Jon Weiner, AKA: Stugotz

“Don’t do what Mike and Mike did. Don’t do what Mike and The Mad Dog did. Don’t try to emulate what Dan Le Batard and I have done. Do you. But, make sure whatever you do stands out.” 

Jon Weiner, known professionally as Stugotz, hosts the incredibly successful Dan Le Batard Show with Stugotz. Stugotz says sports media can be boring and cookie cutter, everything feels the same. But, he says the best shows like College Gameday and NBA on TNT offer something different and will always rise to the top.  

Stugotz’s interview for the Game Plan is as fast-moving and fun as it is informative. He talks about getting started in radio, how luck helps you grow, botching on-air questions, and having an employer that will give you time to find your footing. 

Stugotz also answers questions more rapid fire than most guests, so below are timestamps for the major questions regarding working in sports media. 

Time Stamps

1:39 - Intro 

8:37 - Is it an exciting time to be in broadcasting?

9:40 - Who was your mentor, or inspiration, when you were starting in sports media? 

12:23 - How can I grow my podcast and get sponsors?  

17:40 - How’d you and Dan Le Batard become the biggest sports show in the world? 

19:55 - I want to get into radio, what should I do? 

23:44 - What job in radio taught you the most about the business? 

24:50 - Any regrets in your career? 

27:53 - Biggest challenge on your show? 

29:00 - How long did it take you to accept your role in sports media?

30:48 - How much did LeBron going to Miami help the show? 

31:30 - What’s your proudest on-air moment? 

32:44 - Most nervous moment on-air? 

38:25 - Did your show change much after going national? 

40:32 - What’s the difference between TV and radio? 

42:52 - When did you know you had a unique show that could take off?

46:15 - Did you have a fall back plan? How close were you to leaving sports media? 

47:22 - How’d you come up with the Weekend Observations segment? 

51:32 - Favorite moment of your career? 

53:23 - How do you balance work and life? 

55:04 - I’m 22-years-old, is it too late to pursue this career? 

59:13 - Where did the name Stugotz come from? 

1:00:53 - What makes Howard Stern so great? How hard is radio to do alone?

1:06:18 - Favorite part of doing podcasts? 

1:11:28 - What key traits do you think stick in an employer's mind?