Sports Media Summit in New York 2024
Join us for the 2024 BSM Summit Kickoff Party presented by the WWE on Tuesday night March 12th at 6pm live from the M Social New York Times Square hotel located at 226 W 52nd Street.
Join us for free drinks, take your photo with the WWE title, and qualify to win on-site prizes.
For more information on M Social Hotel, click here.
BSM President Jason Barrett takes the stage to welcome attendees to New York and explain what’s in store for the next two days.
The first session of this year’s 2024 BSM Summit starts with a deep dive into the world of sports radio programming. Along for the ride on our panel are 98.5 The Sports Hub PD Rick Radzik, WFAN PD Spike Eskin, 106.7 The Fan PD Chris Kinard and 104.5 The Zone PD Paul Mason.
Led by Barrett Media president Jason Barrett, the group will examine how high ratings and local market dominance is created, what they’ve done to create relevance and revenue beyond the airwaves, if artificial intelligence is playing a role inside their operations, and what they’ve done specifically in the digital space to create social success and multiplatform influence.
Gabriel Soto of Edison Research takes the stage to educate attendees on where habits are shifting among sports fans, and audio and video consumption. Using the latest Share of Ear study and data gathered by Edison over the past decade, we’ll learn where opportunities are growing, losing momentum, how to best position brands for future success, and which five stories sports radio can use to showcase impact.
McVay Media president Mike McVay welcomes Good Karma Brands president Steve Politziner, Cumulus and Westwood One SVP of Sports Bruce Gilbert and Audacy EVP of Programming Jeff Sottolano for a conversation centered on addressing key areas facing the sports radio industry.
How can sports radio evolve with commercials and elements occupying 20-30 minutes per hour? What should brands be doing now to protect their future should AM radio be removed from the dashboard? Is the future brighter for streaming or over the air broadcast? How does a station incentivize talent without an FM signal and greater focus on its app? And where can new revenue be created to make up for endorsements and commercials being maxed out?
A ten-minute timeout for attendees to network courtesy of our friends at Good Karma Brands.
Point to Point Marketing presents the Keynote Conversations at the 2024 BSM Summit. In our first discussion, Beasley Media Group CEO Caroline Beasley joins Barrett Media president Jason Barrett for a wide ranging chat on the state of the radio business. Is radio still viable? How confident is Caroline in the advertising climate rebounding in 2024? Is there an alternative measurement option to help radio tell its full story better? How does the approach change when overseeing a leading brand/market vs. a challenger? And what needs to be done for sports radio brands to deliver higher results in finding and developing minority managers?
There are many questions to ask, and Caroline Beasley is uniquely qualified to answer them all.
Join us as we recognize the annual winners of the Champions Award and BSM’s Lifetime Achievement Award courtesy of our friends at Premiere Radio Networks and Fox Sports Radio.
Scheduled to be honored this year are Colin Dunlap of 93.7 The Fan in Pittsburgh, and Philadelphia sports radio icon and former 94WIP host Angelo Cataldi.
One-hour away from the building to network and enjoy New York City’s finest foods.
For over two decades, The Michael Kay Show has been a staple of the New York sports radio scene. Led by Michael Kay and featuring Don LaGreca and Peter Rosenberg, the trio have experienced wins, losses, and a whole lot of change.
In this session hosted by Barrett Media president Jason Barrett, Peter and Michael will talk about the trials and tribulations that come from competing daily in the concrete jungle. They’ll offer their insights on keeping the show in tact amid personal growth opportunities, a new company, new programming leadership, a future away from the FM dial, and the longevity of the show.
Creating content may be the fun part of sports radio but without revenue and unwavering support from management, even the best of brands slip up.
In this session, Barrett Media Chief Media Officer Dave Greene chats with Beasley Media Group Boston VP and Market Manager Mary Menna, Audacy New York Market President Chris Oliviero, and Good Karma Brands Market Manager Vinny DiMarco about the commonalities each have in producing revenue, how they’re navigating the existing advertising climate, the pitfalls to avoid when losing key people associated with popular brands, new revenue streams, the pros and cons of play by play, radio spot loads, and the future of radio vs. streaming.
Podcasting and streaming continue to play a pivotal role in the growth of the sports radio business. How brands present and distribute their content, and react to future opportunities will speak volumes about their ability to grow in an increasing crowded media climate.
In this session, Cumulus /Westwood One SVP of Sports Bruce Gilbert speaks with Audacy Chief Digital Officer J.D. Crowley and Cumulus SVP/Executive Editor for the Cumulus Podcast Network John Wordock about best practices for appearing prominently on Apple and Spotify, best ways to present on-demand podcasts for existing radio shows, what radio must do to enter and compete in the subscription space, and what our two experts have seen perform strongly in podcasting that they’d classify as unique.
A ten-minute timeout for attendees to network courtesy of our friends at Good Karma Brands.
WWE manager, and former writer/executive Paul Heyman sits down with Barrett Media president Jason Barrett for a conversation on what it takes to create, cut through, and command the room’s attention. Paul will dive into his preparation process for creating memorable content, his approach to scripting shows to generate interest from WWE’s global audience, and share his views on how things differ when you’re representing the leading brand vs. the underdog.
As traditional media groups deal with pressures tied to past decisions, a new wave of operators has burst onto the digital sports media scene. Why are they confident and investing further in the future of sports media when others are proceeding with caution? How have they built businesses and attracted revenue without years of proven concepts? What have they discovered does/doesn’t work in podcasting and video? How do they measure impact given the flood of digital content and imperfect system for tracking success? And what do they feel the path forward is for audio/video brands in a subscription world?
Accomplished sports broadcaster and CEO of Walk Swiftly Productions Bonnie Bernstein leads this conversation with Meadowlark Media COO Bimal Kapadia, Jomboy Media COO Courtney Hirsch, All City Network CEO Brandon Spano, and Yote House Media CEO Scott Reinen.
Becoming the face of ESPN and maintaining that standard for two decades is no easy chore, yet it’s exactly what Stephen A. Smith has done during his impressive sports media career.
In this session hosted by Barrett Media president Jason Barrett, Stephen A. will share insight on his preparation process, how he knows when to pivot from a successful show, what he sees as the long-term upside for his thriving podcast, how he manages running a production company given his list of commitments, and what he believes the future is for himself, his content, and the state of sports media.
Join us after day one of the conference for the 2024 BSM Summit ESPN Radio After Party.
The event runs from 6p-8p at the All Star Sports Bar & Grill, located at 327 W 57th St, New York, NY. This event is for conference attendees only. You must have your badge or be on the BSM guest list in order to attend.
Free drinks and food will be provided during the two-hour event. Special guests will be in attendance. Plus, we’ll have a few giveaways courtesy of ESPN Radio.
For more information on All Star Sports Bar & Grill, click here.
BSM President Jason Barrett kicks off the second day of the conference by previewing what’s on tap for the final day of sessions in the big apple.
From his time at ESPN to his current role as co-founder of Meadowlark Media, John Skipper has enjoyed success by studying the audience, serving compelling and creative programming, understanding the business world, and taking calculated risks. He’s had an incredible feel for what’s next, and has been at the front of the conversation for introducing new diverse voices to the sports media landscape.
In our second Keynote Conversation presented by Point to Point Marketing, John joins Barrett Media president Jason Barrett to review the growth of Meadowlark Media, the state of podcasting and where he sees it heading, artificial intelligence’s future role in influencing how audiences find content, the unstable nature of social media and its impact on media companies, and the future of audio and video and potential opportunities operators should have their eyes on.
Managing top personalities, finding the next wave of superstars, evaluating success across various cities and mediums, navigating change when important faces make professional moves, and utilizing television to create bigger profiles for today’s national radio hosts are all parts of this important conversation.
Andrew Marchand of The Athletic leads the way by visiting with SiriusXM’s VP of Sports Eric Spitz, ESPN Radio Senior Program Director Justin Craig, and Fox Sports Radio VP Scott Shapiro to learn how national sports radio executives are managing these issues, and assuring their brands and networks remain valued for years to come.
Having a video strategy should be widely known and embraced by now, but unfortunately it isn’t. Some groups have larger resources, some have a splintered focus, and some lack the skill necessary to excel in video form.
In this session, Phil Mackey of SKOR North in Minneapolis, and Matt Moscona of 104.5 ESPN in Baton Rouge explain how they’ve created unmatched success in their respective cities. They’ll share which metrics matter? How you should be examining success. What can be gained from a revenue standpoint, and what’s critical to have in place in order to earn prime recognition from YouTube’s algorithm.
If you’re leading a brand and trying to figure out what you can do better to produce impact on YouTube, this is a session you won’t want to miss.
A ten-minute timeout for attendees to network courtesy of our friends at Good Karma Brands.
The session title may make you blink at first but when you consider that all four of these men have a Syracuse connection in common, and have each achieved tremendous success in their respective locations, it’s easy to see how it all comes together.
With Damon Amendolara of SiriusXM’s Mad Dog Sports Radio leading the discussion, Fox Sports 1’s Nick Wright, 670 The Score’s Danny Parkins, and 93.7 The Fan’s Andrew Fillipponi will share their thoughts on content selection/creation, how to connect in new markets, the different ways to use social media to create content and audience engagement, the rise of sports betting and how they include it in what they do, measuring their own individual success and how they prefer to be coached or challenged, and what they recommend to media executives who are looking for the next version of themselves.
The second day of our awards ceremony recognizes our annual winners of the Mark Chernoff Award, and the Jeff Smulyan Award courtesy of our friends at Premiere Radio Networks and Fox Sports Radio.
Scheduled to be honored this year are Chris Kinard of 106.7 The Fan in Washington D.C., and former SiriusXM Sports programming executive Steve Cohen.
Mark Chernoff will speak before Chris takes the stage to receive his award. Jeff Smulyan will address the room prior to Steve Cohen coming up to earn his recognition.
One-hour away from the building to network and enjoy New York City’s finest foods.
Mastering social media is difficult but for these specialists, it’s a daily expectation. Managers and talent in major and mid sized media markets are going to want to be in the room when this group takes the stage just after lunch.
In this session, social media star and Stadium host and contributor Annie Agar picks the brains of WWE VP of Digital Steve Braband, Overtime Chief Content Officer Marc Kohn, and the leading voice of ESPN’s SportsCenter accounts and the creator of House of Highlights Omar Raja. How long should content stay up if it’s not performing on social? What are the best types of content to post on each platform? Are there certain things smaller brands and staffs should be doing if they don’t have the skill or staff size that Omar, Marc and Steve have?
For those looking to better understand how to create impact on social media, this is the session to be in the room for.
There’s an old saying, there’s more than one way to skin a cat. In sports radio programming, the same holds true. Brands win differently on a daily basis, and what better lesson for attendees in the room than to hear from two men who operate opposite one another on a daily basis.
In this session hosted by CBS Sports Radio morning host Maggie Gray, 670 The Score VP and brand manager and VP of the BetQL Network Mitch Rosen, and Good Karma Brands Director of Content Danny Zederman will offer their insights on operating with and without play by play, with and without Nielsen, with different streaming strategies, and with AM sports brands in a top three market.
Many in traditional radio and television are focused on opportunities in audio and video, but a quiet storm has been brewing in the publishing space. Newsletters and websites are fueling large growth for brands, and in this session, we’ll call upon three executives to learn how they’ve been able to build their businesses and what others can learn from their example.
Omaha Productions host Kevin Clark moderates this discussion with Front Office Sports CEO Adam White, OutKick Senior Vice President and Managing Editor Gary Schreier, and Fantasy Life CEO Eliot Crist.
What are traditional media outlets missing by overlooking the value and impact of newsletters? How are these brands using them to drive traffic, sales and bolster their social media followings? What metrics matter most and need to be hit to earn large enough advertiser consideration? Why is it more important than ever to have a direct relationship with your audience? And what is the thinking behind pushing content in newsletters that requires a click through vs. delivering the full article right inside the inbox?
Adam, Gary and Eliot will educate the room and give you reasons to rethink your newsletter and website strategy.
A ten-minute timeout for attendees to network courtesy of our friends at Good Karma Brands.
Ratings are great but revenue is greater. Yet in the first quarter of 2024, financial challenges have affected brands, leading many to search for answers to avoid similar results in Q2, Q3 and Q4.
In this session, Barrett Media Chief Media Officer Dave Greene talks with Natalie Marsh of Lotus Communications in Las Vegas, Stephanie Prince of Good Karma Brands West Palm Beach, and Cody Welling of 97.1 The Fan in Columbus, OH to learn how they prepare annual budgets and adjust to real-time changes, where they’ve seen wins in the digital space, what their biggest operational challenges are, and how ideas are brainstormed and turned into profitable promotions inside of their clusters.
Making things better is what program directors are expected to do on a daily basis. In this session, we call on them to do just that. We’ll put the mic in the hands of Sports Radio WIP brand manager Rod Lakin, WFNZ program director Jeff Rickard, 97.1 The Fan program director Matt Fishman, and KOA 94.1/850 program director Dave Tepper to examine four key issues facing brands in 2024.
Among the topics planned for this conversation are:
BSM President Jason Barrett wraps up the 2024 BSM Summit with a review of what’s been learned and a few final thoughts to ponder as attendees head back to their buildings to work on improving their brands.
You must work in the media business or be attending college and pursuing a future in radio, television, print or digital in order to attend this event.