Sports Radio News
Fox Sports Adds Pete Rose
Jason Barrett is the owner and operator of Barrett Sports Media. Prior to launching BSM he served as a sports radio programmer, launching brands such as 95.7 The Game in San Francisco and 101 ESPN in St. Louis. He has also produced national shows for ESPN Radio including GameNight and the Dan Patrick Show. You can find him on Twitter @SportsRadioPD or reach him by email at [email protected].
Sports Radio News
SiriusXM Presenting Broadcast Coverage of 2023 Ryder Cup
“Our listeners will get comprehensive access to the tournament…”
Sports Radio News
Tiki Barber Walks Out Of WFAN Studio During Argument With Joe Benigno
“OK. So don’t give me this nonsense how you’re analyzing Zach Wilson. I don’t want to hear it! It’s BS, Tik! He stinks!”
Jordan Bondurant is a features reporter for Barrett Sports Media. He’s a multimedia journalist and communicator who works at the Virginia State Corporation Commission in Richmond. Jordan also contributes occasional coverage of the Washington Capitals for the blog NoVa Caps. His prior media experiences include working for the Richmond Times-Dispatch, the Danville Register & Bee, Virginia Lawyers Weekly, WRIC-TV 8News and Audacy Richmond. He can be reached by email at [email protected] or follow him on Twitter @J__Bondurant.
Sports Radio News
Fox Sports Adds Pete Rose
Pete Rose watches “Inside the NBA,” the postgame show for NBA on TNT broadcasts. The banter between analysts Charles Barkley, Kenny Smith and Shaquille O’Neal, Rose says, “is very entertaining to me.”
Could Rose be baseball’s Barkley?
FOX Sports is about to find out.
Rose will serve FOX as a guest analyst for the MLB on FOX pregame show on FOX and FOX Sports 1 and will also appear on “MLB Whiparound,” “America’s Pregame” and “FOX Sports Live” on FOX Sports 1.
“I enjoy talking baseball, and that’s what this is all about,” Rose said Thursday. “Enjoying the game of baseball, sitting in the green room watching two or three games, getting on TV and talking about it. It’s right up my alley, I think.”
FOX officials say they are hiring Rose for his on-air presence and that he will make for compelling television regardless of how one views his controversial past.
The network’s move comes at a time when Rose, baseball’s all-time hits leader with 4,256, has officially requested that new Commissioner Rob Manfred lift his lifetime ban from the sport.
Rose, who turned 74 on April 14, was banished in 1989 for violating Rule 21(d) while managing the Cincinnati Reds. The rule states that any player, umpire or club or league official or employee who bets on baseball shall be declared permanently ineligible.
Manfred recently told CNBC that he plans to give Rose’s case a “full and fresh look.” The new commissioner’s predecessors, Bud Selig and Fay Vincent, had denied Rose’s requests for reinstatement.
FOX, a broadcast partner of Major League Baseball, did not require the sport’s permission to hire Rose. But network officials said they made baseball fully aware of their decision to audition Rose and then sign him to a contract.
“As a courtesy, FOX informed us that they were interviewing Pete Rose for an on-air studio position,” said Pat Courtney, baseball’s chief communications officer. “The decision to hire on-air talent for its telecasts rests solely with FOX.”
Rose said that he is not joining FOX with the idea that it will help him gain reinstatement.
“I don’t even worry about that. I’ve never thought about that,” Rose said. “I’m just trying to give back to baseball. Hopefully people will watch and I’ll make some good points that will help them understand the game more.
“I’m not concentrating or worrying about reinstatement. I’m worried about working, having fun. This will be fun for me. It won’t be like work. That’s the way I look at it.”
Rose joked, “I always felt that I had a face for radio,” but he does not lack broadcast experience. He recalled that he hosted a nationally syndicated radio show for about eight years and said that talking sports and conducting interviews are not new to him.
John Entz, executive producer of FOX Sports, said that Rose impressed network officials in an initial meeting, not only with his knowledge of the sport’s history but also of today’s game.
“He told great stories, about both the past and present, so we decided to test him on-camera, and he did a really good job for somebody who hasn’t done it a lot,” Entz said. “We all said to each other, as we were watching him, that he was a really compelling, interesting guy to watch on TV.
“He covers a lot of different areas, being a (former) player and manager, he can talk old school and new school, which is what surprised us the most — how current he was, not only talking about the game he knew in the ’60s, ’70s and ’80s, but that he follows and knows today’s players. That was the most pleasant surprise.”
Rose, who lives in Las Vegas, said his schedule leaves him plenty of time to watch games. He signs autographs every day from noon to 4:30 PT in the Art of Music store at The Shoppes at Mandalay Bay. He then goes home, often with a salad from Subway, and watches a full slate of games, starting in the East and ending in the West.
In addition, Rose said he remains current by regularly exchanging texts with about a half-dozen players who seek out his critiques. He said he communicated with Alex Rodriguezin spring training and that he maintains dialogue with players on the Reds, Padres and Cardinals.
As an analyst, Rose said that he would be honest but fair.
“If you make a mistake, a mental mistake — we all make errors, we all strike out,” Rose said. “But you can tell when a guy has got the right approach vs. a guy who is not hustling. I’ll bring that out. I’m not going to be vicious to the person, but if you’re commentating you have to tell it like it is.
“Not to the standpoint where you’re picking on the individual. But if a guy hits a groundball and he takes two steps out of the box and doesn’t run, you have to mention that. Or if a guy continues to throw to the wrong base from the outfield, you’ve got to mention that.”
That, in essence, is what Barkley does.
“Charles knows the game. Charles played the game. Charles is a Hall of Famer,” Rose said. “So, Charles knows the right way to play the game. He might criticize a player in one sentence and pat him on the back in the next sentence.
“With Charles, that’s just his personality. He doesn’t do it for ratings. He does it because that’s the way his personality is. I respect that. Shaq sits there, and sometimes he disagrees with Charles, which makes a good show.
“It’s like when I was in the radio business. We called it, ‘Radio Rasslin’.’ If you could get this caller to agree with you and the next caller to disagree with you, you’ve got a show.”
Credit to Fox Sports who originally published this story
Jason Barrett is the owner and operator of Barrett Sports Media. Prior to launching BSM he served as a sports radio programmer, launching brands such as 95.7 The Game in San Francisco and 101 ESPN in St. Louis. He has also produced national shows for ESPN Radio including GameNight and the Dan Patrick Show. You can find him on Twitter @SportsRadioPD or reach him by email at [email protected].
Sports Radio News
SiriusXM Presenting Broadcast Coverage of 2023 Ryder Cup
“Our listeners will get comprehensive access to the tournament…”
SiriusXM will be the radio home of the Ryder Cup, delivering consumers more than 28 hours of live coverage from the bi-annual international golf competition from Marco Simone Golf and Country Club in Guidonia just outside of Rome, Italy. The tournament will showcase various teams of skilled golfers from the United States and Europe that will face off with one another in match play, including head-to-head singles matches and four-ball matches over the three days.
Coverage begins on Friday, Sept. 29 at 1 a.m. EST/10 p.m. PST (Thursday, Sept. 28) and will continue through the final hole of play. The same structure will take place the next day and feature commentators Mark Carnevale, Brian Katrek, Colt Knost, John Maginnes, Drew Stoltz and Taylor Zarzour. The official Ryder Cup Radio channel, which is produced in partnership with IMG and Ryder Cup Europe, will include a score of additional voices such as Alberto Binaghi, Raymond Burns and Sophie Walker. All of the broadcasts will be available to consume on SiriusXM channel No. 92 and on the SiriusXM app.
“The Ryder Cup is one of the most exciting events in all of sports,” Scott Greenstein, president and chief content officer of SiriusXM, said in a statement. “Our listeners will get comprehensive access to the tournament, with live coverage of every match and a level of insight and analysis leading up to and throughout the event that you’ll only get from SiriusXM.”
As the competition approaches, listeners can tune into SiriusXM for golf programming previewing the festivities. Moreover, listeners can tune in for a special, Backstory: Ryder Cup, hosted by David Marr III that examines Europe’s success in the competitions played on their own continent. Marr III will decipher the phenomenon through the lens of the 1993 Ryder Cup in England, the last time the competition was won by the United States overseas, led by Jim Gallagher’s win over Seve Ballesteros.
Two special collaborative podcast episodes hosted by former American tour pro Smylie Kaufman and European Tour pro Andrew “Beef” Johnston will debut on Tuesday, Sept. 26 and Wednesday, Sept. 27. Both golfers currently host their own podcasts – The Smylie Show and Beef’s Golf Club, respectively – and will blend the American and European perspectives on the tournament. Kaufman will record episodes of her show each night in Italy reacting to the day’s events and looking ahead for what is to come.
Bonneville Denver and Denver Sports 104.3 The Fan recently released a new on-air lineup featuring a revamped afternoon drive program and the addition of Josh Dover in middays alongside Brandon Stokley. These changes were precipitated by the changing marketplace in addition to Derek Wolfe’s exit from the station “to focus on other interests.” Wolfe had been working with Darren McKee, who was subsequently let go in a decision that perturbed many longtime listeners of the station.
The Syracuse University graduate had been working with the station since 2008 and was one of four radio personalities to be let go as part of the move. Joining McKee as victims of the changes were former Denver Broncos offensive lineman Orlando Franklin, former Broncos tight end Nate Jackson and former NFL linebacker Chad Brown.
McKee recently appeared on the DeHuff Uncensored podcast, hosted by former Denver Sports 104.3 The Fan producer Scott DeHuff, who departed the station in 2021 to pursue other opportunities. DeHuff was an integral part of shaping the morning show, Schlereth & Evans, and affirmed that his exit was not planned but something he felt had to happen. Conversely, McKee was released by the station and reflected on how it felt for him to be fired for the 10th time of his career.
“You had quite a bit more independent decision-making than I had on that one,” McKee told DeHuff. “Okay, it is what it is; I’ve been through it before and just got to [take it] one day at a time and figure it out.”
McKee enjoyed his time on the air and thanked all of the fans who left messages on social media demonstrating their support and appreciation for his work. While he is not sure where his career will take him next, he ostensibly wants to continue to use his gift of gab to inform and entertain the public, presumably in the sports media industry.
“I have no plans to go anywhere,” he said. “We’re off to the next adventure, and [I am] kind of traveling down and trying to catch up with this world, man – the podcast world; the digital world.”
Sports Radio News
Tiki Barber Walks Out Of WFAN Studio During Argument With Joe Benigno
“OK. So don’t give me this nonsense how you’re analyzing Zach Wilson. I don’t want to hear it! It’s BS, Tik! He stinks!”
WFAN host Tiki Barber found himself opposite station legend Joe Benigno in a debate about the New York Jets on Monday, and by the end of it Barber had to leave the studio to calm down.
It’s been a frustrating couple of weeks for the Jets and their fans. Since Aaron Rodgers suffered a season-ending injury on the fourth play of the first game, the Jets went to Dallas and got beat pretty handedly by the Cowboys in Week 2 and then never really kept pace with the Patriots at MetLife Stadium on Sunday.
In an appearance on Evan & Tiki, Benigno took Barber to task for his analysis of the Jets and defense of quarterback Zach Wilson, saying Tiki couldn’t properly analyze the team’s play considering he is a beloved former member of the New York Giants and that he was calling a different game for CBS at the same time.
“All I know is this, yesterday you were in Washington with the Commanders and the Bills were you not?” Benigno asked. Barber responded he was. “OK. So don’t give me this nonsense how you’re analyzing Zach Wilson. I don’t want to hear it! It’s BS, Tik! He stinks!”
Barber, miffed at Benigno’s assertion, responded saying he was turning his mic off before you can see him on the SNY simulcast mouthing, “That’s bullshit and you know it.” He then stands up and proceeds to walk off camera and presumably out of the studio.
Co-host Evan Roberts moments later mentioned to Joe that he annoyed Tiki with what he said, and Benigno, an avid Jets fan, clarified that his comments weren’t meant to be a shot at Barber. Joe is clearly as frustrated about Wilson and the Jets as are plenty of other fans.
“I’m not annoyed at Tiki, but I’m annoyed at the whole freaking situation bro,” Benigno said.
Roberts did come to Barber’s defense in a way saying that Tiki is watching all the games even after completing his own CBS assignment.
“I don’t think he hates our team,” Roberts said.
Benigno did apologize further and that he would find a way to get in touch with him later to smooth things over.
“I don’t mean to take it out on him,” he said. “But I’ve had enough.”
Jordan Bondurant is a features reporter for Barrett Sports Media. He’s a multimedia journalist and communicator who works at the Virginia State Corporation Commission in Richmond. Jordan also contributes occasional coverage of the Washington Capitals for the blog NoVa Caps. His prior media experiences include working for the Richmond Times-Dispatch, the Danville Register & Bee, Virginia Lawyers Weekly, WRIC-TV 8News and Audacy Richmond. He can be reached by email at [email protected] or follow him on Twitter @J__Bondurant.