Connect with us
Jim Cutler Demos

BSM Writers

Sam and Karl Ravech Made History On ESPN Last Weekend

“There was definitely a mutual understanding that what we just did was rare and could likely only happen once, but hopefully many more times.”

Tyler McComas

Published

on

Sam Ravech’s debut appearance on ESPN likely came during the 2004 World Series. His dad, Karl Ravech, was hosting Baseball Tonight from the right field bleachers at Fenway Park and nine-year-old Sam pleaded to tag along for the night. His wish was granted but a cold Fall evening in Boston meant young Sam was underneath the set of Baseball Tonight, lying by his father’s feet and hugging a space heater to stay warm. Unbeknownst to both Sam and Karl, his right shoe was sticking out of the bottom of the set while the show was live. 

Image result for sam ravech karl ravech

“I’m sure the producer or director was losing their mind,” laughed Sam. “Whenever I wanted his attention, I wouldn’t do it when he was live, when he was at commercial, I would tug on the little ISB earpiece that goes into his ear and he would look down.”

Karl is one of the longest tenured broadcasters at ESPN, starting back in 1993, but one of his favorite days with the network came last Saturday when both he and his son were calling college basketball games at the same time on different ESPN channels. Sam was broadcasting the Manhattan vs. Saint Peter’s women’s game on ESPNU, while Karl was calling Alabama vs. Missouri on ESPN. 

It’s unknown if a father-son duo has ever called different games at the same time on different ESPN platforms, but there’s a good chance the Ravechs accomplished something this past weekend that’s never happened during the illustrious history of the Worldwide Leader. 

“I think it’s fascinating and unique,” said Karl. “First, thankfully, ESPN has multiple channels and platforms so the possibility exists. It was my producer from my basketball games, Scott Matthews, another Ithaca guy, that said I think I saw that your son is doing the game opposite you. I said, he usually does games on Sunday, are you sure? I went and looked and said, ‘Oh my gosh, he is!’ The greatest part for Sam and myself is that his grandparents get a chance to watch their son, and more importantly, their grandson. It’ll be a really neat thing for them.”

“When I found out we were doing a game at the same time I thought it was interesting,” said Sam. “The question is who’s going to get more viewers (laughs).”

Regardless of who got more viewers, Saturday was a proud moment for the entire Ravech family. For Sam, there had to be a level of validation, seeing he was broadcasting a game on ESPNU at just 25 years old, opposite of the man he respects the most. For Karl, there had to be an overwhelming sense of joy to see his son follow in his footsteps and make a name for himself in the business so quickly. 

“Saturday was interesting for sure,” said Karl. “Technical challenges prevented me from actually being on for the start of my game but they were quickly rectified.”

“I got a text from Pat Lowry, our Coordinating Producer for basketball, saying my dad’s camera wasn’t working so Jimmy Dykes had to broadcast the first half,” said Sam. “I found it funny but I’m sure pops didn’t.”

“We did speak after the game,” said Sam. “There was definitely a mutual understanding that what we just did was rare and could likely only happen once, but hopefully many more times.”

“It was incredibly gratifying to see him recognized for his abilities and not his last name,” said Karl. “He was asked to call a game with an analyst who was making her debut. He was trusted to make the analyst comfortable and successful. That faith was rewarded with a broadcaster who was confident, clear and conversational. It was a great day to be a Ravech and even better to be a dad.”

Sam is a rapid up-and-coming broadcaster at ESPN with a ton of success in his future. But unfortunately he has to constantly battle doubters that claim he’s only in this position because of his father’s success at the network. It’s not exactly fair, given Sam’s excellent work calling Double A baseball games for the Richmond Flying Squirrels, but he also knew that by getting into the business it meant putting himself into these type of situations. 

Image result for sam ravech

“I deal with that every day, man,” said Sam. “That’s nothing new. It sucks. But I asked for it and it’s something you have to expect and deal with. What I always tell people is that if it was really because of that, I wouldn’t have re-signed and gotten more games with ESPN. If you’re good, you’re good. ESPN is not in the business of making bad deals. But I deal with it. My wife is supportive and she’s right there with me when something really crazy happens. It’s part of Noah Eagle’s life, the son of Ian Eagle, who’s doing the same thing. I’m sure it’s part of Golic’s life, but it’s worth it because we love to do it.”

“The unfairness exists for sure,” said Karl. “But I don’t think that’s just because your last name is Ravech or if it was Levy or Van Pelt or Buccigross, that they’re going to give you a free pass. It doesn’t work that way when you get to this level. The one thing I learned a long time ago when I got to ESPN in 1993, if you don’t know what you’re talking about, and if you don’t have credibility, the great part about the sports audience is, they more than likely know just as much as you. That means you can get exposed. To his credit, he hasn’t had to experience a lot of that in the games I’ve listened to. He’s extremely well prepared.”

Though Saturday was a monumental day, this likely won’t be the last time both Karl and Sam are calling games on different ESPN networks at the same time. Perhaps, they’ll even call a game together. But until then, Sam will continue to use his father as his biggest mentor in the business. That’s smart, considering half of Karl’s life has been spent working at ESPN. 

“There’s nobody better,” said Sam. “He’s the best. Besides talking to my wife after a game, he’s the next person I talk to. When I first started he would say, don’t talk too much, slow down, stop talking so fast, let it breathe, those were all common phrases he would use. Now, it feels like we’re more on the same level, not that I’m there, because he’s one of the best in the game, but it feels like we’re more on the same plane.”

“When I give feedback to one of his games, it’s usually more encouraging,” said Karl. “Such as, here’s an opportunity where you can ask your analyst a question. You’re trying to elicit conversation and you’re trying to have them share their experience and sometimes that’s the role that you have to do as a play-by-play guy, along with describing the action. You have to make them better. I hope when I’m done with my career, people will say that I always made my analyst better.”

Image result for karl ravech

A Ravech has been at ESPN since 1993. With Sam’s potential on full display, a smart man would bet on a Ravech being at ESPN for many more years to come. Karl is proud of his son, not because he chose this particular career path, but because he worked extremely hard and developed his own style the right way. Sure, Sam has taken several things from his dad’s arsenal, such as how to have fun, tell stories and let the analyst shine, but just because they share a last name doesn’t mean they’re mirror images of each other on a broadcast. Sam knows that he’s the youngest broadcaster at ESPN, but he wants to use that to his advantage, rather than view it as a detriment. 

“One difference may be obvious, but he’s old,” laughed Sam. “I try to incorporate some of the younger things, especially in interviews. I might bring up who has the most followers on TikTok, just fun stuff that he may not understand. I’m 25 years old but not much older than these kids so I like to think I can relate a little bit better, but he is still a cool guy.”

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.

BSM Writers

How to Help Your Clients with Low Website Conversions

Don’t assume there isn’t enough traffic; focus on optimizing user engagement once visitors arrive on the site.

Jeff Caves

Published

on

Graphic for how to increase website conversions
Credit: WPDesigner.Biz

Are your clients dealing with low website conversions? Whenever a marketing campaign is run, and the goal is to convert website visitors into leads, the temptation is to blame low traffic, amongst other issues, for low form fills or appointments being generated.  Just spend more money, you may think! Sometimes, you must look at at least four other potential issues to tackle poor conversion rates. Here are some actionable steps using the IT services industry to increase website conversions.

IT Solutions specializes in providing products, services, or solutions related to technology, particularly in areas such as software development, hardware sales, IT consulting, cybersecurity, cloud computing, networking, and digital transformations. They faced challenges with their website conversions. Despite driving substantial traffic through Google Ads and other SEO tactics, they struggled to convert website visitors into form fills for appointment requests. A 2% to 5% conversion rate could be considered reasonable. Of course, conversion rates can vary based on various factors, such as the competitiveness of the local market, the quality of the website (and radio stations help most to fix that) and its user experience, the effectiveness of marketing campaigns, and the reputation and offerings of the IT solutions business. Focusing on improving the quality of leads and providing exceptional customer service can be just as crucial as achieving high conversion rates. Don’t blame EVERYTHING on the marketing tactics! 

The Diagnosis

Upon thorough analysis, several critical issues were identified with IT Solutions’ website:

1. High Bounce Rate: Nobody was checking out the business. If 70% or more of website visitors only visit the landing page, that is an issue.  It could be slow loading times, irrelevant content, poor user experience, or unclear calls-to-action that prevent them from wanting to know more about IT Solutions. You can check the bounce rate on the Google Analytics page for the website in the left-hand sidebar, click on “Behavior” to expand the menu, then click on “Site Content,” and finally, click on “Landing Pages.” You’ll see a list of landing pages and their respective bounce rates.

2. Complex Navigation: It was hard to move around the website to find relevant information about IT services, and it was unclear who they were initiating contact with and for what purpose.

3. Unclear Calls-to-Action (CTAs): The website lacked clear and compelling CTAs guiding visitors toward requesting an appointment. Simply stating “click here for an appointment” is like asking for a meeting whenever or without establishing value. Here are 28 CTAs for free.

4. Lengthy Forms: The appointment forms were long, without qualifying information, and requested excessive information upfront, deterring potential leads from completing them.

Action Plan

1. Optimize Landing Pages:

   – Redo high-traffic landing pages with clear messaging and compelling CTAs.

   – Showcase IT Solutions’ services as benefits, making it easier for users to request appointments, thereby increasing user engagement and conversions.

2. Simplify Navigation:

   – Reorganize the menu and add more action-oriented links.

   – Provide additional options for users to access relevant information, such as “Get a free IT Solutions 15-point checkup NOW” and “Take this 5-question survey to diagnose your IT issues,” motivating them to book appointments.

3. Enhance CTAs:

   – Utilize concise and persuasive messaging throughout the website.

   – Encourage visitors to take action, whether requesting a free download about “5 things you can do to solve your IT issues on your own” or “get a free pizza for booking an appointment.”

4. Improve the Form Fill:

   – Add a further line about the number of employees who qualify for incoming leads.

   – Highlight the value of leads based on company size, prioritizing forms with higher potential impact.

Review landing pages, navigation, CTAs, and form experience to address website conversion issues. Don’t assume there isn’t enough traffic; focus on optimizing user engagement once visitors arrive on the site.

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

BSM Writers

‘NHL on TNT’ Gives Hockey Fans the ‘NBA on TNT’ Treatment

Watching Albert and Olczyk call a hockey game is like watching Picasso paint and da Vinci sculpt. They are masters of their respective crafts.

John Molori

Published

on

NHL on TNT studio

Let’s play a little word association, sports media style. If I say TNT, what is your response? Chances are it will be a three-letter abbreviation of your own, namely, NBA. Over the years, TNT has built a reputation as arguably the premiere network to telecast the National Basketball Association.

The NBA on TNT pregame and halftime shows have become the gold standard with stars like Ernie Johnson, Jr., Kenny Smith, Charles Barkley, and Shaquille O’Neal. Still, it’s not just this quartet of roundball royalty that has fortified TNT’s hoops coverage.

The rep was also built on tremendous play-by-play announcers like Bob Neal and Kevin Harlan, color analysts like Doug Collins and Reggie Miller, and courtside reporters like the late Craig Sager and current sideline star Allie LaForce.

Indeed, TNT and the NBA have become synonymous, but I have some news for you. This network is not just about professional basketball. This past week I went off the grid with TNT looking at their in-game and studio coverage of the NHL.

On March 24, the NHL on TNT provided coverage of the Pittsburgh Penguins at Colorado Avalanche matchup. Kenny Albert did play-by-play with Eddie Olczyk on color. Albert is not as noted as his legendary broadcasting father Marv Albert, but he has certainly staked his claim as one of the best in the business – able to cross over to multiple sports with equal aplomb.

Hockey is a strong suit for Albert. His rat-tat-tat, drama-building style draws viewers in and keeps us on the edge of our seats. Similarly, Olczyk is one of the top four or five NHL game analysts in the business. His style is understated, providing calm and clear analysis of key plays. They work really well together.

Albert eschews any kind of hackneyed and trite catch phrases for his goal calls. An emphatic, “He shoots and scores!” is plenty enough.

Hockey is a different beast when it comes to play-by-play. Unlike basketball, baseball, football, or even soccer and tennis, there is a minimum of breaks in the action. With hockey, a play-by-play announcer has to know the names of the players like he or she knows her kids’ names.

To me, it is the hardest sport for play-by-play and equally difficult for a color analyst. In basketball, after a team scores, the play-by-play announcer will keep silent and give the color analyst time to talk until the play crosses center court. In baseball and football, there is ample room for commentary.

Hockey does not offer such space, but Olczyk gets the most out of the minimal amount of time. Watching Albert and Olczyk call a hockey game is like watching Picasso paint and da Vinci sculpt. They are masters of their respective crafts.

Coming back from a break in the game, Albert and Olczyk provided on air commentary and then tossed to ice level reporter Brian Boucher who has grown into a tremendous asset to the TNT broadcasts. Boucher provided real talk about Colorado’s objectives of staying on top of their division and vying for the top seed in the Western Conference.

The Penguins, squarely in a rebuilding year having dumped talent at the NHL trade deadline, surprisingly jumped out to a 2–0 lead in this game, and the TNT between periods studio crew was all over it. The excellent Liam McHugh hosted alongside Colby Armstrong, Anson Carter, and Keith Yandle.

Armstrong was especially entertaining. With Pittsburgh outshooting the Avs 16-4, Armstrong noted that it’s the best he’s seen Pittsburgh play in a long time. His reasoning was that teams get geared up for playing Colorado even if it’s out of fear. Great stuff.

Both teams tallied two goals in the second period giving Pittsburgh a 4-2 lead heading into the final frame. When Colorado’s Nathan MacKinnon set up Jonathan Drouin for a goal to make it 4-3, Albert and Olczyk showed their strengths.

Albert called the pass from MacKinnon and one-timer goal from Drouin, and immediately noted that MacKinnon now had a point in all 34 of Colorado’s home games this season. On the goal replay, Olczyk showed how the play developed pointing out how McKinnon allowed Pittsburgh’s Evgenii Malkin to come in close before making the past to Drouin.

The TNT production team then showed a graphic displaying that McKinnon is now second all-time in longest home points streaks trailing only Wayne Gretzky. This was a sublime sequence of symmetry between talent and technicians like a songwriter, musician, and singer creating beautiful music.

What was supposed to be a blowout win for Colorado had now become a hockey barn burner, and the TNT crew was up to the task. Every goal and key play was followed up with replays from multiple angles showing the genesis of the action.

TNT has certainly taken to the velocity of the hockey broadcast with movement that challenges directors, graphics professionals, and videographers.

When there were breaks in this non-stop action, Olczyk was at his best. No hockey analyst draws on his experience as a player and explains that experience better to viewers. The TNT broadcast also lets Boucher freewheel and join in the flow of discussion without having to be introduced.

TNT does not merely rely on the traditional wide shot of the entire rink. We see close-up shots of each goaltender after a great save and the sweat of players on the bench or in the penalty box.

When McKinnon tied the game at 4-4 with 4:38 left in the third period, we got a series of tremendous crowd shots showing the Colorado fans going absolutely berserk. The sage Albert and Olczyk wisely remained quiet for several seconds, letting the cheers do the talking.

When Drouin scored the game winner at 4:06 of overtime, Albert exercised controlled enthusiasm, raising his voice on the call of the goal, but not becoming the show and overshadowing the play itself. He is definitely in the mold of Dan Kelly, Gary Thorne, and Sean McDonough, announcers who enhance but do not supersede the game.

Putting a cherry on top of this hockey Sunday, TNT showed a graphic that the Avalanche now led the NHL in comeback wins this season with 25 and that they were riding a 9-game winning streak. In analyzing the goal, Olczyk opined that the altitude of playing in Colorado was prevalent as the Penguins seemed to tire as the game progressed – really interesting insight.

In the postgame show, Anson Carter made a great point that the chemistry between Drouin and MacKinnon stems from the fact that they have been playing together going back to junior hockey. McKinnon joined in from the arena for a postgame interview. The analysts asked solid questions and even did a funny MVP chant together as the interview ended.

The NHL on TNT takes no back seat to its elder NBA sister. The broadcast provides viewers with flash, dash, and serious hockey talk from every angle – in studio, from the broadcast booth, and on the ice.

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

BSM Writers

Kim Mulkey Now Has Everyone Anticipating Washington Post Story

I can’t imagine what headline, under normal circumstances, the Washington Post would have to put on a Kim Mulkey story to make me want to read it.

Avatar photo

Published

on

photo of LSU women's college basketball coach Kim Mulkey
Credit: Dailymail.co.uk

The Washington Post, you might’ve heard, has a story coming out about controversial LSU women’s basketball coach Kim Mulkey. The reason you might’ve heard is because Kim Mulkey told you. The Tigers coach read a fiery prepared statement just before her team started the Women’s NCAA Tournament. In the statement, Mulkey threatened to sue The Post for defamation before the first word was even published.

Now, I’ve never run a public relations firm but that did not seem like a good idea. The Washington Post story on Mulkey is one of the bigger stories in sports right now and nobody even knows what’s in it. The reason the story, apparently unflattering to Mulkey, is even on anyone’s radar screen is Mulkey herself.

It all started with an innocuous social media post by Sports Illustrated’s Pat Forde right in the middle of the most anticipated two days in sports, the NCAA Tournament Round of 64. On his X account, Forde posted: “Hearing some buzz about a big Washington Post story in the works on LSU women’s hoops coach Kim Mulkey, potentially next week. Wagons being circled, etc.”

You know what generally will go unnoticed at 4:00 on the first Friday of the NCAA Tournament? A post on X about a women’s basketball coach. But don’t tell Mulkey, she saw Forde’s post and decided to fight fire with nuclear weaponry. The result: the average person like me now is really interested in what has Mulkey so incensed. By “average person like me” I mean that I can’t imagine what headline, under normal circumstances, the Washington Post would have to put on a Kim Mulkey story to make me want to read it. Maybe:

“LSU Women’s Coach Discovers Ark of the Covenant”

Or:

“Mulkey Reveals True JFK Assassin(s)”

Perhaps:

“Famed Women’s Basketball Coach Reveals the Mystery Behind Slow Drivers in the Left Lane”

Literally any of those catch my attention more than whatever will likely be the Washington Post headline about Mulkey. But now Mulkey is “Mad as Hell and is not going to take this anymore” so I now have an interest I would never before have had in this story. It has been fascinating to watch the online speculation about the subject of the article and all we really know, as of now, is that it will be written by Kent Babb. This is a dream come true for Babb; he writes an article that is, presumably, not flattering about Kim Mulkey and, before it is even published, she gives the article the greatest commercial anyone could give it. Babb couldn’t have entered into a business agreement with Mulkey and had this turn out better for him.

For those who don’t follow Babb, he is a former NFL reporter who now is an award-winning writer for the Washington Post. In his 14 years with The Post, he has written sports features and authored a couple of books. One of those sports features stories was a deep dive into what he viewed as a large inequity in the level of pay for LSU head football coach Brian Kelly and his LSU players. It is this piece Mulkey described as a “hit piece” and, based on that piece, referred to Babb as a “sleazy reporter.” Babb, and many others, resented the fact his story was labeled as a hit piece. In fact, Babb essentially confirmed he was the author Mulkey was referencing when he shared the original article on X with the comment: “Hit piece?”

Whether a printed piece or a recorded interview, I can’t imagine a better promotion for it than the subject of the interview threatening a libel/slander lawsuit, especially before it is even released. That simply screams “This piece is salacious!!” Also, libel and slander suits get settled all the time, right? Of course they don’t, they seem to never even get filed. That little thing called discovery is a scary thing for most public figures.

The NCAA Tournament has been very entertaining, and I think the Sweet 16 and Elite Eight will be terrific. For only the fifth time ever, the top two seeds have advanced to the third round which sets up for a remarkable weekend. For me, I guess it will now include a Washington Post article, not a sentence I’d normally say.

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 © 2024 Barrett Media.