no platform better to be part of it than to be on GameDay and to be part of the College Football Playoff.”
Davis has a penchant for creative writing, but he has adjusted his compositions away from conventional prose and instead writes for the ear. Utilizing compact sentences and pauses, Davis recites his lines as College GameDay director Joe Iuliano supplies accompanying visual content. In fact, he has notified Iuliano not to force things to align with what Davis has penned, but rather view it as an outline guiding the process of cultivating substantive television within a distinguished panorama.
“If there’s some guy diving into a mud pit in the middle that we didn’t know was going to happen and we get a shot of it, he’s going to put it in the open, and it’s kind of up to me to react to it,” Davis said. “So we want to make it authentic, we want to capture the moment and the essence of where we are, and I’m not going to lie about it. Man, I love doing them every week.”
Despite reported interest from FOX Sports in becoming the host of Big Noon Kickoff, Davis opted to continue his tenure with ESPN and perform what he considers to be the best job on television for him. Seeking to live his life with humility and differentiating between personal and professional reputation, he does not want his career to define what people think of him. As it pertains to his occupation, Davis realized that he is usually identified with college football and chose to remain associated with covering the sport on ESPN.
“I invested so much into it that as attractive as some other opportunities were – and they were very attractive and I was grateful for them – that the right thing for me to do was to stay where hopefully I’ve contributed some to the success of the shows that I’ve been a part of, and hopefully in some way, contributed to the success of the network,” Davis said.
Davis has been hosting College GameDay since 2015 and is watching as the program endures changes to its cast. The show added former NFL punter and afternoon show host Pat McAfee to its roster two seasons ago, and Davis affirms that he has a natural ability to resonate and connect with the crowd. On top of that, former Alabama Crimson Tide football head coach and seven-time champion Nick Saban signed with ESPN and provides analysis on the show, someone who Davis regards as perhaps “the greatest communicator in any setting” that he has ever seen.
“It’s a delicate thing to walk when you have two forceful personalities like that who get along well and create something really cool,” Davis said. “It could be exclusionary to everybody else on the set, and yet I’ve never felt that it is, and that’s a tribute to both of them, so it’s been really, really easy and a ton of fun to work with both of them.”
The Consistent Coaching From Lee Corso
When Davis was in his second year hosting College GameDay, the show drew inspiration from the Penn State Nittany Lions mascot and decided to have longtime analyst Lee Corso crowd-surf on campus. Security grew concerned about this moments before the show began, conveying that it was unsure the students would put him down so he could return to the set wherefore it advised against the stunt. As a result, Davis pulled Corso aside to articulate what he had heard and told him to scrap the planned segment to begin the show.
“Lee’s response to me was, ‘Hell no, sweetheart. We’re doing it. It’s entertainment – football is our vehicle,’ and it was one of the coolest opens ever,” Davis averred. “He’s crowd-surfing back toward Old Main along with the Nittany Lion, and it just showed how he embraced moments for entertainment on the show, understood how that would resonate with the tradition of them doing it at Penn State, and he was a trendsetter.”
Corso is retiring from College GameDay after the Week 1 episode taking place on Saturday, Aug. 30, concluding his 38-year tenure with the network and College GameDay. Davis contends that Corso has brought distinctive personality, humor and irreverence to the show that elicits crowds and facilitates success for others. Away from the bright lights and maelstrom of fans though, Davis regards Corso as an outstanding teammate who accepted him with open arms and proffers unremitting positivity and commitment to the craft.
“He was a tremendous coach who got several places at places where it was extraordinarily difficult to win, and he improved every single one of them and made a huge impact on lives doing that,” Davis said. “And I would argue that he made a much greater impact on the sport and on people through all of the years on GameDay. Everything that GameDay will continue to be directly relatable and attributable to what Lee Corso did.”
Corso’s last appearance on the show will mark the 431st and final headgear pick of his illustrious career. Although College GameDay is often replete with spontaneous moments communicating the joy and affinity for college football, Davis considers it essential for the program to save enough time to reach the headgear pick. While Davis does not foresee this specific tradition continuing upon Corso retiring, he knows that there are other exclamatory capabilities to punctuate the show.
“I will tackle somebody who decides they’re going to start trying to take on that headgear,” Davis said. “That headgear is Lee’s. He came up with it, and is identifiable with it. To me, it’s his and his alone.”
Knowing the Role and Picking Your Spots
Davis also works alongside analysts Desmond Howard and Kirk Herbstreit, both of whom have been with the show for several decades, and he tries to illuminate their expertise and align them to thrive. In addition, he showcases his own personality and surmises that he can insert elements of humor at times. Situated behind a desk with experienced and shrewd scholars of the game, he safeguards against challenging others or questioning technical expertise but acknowledges that he is there to do more than simply tee up his colleagues.
“As long as you know where your lane is and that your convictions are valid, then that enhances the discussion, and that’s what a host should do,” Davis said. “A host should be part of the discussion… and he or she should pick their spots judiciously, and then when you do it, I think it resonates that way as opposed to just having an unshakable opinion on every single subject that comes up and just trying to foster some type of false debate.”
Davis succeeded Chris Fowler as the host of College GameDay and knows that they are sometimes mistaken for one another. Nonetheless, he respected what had been built in the 28 years preceding his time and worked to become more acclimated with his colleagues and regularly hosting road shows. Rather than trying to make his own mark on the air, Davis felt confident about his abilities to lead a show at the time. More importantly, however, he recognized the confidence from his colleagues and how they did not feel threatened or slighted should someone disagree with their premises.
“Most people, if they are just themselves, are probably too boring to be on television, so your goal should be to be a slightly exaggerated version of yourself,” Davis said. “Because I had been around a long time and I had worked with those guys a lot and they knew that I loved the sport, that when I needed to challenge them, whether on the air or off, they were very accepting of that.”
Davis provided his commitment to ESPN on the cusp of the company being expected to launch a direct-to-consumer service that will permit viewers to subscribe to the network directly without a cable subscription. The show traditionally airs before kickoff, but Davis realizes that the program may need to add other digital elements, but he remains optimistic that it will keep a strong presence in the sports media landscape.
“At least for the length of my contract right now, there will be a place certainly on linear television, on cable for GameDay,” Davis remarked. “Our challenge will be to keep it as appointment viewing. There are very few things now from shows like ours – and I call it a hybrid event studio show – very few things like that that are appointment viewing.”
Even though most of his work will remain concentrated in college football and basketball, Davis is open to new opportunities if they arise and abide by the parameters of his deal. That being said, he is always searching for ways to grow and looks forward to proliferating his live game broadcasting assignments. In the end though, Davis aims to emit an authentic and genuine demeanor towards the audience, aspiring to create stellar television with unfeigned avidity and veritable gratitude in attaining success.
“I want great ratings – we enjoy that – but there is an element you really can’t control beyond putting the best show on television that you can,” Davis said. “So for me, it is deriving satisfaction from the things I can control, which is helping create the best show we can, not shying away from any topics, having great conversations and, to echo the words of Corso, never forgetting that, ‘It’s entertainment, sweetheart.’”
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