ND's Talking Heads ... The good, bad & ugly

[pumpdog20]

I still get the paper subscription to BGI. Myself and my kids love it.

 

[dublinirish]

<blockquote class="twitter-tweet"><p lang="en" dir="ltr">Sports Illustrated owner TheMaven tells investors that “management has concluded that there is substantial doubt about the Company’s ability to continue as a going concern.” Says it has cash to last through the end of April 2021, but may need to find more to keep going.</p>— Alex Weprin (@alexweprin) <a href="https://twitter.com/alexweprin/status/1262376223059173377?ref_src=twsrc%5Etfw">May 18, 2020</a></blockquote> <script async src="https://platform.twitter.com/widgets.js" charset="utf-8"></script>

 

[NDdomer2]

Driskell right now

 

[dublinirish]

<blockquote class="twitter-tweet"><p lang="en" dir="ltr">Indie college-football podcast 'The Solid Verbal,' which boasts more than 10M downloads, has signed with WME to develop new business <a href="https://t.co/t64Ej6uPHb">https://t.co/t64Ej6uPHb</a></p>— The Hollywood Reporter (@THR) <a href="https://twitter.com/THR/status/1262797934019727366?ref_src=twsrc%5Etfw">May 19, 2020</a></blockquote> <script async src="https://platform.twitter.com/widgets.js" charset="utf-8"></script>

 

[FightingIrishLover7]

Driskell right now

Maybe he can get a new job...
at the.. toilet store

 

[condoms SUCk]

<blockquote class="twitter-tweet"><p lang="en" dir="ltr">Indie college-football podcast 'The Solid Verbal,' which boasts more than 10M downloads, has signed with WME to develop new business <a href="https://t.co/t64Ej6uPHb">https://t.co/t64Ej6uPHb</a></p>— The Hollywood Reporter (@THR) <a href="https://twitter.com/THR/status/1262797934019727366?ref_src=twsrc%5Etfw">May 19, 2020</a></blockquote> <script async src="https://platform.twitter.com/widgets.js" charset="utf-8"></script>

I'm a big fan of the Solid Verbal.....second only to CBS Cover 3.

 

[dublinirish]

https://www.axios.com/the-athletic-layoffs-pay-cuts-fa15a80d-47b7-46a5-a08f-3e7eba558f30.html

The Athletic is laying off nearly 8% of staff, 46 people, according to an internal memo obtained by Axios.

Why it matters: It's the latest media company that's been been forced to take drastic measures to survive the economic fallout from the coronavirus. Like many sports media outlets, The Athletic has been particularly impacted by the loss of live sports.

A spokesperson confirmed the cuts to Axios: "With sports on pause due to the ongoing pandemic, today we made the difficult decision to reduce the size of our staff in select coverage areas, affecting approximately eight percent of employees."
"While we are hopeful that sports will soon resume, this measure was necessary to ensure that the company can weather the uncertainty that lies ahead. Overall, our subscriber base remains steady and we are proud of our newsroom's continuing coverage of the return of sports."
In a memo to the company, co-founder and CEO Alex Mather said that in addition to the layoffs, The Athletic will be implementing pay cuts across the staff, with most people being asked to take a 10% pay reduction for the rest of the year.

"Those making greater than $150,000 USD will take a progressively higher cut, including continued reductions for execs and founders. The adjustments will go in place as of the second pay cycle in June."
Those that are being laid off will receive four weeks of salary, pay out of all unused PTO, and health insurance premiums including health, dental and vision fully paid by the company until the end of 2020, per the memo.
They will also receive full acceleration of all unvested options and an extended exercise window for one year. Employees can keep all company equipment including laptops.
Mather notes that the layoffs and pay cuts are a last resort and that the company did try to control burn "through reduced travel, freelance cutbacks, extreme cutbacks on marketing spend, and deep pay cuts for our entire HQ leadership team."
Be smart: The Athletic has been considered one of the most successful modern subscription-based digital media companies.

Mather says that while the company's subscriber base is still growing, "new subscriber growth was 20-30% down and podcast advertising revenue was severely impacted."
Axios reported a year ago that the company was launching a multi-million dollar podcasting business.
In January, the company raised $50 million, bringing its total amount raised to $139.5 million, and valuing it at roughly $500 million after the new raise, according to sources familiar with the deal.
The memo reflects regret from the company's founders, Mather and president Adam Hansmann, who were expecting the company to be profitable this year.

Mather says the founders assessed every part of the business with two criteria in mind: 1) Whether that line of business could drive subscriber growth and engagement; and 2) Whether it could be sustainable on its own long-term.
"This is a dark day for the company at one of the darkest moments in recent memory for most of us in the country, in the world. Not a single person leaving is at fault. They did nothing wrong .... Adam and I made every decision and we are fully responsible for being in this position today."
He noted that "diversity & inclusion are really important to us as a company, and we took great care in making these extremely tough decisions."
The big picture: The pandemic is forcing dozens of major media companies, including newer, digitally-native media companies, to carry out layoffs and pay cuts.

The Athletic joins The Atlantic, The Hollywood Reporter, Fortune, Billboard, The Economist Group, Group Nine Media, BuzzFeed News, Vox Media, Bustle Digital Group, Cheddar, Maven Media, G/O Media, Protocol and others who have resorted to layoffs and furloughs in the past few months.
What's next: Mather says that the company is preparing "for the strangest six months in sports history," noting shortened seasons, play-in tournaments, round-robins, no fans, insanely short off-seasons, hub cities, and bubble cities.

"We have some major product plans on deck: products that will spotlight the incredible work you produce, products that will hopefully make our subscribers really happy and products that will help us grow faster."
The Information recently reported that the company is looking at striking deals with online sports betting companies for additional revenue.

https://www.axios.com/the-athletic-layoffs-pay-cuts-fa15a80d-47b7-46a5-a08f-3e7eba558f30.html

 

[NDMIA]

I hope Pete Sampson stays with the Athletic. He’s really good

 

[317Irish]

I hope Pete Sampson stays with the Athletic. He’s really good

This was my first thought and I was hoping someone had further info on this. I get some of the criticism towards him, but I have grown to enjoy listening to him Prister and O’Malley. There must be a reason they keep him around for their podcasts, right?

 

[StPaul_Irish]

We are pretty lucky, there are 3 really good ND podcasts.

II
The Shamrock
ND Insider Pod of Gold w/ Hansen and James

 

[Irishize]

I hope Pete Sampson stays with the Athletic. He’s really good

He avoided being RIF’d but this may be only the beginning (for all of us) if we get a huge 2nd spike .

 

[Irishize]

We are pretty lucky, there are 3 really good ND podcasts.

II
The Shamrock
ND Insider Pod of Gold w/ Hansen and James

Agreed. I enjoy all 3 of those. I wish Lou Somogyi could get a decent analyst to join him on BGI but for now those three are my go-to pods.

 

[dublinirish]

II and the Shamrock are the only podcasts worth listening to.

 

[ThePiombino]

I know Driskell gets a lot of heat for being a douche-kabob (rightfully so based on his online written personality), but his Irish Breakdown podcasts (esp with Vince DeDario) are very listenable and he makes some good counterpoints to the fluff a lot of the other sites like to feed us in order to stay on the staff's good side. Just saying, worth a listen...

Sent from my Pixel 4 XL using Tapatalk

 

[Free Manera]

I know Driskell gets a lot of heat for being a douche-kabob (rightfully so based on his online written personality), but his Irish Breakdown podcasts (esp with Vince DeDario) are very listenable and he makes some good counterpoints to the fluff a lot of the other sites like to feed us in order to stay on the staff's good side. Just saying, worth a listen...

Sent from my Pixel 4 XL using Tapatalk

Agree. He is the only one that calls everyone out. Doesn't mean he is always right, and I know he steals people's scoops. But at least he isn't afraid to have unpopular opinions.

 

[StPaul_Irish]

Agree. He is the only one that calls everyone out. Doesn't mean he is always right, and I know he steals people's scoops. But at least he isn't afraid to have unpopular opinions.

His "I am always right" personality, his online "I am better then you" personality and the way he treated Lou when he was at BGI makes him nearly unlistenable. His X's and O's is very good, I give him that. Vince D is pretty good, but he more or less just agrees with Driskell on everything. If BD wasn't such a Douche Rocket all the time I could get on board. Guy rarely ever has his own "scoop" has next to no one who will give him "insider" info. If the other guys do kiss rear a little to stay in the staff's good graces, well so be it, that is good reporting. Picking your battles.

 

[dublinirish]

His "I am always right" personality, his online "I am better then you" personality and the way he treated Lou when he was at BGI makes him nearly unlistenable. His X's and O's is very good, I give him that. Vince D is pretty good, but he more or less just agrees with Driskell on everything. If BD wasn't such a Douche Rocket all the time I could get on board. Guy rarely ever has his own "scoop" has next to no one who will give him "insider" info. If the other guys do kiss rear a little to stay in the staff's good graces, well so be it, that is good reporting. Picking your battles.

no idea how folks listen to him over and over. One of these days he's going to rub somebody up the wrong way in ND football and get banned from the Gug.

 

[ThePiombino]

His "I am always right" personality, his online "I am better then you" personality and the way he treated Lou when he was at BGI makes him nearly unlistenable. His X's and O's is very good, I give him that. Vince D is pretty good, but he more or less just agrees with Driskell on everything. If BD wasn't such a Douche Rocket all the time I could get on board. Guy rarely ever has his own "scoop" has next to no one who will give him "insider" info. If the other guys do kiss rear a little to stay in the staff's good graces, well so be it, that is good reporting. Picking your battles.

He doesn't get the scoop because he's basically ostracized from the program for being a said douche rocket lolol Still nice to hear the perspective of someone who isn't worried about losing his seat at the table since he's already lost it!

 

[ThePiombino]

no idea how folks listen to him over and over. One of these days he's going to rub somebody up the wrong way in ND football and get banned from the Gug.

Not sure if this is tongue-in-cheek, but he's already basically banned from the program lol

He's his own worst enemy, 100%, but if you can take that with a grain of salt, he has some intelligent insight mixed in there.

 

[zelezo vlk]

I like when Jamie Uyeyama talks on ISD's podacasts.

 

[GrangerIrish24]

Not sure if this is tongue-in-cheek, but he's already basically banned from the program lol

He's his own worst enemy, 100%, but if you can take that with a grain of salt, he has some intelligent insight mixed in there.

When it comes to X’s and O’s, I enjoy listening to him.

 

[StPaul_Irish]

Not sure if this is tongue-in-cheek, but he's already basically banned from the program lol

He's his own worst enemy, 100%, but if you can take that with a grain of salt, he has some intelligent insight mixed in there.

100%, his X's and O's get a bit technical but not so much that it can't be understood in general and I give him credit for that. However that is about all that is good to say. Maybe that is why he is so "angry" all the time, he lost that seat at the table.

 

[StPaul_Irish]

I like when Jamie Uyeyama talks on ISD's podacasts.

I forgot about the ISD Pod, reps. It is usually pretty good, especially when Jamie U is on. Mike Frank is hard to listen to sometimes, always seems (to me) that he is crying about something, but the other guys are pretty damn good. To Frank's credit, he seems to have more of a moderator role and stirs up the conversation.

 

[pumpdog20]

I wish ISD would release their podcasts on the various podcast platforms instead of having to go to the site to get it.

 

[ResLife Hero]

I wish ISD would release their podcasts on the various podcast platforms instead of having to go to the site to get it.

Power Hour or a different one? I listen to Power Hour on Spotify.

https://open.spotify.com/show/4YqcHB3HUMeHEDZHcajwyE?si=W4HwDOcSRlqBvD_5hJUVVQ

 

[dublinirish]

I wish ISD would release their podcasts on the various podcast platforms instead of having to go to the site to get it.

its on apple podcasts?

 

[zelezo vlk]

Yeah, I've gotten Power Hour through my various podcast apps for years

 

[PANDFAN]

I wish ISD would release their podcasts on the various podcast platforms instead of having to go to the site to get it.

they do all those listed above me

 

[StPaul_Irish]

I use PodCast Go. You can find it on the Google Play store. I can get just about anything on there. All the ND Pods, Joe Rogan ect…

 

[pumpdog20]

Thanks all. I used to use Podcast Addict and now use Castbox. I might try this Podcast Go, or something else.