Episode 633 of the Sports Media Podcast with Richard Deitsch features Jon Lewis, editor and founder of Sports Media Watch; Sports Business Journal media reporter Austin Karp. In this podcast we go deep into the start of the World Cup and the phenomenal viewership numbers; how much more interest the tournament can draw; the hydration breaks as a media story; how we feel Fox is doing as far as its studio coverage; the feelings around Alex Lalas and Rebecca Lowe and others; the NBA Finals and NHL Stanley Cup Final viewership; Fox's potential $22B Roku acquisition and why it's about controlling distribution; the UFC Freedom 250 from the White House Lawn delivering seven million viewers on Paramount+, marking the first time Nielsen-measured figures have been released for a live event on the streaming platform (in combo with Adobe Analytics; the ridiculous claims from someone that it would hit Super Bowl numbers; sports seeking famous outdoor settings, and more. You can subscribe to this podcast on Apple Podcasts, Spotify and more.

Episode 632 of the Sports Media Podcast with Richard Deitsch features two guests. First up is Monica McNutt, an NBA, WNBA and college basketball analyst for ESPN, a basketball studio analyst on MSG Networks, and the primary lead radio analyst for the New York Knicks on 98.7FM ESPN New York. She is followed by Mike Breen, the lead voice of ESPN/ABC's NBA coverage. In this podcast, McNutt talks about calling Knicks games with partner Tyler Murray and getting emotional when they won the title; why Knicks fans have taken to her; her relationship with Jalen Brunson; why playing at a high level of college basketball has helped her during her career; what it was like broadcasting the Game 4 comeback and the clinching Game 5 game; her comments on Taylor Swift and the fallout from it, and more. Breen discusses calling the NBA Finals; his approach on staying neutral; how he processed what was happening during Game 4; calling O.G. Anunoby tip-in; the preparation he did for Game 5 and knowing the possibility of calling a Knicks championship; his words at the end of Game 5; being part of the championship parade; hearing from so many of his peers and more.  You can subscribe to this podcast on Apple Podcasts, Spotify and more.

Episode 631 of the Sports Media Podcast with Richard Deitsch features a sports media conversation with Boston Globe sports media writer Chad Finn. In this episode, we analyze the NBA's momentum during this postseason and whether it can continue; why ESPN went so heavy on the celebrities following the Knicks; how the broadcast team of Mike Breen, Richard Jefferson and Tim Legler did; how Inside the NBA dominated its time slot; Fox's start with the World Cup; Alexi Lalas's work as an analyst; the Stanley Cup drawing more than an average of five million viewers for Cup games; whether the NHL momentum will continue going forward and more. You can subscribe to this podcast on Apple Podcasts, Spotify and more.

Episode 630 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 the remarkable interest in this year's NBA Finals; why viewership has soared; what the Spurs losing Game 4 might cost ESPN/ABC; what it means for the NBA's future; the celebrity element; how Inside the NBA has thrived; our early World Cup thoughts on Fox's coverage; NHL viewership and more. You can subscribe to this podcast on Apple Podcasts, Spotify and more.

Tim Kawakami and Richard Deitsch share some thoughts on the state of WNBA media after the Fever revoked the credentials of reporter Scott Agness.

Episode 629 of the Sports Media Podcast with Richard Deitsch features Adam Crafton, a British journalist based in New York City, having relocated from London in 2024. He primarily covers soccer for The Athletic. In this podcast we discuss how a journalist can cover the duration of the tournament; the safety issues surrounding the World Cup; FIFA's terrible issuing of tickets and the exorbitant prices consumers are being asked to pay; the lack of access journalists get when it comes to FIFA officials; the expectation for the Iranian team and whether we see protests around those games; the tournament favourites including France, Spain, Brazil, England and others; the last World Cup for Leo Messi and Cristiano Ronaldo; You can subscribe to this podcast on Apple Podcasts, Spotify and more.

Episode 628 of the Sports Media Podcast features a sports media roundtable with Jacob Feldman, a senior sports business writer for Sportico and Austin Karp and Josh Carpenter, both of who cover sports media for SBJ. In this podcast, we discuss the World Cup airing on Fox Sports from June 11 through July 19; what we are expecting from Fox's coverage; how much Fox Sports will cover news events away from the pitch; the new on-air talent from Rebecca Lowe, to Thierry Henry to Zlatan Ibrahimović; a great NBA Finals Game 1 and what it means; the robust Stanley Cup viewership numbers for Game 1 and what it means heading forward; our thoughts on Russell Wilson and Kyle Long being hired by CBS's The NFL Today; whether Wilson has an authenticity problem and more.  You can subscribe to this podcast on Apple Podcasts, Spotify and more.

Episode 627 of the Sports Media Podcast features Mike Breen, the lead voice of ESPN/ABC's NBA coverage. The NBA Finals between the Knicks and Spurs begin June 3 at 8:30 PM ET on ABC. Breen will call games with Richard Jefferson, Tim Legler and Lisa Salters. In this podcast, Breen discusses his thoughts of this Spurs-Knicks series; the immense value of Victor Wembanyama being in the Finals; why he thinks the series will appeal nationally; what it's been like for him to do a lot of press on the series as the TV voice of the Knicks; the celebrity row that will appear at Madison Square Garden; how he looks at a neutral broadcast; the atmosphere in NYC; what it means that the Knicks-Spurs winner will be the eighth NBA champion in the last eight seasons; calling his 21st NBA Finals; his first NBA Finals call on TV, which was in 2006 with Hubie Brown; calling the 1994 NBA Finals on New York radio when the Knicks lost to the Rockets in seven games; working with Don Imus and being made fun of by Howard Stern' becoming friends with Ben Stiller, and more.  You can subscribe to this podcast on Apple Podcasts, Spotify and more.

Episode 626 of the Sports Media Podcast 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 the NBA Finals; why the Spurs being in the Finals would be much better for viewership; whether the Knicks have viewership juice because of New York City; why Wemby is such a TV draw; ESPN's Pat McAfee landing multiple league commissioners; why the league heads went on McAfee; why McAfee's juice continues growing at ESPN; the NHL having a renaissance season; how much interest we have in the Rafa Nadal doc on Netflix, and more. You can subscribe to this podcast on Apple Podcasts, Spotify and more.

Episode 625 of the Sports Media Podcast features Jon Wertheim, who does features and player interviews for TNT Sports's live coverage of the French Open and also works as a "60 Minutes" correspondent, a Tennis Channel analyst, and a Sports Illustrated Senior Enterprise Writer. In this podcast we discuss Jaxson Dart introducing President Donald Trump at a rally on behalf of Representative Mike Lawler which caused an eruption on social media and the greater sports media ecosystem; whether that act opens up Dart for journalistic inquiry about the decision; whether it is fair to ask teammates about it; why it's fair to make the same inquiries of all athletes who delve into podcasts, from LeBron to Steve Kerr; the French Open draws and why the women's tournament is more interesting this year; the access that tennis journalists get; what TNT Sports is doing differently with tennis; Andre Agassi as a broadcaster; Dana White and politics; Wertheim's work on "60 Minutes" and more. You can subscribe to this podcast on Apple Podcasts, Spotify and more.