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Awful Announcing

NCAA women’s tournament sees impressive viewership numbers

It might be fair to argue that college basketball has never been hotter with both men’s and women’s NCAA Tournament action seeing big ratings numbers. On the men’s side, CBS and TNT Sports’ coverage of the 2026 NCAA Tournament has set high viewership marks one round after another. Through the first weekend, the tournament is Read more... The post NCAA women’s tournament sees impressive viewership numbers appeared first on Awful Announcing.

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Oscar De La Hoya regrets selling Ring Magazine to Turki Alalshikh: ‘I don’t think there’s any integrity there’

The legacy of Ring Magazine has taken a polarizing place in the current boxing landscape as the longtime media institution has come under the control of Zuffa Boxing promoter Turki Alalshikh. And boxing icon and former Ring Magazine owner Oscar De La Hoya has regrets over his sale of the magazine. The publishing of the Read more... The post Oscar De La Hoya regrets selling Ring Magazine to Turki Alalshikh: ‘I don’t think there’s any integrity there’ appeared first on Awful Announcing.

Read moreOscar De La Hoya regrets selling Ring Magazine to Turki Alalshikh: ‘I don’t think there’s any integrity there’

Partial TV and streaming viewing picks for March 26, 2026: How to watch NCAA Tournament Sweet 16

All Times Eastern Australian Rules Football Round 3 Collingwood Magpies vs. Greater Western Sydney Giants — Fox Soccer Plus, 4:26 a.m. (Friday) College Baseball Miami (FL) at Clemson — ACC Network, 7 p.m. Oklahoma at Texas — SEC Network, 8 p.m. College Basketball Men’s NCAA Men’s Basketball Tournament Regional Semifinals West Region, SAP Center, San Read more... The post Partial TV and streaming viewing picks for March 26, 2026: How to watch NCAA Tournament Sweet 16 appeared first on Awful Announcing.

Read morePartial TV and streaming viewing picks for March 26, 2026: How to watch NCAA Tournament Sweet 16

AA Podcast: Bill Raftery on March Madness, onions, not slowing down, and more

On this week’s episode of the Awful Announcing Podcast, host Brandon Contes interviews college basketball broadcasting legend Bill Raftery. Brandon and Bill discuss a wide range of topics including working March Madness, why Bill was unable to trademark “onions,” Bill still loving his job and not slowing down at 82 (or is he 82), and more. Read more... The post AA Podcast: Bill Raftery on March Madness, onions, not slowing down, and more appeared first on Awful Announcing.

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Netflix’s MLB debut was promising, excessive, and occasionally a disaster

Netflix arrived at Oracle Park on Wednesday night with 73 kayaks in McCovey Cove, a shirtless comedian, two WWE tag team champions, the all-time home run king, and the first pitch of the 2026 Major League Baseball season. It was exactly as chaotic as that sentence suggests, and somehow more. There was a lot to Read more... The post Netflix’s MLB debut was promising, excessive, and occasionally a disaster appeared first on Awful Announcing.

Read moreNetflix’s MLB debut was promising, excessive, and occasionally a disaster

Caitlin Clark works Pacers-Lakers game as photographer

With the news of a WNBA labor deal, thankfully basketball fans will have the chance to see Caitlin Clark do what she does best this season with the Indiana Fever. But that’s not slowing her down from continuing to try new things this offseason. Clark committed to the WNBA, once again resisting overtures from overseas Read more... The post Caitlin Clark works Pacers-Lakers game as photographer appeared first on Awful Announcing.

Read moreCaitlin Clark works Pacers-Lakers game as photographer

Netflix MLB scorebug draws polarizing reaction

Netflix made its big Major League Baseball debut as the 2026 season kicked off on Wednesday night with a game between the San Francisco Giants and New York Yankees. And true to form for the streamer, it was a very unique presentation as they look to make their mark in live sports coverage. Netflix has Read more... The post Netflix MLB scorebug draws polarizing reaction appeared first on Awful Announcing.

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The Netflix MLB pregame show was one big Netflix infomercial

Major League Baseball kicked off the 2026 season unlike ever before, with the national pastime’s first telecast on the global streaming giant Netflix. And in case it was lost on you that you were watching the game on Netflix, Netflix was very eager to remind you that you were watching on Netflix. There was a Read more... The post The Netflix MLB pregame show was one big Netflix infomercial appeared first on Awful Announcing.

Read moreThe Netflix MLB pregame show was one big Netflix infomercial

Fanatics Flag Football Classic draws underwhelming TV audience

The NFL is invested in flag football being a big part of its future. Perhaps in that future, more people will be interested in watching it on television. The Fanatics Flag Football Classic, produced by Fanatics Studios, was hyped to the moon when Tom Brady announced he was “coming out of retirement” to headline the Read more... The post Fanatics Flag Football Classic draws underwhelming TV audience appeared first on Awful Announcing.

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College football could shift start of season to ‘Week 0’ by 2027

The 2027 college football season could start one week before we’re all accustomed to. According to a report by Seth Emerson and Ralph D. Russo in The Athletic, administrators and coaches are “moving toward making a recommendation” to shift the start of the college football season up by one week, to what is now colloquially Read more... The post College football could shift start of season to ‘Week 0’ by 2027 appeared first on Awful Announcing.

Read moreCollege football could shift start of season to ‘Week 0’ by 2027

Men’s college lacrosse game of the year finally finds a broadcasting home

In any sport, if the No. 1 and No. 2 teams in the nation were facing off, you’d imagine networks and broadcasters would be lining up to put it on their airwaves. That didn’t seem to be the case with the game between No. 1 Notre Dame and No. 2 Richmond, scheduled for Saturday, April Read more... The post Men’s college lacrosse game of the year finally finds a broadcasting home appeared first on Awful Announcing.

Read moreMen’s college lacrosse game of the year finally finds a broadcasting home

CBS extends WNBA media rights deal, reveals broadcast team

The WNBA has finalized what will seemingly be the last of its media rights deals for at least the next couple of years. On Wednesday, Paramount announced that it has reached a new “long-term” media rights agreement with the WNBA, under which CBS will broadcast up to 20 regular-season games each season, beginning in 2026. Read more... The post CBS extends WNBA media rights deal, reveals broadcast team appeared first on Awful Announcing.

Read moreCBS extends WNBA media rights deal, reveals broadcast team

Former Ohio State star, Buckeye Scoop owner Kirk Barton sentenced to prison for fatal drunk driving crash

Kirk Barton, a former Ohio State offensive lineman and Buckeye Scoop owner, was sentenced Wednesday to 5 to 7.5 years in a Franklin County court after pleading guilty to one count of aggravated vehicular homicide in the June 2025 crash that killed 24-year-old Ethan Perry of Columbus. A second aggravated vehicular homicide count and two Read more... The post Former Ohio State star, Buckeye Scoop owner Kirk Barton sentenced to prison for fatal drunk driving crash appeared first on Awful Announcing.

Read moreFormer Ohio State star, Buckeye Scoop owner Kirk Barton sentenced to prison for fatal drunk driving crash

Zac Brown Band will perform ‘Sunday Night Baseball’ open for NBC

NBC has found its Sunday Night Baseball theme song, and it’s going country. The Zac Brown Band will star in NBC’s Sunday Night Baseball show open, according to Sports Business Journal’s Richard Deitsch. The open debuts April 12, airing on NBC and Peacock ahead of the Guardians-Braves game at 7 p.m. ET, then before every Read more... The post Zac Brown Band will perform ‘Sunday Night Baseball’ open for NBC appeared first on Awful Announcing.

Read moreZac Brown Band will perform ‘Sunday Night Baseball’ open for NBC

BetMGM shamed for X post purposefully spreading false UNC coaching report

You gotta hand it to Elon Musk. Every time you think his X platform (formerly Twitter) can prove itself as unreliable and untrustworthy as possible, it fosters an environment that allows things to sink even lower than imagined. These days, the idea of fake reporters posting fake breaking news in order to go viral is Read more... The post BetMGM shamed for X post purposefully spreading false UNC coaching report appeared first on Awful Announcing.

Read moreBetMGM shamed for X post purposefully spreading false UNC coaching report

Michael Kay laments ‘concerning’ fragmentation of MLB rights

Michael Kay will be watching Opening Day from the stands. Again. Last year, when ESPN held the Yankees opener and put Joe Buck on the call, Kay — who has either written or announced Opening Day for 37 consecutive years — was “red-hot” about it and ended up in the seats at Yankee Stadium with Read more... The post Michael Kay laments ‘concerning’ fragmentation of MLB rights appeared first on Awful Announcing.

Read moreMichael Kay laments ‘concerning’ fragmentation of MLB rights

Dan Orlovsky didn’t answer Pat McAfee’s FaceTime request following testy appearance

On Tuesday, Dan Orlovsky tried to power through on his wild take that Ty Simpson is a better NFL quarterback prospect than Fernando Mendoza, and no one on The Pat McAfee Show let him slide. McAfee pressed Orlovsky on his admiration for Simpson and whether CAA, which represents both of them, has anything to do Read more... The post Dan Orlovsky didn’t answer Pat McAfee’s FaceTime request following testy appearance appeared first on Awful Announcing.

Read moreDan Orlovsky didn’t answer Pat McAfee’s FaceTime request following testy appearance

Chris Russo contests Stephen A. Smith touting Kenny Smith for UNC: ‘He’s never coached!’

Everyone feared Stephen A. Smith might ruin Inside the NBA by forcing his way onto the show. IInstead, he’s looking to break up the crew by shipping Kenny Smith off to UNC. In the wake of the University of North Carolina firing Hubert Davis, Stephen A. Smith has quickly pivoted to touting Kenny Smith as Read more... The post Chris Russo contests Stephen A. Smith touting Kenny Smith for UNC: ‘He’s never coached!’ appeared first on Awful Announcing.

Read moreChris Russo contests Stephen A. Smith touting Kenny Smith for UNC: ‘He’s never coached!’

Al Bernstein reveals ESPN producer once pushed for ‘Howard Cosell-type controversy’ during live fight

ESPN’s daytime studio lineup is fully in its “embrace debate” era. Most of us have long accepted that as fact. But the network’s live sports broadcasts are, in many ways, still the same as they’ve always been. There’s no need for manufactured drama when there’s real drama happening on the court or field. However, with Read more... The post Al Bernstein reveals ESPN producer once pushed for ‘Howard Cosell-type controversy’ during live fight appeared first on Awful Announcing.

Read moreAl Bernstein reveals ESPN producer once pushed for ‘Howard Cosell-type controversy’ during live fight

NBC Sports Philadelphia’s Ben Davis to call more Phillies games from field level in 2026

Phillies broadcasts on NBC Sports Philadelphia are going to look a little different in 2026, and Ben Davis is a big reason why. Ben Davis, who has been part of the broadcast team since 2015, will be spending more time calling games from the field level. Davis got his feet wet in the dugout for Read more... The post NBC Sports Philadelphia’s Ben Davis to call more Phillies games from field level in 2026 appeared first on Awful Announcing.

Read moreNBC Sports Philadelphia’s Ben Davis to call more Phillies games from field level in 2026

Prime Video to debut ‘Inside Amen Corner’ data-based live feed for Masters

Amazon’s Prime Video streaming service is set to make its Masters debut in just over two weeks. The streamer will exclusively air main feed coverage of the first and second rounds between 1 p.m. and 3 p.m. ET on Thursday and Friday, leading directly in to ESPN’s traditional broadcast window beginning at 3 p.m. Previously, Read more... The post Prime Video to debut ‘Inside Amen Corner’ data-based live feed for Masters appeared first on Awful Announcing.

Read morePrime Video to debut ‘Inside Amen Corner’ data-based live feed for Masters

Sports media insider: ‘NBC may have moved ahead of Fox’ in Mike Tomlin sweepstakes

Former Pittsburgh Steelers head coach Mike Tomlin is the hottest NFL media free agent currently on the market. Earlier this week, it was reported that Tomlin has hired sports media superagent Sandy Montag for representation. Montag, reps prominent broadcasters including Jim Nantz, Scott Van Pelt, and Mike Tirico, and formerly represented John Madden during his Read more... The post Sports media insider: ‘NBC may have moved ahead of Fox’ in Mike Tomlin sweepstakes appeared first on Awful Announcing.

Read moreSports media insider: ‘NBC may have moved ahead of Fox’ in Mike Tomlin sweepstakes

Shannon Sharpe says debating Skip Bayless was more intense than Stephen A. Smith

There might not be anyone more apt to discuss the differences in debating Skip Bayless and Stephen A. Smith than Shannon Sharpe. The Pro Football Hall of Famer spent seven years as a debate partner with Bayless on FS1’s Undisputed, before the network chose to move on in 2023. And he spent nearly two years Read more... The post Shannon Sharpe says debating Skip Bayless was more intense than Stephen A. Smith appeared first on Awful Announcing.

Read moreShannon Sharpe says debating Skip Bayless was more intense than Stephen A. Smith

NBC will hire another ‘Sunday Leadoff’ play-by-play voice

Matt Vasgersian is not calling every Sunday Leadoff game this season, and NBC’s executive producer Sam Flood made clear Monday that the network already has a plan for when he can’t. On NBC Sports’ MLB preview media conference call, Flood confirmed that a second play-by-play announcer has agreed to handle the Leadoff dates Vasgersian won’t Read more... The post NBC will hire another ‘Sunday Leadoff’ play-by-play voice appeared first on Awful Announcing.

Read moreNBC will hire another ‘Sunday Leadoff’ play-by-play voice