Sports Media Weekly Podcast No. 58- Dan Barry, Author

I’m riding solo for this week’s edition of the Sports Media Weekly Podcast.  Ken Fang of Fang’s Bites had a previous commitment and could not join us for the show.

I did have the opportunity to talk baseball with our guest, Dan Barry, columnist for the New York Times who wrote Bottom of the 33rd: Hope, Redemption, and Baseball’s Longest Game.

The book looks back at the players, fans, and media who were involved in the 33 inning game, 30 years ago,  between the Rochester Red Wings and the Pawtucket Red Sox, at the time the Triple-A affiliates of the Orioles and Red Sox.

Dan and I discuss many of the famous players who took part in the game, including a pair of Hall of Famers.  We also discuss how the game shaped the future of the Pawtucket franchise as at the time of the game’s conclusion, Major League Baseball was in the midst of a player’s strike, brining heightened media attention to a little Rhode Island city which was feeding the baseball appetite of the country.

Sports Media Weekly Podcast No. 57- James Andrew Miller, Author

It’s the talk of the sports media world, Those Guys Have All the Fun: Inside the World of ESPN, the new book by James Andrew Miller and Tom Shales. James Andrew Miller joins Ken Fang from Fang’s Bites and I for the entire episode.

Among the topics we discuss with Miller; the impetus behind his writing the book, some of the more interesting behind-the-scenes snipings, and why ESPN is so sensitive about how it is perceived by the outside world.

We wish we had more time with Miller.  Neither Ken nor I were able to delve into all the topics we wanted to cover.  We plan on having Miller back to continue the discussion on a future podcast.

Sports Media Weekly Podcast #39- Jason McIntyre, The Big Lead

Ken Fang of Fang’s Bites and I are back for another edition of the Sports Media Weekly Podcast.

This week we do not spend any time with the sports media news of the week, we spend the entire show with our guest.

Joining us this week is Jason McIntyre, Editor of The Big Lead, one of the most popular sports blogs on the web.  Jason and The Big Lead were in the news of late as the site was recently purchased by Fantasy Sports Ventures, which owns and markets multiple sports websites and blogs.

We talk to Jason about his career and growth of The Big Lead.  We also touch upon the role large sports blog networks like Fantasy Sports Ventures has in providing diverse, and relevant sports content.  We explore how The Big Lead has impacted the way the sports media is covered.  And we ask Jason whether he sent ESPN’s Colin Cowherd a thank you card after the site’s acquisition was complete.

Sports Media Weekly Podcast #38- Neil Best, Newsday

Time again for the latest Sports Media Weekly Podcast.

Today Ken Fang from Fang’s Bites and I are joined for the entire show by Neil Best, Sports Media Columnist for Newsday.

We start the discussion on the impressive ratings thus far for ESPN and it’s coverage of the World Cup, both on television and online.

We also discuss the impact the NBA and NHL Playoff ratings will have long term, how a projected NFL lockout will impact the television networks, and whether the agenda at the Associated Press Sports Editors Convention really fits into the future of newspapers.

We also discuss with Neil a couple of New York-centric sports media items…the Jerry Seinfeld/Lady Gaga rift as the behind-the-scenes alleged treatment of WFAN interns.

Sports Media Weekly Podcast #37- Dan Hoard, Pawtucket Red Sox

We are back for another edition of the Sports Media Weekly Podcast.

On this 37th episode Ken Fang of Fang’s Bites and I talk about the media reaction to the World Cup just underway in South Africa.  Specifically we attack those in the media who criticize the sport of soccer for its lack of scoring and think we ALL should join in the revolt.

Also on the agenda, the saving of the Big 12 Conference thanks to an agreement reached between the conference and ESPN,  how ESPN and NBC may fair telecasting this week’s U.S. Open in prime time, and we react to the news from a few weeks ago on the sale of The Big Lead to Fantasy Sports Ventures.

Our guest this week is Dan Hoard, play-by-play voice for the Pawtucket Red Sox, the Triple A affiliate of the Boston Red Sox.  Dan talks about his career, which also currently includes serving as voice of the University of Cincinnati Bearcats football and men’s basketball as well as his new upcoming job as television voice of pre-season games for the Cincinnati Bengals.

In our discussion we ask Dan about his work in minor league baseball, his two successful blogs, and one post in particular that became popular involving the story of a PawSox player leaving tickets for ESPN’s Erin Andrews.

Sports Media Weekly Podcast #36- Dermot McQuarrie, Fox Soccer Channel

After a week taking care of business we are back with another edition of the Sports Media Weekly Podcast.

My co-host, Ken Fang at Fang’s Bites, and I start off the show by talking about the good ratings numbers turned in by NBC/Versus for the Stanley Cup Finals and ABC/ESPN for the NBA Finals.  There is little doubt that this trend will continue.

We also look into the ability of the MLB Network to telecast games of importance on short notice, specifically the Major League debut yesterday of Nationals phenom Steven Strasburg.

We also look into the media implications of a growing Big 10 and Pac 10 Conference if each are able to lure new members.

Coverage of the World Cup is our focus this week.  We are joined on the show by Dermot McQuarrie, Assistant General Manager, Senior Vice President of Production and Programming at Fox Sports International.  McQuarrie oversees Fox Soccer Channel, which will provide comprehensive coverage of the events in South Africa beginning tomorrow.

Sports Media Weekly Podcast #35- Paulsen, Sports Media Watch

We’re back with another edition of the Sports Media Weekly Podcast.

This week Ken Fang at Fang’s Bites and I are joined for the entire show by Paulsen of Sports Media Watch.

On this week’s show we talk about what it will mean for the media to have Super Bowl XLVII held in New York.  Specifically we look at how fortuitous it may be for Fox to be the network slated to telecast that game.

Other topics on the agenda…critiques on the work done thus far by ESPN and TNT in covering the NBA conference finals…we look at how ESPN is pulling out all the stops in preparation for next month’s World Cup…and the three of us speculate on the future for Erin Andrews, whose contract with ESPN is up in the near future.

Sports Media Weekly Podcast #34- Rob King, ESPN.com

After a welcomed week off on vacation we are back with another edition of the Sports Media Weekly Podcast.

Ken Fang of Fang’s Bites and I talk about the growing ratings for Versus during this year’s NHL Playoffs, rumblings that Fox may move some of its Saturday MLB games to prime time, ESPN’s new 12-year deal with the Atlantic Coast Conference, and what ESPN has in the pipeline as unveiled to advertisers and the media this week in New York.

Speaking of ESPN, our guest this week is Rob King, Vice President and Editor-in Chief of ESPN Digital Media.  We talk to Rob about the evolution of ESPN online, specifically it’s expansion to the local media markets in Chicago, Boston, Dallas, Los Angeles, and New York.  We also ask Rob about whether Bill Simmons will be staying with ESPN.com and the controversy last year over the WWL’s Twitter and social media policy.

Sports Media Weekly Podcast #33- Leon Schweir, Versus

We are back with another edition of the Sports Media Weekly Podcast.

Ken Fang at Fang’s Bites joins me as we discuss the impressive ratings for NBC’s coverage of the Kentucky Derby, the passing of Tigers broadcast legend Ernie Harwell, Ken’s experience at the Boston Blogapalooza, and the growing ratings for the NHL and NBA Playoffs.

Speaking of the NHL Playoffs, our guest this week is Leon Schweir, Senior Vice President of Production and Executive Producer at Versus.  We talk with Leon about how the network has seen an increase in viewers for their NHL product, his background in sports television, his opinion of play-by-play voice Mike Emrick, and plans for some of Versus’ other sports properties for 2010.

Sports Media Weekly Podcast #31- Rich Waltz, Florida Marlins

Welcome to the latest edition of the Sports Media Weekly Podcast.

On this week’s show Ken Fang of Fang’s Bites and I delve into the make-up of the prime time NFL schedule and what it means for the major media partners of the NFL.  We also touch upon whether the NFL is making a good move in shifting this year’s draft to prime time.

Also on the docket, the re-signing of Chris Berman with ESPN, The apparent victory for CBS in a potential bidding war for the rights to the NCAA Men’s Basketball Tournament, and the impact on sports media of the late International Olympic Committee President Juan Antonio Samaranch.

Our guest this week is Rich Waltz, television play-by-play voice for the Florida Marlins.  We discuss with Rich his career in the business, what  it’s like covering the Marlins when attendance at the ballpark is low, and his love of the Beatles…