Sports Online

FOX Hires Kevin Jackson To Oversee New Digital Strategy

“Jackson did not tell Marchand how big his staff would be, but the hires he has already made are impressive.”

Published

2 years ago

September 25, 2020

Three years ago, FOXSports.com was on the wrong end of a lot of criticism when it announced that the majority of its writing staff would be let go as it “pivoted to video.” The phrase became a symbol of everything that was wrong with relying on Facebook’s proprietary algorithms.

Andrew Marchand writes that FOXSports.com is now “pivoting back” to more diverse content. Former ESPN executive Kevin Jackson has been brought in to oversee FOXSports.com. His focus is hiring diverse talents that can create written, video, and personality-based content.

Jackson did not tell Marchand how big his staff would be, but the hires he has already made are impressive. Charlotte Wilder, Martin Rogers, Bob Pockrass, Mark Titus and Jason McIntyre are currently on staff. It is a team that Jackson believes will be able to help FOX get the most out of each story.

“Coming out of the gate, we want to be a daily destination for fans that becomes essential,” Jackson told Marchand. “To do that, we are going to need to grow out our voices and we are going to have to add to a pretty substantial roster that we already have.”

Jackson left ESPN six months ago. There, he served as executive editor for the brand’s digital products. During his time in Bristol, Jackson launched ESPNetSportzone.com, which eventually evolved into ESPN.com. He also oversaw the launch of Page 2, which helped launch the careers of personalities like Bill Simmons, Bomani Jones, and Wright Thompson.

He told Marchand that his hope is that fans will find something on FOXSports.com to connect to in a unique way the way the audience for Page 2 did.

“We want to serve them with something that is smart and we want to serve them with something that is surprising and unexpected so they feel like they want to come back the next day.”

BSM Staff

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Julian Edelman Launches ‘Games With Names’ Podcast

The podcast, which will debut August 23rd, will relive the most iconic games in sports history, hence the Games with Names moniker.

Published

3 hours ago

August 17, 2022

BSM Staff

Former NFL wide receiver and Super Bowl MVP Julian Edelman has teamed up with comedian Sam Morril to launch the Games with Names podcast.

The podcast, which will debut August 23rd, will relive the most iconic games in sports history, hence the Games with Names moniker.

“Everyone’s always talking about who the GOAT is, but Sam and I are looking for the GOAG: The Greatest of all Games,” Edelman said.

Edelman, who retired from the NFL in 2020, has already worked elsewhere in sports media. He joined the cast of Inside the NFL on Paramount+ last season.

Meanwhile, Morril was excited to get the opportunity to work with Edelman.

“Julian Edelman is a three-time Super Bowl Champion and I just got 10,000 airline miles complaining that my in flight TV didn’t work,” said Morril. “We both know how to get things done, and it was only a matter of time before we joined forces.”

The podcast will be presented by WynnBET.

BSM Staff

Sports Online

Colin Cowherd Adds Madden Streamer Brady Mays to The Volume

Cowherd added that Mays, 25, brings a different level of content to the table.

Published

12 hours ago

August 17, 2022

Jordan Bondurant

Colin Cowherd once had very strong feelings about video games and esports, but apparently his mindset has changed. It’s changed so much so that Cowherd has brought on a popular Madden NFL streamer to his digital company The Volume.

Brady “Mayz” Mays has made a name for himself on YouTube streaming himself playing the popular video game. According to Yahoo, Mays channel amassed upwards of 100,000 subscribers.

“I’ve had a total change of heart,” Cowherd said in an email to Sportico. “That business is so lucrative that parents these days might be telling their kids to STOP playing outside and go inside and play some video games.”

Cowherd added that Mays, 25, brings a different level of content to the table, and that was what drew their interest in the streamer.

“At The Volume, we comb the internet for people who cut through within a specific genre,” Cowherd said. “We wanted to find a unique talent in esports, starting with Madden, and at every turn, someone on the internet was pointing to Mayz.”

“I’m excited to bring a new, innovative style of content to the table,” Mays added. “Partnering with Colin and The Volume is a testament to the growth and legitimacy of the gaming industry today.”

Mays will be the first person hired by The Volume to stream on Twitch. The newest edition of the EA Sports Madden NFL franchise drops later this week.

Jordan Bondurant

Jordan Bondurant is a features reporter for Barrett News Media. He also works for ABC8 News and Newsradio WRVA and 910 The Fan in Richmond, Virginia. His prior experiences include working for the Richmond Times-Dispatch, the Danville Register & Bee, Virginia Lawyers Weekly and iHeartradio Richmond. He can be reached by email at Jordan.E.Bondurant@gmail.com or follow him on Twitter @J__Bondurant.

Sports Online

Amazon Tells Thursday Night Football Advertisers Not to Expect TV Ratings Numbers

Amazon is reportedly getting out in front of potentially lower ratings for coverage of the games than on traditional TV.

Published

1 day ago

August 16, 2022

Jordan Bondurant

The clock is ticking down until Amazon Prime Video begins its run as the home for Thursday Night Football.

But with the shift to streaming, Amazon is reportedly getting out in front of potentially lower ratings for coverage of the games than on traditional TV.

According to Ad Age, the tech giant is anticipating 12.5 million viewers tuning in each week. Last season when the games aired on FOX, the audience peaked at 20 million.

So to help curb concerns from advertisers concerning lower viewership, Amazon is reportedly working with those brands and companies to leverage their NFL ad buys into broader e-commerce ads.

Ad Age reports the price of ad time on Thursdays on Amazon has also decreased compared to what they were going for with FOX. Amazon has asked in the ballpark of $500,000 for a 30-second spot, where FOX ads had an average price of $635,439.

Jordan Bondurant