SEC Media Days were in-person events for the 2021 football season, but things are going virtual for the 2021 basketball version. 

The Southeastern Conference announced the move this week after holding July’s football event in person.

Here is the SEC’s statement on the matter via Outkick. “Due to ongoing public health concerns related to indoor venues, the Southeastern Conference will conduct a virtual basketball media days event before the 2021-22 season.

“In conjunction with SEC Network, the conference will present media days in a virtual format, branded as ‘SEC Media Days – Build Up 2 Basketball.’ From October 18 – 29, every coach and select student-athletes will be interviewed on existing programming such as SEC Now, The Paul Finebaum Show, SEC This AM, and Out of Pocket. The schedule for these appearances will be sent to media, as well as provided on SECSports.com and SEC social media channels.”

The conference held their football media days in Hoover, AL, this past July. They announced student-athletes and coaches are available for interviews via zoom sessions from Oct. 18 through Nov. 5. 

The 2021 college basketball season tips off Tuesday, Nov. 9 with the annual Champions Classic at the Madison Square Garden in New York.

Audacy has announced the content lead for their new 2400Sports podcast studio. Barstool Sports Section 10 podcast host Steve Perrault is moving over to Audacy to take on the challenge.

Perrault is overseeing all MLB podcasts created at the studio in conjunction with MLB itself. Audacy signed a content deal with the league, and in addition to those shows, Perrault is also co-hosting a new Boston Red Sox podcast housed at the studio following the success of Section 10.

“As we continue expanding our new 2400Sports podcast studio and embark on our new expansive podcast partnership with Major League Baseball, we’re thrilled about adding Steve to our team to launch a new show centered around the Boston Red Sox,” Audacy Chief Digital Officer J.D. Crowley said in a press release. “This podcast, which will be intensely focused on fan engagement and fan-created content, will lend a unique perspective to everything Red Sox, and we believe Steve truly encompasses the dynamic of the show.”

Perrault is also contributing more time to WEEI in Boston. He is now an on-air contributor at the Red Sox’s flagship station while continuing his duties as co-host of the Live BP Baseball Show on the station.

“I’m beyond excited for this new opportunity with Audacy and 2400Sports,” said Perrault. “We have the potential to make this something really special, and I can’t wait to be a leading force with that. Baseball over everything. Let’s go.”

Perrault rose to fame as a co-host of Section 10, a Barstool Sports Red Sox podcast. He has co-hosted the show over the past seven seasons and is also a contributor to Bleacher Report dating back to 2015.

MLB named Audacy their official podcast partner back in June and has begun integrating BetQL content into their platforms ever since. Perrault is the man tasked with bringing their third podcast studio, 2400Sports, to the top.

Following the legalization of sports gambling in the state of Michigan in 2020, all of the big gambling companies rushed to get their product into the state.

Barstool Sports got off to a hot start in the sports gambling market in the state of Michigan, with a 13 percent market share in their first month. However they have fallen behind, and Dave Portnoy believes that it has something to do with Floyd Mayweather Jr.

“I hear whispers, nothing to back it up, in Michigan Floyd Mayweather (Jr.) bets with MGM,” Dave Portnoy said during a Twitter Space session hosted by Roundhill Investments. “I’ve literally heard that. He’s a monster and can affect handle by himself.”

Portnoy was surprised by the success of MGM in the state of Michigan, as he said ”MGM, I never would have gathered would be so strong there. I also didn’t realize how powerful their physical casino was. Right now we’re still in catch-up.”

Another possible reason that Barstool Sportsbook is playing catch up is that its operator Penn National Gaming doesn’t spend money on ads. They instead depend on the pull of Barstool’s Brand.

In comparison, a Roundhill Investor noted that DraftKings spent more on advertisement in the first quarter of ad spending in 2021 than Penn National Gaming spent on their deal to purchase stake in Barstool Sports, which was $136 million dollars.