The Sports Media Podcast

This week on the SBJ Sports Media Podcast, co-hosts Austin Karp and Josh Carpenter welcome in SBJ’s new college sports reporter, Matt Fortuna, to talk about the 24-team playoff and what it could mean for ESPN. Karp and Carpenter then delve into Bel Bajaria’s exit from Netflix and what sports could look like at the streamer under Peter Rice. And with the World Series starting Friday, Fox Sports’ lead play-by-play voice Joe Davis joins the pod to preview the Fall Classic and who the faces of baseball are in 2026.

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On this week's SBJ Sports Media Podcast, Austin Karp and Josh Carpenter break down Netflix's acquisition of World Cup rights in Spain, as well as ramifications from a potentially expanded 24-team CFP. Also, longtime sports media experts John Kosner and Ed Desser join the show to talk about their new book, "Inside the Big Business of Sports Media."

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This week on the SBJ Sports Media Podcast, co-hosts Austin Karp and Josh Carpenter look at what’s next for sports within Skydance as David Berson takes control. Plus, the duo look at the Fox Sports-Barstool relationship after Dave Portnoy’s “Big Noon Kickoff” exit and how Disney+ landed a Super Bowl simulcast. And with Religion of Sports having its first theatrical release around “Portrait of an Artist: Steph Curry,” the film’s director (and Religion of Sports founder) Gotham Chopra talks about the film and the broader sports doc landscape.

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Tony Romo is officially out at CBS. In this emergency pod, co-hosts Austin Karp and Josh Carpenter dive into the decision and what could be next for Romo and the lead CBS NFL booth. Sign up for SBJ 360, our free, daily newsletter. SBJ 360 delivers a concise, high-level overview of the most important stories shaping the sports industry. Hosted by Simplecast, an AdsWizz company. See https://pcm.adswizz.com for information about our collection and use of personal data for advertising.

Diving into Kirk Herbstreit's extension with Amazon Prime Video and what it means for other lead analysts; the NFL has a big weekend in Brazil, and puck drops on the NHL season. Also, UTA's Ryan Hayden and Jerry Silbowitz join the show.  

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This week on the SBJ Sports Media Podcast, co-hosts Austin Karp and Josh Carpenter look at what’s next for TNT Sports and CBS Sports after a settlement allows the Paramount Skydance-WBD merger to go through. Plus, the duo look at this weekend’s Presidents Cup, a rash of NFL QB injuries impacting team appeal and MLB regular-season viewership. And with a new book hitting shelves this week, Baltimore Orioles owner David Rubenstein joins the pod to discuss why he decided to pen a book on sports team ownership.

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This week on the SBJ Sports Media Podcast, co-hosts Austin Karp and Josh Carpenter discuss the ramifications around Joe Buck's new ESPN deal, as well as the network's decision to get political on "College GameDay" last week. Finally, NASCAR COO Ben Kennedy joins the show to dig in on the property's future media deals and playoff format. 

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This week on the SBJ Sports Media Podcast, Austin Karp and Josh Carpenter get heavy into football with the start of the NFL season and the CFP inching closer to a 24-team format. The duo also dishes on a Ben Shelton-Frances Tiafoe showdown at the U.S. Open semifinals, two Taylors shining during the Michigan game and the PWHL’s latest deal. And amid the start to the NFL season, Falcons President & CEO Greg Beadles joins the pod to discuss the latest from his perch down in Atlanta.

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This week on the SBJ Sports Media Podcast, Austin Karp and Josh Carpenter break down the latest around Tony Romo, a new media deal in the golf space, and look back at Week 0 in college football. Also, CBS analyst Charles Davis joins the pod to break down his return to college football and how being the voice of Madden NFL has given him street cred.

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On this week's pod, SBJ’s Austin Karp and Josh Carpenter talk about the myriad moves being made by DAZN, including more NBA rights, adding a channel for Monumental+ and acquiring EverPass. With college football’s Week 0 set for this weekend, ESPN’s Rece Davis joins the show to talk about his time as host and how the show stays relevant. Plus, with the Tour Championship underway in Atlanta, CBS’ Trevor Immelman talks about the state of the PGA Tour and more.

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We've got a bonus episode this week. SBJ Sports media podcast co-host Austin Karp recently went one-on-one with NFL Senior Vice President of Data and Analytics Paul Ballew, diving into the data, trends, and decision-making shaping today's NFL. The conversation was packed with insights, so we're bringing you the full extended interview. Here's Austin with the NFL's data chief.

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SBJ tennis reporter Rob Schaefer joins the show this week to preview the U.S. Open, and we’re also joined by Andy Roddick to discuss the Open, as well as his new role at ESPN. NFL executive Paul Ballew dives into data and analytics around the league.

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On this week's pod, SBJ’s Austin Karp and Josh Carpenter look at what came out of CBS NFL Media Day in the wake of the Tony Romo’s leave of absence. The duo also looks at what stands out from the NBA schedule release, what a 20-team CFP would mean for ESPN and other outlets and an interesting new hire for the PGA Tour.

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On this week's pod, SBJ’s Austin Karp and Josh Carpenter break down Disney's early ad sellout of the Super Bowl and its Q3 earnings. Also, the latest on Tony Romo's future with CBS and the Preakness Stakes makes substantive changes to sure up its future. Finally, with a new ESPN Radio show starting this week, Mike Golic Sr. and Mike Golic Jr. join the pod to discuss the new show and more.

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On this week's pod, SBJ’s Austin Karp and Josh Carpenter dig into why MSG and YES Network are taking streaming from the Gotham App over to DAZN, and what it means for DAZN cracking the U.S. market. Plus, the duo breaks down what MLS might get in its next media deal, the sports angles related to Paramount Skydance’s upcoming court case and the WNBA’s strong first half.

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On this week's pod, SBJ’s Austin Karp is joined by Richard Deitsch, Alex Silverman and Bret McCormick for a deep dive into the 2026 FIFA World Cup. The quartet looks back at the tournament’s record-breaking viewership for Fox and Telemundo, forecasts the future of World Cup media rights, and discuss FIFA’s first World Cup halftime show. Plus, Silverman and McCormick share on-the-ground insights from host cities across the country. 

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On this week's pod, SBJ’s Austin Karp and Josh Carpenter reflect on the massive viewership around the World Cup quarterfinals, as well as Bundesliga's shift away from ESPN. We look back at Netflix's debut around MLB's Home Run Derby, and Chicago Sports Network's Mike McCarthy joins the pod to talk RSNs. 

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On this week's pod, SBJ’s Austin Karp and Josh Carpenter reflect on the U.S. and Mexico exits from the FIFA World Cup, and how Fox and Telemundo will continue to deliver viewership numbers. Plus, the duo look at who might want rights to the next iterations of the tournament. Then, Karp and Carpenter address Versant’s recent acquisition of Full Swing. Plus, with MLB All-Star weekend around the bend, MMLB Network’s Matt Vasgersian, who will call the Home Run Derby, breaks down Netflix’s debut with the event and what he sees regarding MLB’s labor situation...

Coming up on this week’s pod: Diving into World Cup viewership, what’s next for NBC and Comcast from a sports perspective, Bonnie Bernstein joins the show, and our hosts offer a peak at their Fourth of July plans.

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On this week's pod, SBJ’s Austin Karp digs into the NBA Draft presentation, NASCAR’s debut in San Diego, the continued rise of NCAA Baseball and Linda Cohn’s “SportsCenter” legacy. Karp also delves into Telemundo having to make corrections to their early World Cup numbers. Finally, ahead of U.S.-Turkey to wrap the group stage, Fox Sports lead analyst Stu Holden breaks down the early portion of the tournament.

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On this week's pod, SBJ’s Austin Karp and Josh Carpenter dig into the big numbers to start the World Cup, and how Fox has really looked to commercialize hydration breaks. Plus, the duo looks at how the NBA and NHL finished their seasons on a high, the UFC Freedom 250’s presentation on Paramount+, what to make of Fox Corp.’s purchase of Roku and the latest on golf media with the U.S. Open underway at Shinnecock Hills. Finally, with Fanatics Fest on the horizon, Lance Fensterman, CEO of Fanatics Events, joins the pod to talk about all the co...

On this week's pod, SBJ’s Austin Karp looks at where things sit with the NBA Finals, Pat McAfee eyeing a new deal that could be worth $60 million annually and the lack of star power at Roland Garros. After an incredible start to the Stanley Cup Final, ESPN’s Sean McDonough joins to talk about the Golden Knights-Hurricanes matchup and the state of the. Finally, with the FIFA World Cup set to begin, SBJ soccer writer Alex Silverman joins the pod to break down the event.

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On this week's pod, SBJ’s Austin Karp and Josh Carpenter dive into a big June for ABC, which is hosting both the Stanley Cup Final as well as the NBA Finals, which will have an international flair. We break down the newest NFL analyst for CBS Sports, and Rebecca Lowe looks ahead to the World Cup.

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On this week's pod, SBJ’s Austin Karp and Josh Carpenter dig into the NBA and ESPN getting the Knicks back in the NBA Finals, what Stanley Cup Final matchup would be best for the NHL, takeaways from NASCAR and IndyCar on Memorial Day weekend and what to make of the recent Excel Sports-WIN Sports tie-up. Finally, with just two weeks until the FIFA World Cup, Karp sits down with Landon Donovan and Tim Howard to talk about their podcast and what to expect from the event as it hits North America.

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This week on the SBJ Sports Media Pod: What’s ahead for the NBA conference finals and finals, a big race weekend on tap, NASCAR’s Nielsen pivot, and recapping the Sports Business Awards. 

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On this week's pod, SBJ’s Austin Karp and Josh Carpenter go deep on the biggest headlines around sports media. First, the duo look back at the Upfronts in Manhattan and how sports was woven in. Then, there’s talk about where some NFL games are landing ahead of the formal schedule release and how the Knicks return to the conference finals is a win for the NBA. Finally, with Roland Garros around the corner and the network growing its viewership, Tennis Channel CEO Jeff Blackburn joins to break down how the spring was a big hit and what’s ahea...

On this week's pod, SBJ media reporters Austin Karp and Josh Carpenter saddle up to break down the biggest Kentucky Derby audience since 1983. Then, it’s the latest on a carriage dispute between Disney and Comcast over NFL Network and why Duke basketball made sense for Amazon Prime Video. Finally, Matthew Caldwell of the T’Wolves and Lynx dishes why he moved from the NHL to the NBA, fan reaction to Year 1 of the new NBA media deals, what’s next for the two teams on local distribution and his favorite Army-Navy game memories.

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On this week's pod, SBJ media reporters Austin Karp and Josh Carpenter break down Disney's decision not to spin off ESPN, as well as the CW landing on ESPN's app. The NFL Draft's opening round was surpisingly down on TV, and Caitlin Clark and the Indiana Fever set a record with 44 national broadcasts. Also, Churchill Downs CEO Bill Carstanjen breaks down what to expect at the Kentucky Derby.

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On this week's pod, co-hosts Austin Karp and Josh Carpenter dive into the NFL Draft, which is trying to follow up on near-record viewership for 2025's event. Staying on the NFL: Mike Tomlin has a new job, but not on the sidelines. And amid questions around its funding, where does LIV Golf go for its next media deal?

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On this week's pod, SBJ media reporters Austin Karp and Josh Carpenter go deep on a number of pressing topics. First, the duo looks at the impressive audience numbers for the Masters final round juxtaposed with the production hiccups. Then, it’s the latest on media rights for the Preakness, the NBA’s strong regular season, what to make of the DOJ investigation into the NFL and some ESPN talent moves.

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On this week's pod, SBJ media reporters Austin Karp and Josh Carpenter – making his debut as co-host – discuss Prime Video’s debut at Augusta National and what it could portend for Amazon’s deeper involvement in golf. The duo also put a bow on March Madness, talk about the latest with NFL Network and look at where the local game delivery market is headed. Plus, Athletes First’s Gideon Cohen, an SBJ Forty Under 40 honoree in 2019, joins Karp to discuss how the agency has built out a media representation business and what he’s paying attention to in the space.

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On this week's pod, host and SBJ media reporter Austin Karp is joined by SBJ special contributor Richard Deitsch to break down the impact of Big Data on viewership for both the men’s and women’s NCAA basketball tournaments. They duo also breaks down the future of NFL media with streaming partners and how Tiger Woods stepping away from golf could impact the media rights discussions around the TGL.

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On this week's pod, host and SBJ media reporter Austin Karp discusses record NCAA Tourney viewership numbers for TNT Sports and CBS Sports headed into the Sweet 16. Karp also looks at Brian Rolapp’s comments regarding a tightening media rights market, how the debut Fanatics Flag Football Classic performed and whether President Trump’s executive order regarding Army-Navy will slow the CFP’s expansion. Plus, Elle Duncan joins the pod to discuss her move to Netflix, while Brian Josephs of Sportradar also joins to dig into the data and analytics that his company is bringing to sports TV telecasts.

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On this week's pod, host and SBJ media reporter Austin Karp discusses the big audience numbers for college basketball’s regular season and the conference tournaments. Karp also looks at the healthy prospects for the WNBA with a CBA done, how the WBC delivered big numbers and the PWHL getting its first national TV deals done in the U.S. Plus, with the NCAA Tournament underway, NBC Sports’ John Fanta comes on to talk about the broader college hoops landscape.

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On this week's pod, host and SBJ media reporter Austin Karp opens up with a conversation at the ACC Men’s Basketball Tournament with Commissioner Jim Phillips, who dishes on the recent meeting with President Trump at the White House, resurgent viewership for college hoops and likely expansion of the ACC’s efforts with in-game replay review audio for fans. Plus, Karp gets into college basketball regular season viewership, the prospects for an NFL game on the Wednesday night before Thanksgiving, CBS’ UFC debut, Apple TV’s F1 debut and the “Soul Power” doc currently on Amazon Prime Video.

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On this week's pod, host and SBJ media reporter Austin Karp discusses the implications of David Ellison and Paramount Skydance winning a bid for Warner Bros. Discovery. Also, what the Red Wings and Tigers are doing for local games in Motown and what Unrivaled needs to accomplish in Season 3. Plus, CAA Sports’ Matt Kramer and Tom Young dish on what they look to accomplish for their broadcasting clients, and what trends they’re following for talent in 2026.

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This week on the SBJ Sports Media Podcast, host and SBJ media reporter Austin Karp delivers his takeaways from the Milan Cortina Winter Olympics, including a look at NBC’s cross‑platform strategy that helped drive record viewership for the USA–Canada women’s hockey gold‑medal showdown. Later in the episode, the president of NHL Business Keith Wachtel joins the show to share on‑the‑ground insights from his Olympic experience and to lay out why the league views major global events as a cornerstone of its long‑term plan to expand hockey’s international reach.

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On this week's pod, host and SBJ media reporter Austin Karp discusses what the end of Main Street Sports Group and the FanDuel Sports Networks means for teams across the NHL, NBA and MLB. Plus, he breaks down numbers for the NBA All-Star Game’s return to NBC, the Daytona 500 and first week of the Milan Cortina Winter Games. And SBJ’s Rachel Axon gives an on-the-ground report from Italy and what she’s hearing concerning all things Olympics.

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On this week's pod, host and SBJ media reporter Austin Karp is joined by SBJ special contributor Richard Deitsch, and the duo break down Super Bowl viewership, changes coming to NFL media rights, the start to the Milan Cortina Olympics, this weekend’s NBA All-Star Game and Daytona 500 and more.

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On this week's pod, host and SBJ media reporter Austin Karp brings on colleague Tom Friend to talk about the latest with Main Street Sports Group and its RSNs. Then, Karp gets into the closing of the NFL-ESPN equity deal and what surprised him. Then, Octagon media rights expert William Mao joins the pod to dish on the NFL, college sports, a potential squeeze on mid-tier properties and more.

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