Richard Deitsch

Toronto

Host at The Sports Media Podcast With Richard Deitsch

Father of twins; fan of Toronto, NYC and Buffalo; Writer @theathletic; host of Sports Media Podcast; Sports Illustrated/Prime Time Sports alum.

Articles

2025 WNBA Draft draws 1.25 million viewers, its second-largest audience ever

1 week ago | nytimes.com | Richard Deitsch

Paige Bueckers might not have topped Caitlin Clark when it comes to viewership, but she did take out her fellow UConn alum Diana Taurasi. ESPN announced on Tuesday that the WNBA Draft averaged 1.25 million viewers. That's the second most-watched WNBA Draft in history, only behind the 2.4 million viewers who watched Clark, Angel Reese, Cameron Brink & Co. last year.
Vladimir Guerrero Jr. becomes a Blue Jay for life, cementing a legacy in Canada

1 week ago | nytimes.com | Richard Deitsch

TORONTO - About 10 minutes after the formal ceremony to announce a contract extension that will keep him in Canada for 14 more years, Vladimir Guerrero Jr. and his extended family made their way to centre field at the Rogers Centre. The group was about two dozen deep, including Guerrero's wife, Nathalie, and 8-year-old daughter, Vlaimel. Wearing his No. 27 Blue Jays jersey over pink dress pants, the $500 million man posed for photos with his closest people.
Rory McIlroy 'has his masterpiece,' and CBS can celebrate a memorable broadcast

1 week ago | nytimes.com | Richard Deitsch

It was about 70 minutes after one of the most memorable Masters broadcasts in history, and Sellers Shy, the lead producer of the event for CBS Sports, was asked what he planned to do in Augusta for the rest of the evening. His voice was hoarse. The pollen in Augusta had taken its toll. He was ready for a drink.
'It's immortality in golf'

2 weeks ago | nytimes.com | Richard Deitsch

Golf is a sport rich with iconic numbers - 82 wins for Sam Snead and Tiger Woods; 18 majors for Jack Nicklaus; 15 sub-60 rounds shot in PGA Tour history. So here's a golf broadcasting number that is really impressive:This will be the 70th consecutive year CBS broadcasts the Masters, the longest-running sports event on any one network. "This relationship is super deep," CBS Sports president David Berson said of the partnership with Augusta National Golf Club.
Put the women's NCAA Tournament championship game on ABC in prime time

2 weeks ago | nytimes.com | Richard Deitsch

Start times matter in sports when it comes to championship game viewership. The World Series, the NBA Finals, the Stanley Cup Final, the NCAA men's basketball title game and college football national championship game, just to name a few mega-events, all commence in a prime time (on the East Coast) television window. The Super Bowl airs slightly earlier (roughly 6:30 p.m. ET) but concludes in the middle of prime time.
Paige Bueckers leads big women's March Madness TV ratings in post-Caitlin Clark era

3 weeks ago | nytimes.com | Richard Deitsch

If you are reading this, you likely know who Paige Bueckers is. Maybe you are also familiar with Lauren Betts, Maddie Booker and MiLaysia Fulwiley. But Meg Aronowitz, a senior vice president of production for ESPN and the company's point person for its women's basketball coverage, cannot afford to make a similar supposition.
NFL to air 3 games on Christmas Day 2025, Netflix partnership continues: Source

3 weeks ago | nytimes.com | Jayna Bardahl |Richard Deitsch

The NFL will air three games on Christmas Day in 2025, the first two streaming on Netflix and the third as part of Amazon Prime's "Thursday Night Football" package (the holiday falls on a Thursday), an industry source confirmed Tuesday. The news was first reported by John Ourand of Puck. Netflix landed a three-season deal for exclusive NFL Christmas Day rights last May.
Jim Nantz circles 2036 Masters as hopeful retirement date 'if all the stars aligned'

4 weeks ago | nytimes.com | Richard Deitsch

Goodbye, friends. I'm planning on retiring in 2036. Jim Nantz told a Scottish golf magazine in a story published Wednesday that he plans to broadcast through the playing of the 100th Masters in 2036. Like the scent of azaleas and pimento cheese sandwiches, few things are more associated with the Masters than Nantz. "A lot of things have to happen for that to occur," he told the magazine. "First off, my health would have to hold up. Secondly, CBS and Augusta National would have to want me to come back.
ESPN's Final Four crew of Rebecca Lobo, Holly Rowe, Ryan Ruocco weigh in on March Madness

1 month ago | nytimes.com | Richard Deitsch

There was a time in women's college basketball where you knew who was going to play in the championship game. This year there are a half-dozen if not more teams that can legitimately win this tournament. It's a significant change, right? Lobo: We're looking forward to excellent games no matter if it's the Sweet 16, Elite Eight, and we know there is going to be star power in every one of those games because we have a broad base of stars and well-known stars.
Women's basketball is hot as ever but will March Madness still soar without Caitlin Clark?

1 month ago | nytimes.com | Richard Deitsch

You don't have to inform ESPN senior vice president of production Meg Aronowitz about the challenge of producing the NCAA women's basketball tournament without Caitlin Clark the year after she had galvanized the property to NFL viewership heights. "You never want to be the guy that follows Nick Saban, right?" Aronowitz said, laughing. There is an interesting duality with the women's tournament this year.