The sports media industry is built on the art of shaping opinion. What columnists once dominated in print transformed into sports radio and later morphed into sports television. Podcasting has since become the latest evolution of the practice, while social media has broken down every barrier, allowing anyone to share an opinion with a worldwide audience.

The point of an opinion is to provide original thought. One that can be agreed with or disagreed with. Today, sports media continues to embrace hot-take culture, where opinion and fact often blur in ways never seen before. However, not all opinions end up being true. If you’re on X, you’re aware of the ‘Freezing Cold Takes’ account, which archives hot takes only to celebrate how wrong they were when the opposite happens.

What’s become more popular recently is the expectation of an apology if your opinion, or hot take, proves incorrect. Let’s agree there is a difference between hot-take culture and personal shots. Every sports media talent should have a line they simply do not cross.

However, opinions drive sports media. Nick Wright apologized to LeBron James for not believing the Los Angeles Lakers could go up 2-0 in a series. Dan Orlovsky apologized to Houston Texans quarterback C.J. Stroud after saying any other quarterback in the league would have performed better in an AFC playoff game.

Are Apologies Now Expected?

More recently, the New York Knicks won an NBA championship. Just this week, Stephen A. Smith apologized to Jalen Brunson and Josh Hart for his criticisms of the team. He didn’t just apologize. He did it publicly, face-to-face, and on ESPN television while wearing a Knicks championship cap.

It makes me wonder: Is WFAN’s Gregg Giannotti going to apologize for calling Karl-Anthony Towns a loser last year? Is Max Kellerman going to apologize for saying the Brooklyn Nets would win an NBA title before the Knicks back in 2019?

Sports media has plenty of faults. Myself included. However, the need to apologize for simply being proven wrong is odd. What do sports media personalities owe players and franchises that leads them to believe an added level of “I’m sorry” is warranted?

Then I saw Becky Hammon’s latest reply regarding her 2023 comments that Jalen Brunson wasn’t tall enough for the Knicks to win a title with him as their best player. Three years later, the New York Post reached out for a follow-up, and the current Las Vegas Aces coach taught the sports media industry a lesson.

“I mean, he was that 1A dude. But apologize? I’m never gonna apologize for having an opinion. That’s what ESPN pays me for,” said Hammon to the New York Post.

Hammon is exactly right. Why apologize for doing the job ESPN entrusted her to do? If the check is cut to share an opinion, why back down from the opinion you held at the time? When she was asked for her take, she delivered it. Years later, she stood her ground while acknowledging that Brunson and the Knicks proved her wrong.

Why can’t this be the case more often? Because after all, that’s the job.

The Opinion “Business”

Sports media personalities aren’t paid to predict the future with perfect accuracy. They’re paid to analyze, interpret, debate, and offer opinions based on the information available at the time. Sports media is a major part of the greatest show in entertainment: live sports and the debates that follow the box scores.

Without question, some opinions age well. Others don’t. That’s the risk that comes with having a take in the first place.

There’s a difference between owning a bad prediction and apologizing for it. Accountability matters. If a player, coach, or team proves you wrong, acknowledge it. Give them credit. Explain what you missed. That’s part of the process.

But saying “I was wrong” shouldn’t automatically require saying “I’m sorry.”

In fact, sports media would benefit from more people doing what Becky Hammon did.

Stand by the opinion you had, explain why you had it, and recognize when reality unfolds differently. There’s no shame in being proven wrong. The only shame is refusing to learn from it.

If anything, the industry needs fewer apologies and more conviction. Because for every take that misses, there’s another that hits. And those hits occur far more often than the swings and misses many people remember.

The voices willing to put their opinions on the line are the same ones audiences trust when they get it right. If this is the opinion business, there’s no need for apologies. Being wrong comes with the territory. What matters is having the conviction to make the call in the first place and the credibility to own the outcome afterward.

Barrett Media produces daily content on the music, news, and sports media industries. Sign up for our newsletters to stay updated and get the latest information right in your inbox.

John Mamola

John Mamola is Barrett Media’s sports editor and daily sports columnist. He brings over two decades of experience (Chicago, Tampa/St Petersburg) in the broadcast industry with expertise in brand management, sales, promotions, producing, imaging, hosting, talent coaching, talent development, web development, social media strategy and design, video production, creative writing, partnership building, communication/networking with a long track record of growth and success. He is a five-time recognized top 20 program director in a major market via Barrett Medi’s Top 20 series and has been honored internally multiple times as station/brand of the year (Tampa, FL) and employee of the month (Tampa, FL) by iHeartMedia. Connect with John by email at John@BarrettMedia.com.

linktr.ee/johnmamola

The post Sports Media Talent Must Stop Apologizing for Doing Their Job appeared first on Barrett Media.

Broadcast sports radio is still a megaphone that sports podcasts wish they had. It remains one of the most valuable assets sports radio provides: a built-in audience that is highly engaged and rarely listens passively. That’s why so many broadcast companies use the medium as a promotional tool for their podcast platforms.

You’ve heard the ads. Check out this random podcast on the (insert company name) podcast network. Streaming on the (insert company name) app. These spots are often programmed from afar and inserted based on broad audience demographics. The problem is they frequently have little to do with what local listeners actually want from their local sports radio station.

They’re a headache for programmers and talent alike. Instead of getting back to the content and personalities audiences tune in for, stations extend commercial breaks to accommodate company priorities. Quantity takes precedence over quality. Plus, local brands are often forced to promote content that may have little relevance to their listeners.

Just the other day, I tuned into my local sports radio station here in Tampa Bay and heard a 30-second commercial for a soccer podcast hosted by names I didn’t recognize. Yes, the World Cup is here and people are watching. However, you just can’t say soccer and expect me to check it out because. “Hey, soccer is here.”

It reminded me of my time programming the station. We were the home of the Tampa Bay Buccaneers, yet it seemed like we ran promotional spots every hour for Off The Edge with Cam Jordan. When I questioned management why we were promoting a star player from a rival team, I was told the ads had to run at the allotted frequency.

I didn’t understand it then, and I still don’t understand it now. Why are local sports radio stations serving as megaphones for content that doesn’t resonate with the audience they serve? More importantly, is there data proving these ads drive enough podcast discovery to justify forcing them onto local brands?

A Messaging Issue…

Last week, Sounds Profitable and JAR Podcast Solutions released joint research examining how listeners discover, engage with, and recommend podcasts. If you’re sitting in a programming chair like I once was, the findings should grab your attention.

Among nearly 3,800 podcast listeners surveyed, only 9% said they discovered their favorite podcast through a radio commercial. That ranked next to last among all discovery methods measured. The numbers were even lower among key advertising demographics. Just 4% of adults ages 18-34 and 8% of adults ages 35-54 said radio or television helped them discover their favorite podcast.

Those numbers matter because the entire purpose of these promotional messages is discoverability. Companies use local inventory to build awareness for podcast networks, attract high-profile talent, and drive listening. Every major audio company follows some version of this strategy.

I remember discussing the approach with iHeartPodcast President Will Pearson.

“We find the best way to get somebody to listen to a new podcast is by reaching them in another form of audio, either through podcast or through broadcast radio. It’s a massive part of our success story,” said Pearson last March.

That perspective makes sense on the surface. Radio still delivers reach at a scale most podcasts can only dream about. Yet the new research raises an important question: Are these messages actually working with the audiences hearing them?

There are countless ways for consumers to discover podcasts today. YouTube and social media continue to lead the way. Platforms such as Apple Podcasts and Spotify also excel at surfacing new content through recommendations and algorithms tailored to listener behavior. However, if traditional radio listeners aren’t discovering podcasts through radio commercials, then it’s fair to question whether these promotional campaigns are producing the desired return.

The beauty of asking that question is that it opens the door to potential better solutions.

Refresh The Approach

One option is simple: give some of that inventory back to your talent. We’ve seen plenty of research showing that long commercial breaks contribute to audience tune-out. Reducing those breaks and allowing hosts more time to create compelling content benefits both the station and the listener. Even thirty seconds can mean more than you imagine.

Another option is to rethink what gets promoted. Instead of using local inventory almost exclusively for national podcasts, why not dedicate more of it to local podcast content created by local talent? Stations could use those promotional opportunities to build deeper relationships with their audience while creating new sponsorship opportunities around products they directly control.

There’s also a talent benefit. Local podcasting can provide additional content opportunities and potentially create new revenue streams for personalities. More importantly, listeners already know the voices behind those shows. Promoting familiar talent gives audiences a stronger reason to engage than asking them to sample a random podcast they’ve never heard of.

The larger issue is understanding that audio audiences are not all the same. Your broadcast sports radio audience is different from your YouTube audience. Your YouTube audience is different from your podcast audience. Yet many companies continue treating all audio consumers as though they behave identically.

If broadcast radio companies want to continue using their sports radio stations as promotional engines for podcast growth, the strategy must evolve. It can’t be plug-and-play. It can’t rely on blanket assumptions that every listener will respond the same way simply because they consume audio.

A Wake Up Call?

The latest research should serve as a wake-up call. For years, broadcasters have operated under the assumption that reach automatically translates into discovery. The data suggests otherwise.

That doesn’t mean podcast promotion should disappear from radio. It means the approach needs refinement. Promote content that aligns with local interests. Give stations flexibility to spotlight their own talent and products. Create messaging that feels relevant rather than mandatory. Most importantly, build promotional strategies around audience behavior instead of corporate convenience.

Broadcast radio remains one of the most powerful promotional tools in media. But power without precision is wasteful. If companies want better results, they need a cross-promotional model that reflects how audiences actually discover content today.

The research is there. The audience has spoken. Now it’s time for the strategy to catch up.

Barrett Media produces daily content on the music, news, and sports media industries. Sign up for our newsletters to stay updated and get the latest information right in your inbox.

John Mamola

John Mamola is Barrett Media’s sports editor and daily sports columnist. He brings over two decades of experience (Chicago, Tampa/St Petersburg) in the broadcast industry with expertise in brand management, sales, promotions, producing, imaging, hosting, talent coaching, talent development, web development, social media strategy and design, video production, creative writing, partnership building, communication/networking with a long track record of growth and success. He is a five-time recognized top 20 program director in a major market via Barrett Medi’s Top 20 series and has been honored internally multiple times as station/brand of the year (Tampa, FL) and employee of the month (Tampa, FL) by iHeartMedia. Connect with John by email at John@BarrettMedia.com.

linktr.ee/johnmamola

The post Broadcast Companies Must Rethink Podcast Cross Promotion on Sports Radio Stations appeared first on Barrett Media.

Craig Counsell and Will Venable trusted their bullpens on Saturday with similar results.

Counsell watched his Chicago Cubs bullpen blow a late 5-0 lead in an 8-6 loss to the Toronto Blue Jays, while Venable watched the White Sox ’pen lose 4-1 to the Detroit Tigers on a bullpen day scripted because of the lack of a fifth starter.

The Sox bullpen didn’t perform any better on Sunday, blowing leads in the ninth and 10th innings of a 5-4 loss to get swept in Detroit and finish 1-5 on the road trip.

Venable and Counsell are no different from every other manager in baseball who is heavily reliant on multiple relievers to do the job on any given day. The average number of pitchers a team uses per game is 4.23, and has been above 4.11 since 2015.

It’s not going backward any time soon, as starters’ pitch counts decrease and the average velocity of relievers increases.

Fair or not, a manager typically gets criticized for his bullpen moves when things go wrong and seldom gets credit when everything goes right.

Counsell was reputed to be a bullpen whisperer in Milwaukee when he had reliable closers in Josh Hader and Devin Williams, but now gets questioned about why he left (fill-in-the-blank-pitcher) in too long. Venable hasn’t endured nearly as much criticism because the Sox were awful last year and weren’t expected to do anything this season.

But now that the Sox are contending, and starting a big series Monday against the Cleveland Guardians at Rate Field, his in-game strategy will no doubt get more scrutiny.

Both Chicago managers can only work with what they have, and neither the Cubs nor the Sox bullpen has shown much consistency over the first three months of the 2026 season.

Cubs relievers on Sunday ranked 12th in the majors with a 3.82 ERA, but have trended downward since the start of June, compiling a 4.94 ERA this month with five blown saves in six opportunities. The loss of closer Daniel Palencia has seemingly had a residual effect on the rest of the bullpen, as evidenced by Saturday’s implosion by Trent Thornton, Caleb Thielbar and Jacob Webb, who combined to give up eight runs in 1 2/3 innings.

Cubs relievers are last in the majors with 23 holds, while Sox relievers began Sunday second-to-last with 24 holds.

Cubs President Jed Hoyer performed a major reconstruction job on the ’pen this offseason, notably letting Brad Keller, his most effective reliever in 2025, sign with the Philadelphia Phillies. The Cubs made Keller an offer, but the Phillies made a better one at two years and $22 million, which made it an easy decision.

The Cubs counted on Palencia to dominate as a closer, which he has mostly done. But an oblique injury in April and a “mild flexor strain” that put him on the IL again last week have limited him to 19 appearances. Thielbar has regressed, while free agent Phil Maton, Hoyer’s main bullpen addition on a two-year, $14 million deal, has flopped like last year’s big bullpen addition, Ryan Pressly.

Injury-prone Hunter Harvey got injured early, and Webb has struggled of late and was a complete mess in Saturday’s loss. In between dropping f-bombs Saturday, Webb candidly said: “Back to the drawing board, figure some stuff out.”

The Cubs’ biggest bullpen loss may have been moving Ben Brown to the rotation due to injuries. Brown has thrived, but no one has picked up the slack to replace him. The Cubs can still recover, but to go anywhere this October, Counsell will have to get more out of his ’pen.

“Every season throws stuff at you and you just got to roll with it and you got to be ready for it and you got to adjust to it,” Counsell said after Saturday’s loss. “That will continue to happen. That’s how it’s going to be. We’re going to try to get in that same spot tomorrow, whether it’s a 5-0 lead in the sixth or a 5-3 lead in the eighth — every time we try to get to that spot again, you know what I mean? Just didn’t get it done today.”

The Cubs didn’t get into that spot Sunday, thanks to a postponement of the finale against the Blue Jays, which will be made up at 1:20 p.m. on Aug. 6. They head to New York for a four-game series against the Mets, before an important showdown in Milwaukee next weekend.

Sox relievers ranked 18th on Sunday with a 4.26 ERA, though it should be noted that Venable has used an opener 15 times, which means part-time “bulk” pitchers —  including starters Erick Fedde, Anthony Kay, Sean Burke and since-demoted David Sandlin — have some outings included in the bullpen’s stats. The bullpen has mostly performed well at home (13-8 with a 3.48 ERA) and been terrible on the road (5-9, 5.21 ERA).

Like Hoyer, White Sox GM Chris Getz also overhauled his ’pen after 2025, signing Seranthony Domínguez to a two-year, $20 million deal, acquiring Jordan Hicks from the Boston Red Sox, along with Sandlin, and signing veteran lefty Sean Newcomb.

The Domínguez and Hicks moves were done with money the White Sox saved by dealing Luis Robert Jr. and his $20 million salary to the New York Mets. Hicks, who struggled with the Red Sox last year, was inconsistent before going down with a right lat strain. He returned from the IL on Sunday, with Tyler Davis optioned to Triple-A Charlotte.

Domínguez has 12 saves but has been spotty with control issues while allowing five home runs in 26 games. In Sunday’s game, he retired the first two hitters in the ninth inning before blowing the save on three straight singles.

Grant Taylor, Bryan Hudson, Domínguez and Newcomb have all been effective for Venable, but the Sox manager has had a difficult time finding the right spots for Taylor, a potential closer and possibly a future starter. Newcomb threw three perfect innings Saturday in Detroit and could be stretched out to start if needed. But the Sox are hoping Noah Schultz, rehabbing his right knee injury at Charlotte, can return soon to fill the fifth spot, since Newcomb’s value in the ’pen is growing.

Meanwhile, Venable has been using an opener more often of late, except for Davis Martin’s starts, with mixed results. Burke dominated against the New York Yankees on Thursday as a bulk starter, but Fedde came in on Friday in Detroit, trailing 2-1 after opener Brandon Eisert served up a two-run home run.

“The players’ reactions, as we’ve done it more, they’ve been more open to it, and that’s really where it starts,” Venable said Saturday. “You’re sensitive to the fact these guys are very routine-oriented, and certainly for a starting pitcher, an opener can disrupt that. So you have different reactions to it, and in the case where we’ve done it with Fedde and Burke, they’ve responded very well to it.”

Fedde has been used after an opener seven times in 15 appearances. Asked after Friday’s outing if he was getting more comfortable being a bulk pitcher or would rather have a normal start, Fedde was diplomatic.

“Honestly, I try not to think too much about it,” he said. “It kind of is what it is. Yeah, I’m just going to keep giving it my best each opportunity I get the ball. That’s kind of all I have to say about it.”

Enough said.

Fedde has pitched well in his last four outings, but is on a one-year, $1.5 million deal and may not be in any position to protest.

Venable is unlikely to change his view on openers, feeling it’s the best way to optimize performance from his starters, none of whom is on his way to the Hall of Fame. If the Sox continue to contend, that strategy bears watching.

Managing in a baseball-crazy town like Chicago isn’t for the faint-hearted, as Counsell can attest.

DETROIT — Chicago White Sox manager Will Venable was quite sure there would be no shenanigans Saturday afternoon at Comerica Park, as there were during Friday’s night’s game against the Tigers.

“Yeah, I wouldn’t even call them shenanigans,” Venable said, correcting the reporter.

So what’s the proper terminology for a Tarik Skubal meltdown in which the Tigers ace pointed at magic-wand man Mike Vasil and yelled at the White Sox dugout while leaving the mound and from the dugout?

“I would say it was baseball,” Venable said. “Guys being competitive and a guy that had something to say and that was about it. Not a lot there and certainly not going to be anything that I expect to be a problem today.”

Column: Chicago White Sox and wand-waver Mike Vasil draw Tarik Skubal’s ire in 4-3 loss to Detroit Tigers

As Venable predicted, there were no shenanigans Saturday in the Sox’s 4-1 loss to the Tigers on a gorgeous afternoon in Motown.

It was just baseball, or at least the modern-day version of it with the Sox opting for a bullpen day without a fifth starter available.

Sox left-hander Sean Newcomb pitched three scoreless innings in his first start, but the rest of the relievers couldn’t match his effort, and the offense was limited to four hits, including Sam Antonacci’s leadoff home run off Troy Melton, which turned out to be their only run.

The Tigers, in must-win mode, have won the first two games of the series, leaving the Sox 1-4 on the trip. They haven’t won a road series since May 1-3 in San Diego.

Players were visibly disconsolate afterward, the sign of a team that expects to win every day.

“The loss hurts,” Antonacci said. “I don’t think last year or the year before it was like that. It was just show up, and maybe win or lose and go home and go about your day.”

Antonacci, a rookie, wasn’t there, but he called it perfectly.

With the Sox contending for a postseason spot, every day is now important, and the losing hurts more.

But trying to win consistently without a fifth starter is like trying to navigate the Dan Ryan on an electric scooter. You can get by for a while, but there is always a chance for disaster.

Venable said before the game that he hoped rehabbing Noah Schultz or another minor-leaguer would be available the next time the Sox need a fifth starter, saying “it’s not in our plans” to go with a bullpen day often.

But does employing it Saturday point to a lack of starting depth in the system?

“I think I just talked about how that changes throughout the year and certainly we’ve been at spots during this year in which we’ve had multiple guys you feel confident coming up,” Venable replied. “Right now some of those guys are hurt or working their way back. It’s just at a time right now where we don’t have it on this day, but we look forward to the next time having some guys we can lean on.”

After Newcomb left in the fourth with a 1-0 lead, Venable leaned on Tyler Davis (three walks), Joe Rock (three runs on five hits and two walks in 2 2/3 innings) and Trevor Richards, who served up a solo home run to Dillon Dingler. Venable said they pushed Newcomb further than they were comfortable with and couldn’t go further.

Nwecome, one of their most valuable relievers along with Grant Taylor, said he’d be open to being used in the fifth starter spot.

“I’m open to opening, long open, long starter … whatever they want to call it,” he said. “I’m just hoping to pitch in a bunch of innings.”

It’s worth a shot, considering what’s available at Triple-A Charlotte.

The Tigers needed the win, and their fans are getting restless. Manager A.J. Hinch was booed loudly after sending in .138 hitting Jahmai Jones to pinch hit for Kerry Carpenter in the fourth after the lefty Rock replaced Davis with two outs and the bases loaded on three walks. And Hinch was jeered again after Jones struck out, bookending the booing and showing Tigers fans are perturbed over the team’s downfall.

But the Tigers tied it in the fifth and scored two more off Rock in the sixth before Dingler’s home run in the seventh made it 4-1. Venable said he didn’t want to use Taylor too early. “We want to make sure we’re using him in the right spots, and it just hasn’t come up in the last few days,” he said.

On the bright side, the Sox could get starting catcher Kyle Teel back during the series after his 5-for-5 day at Triple-A Charlotte on Friday, which would be a significant addition to the lineup with both catchers struggling offensively. Drew Romo, hitting .144, went 0-for-4 and flied out to end it with two men on in the ninth.

Venable wouldn’t give a hint about Teel’s return but said: “Part of him getting minor-league games under his belt is getting his timing at the plate. … It seems like he’s doing that.”

As for Friday’s histrionics, it was just “good clean fun,” according to Vasil, who said he didn’t know what irked Skubal but assumed it was an accusation of sign-stealing.

Vasil neither confirmed nor denied doing that, but it’s not against the rules to do so with your eyes, and the White Sox once employed a coach named Joe Nossek who had the reputation as the best sign-stealer in the game. It’s only illegal if you use video or do something like bang a garbage can, as Hinch knows well from his days in Houston.

Vasil also claimed he wasn’t sure why Skubal thought he was stealing signs.

“We started to get on base and, like I said, people get paranoid,” he said.

Skubal never explained himself, saying he was “an emotional guy.”

“I wear my emotions out there,” he said. “That’s how I play the game.”

Related Articles

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• Chicago baseball report: Cubs’ Justin Steele still targets 2026 return — while White Sox need some road magic
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• MLB owners propose banning high school signings and adding an international draft in latest CBA talks
• Column: Was it Yankee Stadium ‘luck’ or Chicago White Sox pitching woes that led to another lopsided loss?

The Sox and Tigers had a sign-stealing saga at the end of the 2014 season when former Sox pitcher Chris Sale accused the Tigers of doing it one day in Detroit. The Sox had someone in the dugout use binoculars to spot a man in the bleachers they felt was relaying signs, but manager Robin Ventura never made an issue of it. Sale and Ventura engaged in a heated argument a few days later after Sale demanded Ventura call out the Tigers for the sign-stealing.

Venable never actually accused the Tigers of saying the Sox were stealing signs but offered it as a possible explanation for Skubal’s antics.

“Again, that’s us trying to figure out what they could have been upset about,” he said Saturday. “There was no indication that’s what it was. Usually when you see stuff like that, that’s the implication. But I don’t want to assume anything.”

The trip ends Sunday with Davis Martin pitching in the finale before an important three-game showdown against the Cleveland Guardians at Rate Field.

2028 seems so far away, doesn’t it? Make no mistake, the year 2028 will be huge for a myriad of reasons. The Summer Olympics will be held in Los Angeles. World Cup fever will return as the women’s event will be held in China, Brazil, Morocco, England, and the United States. There’s also a presidential election that will take place. However, one of the biggest sports media stories of 2028 may be what happens with FOX Sports Radio.

Sure, FOX Sports Radio may not generate the same level of interest nationally as a Summer Olympics held in the United States. However, 2028 will be a pivotal year for the brand and how it shapes its future within the industry. What we do know is that Dan Patrick will retire in February of that year at Super Bowl LXII in Atlanta. What we don’t know is whether Colin Cowherd will also be making an exit from the brand.

Just yesterday, Cowherd shared that he’s beginning to think about retirement. At 62 years old and nearing four decades of success at the highest level, can you blame him? He’s not the average nationally syndicated sports talk show host. In fact, Cowherd has dominated the format while simultaneously building one of sports media’s most successful podcast companies.

Cowherd sat down for an exclusive interview with OutKick. He shared that he has two years remaining on his current deal with FOX Sports Radio. Cowherd also revealed that he has begun discussing ways to reduce the length of his daily program, The Herd w/Colin Cowherd. While he doesn’t consider what he’s currently doing a “big lift,” he said downsizing from a three-hour program to two hours would be “reasonable.”

Colin Is Always Evolving

The thing I’ve always admired about Colin is that he doesn’t beat around the bush. He’s a straight shooter but always open to changing his mind on issues. Remember when he asked attendees at the 2019 Barrett Media Sports Summit to find him the man in America who had gotten rich through podcasting? Cowherd officially launched The Volume just two years later. Today, The Volume is one of the most successful brands in the sports podcasting space.

With time comes evolution and the ability to think differently about a subject.

In the same interview with OutKick, Cowherd said that people have inquired about buying The Volume. He has also reached out to trusted contacts in the finance world to discuss selling the company or portions of it.

Within a six-minute span during his conversation with OutKick, Cowherd was sending signals like any top tier talent. He says that he has thought about retirement, and discussed reducing his daily show to two hours. Plus, he’s explored the possibility of selling The Volume.

For Cowherd, that’s a blessed position to be in, and his efforts have earned him the right to have those choices.

But just as he evolved his thinking about getting rich through podcasting, could we see a similar shift before 2028 regarding whether Colin Cowherd needs FOX Sports Radio anymore?

By no means has Cowherd lost his fastball. Scott Shapiro, who oversees FOX Sports Radio, told me as much in January. When I spoke with Shapiro earlier this year, he said there had been no discussions about an exit plan and that retirement had never come up between them.

Six months later, some evolution is happening. Cowherd revealed to OutKick that he has thought about retirement and has discussed paring down his program as part of a potential new deal. Again, Cowherd continues to evolve his thinking.

So, if Cowherd changes his stance and decides to leave FOX Sports Radio in the same year as Dan Patrick, where does that leave FOX Sports Radio in 2028 and beyond?

Planning For Anything

For more than a decade, FOX Sports Radio has been the dominant player in the syndicated sports radio battle. Heavy hitters mixed with FOX branding. The ability to remain live on affiliates during play-by-play broadcasts when competitors are carrying games have provided a proven advantage. Being operated by Premiere Radio Networks under the iHeartRadio umbrella doesn’t hurt either.

When Doug Gottlieb left the network to continue his college basketball coaching career, the answer was Jon “Stugotz” Weiner. Shapiro explained that even he didn’t expect “Stugotz” to be interested. It turned out Stugotz was all in on the idea, and returned to syndicated sports radio for the first time since 2020.

Moreover, Dan Patrick’s departure is approaching, and the answer to replacing him remains unknown. If you add Cowherd to the departures list in the same year, where do you go from there? FOX Sports Radio built and marketed its brand around the strong presence of Patrick, Cowherd, and Gottlieb for years. All three were former ESPN Radio talents who made the jump to join the competition.

Without them, many questions remain. There is also legitimate skepticism about whether FOX Sports Radio can maintain its audience long term with diminished star power. Any brand that loses the value of Patrick and Cowherd would be in the same quandry.

Replacing talent on syndicated sports radio outlets is not an easy process. Just look at FOX Sports Radio’s competition. ESPN Radio still has not officially named a replacement for Clinton Yates, who departed the company nearly three months ago. A great deal of planning, budgeting, and execution goes into the process. Ask anyone who’s been in the situation, it takes time.

Not to mention the hundreds of affiliates around the country and their concerns. FOX Sports Radio must of course assure those affiliates that the network will continue providing top-tier talent. Those capable of delivering content while maintaining listener interest in local markets.

Change Is Always Constant

Maybe Colin Cowherd ultimately decides he still loves the daily grind and signs another deal. Maybe he scales back his workload but remains part of the FOX Sports Radio lineup. Or maybe 2028 becomes the year he follows Dan Patrick out the door and focuses exclusively on The Volume and whatever comes next.

That’s why FOX Sports Radio can’t afford to wait until a decision is made to start thinking about the future. Developing the next generation of marquee talent takes years, not months. It requires identifying personalities, investing in them, and giving affiliates confidence that the network will continue to deliver compelling content long after today’s stars move on.

FOX Sports Radio has already begun that process with several talents. Hopefully more will emerge in the months and years ahead.

However, the sports audio landscape is more competitive than ever. Listeners have an endless supply of podcasts, streaming shows, YouTube channels, and social media content competing for their attention. Local sports radio stations still need strong national programming partners to help fill their schedules and remain relevant destinations in their markets.

If FOX Sports Radio wants to maintain its position atop the syndicated sports radio space, it must have a succession plan ready long before 2028 arrives. Not just for Dan Patrick, but based on his recent comments, Colin Cowherd as well.

Because while 2028 sounds far away today, anyone who has spent time in this business knows it will be here before FOX Sports Radio realizes it.

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John Mamola

John Mamola is Barrett Media’s sports editor and daily sports columnist. He brings over two decades of experience (Chicago, Tampa/St Petersburg) in the broadcast industry with expertise in brand management, sales, promotions, producing, imaging, hosting, talent coaching, talent development, web development, social media strategy and design, video production, creative writing, partnership building, communication/networking with a long track record of growth and success. He is a five-time recognized top 20 program director in a major market via Barrett Medi’s Top 20 series and has been honored internally multiple times as station/brand of the year (Tampa, FL) and employee of the month (Tampa, FL) by iHeartMedia. Connect with John by email at John@BarrettMedia.com.

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I know soccer. Not in the “I watched Ted Lasso and now I understand the offside rule” way. I played goalie growing up, and good enough to make a travel team. We played tournaments in Canada and spent plenty of weekends getting yelled at by parents who thought every goal was somehow my fault.

So when the World Cup rolls around every four years and America has its annual soccer identity crisis, I understand the sport. I appreciate the skill, and respect the global obsession. I just don’t buy the same question we ask every single time: “Is this finally the moment soccer becomes one of America’s major sports?”

No.

Next question.

The more interesting question is what the early numbers from this World Cup tell us about who we are as a sports nation. Not what soccer could become someday, or whether America can ever become Brazil, Argentina or Germany. We’ve been asking that question for decades.

The better question is what the television ratings, social media engagement and audience growth tell us about soccer’s place in America right now. The answer is both encouraging and revealing.

Must-See TV

Last week’s U.S. opener against Paraguay averaged nearly 18 million viewers on FOX Sports. It became the most-watched U.S. Men’s National Team telecast ever and the most-watched English-language World Cup group-stage match in American television history. Add in the Spanish-language audience, and the total approached 25 million viewers.

Those are not niche numbers, or “good for soccer” numbers. Those are real numbers.

For comparison, Mexico’s opener against South Africa drew more than six million viewers in the United States. The largest audience ever for a World Cup group-stage match on English-language television that didn’t involve the United States.

Again, real numbers. The World Cup is clearly a major television event in America.

However, before we start engraving soccer’s face onto Mount Rushmore alongside football, baseball and basketball, let’s pump the brakes.

Fútbol Isn’t Football (Yet)

A recent survey found 32 percent of Americans planned to watch the World Cup. That sounds impressive until you realize 70 percent planned to watch the Super Bowl and 58 percent planned to watch the Winter Olympics. The World Cup is growing. The NFL is living on a different planet.

That’s not a criticism of soccer. It’s just reality.

America’s relationship with soccer is different from its relationship with football. Football is religion. The World Cup is an event, and that’s where I think many soccer evangelists miss the point. Every four years, they see the ratings spike, jerseys worn, flags waived, and the packed watch parties. They assume America is finally converting.

Maybe we’re not converting. Maybe we’re just attending the holiday.

Because that’s what the World Cup increasingly resembles in America: the Olympics with shin guards. It’s a massive global event that temporarily captures our attention, and sparks patriotism. It creates a few household names and then largely retreats to its normal place in the sports hierarchy. That’s not failure. That’s actually success.

Soccer doesn’t need to become the NFL to matter. The numbers suggest it already matters. Nielsen reports North America’s soccer fan base has grown nearly 11 percent over the last five years. Interest in the World Cup itself has risen significantly compared to 2022. Younger demographics continue to embrace the sport. The MLS is healthier than it has ever been. Lionel Messi changed the visibility of the domestic game almost overnight.

The trend line is undeniable. The destination is where people get confused.

Already Arrived

I’ve worked in sports media for three decades. Every four years, somebody asks if this is finally soccer’s breakthrough moment. At some point, we have to stop asking whether soccer is arriving and start recognizing that it already has.

I don’t think soccer is headed toward becoming America’s favorite sport. I think it’s becoming America’s fifth sport, and that is a remarkable achievement. The NFL owns Sundays. College football owns Saturdays. Baseball owns summer traditions. The NBA owns social media. The NHL still owns parts of the northern map and somehow generates more passion than its television ratings would suggest.

Soccer exists differently. It owns moments.

The World Cup. The Women’s World Cup. Messi. International competition. The occasional Champions League match that reminds Americans there are sporting atmospheres on Earth that make a Knicks championship parade in New York look like a library.

That’s the lane.

The U.S. now heads into a second-round matchup against Australia carrying genuine momentum. The women remain a global powerhouse. Our U.S. men are competitive. The ratings are strong, audience is younger, and fan base is growing.

If you’re looking for evidence that soccer is about to overtake baseball, basketball or football, you’re reading the wrong numbers. The real story isn’t that America has fallen in love with soccer. It’s that America has finally decided soccer belongs.

Not as king. Not as a challenger. Just as a permanent member of the family.

For a sport that spent decades trying to convince Americans it mattered, that’s a much bigger victory than another round of “Could we someday become Brazil?” We’ve been asking that question every four years for as long as I can remember.

The ratings are finally giving us a better one.

Barrett Media produces daily content on the music, news, and sports media industries. Sign up for our newsletters to stay updated and get the latest information right in your inbox.

John Lund

With decades of experience behind the mic, John Lund is more than a sports commentator and weekly columnist for Barrett Media—he’s a storyteller, humorist, and true fan. He’s hosted shows in mid sized markets like Pittsburgh and Salt Lake City to larger cities like San Francisco, Detroit and Dallas. John has even hosted nationally on ESPN Radio. Known for his sharp wit and deep sports knowledge, John welcomes your feedback. Reach him on X @JohnLundRadio or by email at John@JohnLundRadio.com.

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