other organizations demonstrate more openness. The incident has sparked discussions about the varying media relations strategies across Major League Baseball teams and their impact on media coverage.
Chris “Mad Dog” Russo, a prominent sports talk host, recently expressed intense frustration with the New York Mets after they declined an interview request from his son, Colin Russo. Colin, co-host of the “Russo and Rizzo Show” on ESPN West Palm Beach, was broadcasting live from the Mets’ spring training facility at Clover Park and sought to interview a player. The Mets’ organization denied the request, citing that all players’ schedules were full for the day.
On his SiriusXM show, “Mad Dog Unleashed,” Chris Russo launched into an 18-minute tirade criticizing the Mets’ public relations approach. He argued that, based on his five decades of experience at spring training sites, accommodating such interview requests should be manageable. Russo emphasized that they weren’t seeking interviews with star players like Pete Alonso or Francisco Lindor but would have appreciated time with less prominent team members.
Highlighting the contrast, Russo mentioned that during a recent visit to the Washington Nationals’ spring training, his son’s show was granted a 15-minute interview with Mike Rizzo, the team’s president. This disparity in media accessibility led Russo to declare that he would “never root for” the Mets, attributing his stance to their consistent public relations practices.
Russo’s impassioned response underscores the challenges media personalities can face when teams restrict access, especially when other organizations demonstrate more openness. The incident has sparked discussions about the varying media relations strategies across Major League Baseball teams and their impact on media coverage.
