Connect with us
Jim Cutler Demos

Barrett Blogs

Welcome To The 2016 Sports Radio Draft

Jason Barrett

Published

on

Welcome to the second annual sports radio draft. I created this project last year to introduce sports radio fans, and industry people to some of the sports format’s top program directors, and offer a small snapshot of the way they view the nation’s top personalities and talk shows.

If you love sports the way many of us in the sports talk format do, then you recognize that an event like the NFL draft is a crapshoot. Proclaiming victory or defeat after selecting a player without seeing them suit up and make plays on the field is pretty silly. But, most of us can’t resist the temptation to do it anyway.

What fun would the draft be if we couldn’t second guess the general manager, head coach, and owner of every single NFL franchise for the moves they make?

Well, in sports radio it’s not much different. Any time a personnel decision is made, there’s instant reaction from the audience. New shows are written off before they hit the air. The program director is met with a barrage of insults, and threats through email and social media, and the thought of waiting twelve to eighteen months to evaluate a program is considered absurd. It’s even worse if a radio station brings in a host or show from another city.

Although it may not be sexy or what people want to hear sometimes, it takes time to gauge whether or not a show is going to work. It’s no different than a football team using a high draft pick on a prospect, and giving them multiple opportunities to prove that they can be a difference maker on the professional level.

If a franchise is going to invest a high draft pick, and big dollars on someone who they believe can make their team better, they’re not going to bail on that individual after their first or second game or play. Fans may not like it, but teams need to employ a long-term strategy rather than overreact to short-term problems. In radio, the same holds true.

Are there exceptions? Yes of course. A great programmer can tell when they have a bad combination on their airwaves, or a person’s work ethic or attitude isn’t where it needs to be for the station to experience success. Those are tough calls that have to be made on occasion. Once a decision is made to pull the plug and move on, it isn’t usually until all options have been exhausted. There are only so many times when a programmer can call the head of the company and say “I screwed up”.

As I watched the NFL Draft unfold last night, I was reminded of how inexact the entire process is. It’s important to study your information, exhaust your resources, and listen to your inner circle, but when the time comes to make a choice, the best thing you can do is trust your gut.

We applaud some organizations for being ballsy, and criticize others for being timid, when in reality we have less information, and skill to make the selection than the individuals who are paid to run each war room. Do terrible general managers, and organizations exist? Yes. But that doesn’t mean that they’re not more advanced in their scouting of talent than we are. I stress this point because the same situation presents itself often in radio.

The audience likes who they like, and want what they want, and anything less is considered awful – until they get used to it. Most people are creatures of habit, and resist anything new. Once it becomes comfortable, they adapt.

Many listeners aren’t privy to the information that the programmer has at their disposal. They just want to hear the hosts in a setting that they prefer. But more goes into it decision making than that.

There are economics, relationships, schedules, creative styles, ratings track records, and a myriad of other factors to consider when putting a show on the air. Even smaller things such as “is the show better suited for morning or afternoon”, “should we feature a solo program or team show”, “do the hosts sound too much alike”, “are they too far apart as people to develop a consistent flow”, “are they coachable”, all come into play when deciding if a show fits what the programmer wants on their radio station.

I decided to put thirty two of the nation’s best sports radio minds on the clock, and give them an opportunity to select one show each. Unlike last year where we focused on individuals, the goal this year was to select full shows. That meant they could draft a solo hosted program, or a show with two, three or four personalities.

To create the draft order I stuck with what worked last year – pulling thirty two names out of hat (if it ain’t broke don’t fix it). However, I did make two key changes.

First, I changed up some of the programmers to give other station leaders an opportunity to participate who weren’t involved last year. There are some familiar names and faces still in the mix, but altogether I included sixteen new people.

Secondly, I prohibited each programmer from picking one of their own local talk shows. It’s natural to want to appease our own people, but if everyone had a blank canvas tomorrow, and could hire one dynamic show to grow their station’s ratings, and revenue, we may or may not stick with what we have. This put the entire crew in a position to be a little more neutral.

I want to thank each of these programmers for not only taking part in the exercise, but also putting their names behind each selection. I also want to congratulate the shows that made the list of 32. Keep in mind that each programmer has a different perspective on what makes a great sports radio show, and the results are often determined by where an individual picks. Just because someone chooses a particular show, doesn’t mean they wouldn’t take a different one if they had a higher draft choice.

The sports radio industry has hundreds of people hosting programs all across the country each day, and many are doing it well. But talent isn’t the only thing that matters. It’s often about fit, style, sound, work ethic, attitude, connection, and ratings and revenue potential. Certain shows may deliver big numbers for one programmer, but fire blanks for another. They may dominate in one market yet crash and burn in another.

As you watch the NFL Draft, I hope you’ll take some of these things into account. One team’s trash can be another one’s treasure, and sure-thing prospects, and no-chance free agents, often succeed or fail depending on who they play for, and which system they perform in. The radio business is eerily similar. Which is why hiring people and/or shows can be challenging, rewarding, and occasionally catastrophic.

Now without further delay, it’s time to unveil the 32 sports radio talk show selections in the 2016 Sports Radio Draft! Let the debates begin!

OrderProgrammer/StationShow/Station
1.Matt Nahigian, 97.5 The Fanatic-PhiladelphiaDan Lebatard w/ Stugotz-ESPN Radio
2.Mike Thomas, 98.5 The Sports Hub-BostonValenti & Foster-97.1 The Ticket
3.Chad Abbott, KFAN-MinneapolisDave “Softy” Mahler-950 KJR
4.Justin Craig, 98.7 ESPN-New York CityStephen A. Smith-Mad Dog Sports Radio
5.Ryan Maguire, 560 WQAM-MiamiJosh Innes-Sports Radio WIP
6.Brad Willis, 104.5 The Zone-NashvilleThe Dan Patrick Show-Fox Sports Radio
7.Gavin Spittle, 105.3 The Fan-DallasMike Meltser & Seth Payne-Sports Radio 610
8.Adam Delevitt, ESPN 1000-ChicagoMike and Mike-ESPN Radio
9.Armen Williams, 104.3 The Fan-DenverBoomer and Carton-WFAN
10.Bruce Gilbert, Cumulus Media-DallasColin Cowherd-Fox Sports Radio
11.Steve Torre, Mad Dog Sports Radio-New York CityNBA Today w/ Justin Termine & Eddie Johnson-SiriusXM
12.John Hanson, 610 Sports-Kansas CityDan Barreiro-KFAN
13.Kevin Graham, WEEI-BostonMad Dog Unleashed w/ Chris Russo-SiriusXM
14.D.J Stout, 610 The Fan WFNZ-CharlotteMike Francesa-WFAN
15.Lee Hammer, KNBR-San FranciscoThe Musers-Sports Radio 1310 The Ticket
16.Scott Masteller, WBAL-Baltimore Jorge & Izzy-ESPN Radio
17.Ray Necci, ESPN Radio-BristolTony Kornheiser-ESPN 980
18.Jay Taylor, 97.1 The Fan-ColumbusPetros & Money-AM 570 KLAC
19.Ryan McCredden, 610 KILT-HoustonGio and Jones-CBS Sports Radio
20.Scott Shapiro, Fox Sports Radio-Los AngelesPaul Allen-KFAN
21.Tim Spence, 97.9 ESPN-HartfordBig Al & D’Mac-104.3 The Fan
22.Ryan Hatch, Arizona Sports 98.7FM-PhoenixThe Hardline-Sports Radio 1310 The Ticket
23.Chris Kinard, 106.7 The Fan-Washington DCToucher & Rich-98.5 The Sports Hub
24.Dennis Glasgow, 99.9 The Fan-RaleighThe Drive w/ Cooley & Czabe-ESPN 980
25.Gregg Henson, 970 ESPN-PittsburghMark Madden-105.9 The X
26.Tom Parker, 105.7 The Fan-MilwaukeeAmy Lawrence-CBS Sports Radio
27.Dave Tepper, 1620 The Zone-OmahaThe Blitz w/ Fred and AJ-ESPN 97.5
28.Allan Davis, WGR 550-BuffaloDamon Amendolara-CBS Sports Radio
29.John Mamola, WDAE-TampaWaddle & Silvy-ESPN 1000
30.Rich Moore, 950 KJR-SeattleMike Missanelli-97.5 The Fanatic
31.Jeff Austin, 1080 The Fan-PortlandBrock and Salk-710 ESPN
32.Brian Long, XTRA Sports 1360-San DiegoMason and Ireland-ESPN LA 710

Sign up for the BSM 8@8

The Top 8 Sports Media Stories of the Day, sent directly to your inbox, every morning at 8am ET.

Invalid email address
We promise not to spam you. You can unsubscribe at any time.

Barrett Blogs

Nick Wright, Danny Parkins, Andrew Fillipponi and Omar Raja Join The 2024 BSM Summit Lineup

All four of these men are extremely talented and accomplished, and I’m grateful to each of them for making time to be with us.

Jason Barrett

Published

on

The buildup to the 2024 BSM Summit continues with our next speakers announcement. Media professionals looking to attend March’s show can secure seats at BSMSummit.com. We’ve already announced Jeff Smulyan, Mark Chernoff, Don Martin, Bruce Gilbert, Scott Sutherland, Chris Oliviero, Scott Shapiro, Spike Eskin, Mitch Rosen, Paul Mason, Bonnie Bernstein and Damon Amendolara will be part of the event. We’ll have additional big names to reveal in the weeks and months ahead too so stay tuned for more.

Before I get into the latest group of speakers, I want to pass along some Barrett Media news.

First, when you log on to BSM and BNM on Monday December 4th, you’ll notice both sites operating with a new, cleaner look. We pump out a lot of daily content on our websites but finding all of it can be intimidating. We’re hoping the modifications make it easier to find and digest our content and look forward to your feedback on what we roll out next week.

Secondly, I’ve spent months going through a process to identify an Executive Editor for Barrett Media. The type of leader I’ve been looking for different from what exists at some online publications. I’ve spoken to a lot of smart, talented people during this process, many who I know could make us better. However, there is only one job available. Fortunately after going through an extensive search, I’ve identified someone who I’m interested in teaming with to help take Barrett Media to the next level. I hope to announce that hire and the addition of a number of new writers next week. I think our readers, partners and clients will like what’s on the horizon.

Third, we have opened up voting on the Barrett News Media Top 20 of 2023. The deadline to cast votes for News/Talk PD’s is next Monday December 4th. We will present the News/Talk radio format’s collective feedback December 11-15 and December 18 on BarrettNewsMedia.com.

There’s other stuff on the way as well, but I’ll save the rest for next week. Let’s dive now into the latest additions to the Summit.

It is my pleasure to announce the additions of Nick Wright of FS1, Danny Parkins of 670 The Score in Chicago, Andrew Fillipponi of 93.7 The Fan in Pittsburgh, and Omar Raja of ESPN to the 2024 BSM Summit speaker lineup. All four of these men are extremely talented and accomplished, and I’m grateful to each of them for making time to be with us.

Starting with Omar Raja, the work he did building House of Highlights into a powerhouse social brand is well documented. He now serves as a commentator for ESPN’s digital and social content, which includes being the leading voice behind ESPN’s SportsCenter Instagram account, and providing strategic social programming across ESPN’s social platforms. It’s not every day industry professionals gain an opportunity to learn from one of the industry’s top social media minds, so I’m hoping to see a lot of folks present when he shares his wisdom at the Summit.

Shifting from digital to on-air talent, one session I know many will be present for will include three personalities who have been highly successful in each of their careers, and share a lifelong bond through the friendships they formed while attending Syracuse University together. Nick Wright, Andrew Fillipponi, and Danny Parkins are three of the best in the business today, and all three will be on stage together to discuss their individual paths, their differing approaches to content creation, measuring and managing success, and much more. Having Damon Amendolara, another Syracuse graduate who’s been highly successful on the air, guide the session should make it even more interesting and entertaining for all in the room.

With these latest four individuals added to the lineup we’ve now secured sixteen top speakers for March’s show. I’m hoping to reveal the next group of participants in a few weeks. Once we get past the holidays I’ll start revealing the awards winners and a few executives who will be part of the conference.

I want to thank Steve Stone Voiceovers, Good Karma Brands, Bonneville International, Silver Tribe Media, Premiere Networks and the Motor Racing Network for returning as sponsors of the 2024 BSM Summit. If your group would like to explore a sponsorship opportunity for the show or review website or newsletter options for 2024, email Stephanie Eads at [email protected] to receive a copy of our advertising decks.

That’s the latest for now. More to come in December.

Sign up for the BSM 8@8

The Top 8 Sports Media Stories of the Day, sent directly to your inbox, every morning at 8am ET.

Invalid email address
We promise not to spam you. You can unsubscribe at any time.
Continue Reading

Barrett Blogs

6 Speakers Added To The 2024 BSM Summit Lineup

“Two of these individuals have built successful careers as on-air talent. Four remain involved in management and programming roles.”

Jason Barrett

Published

on

Each year the BSM Summit welcomes a star studded group of high-profile talent, accomplished executives, top programmers, and successful digital leaders to examine the top issues facing the sports media business. The information provided arms each attendee with actionable ideas and solutions to improve their brands, shows, and individual performance, and our 2024 event in New York City promises to deliver more of what the industry has come to expect.

If you missed the initial announcement, we’re excited to be joined once again by Spike Eskin, Don Martin, Scott Shapiro, Mitch Rosen, Jeff Smulyan, and Mark Chernoff. Each of these men have enjoyed great success in the sports radio industry, and we appreciate them making time to join us and offer their insights at the Ailey Theater in NYC on March 13-14, 2024.

Today though it’s time to reveal the next group of speakers who will be part of our show. Two of these individuals have built successful careers as on-air talent. Four remain involved in management and programming roles for Audacy, Cumulus, and Bonneville International.

Starting with the on-air talent, I’m looking forward to having SiriusXM Mad Dog Sports Radio morning host Damon Amendolara, and Emmy Award-winning American sports journalist and media executive Bonnie Bernstein join us for the 2024 BSM Summit. D.A. was part of our 2020 show in the concrete jungle. For Bonnie, this is her first time appearing. Specific sessions highlighting their involvement will be announced closer to the event.

On the executive side, I’m thrilled to welcome back Cumulus Media and Westwood One SVP of Sports Bruce Gilbert, Bonneville International EVP Scott Sutherland, and Audacy New York VP and Market Manager Chris Oliviero. I’m equally excited to have 104.5 The Zone Program Director Paul Mason make his first appearance at the conference. The collective knowledge, success, and relationships these men enjoy across our industry speaks volumes of why they’re trusted to lead and grow their respective brands and companies. It’s important for folks in the room to learn the business, not just the world of content, and I’m grateful to Chris, Scott, Bruce and Paul for helping us further educate the room.

We have a lot more lined up that we’ll announce in the weeks and months ahead. As has been our strategy throughout the years, we like to build the show and increase excitement for it. If you work in the media industry and wish to attend, tickets can be purchased by visiting BSMSummit.com. On the conference website you’ll also find details about our hotel partner, M Social. Make sure to visit the Hotel page and book your reservation asap to avoid being left without a room later on. Our room block expires in mid-February.

Additionally, for those looking to be a part of the Summit as a marketing partner, please reach out to Stephanie Eads at [email protected]. We’ve already had a number of sponsorships for the event get scooped up, and the demand for show involvement is usually high. Before they all go away, check with Stephanie to see what’s available.

Expect another announcement prior to Thanksgiving. This is going to be another action packed event, and I look forward to once again seeing everyone as we bring the industry together to explore solutions to move the business forward.

Sign up for the BSM 8@8

The Top 8 Sports Media Stories of the Day, sent directly to your inbox, every morning at 8am ET.

Invalid email address
We promise not to spam you. You can unsubscribe at any time.
Continue Reading

Barrett Blogs

Spike Eskin, Mitch Rosen, Scott Shapiro, Don Martin, Jeff Smulyan, and Mark Chernoff to Speak at the 2024 BSM Summit

“This event is the equivalent of a two-day masterclass covering multiple areas of importance to the sports media industry.”

Jason Barrett

Published

on

BSM Summit 2024

It’s hard to believe that we’ll soon be delivering our 6th sports media conference, but that is indeed the case. The 2024 BSM Summit is returning to New York City on March 13-14, 2024 at the Ailey Citigroup Theater on West 55th Street. This was our venue for our 2020 show. It was fantastic. A big stage, big screen, and great viewing for attendees. We would have gone back here in 2022 if not for the pandemic. Unfortunately, they were shut down at that time. But, the world is somewhat back to normal now, and I’m eager to be back in the building to create another action packed agenda to benefit sports radio, television, podcasting, and advertising professionals.

Tickets are now officially on sale for the Summit. If you work in the industry and wish to attend, tickets are regularly priced at $274.99 each. However, as we do each year, we kick it off with a special sale. Prices are reduced through October 31st to $224.99 so if you want to save a few dollars on your ticket, this is a good time to get yours. We also have a special ticket price of $124.99 established for college students who are pursuing the media business and looking to attend and learn. To buy tickets, click HERE.

When March rolls around, we’ll have a full agenda featuring top speakers from across the country. I’ve already lined up some of them and will introduce them selectively in the weeks and months ahead. This event is the equivalent of a two-day masterclass covering multiple areas of importance to the sports media industry. A special focus is placed on programming, revenue, content, technology, digital/social and recognizing difference makers. The purpose of the event is to inform, inspire, celebrate, and innovate. I’m a fan of an old quote from Benjamin Franklin which says “an investment in knowledge pays the best interest“, and if you attend our conference and don’t leave the room in a stronger position to advance your career or improve your business, then I’d question if you paid attention or were even in the room.

Before I start announcing high profile personalities, executives, and the annual surprises folks have come to expect from our shows, I thought I’d do things a little different this year. Those who know me understand that I now work with brands in a consulting capacity but at my core, I’m a programming executive. I love strategy, brand building, the challenges associated with growing a business, and going under the hood to examine what’s working and what needs fixing. So too do these next four gentlemen.

I’m pleased to welcome back to the Summit the EVP of iHeartmedia Sports, Don Martin, Fox Sports Radio’s SVP of Programming Scott Shapiro, the VP of Programming for WFAN and CBS Sports Radio and Audacy’s VP of Sports Spike Eskin, and the VP of Programming for 670 The Score and the BetQL Network, Mitch Rosen.

In addition, one part of our show that’s been extremely popular over the years has been the awards presentation. Thanks to our friends at Premiere Radio Networks, that will continue in 2024.

For starters, each year we recognize an industry executive with the Jeff Smulyan Award, given to someone in leadership who has made a strong impact during the prior twelve months. Past winners have included Kraig Kitchin, Dan Mason, Traug Keller, and Julie Talbott. Jeff Smulyan will join us once again in NYC for the annual presentation, and we’ll announce the recipient of the honor at a later time.

The second award we will continue to feature is the Mark Chernoff Award, given to the sports radio’s top programmer for the prior year. Since introducing the award in 2020, Mitch Rosen, Rick Radzik, and Jimmy Powers have been named winners of this honor. Mark Chernoff will once again be with us to present the award that bears his name. The selected winner will be revealed in the near future.

The other two awards we will present at the show include The Champions Award, and the Lifetime Achievement Award, an honor we introduced in 2023 and presented to broadcasting icon, Al Michaels. The Champions Award was created in 2020 to recognize those in the sports media industry who have used their platform to make a difference. BSM supports the award by donating One Thousand Dollars to the winner’s brand or selected charity. Prior winners have included Jay Glazer, Adam Schefter, and Keith Murray & Andy Fales of KxNO. More will be shared at a later time about this year’s recipient.

We have nearly five full months until the show takes place in the big apple so expect more announcements to flood your inbox, and social media. Given the rise in interest of speaking at the show, we can’t accommodate everyone. If you have an idea you want to pitch, send it in sooner rather than later by email to [email protected].

Last but not least, we’ve created our content plan for 2024 and advertising decks are now available for those interested in exploring marketing opportunities with BSM. Summit opportunities are included in it. Stephanie Eads is running point on sponsorship requests so if you’d like to be involved, email her at [email protected]. We had phenomenal support in Los Angeles for our 2023 show, and expect this one to be as strong or better.

I’ll have more information to share soon. In the meantime, I hope you’ll buy a ticket and join us in NYC this March for the 2024 BSM Summit. It should be a great show.

Sign up for the BSM 8@8

The Top 8 Sports Media Stories of the Day, sent directly to your inbox, every morning at 8am ET.

Invalid email address
We promise not to spam you. You can unsubscribe at any time.
Continue Reading
Advertisement

Advertisement

Upcoming Events

Barrett Media Writers

Copyright © 2023 Barrett Media.