10 Top Sports Shows on the Air Right Now
We live in a world of content. Consumption avenues like the Internet, television, radio, podcasts and more have allowed sports fans to bathe themselves in the clutches of media.
Sadly, not all content is created equal. There's a select group of sports-themed shows that rise above their competition.
Attempting to avoid oversaturation like it was the plague, we filtered out 10 of the top shows on the air right now based on quality, ratings and innovation. No podcast, radio show or TV program was off limits. Here now is that list.
The Bill Simmons Podcast
1 of 10
ESPN's decision to cut ties with Bill Simmons in 2015, per Richard Deitsch of Sports Illustrated, changed everything in terms of Bristol's content generation stream. Simmons not only served as an on-air analyst, but his creation and managerial role over Grantland dramatically altered the face of the company.
Of all the excellence Simmons brought with him to ESPN, his podcast—The B.S. Report—was the one thing you could see transitioning over to whatever job he took next.
Simmons and podcasting go hand-in-hand. As a host, he's able to bring the best out of his guests, whether that be athletes or pop culture virtuosos. So when the The Bill Simmons Podcast launched around the same time Simmons signed with HBO, his podcasting heroics were suddenly given a new home.
It's the same old Simmons. Compelling guests create stimulating conversation, which makes it an easy listen for any sports fan. And judging by the current podcast rankings, per PodBay.fm, Simmons' also checks in as the No. 1 show in the country.
No one can stop the Bill Simmons machine.
Inside the NBA
2 of 10
Chemistry is key to any sports program. Inside the NBA understands that better than anyone.
Jason Zinoman from the New York Times called it "one of the most freewheeling, unpredictable and funny talk shows on television." He's right.
The cast comprised of Ernie Johnson, Charles Barkley, Shaquille O'Neal and Kenny Smith makes the NBA worth watching. Broadcast as a hybrid between a variety show and a sports-themed talk show, Inside the NBA is able to provide analysis, that despite not being "hard-hitting," matters.
Great TV means we need more segments like "Shaqtin' A Fool." Because that my friends is when Inside the NBA is at its absolute best.
Hard Knocks
3 of 10
HBO's Hard Knocks has done a remarkable job serving football fans ever since the premium cable channel launched the controversial series in 2001.
ESPN's Cari Champion agrees with that notion, tweeting her support for last season's version of the show.
Each year—minus a season here and there—HBO cameras follow a specific NFL franchise around from training camp all the way through the preseason.
It's fascinating to watch the dynamics of a locker room play out on screen. Learning about each player and coach on a personal level gives you vast understanding for the business element that surrounds professional football. Hard Knocks captures all of that, while giving fans a backstage look at the entire team-building process.
No NFL-based program before or since has figured out a way to match the quality and consistency of Hard Knocks.
Mike's On: Francesa on the FAN
4 of 10
You could make a strong case that the "Sports Pope," Mike Francesa, is the single greatest radio host we've ever heard.
His lengthy broadcasting career started when he joined WFAN in 1987. Since then, Francesa has spent his entire professional life with WFAN.
Mike and the Mad Dog—the groundbreaking radio show he put together with Chris Russo—set the bar high. After Russo went his own way in 2008, Francesa moved on in a solo capacity creating Mike's On: Francesa on the FAN.
His unintentional humor, New York influence and "in your face" brand of sports radio resonates with listeners even to this day. And according to Neil Best of Newsday, Francesca's show continues to dominate when it comes to ratings and listenership.
The man is so popular that there even is a convention named after him. Now tell us, who else has that going for them in the world of radio?
SportsCenter
5 of 10
Dating way back to 1979, SportsCenter went out and opened a door that allowed fans to consume their favorite teams and sweeping headlines.
ESPN's flagship program has spanned nearly 40 years. That's madness when you really think about how long it's been on the air. The show has introduced us to vigorous personalities like Chris Berman, Stuart Scott, Dan Patrick, Linda Cohn and countless others we'll never forget.
Prior to the Internet staking its claim over humanity, SportsCenter was considered to be religion. Concluding your evening with a mix of highlights and humor was necessary.
Look, we all breathe the same congested air in terms of sports programming. That being said, SportsCenter still holds its own in terms of content. The only issue has been ratings. Most airings of SportsCenter barely reach 2 million viewers, as SportsTVRatings.com recently reported.
No matter what happens down the road, SportsCenter will always be considered a perennial and special program.
Fox NFL Sunday
6 of 10
Maintaining rituals in sports isn't anything new. Humans tend to be creatures of habit, which gives way for patterns.
On Sundays, watching Jimmy Johnson, Terry Bradshaw, Michael Strahan, Howie Long and Curt Menefee chop it up is a beautiful ritual we never get tired of.
Fox NFL Sunday debuted in 1994, and it has remained a champion in the grand scheme of ratings. Whoever cast this show hit a grand slam, landing Johnson, Long and Bradshaw. Now with Strahan in the mix, no football pre-show on TV compares.
The world of football wouldn't be the same without Fox NFL Sunday's insightful specials, breaking news and comedic value. For that we're eternally grateful.
Boomer and Carton
7 of 10
New York media deserves a lot more love than simply Mike Francesa. Boomer and Carton is another radio show that unequivocally needs to be a part of this slideshow.
The show is led by former NFL quarterback Boomer Esiason and longtime on-air personality Craig Carton. Together they have turned the New York radio scene on its head, crushing the ratings game, per Neil Best of Newsday.
Ratings like that can be directly correlated to quality. To say Boomer and Carton work well together would be an understatement. You'd be hard pressed to find any duo in radio or on TV that can top them.
What makes the Boom and Carton show can't-miss listening is these two are able to push the envelope with opinion, never offering up a dull moment of conversation. When you're on the air from 6 to 10 a.m., five days a week, that's hard to do.
College GameDay Built by the Home Depot
8 of 10
You can't enjoy a hot slate of college football games on Saturday without ESPN's College GameDay Built by The Home Depot serving as a precursor. That's been well documented ratings-wise, per ESPN's Derek Volner.
Since 1987, this ESPN broadcast has set the stage for college football's biggest games. The current panel of Rece Davis, Kirk Herbstreit, Desmond Howard and of course, Lee Corso, attacks collegiate sports from every possible angle.
Putting the excellent coverage aside, Corso steals the show. He's the only remaining original cast member—the series launched in 1987—and there's a good reason why. That zany persona makes him the constant center of attention.
It doesn't make a difference what university the gang is attending. College GameDay Built by The Home Depot remains a catalyst of entertaining sports content.
Lucha Underground
9 of 10Warning: Certain content in the video above may be considered NSFW.
Lucha Underground is the professional wrestling program nobody knew they needed. Derived in seasons rather than a yearlong calendar broadcast, Lucha Underground comes and goes with a boom.
The talent pool they dip into is vast. Legends like Rey Mysterio Jr. get mixed with risers like Prince Puma, creating a vortex of high-flying amazingness.
While WWE programming has been treading water lately—minus NXT and the occasional episode of WWE SmackDown—Lucha Underground has been on a tear. It's wrestling the way we want it: unfiltered, awe-inspiring and fast-paced.
Proof that Lucha Underground has been successful has come by way of the audience reviews on Rotten Tomatoes. Generating a 98 percent is serious business.
Highly Questionable
10 of 10Dan Le Batard and Bomani Jones have been two of ESPN's most compelling personalities for a while now. When they got together to build Highly Questionable as a television program, it was an exciting time.
Starting in 2011—the year the project launched—Highly Questionable has done an excellent job keeping audiences entertained. The content is presented in a fresh way, thanks to innovative questions and the brilliant use of Le Batard's father, Gonzalo "Papi" Le Batard.
Before the launch of Highly Questionable, Pardon the Interruption was top dog when it came to ESPN's afternoon programming slate. That remains the case, although Le Batard and Jones have since broken through the castle walls, aiming to dethrone that longterm juggernaut.
All stats and information provided by Sports-Reference.com, unless noted otherwise.
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