On the fourth play of the New York Jets’ regular-season campaign, star quarterback Aaron Rodgers fell down with an apparent injury. Fans within a sold-out MetLife Stadium waited with bated breath about the verdict as the 39-year-old veteran received medical attention on the sidelines. Bob Wischusen, who has been working as the Jets radio play-by-play announcer since 2002, did not jump to conclusions about what had occurred and continued calling the game while remaining attentive to the developing storyline.

In the year prior, quarterback Zach Wilson had suffered an injury during a preseason game against the Philadelphia Eagles that several social media users deemed a torn ACL. It turned out to be a sprained MCL that caused him to miss the first three games, a lesson in not assuming conjecture or speculation to be incontrovertibly true.

“Even people that are so-called experts on social media, they make mistakes, so I didn’t say anything about what we thought the extent of the injury was beyond what we were being told,” Wischusen explained. “I kept my fingers crossed that maybe it wasn’t as bad as people were thinking. Unfortunately, in Aaron Rodgers’ case, it turned out to be the worst-case scenario and that was it.”

As the Jets enter the 2024 season, the team and its fans hope to have Rodgers healthy for a full season and return to the playoffs. For Wischusen though, it will represent an alteration on the airwaves since the Jets agreed to an exclusive, multiyear radio and streaming partnership with iHeartMedia that has made Q104.3, New York’s Classic Rock Station, the flagship radio home of the team.

There is excitement surrounding the endeavor and the possibilities it will bring, but Wischusen also feels somewhat doleful in that games will no longer be on ESPN New York. The Good Karma Brands-owned radio station will no longer be on the FM dial, forsaking its lease of the 98.7 FM signal from Emmis Communications. ESPN New York will continue to be distributed digitally while retaining a presence on 1050 AM.

“I understand from a business standpoint that if the company that buys the radio station decides they want to do away with the signal that basically everyone can clearly hear, well I get why the Jets needed to go in a different direction and be on a radio station that has a signal that they feel kind of clearly reaches their fanbase,” Wischusen said, “so it’ll be different.”

Having worked with several hosts at ESPN New York over the years, along with appearing on sports programming and being a loyal listener, the change was an unfortunate occurrence for Wischusen. Nonetheless, he will continue to find the station while remaining curious of the new means of distribution.

“From everything I’ve been told from Jets management, the folks with iHeart and with 104.3 have been awesome so far and are really excited to have us be a part of what they do now,” Wischusen said. “So, I’m looking forward to meeting them because anybody that’s that excited to have us be a part of what they do, it creates enthusiasm for us as well, but there’s certainly a part of me that’s really sad to see the relationship with 98.7 end because [there are] a lot of great people there.”

Landing the coveted local broadcasting job with the Jets was a challenge in and of itself in which Wischusen ultimately reigned victorious. Former Jets executives Bob Parente and Terry Bradway advocated for Wischusen to procure the role ahead of the 2002 season, and he eventually ended up securing the position.

From his inaugural season to the present day, Wischusen has paired with former defensive lineman and color commentator Marty Lyons on the broadcasts. Through their work on the radio, they have developed palpable chemistry and friendship on the airwaves that appeals to listeners.

“We’ll be friends long after we’re no longer calling Jets games together, and that’s the best part of all the fun we’ve had in the booth calling the games and even through the tough years – and there have been plenty of those obviously – we’ve never stopped having fun showing up every week, laughing with the group that we work with and working together,” Wischusen articulated. “So, it says everything that you need to know about him as a person that he’s just that kind of guy. If you don’t like Marty, you’re the problem because everybody likes Marty.”

Outside of Dan Graca assuming responsibility hosting the pregame and postgame show, most of the staff for Jets radio broadcasts has remained the same. There is a cohesiveness and congeniality existent within the broadcasting entity with a widespread commitment to accurately cover the game.

“Since all the NFL is network television, there is no identifiability with a specific voice because it changes potentially every week, so we’re the constant for Jets fans,” Wischusen said, “and we’re really honored that some try to sync the radio broadcast up with the TV because they know us [and] they’ve been listening to us for a long time.”

WFAN had launched late into his time in high school, and he was initially incredulous that people could get paid to watch and discuss sports. When he was in college, he co-hosted Sports Tonight alongside Jon “Boog” Sciambi, Christian Megliola and Joe Tessitore, discussing Boston College athletics and taking calls from listeners. Wischusen ended up interning at WFAN in New York, N.Y. and WEEI in Boston, Ma. where he gained invaluable experience and knowledge about the business. Through recommendations from connections he forged in those endeavors, he ended up earning a job out of school as a producer for Hank Goldberg on WQAM in Miami, Fla.

“I went down there as a producer originally but of course made no mystery of the fact that I wanted to be on the air,” Wischusen said, “and just by being inside the walls of the place and being, when you’re 21-22 years old, a relatively inexpensive alternative, I was given a chance to get on the air.”

Initially starting as an off-the-air radio producer, Wischusen was eventually granted more chances to speak on the airwaves, including filling in on weekends or covering an update shift. As a member of the station who exhibited dedication, resilience and an indefatigable work ethic, management chose to grant him an opportunity.

“Eric Spitz when he was at [W]FAN was [the] one that told me, ‘Internships in our business are like med school for a doctor or law school for a lawyer,’” Wischusen recalled. “They are that important to then becoming someone who’s just inside the walls of a place, getting your first entry-level job and now you’re in it.”

A few years later, Wischusen made it back to New York City and WFAN where he was hired as a reporter and update host. Returning to his home locale, he did not feel pressure to perform and possessed humility and credence that he would be able to thrive. It undoubtedly helped that he was familiar with the sports teams and had interned at the station, granting him a better understanding of what topics would resonate with the listeners.

“There might be other markets where you can get by, but if you’re in New York City and you’re on the air and you say something about one of those teams that turns out to be wrong, you are called out about it by the fans of that team immediately,” Wischusen said. “So, there is, I’m sure, a pressure for some, but I don’t know. I’ve always been relatively confident in my own opinion and the work that I’ve put in to know it, and so I always had a belief that if I was given a chance to get on the air and do it, I would be successful at it.”

Wischusen ended up leaving WFAN in 2001 after he had not been considered for a regular talk show shift amid a changing weekday lineup. Utilizing the experience he had both hosting and calling sports for the Comcast Network, he was hired by MSG Networks and served in a multifaceted role. Wischusen was the host of shows on FOX SportsNet New York, including the Regional Sports Report and Talk of Our Town, along with calling select sporting events. At the same time, he continued to host the Jets pregame and postgame show, a role he had started a few years earlier.

Wischusen realized his dream upon being named the team’s play-by-play announcer and has not looked back since. In fact, he has added more responsibilities and leveraged his versatility to gain additional opportunities in the business. Through it all, he tries to execute his responsibilities and essentially scores a soundtrack for the action without coining distinct phraseology.

Upon joining ESPN in 2005, Wischusen was granted the opportunity to broadcast a wide array of sports as a play-by-play announcer, including college football, baseball and golf. From the onset of his time with the network, he was frequently on the road and assimilated into serving as an announcer on these national broadcasts. During the football season, he balances both collegiate games on television – primarily working alongside Robert Griffin III and Kris Budden – along with his Jets radio responsibilities.

“Nobody wants to hear me complain about my job,” Wischusen said. “I’m sure there are lawyers out there that burn the midnight oil getting ready for a case that don’t want to hear my sob story about having multiple depth charts to study each week. I do what I have to do to be prepared for the games that I have.”

As Wischusen continued to merit additional assignments and multiplatform endeavors at ESPN, something that remained consistent was the fact that the network did not have media rights to the National Hockey League. It was a void that he was not sure would be filled after ESPN did not renew its deal following a league-wide lockout that canceled the 2004-05 NHL season. The potential for a reunion between ESPN and the NHL slowly became more palpable, and Wischusen knew that he would want to be a part of it.

With a keen interest in and knowledge of the sport, Wischusen entered a trailer during a PGA Tour event and met with ESPN executive Mike McQuade, who he discovered would be overseeing coverage if the network was able to close a deal. In a conversation that lasted approximately 20 seconds, he expressed interest in the NHL on ESPN and was informed that he would definitely be a part of it.

“If you know Mike McQuade, that’s a classic Mike McQuade meeting,” Wischusen said. “It’s like, ‘Okay, good meeting, thanks. We bonded; I really enjoyed our time together.’ Mike is allergic to B.S., as zero politics as it gets. He has no interest in who you eat lunch with or playing favorites. He just knows who he wants to have on stuff, and he immediately said, ‘Yeah, I want you to be a part of hockey,’ and that was it – that was really my entire interview process at ESPN.”

Moving back into hockey, however, presented a dichotomy to what Wischusen saw when he was filling in on radio broadcasts of New York Rangers games nearly two decades earlier. The hastened speed of the sport, heightened athleticism and size of the ice surface all resembled contrasts to what he had remembered. It required an adjustment for Wischusen to execute a successful broadcast that affected different stages of the job.

“There was a time where back then if I was a little unsure of a player or wanted to throw a bullet point [or] a stat out, I could look down at my chart, maybe gather some information and then go back to the ice and continue to call the game,” Wischusen said. “You can’t do that now. If you take your eyes off of the ice now, you may never catch back up, and all of a sudden, the puck’s in the net and you missed it.”

The frenetic, expeditious pace of the game on ice renders it essential that the broadcast team keeps up with the action. It requires a shrewd, deft knowledge of the teams, players and personnel, along with the ability to contextualize in real time and demarcate other conversation.

“On a Tuesday night in February, the crowd is on the edge of their seat a lot of times because it’s 2-2 in the third period and just the game is such an exciting product,” Wischusen said. “And now you add obviously the playoffs and the significance of the games that we get to call now, and it’s that times 100.”

Throughout the game, Wischusen will ask his analyst for their thoughts on the broadcast and how to improve. In the high-pressure situations, he leans on his experience and does not overthink it, concentrating on accurately and succinctly documenting the moment. Once the game has concluded, he does not engage in an excess amount of listening or watching replays; rather, he will select a segment from the contest to review his performance.

Contemporaneous to that is carrying respect of the local audience and an ability to convey comprehensive knowledge both discernible and recondite. Wischusen hopes that the assemblage of previous work and sustained excellence leads to a chance to call a seminal event, such as the Super Bowl or Stanley Cup Final.

“I’ve just never been given that opportunity yet, so I hope at some point during my career, a decision maker kind of taps me on the shoulder and says, ‘Now it’s your turn’ and I get that call, and hopefully I’m prepared for it when it happens,” Wischusen said. “I still have career ambition.”

Although Wischusen does not perceive himself to have reached a career zenith, he understands that the business is competitive and based on performance. There have been moments in his career where he has been disappointed not to receive certain assignments but remains optimistic that his time will come. Even if the yearning represents a destination that cannot be reached though, he is grateful for the career he has had and focused on the next game.

“If tomorrow I ended my broadcast career, look at the friends that I’ve made and look at the places I’ve been and the atmospheres I’ve been a part of and the games I’ve had a chance to watch in person and be in the middle of,” Wischusen said. “If my career ended immediately, I still have been incredibly lucky, and I try not to lose sight of that even when you’re aspiring to try to move up the ladder and do bigger and better.”

Summer calls for trips to family reunions, visits to distant kids, baseball games, and amusement park adventures. But it also signals a surge in road trips, making local tire dealerships gear up for travelers needing to ensure their vehicles are road trip ready. With a focus on pre-trip services through local radio and timely discounted maintenance packages or in-house credit via podcast ads, your local tire shop can become the pit stop every Clark Griswold needs. 3 out of 4 people listen to the car AM/FM radio each week, and 1/3 of adults listen to podcasts each week. Here’s how to craft a winning radio and podcast advertising strategy for your local tire shop this summer:

Local Radio Ads: Pre-Trip Services

For tire dealerships already running local radio ads, it’s essential to fine-tune the ad copy to appeal to road trippers. Given the cost-prohibitive nature of airfare for many families, station wagon roadies, ala Griswold, are becoming increasingly common. By offering pre-trip inspection specials, your local tire shop can capture the attention of local commuters and travelers, emphasizing the importance of checking tire pressure, tread wear, and fluid levels. Picture Clark Griswold tuning in to his favorite Chicago sports show, dreaming of attending the 2024 Hall of Fame game with the Bears vs. Texans in Canton, and visiting Cedar Point amusement park. A sweet 800-mile round-tripper – and your tire shop being his first pit stop.

Podcast Ads: Discounted Maintenance Packages

Most local radio stations offer podcast ad opportunities, providing an additional reach to travelers. Whether it’s fresh content or replays of local shows and interviews, podcasts offer a way for travelers to stay connected to their favorite local content while on the road. By leveraging host-read podcast ads, you can target listeners actively planning their return home and the maintenance their vehicles may require. Consider employing a host-read podcast ad to promote bundled maintenance packages, including inspections, tire rotations, fluid checks, and a car wash coupon. Long car trips often unearth unexpected maintenance needs or engine light alerts – making these packages a lifesaver. Or promote in-store credit options for cash poor road trippers. Always try to hire a radio on-air personality endorser for super power ad results.

Reaching Road Trippers at Every Stage

Tire shops effectively engage road trippers by combining local radio and podcast ads at various planning stages. While radio ads capture the attention of local commuters and travelers, stressing the importance of pre-trip inspections and maintenance, podcast ads travel with listeners, offering them discounted maintenance packages or financial relief for unexpected repairs after a vacation. Now that’s a 1-2 punch!

Ladies and gentlemen, meet the newest star at MLB Network. Her name is Abby Labar and in just over a month, she has made the popular highlight show Quick Pitch her very own. This is no small feat given the roster of previous hosts including the talented likes of Siera Santos, Kelly Nash, Keiana Martin, Heidi Watney and others.

Labar has taken her upbeat brand of reporting and humor and totally put her stamp on the production. Labar is new to MLB Network, but not to television. While a student at North Carolina State, she was a bit of a TV sports wunderkind, covering collegiate and professional sports even before she graduated in 2017.

She is a two-time Emmy nominee who has covered the Carolina Hurricanes, ACC football, and worked on various shows on a host of networks. Labar has also experienced the challenges of media fame and is unafraid to share glimpses of her personal life on her social media platforms.

With media ownership changes, personnel shifts, and talent layoffs, there is a revolving door of new faces on network television. Labar is one of these faces, but in this case, it is a welcome change.

Quick Pitch airs each night after MLB games with several reruns into the morning. Its aim is to bring viewers up to date on the complete slate of games with highlights, statistics, news, play by play calls, and player reactions. It is by far the best baseball highlight show on television and the newest incarnation with Labar as host is a huge reason.

Labar does not just present highlights, she performs them. Taking a page from Santos, she goes beyond merely opening the show, introducing the highlights, giving a little commentary, and closing the show. Instead, she has created characters, used props, and presented an overall joyous display of baseball entertainment.

It is obvious that Labar belongs in front of the camera, but she is about far more than fashion and flash. Any host, male or female, can show up to the set, be prepared, look good, and read copy, but this is not Labar’s modus operandi. There is a real exuberance and commitment to everything she does on Quick Pitch, creating a viewing experience for the baseball fan that is inviting, exciting, and delighting.

Beyond the enthusiasm, there is a work ethic to Labar’s efforts. It is always tough when you are the new kid on the block on an established show, but Labar is unshaken by the legacy and hell bent on creating her own.

Let’s keep it real. Quick Pitch is not a host-dependent program. The show quite often opens, goes to break, and returns from break with game highlights. In fact, there are numerous occasions where you don’t see the host for several minutes as one game highlight moves to another.

Moreover, there is an endless chain of graphics, statistics, and sound from the previous day’s games. Still, Labar is making the most of her on-camera minutes and, I believe, garnering more on-screen time because of her sterling performance. As a viewer tuning in, it seems to me that Labar is having a grand old time hosting Quick Pitch.

On recent shows, she has stepped to the plate and took some swings on the MLB Network studio field, offered some dance moves on set, laid down on the studio floor for a highlight intro, did a standup from a makeshift bar, tossed around a basketball, and acted the part of a night club DJ.

She has even tossed good-natured jabs at her fellow MLB network colleagues. Labar recently called out MLB Network anchor Greg Amsinger for being a no-hitter jinx. She showed video of Amsinger spouting that Dodgers’ pitcher Yoshinobu Yamamoto was on no-hitter alert before his game vs. the Marlins even started. Miami’s Jazz Chisholm, Jr. proceeded to crush Yamamoto’s first pitch of the game for a home run.

On another recent edition of Quick Pitch, Labar donned glasses and played the role of a teacher calling out members of the Dodgers in class. She repeated pitcher Walker Buehler‘s name several times in the mold of Ben Stein’s memorable teacher role in the film Ferris Bueller‘s Day Off. “Buehler, Buehler, Buehler,” she repeated. It was a funny turn.

Labar recognizes her role as host of Quick Pitch. She does not make many critical comments or bold statements on baseball, but she adeptly presents the highlights and graphics, calling attention to the statistical anomalies and coincidences akin to baseball. She is a host in the utmost sense of the word. Game results might be the reason people are tuning into Quick Pitch, but Labar is the reason they are staying and enjoying the program.

On a recent episode, she was talking about the streaking Minnesota Twins and referenced the 1991 Twins team that won the World Series. In detailing what was going on in 1991, she mentioned that a VCR cost $400. The youthful Labar stopped herself and deadpanned, “Wait, what’s a VCR?”

On the May 4^th edition, Labar wielded a light saber with Star Wars-like music in the background talking about “May the Fourth Be with You” celebrations throughout baseball. Subsequently, she made mention of the Kentucky Derby and closed the show by riding off the set on a makeshift horse.

Listen, a lot of this stuff is a little bit hokey, and I’m sure the producers and Labar work on these comedic routines in production meetings. Still, for the powers-that-be at MLB Network to have the confidence in Labar to deliver the goods says something about her talent. Moreover, for a relative newcomer to be willing to take those chances is refreshing.

With Labar at the helm, Quick Pitch has evolved from a solid baseball highlight show to an unpredictably fun spectacle. The show is still not totally host driven, but all the features, soundbites, graphics, stats, and highlights are enhanced with Labar as the front person.

I was skeptical as to whether Quick Pitch could maintain its quality, especially with the departure of Santos to MLB Network’s Intentional Talk program, but it is alive, well, and quite possibly better than ever. Santos, Lauren Gardner, and other MLB Network talents still fill in on Quick Pitch, but it has squarely become Labar’s show.

There are a lot of really good young sports personalities out there including Drew Scott, Kendra Andrews, Kayla Burton, and many others. With her creativity and fearlessness, Labar is putting herself not only on this list, but perhaps at the top of it. Quick Pitch is definitely an early season winner, and Labar is the frontrunner for Rookie of the Year.