Sports Media with Richard Deitsch

Episode 524 of the Sports Media Podcast features two guests for a sports media roundtable: Jon Lewis, founder and editor of Sports Media Watch, and Austin Karp, assistant managing editor of Sports Business Journal. In this podcast we discuss the biggest sports stories of the first half of 2025 and what we think will be the biggest stories of the second half of 2025 including the new NBA players, ESPN's DTC, and college football coverage; what would the men's and women's basketball tournament look like going to 76 teams; WNBA expansion, and more. You can subscribe to this podcast on Apple Podcasts, Spotify, and more. To learn more about listener data and our privacy practices visit: https://www.audacyinc.com/privacy-policy Learn more about your ad choices. Visit https://podcastchoices.com/adchoices

Episode 523 of the Sports Media Podcast features Kurt Badenhausen, a reporter who covers sports business for Sportico. In this podcast, Badenhausen explains the process of reporting out pro sports valuations; how the work changes based on the sport; Sportico releasing its second annual WNBA valuation report, which showed the average WNBA team is now valued at $269 million, a 180 percent increase compared to last year’s report; why the Golden State Valkyries are worth a $500 million valuation, a women’s sports franchise; the Cowboys atop the sports list with a value of $10.32 billion; the NFL valuations; how an NBA title helps increase the Thunder valuation; the future of sports business outlets, and more. You can subscribe to this podcast on Apple Podcasts, Spotify, and more. To learn more about listener data and our privacy practices visit: https://www.audacyinc.com/privacy-policy Learn more about your ad choices. Visit https://podcastchoices.com/adchoices

Episode 522 of the Sports Media Podcast features Jason Benetti, the television voice of the Detroit Tigers and a play by play announcer for Fox Sports. In this podcast, Benetti discusses what it's like calling the best team in baseball (so far); why the Tigers have been successful; how calling a winning team impacts how the viewer perceives a broadcast; Detroit as a sports city; the best stadium experiences for a visiting broadcaster; chatting with Jack White and J.K. Simmons about baseball; his upcoming Fox college football schedule and much more. You can subscribe to this podcast on Apple Podcasts, Spotify, and more. To learn more about listener data and our privacy practices visit: https://www.audacyinc.com/privacy-policy Learn more about your ad choices. Visit https://podcastchoices.com/adchoices

Episode 521 of the Sports Media Podcast features Jon Lewis, founder and editor of Sports Media Watch and Donnovan Bennett, host and podcaster for Sportsnet. In this podcast we discuss the NBA's Game 7 viewership (16.35 million viewers) and how it bailed out what would have been a catastrophic viewership story; Game 7 being the most-watched NBA Finals game in six years; the viewership issues for Thunder-Pacers; why people did not watch the series before Game 7; ESPN/ABC's negative-centric NBA Finals halftime show; how next year's new media deal featuring Amazon, NBC and ESPN/ABC will change coverage, and more. You can subscribe to this podcast on Apple Podcasts, Spotify, and more. To learn more about listener data and our privacy practices visit: https://www.audacyinc.com/privacy-policy Learn more about your ad choices. Visit https://podcastchoices.com/adchoices

Episode 520 of the Sports Media Podcast features Chantel Jennings, who covers women's college basketball and the WNBA and Ben Pickman, who covers the WNBA for The Athletic. Both are regulars on the "No Offseason: The Athletic Women's Basketball Show," which is a twice-weekly podcast on all things women's basketball. In this podcast Jennings and Pickman discuss the pace at which interest in Caitlin Clark has been accelerated; why the interest has exploded; the Fever-Sun game becoming a national story; the media coverage of WNBA officiating; why the No Offseason podcast has found an audience; what they hear from players and coaches about being on podcasts, and more. You can subscribe to this podcast on Apple Podcasts, Spotify, and more. To learn more about listener data and our privacy practices visit: https://www.audacyinc.com/privacy-policy Learn more about your ad choices. Visit https://podcastchoices.com/adchoices

Episode 519 of the Sports Media Podcast features Jon Lewis, the founder and editor of Sports Media Watch. In this podcast, Lewis and Deitsch discusses ESPN's NBA presentation; Lewis's piece on Stephen A Smith; how much big cities matter with viewership for the NBA and NHL; why the Stanley Cup Final has struggled to find an audience in the U.S.; a historical look at Game 7 viewership for the NBA Finals; and more. You can subscribe to this podcast on Apple Podcasts, Spotify, and more. To learn more about listener data and our privacy practices visit: https://www.audacyinc.com/privacy-policy Learn more about your ad choices. Visit https://podcastchoices.com/adchoices

Episode 518 of the Sports Media Podcast features Jon Wertheim, a longtime Sports Illustrated writer and editor, 60 Minutes correspondent, and Tennis Channel and Turner Sports tennis commentator. Wertheim is a producer on the upcoming HBO documentary "Surviving Ohio State" which delves into the Ohio State sex abuse scandal and the victims of Dr. Richard Strauss, employed by the university from 1978-1998. The documentary debuts June 17. In this podcast, Wertheim discusses how the Ohio State documentary came to be; what it's like to interview survivors of sexual assault; the question of male athletes being worth less than female athletes who are survivors of abuse; whether Ohio State has taken accountability and responsibility; Jim Jordan and this story; where the Alcaraz-Sinner final rates all-time; Turner Sports's coverage of the French Open; the future of Tennis Channel, and more. You can subscribe to this podcast on Apple Podcasts, Spotify, and more. To learn more about listener data and our privacy practices visit: https://www.audacyinc.com/privacy-policy Learn more about your ad choices. Visit https://podcastchoices.com/adchoices

Episode 517 of the Sports Media Podcast features Howard Megdal, a longtime women's basketball writer and the author of a new book. "Becoming Caitlin Clark: The Unknown Origin Story of a Modern Basketball Superstar." He is followed by Tom Caraccioli and Jerry Caraccioli, the co-authors of "Ice Breakers: A Kids' Guide to Hockey and the Greatest Players Who Changed the Game." In this podcast Megdal discusses why he decided to write a book on Caitlin Clark through the prism of the growth of women's basketball; how Megdal views Clark's popularity; ESPN finally promoting the WNBA as it should; his thought on Clark's impact as a parallel to Michael Jordan in 1984; her awareness of his book; competing against another high-profile Clark book out at the same time; why Iowa has always been a hotbed for women's basketball; opportunities that exist today for people covering the WNBA; Clark's longterm ceiling, and more. The Caracciolis discuss the market for kids hockey books; how one writes for kids; how they decided who made the cut of the greatest NHLers; advice to get into sports public relations and more. You can subscribe to this podcast on Apple Podcasts, Spotify, and more. To learn more about listener data and our privacy practices visit: https://www.audacyinc.com/privacy-policy Learn more about your ad choices. Visit https://podcastchoices.com/adchoices

Episode 516 of the Sports Media Podcast features Cheryl Reeve, the Head Coach and President of Basketball Operations for the Minnesota Lynx. Reeve's resume includes coaching the Lynx to four WNBA titles, winning two championships with the former Detroit Shock and coaching the 2024 U.S. women's Olympic team to a gold medal. In this podcast Reeve discusses how much she thinks about media coverage; how she looks at local coverage versus national media; why Lynx star Napheesa Collier did not have a higher profile prior to this year; the history of media coverage in the WNBA; what she would do if she was in charge of WNBA broadcasting; whether the league can be more transparent when it comes to fines for coaches/players; how much of a motivator last season is for her team; her comments last year after the Finals loss; what she learned about coaching Hall of Fame caliber players; her best leadership lessons and more. You can subscribe to this podcast on Apple Podcasts, Spotify, and more. To learn more about listener data and our privacy practices visit: https://www.audacyinc.com/privacy-policy Learn more about your ad choices. Visit https://podcastchoices.com/adchoices

Here’s a short clip from our upcoming interview with Cheryl Reeve, the head coach and president of basketball operations for the Minnesota Lynx. The full interview will be available on Wednesday In this clip, Reeve discusses why Lynx star Napheesa Collier is finally getting the national attention she previously did not. You can subscribe to this podcast on Apple Podcasts, Spotify, and more. To learn more about listener data and our privacy practices visit: https://www.audacyinc.com/privacy-policy Learn more about your ad choices. Visit https://podcastchoices.com/adchoices

Episode 515 of the Sports Media Podcast with Richard Deitsch features Sports Media Watch founder and editor Jon Lewis and Austin Karp, the managing editor of Sports Business Journal. In this podcast, Lewis and Karp discuss the Mike Breen, Doris Burke and Richard Jefferson; the comp to Joe Buck, Tom Verducci and Harold Reynolds; the NBA's Game 1 viewership numbers; TNT's French Open debut was a strong showing; the future of TNT Sports post-NBA; the NHL's Stanley Cup viewership and more. You can subscribe to this podcast on Apple Podcasts, Spotify, and more. To learn more about listener data and our privacy practices visit: https://www.audacyinc.com/privacy-policy Learn more about your ad choices. Visit https://podcastchoices.com/adchoices

Episode 514 of the Sports Media Podcast with Richard Deitsch features Cat Osterman, one of four general managers for The Athletes Unlimited Softball League (AUSL). Osterman is one of the greatest pitchers in the history of softball, a four-time All-American pitcher for Texas who also starred for Team USA. The AUSL begins play on June 7 and games will air on ESPN and MLB Network among other entities. In this podcast, Osterman discusses why 2025 is the right time for the American sports public to support a pro softball league; why the league is not city-based in Year 1; the funding for the league; games airing across ESPN Platforms, MLB Network, MLB.com, FanDuel Sports Network and All Women’s Sports Network, with regional coverage across MSG Network, NESN, Fox 32 Chicago; what kind of player access the broadcasters will have; the robust viewership for the Women College World Series; softball returning to the 2028 Olympics; wanting to face Jeff Bagwell and more. You can subscribe to this podcast on Apple Podcasts, Spotify, and more. To learn more about listener data and our privacy practices visit: https://www.audacyinc.com/privacy-policy Learn more about your ad choices. Visit https://podcastchoices.com/adchoices

Episode 513 of the Sports Media Podcast with Richard Deitsch features host and podcaster Donnovan Bennett of Sportsnet (Canada), Sports Media Watch founder and editor Jon Lewis and Boston Globe sports media columnist Chad Finn. In this podcast, we discuss what kind of interest the Thunder-Pacers NBA Finals will have; what it means that last year's NBA Finals averaged 11.31 million viewers; why we have not seen an NBA Finals game get more 14 million in five years; the Stanley Cup Final between the Oilers-Panthers; why this series will pop in Canada; WBD doing the series as opposed to ABC/ESPN and what that means; the celebrations for Inside The NBA; will ESPN keep the show the same, and more. You can subscribe to this podcast on Apple Podcasts, Spotify, and more. To learn more about listener data and our privacy practices visit: https://www.audacyinc.com/privacy-policy Learn more about your ad choices. Visit https://podcastchoices.com/adchoices

Episode 512 of the Sports Media Podcast with Richard Deitsch features Kate Scott, who hosts UEFA Champions League Today studio coverage alongside analysts Thierry Henry, Jamie Carragher and Micah Richards. CBS Sports will air UEFA Champions League Final coverage between PSG and Inter Milan in Munich on May 31 across the CBS Television Network, CBS Sports Network, Paramount+ and CBS Sports Golazo Network. In this podcast, Scott discusses Munich as a setting for the Champions League Final; what to expect from PSG and Inter Milan in the final; the broadcast prep for a Champions League Final day; the fame of Thierry Henry; why her show continues to grow in popularity; Netflix’s upcoming Women’s World Cup event; working on both boxing and soccer productions; and more. You can subscribe to this podcast on Apple Podcasts, Spotify, and more. To learn more about listener data and our privacy practices visit: https://www.audacyinc.com/privacy-policy Learn more about your ad choices. Visit https://podcastchoices.com/adchoices

Episode 511 of the Sports Media Podcast with Richard Deitsch features Mike Breen, the lead NBA game-caller for ESPN and ABC. Breen will be the play by play voice of the NBA Finals, which will be his 20th straight NBA Finals, the most any play-by-play voice has called consecutively. In this podcast, Breen discusses what is unique about calling games in Oklahoma City and Minneapolis; how surreal it would be to call the Knicks in the Finals given he is the long time play-by-play announcer for Knicks telecasts on MSG Networks; whether people outside of New York care about the Knicks; calling Game 5 of the 1994 NBA Finals between the Knicks and Rockets as O.J. Simpson led Los Angeles police on a low-speed chase after a warrant for his arrest was issued in connection to the murder of his ex-wife Nicole Brown and her friend Ron Goldman; adjusting to significant analyst turnover over the last few years; his interest in how NBC and Amazon will put on NBA games; being part of Hubie Brown's last broadcast; NBA viewership and more. You can subscribe to this podcast on Apple Podcasts, Spotify, and more. To learn more about listener data and our privacy practices visit: https://www.audacyinc.com/privacy-policy Learn more about your ad choices. Visit https://podcastchoices.com/adchoices

Here’s a short clip from our upcoming interview with Mike Breen, the lead play by play caller ESPN/ABC’s NBA coverage. The full interview will be available on Tuesday. In this clip, Breen discusses calling Game 5 of the 1994 NBA Finals between the Knicks and Rockets as O.J. Simpson led Los Angeles police on a low-speed chase after a warrant for his arrest was issued in connection to the murder of his ex-wife Nicole Brown and her friend Ron Goldman. You can subscribe to this podcast on Apple Podcasts, Spotify, and more. To learn more about listener data and our privacy practices visit: https://www.audacyinc.com/privacy-policy Learn more about your ad choices. Visit https://podcastchoices.com/adchoices

Episode 510 of the Sports Media Podcast with Richard Deitsch features James Andrew Miller, the best-selling author of many books including on CAA, ESPN, Saturday Night Live, and HBO. In this podcast, Miller discusses the end of Around The Horn after a 23 year run and nearly 5,000 episodes; why the show was successful for so long; the show's true success as an incubator of young sports TV talent; praise for Tony Reali for being ego free as an on-air talent; whether Horn deserves criticism for being part of a sports TV culture of quick sports takes and thereby devaluing larger sports discourse; why ESPN would end a show that still draws more than 300,000 annually; the future of Pardon The Interruption from Jim's perspective and more. You can subscribe to this podcast on Apple Podcasts, Spotify, and more. To learn more about listener data and our privacy practices visit: https://www.audacyinc.com/privacy-policy Learn more about your ad choices. Visit https://podcastchoices.com/adchoices

Episode 509 of the Sports Media Podcast with Richard Deitsch features host and podcaster Donnovan Bennett of Sportsnet (Canada) and Sports Media Watch founder and editor Jon Lewis. In this podcast we discuss the NFL schedule overall; what network schedule looks best; the Monday Night Football doubleheader issue; have the Chiefs passed the Cowboys as the NFL’s most popular viewership; why has schedule release day become so big; the WNBA’s opening weekend; the depth of major stars from A'ja Wilson and beyond; nationalizing games with Caitlin Clark; Bennett’s thought that the viewership comparison for Clark is Mike Tyson in his prime, and more. You can subscribe to this podcast on Apple Podcasts, Spotify, and more. To learn more about listener data and our privacy practices visit: https://www.audacyinc.com/privacy-policy Learn more about your ad choices. Visit https://podcastchoices.com/adchoices

Episode 508 of the Sports Media Podcast with Richard Deitsch features Hans Schroeder, the NFL’s EVP for Media Distribution. In this podcast, Schroeder discusses whether the NFL front-loaded its schedule and how the league thinks about the first two weeks of the season; Fox’s desire to have more AFC teams on its schedule this year; how the league parcels out the Chiefs and Cowboys knowing everyone wants them; the most request game; the NFL’s Christmas Day schedule and how should fans of other sports view the NFL playing on days associated with other sports; the Chiefs-Cowboys on Thanksgiving afternoon and the viewership potential for that game; where things stand on who will air the 2026 NFL Draft; what would it mean media-wise for NFL players to compete in the Olympics; the NFL’s global desires and more. You can subscribe to this podcast on Apple Podcasts, Spotify, and more. To learn more about listener data and our privacy practices visit: https://www.audacyinc.com/privacy-policy Learn more about your ad choices. Visit https://podcastchoices.com/adchoices

Episode 507 of the Sports Media Podcast with Richard Deitsch features Annie Costabile, a women's sports reporter for Front Office Sports. In this podcast we discuss the WNBA's upcoming season; where the league is as far as media coverage; the importance of Caitlin Clark and the Fever to the product; the challenges of covering the league as a beat reporter; covering the WNBA as you would cover any other sport; why Costabile left the Chicago Sun-Times; the future of beat reporting at newspapers; expanding Front Office Sports's coverage of women’s sports; the the impact of social media on women's sports, both positively and negatively; and more. You can subscribe to this podcast on Apple Podcasts, Spotify, and more. To learn more about listener data and our privacy practices visit: https://www.audacyinc.com/privacy-policy Learn more about your ad choices. Visit https://podcastchoices.com/adchoices