Sports Media Watch Podcast

On the new Sports Media Watch Podcast, Jon Lewis and Armand Broady go in-depth on the low NBA Finals ratings, ESPN's NBA coverage and the future of TNT Sports in the wake of Warner Bros. Discovery's spinoff announcement.

On the new edition of the Sports Media Watch Podcast, Jon Lewis and Armand Broady break down the ratings for Game 1 of the Pacers-Thunder NBA Finals and offer some constructive criticism and analysis of ESPN's lead NBA analyst duo of Doris Burke and Richard Jefferson. Plus, thoughts on why the NBA Finals doesn't feel 'big' anymore.

On the new edition of the Sports Media Watch Podcast, Jon Lewis and Armand Broady discuss the ratings for NASCAR's debut race on Prime Video, how Oklahoma City's dominance may affect the NBA's ratings situation, and the end of the NBA on TNT.

On the new edition of the Sports Media Watch Podcast, Jon Lewis and Armand Broady discuss warning signs ahead for the NBA Playoffs as Oklahoma City moves closer to the NBA Finals; YouTube's future as an NFL rights holder; and the state of SportsCenter following the end of its Los Angeles edition.

On the new edition of the Sports Media Watch podcast, Jon Lewis and Armand Broady break down the NFL schedule and what it says about the league's approach to the ratings, and to the competition. Plus: thoughts on the latest NBA nostalgia play by NBC, the hiring of Michael Jordan.

On the new edition of the Sports Media Watch Podcast, Jon Lewis and Armand Broady discuss the recent news surrounding the NBA on NBC reboot, including the decision to use an AI-generated version of voiceover artist Jim Fagan, the risks of going to far with nostalgia, and how much the fond memories of NBC can be attributed to the NBA's subpar TV coverage from ESPN/ABC. Plus, why NBC should go with Ahmed Fareed on its NBA studio team, and will Carmelo Anthony make a successful transition from podcasting to broadcasting?

On the new edition of the Sports Media Watch Podcast, Jon Lewis and Armand Broady discuss the looming end of NBA playoff coverage on local TV, what the future holds for the league's NBA TV channel, Mel Kiper's NFL Draft performance, the Bill Belichick situation and more.

On a special edition of the Sports Media Watch Podcast, Jon Lewis talks with Kiswe co-founder Wim Sweldens about the streaming company's sports ambitions, technological innovations in the near and long term, and the trend toward hyper-personalized sports offerings -- including potentially AI-generated play-by-play.

On the new edition of the Sports Media Watch Podcast, Jon Lewis and Armand Broady discuss the latest developments in the Shannon Sharpe situation and the implications of his legal case. Plus: the hosts discuss NBA playoff ratings and offer a retrospective on the life and career of the late ESPN voice Mike Patrick. Plus, much more.

On the new Sports Media Watch Podcast, Jon Lewis and Armand Broady discuss the career of Lee Corso and his upcoming retirement from ESPN's College Gameday. Plus, they recap the NBA's regular season ratings and dissect the league's decision to leave the Warriors off of ABC's schedule this weekend. Finally, they discuss last weekend's Masters TV coverage and why the event is such a high-quality television property.

On the new edition of the Sports Media Watch Podcast, Jon Lewis and Armand Broady break down the viewership for the NCAA women's basketball national championship and the men's edition as well, plus dive into Major League Baseball's latest media rights strategy.

On the new edition of the Sports Media Watch Podcast, Jon Lewis and Armand Broady discuss how viewership for the NCAA women's basketball tournament has held up post-Caitlin Clark, ratings potential for the men's Final Four, flaws in MLB TV coverage and much more.

On a special bonus edition of the Sports Media Watch Podcast, Jon Lewis is joined by VideoAmp Executive Vice President of Revenue Bryan Goski for an in-depth discussion about ratings and measurement in a changing era, including the benefits -- and limits -- of "Big Data," out-of-home viewing and much more.

On the new edition of the Sports Media Watch podcast, Jon Lewis and Armand Broady dive deep into CBS's football announcer shakeup, breaking down Gary Danielson's retirement, JJ Watt's surprise promotion, and Charles Davis' future. Plus, a look at March Madness ratings on both the men's and women's side, and what to expect for Caitlin Clark's second WNBA season in the wake of the league's schedule release.

Also, Jon and Armand offer their reflections on Bob Costas' appearance on the podcast from last week.

Famed broadcaster Bob Costas, who was the longtime face of NBC Sports and more recently has called Major League Baseball games for TBS and MLB Network, joined Jon Lewis and Armand Broady on the Sports Media Watch Podcast this week in a wide-ranging interview covering the final years of his career on TBS -- including the criticism he received for his work in last year’s postseason -- his relationship with NBC Sports and the golden years of his career.

On the new edition of the Sports Media Watch Podcast, Jon Lewis and Armand Broady are joined by ESPN's Jorge Sedano for an extensive conversation about his time on ESPN's "Around the Horn," his foray into play-by-play, the state of the Lakers and the controversy surrounding NBA media coverage.

Plus, Jon and Armand discuss the weekend NBA ratings and whether the NBA can ever get viewers as interested in Denver-OKC as they are in Lakers-Celtics.

On the latest edition of the SMW podcast, Jon Lewis and Armand Broady discuss the end of the long-running ESPN show "Around the Horn" after 23 years on the air. The hosts analyze how the show has evolved over time, from its early days with a more confrontational tone under host Jay Mariotti, to the current more measured approach under Tony Reali.

They explore how the show's diversification of panelists may have turned off some viewers, and how ESPN's desire for more "rage bait" and heated debates may have made the show less valuable to the network.

On the new SMW podcast, Jon Lewis and Armand Broady dissect the end of the MLB-ESPN partnership, examining the tone and implications of MLB Commissioner Rob Manfred's memo to owners. The discussion then shifts to the surprising success of the NHL's Four Nations Face-Off, which delivered viewership milestones for the league.

The hosts also touch on the latest developments surrounding the NBA, including the Lakers and Warriors' resurgence and the decision to have Richard Jefferson join the lead NBA team on ESPN. Additionally, they analyze ESPN's contract extension with reporter Laura Rutledge and the new sports offerings...

On the new edition of the Sports Media Watch podcast, Jon Lewis and Armand Broady discuss the ratings for the NBA All-Star Game and the broader negative media coverage of the league -- including the role its own media partners play in the complaints. Plus, Daytona 500 and Four Nations Face-Off ratings, plus will Netflix actually bid for Sunday afternoon NFL rights?

This episode of the Sports Media Watch Podcast dives into the record-breaking Super Bowl viewership numbers, analyzing the impact of methodology changes on the data. Hosts Jon Lewis and Armand Broady also break down Tom Brady's performance as a broadcaster and discuss the future of Fox's NFL coverage. Plus, insights on the NBA's Luka-LeBron pairing and the ongoing negotiations between MLB and ESPN. Don't miss this in-depth look at the latest sports media news and trends.

In this Super Bowl preview edition of the Sports Media Watch Podcast, hosts Jon Lewis and Armand Broady discuss Tom Brady's debut on the Big Game, the expected TV ratings and more, including the Kendrick Lamar halftime show and whether Fox Sports may be in its final years covering the Super Bowl.

The hosts analyze Brady's broadcasting experience and the challenges he may face as the sole analyst for the big game. They also provide context around the evolving TV ratings landscape and Nielsen's measurement changes. Additionally, they discuss whether "Chiefs fatigue" could impact viewership for the...

On this week's Sports Media Watch Podcast, hosts Jon Lewis and Armand Broady break down the sharp ratings gap between the NFL conference championship games and the lack of NFC starpower.

The podcast also covers NBC's reported interest in hiring Reggie Miller as a lead NBA analyst and whether there is a shortage of established NBA analysts in the industry.

Additionally, they discuss the status of analyst Greg Olsen at Fox, and the possibility of him finding a new opportunity -- perhaps on Amazon's NFL coverage.

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In the latest episode of the SMW podcast, Jon Lewis and Armand Broady dive into the declining NFL playoff ratings, exploring why the league may be a victim of its own recent success. They also break down the LIV Golf Tour's new TV deal with Fox Sports and what it means for the upstart league's future. Plus, the hosts pay tribute to the legendary Bob Uecker and wish Dick Vitale well in his recovery; and discuss Mike Tirico being named the lead play-by-play voice for the new "NBA on NBC" and the potential for Amazon's NBA studio show to...

On the latest edition of the Sports Media Watch podcast, Jon Lewis and Armand Broady discuss the future of sports on streaming in the wake of Venu's collapse; NFL playoff ratings and what the best matchups will be going forward; and whether the TGL golf venture can achieve long-term success.

The Sports Media Watch podcast returns from hiatus as Jon Lewis and new co-host Armand Broady discuss the NFL's regular season ratings performance, how Tom Brady looks heading into the playoffs, Disney's Fubo deal and more.

On the latest edition of the Sports Media Watch podcast, Jon Lewis is joined by ESPN play-by-play voice Bob Wischusen, who discusses his role as an NHL broadcaster, his career and more. But first, Jon discusses the future of MLB on RSNs and the Mets' drawing power this postseason.

On the new edition of the Sports Media Watch podcast, Jon Lewis is joined by special guests Randy Scott and Gary Striewski of SportsCenter (11:35), who discuss their popular partnership, how their SportsCenter differs from the 1990s heyday and much more. But first, Jon dives into the Christine Brennan-WNBA controversy and the broader culture war over Caitlin Clark, and explains why everything is lining up for a strong MLB Postseason in the ratings.

On today's episode, Jon Lewis and Drew Lerner talk more Caitlin Clark, and how her presence lifted the WNBA to big playoff viewership directly against the NFL. Then, the crew takes a look at football viewership from the weekend, including whether the Kansas City Chiefs have a legitimate claim to the title of "America's Team," and how Fox's Friday night college football game could turn into another viewership draw for the network.

On the latest edition of the Sports Media Watch podcast, Jon Lewis and Drew Lerner examine the WNBA season and the Caitlin Clark effect with Fever analyst and Basketball Hall of Famer Debbie Antonelli and Scripps Sports (ION) president Brian Lawlor. Plus, some discussion about NFL ratings, Tom Brady and more.

On today's episode, Jon Lewis and Drew Lerner review Tom Brady's broadcasting debut, what went right, what went wrong, and where he goes from here. Then the crew reviews the opening week in NFL ratings including strong numbers for the NFL Kickoff Game and the Friday night Peacock exclusive from Brazil. Jon and Drew close the show with a discussion on the ongoing dispute between DirecTV and Disney, and Caitlin Clark's Indiana Fever drawing over one million viewers directly against the NFL.

On today's episode, Jon Lewis and Drew Lerner start the podcast discussing the carriage dispute between Disney and DirecTV, how it differs from the Charter dispute last year, and whether it will be solved in time for Monday Night Football. Then, the crew takes a look at the first full weekend of college football, including a discussion about Nick Saban's debut on College GameDay, and whether Saban or Bill Belichick will have the better media chops this season. Jon and Drew then discuss Tom Brady's NFL broadcasting debut, and whether he will even make it through a full season...

On today's episode, Jon Lewis and Drew Lerner discuss ESPN's executive restructuring and what it could mean for its live sports coverage, in particular the NBA. Then the crew does a legal roundup covering the Paramount deal, Venu's appeal, Amazon pulling its funding from Diamond Sports, the NFL Sunday Ticket case, and the NBA filing a motion to dismiss WBD's matching rights.

On today's episode, Jon Lewis and Drew Lerner talk about the preliminary injunction levied against Venu in federal court last week, whether the ruling should have been made, and what it means for the future of "bundling" sports properties. Then the crew discusses ESPN's decision to fire Sam Ponder and Robert Griffin III, and why Laura Rutledge should get the "Sunday NFL Countdown" job over Mike Greenberg. Jon and Drew then put a bow on their Olympics ratings discussion to close the show.

On today's episode, Jon Lewis and Drew Lerner start off by discussing Leigh Diffey's call of the Men's 100m Final and look back at some other notable announcer blunders. Then, the crew continues their discussion about NBC's Olympic viewership, and how Paris compares to past Olympics. Jon and Drew close the show with the NFL "Sunday Ticket" verdict getting overturned, and MLB announcing flexible scheduling for the World Series.

On today's episode, Jon Lewis and Drew Lerner wade through the somewhat confusing methodology that NBC is using for measuring its Olympics viewership, and how much of this year's success is real versus manufactured. Then, the crew discusses their opinions on Gold Zone and the whip-around format more broadly, asking whether it is the future of live sports consumption. Jon and Drew close out the show with a discussion about what WBD is trying to gain from its battle with the NBA over its matching rights.

On today's episode, Jon Lewis and Drew Lerner dive into the NBA and its respective broadcast partners formally announcing their upcoming media rights agreements. The crew discusses what this means for WBD who had their "match" denied by the league, and what stood out in the announcements that we didn't already know. Then, Jon and Drew discuss the WNBA portion of the rights agreements and the success of the league through the All-Star break before closing out the show with an Olympics discussion.

On today's episode, Jon Lewis and Drew Lerner discuss the NBA finalizing its media rights deals, and what to expect from WBD's efforts to match Amazon's package of games. Then, the crew highlights the WNBA portion of the deal and whether that rights fee will look like a bargain down the line. Jon and Drew close out the show talking Copa America and Euros viewership on Fox, and Skip Bayless leaving FS1.

On the latest edition of the Sports Media Watch podcast, Jon Lewis and Drew Lerner discuss the NASCAR Chicago Street Race, Fox soccer coverage, the latest Caitlin Clark numbers and more.

On today's episode, Jon Lewis and Drew Lerner start the show discussing more viewership records for the Clark-sparked WNBA, including the Fever-Sky game that beat its own one week old record and a Fever game that set another record for ION. Then, Jon dives into his new piece on why the NBA has been able to land such lucrative media rights deals despite so-so NBA Finals viewership. The crew closes out the show talking about Game 7 of the Stanley Cup Finals and the new Big East media rights deals.

On today's episode, Jon Lewis and Drew Lerner start the show discussing the lackluster NBA Finals viewership before shifting over to a conversation about Charles Barkley's latest retirement saga, and whether his announcement this time around is different than the past. Then, the crew wraps up with U.S. Open viewership and the Stanley Cup Finals.