Welcome to the 40th Media Mailbag for Athletics. Thank you for sending your questions via the website and the application. There were nearly 200 questions, it is the first of the two parties.
Note: Questions have been changed for more clarity and length.
The NHL certainly was lucky in great advertisement for its stars substitute activities, probably because there was nothing else in the four big sports, and the NBA had been so poor in its recent game . However, this NHL effort took place at the expense of the loss of almost two weeks of local television and income in-arena (food, tickets, etc.) during the main attention period (after the end of the NFL, in cold weather). Is this a quality compromise for local teams, in particular television partners? – No handle
This is a good question. This is a net negative for teams that have lost income and the prospect of injured talent in a match that means nothing for the franchise. But the League should have made this decision (and the Olympic Games years ago) because it is responsible for accessing the wishes of its best players (which is to play the “best”). It is also the best possible advertisement for sport. The NHL has just received 10 days of incredible advertising; The alternative would have been zero. Even if this is not translated into higher media audience numbers, it has many long -term effects on the popularity and investment of a sport.
Do You think the massive numbers for Can the confrontation of the 4 NHL nations can help the rest of the seasonal notes in the NHL? A postponement? – Peter A.
I do not see any significant postponement for ESPN or WBD regarding the audience of the NHL regular season, but I think it is preparing for a massive Olympic audience for NBC in 2026.
Despite Tom Brady’s forgettable performance, it seems improbable that Greg Olsen remains relegated to the Fox “B” stand. I am not a fan of the work of the NFL of Kirk Herbstreit. Could Amazon attract Olsen for its package Thursday evening? – Barry S.
There is no opening for Olsen to go to a high -level broadcast team unless a network breaks a talented contract, which is very unlikely. It is rightly frustrating for Olsen given that it is a huge difference, at least in my eyes, between him and the herbs with the work of the NFL.
It is not a blow on Herbstreit, a better university football analyst. Here is the thing: Olsen is only 39 years old. Take Fox’s money a little and wait for a job to open because one will be, including the new nfl bidders to come in a few years.
Do you see TGL as a novelty that wears out quickly and will follow the path of alternative leagues in other sports? Or do you think he has power? The grades have decreased since week 1. – Mark P.
I think he has power but you have to be realistic. According to Josh Carpenter of the Sports Business Journal: The average for the TGL season is 634,000 viewers in nine games. The low match was 544,000 in week 5. The figures will likely fall the rest of the season.
But the reason I think it is to stay in place is that production is really good, the players took it seriously and it is entertaining content. It works after NFL and university football and before baseball start. A good place.
With the football seasons of the NFL and college finished for the next six and a half months, what non-football sporting event do you plan that you will have the most televised public this year? If I am not mistaken, last year, it was the female university basketball championship or the Olympic Games. – Sal M.
The male basketball title match is on CBS this year and has a little more start (8:50 p.m. HE) than in previous years. So I would take this, with the warning being, you always need a brand team in the final. Kentucky Derby would be a competitor, as is the NCAA female title match, according to the teams.
What are the dishes to take away from the NFL notes from last season and in particular the playoffs? Proof that the demand for insatiable fans for more NFL games has limits? – Stewart R.
I will continue to say what I have said of the NFL for as long as I write sports media: there are no other content properties, sports or other, which captures the attention of the public like the NFL and which gives the league has the whole lever in the commercial negotiations.
The Super Bowl has just defined a new audience record. Of course, part of this is the changing measure of Nielsen and the best counting of the audience outside, but what other entity can command so many Americans? None. I do not see any drop in fans support.
I would love to hear your reflections on the future of the pre-match / fox half-time crew. Too many people, and in particular Terry Bradshaw, seems two years after his date of sale. – Will F.
The show of the show is excellent and has one of the most altruistic hosts in Curt Menefee, who is an underestimated television person. But I cannot tell you something that I have learned of this show for years, apart from something that Jay Glazer has reported. It’s an entertainment show, not a football program. Fox agrees with this, by the way. The bill remains very strong in space. The program has an average of 4.4 million viewers this year.
Expect that Caitlin Clark and the WNBA see an increase in television that consults the public of this coming season, Athleticssaid that Richard DESTH. (Greg Fiume / Getty Images)
Will the new CBA in the WNBA have an impact on the television ratings and / or the viewer? Do you plan a strong demand among television and streaming networks? – Dan C.
THE New media are in place – And I am in the file that the WNBA will increase its audience this season.
There were rumors of ESPN who sought to get out of his MLB contract. If this happens, where do you see these rights? – Brian K.
Excellent column here by my colleague Andrew Marchand on this subject.
Unlike the MLB network, which has an important place in the media world, why is the NFL apparently eager to empty the NFL network? – Mike T.
This does not make enough income for the NFL and unlike the MLB, it already has many other points of sale which essentially cover it 24/7. For each question of the NFL, nine times out of 10 times, the answer is money.
The game score should stay on screen during commercial breaks. This could be distracting from advertising, but if we have just listened and we do not know the score, we will check our phones. Do you agree? – Jeff H.
I would love it as a spectator, but it is not realistic given the announcements billed by the media. If you pay six digits for an advertisement, you pay to choose your own creation.
You have written a lot on Brady, but why is it authorized to have a MVP AP vote (and probably the other prices) while the owner of the NFL? It is a huge conflict of interest, much more than the criticism of NFL officials when they make obviously questionable calls. – Hank G.
I trust Brady in this case to make an honest vote. There are sports media with votes for awards And these votes have an impact on important contractual bonuses. Conflicts are everywhere here.
The 1970s were strewn with thirsty men in the stand. Do you know current advertisers who drink at work? No need to name names (but I wouldn’t say). A simple yes or no would be enough. – Douglas R.
One of the more unexpected questions I have ever received Athletics. I do not think you can announce a professional or college game for a large company – and certainly at the network – if you had three sheets in the wind. You would be exposed by the public given the navigation to be live. In addition, any decent network executive would draw you. Honestly, I haven’t heard any advertiser to drink on work outside of non -alcoholic stuff.
(Top Photo: Bruce Bennett / Getty Images)