Sports Media with Richard Deitsch

Episodios

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  What Stephen A Smith's comments (and subsequent apology) about Lane Johnson says about always having a take 10.10.2026 51m

  Episode 665 of the Sports Media Podcast with Richard Deitsch features a roundtable with Jon Lewis, editor and founder of Sports Media Watch; Armand Broady, the co-host of the Sports Media Watch podcast and a contributor to SMW, and Derek Futterman, a multimedia writer and producer for Sports Media Watch. In this podcast, we discuss Stephen A. Smith making light of Lane Johnson's decision to retire, where Johnson cited mental health concerns, and then Smith being excoriated before issuing an on-air apology; why this stuff happens; where ESPN management fits in here; the new sports portfolio for Skydance; what CBS Sports head David Berson will do longterm with the J.J. Watt analyst spot; how much Skydance's debt will impact its sports portfolio; Major League Baseball wanting to cut down the number of regular-season games from 162 to 154 starting in 2029 and expanding one round of the postseason; why this is about expanding postseason inventory in what is expected to be the first under new national media contracts; and more.  You can subscribe to this podcast on Apple Podcasts, Spotify and more.
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  Peter King on the NFL's enduring popularity — and why that won't change soon 08.10.2026 40m

  Episode 664 of the Sports Media Podcast with Richard Deitsch features Peter King, the longtime Sports Illustrated and NBC Sports writer and on-air reporter. King is the author of the new book, "The Game," a memoir and history of the NFL. The book comes out Oct. 13. In this podcast King discusses why he wrote the book; the NFL's enduring popularity; his favourite stories over the years; why King could not possibly have the same career today if he started in 2026 as opposed to 1984; his list of the 100 most influential people in NFL history; why by the the time he retired the football media life "had become an overly scripted, press-conference-dominated, closed-locker-room, measure-every-word-you-utter world"; why his Sundays are like today; how he feels about the role of the media transaction breaker; his dream of visiting Sweden and watching the Canadiens play at the Bell Centre in Montreal and more. You can subscribe to this podcast on Apple Podcasts, Spotify and more.
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  The end of Tony Romo at CBS Sports 03.10.2026 43m

  Episode 663 of the Sports Media Podcast with Richard Deitsch features a roundtable with Jon Lewis, editor and founder of Sports Media Watch and Austin Karp, the media writer for Sports Business Journal. In this podcast we discuss Tony Romo and CBS parting ways; why the decision happened; what it means for CBS and Romo heading forward; whether Romo will work in the space again including as a studio analyst; Rebecca Lowe joining Netflix for its Women’s World Cup coverage; the WNBA viewership numbers; why the league now wants the Aces and Liberty in the finals; North Carolina and Duke playing each other in college basketball on broadcast television for the first time since March 2011; why college football viewership is down; the Portland Trail Blazers firing Braiden Bell for insensitive and misogynistic tweets he made at 15, and more. You can subscribe to this podcast on Apple Podcasts, Spotify and more.
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  Inside the Big Business of Sports Media 01.10.2026 44m

  Episode 662 of the Sports Media Podcast with Richard Deitsch features Ed Desser and John Kosner, the co-authors of a new book, "WE’RE LIVE!: Inside the BIG Business of Sports Media." The book comes out Oct. 1 In this podcast Desser, a former NBA executive who helped pioneer NBA/com and NBA League Pass, and John Kosner, top executive for ESPN’s digital business for nearly two decades, discuss writing their book on the business of sports media; how much Netflix, Apple TV, Amazon's Prime Video and YouTube will be part of our sports future; the role of artificial intelligence in the sports business; why you should not think of sports rights having a bubble; what Paramount's sports portfolio might look like after the WBD merger; what keeps ESPN chairman Jimmy Pitaro up at the night; why the WNBA is undervalued; the prospect of a streamer getting a Super Bowl; ESPN’s decision to pay a handful of on-air talents big money; whether the NBA has an issue with too much inventory and more.  You can subscribe to this podcast on Apple Podcasts, Spotify and more.
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  The Dennis Miller Era of Monday Night Football. 28.09.2026 28m

  Episode 661 of the Sports Media Podcast with Richard Deitsch features Jeff Cameron, the director and producer of the HBO Original Documentary and NFL Films Production, Miller Night Football, which chronicles comedian Dennis Miller’s time in the “Monday Night Football”broadcast booth in 2000 and 2001 alongside Al Michaels and Dan Fouts. In this podcast, Cameron discusses how the project came to conception; why Miller decided to talk for the doc; what Miller thinks of his time on air; how 9/11 impacted the broadcast; the criticism ABC faced on the decision; Miller's incredible esoteric lines on-air including, "I haven't seen that much fabric used since Christo wrapped the Pont-Neuf in Paris"; how ideas get conceived at NFL Films; which NFL subjects that would be great for exploration; and more. You can subscribe to this podcast on Apple Podcasts, Spotify and more.
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  What happens if ESPN does not re-sign Troy Aikman? Plus, Paramount/Skydance and Warner Bros. Discovey's combined sports inventory 26.09.2026 53m

  Episode 660 of the Sports Media Podcast with Richard Deitsch features a roundtable with Jon Lewis, editor and founder of Sports Media Watch; Armand Broady, the co-host of the Sports Media Watch podcast and a contributor to SMW, and Derek Futterman, a multimedia writer and producer for Sports Media Watch. In this podcast our group discusses the latest on Joe Buck re-signing with ESPN and Troy Aikman saying he does not have a contract for next year; what it would mean for the industry if Aikman and ESPN parted ways; the NFL averaging 19.9 million viewers through Week 2, down four compared to the same point in 2025; whether College GameDay's DNA has changed; if College GameDay has become too self-involved; the settlement clearing the way for the Paramount-Skydance-Warner Bros. Discovery deal and the large portfolio of sports rights; Doc Rivers joining NBC as an NBA analyst and more. You can subscribe to this podcast on Apple Podcasts, Spotify and more.
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  Troy Aikman 20.09.2026 37m

  Episode 659 of the Sports Media Podcast with Richard Deitsch features Troy Aikman, the lead broadcaster for ESPN and ABC's Monday Night Football. His next broadcast comes Monday at 8:15 p.m. ET on ABC and ESPN when he and Joe Buck call the Giants at Rams. The two broadcasters will also call Super Bowl 61 on February 14, 2027 at SoFi Stadium, ESPN's first-ever Super Bowl. In this podcast, Aikman discusses the Rams-Giants game; his thoughts on the Rams' decision to arrive in Melbourne later than the Niners; the upcoming MNF schedule -- Eagles-Bears, Falcons-Saints, Bills-Chargers, Commanders-Niners and Cowboys-Eagles; what he thinks of the Monday Night Football schedule overall; Travis Kelce's broadcast prospects; how he is finding doing production meetings remotely and not being allowed to attend practices at team facilities given the his Dolphins role; why he does not believe what he does is a conflict of interest; why he wants feedback from his producers; his thoughts on Joe Buck signing with ESPN for an additional five years; his expectations right now about his future with ESPN given his contract is up at the end of the year; whether Joe's decision impact his decision; his love of cold water showers; going to be early; the success of his beer company, EIGHT Elite Light Beer, and more. You can subscribe to this podcast on Apple Podcasts, Spotify and more.
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  Roundtable: Is J.J. Watt a true No. 1 NFL analyst; the NFL's Week 1 viewership declines — and has the Manningcast peaked. 19.09.2026 44m

  Episode 658 of the Sports Media Podcast with Richard Deitsch features a roundtable with Jon Lewis, editor and founder of Sports Media Watch, Chad Finn, sports media columnist for the Boston Globe and Austin Karp, the media writer for Sports Business Journal. In the podcast we discuss the NFL's Week 1 viewership average being down 13 percent year over year; whether the decline indicate any kind of longer-term trend this season; our opinions of the Jim Nantz-J.J. Watt booth; what that might mean for Tony Romo; Joe Buck's new longterm contract with ESPN; Steve Sarkisian's decision to blow off ESPN's Holly Rowe; the declining numbers of the Manningcast; ESPN PR vs. Fox Sports PR and more. You can subscribe to this podcast on Apple Podcasts, Spotify and more.
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  Damien Woody 15.09.2026 35m

  Episode 657 of the Sports Media Podcast with Richard Deitsch features Damien Woody, who played 12 seasons as a lineman in the NFL and won two Super Bowls with the Patriots. Woody joined ESPN in 2011 as an NFL analyst and was staple on shows there before his contract with ESPN expired earlier this year. He has since joined The Wingo Network where he is part of a digital and podcast company with Trey Wingo, Merrill Hodge and Mark Schlereth among others. In this podcast, Woody discusses his new show, "The OG Football Show" with The Wingo Network; why he wanted to be part of independent media; how the end of his time at ESPN came about; how he was told his contract was not being renewed; the lack of feedback in later years from ESPN management; whether he felt pressure to only play the hits; whether one has to be political within ESPN; the most impressive thing he saw for the first week of the NFL season; his thoughts on Rams-Niners, Drake Maye, the Bears and Josh Allen among other NFL stories; why so many Patriots from his era went into broadcasting; his thoughts on Tom Brady the broadcaster; whether Bill Belichick will ever return to the NFL and more. You can subscribe to this podcast on Apple Podcasts, Spotify and more.
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  Suzy Kolber 10.09.2026 1h 3m

  Episode 656 of the Sports Media Podcast with Richard Deitsch features Suzy Kolber, the host and executive producer of a new series, "The Originals," which will premiere on September 15 at 8:00 p.m. ET on the Scripps Sports Network, the new, free streaming television channel launched by the Scripps Company earlier this year. The interview show features one on one interviews with people who defy easy explanation including Jesse Cole, founder of the Savannah Bananas; Jon Gruden, Lisa Salters, Hilary Knight, Steve Young and Diana Flores. In this podcast, Kolber discusses being let go by ESPN in 2023 after 27 years there and how she has processed that layoff over the past three years; how the the Scripps Sports show came about; interviewing Cole about his success with the Savannah Bananas; whether she has interest in returning to live sports television; how ESPN management told her about the decision; reflecting on ESPN not doing anything on her leaving the network after years of valuable service; talking to ESPN chairman Jimmy Pitaro prior to the layoff; taking a 39 percent on her contract prior to her layoff; why longevity for a woman in the business is something she is especially proud of; wondering why leaks happen at ESPN; why it was difficult for her to watch ESPN for a couple of years; speaking candidly on her episode with Salters where they discussed fertility levels, trying to get pregnant and miscarriages, and more. You can subscribe to this podcast on Apple Podcasts, Spotify and more.
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  The Executive Charged With Executing Netflix's Sports Ambitions 08.09.2026 42m

  Episode 655 of the Sports Media Podcast with Richard Deitsch features Gabe Spitzer, Vice President Global Live Sports and Entertainment for Netflix. Spitzer has oversight for the company’s global live sports strategy including managing the rights negotiations and partnerships with leagues such as NFL, MLB, WWE and FIFA for the Women’s World Cup. In this podcast we discuss Netflix airing the NFL's league’s first-ever regular season game in Australia on Sept. 10 (Rams- 49ers); what viewers can expect from the Australia game; why Netflix expanded to five NFL games in 2026; how Spitzer approaches on-air talent hires; why Noah Eagle and Luke Kuechly were the choices for the NFL game coverage; the Women’s World Cup being the most ambitious thing Netflix has undertaken; where Netflix is right now regarding WWC preparations; the on-air talent needed to fill for the Women's World Cup; the company's interest in the upcoming men's World Cup set to be jointly hosted by Morocco, Portugal and Spain; when discussions with FIFA might come; where the market is right now for sports documentaries; why Netflix is heavy into partnerships with sports podcasts; how he judges success with the WWE partnership; using WWE talent for traditional sports broadcasts; whether viewers should be scared of a streamer getting a Super Bowl and more. You can subscribe to this podcast on Apple Podcasts, Spotify and more.
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  Roundtable: What is Tony Romo's future in broadcasting and The Athletic releases its Diana Russini investigation. 05.09.2026 1h 2m

  Episode 654 of the Sports Media Podcast with Richard Deitsch features a roundtable with Jon Lewis, editor and founder of Sports Media Watch; Armand Broady, the co-host of the Sports Media Watch podcast and a contributor to SMW, and Derek Futterman, a multimedia writer and producer for Sports Media Watch. In this podcast our group discusses Tony Romo's plea deal and his statement about his future; what we expect  CBS Sports will do with Romo this season and beyond; whether Romo could land elsewhere in the future; the NBA's punishment of the Clippers as it relates to Pablo Torre and his staff's reporting; Matt Yoder's piece on the chasm between journalism and insiderdom never being wider; why the insider position has become so desirable for certain outlets; WNBA Commissioner's Cathy Englebert's resignation; what the next head of the WNBA must have as far as it relates to media; The Athletic's much awaited report on former Athletic reporter Dianna Russini and what we thought about it; the sports media company finding that her relationship with Mike Vrabel violated newsroom standards but showed no clear bias toward the New England Patriots head coach; what The Athletic owed readers; ESPN not investigating Russini's work with ESPN; Russini's future and more. You can subscribe to this podcast on Apple Podcasts, Spotify and more.
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  Jimmy Traina on Tony Romo's future and other sports media topics. Plus, Liz Robbins on her new book with Billie Jean King. 03.09.2026 1h 9m

  Episode 653 of the Sports Media Podcast with Richard Deitsch features two guests. First up is Jimmy Traina, a podcast host/writer for Underscore Media. He is followed by longtime journalist Liz Robbins, who has written a book with Billie Jean King titled: See It to Be It: Eleven Champions Leading Women’s Sports Today." The book, for young adults, tells the inspirational stories of modern athletes including Caitlin Clark and Naomi Osaka. In this podcast, Traina discusses his new podcast for Underdog Media; interviewing Alex Rodgiuez after he previously had bashed him on social media; Tony Romo's plea deal and statement about his future; our thoughts on what we think CBS will do with Romo and whether he has a future in broadcasting; ESPN amping up its college football talk; our thoughts on whether Dunkin’ Donuts had too radically changed its menu and more. Robbins discusses her new book and working with Billie Jean King; the process of interviewing athletes such as Caitlin Clark; where the media space at the moment for women's sports; her upcoming story on emerging sports leagues including the women's pro baseball league and more. You can subscribe to this podcast on Apple Podcasts, Spotify and more.
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  Big Media's College Football Lust 29.08.2026 53m

  Episode 652 of the Sports Media Podcast with Richard Deitsch features a roundtable with Jon Lewis, editor and founder of Sports Media Watch, Chad Finn, sports media columnist for the Boston Globe and Austin Karp, the media writer for Sports Business Journal. In the podcast we discuss the start of the college football season and the nexus of college football and media; the teams that move the needle the most such as Ohio State, Alabama, Notre Dame, and  Texas; Pat McAfee's presence in college football; ESPN's decision to cut scores from its bottom line; whether college football broadcasters kiss the ass of coaches at a higher rate than other sports; whether the Big Ten is now a better media package than the SEC; Bill Belichick and ESPN; the WNBA's massive viewership number for the Fever and Sky; the IndyCar from DC; the end of the Pro Bowl and what that means; the Good Good's and Callaway Golf's horrible ad and the speed at which they faced fallout; whether influencers are worth it for Big Media and more. You can subscribe to this podcast on Apple Podcasts, Spotify and more.
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  AEW's Maxwell Jacob Friedman, better known as MJF, on the art of doing media as a pro wrestler 27.08.2026 45m

  Episode 651 of the Sports Media Podcast with Richard Deitsch features Maxwell Jacob Friedman (MJF), one of the most talented professional wrestlers in the world today. Friedman is signed to All Elite Wrestling (AEW) and they have one of their biggest shows of the year this Sunday August 30 -- AEW All In: London, live from Wembley Stadium  The event will air live around the world on pay-per-view, HBO Max pay-per-view and MyAEW.com. In this podcast, Friedman discusses how he looks at media; how much say he has when a media request comes in; wrestling at one of the world's most famous sports cathedrals; how he navigates interviews where some people want him in character and storyline and other interviews where the outlet wants to talk about the business of wrestling; his thoughts on media training; answering questions from the mainstream press versus a wrestling publication; how he navigates what has become a big social media following; getting bad press; why he thinks Seth Rollins is excellent as a sports analyst; listening to all the wrestling podcasts including Jim Cornette and Brian Last; how he looks at questions about his politics; how much he cares about AEW's TV ratings; his candid thoughts on WWE Radio; why he thinks AEW will be barely be mentioned in the future on WWE Radio; why wrestling content is aggregated so quickly; and more. You can subscribe to this podcast on Apple Podcasts, Spotify and more.
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  Roundtable: Who is the face of ESPN? The answer might surprise you. 22.08.2026 1h

  Episode 650 of the Sports Media Podcast with Richard Deitsch features a roundtable with Jon Lewis, editor and founder of Sports Media Watch; Armand Broady, the co-host of the Sports Media Watch podcast and a contributor to SMW, and Derek Futterman, a multimedia writer and producer for Sports Media Watch. In this podcast we discuss Pat McAfee's new role on Monday Night Countdown, a possible MNF alt-cast for McAfee and his crew, and his growing on-air presence on ESPN; whether viewers should think of either McAfee or Stephen A. Smith as the face of ESPN or is the wrong question; Nielsen introducing passive co-viewing and other changes to data measurement; Jason Kelce joining Dave Pasch and Kurt Warner as an NFL Network booth; Bob Wischusen and Louis Riddick forming an additional booth; Jesse Doughtery's piece for Esquire on being a new father as he just got laid off from his dream job as a sports writer at The Washington Post; Matt Calkins, a sports columnist, for The Seattle Times, resigning after his editors refused to publish his column; former Alabama basketball player Kai Spears defeating the New York Times in his defamation lawsuit and Michael McCann's thoughts on that case; the Fever-Dream WNBA regular season game averaging 2.58 million viewers on ESPN; the WNBA's increased viewership numbers; MLB Field of Dreams having steep viewership decline in its Netflix debut and more. You can subscribe to this podcast on Apple Podcasts, Spotify and more.
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  Jason Hehir, the director of The Last Dance, on his newest film — Novak Djokovic: The Wolf in Winter. 20.08.2026 40m

  Episode 649 of the Sports Media Podcast with Richard Deitsch features Jason Hehir, the director of "Novak Djokovic:The Wolf in Winter," a documentary that will debut on Prime Video on August 20. The documentary examines what has driven Novak Djokovic and the sacrifice one makes to become a tennis champion. In this podcast, Hehir discusses what interested him about the project; what makes Djokovic a fascinating subject; the access he got for his film; how he approached Djokovic being banned from Australia prior to the 2022 Australian Open; how growing up in war-torn Serbia impacted Djokovic; how he approached Djokovic with questions on retirement; what sports are still uncharted waters for a sports documentarian; directing The Last Dance; his upcoming film for Netflix about the legendary Canadian comedy show, SCTV, and more. You can subscribe to this podcast on Apple Podcasts, Spotify and more.
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  Can the Premier League benefit from the excitement over this year's World Cup? 19.08.2026 33m

  Episode 648 of the Sports Media Podcast with Richard Deitsch features Pierre Moossa, a coordinating producer for NBC Sports' coverage of the Premier League as well as a director on NBC's NBA and NFL coverage and Netflix's NFL games. In this podcast we discuss the upcoming Premier League season; what a World Cup year will mean for NBC's coverage of the Premier League; whether new eyeballs will come to the Premier League; how to introduce stars such as Erling Haaland to U.S. audiences; why the Premier League Live studio team of Rebecca Lowe, Robbie Earle, Robbie Mustoe, and Tim Howard works; traveling outside of the studio to promote the league; the inclusion on Hull City,  Ipswich Town, and Coventry City; the unique challenges of directing the NFL's Melbourne game; whether Netflix has a style of NFL production and more. You can subscribe to this podcast on Apple Podcasts, Spotify and more.
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  Did CBS Sports telegraph the fate of Tony Romo; ESPN's terrible decision on Damien Woody, and Jimmy Traina makes a surprise appearance on the podcast 15.08.2026 1h 8m

  Episode 647 of the Sports Media Podcast with Richard Deitsch features a roundtable with Jon Lewis, editor and founder of Sports Media Watch, Chad Finn, sports media columnist for the Boston Globe and a surprise appearance from Jimmy Traina, who is leaving SI after 20 years for a sports media startup. In this podcast, we examine CBS Sports president David Berson's comments about Tony Romo during CBS Sports' NFL Media Day; how we saw Berson's specific use of the words image and brand; whether CBS and Romo would engage in buyout talks; how J.J. Watt might do with Jim Nantz; the promotion of Ross Tucker to the Ian Eagle team; Traina's decision to leave Sports Illustrated; what he will do next; ESPN parting with Damien Woody; Fox's NFL announcing teams and what we think of them; why Greg Olson might be Fox's biggest NFL story this year; NBCUniversal carrying a tripleheader on NBA Opening Day October 20; the NBA's Christmas Day lineup; why the NBA decided to do Knicks-Spurs so early on Christmas Day; the Field Of Dreams game versus an NFL preseason game on NFL Network, and more. You can subscribe to this podcast on Apple Podcasts, Spotify and more.
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  The NFL isn't leaving CBS or Fox anytime soon — and evaluating ESPN's college football roster 08.08.2026 36m

  Episode 646 of the Sports Media Podcast with Richard Deitsch features a roundtable with Jon Lewis, editor and founder of Sports Media Watch; Armand Broady, the co-host of the Sports Media Watch podcast and a contributor to SMW, and Derek Futterman, a multimedia writer and producer for Sports Media Watch. In this podcast we discuss Bloomberg reporting that the NFL has agreed to pause its media rights negotiations with CBS while the network’s parent company Paramount deals with the multi-state lawsuit challenging its proposed acquisition of Warner Bros. Discovery; the Fox Corporation announced it will not pursue an early renewal or renegotiation of its NFL broadcast rights deal; what it means longterm; we analyze ESPN's college football announcer lineups; the NFL Kickoff  between the New England Patriots at Seattle Seahawks on Sept. 9; and more. You can subscribe to this podcast on Apple Podcasts, Spotify and more.