# Breaking down the MLB team exodus from Main Street; ESPN and the NFL get a deal done early; and all things media with Octagon’s William Mao

Page: https://stenobird.com/podcast/the-sports-media-podcast-4338574/breaking-down-the-mlb-team-exodus-from-main-street-espn-and-the-nfl-get-a-deal-done-early-and-all-things-media-with-octagon-s-william-mao
Text version: https://stenobird.com/podcast/the-sports-media-podcast-4338574/breaking-down-the-mlb-team-exodus-from-main-street-espn-and-the-nfl-get-a-deal-done-early-and-all-things-media-with-octagon-s-william-mao.md
Podcast: [The Sports Media Podcast](https://stenobird.com/podcast/the-sports-media-podcast-4338574)
Published: 2026-02-05T09:00:00+00:00
Episode link: https://www.sportsbusinessjournal.com/Podcasts/
Audio file: https://afp-933990-injected.calisto.simplecastaudio.com/22d36b64-6911-475e-870b-b9aab1ae6488/episodes/9a9df43b-d160-4e9b-bcd6-03dd178a85ac/audio/128/default.mp3?aid=rss_feed&awCollectionId=22d36b64-6911-475e-870b-b9aab1ae6488&awEpisodeId=9a9df43b-d160-4e9b-bcd6-03dd178a85ac&feed=zBoUPWvu
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Duration seconds: 2108

## Resource

On this week's pod, host and SBJ media reporter Austin Karp brings on colleague Tom Friend to talk about the latest with Main Street Sports Group and its RSNs. Then, Karp gets into the closing of the NFL-ESPN equity deal and what surprised him. Then, Octagon media rights expert William Mao joins the pod to dish on the NFL, college sports, a potential squeeze on mid-tier properties and more.

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