If you work in the sports media industry you’ve likely heard someone along the way utter the phrase “don’t bury the lead“. I’m usually good about following that advice but I didn’t do that at our 2022 BSM Summit.

We introduced the greatest tandem in sports radio history, Mike Francesa and Chris ‘Mad Dog’ Russo and it was a special half hour. Mike and the Mad Dog were reunited after seven years apart and every individual at the event knew they were witnessing something magical on stage. I created a Mike and the Mad Dog Award for the event, which went to Felger and Mazz, who were the absolute right choice to win it. Even Chris remarked ‘that’s the right call‘.

But I learned quickly that although the intention was right in honoring the industry’s current top performing show, when you have legends in the room and they’re in their element, the last thing you want to do is overcrowd them. The connection Mike and Chris had on the air became the gold standard by which we measure successful sports talk shows, and they didn’t need an award created to deliver a special moment, just two mics and 20-30 minutes of stage time.

As I began thinking about the 2023 BSM Summit, I knew there was an opportunity to build on what we started last year with Mike and Chris, and after talking to a few people who I trust and respect, the decision of who we would recognize became crystal clear. I believe it’s important to honor the greats in our business because those who leave a permanent mark on our industry deserve it. The man we’ve selected has spent more than five decades on your television screen calling the biggest games, and producing some of the most iconic moments sports has to offer. He’s worked with the best of the best inside the booth, has helped elevate the presentation and execution of in-game content for ABC, NBC and Amazon, and his call of the Miracle on Ice, the US Olympic hockey team’s 1980 gold medal win over Russia remains one of the best calls in the history of sports.

Ladies and Gentlemen, I am honored and privileged to share that Al Michaels will join us on Wednesday March 22nd at the 2023 BSM Summit for our awards presentation, where we will present him with BSM’s Lifetime Achievement Award.

Michaels is one of America’s most respected sports broadcasting voices, known for his exceptional work on Monday Night Football (1986-2005), Sunday Night Football (2006-2022) and Thursday Night Football (2022-Present). He’s called the Super Bowl, World Series, NBA Finals, Stanley Cup Finals, Hagler-Hearns, the Olympics, the Indy 500, Horse Racing’s Triple Crown races, College Football and Basketball games, Golf, and more. He’s even held roles as the voice of the University of Hawaii, the Cincinnati Reds, and the San Francisco Giants, and was in the booth in 1989 when an earthquake rocked the Bay Area during Game 3 of the A’s-Giants world series.

The Brooklyn native turned Los Angeles resident has a star on the Hollywood Walk of Fame, and owns a ton of hardware including five sports Emmy’s, three NSMA Sportscaster of the Year honors, the 2013 Pete Rozelle Radio & Television Award distributed by the Pro Football Hall of Fame, and the 2021 Ford C. Frick Award given out by the Major League Baseball Hall of Fame. Though his trophy case may be full, we’re excited to add another to his collection to show our appreciation and respect for the impact he’s made on the sports media business.

A quick reminder, the BSM Summit takes place on Tuesday March 21st and Wednesday March 22nd at the Founders Club at the University of Southern California. Tickets are on-sale at BSMSummit.com.

Be advised, we have started adding sessions and times on the website. As always, the schedule is subject to change. Our final agenda will be posted by the end of next week. In addition, attendees will receive an email by next Friday with details of who will be in attendance. We hope to see you there.

As we gear up for our 5th annual BSM Summit on March 21-22, 2023, I’m starting to get a better feel for how the final puzzle may look. When this process starts I have no idea how it’s going to turn out because so much depends on who says yes and no. Many who’ve attended over the years have complimented our lineups, and I appreciate it because I put a lot of time and effort into featuring a strong mix of professionals from different areas of the industry. Though I’m proud of the work we do and the schedule we deliver, there are so many things pursued leading up to the event that I can’t help but wonder ‘what if this or that had worked out?’

One thing that some folks don’t understand if they haven’t been to the show before is that this is not a talent conference. It’s a sports media business conference. That means we feature radio, TV and digital executives, programmers, researchers, sales professionals, and yes, talent. I believe on-air performers are vital to the industry’s success and I want the best of the best sharing their wisdom with everyone in the room, but we’re also not going to do two full days of on-air conversations. Being successful in sports media requires understanding the on-air side and the business side, and we do our best to offer a blend of both.

For today’s announcement, I’m excited to welcome a few sports media pros who have enjoyed success in different parts of the country, and in different areas of the business.

First, Rob Parker is someone who has made a name for himself as a radio host, writer, TV commentator, and teacher. He’s currently heard weeknights on FOX Sports Radio, teaches students at USC Annenberg, writes for Deadspin, and is helping MLBBro gain awareness and a bigger mainstream media presence covering Major League Baseball. He’s experienced, smart, and never short on opinion. I’m looking forward to having him join Mitch Rosen of 670 The Score/BetQL, and Scott Shapiro of FOX Sports Radio for a session titled “Aircheck On Campus“. They’ll take the stage together on Wednesday March 22nd from 2:10-2:45.

My next three speakers, all come from the sports radio programming department.

Matt Fishman is the Director of Content for ESPN 850 Cleveland. Fishman has been with the brand since January 2020 following stints at SiriusXM, 610 Sports in Kansas City, and 670 The Score in Chicago. He even wrote for BSM for a few years.

Sean Thompson is responsible for programming decisions at Arizona Sports and ESPN 620 AM. He joined the well respected Phoenix brand after more than a decade in Atlanta at 92.9 The Game. Sean has also worked in affiliate relations for Westwood One, and on the air and as a programmer in music radio for Good Karma Brands in Madison, WI.

Brian Long is the program director of both San Diego Sports 760 and KOGO 600 in San Diego. In addition to guiding two of the top talk brands in his market, he has also managed Seattle Sports 710, and served as the Assistant Program Director for ESPN LA 710.

Matt, Sean, and Brian will be part of one of our final sessions on day two of the Summit. The Last Call which yours truly is hosting, will explore unique revenue opportunities created by local brands, and examine a few new ideas and missed opportunities that brands and managers may want to take advantage of in the future.

As of today, the Summit has more than forty accomplished professionals taking the stage at the Founders Club at USC’s Galen Center on March 21-22, 2023. I’ve got a few others still to announce as well, including a few cool giveaways planned for the WWE’s Kickoff party.

If you haven’t bought a ticket and wish to be in the room, visit BSMSummit.com. The last day for ticket sales will be Monday March 13th. I’m hoping to release our final schedule of sessions on Tuesday March 14th. Hopefully I’ll see you in the city of angels.

I’ve been fortunate over the years to sit down with a number of accomplished executives to examine the opportunities and challenges facing the sports media industry. The top brands and networks in our business remain strong because they’re led by exceptional leaders who have a firm understanding of how to maintain excellence, where to take risks, and when to zig when others zag.

Since bringing this conference into the public arena, I’ve shared stages with ESPN’s Jimmy Pitaro, Meadowlark Media’s John Skipper, and Barstool’s Erika Ayers. I’ve also had Eric Shanks of FOX Sports in the building for an awards presentation in 2019 but I’ve never had the chance to sit down with him and pick his brain.

That’s changing at this year’s BSM Summit.

I am excited to share that FOX Sports CEO and Executive Producer Eric Shanks will join me for our Keynote Conversation on Day 2 of this year’s BSM Summit. The session is scheduled for Wednesday March 22nd from 11:10a-11:45a at The Founders Club inside the Galen Center at the University of Southern California. Please make sure you’re in the room for this one because there’s much to learn when one of the industry’s top executives sits down to offer his insights and opinions on the state of the sports media business.

If you look at the current sports media climate, FOX has been and remains one of the industry’s most dominant players with Eric in charge. Their investments in elite talent, sports rights, sports betting, and FS1 have paid great dividends, but they’ve also not taken the plunge into streaming the way a few others have. That’s one area of the conversation I’m looking forward to talking with Eric about, among other business topics.

Though we haven’t sat down to talk shop in a public space before, what I’ve always appreciated about Eric is that he’s accessible. It’d be understandable if he wasn’t given how much he has on his plate but whenever I’ve had a question or just wanted to pass along a compliment based on something FOX did well, he’s always responded. If you do a quick Google search and look at how he’s viewed by FOX’s league partners, the feedback is consistently glowing. It’s easy to see why the company is in great shape and the best brands and performers want to work with him.

The real beauty of these conversations is that they allow radio, television, advertising, and digital media professionals to gain a better understanding of what goes into making great brands and companies elite. They provide answers that enlighten us to what lies ahead, and sometimes those responses may support or challenge our own personal points of view.

Perhaps even more important, these sessions give attendees a greater appreciation and respect for those in prominent roles who they may only know by a name on a website or press release. If you can walk out of the room feeling like you’ve learned how a decision maker sees the business world you’re in, and gain perspective of why they operate a certain way, it helps you develop a closer connection to their brand and content, and gives you additional knowledge to get better at your own job.

If you haven’t yet bought a ticket to attend the Summit or reserved your hotel room, do so now. We’re having a sale on tickets all of this week. It officially ends on Friday night March 3rd. The last day to purchase tickets will be Monday March 13th.

Be advised, we have a few announcements still to make that we’re sure folks are going to enjoy. We’re also wrapping up our sponsorships for the show, so if you work with a brand and wish to be associated with the Summit, email Stephanie at Sa***@Ba****************.com.

It’s hard to believe it but we are less than 3 weeks away from bringing the industry together again. I’m looking forward to two great days of learning and hope to see you there.