Episode 130 of the Sports Illustrated Media podcast features Tim Kawakami, the editor-in-chief of The Athletic’s Bay Area edition, and Matt Yallof, a host and reporter for MLB Network. In this podcast Kawakami discusses why he joined The Athletic, a startup focused subscription-based quality sports journalism; the expectations of the site; why he believes this model can succeed; how to convince readers who have never paid for sports content to pay for sports content; how he is dealing with the business side of journalism; why Marcus Thompson is a different-maker as a hire; what the initial days have been like for the site; how The Athletic will adapt when its paywall hardens; his philosophy when it comes to blocking people on Twitter and whether that runs counter to building a subscription based business; the line between talking politics and sports on social media; how he perceives the national reporting to be on Colin Kaepernick; a cameo from Peter King, and much more.

 

Yallof discusses how he prepares for MLB Network Strike Zone, a baseball equivalent of NFL RedZone; what he thinks the toughest job in baseball broadcasting is; the stroke he suffered on July 29, 2016 and how it changed his life; the difficulty of rehab; how MLB Network allowed him to work back slowly; how he he is a different person post-stroke; working in the baseball media in baseball-crazy Philadelphia and New York City; whether the Astros are built for the postseason; why he loves Jim Thome, and much more. You can subscribe to the podcast on iTunes, Google Play and Stitcher.

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Episode 129 of the Sports Illustrated Media podcast features ESPN correspondent Tom Rinaldi. In this podcast, Rinaldi defines what makes a good interview question; his writing process for a sports television feature; how he prepares for interviewing athletes and coaches; whether his questions for Tiger Woods have been challenging; how the stories he works on are found; how to find the right tone so his scripts are not too overwrought or melodramatic; how he was influenced by teaching high school English prior to ESPN; why he declined Jim Miller’s request for an interview for “These Guys Have All The Fun”; whether he is a fan of violins, harps or the piano; what makes Roger Federer a great interview; how often he has cried during the course of reporting; why the story of Welles Crowther, the man in the red bandana during 9/11, stayed with you most; whether college football coaches are full of malarkey when being interviewed, and much more. You can subscribe to the podcast on iTunes, Google Play and Stitcher.

 

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Episode 128 of the Sports Illustrated Media podcast features a sports media roundtable featuring Chad Finn, the sports media writer and general columnist for the Boston Globe and Boston.com, and Andrew Bucholtz, a staff writer and editor Awful Announcing.

 

On this podcast, we discuss the rise of the paid subscription model in sports media including The Athletic, DK Pittsburgh Sports, and the Boston Sports Journal; FS1’s opinion-heavy programming in the post-Jamie Horowitz era; why many New England sports fans do not trust ESPN; the future of Bill Simmons on linear television; why FS1 hired Ray Lewis; what exactly is a sports hot take; why Chad is exhausted by FS1; the potential of Mike Greenberg as a solo host; where Katie Nolan will land; the chemistry between Mike Golic and Trey Wingo; whether NBC’s hockey programming is smart; how Jay Cutler and Tony Romo will do in Year 1 as analysts, and much more.

 

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Episode 127 of the Sports Illustrated Media podcast features Ian Eagle, the fine play by play broadcaster for CBS Sports, Yes Network, Westwood One, and Tennis Channel.

 

In this podcast Eagle discusses if he is bothered by having never been the lead announcer of a major sports package the way Joe Buck and Jim Nantz are; how he prepares for his NFL, NBA and tennis work; the politics of working for a sports network; how he first landed the Nets broadcasting job in his mid-20s; working with hosts Mike Francesa and Chris Russo at New York’s WFAN Radio; growing up with his actor-father, Jack, who had the lead role in one of the most famous Super Bowl commercials in history, as well as filmed a Hertz commercial with O.J. Simpson; the greatest games he’s ever called; his favorite Bill Raftery drinking story; the legacy of Syracuse University radio station, WAER; whether he likes the Nets rebuilding plan; the worst-ever pronunciation of his name, and much more.

 

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Episode 126 of the Sports Illustrated Media podcast features writer James Andrew Miller, the best-selling author of books on CAA, ESPN and Saturday Night Live.

In this podcast, we discuss the recent managerial moves made by ESPN President John Skipper including promoting Connor Schell to Exec VP/Content, where he will oversee all ESPN content creation on all platforms; what impact Schell will have internally and on viewers and readers and listeners; how Skipper set himself up to get a contract extension; why Schell, Justin Connolly and Burke Magnus are now in line to succeed Skipper; why ESPN digital head John Kosner and Exec VP/Global Business & Content Strategy Marie Donoghue are leaving the company; how the new management structure affects other top managers such as Rob King, Norby Williamson and Stephanie Druley; what the moves mean for employee morale; why the Mike Greenberg solo show has significant challenges; what plans are coming for the Greenberg show; whether the 6PM SportsCenter can make it long term; whether Bill Simmons, a longtime friend of Schell, will be impacted by the management moves; why the next two years will determine ESPN’s future for the next 15 years, and much more.

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Episode 125 of the Sports Illustrated Media podcast features Molly Solomon, the executive producer of Golf Channel and one of the highest ranking woman in the executive branch of sports media, and Doug Ferguson, who covers golf for the Associated Press and is likely the most read golf writer in America. In this podcast, Solomon discusses her role in running the Golf Channel; what she looks for in golf broadcast talent; the qualities a good sports producer must have; why there have not been more women in the highest management positions at sports networks; what it’s like working with a spouse who works in the same business (her husband, Geoff Russell, is the Executive Editor of the Golf Channel); her time as an Olympic researcher for NBC; why former NBC Sports chairman Dick Ebersol took a liking to her; what it was like working for the Washington Post sports section as a 20-something; why women’s golf has not getting traction in the States the way women’s tennis has; whether golfers-turned-broadcasters are similar or different compared to other athletes who have entered sports broadcasting and much more.

Ferguson explains his coverage philosophy; what the week of a Major is like for him; why the AP covers golf as much as it does; the pressure he feels on deadline; whether golf media are too chummy with their subjects; whether golf media is too rigid against bloggers and those interested in analytics; his analysis of the coverage of golf on television; whether Tiger Woods has been covered accurately, too easy, or too harsh; why we do not see more investigative pieces in golf; how changes to the PGA Tour schedule might impact golf media; how good the Pimento cheese sandwiches taste at Augusta and much more.

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Episode 124 of the Sports Illustrated Media podcast features a return of the sports media roundtable with Sports Business Daily media writer John Ourand and SI.com columnist Jimmy Traina.

On this podcast, we discuss the NBA Finals ratings, the best since Michael Jordan’s last Finals in 1998; the impact of super teams on television ratings; why NBC opts to put two Stanley Cup Finals games on NBCSN; the decision by NBC News and Megyn Kelly’s to interview Alex Jones for its news program and what the longterm fallout will be; what ESPN will do with Rex Ryan if anything; the Sports Business Journal report on how the median age of sports television viewers is soaring upward; who is charge of Fox Sports PR; the NFL Network’s directive for talent not to talk politics on social media; and much more.

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Episode 123 of the Sports Illustrated Media podcast features Ken Rosenthal, a senior writer for FOXSports.com, a field reporter for MLB on FOX, and an insider for MLB Network.

In this podcast Rosenthal discusses the value of transactional reporting; how at 22 he was told by a Newsday sports editor to get out of journalism and go to law school; how competitive baseball reporting is; his relationship with agents and whether he gets used; how to transition to sports television from print; his rocky relationship with Cal Ripken and Peter Angelos while working as a columnist for the Baltimore Sun; his reaction to ESPN baseball personnel such a Jayson Stark being laid off; why Max Scherzer would be an excellent broadcaster; how he feels about sabermetrics in baseball writing; why the Astros are built for regular season success but maybe not the postseason; how he feels about a baseball team doing what the Golden State Warriors did in terms of creating a superteam, and much more.

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Episode 122 of the Sports Illustrated Media podcast features a tribute to the life and work of Frank Deford, the longtime Sports Illustrated writer who died on May 28 at his home in Key West, Fla. He was 78.

Writers Alex Wolff (SI), Wright Thompson (ESPN), Jack McCallum (SI), Sally Jenkins (Washington Post), Tim Layden (SI) and Michael Farber (SI and TSN) joined the podcast (for separate segments) to offer thoughts on their favorite Deford pieces, his impact on sports journalism, personal stories of interacting with Deford, how he approached stories, why he matters in 2017, and much more.

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Episode 121 of the Sports Illustrated Media podcast features James Duthie, the host of TSN's (Canada’s hockey coverage) as well as the Super Bowl, Masters, and the CFL playoffs on TSN.

In this podcast Duthie discusses the differences between working in the Canadian sports media and U.S. sports media; how he views Jay Onrait and Dan O’Toole’s broadcasting time in the U.S. and subsequent return to Canada; the preparation he does for the NHL Trade Deadline and NHL Draft shows; how Rogers acquiring hockey from TSN changed his job; what NHL Commissioner Gary Bettman thinks of him and why; whether hockey viewership has peaked in Canada; his father, Jim, who spent 35 years with the RCMP; how Sportscentre in Canada is different than SportsCenter in the U.S.; whether the U.S. hosting this year's World Juniors will help grow the game;

whether the Toronto Maple Leafs will win a Stanley Cup in the next five years; working with John Tortorella; why veteran goalie Roberto Luongo seems to be every Canadian sports podcast’s first guest, and much more.

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