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Imagine if you loved NBA basketball and came up with a podcast idea that would allow you to get free tickets to games to cover them in your show. That’s exactly what Ryan McNeill and Mike Silva did and they’re loving every minute of it.
PBJ: How and why did you get into podcasting? Ryan McNeill: Mike and I are big NBA fans so the chance to chat about the NBA for Overtime Media was a fantastic opportunity. It’s been a huge growing experience learning how to edit podcasts, ensure the mic is recording at a good level, and finding out how to grow the fans and “community” of the show.
PBJ: Tell us how you launched, what equipment you used, and how you lined up interviews to get rolling? Ryan McNeill: One of the things we learned about launching is how not to do it. We just jumped in and had a lot of growing pains. Heck, we still are, like with the audio issues of our recent podcast. Right now we are both using Yeti microphones and Skype with Hot Recorder as I’m in Toronto and Mike is in Houston.
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Ryan McNeill[/caption]
PBJ: How have you secured interviews? Ryan McNeill: Interviews have been the easy part! I’ve had media credentials with the Toronto Raptors for the past 10 seasons so using my chats with players and coaches has been the easiest part of the podcast. We have found reaching out to other writers who have been guests on podcasts, and fellow podcasters, has made for some fun chats, too.
PBJ: Who edits the show for you or do you do that yourself? If you do it yourself what editing programs are you using? Ryan McNeill: I edit the show myself. Again, bare bones right now with GarageBand.
PBJ: Why did you pick this topic? Ryan McNeill: Both of us grew up playing basketball and have been lifetime NBA fans. It was a natural pick. Plus, I cover the NBA with media passes so I wanted to share my inside access.
PBJ: How did you get the passes to get into the NBA games? Ryan McNeill: This year I have 12 regular season passes and unlimited playoff passes. I’m flying from Toronto to Orlando on Friday morning to cover Games 3 and 4 between the Raptors and Magic.
PBJ: Do you have floor seats? Ryan McNeill: No floor seats. I wish! Most NBA teams are moving away from floor seats for media… they’ve wisely discovered how much fans are willing to pay for these premium seats.
PBJ: I see you have sponsors. How many do you have and are you making money? Ryan McNeill: Our sponsors are arranged from Overtime Media and we make money based on downloads and ad spots.
PBJ: What are your download/listen numbers? Ryan McNeill: April has been our strongest month so far (four months in) and we have just under 2,000 downloads so far.
PBJ: How often do you do your show and where do you do it? Ryan McNeill: Mike and I record at least one show together each week while in our homes. I post audio from games I attend with credentials. We also try for at least once a week to post a “Let’s Get Social” segment where we answer questions and respond to comments from our social media accounts.
PBJ: How are you growing your audience and how have you seen the numbers increase? Ryan McNeill: Let’s Get Social has been huge for us! It’s a fun way to interact with fellow basketball fans and allow fans to become part of the show. Also, posting audio clips of interviews has helped NBA fans recognize that we are different from most NBA podcasts. We are also thankful to JE Skeets of The Starters for giving us some love on Twitter and recommending our show to his fans.
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