| Monday will see ESPN once again serve up a buffet of telecast options for the College Football Playoff National Championship Presented by AT&T pitting Georgia/Alabama at 8p. ESPN’s main telecast will headline the signature MegaCast production, with 13 different presentations on deck across ESPN networks. The primary telecast will see Chris Fowler and Kirk Herbstreit call their eighth CFP National Championship together, with reporters Holly Rowe (Alabama) and Molly McGrath (Georgia).
Film Room returns to ESPN2 with head coach Jimbo Fisher and his crew providing insight and analysis alongside ESPN college football analyst Dusty Dvoracek. Command Center on ESPNU features a multi-angle presentation, which includes up to four different vantage points at any one time, with statistics and real-time drive charts supplementing the game action. AT&T 5G SkyCast moves to ESPNEWS with Anish Shroff and Kelly Stouffer providing commentary and context out of commercial breaks before throwing back to the sounds of the game. The Spanish-language telecast (ESPN Deportes) and Hometown Radio (SEC Network and the ESPN App) remain staples of the MegaCast, with the All-22 viewing angle and AT&T High SkyCast also available digitally.
PROGRAMMING
FOX Sports and the New York Racing Association locked in a deal that sees FOX Sports pick up exclusive media rights for the Belmont Stakes. The eight-year agreement, which starts in 2023, is inclusive of the entire Belmont Stakes Racing Festival, and grants NYRA Bets the title sponsorship to the Belmont Stakes. “From Secretariat to American Pharoah, the Belmont Stakes has been racing’s greatest test of the champion, and we couldn’t be prouder to bring it to FOX Sports,” said Michael Mulvihill, FOX Sports Executive Vice President, Head of Strategy and Analytics. “The Belmont enhances FOX’s status as the industry leader in live events and is an important step in our evolution as a media and gaming brand.”
Peacock announced that the service will be the streaming home of the 2022 Winter Olympics in the US, offering fans the ability to live stream all of NBCUniversal’s coverage of the XXIV Olympic Winter Games from Beijing from Feb. 2-20. In addition to live competition streams across all 15 sports, premium tier customers will also enjoy the Opening and Closing Ceremonies, NBC’s nightly primetime show, full replays of all competition available immediately upon conclusion, exclusive daily studio programming, medal ceremonies, extensive highlight clips, and more.
PBR revealed the team owners, cities, names and logos for the eight teams who will comprise the PBR Team Series, a new league featuring top bull riders competing in games beginning in June 2022. The PBR Team Series’ inaugural 10-event regular season will culminate in a team playoff at T-Mobile Arena in Las Vegas November 4-6. The league will launch with eight founding teams, each scheduled to host in their respective city an annual bull riding event and western lifestyle festival. The league will host a PBR Team Series rider draft on May 23 prior to start of the 2022 season. Here are the teams and their owners.
· Ariat Texas Rattlers, based in Fort Worth, Tex., owned by the Fisher family
· Arizona Ridge Riders, based in Glendale, Ariz., owned by Teton Ridge
· Austin Gamblers, based in Austin, Tex., owned by Egon Durban
· Carolina Chaos, based in Winston-Salem, N.C., owned by the league and operated by Richard Childress Racing.
· Kansas City Outlaws, based in Kansas City, Mo., owned by Pulley Outlaws LLC
· Missouri Thunder, based in Ridgedale, Mo., owned by Johnny Morris
· Nashville Stampede, based in Nashville, Tenn., owned by Morris Communications Company
· Oklahoma Freedom, based in Oklahoma City, Okla., owned by the league and operated by Prodigal
The 2022 Monster Energy Supercross season begins Saturday from Angel Stadium of Anaheim at 10p on CNBC and Peacock. The race kicks off six consecutive weeks of Supercross races taking place on the West Coast, including the first four in California. All 17 Supercross races, highlighted by exclusive live coverage of heats, qualifiers and main event races, will be presented across NBC, CNBC, USA Network, Peacock and NBC Sports digital platforms.
GLORY announced the launch of GLORY Rivals, a new series of events launching in 2022, allowing the world’s top fight organizations to showcase their best fighters in new markets and create matchups that fans have been calling for. The Series will kick off with Enfusion in Europe and RISE in Japan. “We’re excited to partner with both organizations and create new events together,” added Rudmann. “Many of GLORY’s top fighters debuted with Enfusion, including Middleweight Champion Donovan Wisse and top contenders Levi Rigters, Mohammed Jaraya, and Luis Tavares. RISE is the leading kickboxing organization in Japan and features some of the best pound-for-pound fighters in the world, including Tenshin.”
The doors are open! Nominations for the Sports Media Awards are now being taken for their year’s ceremony, taking place on April 19, live (hopefully) in NYC. New categories are seeking champions! Have a gander by clicking here.
Athletes Unlimited unveiled its television and streaming schedule that includes more than 150 hours of live coverage of women’s professional basketball and volleyball competitions in early 2022. FOX Sports will showcase 14 games of Athletes Unlimited’s 30-game basketball season and 12 volleyball matches on FS2, while CBS Sports Network will televise 3 basketball games and 7 volleyball matches. The Bally Sports regional sports networks (RSNs) will air 8 basketball games and 4 volleyball matches while 5 games for basketball and 7 matches for volleyball will stream live across Athletes Unlimited’s YouTube, Facebook and Twitter accounts. The Athletes Unlimited Basketball season will run from January 26 to February 26 with all 30 games played at the Athletes Unlimited Arena at the Sports Center of Las Vegas.
On the viewership front, FS1 saw studio series Undisputed had its best day ever on Monday, while First Thing First and The Herd had their second and third best days ever, respectively. Undisputed notched 376,000 viewers for an all-time record, while First Things First posted 128,000 viewers, and The Herd averaged 253,000 viewers.
NBC Sports’ Premier League coverage this past weekend on USA Network laid claim to a 27% audience rise over last year’s comparable weekend cable coverage. Five Saturday-Sunday matches on USA Network averaged a Total Audience Delivery of 570,000. In addition, USA Network delivered the highest average cable viewership for a Festive Fixtures weekend since Boxing Day in 2015.
In local markets, Wednesday night’s Nets/Pacers game on YES averaged 156,000 Total Viewers in the New York DMA, making it the most-viewed Nets game on YES since its January 20, 2021.
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| SPORTS MEDIA AWARDS: ENTRY CATEGORIES RELEASED NEXT WEEK
Stay tuned as Sports Media Awards, celebrating its 10th anniversary, releases this year’s award categories on Monday, January 10th.
VIEW LAST YEARS WINNERS |
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| SPONSORSHIP & PROMOTION
The NBA unveiled “Imagine”, the NBA’s new spot that honors the life and legacy of Dr. Martin Luther King Jr. ahead of MLK Day. Featuring and voiced by NBA legend Dwyane Wade, “Imagine” incorporates footage of the Civil Rights Movement with soundbites from Dr. King’s “The American Dream” speech. Throughout January, all 30 NBA teams will honor Dr. King’s fight for justice and examine the history and impact of inequality in America.
BDO USA, LLP named six-time PGA TOUR winner Billy Horschel as the firm’s first golf brand ambassador. “We believe Billy personifies the traits that make BDO a leader in our industry and resonate with our middle market clients: a competitive spirit, the relentless pursuit of excellence and a practiced and strategic approach to our respective crafts,” said Wayne Berson, CEO of BDO USA. “Billy also exemplifies the people-first attitude of our firm through his leadership on the issues of food security and representation as well as his personal values of hard work, continuous learning and candor.”
1800 Tequila has been named the Official Tequila of the Las Vegas Raiders and Allegiant Stadium in Las Vegas. This Sunday, Raider Nation will be able to join 1800 Tequila in the Allegiant Stadium concourse before kickoff to enjoy the ‘Married to the Game’ ultimate tailgate hosted by Raiders superfan Josephine Skriver.
DIGITAL, DATA & TECH
The New York Times Company finally landed The Athletic, according to reports. The online sports news outlet brings 1.2 million subscriptions to the corporation in a deal valued at around $550 million, according to The New York Times. The Times and The Athletic held discussions last summer, but the two parties could not come to terms.
Byron Allen’s Allen Media Group newly-created division Allen Media Digital announced the official launch of its new free-streaming platform SPORTS.TV. The SPORTS.TV app aggregates sports, news, movies, documentaries, and entertainment networks, as well as local broadcast television stations, and debuts with an initial line-up features more than 60 free channels, including: Pac12 Insider, HBCUGo.TV, World Poker Tour, Pursuit Up TV, Swerve Sports, SportsGrid, For the Fans, Fight Network, Impact Wrestling, Black Belt TV, MMA TV, Campus Lore, Allied Esports, Outside TV, Horse & Country, NHRA TV, Racing America, and more.
IMG ARENA secured the official sports betting data and live streaming distribution rights to the LPGA Tour. Available from early 2022, a comprehensive range of real-time, shot-by-shot data and markets will be delivered via IMG ARENA’s Golf Event Centre, as well as live streaming and interactive course visualisations from the Tour. Initial partners will include bet365, BoyleSports and Tipsport.
DraftKings announced the company will launch its mobile and online sportsbook in New York on Saturday, as betting becomes legal in the state. “We are excited to finally be able to offer millions of passionate New York sports fans the top rated DraftKings mobile and online Sportsbook,” said Jason Robins, CEO, co-founder and chairman of the board, DraftKings. “We want to extend a special thanks to Governor Hochul, Senator Addabbo, Assemblyman Pretlow, the New York Gaming Commission along with the tireless efforts of our dedicated DraftKings team for making this a reality.”
The Buffalo Bills and FanDuel Group announced a multi-year partnership, designating FanDuel as an official mobile sports betting partner of the Buffalo Bills. In addition to the use of official Bills marks and logos, FanDuel will gain access to a range of media assets, including TV and radio spots to engage Bills fans and in-game signage and activations at Highmark Stadium.
NFHS Network, streaming live and on-demand high school sports, has now streamed over 1 million events across the country since the company’s inception in 2008. In conjunction with this milestone, NFHS Network also launched its “Founders Club,” honoring 50 high schools across the country that have made an impact on the company’s journey and success throughout its history.
ESPORTS
The 24 Hours of Le Mas Virtual is expanding its roster as the event prepares for its 2022 run. Overall, 50 teams will compete with new contenders that are set to include Mercedes-AMG Petronas Esports, The W Series, Veloce Esports and more. In total, eight LMP teams and four GTE teams will fill the field for the conclusion to the 2021-22 Le Mans Virtual Series season.
Team Vitality secured a partnership with blockchain network Tezos, which will now become technical partner of the organization. The alliance will offer new fan experiences designed to also reward and educate fans on blockchain and its benefits.
League of Legends teams launch the 2022 LEC Spring Split remotely, playing from their training facilities due to the pandemic. “Due to the ongoing restrictions as a result of COVID-19 and the rising number of cases in Berlin since the beginning of the year, teams will compete remotely for the start of the 2022 Spring Split regular season,” league said in the announcement. “Our first and foremost priority is always the health and well-being of the players, coaches, team personnel and our staff.”
The New York Islanders announced the launch of the Isles Gaming Team (Isles GT) on Thursday, marking the organization’s first foray into the esports space. Isles GT will be made up of six professional gamers, who will compete in one-vs-one and six-vs-six National Hockey League esports tournaments. The six players will also create gaming content for the team and represent Isles GT in NHL club competitions.
INDUSTRY & ROSTER MOVES
NBA Vice President, Basketball Operations Malik Rose was named Head of Basketball Operations for the NBA G League. Rose replaces Brad Walker, who was named Commissioner of the America East Conference in August. In his new role, Rose will lead the NBA G League’s efforts at expanding its talent pipeline and advancing integration of basketball operations between the G League and the NBA while focusing on basketball innovation and competition. He will also oversee NBA G League Ignite.
The National Football League and Legends, announced the opening of NFL Las Vegas presented by Visa, an NFL-themed store located in the renowned Forum Shops at Caesars Palace in Las Vegas. A first for the League, NFL Las Vegas presented by Visa will offer a “unique assortment of exclusive fan gear across all 32 clubs, the League, NFL events and special collaborations with celebrities and local designers.”
NASCAR announced that Brad Moran has been promoted to NASCAR Cup Series Managing Director and Seth Kramlich will transition to the role of NASCAR Camping World Truck Series Managing Director. Most recently, Moran held the position of NASCAR Camping World Truck Series Managing Director. Kramlich moves to his new role after three years as NASCAR Xfinity Series Assistant Director.
SPORTS BROADCAST JOURNAL w/David J. Halberstam
Biggest weekend of the NFL season. The last one. The race shall le be determined by Sunday night. Both Fox and CBS have doubleheaders this Sunday. No games afterward. The playoffs will be in order immediately therafter.
Week #18 at stake; ESPN’s Herbie will show us what he knows about NFL; Fox and CBS both have DHers
A quartet of guests including Commissioner Roger Goodell joined the Mannings on Monday night’s ESPN sidecast. What will come of the Mannings next fall or for that matter Hannah Storm and Andrea Kremer on Amazon’s play-by-play? The world is changing.
Goodell, Rodgers, Cowher and Snoop Dog joined the Mannings on ESPN2’s side-by-side cast; What they said
Lesley Visser, a masterful writer and broadcaster, takes readers on a gripping trip along the ways of the Madden cruiser. Well worth a ride. She says it feels like 15 degrees on the Madden mobile. Anyone who complains leaves. But John is about as cold as he really is warm. A very enjoyable piece.
Lesley Visser remembers trips with John Madden on the Cruiser; It drew crowds the size of a small concert
Happy Birthdays:
Brian Baldinger 1/7 NFL Radio
Ari Wolfe 1/7 ESPN – various
Howard Kellman 1/8 Indy Indians
Chuck Kaiton 1/9 Hartford/Carolina NHL
Ian Rapoport 1/9 NFL Reporter
Matt Winer 1/10 Turner reporter
JP Dellacamera 1/11 US soccer announcer
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| SAVE THE DATE: OTT VIRTUAL CONFERENCE
Join leaders in OTT and CTV to outline where the risks and opportunities lie in this complicated and fast-changing sector. To better understand, and leverage, where the $80 billion TV ad spend market will spread.
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ON THIS DAY in
1927: The Harlem Globetrotters play their first game.
IN THE KNOW
Globetrotter Fred Neal was better known by what name on the team? (Email [email protected] with your answer and be sure to include your name, company and city).
Answer to Our Last Sports Trivia Question
What is the (last) name of the family that founded Topps? Answer: Shorin. Kudos:Joe Grippo-The Memory Company/NY; Michael Dittelman-Dedicated Sports Marketing/NY; Michael Ritz-Lenox Advisors/NY; Louis Lewow-FITE/Atlanta; Roger Furman-Sports Marketing Communications/Greentown; David Westberg-SAG•AFTRA Credit Union/Burbank; Tom Moore-Kalt Productions/LA
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PRODUCTION COORDINATOR
NYC, NY
Support Production Management team, Production Office support and assist with props for creative segments. Travel Management: Book, track and reconcile daily car services for hosts and guests; flights and car services for guest talent; special event travel for staff for key events. Prior Production Coordinator experience required. Full info HERE (1/17)
BRAND DIRECTOR, FailArmy
JUKIN MEDIA
LOS ANGELES
Help set strategy for and execute business plan for your brand, define and manage brand voice and tone and hire, train, manage and develop team. Formulate and execute audience growth plan. 8+ yrs in the marketing and packaging of digital video brands, with success in content creation, content and performance marketing, distribution, and management. Full info HERE (1/16)
MANAGER, AUDIENCE DEVELOPMENT AND ANALYSIS, SOCIAL
JUKIN MEDIA
LOS ANGELES
Manage audience development and content strategy. Analyze the performance of all published content, including views, watch time, etc., and establish effective feedback loops with team members. Define and implement best practices for social media channel optimization. 4+ yrs work experience with 2+ yrs in programming and/or audience development. Full info HERE (1/16)
SENIOR DIRECTOR, PRODUCTION RISK MANAGEMENT
A+E NETWORKS
LOS ANGELES or REMOTE
Involves evaluating and advising exposures, confirming coverage, and reviewing contractual insurance requirements to manage production related risk. 5 years in high-risk production, extensive knowledge of prod. safety practices, Covid-19 safety, prod. claims and GL & E&O process/renewals. Full info HERE (1/15)
DIRECTOR, FINISHED PROGRAM ACQUISITIONS AND DISTRIBUTION, STREAMING TV
JUKIN MEDIA
LOS ANGELES
Source and identify finished TV program and digital series acquisitions for Streaming FAST Channels. License our TMB/Jukin original Streaming Channel productions for distribution. This position is responsible for negotiating and closing both inbound and outbound deals. 7 yrs of relevant work experience required. Full info HERE (1/15)
VP, BUSINESS DEVELOPMENT
JUKIN MEDIA
NYC, LOS ANGELES
Lead Business Development efforts in the US and beyond. Source, negotiate and close distribution deals for brands like People Are Awesome, FailArmy, Pet Collective, etc. Develop business plans and drive growth around new businesses such as streaming channels, podcasts, self-service licensing platforms, etc. 7 yrs bus. development experience req. Full info HERE (1/15)
PHOTO DIRECTOR
DISCOVERY-MAGNOLIA NETWORK
TX, TN, NY
Experienced Photo Director 7+ Years experience. Excellent grasp of great visual communication and the ability to stretch creatively with each new project. Full info HERE (1/14)
VIDEO EDITOR
DISCOVERY-MAGNOLIA NETWORK
TX, TN, NY
Expert editor in Avid and Final Cut Pro Software, Premiere CC.Technical, organized, uber creative. 6+ yrs exp. Full info HERE (1/14)
DESIGNER, BRAND CREATIVE
DISCOVERY-MAGNOLIA NETWORK
TX, TN, NY
Excellent eye for great design and the ability to stretch creatively with each new project. 4+ years of graphic design experience, preferably within a TV network, studio or agency. Full info HERE (1/14)
VP, DEVELOPMENT >>
VICE TV/BROOKLYN, NY: Know our current slate of on-air series, series under consideration for renewal, projects in the development. Implement a strategic development process while bringing new pitches to larger network group for discussion. Oversee projects from initial inception through production. Proven relationships with producers and production companies req. Full info HERE (1/14)
DIRECTOR SALES RESEARCH
CW
NYC, NY
Develop/execute linear, digital and VOD metrics into cross platform measurement system for companywide use. Work on upfront strategy and ongoing client presentations. Liaison with vendors on new product testing/rollouts. Manage team of 3. 6+ yrs national experience. Strong excel, Nielsen, ComScore, Rentrak, MRI. Full info HERE (1/13)
COORDINATOR, AD SALES
TV ONE
NYC, NY
Fulfill sales orders through the execution of specific allocations and flowcharts. Serve as the primary point of contact for ad agencies to resolve discrepancies, schedule changes and facilitate make goods. Create flowcharts, input advertiser schedules and revisions. Bachelor’s degree and 2 years of experience in advertising sales. Full Info HERE (1/13)
SENIOR SALES ENGINEER
INTERNATIONAL WIDEORBIT
NYC, NY
The Senior Sales Engineer will focus on our international business with a range of WideOrbit products and core WO OMNI solution. 8+ years experience in Broadcast Media required, with a strong preference for applicants with WideOrbit product experience and a strong understanding of the international landscape Canada/Mexico/LATAM. Full info HERE (1/13)
DATA VISUALIZATION MANAGER >>
UP ENTERTAINMENT/ATLANTA GA: Design, build, deploy, and maintain reports and dashboards and preparing data for ingestion into visualization tools to create desired visualizations. Maintain research data systems and sources with regular downloads and ingestions. 5-7 years relevant work experience working with data, reporting insights, and managing projects. Full info HERE (1/13)
MANAGER, AUDIENCE RESEARCH >>
WARNER MEDIA/ATLANTA GA, BURBANK CA, NYC NY: Forecasting audiences across linear & digital platforms to drive billion-dollar ad revenue ratecard. Analyzing audience trends optimizing 24/7 programming schedules. Investigating competitive landscape for potential series & movie acquisitions; providing recommendations via detailed analysis & long-term audience projections. 5+ yrs of work exp. Full info HERE (1/12)
SALES COORDINATOR >>
MARATHON VENTURES /REMOTE/HYBRID/NY/NJ/CT: Team-oriented, fast-paced, innovative environment to provide clients with the highest level of service. Ability to shadow and train with new sales assistant hires. Monitor and assist account executives with accounts and performance of campaigns. Resolve billing discrepancies, and manage all billing processes both pre- and post-campaign. Full info HERE (1/12)
SALES PLANNER >>
MARATHON VENTURES /REMOTE/HYBRID/NY/NJ/CT: Committed to a remote/hybrid work model, Marathon Ventures Media Sales is looking for Sales Planners to work in a team-oriented, fast-paced, innovative environment to provide clients with the highest level of service. Sales Planners ensure the execution of all advertising schedules, partnering with sales teams and ad agencies. Full info HERE (1/12)
SENIOR RESEARCH ANALYST SALES
CW
NYC, NY
Work primarily in the digital space but also Linear/VOD and Cross-platform. Develop/analyze metrics using syndicated & proprietary tools to show growth, trends and sales opportunities. 3+ yrs national experience. Strong excel, Nielsen, ComScore, Rentrak, MRI. Full info HERE (1/11)
DIGITAL MEDIA ANALYTICS MANAGER >>
REFUEL AGENCY/NYC: Responsible for collecting, analyzing, and reporting performance for multiple campaigns and clients. Improved campaign performance, quick response to client/sales requests and a willingness to adapt to the job role, driving results for our clients’ business. 3-5 years of professional experience in digital/marketing analytics required. Full info HERE (1/11)
SENIOR ACCOUNT DIRECTOR, BRAND PARTNERSHIPS SALES >>
attn:/NYC, CHICAGO: Deliver best-in-class work, manage the deal from initial outreach and creative prospecting, to negotiation, and to close on large scale, multi-platform branded partnerships. Ability to “think on your feet” by developing strategic integrated campaign across all native platforms. 10+ yrs leading digital or social content partnerships w/clients req. Full info HERE (1/11)
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