Bucholtz Sports Media
Interviews, news, and analysis from the sports media and sports business world. A newsletter and website from Andrew Bucholtz, who's been covering this sector since 2012.
What will happen to FIFA World Cup viewership numbers after the exits of hosts USA, Mexico, and Canada?
Welcome back to Bucholtz Sports Media! This analysis post is free for everyone thanks to our premium subscribers, who you can join here for just $5 a month. Now, on to the piece... Where will World Cup viewership go following the hosts' exits? The USMNT's Chris Richards after their loss to Belgium Monday. (Fox Sports on YouTube.) The 2026 FIFA World Cup has produced incredible viewership thus far in both the U.S. and Canada. On the U.S. front, Fox has set countless records with their...
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Looking back at the media narratives around the Florida and LSU coaching moves
Welcome back to Bucholtz Sports Media! This analysis post is an exclusive for our premium subscribers, who you can join here for $5 a month. Now, on to the piece... Further details on LSU and Florida coaching moves with Lane Kiffin and Jon Sumrall illustrate how the situations weren't equivalent Lane Kiffin (L) and Jon Sumrall at the SEC spring meetings in 2026. (That SEC Podcast on YouTube.) There are plenty of cases in the sports world where a prominent media narrative emerges. Some of the...
Thrilling Cape Verde-Argentina FIFA World Cup match suggests tournament expansion isn't always bad
Welcome back to Bucholtz Sports Media! This post is free for everyone thanks to our premium subscribers, who you can join here. Now, on to the piece... Cape Verde's underdog run is the latest positive tournament expansion story A Cape Verde post from @dripfc on Instagram. A regular discussion we've seen across sports is leagues trying to expand their championship tournaments, frequently with the context of heavy pushback from media members and fans. That's happened recently with the NFL...
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What does the end of the (NHL) Hockey Night In Canada era mean?
Welcome back to Bucholtz Sports Media! This post is an exclusive for our premium subscribers, who you can join here. Now, on to the piece... CBC's final NHL broadcasts (at least for now) signal an interesting end of an era An incredible Hockey Night In Canada group at the 1985 Stanley Cup Final, in the famed powder-blue blazers. From left to right: Ralph Mellanby, then executive producer, HNIC, host Chris Cuthbert, play-by-play man Don Wittman, colour analyst John Davidson, director Larry...
Stanley Cup Final record U.S. viewership further disproves 'ratings nightmare' logic, adds to NHL's success
Welcome back to Bucholtz Sports Media! This post is free for everyone thanks to our premium subscribers, who you can join here. Now, on to the piece... ABC and ESPN deliver most-watched Stanley Cup Final since 2019 despite 'ratings nightmare' predictions Ahead of the start of the Stanley Cup Final earlier this month, there were surprising amounts of "ratings nightmare" discussions, with both Newsweek and Fox News/Outkick using that term. As written here at the time, an actual U.S. "ratings...
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NBA Finals records show perfect viewership storm...except for five-game finish
Welcome back to Bucholtz Sports Media! This post is an exclusive for our premium subscribers, who you can join here for $5 a month. Now, on to the piece... ABC/ESPN record most-watched NBA Finals since 1998 despite Knicks' five-game victory An ESPN graphic for NBA Finals viewership on ABC. (@ESPNPR on X.) As written here earlier this month, the NBA Finals between the New York Knicks and the San Antonio Spurs set up as a great potential matchup for TV, but the key question was how well the...
The Athletic and The Atlantic illustrate how companies are leaning into FIFA World Cup coverage
Welcome back to Bucholtz Sports Media! This analysis post is free for everyone thanks to our premium subscribers, who you can join here. Now, on to the piece... Some coverage moves from The Athletic and The Atlantic. The Athletic and The Atlantic make big bets on FIFA World Cup coverage beyond match broadcasts A lot of the discussion around the business of sports is about the games themselves, whether with in-person ticket sales, television ratings, media coverage, or more. There's...
Brendan Sorsby injunction may hurt NCAA attempts to punish players for gambling, but isn't necessarily sports-wide
Welcome back to Bucholtz Sports Media! This post is free for everyone thanks to our premium subscribers, who you can join here. Now, on to the piece... What does the Brendan Sorsby injunction mean for leagues' attempts to enforce bans on players gambling? Texas Tech QB Brendan Sorsby again looks set to play this year, barring further judicial rulings. (Brendan Sorsby on Instagram.) There have been many discussions about sports gambling scandals over the years, and those have only increased in...
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The level of NBA Finals viewership success may depend on how well the Spurs can rise to the occasion
Welcome back to Bucholtz Sports Media! This post is an exclusive for our premium subscribers, who you can join here. Now, on to the piece... Can the Spurs make this a NBA Finals to remember? A graphic for the NBA Finals' Game 2 (@NBA on X.) On the surface, everything's set up very well for the NBA Finals from a ratings perspective. The New York Knicks, from Nielsen's largest designated media market, are in the Finals for the first time since 1999. (And while the San Antonio Spurs only...
Massive U.S. NHL playoff numbers suggest Stanley Cup Final will be no 'ratings nightmare'
Welcome back to Bucholtz Sports Media! This post is free for everyone thanks to our premium subscribers, who you can join here. Now, on to the news... Big U.S. NHL ratings heading into Stanley Cup Final are a strong indication for where the league is at Outkick/Fox News and Newsweek articles (at left and right respectively) suggesting a "ratings nightmare" for this Stanley Cup Final seem to be missing some of the context of these playoffs' ratings to date. It's been a good playoffs to date...