Barrett Media – Sports Media Summit

BSM President Jason Barrett takes the stage to welcome attendees to Chicago and explain what’s in store for the next two days.

The first session of the BSM Summit has traditionally kicked off with a programming panel. For 2025, the plan is no different.

In this session led by Barrett Media CEO Jason Barrett, 670 The Score/BetMGM Network’s Mitch Rosen, 96.7 and 1310 The Ticket’s Jeff Catlin, Sports Radio 94WIP’s Rod Lakin, and Fox Sports Radio’s Scott Shapiro explore changes in ratings measurement and how each of their brands is adjusting to Nielsen’s shift.

The group will also discuss the process of losing talent and hiring and building successful shows, if social media delivers enough benefit to brands, the value of events, lifting and restoring morale amid industry changes, the format’s need for further innovation, if licensing talent/content is a winning formula, and how radio should handle contractual flexibility given television offering more freedom to its on-air talent.

Each year, Jacobs Media delivers its TechSurvey, showcasing changes in audience behavior across radio, podcasting, social media, and other areas. It is one of the most comprehensive pieces of research, valued by executives, market managers, program directors, advertisers, and talent.

Jacobs Media founder and CEO Fred Jacobs joins us to deliver a sports focused version of TechSurvey. Fred will explain where content consumers are spending their time most, which parts of the business are growing and presenting danger signs, which platforms carry the most value, and where programmers can best help themselves, their talent, and their brands by making adjustments.

McVay Media president Mike McVay welcomes Good Karma Brands Chicago VP Keith Williams, Audacy Chicago Market Manager Kevin Cassidy, Hubbard Minneapolis General Manager Dan Seeman, Lotus Communications General Manager Natalie Marsh, and Audacy Boston Market Manager Mike Thomas for a wide ranging conversation on the challenges and opportunities facing radio leaders.

In this session, the group will cover how they approach investing in opportunities amid a challenged economy, where they see the biggest opportunities for business growth in sports audio, how they manage corporate expectations, the difficulty of recruiting and motivating sales professionals, and each will address whether ratings truly matter or not for generating revenue.

A ten-minute timeout for attendees to network courtesy of our friends at Good Karma Brands.

Revenues and listening continue to increase in podcasting, yet many local brands aren’t as focused on the space as they are their radio stations. Is that a mistake? Are they right to prioritize the assets that deliver the most value currently, even if it may not benefit them later?

In this session, Radio Advertising Bureau CEO Mike Hulvey visits with Magellan AI CEO Cameron Hendrix, and Hubbard Radio VP/GM of Podcasting John Goforth to learn where the revenue opportunities are in podcasting, what advertisers want most, which metrics matter for commanding larger investments, and what market managers, program directors, and executives need to do if they hope to earn greater rewards.

Point to Point Marketing presents the Keynote Conversations at the 2025 BSM Summit, which this year features ESPN’s Head of Content, Burke Magnus.

In this discussion with Barrett Media president Jason Barrett, Burke will share how he chooses which games to broadcast on specific networks, where he sees future opportunity in podcasting and radio, the pros and cons of licensing content and if ESPN has greater plans for more of it, how he and his management team navigate issues with talent, where ESPN sees its ‘Flagship’ product becoming a larger part of the sports media ecosystem, and how he measures impact, growth, and investments in radio, podcasting, and television.

One-hour outside of the theater to Chicago’s finest foods.

Success in morning drive requires the right talent, and just as important, the right tone and approach. Yet many take different paths to connecting with audiences.

In this session hosted by Barrett Media’s John Mamola, ESPN 1000’s David Kaplan and Jonathan Hood, 670 The Score’s David Haugh, and 810 WHB’s Steven St. John explain their daily preparation process, the different ways they structure their shows, how they incorporate social media into marketing their content, their measuring stick for knowing if the show is on of off the mark, and what they expect from their programming bosses.

The challenges that brands and program directors deal with in mid and major sized markets are often different. Some measure success off of ratings. Others don’t even subscribe. Some depend on large advertising investments from agencies, others rely on local relationships.

In this session, Cumulus Media/Westwood One SVP of Sports Bruce Gilbert sits down with 104.5 ESPN PD Matt Moscona, ESPN 92.9 Brand Manager Brad Carson, 680 The Fan PD Andy Roth, and ESPN 1000 Director of Content Danny Zederman to explore how they measure brand impact beyond numbers, the various ways they use social media platforms to grow audience, unique ideas they’ve created to boost revenues, and how they coach and recruit talent.

The rise of Women’s sports has been explosive the past two years, but are sports media content creators adjusting to meet the moment? Should conversations about Caitlin Clark and Angel Reese warrant more talk time on sports radio? Should WNBA games be featured more in on-air updates, and online stories? Where does the growth of Women’s basketball fit into coverage on sports television, and sports digital? Furthermore, how do we make sure sports media isn’t late to the party when the signs in front of us suggest adjustments in coverage are necessary?

In this session, ESPN Radio Director of Programming Justin Craig leads the conversation with Chicago Sports Network’s Annie Agar, ESPN’s Courtney Cronin, ESPN/ESPN Millwaukee’s Jen Lada, and 670 The Score’s Leila Rahimi.

A ten-minute timeout for attendees to network courtesy of our friends at Good Karma Brands.

Point to Point Marketing CEO Tim Bronsil takes the stage to share a few words, and reward one lucky attendee with a $25,000 Audience Development Campaign. Everyone through the door qualifies for the giveaway.

The sports media world in 2025 finds Barstool Sports driving massive engagement, high traffic, and enormous social currency. What goes into the content creation process for its unique personalities? How do they measure content effectiveness? What do they do to tiptoe the line but avoid the third rail? And how do they drive engagement and make sure they remain relevant in a world controlled by social media platforms and frequently changing algorithms?

Barstool Sports’ Ben Mintz, and Eddie Barstool join Barrett Media CEO Jason Barrett to share their approach to content, the pros and cons of social media, and the Barstool way of creating impact.

Building a brand from scratch and turning it into a successful entity requires the right strategy, execution, people, and business plan. For Jomboy Media, the Locked On Podcast Network, Bleav, and the AllCity Network, each have created different paths to growth, and are seeing in real-time the opportunities and challenges associated with competing in the sports media arena.

SKOR North’s Phil Mackey guides this session, which features Jomboy Media CEO Courtney Hirsch, Locked On Podcast Network founder and CEO David Locke, and Bleav CEO Bron Heussenstamm. Learn how the new faces of sports media are disrupting, adjusting, and monetizing, and where they see the industry moving in years to come.