The Soccer Media Podcast with John Shrader

TOMMY SMYTH first broadcast a big-time game on American television in the 1994 World Cup, after which he lost a house-painting job. Yes, for many years he was a house painter after moving to the US from his native Ireland in the early 1960s. He would soon become a more regular broadcaster and has been for many years, on ESPN and on SiriusXM and more. In this conversation we talk about his long soccer career, his relationship with fellow Grumpy Pundit Rodney Marsh and the end of their 12-year run on SiriusXM, as well as his roots in Ireland and his view of soccer broadcasting in America. Recorded November 12, 2026THE SHOW:American soccer’s frontline storytellers interviewed by EmmyAward-winning John Shrader. It includes insight from the editors of Soccer America, the nation’s longest-running soccer publication, founded in 1971. New episodes released weekly. You can get more information on the program, produced by the John Shrader Media Group, at https://shradermedia.com/John Shrader's 30 years of TV and radio sports broadcastingincluded MLS, NBA, NFL and NHL. He is professor of Broadcasting and Sports Media & Communication at the University of Nebraska.

DAX McCARTY is in his second year as a studio and game analyst for Major League Soccer on AppleTV. He is also one of the half-dozen hosts of the radio show “Studs Up” on Sirius XM.  McCarty spent 18 years as a player in MLS, using that knowledge and versatility to build a broadcast career. In this conversation, we talk about the MLS playoffs, the radio show that is expanding to five-days-a-week, three-hours-a-day. Recorded November 6, 2026THE SHOW:American soccer’s frontline storytellers interviewed by EmmyAward-winning John Shrader. It includes insight from the editors of Soccer America, the nation’s longest-running soccer publication, founded in 1971. New episodes released weekly. You can get more information on the program, produced by the John Shrader Media Group, at https://shradermedia.com/John Shrader's 30 years of TV and radio sports broadcastingincluded MLS, NBA, NFL and NHL. He is professor of Broadcasting and Sports Media & Communication at the University of Nebraska.

BRIAN DUNSETH got his first broadcast opportunity just weeks after his final professional game as a player, starting asa pre-game host and part-time analyst to the network jobs he now holds. The man known as “Dunny” is an analyst for MLS on Apple TV, working with Max Bretos, and an analyst on the men’s National Team games, working with Luke Wileman. Healso did analysis for the world feed games in the 2026 World Cup from Monterrey, Mexico. Brian spent more than a decade doing a show with Tony Meola on Sirius XM.Recorded October 30, 2026 THE SHOW:American soccer’s frontline storytellers interviewed by EmmyAward-winning John Shrader. It includes insight from the editors of Soccer America, the nation’s longest-running soccer publication, founded in 1971. New episodes released weekly. You can get more information on the program, produced by the John Shrader Media Group, at https://shradermedia.com/John Shrader's 30 years of TV and radio sports broadcastingincluded MLS, NBA, NFL and NHL. He is professor of Broadcasting and Sport Media & Communication at the University of Nebraska.

JEFF CARLISLE is Soccer Writer for ESPN and has been for more than 20 years. He’s fresh off covering the 2026 World Cup in North America. In this conversation we talk about the latest Gianni Infantino story, a “mysterious” $1.7 million payment and his re-election bid. Also, World Cup TV rights for 2030, Mauricio Pochettino, Major League Soccer and more. Recorded October 23, 2026THE SHOW:American soccer’s frontline storytellers interviewed by EmmyAward-winning John Shrader. It includes insight from the editors of Soccer America, the nation’s longest-running soccer publication, founded in 1971. New episodes released weekly. You can get more information on the program, produced by the John Shrader Media Group, at https://shradermedia.com/John Shrader's 30 years of TV and radio sports broadcastingincluded MLS, NBA, NFL and NHL. He is professor of Broadcasting and Sports Media & Communication at the University of Nebraska.

JEN COOPER is the stats manager for the NATIONAL WOMEN’ SOCCER LEAGUE (NWSL) and the Women’s World Cup researcher. In this conversation, we talk about the stretch run in the NWSL regular season, and some of the really good stories in the league in 2026. Jen can be contacted on social at @KeeperNotes. Recorded October 12, 2026THE SHOW:American soccer’s frontline storytellers interviewed by EmmyAward-winning John Shrader. It includes insight from the editors of Soccer America, the nation’s longest-running soccer publication, founded in 1971. New episodes released weekly. You can get more information on the program, produced by the John Shrader Media Group, at https://shradermedia.com/John Shrader's 30 years of TV and radio sports broadcastingincluded MLS, NBA, NFL and NHL. He is professor of Broadcasting and Sports Media & Communication at the University of Nebraska.

JAKE ZIVIN joins Taylor Twellman on Major League Soccer’sApple TV broadcasts. They’ve teamed for four seasons broadcasting the highes profile matches for Major League Soccer. The playoffs are upon us soon, and then 2027 the calendar is turned for MLS. We also talk about the young MLSstars making a big splash on the US National team. Recorded October 6, 2026THE SHOW:American soccer’s frontline storytellers interviewed by EmmyAward-winning John Shrader. It includes insight from the editors of Soccer America, the nation’s longest-running soccer publication, founded in 1971. New episodes released weekly. You can get more information on the program, produced by the John Shrader Media Group, at https://shradermedia.com/John Shrader's 30 years of TV and radio sports broadcastingincluded MLS, NBA, NFL and NHL. He is professor of Broadcasting and Sports Media & Communication at the University of Nebraska.

DAVE JOHNSON has been involved with DC United since before they were even named. He is in his 31st year as the voice of the team, and in will soon start his 30th season as the voice of the NBA’s Washington Wizards. He chats here about his career with DC United and his love for soccer and Major League Soccer; the big picture of American soccer broadcasting, the new MLS calendar, and his diagnosis of Multiple Sclerosis and how it has impacted his life and work. Recorded September 22, 2026THE SHOW:American soccer’s frontline storytellers interviewed by EmmyAward-winning John Shrader. It includes insight from the editors of Soccer America, the nation’s longest-running soccer publication, founded in 1971. New episodes released weekly. You can get more information on the program, produced by the John Shrader Media Group, at https://shradermedia.com/John Shrader's 30 years of TV and radio sports broadcastingincluded MLS, NBA, NFL and NHL. He is professor of Broadcasting and Sports Media & Communication at the University of Nebraska.   

MIKE WATTS is a veteran American soccer announcer, covering everything from college to MLS, to providing world-feed play-by-pla of the 2026 World Cup. Watts is the lead voice of the marquee Friday night NWSL broadcasts on Amazon Prime. He does MLS and SEC Network soccer as well.He is a Cleveland native who went to college at Fordham. In this conversation we talk about working with and for all those varied entities, growing up not far from the Kelces, getting Taylor Swift lyrics (lots of them) into a broadcast and much more. Recorded September 18, 2026THE SHOW:American soccer’s frontline storytellers interviewed by EmmyAward-winning John Shrader. It includes insight from the editors of Soccer America, the nation’s longest-running soccer publication, founded in 1971. New episodes released weekly. You can get more information on the program, produced by the John Shrader Media Group, at https://shradermedia.com/John Shrader's 30 years of TV and radio sports broadcastingincluded MLS, NBA, NFL and NHL. He is professor of Broadcasting and Sports Media & Communication at the University of Nebraska.

MIKE WOITALLA is the Editor-in-Chief of Soccer America, a publication that has brought soccer journalism to the masses for about 55 years. Woitalla, who has been with Soccer America for about four decades, succeeds the retired Paul Kennedy. In this conversation we talk about the wisdom (or lack of) in signing USMNT coach Mauricio Pochettino to a new contract; also, youth soccer in America, the coverage of the World Cup, FIFA’s Infantino and much more.Recorded September 9, 2026THE SHOW:American soccer’s frontline storytellers interviewed by EmmyAward-winning John Shrader. It includes insight from the editors of Soccer America, the nation’s longest-running soccer publication, founded in 1971. New episodes released weekly. You can get more information on the program, produced by the John Shrader Media Group, at https://shradermedia.com/John Shrader's 30 years of TV and radio sports broadcastingincluded MLS, NBA, NFL and NHL. He is professor of Broadcasting and Sports Media & Communication at the University of Nebraska.

ALEXI LALAS and his mates at Fox Sports just finished their third men’s World Cup cycle, the tournament this summer inthe United States, Canada and Mexico. Lalas worked in the studio for much of the time during the tournament with Rebecca Lowe, Thierry Henry and Zlatan Ibrahimovic. It was a grouping that got a lot of attention. In this conversation we talked about that – “three big egos” as Lalas called the formerplayers on set together. Also in this chat, Lalas talks about social media and his conservative politics, the American style of soccer broadcasting and much more. Recorded August 27, 2026  THE SHOW:American soccer’s frontline storytellers interviewed by EmmyAward-winning John Shrader. It includes insight from the editors of Soccer America, the nation’s longest-running soccer publication, founded in 1971. New episodes released weekly. You can get more information on the program, produced by the John Shrader Media Group, at https://shradermedia.com/John Shrader's 30 years of TV and radio sports broadcastingincluded MLS, NBA, NFL and NHL. He is professor of Broadcasting and Sports Media & Communication at the University of Nebraska.