5 Podcasts in 5 Days
5 Podcasts in 5 Days: The Vertical with Woj
Published
7 years agoon
We’ve reached the end of the line for our “5 Podcasts in 5 Days” series. It’s been fun binge listening to multiple shows this week, and from a professional standpoint, it’s been beneficial for my own knowledge and understanding. There are many different approaches to creating quality podcasts, and I’ve discovered elements during this exercise that have my brain racing with a million different questions.
The ones that fill my head the most are, is this the type of programming that audiences will seek more of in the future? Can money be made in the space when commercial opportunities are minimal? How will they be marketed to expand the audience? Will they be measured properly? And aside from less commercials, are they any different than what’s being provided on local sports radio stations?
As I went through this project, I wanted to listen to shows that were very different from one another. I also sought out programs that were produced by different companies so I could see how each group approached the audio space. I listened to Bill Simmons, the Men in Blazers, Clay Travis, and Jonah Keri, and learned that there are qualities in each that I enjoy, and opportunities for growth. Unlike terrestrial radio which lives and dies by a faulty ratings system, but operates under it none the less, the podcasting platform is still evolving, and the blueprint to success is undergoing modifications.
For today’s final episode, I reviewed “The Vertical Podcast with Woj”. The program is hosted by nationally recognized NBA reporter Adrian Wojnarowski, whose written work is featured on Yahoo Sports, and whose podcast is produced by DGital Media. He’s also one of the most important, and influential sports media people on Twitter. His following currently sits at 1.3 million.
As you digest the information from today’s review, let me remind you that my assessments aren’t the gospel. These are my own professional opinions, and others who consume the content may feel differently about it. That’s no different than what a broadcaster deals with every time they hit the airwaves and talk to an audience. Some will like it, others will not. Either way, the show goes on.
My goal in doing this has been to deliver an honest and objective perspective, and give listeners an idea of what they can expect when they listen to a show. My praise isn’t paid for, and my criticisms aren’t personal. I realize that other podcasts that have been created by the host(s) may be different from the one I’m reviewing, but each show I’ve listened to is recent, and a fair reflection of each show’s work. Whatever exists on other episodes, has no relevance to the one I’ve spent time listening to.
If you’d like to listen to the episode I’ve reviewed and follow along, click here. Now without further delay, let’s get down to business.
- TITLE: The Vertical
- DATE: June 1, 2016
- LENGTH: 42 Minutes
- CAST: Host = Adrian Wojnarowski
- SPONSORS: Seat Geek
- PRODUCTION: Excellent open which includes a quick tease by Woj, a short sponsor plug, music and quality imaging. A short liner mid-show to return the program back into content after a live read, and a production close to wrap up the program.
SHOW BREAKDOWN:
0:32-2:53 = Woj opens up the show, introduces Golden State Warriors General Manager Bob Myers, and then dives right into discussing the Warriors Game 7 victory against the Oklahoma City Thunder. Myers explains how a Game 7 tests everyone’s emotions, and shares what went thru his mind on the drive home after the game was over.
2:54-5:14 = After being down 3-1 in the Western Conference Finals, Bob tells Woj what he learned about his team when their backs were against the wall.
5:15-9:15 = Bob shares some insight on Steph Curry’s confidence and leadership and how it rubs off on others. He gives some insight into conversations the two of them have had and how he helps him with understanding his role of being a leader.
9:16-12:07 = Woj talks about how Steph kept Klay Thompson feeling important when the national headlines started to shy away from the Splash Brothers and focus on Curry’s rise to stardom.
12:08-16:25 = Bob tells Woj how much respect and trust he has for Curry. He tells a story of when he updated Curry on the negotiations that were taking place with Draymond Green. He brought him in the loop and told him not to worry because they were working towards getting a deal done to keep Draymond in the Bay Area. Steph asked how much was on the table, and when Myers told him, he joked that Green should sign the deal immediately. Rather than get caught up in worrying about Green making more than himself, Steph was happy for his teammate, and never once turned it into a selfish situation. That type of approach makes it easier for Myers to go to bat for his superstar anytime he needs him to.
16:26-18:55 = Bob tells Woj about the nervousness and uncertainty that existed after Steph hurt his knee in the first round. The situation saddened him because he appreciates how hard Steph works, and he didn’t want to see him miss out on enjoying the benefits of everything he had worked so hard to produce throughout the season. He explains how Curry’s enthusiasm and positive outlook kept him feeling optimistic when it would have been easy to think negatively.
18:55-20:35 = Adrian smoothly transitions into a live read for SeatGeek, and starts it off by including the guest in the conversation – this was really well done (Bob, I know everyone is going to be coming to you and looking for tickets to the Finals, and I have a solution for you, send them to SeatGeek – here’s how it works)
20:36-20:40 = Production piece resets the show
20:41-23:12 = Woj asks Bob if the Warriors kept an eye on the Cavaliers during their record breaking season. He says they were so focused on their own business and the Western Conference that they didn’t have time to worry about the East. He adds insight on what impresses him about LeBron James.
23:13-28:59 = Was there added pressure on the Warriors to break the regular season wins record? Is it a successful season if they break the record but come up short in the playoffs? Bob explains how he approached the situation and why he has no concerns about the way the team followed the path that they did.
29:00-33:54 = His strong relationship with Kerr.
33:55- = Woj brings up Joe Lacob’s comments about the franchise being “light-years” ahead of the rest of the NBA. Myers explains how before he went to work for Lacob, he considered the Warriors owner brash, and thought he was crazy for thinking the team would win a championship in 5 years. Once he was hired by him, and got to know him, and how much winning mattered to him, he loved it, and appreciated having someone above him who sets the bar high. Bob admits he took some heat for Lacob’s comments, and although he himself would have said things in a more reserved manner, he loves Lacob’s passion, and his confidence and willingness to do whatever it takes to win, is a big reason why the franchise has become the best in the NBA.
SHOW ANALYSIS:
As I listened to this podcast, I was blown away for a few reasons. First, Woj is in command. He presents himself in an authoritative manner, and appears well prepared and confident. His game plan going into the interview is sound, and his ability to recall specific news and events, allows certain parts of the conversation to expand and become more interesting.
One thing you’ll notice quickly is the level of respect Bob Myers has for Woj. When the host of a show can put a guest at ease, it allows a discussion to evolve. Great material is offered consistently throughout this interview because of the trust, respect, and comfortability that exists between Bob and Woj.
Another reason the conversation was exceptional is because Woj is extremely skilled as an interviewer. He asks excellent questions, listens to the answers, follows up when necessary, and let’s the content develop organically. He also keeps his questions relatively short which is a very effective practice.
The other part of this podcast that deserves recognition is the production and structure. Of the five podcasts I reviewed this week, this one had the best presentation. You can tell that it’s being produced by people who have an ear for audio, and an understanding of creating good radio. The production to start the show is crisp, the liner incorporated after the live read sounds nice and helps the show return to content, and the end of the program closes with a nice touch as well.
Speaking of presentation, the way Woj works in the sponsor read for SeatGeek nineteen minutes into the show was very well done. They didn’t toss it out at the start of the show and make the listener wait four minutes to hear the content. It didn’t get buried at the end of the program when the audience has mentally checked out. And when it was executed in the middle of content, it was done so seamlessly and in a way that sounded connected to the conversation. If I was running SeatGeek and looking for an example to share with other podcasters who I was considering buying live spots from, this would be one that I highlight.
If there’s an area of the podcast that’s missing, it’s not hearing any commentary from Woj. This is strictly an interview podcast, and fortunately it’s a really good one. However, given Woj’s contacts in the basketball world, and the sports fan’s trust and interest in his work, I think it’d serve him well to come out of the gate for a few minutes sharing some stories and news items he’s hearing about, and then shift into the conversation with his guest.
If someone loves basketball and downloads this podcast, they’re going to learn some things from the guest that Woj chats with. But many of these fans see Woj the same way he sees his guests. If he can give them a little bit of himself, and create the demand for his information as he does on Twitter, this podcast could ascend to an even higher level.
CLOSING COMMENTS:
Bob Myers is a fantastic guest who I previously hired to do a weekly appearance on my former radio station in San Francisco. I knew he’d be great on this podcast because he’s one of the best guests in the NBA. I was curious to hear how similar or different he’d be with Woj compared to how he conducts himself on local Bay Area radio, and the conclusion I came away with is that he’s very engaged when talking to the media, and he understands why it’s important to give good answers and insight. When he talks to Woj, you get even more of that. That’s due to Bob recognizing Adrian’s power and influence.
If you love basketball, and conversations with notable NBA people, this podcast will excite you. If you appreciate smart and informed opinion, analysis, and in depth discussions on the NBA, this podcast will excite you. If you dislike the NBA, interview shows, or hosts who focus on information and seldom go on passionate diatribes, then you might want to consider other options.
In a nutshell, this is extremely well done. It has quality production, a great guest, a talented host/interviewer, and a format that keeps the focus on content while still satisfying the client. It could use more storytelling and opinion from the host, but that’s the only thing I felt was missing. I even thought the length of the podcast was perfect.
Woj has built a brand as the best reporter in NBA circles. That reputation helps him get people like Bob Myers to appear on the show, and that will give fans a reason to listen. If Woj can continue to deliver dynamite guests and information, and take the sports fan behind the curtain to learn additional details on stories he’s broken or is presently sourcing, this will become a podcast that attracts an even larger audience. I’m likely to be part of that group.
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 JBarrett@sportsradiopd.com.
5 Podcasts in 5 Days
5 Podcasts in 5 Days: Real_Sports with Jack and Abe
“Jay Soderberg offers his thoughts on BluWire’s ‘Real Sports’ podcast.”
Published
4 years agoon
July 19, 2019 Editor’s note from Jason Barrett:
We’ve reached the final day of our ‘5 Podcasts in 5 Days‘ series. A big thank you to our special guest reviewer Jay Soderberg who took the time to listen to five different shows and offer his candid, direct, and unapologetic thoughts on each program. Though some of the input can sting those hosting the shows, Jay’s focus throughout this project has been to lend a few thoughts to help those creating the content improve their presentation.
As podcasting continues to grow due to its limitless offerings of unique, creative, and original content, it still remains a space without structure and a clear understanding of what does and doesn’t work. Unlike radio which uses ratings measurement to justify the effectiveness of a particular show or host, the success or ineffectiveness of a podcast can often be disguised by how a program is ranked on the Apple podcasting charts.
To help make some sense of it all, we reached out to Jay, who’s served as the Head of Content for BlogTalk Radio, and a digital audio producer, imaging director, and podcast creator for the ESPN Radio network, to put his ear on five shows and let folks know what’s working and what needs some fine tuning. The five programs we chose were Mystery Crate by Dan Le Batard and Friends, The GM Shuffle with Adnan Virk and Michael Lombardi, The Most Valuable Podcast with Charlotte Wilder and Jess Smetana, Locked on Jazz with David Locke, and Real Sports from BlueWire’s Jack Settleman and Abe Granoff.
We hope you’ll find Jay’s reviews of these 5 programs to be informative, honest, and well explained. If you have further feedback you can find him on Twitter @TheRealPodVader or you can email by clicking here. Enjoy!
REAL_SPORTS WITH JACK AND ABE:
Title: NBA Draft Preview, Kyrie Irving Breaking News and the Mike Conley Trade
Date: June 20, 2019
Length: 46 minutes
Cast: Jack Settleman and Abe Granoff
Sponsors: none
Production: Produced Open, music bed at the end
Show Breakdown:
0:00 – Tease on what’s up
:21 – Open featuring a montage of sports highlights
:41 – Introducing your hosts
1:19 – Abe’s NBA draft profile from Jack (he was robbed of living the dream as a child) but Jack mentions he was as a slow 6 footer…player comp: Draymond Green or RJ Barrett…Time for Jack’s draft profile from Abe…player comp: Lonzo Ball or Jalen Brunson…
4:15 – Time to move on to thoughts on the NBA Draft…what hasn’t been said about Zion Williamson already?…Jack believe RJ Barrett is the best player in the draft…Ja Morant break down…
11:50 – Picking apart some other NBA Draft prospects: Cam Reddish (got a pick with him earlier in the day…Abe isn’t a numbers guy, he likes to make decisions on players from what he sees on the court); Brandon Clark (Jack’s favorite player, not the best, in this draft);
20:56 – Busts: Nassir Little (shot up the boards because of hype and his length but doesn’t have a college background); Jared Culver (his size and strength won’t help him in the NBA)
24:20 – Breaking down the point guards – there are other names besides Morant and Garland
28:30 – What will Boston do with their picks? They’re in the limbo area of knowing their true identity – push forward to win with their young core or tank for more young talent?…The East is going to get weaker and the Celtics need to get an established player…the guys are split on Danny Ainge…
31:57 – What they’re most excited about for the NBA Draft…wouldn’t it be fun if the Lakers/Pelicans trade didn’t go through?
34:50 – Brief bit of feedback
35:28 – Breaking news after the pod was recorded and this is being put in afterwards…The Nets are concerned with bringing in Kyrie Irving unless he can bring Durant with him…laughing at the “trolls” who sent Jack photoshopped Kyrie pics in a Nets uniform and Irving is heading to the Knicks…Abe tells him to stop…this lends more to Kyrie going back to the Celtics or back to LeBron…
38:23 – A little more feedback
38:40 – Breaking down the Mike Conley trade…the Jazz could make some noise in a down year in the West…Derrick Favors being swapped out for a superstar before the deadline???…
45:00 – hope you liked it…give us 5 stars…thanks for the listens…want to hear from you…RSPod on Instagram… this has been Real Underscore Sports
Show Analysis:
Before we start analyzing the show, a quick lesson on the Apple Podcast charts. First, they only measure activity on Apple Podcast products (iTunes, iPods, iPads, iPhones, etc). Second, the charts are some sort of algorithm measuring new subscription activity – not a real measurement of audience size. That’s why a show like Real Sports is in the top 20 shows, but doesn’t have an episode in the top 200 episodes.
The team at BlueWire has done something smart to drive engagement on Snapchat and Instagram, running a raffle contest to get people to write reviews and ratings for the podcast on Apple Podcasts. Rob Walch on Libsyn will tell you ratings do not matter when it comes to positioning on the Apple Podcasts charts, but it definitely looks good to see a podcast with 7 episodes and 4211 reviews (as of this writing). Most of those reviews are 5 star because as one of the 1 star ratings put it “He bribes people with giveaways on social media and makes them give 5 stars to be eligible.”
So who is Jack Settleman? According to his LinkedIn profile, he’s a recent graduate of the University of Texas at Austin in 2018. He’s focused on social media marketing while at the school and is currently the Social Media Community Manager at The Action Network. He clearly knows how to work the social media marketing angle, but understanding how that game works is important to understanding the real chart position of this podcast. I couldn’t find much on Abe Granoff, but it’s clear from listening to the show, they are big fans of the NBA and college basketball.
Closing Comments:
A critical review of the show stated “These guys just basically read off scoresheets” and I’m inclined to agree. The scary secret to that comment though, is that’s exactly what most radio hosts are doing. The difference is, experienced radio hosts sound less stiff and more genuine with their takes. Jack and Abe can at times sound robotic in their delivery. The key to improving that will come from gaining more reps.
I thought this podcast was just like most other ones, lacking innovation. It was just two guys providing their takes on the news of the day. The next generation of sports talk hosts are going to come from podcasts, so I’m hopeful the younger generation of broadcasters will introduce new original ideas instead of following the pattern of what everyone else has been doing.
The disappointing part of the story is that these guys really know how to get their message out to the younger masses – as shown in their ability to generate 1 million followers on Snapchat. But if the younger generation thinks this is what great sounding podcasts should sound like though, I tremble for our future.
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 JBarrett@sportsradiopd.com.
5 Podcasts in 5 Days
5 Podcasts in 5 Days: Locked on Jazz
“Special guest reviewer Jay Soderberg reviews the Locked on Jazz podcast with David Locke.”
Published
4 years agoon
July 18, 2019 Editor’s note from Jason Barrett:
‘5 Podcasts in 5 Days‘ continues with special guest reviewer Jay Soderberg spending day four to analyze the Locked on Jazz podcast by Utah Jazz voice David Locke. For those unfamiliar with Jay, he is the former the Head of Content for BlogTalk Radio, and a digital audio producer, imaging director, and podcast creator for the ESPN Radio network. He’s candid, direct, and unapologetic with his feedback, and focused on trying to help content creators produce exceptional material, even if it means having to get under their skin in the process.
As podcasting continues to grow due to its limitless offerings of unique, creative, and original content, it still remains a space without structure and a clear understanding of what does and doesn’t work. Unlike radio which uses ratings measurement to justify the effectiveness of a particular show or host, the success or ineffectiveness of a podcast can often be disguised by how a program is ranked on the Apple podcasting charts.
Since this space has turned into the audio version of the wild west, we thought it’d be beneficial to bring back 5 Podcasts in 5 Days and find out which audio shows are checking the right boxes, and which ones could use some fine tuning. The five podcasts we charged Jay with listening to and critiquing were Mystery Crate by Dan Le Batard and Friends, The GM Shuffle with Adnan Virk and Michael Lombardi, The Most Valuable Podcast with Charlotte Wilder and Jess Smetana, Locked on Jazz with David Locke, and Real Sports from BluWire’s Jack Settleman and Abe Granoff.
We hope you’ll find Jay’s reviews of these 5 programs to be informative, honest, and well explained. If you have further feedback you can find him on Twitter @TheRealPodVader or you can email by clicking here. Enjoy!
LOCKED ON JAZZ
Title: Kevin Pelton stops by to discuss the Lakers and the NBA Draft by the Numbers
Date: June 19, 2019
Length: 38 minutes
Cast: David Locke, guest: Kevin Pelton
Sponsors: Lenovo, Homie (local? BYU creators), The Store (local), Hotels.com, Shamrock Auto Group (local)
Production: minimal
Show Breakdown:
0:00 – Produced open for 10secs, 30sec pre-produced ad for Lenovo, David Locke teases what’s up on the show and then says he’s going on vacation for a bit
2:17 – Kevin Pelton interview begins…starting with 2 questions about the Anthony Davis trade…the two local Locked On hosts loved the deal but the national guys have been slamming it
8:55 – Reset – that was Kevin Pelton’s trade analysis, now getting into his Draft projections…he’s been really good at finding the 25-35 range, that’s the strength of his scenarios…highlighting some examples of guys that Pelton has projected guys in that range…how good has he been at projecting busts?
13:43 – Reset, again with a tease of what’s coming up…but today’s show is brought to you by Homie (host read ad) also brought to you by The Store at 60 and 200 South and 20th East
16:43 – Kevin, who’s top 10 in his numbers and who’s top 10 generally accepted?
23:47 – Distracted by computer noises…teasing what’s coming up but I can’t stand this throw to commercial “…that and more when we’re back on the Locked On Podcast Network.”
24:15 – Hotels.com (pre-produced), Shamrock Auto Group (host read), Locked On NBA Net on Draft night
26:50 – Why is there not a big difference between 19 and 22 year olds?
29:29 – Who’s Fred Van Fleet or Monte Morris this year? Not sure there’s anyone Kevin feels that strongly about this year but here are some guys Kevin likes more than others.
34:54 – Guys who will go in top 20 that Kevin’s numbers just don’t see it.
36:31 – Go follow Kevin @kpelton…going on vacation
37:00 – Promo for Locked on Cougars, reminder that your smart speaker can play your podcasts (but it’s cut off before Dave finishes the explanation)
Show Analysis:
When I was first introduced to podcasting at ESPN 15 years ago, I remember thinking the brilliance of it was that you no longer needed to have your peanut butter mixed with your chocolate. Meaning – I can have my football without having to listen to the baseball or the basketball or the hockey. David Locke has taken that one step further with his Locked On network, making podcasts for individual teams, mainly in the NBA and NFL. David is the voice of the Utah Jazz and has a professional radio background and it’s apparent listening to his show.
David has multiple resets with his guest (which for a podcast listener can become a little annoying), teasing upcoming content before commercial breaks and then extremely professional reads on those ad deliveries. David has worked on this network for quite some time and the mix between the pre-produced ads from Megaphone and the local ads (which I’m assuming David has acquired on his own) gives the podcast a strong local feel (literally naming the streets to find The Store).
While this does sound like a re-purposed local radio show, it’s hard to complain about that lack of innovation because the focus is on one local team. That said, David did have a national guest on to talk about the NBA Draft and never asked a specific question regarding the Utah Jazz. To be fair, David’s interview did center mostly on later round options in the draft (the Jazz had the 23rd pick and a couple of second round choices). And to really hit the minutiae, he never tells us Kevin Pelton is from ESPN.
There are a lot of assumptions being made and for a regular listener, that’s probably great. For a brand new listener though, they might feel lost. Every new piece of content is an opportunity for a new listener.
Speaking of formatics, I HATE hearing these phrases around commercial breaks on the radio and especially on a podcast – “we’ll be right back” “and we’re back” “we’re going to take a break” “the break is all done”. You and especially the podcast listener never left! A majority of podcast listeners don’t even hit the fast forward button available to them to skip the ads so why give them a warning flag that a commercial is coming up?
I’m a big proponent of the tease before a commercial break. Give the audience that cliff hanger. They can’t wait to hear Kevin’s deep draft gems. Just leave it at that. “In a moment, Kevin’s going to tell us his deep draft gems” – lay out. Commercials. “Kevin, what do your numbers say about the potential Superstars around pick number 23?”
Closing Comments:
As a frequent podcast listener, the difficulties David faces with a network like this is finding clones of himself. While David is a professional broadcaster, there are others in his network that could use some polishing. Having worked on the business side of the podcast industry, I know how difficult it can be to find a sales team that will focus on local businesses to feature in a local podcast. Many podcasters carry that load upon themselves while most podcast sales agents (like Megaphone or Midroll) will focus on a national type sponsor. For a podcaster with no previous media experience, you can see how difficult a task that would be to undertake.
That’s an advantage the Locked On Network has with David at the helm. He’s on to something good, delivering the type of niche content sports fans are looking for. The podcast is also offered daily during the NBA season, giving fans the chance to enjoy the content they want on their own schedule. If local stations aren’t careful, he’ll steal their audience and then their sponsors.
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 JBarrett@sportsradiopd.com.
5 Podcasts in 5 Days
5 Podcasts in 5 Days: Most Valuable Podcast
“Jay Soderberg offers his assessment of the Most Valuable Podcast”
Published
4 years agoon
July 17, 2019 Editor’s note from Jason Barrett:
The third day of ‘5 Podcasts in 5 Days‘ with special guest reviewer Jay Soderberg has arrived. Jay is the former the Head of Content for BlogTalk Radio, and a digital audio producer, imaging director, and podcast creator for the ESPN Radio network. He’s candid, direct, and unapologetic with his feedback, and focused on trying to help content creators produce exceptional material, even if it means having to get under their skin in the process.
As podcasting has continued to grow due to its limitless offerings of unique, creative, and original content, it still remains a space without structure and a clear understanding of what does and doesn’t work. Unlike radio which uses ratings measurement to justify the effectiveness of a particular show or host, the success or ineffectiveness of a podcast can often be disguised by how a program is ranked on the Apple podcasting charts.
Since this space has turned into the audio version of the wild west, we thought it’d be beneficial to bring back 5 Podcasts in 5 Days and find out which audio shows are checking the right boxes, and which ones could use some fine tuning. The five podcasts we charged Jay with listening to and critiquing were Mystery Crate by Dan Le Batard and Friends, The GM Shuffle with Adnan Virk and Michael Lombardi, The Most Valuable Podcast with Charlotte Wilder and Jess Smetana, Locked on Jazz with David Locke, and Real Sports from BluWire’s Jack Settleman and Abe Granoff.
We hope you’ll find Jay’s reviews of these 5 programs to be informative, honest, and well explained. If you have further feedback you can find him on Twitter @TheRealPodVader or you can email by clicking here. Enjoy!
Title: It’s the perfect time for Anthony Davis to shave his unibrow and rebrand
Date: June 20, 2019
Length: 1 hour, 6 minutes
Cast: Christine Wilder and Jess Smetana, Brandon (the Producer)
Sponsors: none
Production: a music bed to start and end the show
Show Breakdown:
0:00 – Revisiting a trip to Boston for the NHL Finals…more in a bit, but first, the NBA Finals which feel like they finished a long time ago and now free agency is top in the news cycle…Woj Bomb in the middle of Finals that Kawhi won’t resign with the Raptors and he hasn’t even accepted the trophy yet…torn ACL’s are the worst…Did you understand what was happening at the end of that Game with the technical foul?…revisiting last week’s conversation on all sports fans are a**holes, according to tweet, Canadians find Toronto is the a**hole of Canada…
8:25 – Don’t like the uniforms that say “North” – not even the most northern NBA city…Taking pride in local teams like the Portland (Maine) Red Claws…
12:27 – Should we do more NBA free agency stuff since we just talked about the NBA??? Anthony Davis got traded…Jess wouldn’t be a great GM because she likes to be frugal…Would you want to play with LeBron? No, because he’ll make you play in Space Jam 2 and it won’t be as great as the first one…Davis now has the perfect opportunity to look the best he’s ever looked and shave the unibrow…
17:34 – An idea for an app – Kyrie Irving and James Harden ghosting their teams…ghosting is so easy in any relationship, but you really should just say something so that the other person doesn’t hang on…the app will get all the relevant info on the relationship and send the let down information for you…Kyrie could use this with Danny Ainge…
22:00 – Sorry to Charlotte who watched a sucky blowout in Game 7 of the NHL Finals (pretty clear Charlotte is a Bruins fan)…
23:50 – Brandon the Producer jumps in as he doesn’t like mosquitos and Jess just got bit by one…back to the NHL…What would you eat if you just lost the NHL Finals?…Anheuser Busch headquartered in St. Louis?
27:45 – Gary Woodland wins the US Open…didn’t realize it ends on Father’s Day every year…don’t assume because Charlotte is a woman she doesn’t know what she’s talking about with sports…they spoke this outcome into existence in a previous show…shout out to Gary…also, who still names their kids Gary?…he’s also never drank a warm beverage, does soup count?…
32:07 – Let’s talk about the World Cup…our girl Julie Ertz scored a goal vs Chile…the bad tweet from someplace, CBS?, that Zach Ertz left training camp to watch his wife in the world cup – hello, she has a name…we’re beyond this now and Julie Ertz has way more Instagram followers than Zach (but he has more Twitter followers), but Instagram is the way more used platform (well, we’ll discuss that in a moment…)…can everyone just follow us on Instagram?…
37:26 – Do we have any personal news because all it says on the little Google Doc is personal news and nothing below it…
39:27 – We have to cancel something…LaVar Ball…people forgot that he’s been canceled already and he’s still saying stupid things…need to cancel OJ Simpson again because now he’s on Twitter…
44:18 – Some Agro Facts this week…well, basically we’ve found really good brands of dried seaweed
47:29 – Underrated… this week it’s sour cream, the unsung hero of Taco Tuesday
49:53 – Future Wedding to each other…this came up from a viral tweet about going to a wedding with me and still liking me after…
51:32 – The Patriot of the Week…viral video of guy at a baseball game who caught foul ball and chugged a beer
55:36 – Shout out to Summer of #20WineTeen…how do you spell that out?
59:30 – Unofficial Official Mike Trout Fan Club…thanks to everyone pointing out what we should be paying attention to…he’s been really good at the baseball and his W-A-R has been really good…he pet a dog named Moo Moo…
1:02:12 – What is that noise (that the audience can’t hear)? The phone in the podcast room is ringing…
1:03:00 – Mike Trout had a really good transportation tweet…
1:03:58 – Time to go (because they said so and there’s the music bed)…give us high ratings and boost our Instagram
Show Analysis:
When creating a podcast it’s important to know who your target audience is. This podcast is clearly targeted towards millennial sports fans, is internet driven (lots of social media talk), and uses swear words. There isn’t a problem with that at all, but even millennial’s like to hear some cool sounding production elements.
In listening to the show, it’s clear that Jess and Charlotte do some form of prep for their show – because you can hear their transitions from topic to topic. They also mention the “Google Doc” in this episode.
So why don’t they have production elements for their regular segments? If the producer doesn’t have time to create them, why not ask the audience for some help? It’s a great way to forge an everlasting bond with your audience and frankly, sometimes you get some really great work for free.
One thing I struggle with when listening to podcasts that tend to be more on the jovial side is when they tackle subjects that are more serious. In this episode for instance, sexism in sports. I agree that Julie Ertz and any woman playing professional sports should be given the respect of being called by their name, but it’s hard to take Jess and Charlotte seriously when they’re talking about wanting to marry the guy who catches the foul ball and chugs his beer or oogling over Mike Trout petting a puppy. It’s just a little awkward.
Also, I’m assuming there were inside jokes or previous jokes when talking about Mike Trout “being good at the baseball” and his “W-A-R was really good”, but a first time listener may hear that and stereotype it as “another female sports show”. It’s a delicate line to balance and begging for more Instagram followers doesn’t help.
Closing Comments:
While this is definitely not “old guy, stuffy sports program”, there’s still a lack of innovation for a sports podcast. It sounds similar to most other sports radio products with the exception being the show features two women and they’re talking to a younger audience. The sourcing of social media is clever to help drive engagement from an audience that is using the internet to listen to the show, but adding some production would really help this show sing.
I do think there is great potential here with a few tweaks that could help drive how sports radio evolves for future generations. There needs to be a little more effort than just sitting down in a studio for an hour with microphones recording a conversation. It’s a good start, but it can be taken to the next level with a few adjustments.
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 JBarrett@sportsradiopd.com.
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