You would be given a free pass if you forgot that before the rise of the social media influencer there were already pundits and personalities on TV, radio and print. There’s just been that much exponential change in the media business over the last...
The commercialization of streaming audio is not a new phenomenon. Going back 100 years, it was simply known by another name, broadcasting. With the launch, rise and now transition to digital and apps, the business models of audio-preneurs have...
Over a 20+ year span, as the Toronto pro sports scene evolved from older venues and stands filled with blue and white (Leafs, Blue Jays, Argonauts) to a more intense red (Raptors, TFC), and grand coliseums that define the city’s skyline, there is...
In today’s everything-on-demand world, it may be hard for anyone born post-Y2 K to answer a simple question, “where do you watch music videos?” A reasonable answer would be YouTube, Apple Music, or maybe even Tiktok. Prior to the dawn of YouTube in...
People yearn for live experiences that they can share with others. Though fan and crowd-based events such as sports and concerts may be the source of most of our FOMO, movie theatres are even more appealing. Although the film may be the main...
Well behind the scenes in the media business lurks smart folks who really know their way around a spreadsheet. They’re the ones who have charted out and flighted all the commercials, billboards, features and other innovative forms of sponsor...
Sports fans today can watch more games and global competitions than we could have possibly imagined, even 20 years ago. For those of us that can remember, which generally means Boomers and Gen-X, there really weren’t many sports to watch until the...
For several years, the legalization of single-event sports betting and the planned provincially controlled roll-out has been a hot topic. During that time, Woodbine Entertainment‘s astute executives have been watching and waiting while...
In a world obsessed with digital and mobile engagement, as well as the rise of subscription streaming entertainment services, like Netflix and now Disney+, it’s easy to overlook the going’s on in the broadcast media business. The reality is, the 75...
Being a Toronto sports fan hasn’t been easy for many generations of Torontonians. Of course, the Raptors NBA title was kind of a reset for the city, and there were a couple of crazy Blue Jays runs a few years back, but those were more so the Toronto...
Dome Productions is a relatively unknown company. Anyone who has walked by Gate 13 at Rogers Centre while attending a Toronto Blue Jays game has likely missed the small Dome Productions office sign, which looks more like a cornerstone time-capsule...
The penultimate sign of fandom, is a team’s jersey. Over the years, the role of the jersey in a team or league’s business has risen to the point where in some leagues it is by far one of the most valuable assets, at least on the team side. Around...
Personality, intelligence, and work ethic can take you a long way in life. In the media business, however, these traits are simply not enough. Not only will you have to sacrifice to make your dreams come true, but those closest to you will have to...
From a young hotshot TV producer to one of the world’s top sports executives, Keith Pelley continues to chase his dreams. As Keith puts it, “life is about adventures”, and what an epic one he’s been on, culminating with the European Golf Tour where...
Long before the dawn of the internet, fantasy gaming and betting were already wildly popular pastimes for sports fans and gamblers. Fast forward to today, and the internet has more than caught up, it’s the dawn of a new day! Nic Sulsky We’re seeing...
From being an NCAA football player to becoming a journalist, Morgan Campbell has spent most of his life with an insiders’ view of the sports world. Over his 20+ year career, he’s witnessed the changes and pullback in sports journalism...
It is a lot harder to become a paid speaker than you might imagine. While you may think that publishing a book is a surefire way to become sought after, there’s a lot more to it, actually! Sure, there are many authors, politicians and academics that...
The Easton family has played a vital role in shaping the North American soccer landscape for almost 50 years. In the early 70’s, Jim Easton Sr. uprooted his family from Scotland to take the job as the inaugural head coach of the Vancouver Whitecaps...
Traditional media businesses have long struggled to realize the opportunity with digital. Giving away free ad-supported content has backfired with Facebook and Google now controlling the relationship with the audience and all their associated...
Being a truly great leader is not about title or tenure. Regardless of seniority, natural-born leaders rise above obstacles to influence those around them and rally around a common goal. Eva Havaris has been that kind of leader from a young age...
Identical twin brothers Jian and Page Magen have made a name for themselves entertaining audiences over the last 20 years. Think what you want about their unapologetic and sometimes shocking form of entertainment, these guys come by it all honestly...
The best live sports executive producers are a blend of genius, in both art and science. Whether we realize it or not, as viewers, we are of course more deeply engaged in cliffhangers. Match outcomes that keep us tuned in until the very end. That is...
No matter the sport, passionate fans and pundits have long debated the goings-on in the clubhouse or on the pitch of every pro sports team. For most of us, this dialogue and discord are limited to Twitter, or perhaps yelling at sports talk radio...
Canadians have long heard about Canadian content, aka CanCon. What most outside of the broadcast business don’t generally realize is that much of that content is actually subsidized by the private broadcasters, such as Bell Media and Rogers Media...
Pushing boundaries and breaking with convention takes more than confidence, especially when you’re working inside a media giant. To do this in an authentic and meaningful way one needs to truly believe that they can make a difference, for the...
Thinking back, pre-covid, did you consider that visit to your local big-box bookstore an entertainment experience? For those lucky enough to attend a book signing or celebrity talk, you’re even more aware of the lasting impact that encounter had on...
Kevin’s award-winning career has spanned four decades, covering the biggest stories from the four corners of the earth and those most important to Canadians. While he’s a household name for his on-camera presence, as you will learn in this...
Sam Galet is one of the sponsorship industry’s most successful connectors. Over his 20+ year career, he has been directly involved in leading a number of massive sports, entertainment and lifestyle sponsorships, endorsements and naming rights...
Dave Krikst (aka My Man D) is the creative mind behind many of the most memorable shareable off the court or ice moments in Canadian sports over the last 20 years. Throughout his career, starting early on with theScore television network and Rogers...
Welcome to the launch of The Backstage Project Podcast! I’m Mark Silver, and I’ll be your guide as we weave our way through the history, here and now, and future of the Canadian sports and entertainment landscape. The Backstage Project Podcast...
In our premiere episode we are blessed to sit down with former Vice President of Programming and Production at TSN and Executive VP Broadcasting for Canada’s Olympic Broadcast Media Consortium, Rick Chisholm. We chat with Rick about the...
Thanks for taking the time to come to our little corner of the web. We are really excited about our new podcast project — if we do say so ourselves. The Backstage Project Podcast is composed of three long-time entertainment and tech...