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MLB Season Preview

MLB Media Notes: SNY's Gowdy Says Mets Owners Not Restricting Network's Spending

SportsNet N.Y. Senior VP/Production & Exec Producer Curt Gowdy said there was “no pushback” from Mets ownership about the hiring of Bobby Valentine as an SNY analyst and, in fact, “ownership embraced it.” Gowdy also said ownership, despite well-reported financial difficulties, “has not given them any restrictions on spending” (Paul Sanford, Television Editor).

RELATIONSHIP BUILDING: In Phoenix, Paola Boivin wrote MLB's "unique rhythm lends itself to a greater bond between fan and announcer." This connection is "why many in the Valley became caught up in the drama surrounding last season’s departures" of D'Backs TV analyst Mark Grace and play-by-play announcer Daron Sutton. A family-like relationship is "the goal" for the new team of Bob Brenly and Steve Berthiaume. Brenly has a "deep connection with the organization." Berthiaume "became popular with the sport’s hard-core fans and developed a strong social-media following" while with ESPN (ARIZONA REPUBLIC, 3/30).

READING THE FINE PRINT: In Las Vegas, Ray Brewer wrote the "dirty secret" with the MLB Extra Innings package is area residents "can’t follow any of baseball’s 30 teams for every game, which is a disappointment to several buyers." The Dodgers, Angels, Padres, D'Backs, Giants and A’s "consider the city within their broadcast market" and claim it as part of their territory, which is "excessive." Additionally, ESPN’s "Sunday Night Baseball" and Fox' Saturday afternoon coverage are "blacked out for all teams, and games on other stations aren't available during those times" to protect the nets' exclusive rights. While blackouts are "part of doing business with purchasing the package, providers need to be more upfront about the limitations" (LAS VEGAS SUN, 4/1).

PLATE APPEARANCE: CNBC's Brian Shactman said of the MLB At Bat app, "It's the most profitable mobile app in all of sports. The NFL really might be the country's most popular league, but they have not figured out how to monetize mobile like baseball has." Shactman added the app was "downloaded almost 7 million times last year. Along with MLB TV, basically with the technologies you can watch baseball anywhere on any device" ("Worldwide Exchange," CNBC, 4/1).

SBJ Morning Buzzcast: March 25, 2024

NFL meeting preview; MLB's opening week ad effort and remembering Peter Angelos.

Big Get Jay Wright, March Madness is upon us and ESPN locks up CFP

On this week’s pod, our Big Get is CBS Sports college basketball analyst Jay Wright. The NCAA Championship-winning coach shares his insight with SBJ’s Austin Karp on key hoops issues and why being well dressed is an important part of his success. Also on the show, Poynter Institute senior writer Tom Jones shares who he has up and who is down in sports media. Later, SBJ’s Ben Portnoy talks the latest on ESPN’s CFP extension and who CBS, TNT Sports and ESPN need to make deep runs in the men’s and women's NCAA basketball tournaments.

SBJ I Factor: Nana-Yaw Asamoah

SBJ I Factor features an interview with AMB Sports and Entertainment Chief Commercial Office Nana-Yaw Asamoah. Asamoah, who moved over to AMBSE last year after 14 years at the NFL, talks with SBJ’s Ben Fischer about how his role model parents and older sisters pushed him to shrive, how the power of lifelong learning fuels successful people, and why AMBSE was an opportunity he could not pass up. Asamoah is 2021 SBJ Forty Under 40 honoree. SBJ I Factor is a monthly podcast offering interviews with sports executives who have been recipients of one of the magazine’s awards.

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