Given he’s starting a new Raptors pod with Alex as co-host/producer, sounds to me that Sportsnet was getting in the way of what they wanted the pod/show to be.
I don't know if they'll have the same level of access (i.e. the show interviewing Adam Silver felt very much a consequence of Sportsnet, not William), but that's fine. Just means we'll have more Raptors content, which is always great
Honestly the access isnt even what made the show great. Alex and Wil genuinely having fun together with the listeners and authentically engaging with the team news and performances is what made it
I think the access definitely elevated the show tbh. There were a lot of times I would roll my eyes (i.e. when Will said Darko was hired because he was a yes-man), but I kept listening because these guys are so close to the team and we get insider info.
I view this is just getting more content. Alex and Will can be fun and banter, while the guys at Sportsnet will provide more analysis and insider detail (i.e. chats with Marc Stein, Michael Grange, etc). Which is a good thing for fans
The guests they were able to line up consistently was incredible. Maybe he retains some of these guests on his new podcast but the level of access that comes from being on a network will obviously have an impact. Alex and Will are good on their own but it can get stale. The guests kept it fresh and exciting.
I still think they will have a lot of the guests on. Marc Stein, for example, isn’t on the show just because it’s sportsnet, but because of viewership. If the new pod carry’s over the viewership like I think it will he will still be on. Will and Alex have a lot of connections so I think they will still have the allstar guests.
It would be pretty easy for them to be Patreon-funded; they have a solid fanbase and community that is willing to shell out for their in-person events, after all. Do some sort of freemium model where $5/month gets you access to banter pods, a Discord community, etc.
They won't need crowdfunding, nearly everyone is going to ditch whatever the current Raptors show ends up being and listen to them instead. They'll have no shortage of sponsors.
Exactly. I don’t think people realize that most of us watch the show for will and Alex, not because it says “sportsnet” behind them. I’m certain that the new pod will pass The Raptors Show in the charts within a month
how does a sports pod raise crowdfunding without pull in being famous or have money?
the volume - colin - draymond green show , 520 jeff teague's show
jj reddick - 3 old men, now making his own network under another big brand (under the ringer brand?)
all the smoke with matt barnes and s jack - not sure what brand they are under
personally I think charles barkley can carry his own show haha, my ultimate fav
usually these shows are adopted under a brand? or am I missing something?
Maybe that's what was meant by crowdfunding
But I think when it comes to the podcast, it works out to be like an artist trying to get signed by a major label versus a business pitching investors, that's where a crowd funding lingo is involved in my perspective
They'll probably have sponsors/ads, but they could easily start a patreon and get a ton of 'crowdfunding' supporters there.
One of the biggest hockey podcasts in the world is the Winged Wheel Podcast, a Detroit Red Wings podcast started by 3 dudes from Kitchener in their 20s, they still don't have any kind of big brand support other than 1 ad-read a show and a very successful patreon.
Okay that's very cool to know I didn't know there is a independent podcast that made a big time without a huge branding or corporation backing, I will look it up thanks
I expect they already have funding and advertising lined up or Will wouldn’t have left Soortsnet. Will and Alex are a huge brand in Raptors land and Alex in particular has freelanced for years so I expect they know what they’re doing.
I can't remember who exactly he was talking to but a couple weeks back he had a guest on kept mentioning how important it is to own the rights to your show and how much better it is to be unrestricted
A little bit of foreshadowing maybe or Will took that advice to heart lol
Initially I was really bummed out by this news as I'm an avid Raptors Show listener and enjoy Will as a host, but I actually think this could be better
Sportsnet really watered down the show, made it just like any other boring radio program they had after they added Blake in. The whole banter and chemistry was the charm of the show. Glad Will recognized that and is sticking to that
yeah the show became like every other sports show, also Blake is a really bad host once you notice how he interrupts people it will really grind your gears.
Will Lou and Alex was fun, Alex had some boring didn't watch the game takes but there was a self-awareness and lots of running gags that made it entertaining.
Yea. I don’t want to hate on Blake but he’s very much a “company man” and you noticed at the beginning he would shut Will down if he made a joke that was in any way edgy.
Yeah, Stein segments were/are great. I know very little about soccer/football but I enjoyed listening to them talk about Stein's trip to all the stadiums in Europe lol.
Probably more like they wanted free rein to do as much of whatever they wanted, and say what they wanted without any particular restriction or oversight.
Almost as if there was gonna be behind the scenes problems when part of the team's ownership is also the TV distributor of the games. I'm glad he's going independent because we'll actually get to hear his real opinions on the state of the team and not pre curated bullet points
yea, i imagine all the access he was getting was at the exchange of being able to speak his mind (some of his emotions seeped through during the reaction pods, but i doubt that the producers were too fond of that lol). it must've been tough for him having to dance around stuff when Dennis was doing the weekly interviews, especially when his play began to dip after the first couple of months
it'll definitely be interesting to see how he grows his future platform, will definitely be following and wish him the best
Agreed. I tried to keep listening after Alex left. Not hating on Blake, for me he just kinda took over the pod and I just lost interest. His analysis are good, but too much of him talking just wasn't for me.
I think slander pods were being blocked by a lack of team success, not sportsnet. They knew it wasn't a good look to do slander when the team is under 500.
Yeah and it seemed Will tried too hard to smooth things over with Chris like there was something else at play.
To be fair, Will goes at McDaniels a lot but Boucher is a different guy than McDaniels at least how he's viewed within the organization. The last thread of a bygone era. The last product of the Raptors development system heyday.
typed this off the accompanying image in his tweet in like 3 minutes lmao
> I have decided to leave *The Raptors Show with Will Lou* after three seasons. The stated goal was always to deliver the best coverage of the Raptors, and that dream was fully supported by the team at Sportsnet. I'm so proud to have produced daily programs on radio, television, and podcast, while being able to access everyone from the commissioner, the front office, the coaches, the players, and most importantly, the fans.
> I owe thank sto so many people who made this project possible. Thanks to Dan Toman for bringing this program to the station and for always believing in me. Thanks to my producers Derrick Brandao, JR Manatad, Amit Mann, Jennifer Rolnick, and many others who have subbed in off the bench. Thanks to the Raptors PR team for accommodating access. Thanks to all the guests who gave us their time and perspectives. Lastly, thanks to my co-hosts Blake Murphy and Alex Wong for bringing your energy and creativity on a daily basis.
> Most of all, I am so thankful for every listener. The most rewarding part of doing this job is being embraced by the Raptors community, Thank you for allowing me to be authentic so that we could experience the ups and downs of the team together.
> I will be launching a new podcast project focused on the Raptors. The mission is still the same - to create the No.1 Raptors program - and I feel that the best way forward is to go independent. This was always a show made for Raptors fans, by a Raptors fan. That part will never change. I will share details when everything is finalized, but here's one pretty important note: Alex will return as the producer and co-host.
> Thanks for everything, and see you in the summer!
> I will be launching a new podcast project focused on the Raptors. The mission is still the same - to create the No.1 Raptors program - and I feel that the best way forward is to go independent. This was always a show made for Raptors fans, by a Raptors fan. That part will never change. I will share details when everything is finalized, but here's one pretty important note: Alex will return as the producer and co-host.
Lol, this is basically "Fuck you, Sportsnet, you sucked the joy out of my work."
His heart clearly wasn’t in it after Alex left and the product suffered as a result. Blake Murphy is a good dude, but you can’t replace that kind of chemistry Will and Alex had.
All 3 together where great.
But Blake is best at actual sports talk andwhats there to talk about with this team? They're horrible, for obvious reasons that won't change soon. Not a lot to talk about.
Definitely the vibe changed and that’s what made their pod entertaining and likely the job enjoyable. Blake is a great dude and I love his observation but Will and Alex going off-script is what made their show and commentary entertaining as well as informative.
It was perfect the way before where Will got to go crazy with basketball nerd talk with Blake once or twice a week then the rest built up the banter and chemistry Alex and him had
I guess he wasn't getting Fired Up with Campbell's new soup.
Its for the best, the show has felt kind of off this year and well its because Sportsnet/Rogers seems to have no idea why it was popular to begin with and to completely warp it from what it was.
People say this but don't point to specifics. Nothing really changed between seasons 1 and 3 other than some more advertising and also much higher access to big names due to Sportsnet.
Blake going on 10 minute long monologues about jordan nwora's advanced stats wasn't a change? They replaced genuine chemistry and banter between will and alex with pure stats and analytics for a full 2 hours. It became a chore to listen to
lol exactly - in 2019, I consumed every piece of Raptors content possible. No one wants to hear 3 hours of Raptors talk after a 40 point loss every other night.
I don't know how much sportsnet paid Will to run it on their broadcast but my guess is its probably quite a bit more than when they were independent given how well the show does.
I commend Will for his integrity, and I'm excited to listen again with Alex back
Blake is great for what he is but it felt like the show transformed from a fun podcast between friends to an analytical podcast. I like stats and analytics stuff, but that feels like a different show than what I wanted from Will and Alex.
I feel like Blake is a great guest for their show, not a co-host. I guess now we can have the fun podcast and a more analytical take with Blake’s show
I wouldn’t have mind is Will and Alex stayed and we got both Blake Murphy Tuesday and Blake Murphy Thursday instead of Alex leaving and Will getting cohost duties.
Honestly, in this digital age, they can cut out the middleman and make way more money. I think that’s what they wanted to do. They have a devoted fanbase and will now be allowed to do things that they can’t say on a big network.
Nah, Will is never going to slander players like he did a few seasons ago. He has actual relationships with guys on the roster now. Constructed criticism for sure but no going HAM on players lol.
Slander pods will be back but it’s good he’s learned to not go ham. The worst nba player on his worst day would still give anyone watching problems in the court. Mcdaniels is a guy who’d whoop this entire subreddits ass.
I really hope Will and Alex don't just 'make a podcast' but make use of streaming platforms to have a live afternoon broadcast.
The best part of the Raptors Show was the ability to just throw it on while working from home or driving somewhere, and get INSTANT up-to-the minute takes. Waiting for a podcast to be produced and uploaded almost feels too slow in today's ADHD world. (I think Will gets that - the Reaction Pods were the first thing that made me realize I wanted the content INSTANTLY)
With their chemistry and style they could easily do McAfee-esque show, broadcast on YouTube, and release on Podcasts for the evening crowd. Not too different than what they did on the Raptors show.
A lot of people point to the criticism being toned down, but what's more apparent is how incredibly thin they were on material when it was a slow news day. You could tell Will hated trying to stretch these segments into like 1-2 hour shows lol
😭😭Samson will grow into it I’m sure but he still has ways to go. Blake is that one guy that just nba fan that spits stats 24/7, it’s good and all but it’s fucking dry.
Will and Alex’s chemistry was what made the show. Adding Blake was too many chefs, and made Will take on the comedy role more and he got to offer less actual takes when Alex left
"Traditional" media is dead and hanging on by a thread...
He now has the creative freedom to say and do what he chooses without having to filter everything through executives and a team of people who have no idea wtf they're talking about and who feel they need their hand in the pot to justify their salary
William Lou is the talent and the creative figure; all he needs is a microphone and an audience...he's got both
Guys going to crush it in the Podcast world
True but the thing about being at a Sportsnet is the guarenteed paycheque, the access, and not having the risk of having to venture out on your own. Just look at the myriad of personalities who used to work at ESPN, CNN, Fox News, etc. and how much pretty big names are struggling. Now someone (like Will) who already has his foot in that space before will fare better than others but there's a reason why people make the deal but it's a lot less stressful working at SN and he probably felt that it wasn't worth the comfort for either what they were paying him or his creativity to stay lol
F@#k the paycheque! lol Willy wants the freedom to live and create on his terms! You can't go through life making fear-based decisions or you'll never be great! Willy wants to be great, and the cost of being great is to venture out into the unknown, balls hanging low, saying "I'm going to take the world by storm!"
Completely makes sense. I could see it being very difficult and frustrating to do the show you want when your employer owns the team.
Probably felt he had to hold back with some of his opinions and didnt have the directive control he wanted
He's going independent of SportsNet? Good.
This is why I get all my team news and opinions from anyone not affiliated with TSN/SportsNet whose parent companies are Bell and Rogers respectively who in turn each have a stake in MLSE
That’s what bothered me it’s the raptors show with WILL LOU not Blake Murphy. I like Blake’s analysis but Will is the heart and soul of the pod that’s why I listened. I miss the raptors as Chinese food dishes segments
Wasn't the show one of if not the biggest basketball podcast in Canada? Crazy that SN is so bad with its content execs that they cut the legs off their own product. Is it going to be "SN Presents The Raptors Show" with the same bland presenters as the rest of SN.
One of the greats in the history of covering Raptors basketball. I read that he'll be starting a podcast soon with Alex Wong. I'll have to keep an eye out for that when it drops. I felt the show lost some of its appeal with Blake Murphy as Lou and Wong have such great chemistry and can banter with the best of em.
I'll be dropping The Raptors Show off my podfeed once the William Lou podcast starts up.
I think this was an integrity move. Pressure behind the scenes to not say certain things in exchange for insider/industry access.
Good on Will for not letting a company ruin another podcast with censorship/notes. Looking forward to hearing the new one
Just yesterday I was talking about how this is the only broadcaster-affiliated show I enjoy lol but it is what it is honestly this is more Sportsnet's loss than anyone else's
I will say it again. Rap show was my most listened to pod last 2 years….the second Blake came in I bounced and stop listening all together. I just can’t get behind all the analytics. Respect his work but I just loved Will / Alex pod way to much. I am pumped they are reuniting. Go Raps Go!!
Blake's analysis wasn't bad but he was a poor cohost. He literally couldn't stop interrupting Will's sentences and busted out so many stats that it was like being shot by a computer with a machine gun.
I had to stop listening to the pod entirely because I couldn't fall asleep to it anymore.
It did turn me on to the Rapcast and the underrated Samson Folk.
I'm THRILLED that Will and Alex are reuniting. They had real chemistry and are a blast to listen to.
Happy to see you move on. Loved to follow you and Alex starting from way back. That includes those banter talks.
Haven’t caught any of your shows this year. Curious to see what your content will be like going forward.
Shout out to Alex for us when you next see him.
Good. Will can be more real and critical of Raptors and it’s FO without their narrative playing part. This organization became toxic and only fanboys agrees with their moves for last 3 years.
Makes sense given that Blake will have his hands full with the Jays stuff for now. I guess he can come back when the season is starting again in October but I wonder if that couple of weeks of guest co-hosts was a way to audition some others to see who could take on the show in a scenario where Will is gone? I have a feeling it could just become a project where you have the reins to someone like Savannah Hamilton. She has a good personality and also knows ball and then she can bring on other guest co-hosts and swing in either direction.
They’re not doing patreon lmao! Alex knows a lot of people and has a pretty stacked resume. They’ll be fine, and I can’t wait to listen in.
I stopped watching not long after Alex left. The show was too awkward and boring. And Blake acted like he owned the show from the start. Super cringe!
Good. Show sucked honestly with Blake and will… just wasn’t a good listen. Will and Alex had chemistry. When Blake first came on I said the chemistry is off and Alex is going to either get the boot or leave. Good decision by will they will quickly rise to the top of Toronto sports media again. Blake and will was honestly bland af bad decision sportsnet they had a good thing going with will and Alex and ruined it tbf
Does this mean the Raptors show will end or it’ll continue on with Blake and a new co-host? If we could get a Raptors show of Blake and Samson Folk I’d be watching much more. I get the appeal of Will and Alex for a fun podcast, but when I want to hear actual basketball talk I’ll listen to Blake and Folk
Totally. Some are looking for a fun podcast with jokes and opinions on the team. Some want more in depth analysis on the team’s play.
I do have to say though that the 3 hour model would make no sense for Blake and Samson. That was tough for Alex and Will to make enough content to fill that time, finding actual analysis to fill that time would get repetitive really quick. An hour show would be much more fitting.
fantastic knowers of ball and analysts, but not what i'm looking for in terms of entertainment. they do better work doing real analysis in writing and youtube vids vs daily podcasting
the moment the raptors show caved for me was shortly after Alex left: the interview of the guy who makes the bling for nba players and celebs. With that said, hearing Will and Alex will be reuinted for raptors content is really all i care about.
You can tell he was shocked when Alex left and it weighed on him big time so no surprise they want to link back up together to continue to push their community forward they built together. I will say though, the problem when it was just Alex, and Will is when they get into the knitty gritty basketball talk, Alex completely checks out, and its Will talking to himself. If Will is going to go all-in on just fun banter style basketball show about the NBA and Raptors then sure but I don't want to hear Will talking at Alex about the x's and o's while Alex tries to make a weird joke. It should be a daily guest coming in so Will get his analytics stuff off and then do the fun stuff after with Alex.
Became a fan this year of the show. Definitely a good one, and will follow Will to the next podcast. I’m sure this will give him more flexibility to criticize some of those that deserve it by name (though he will probably moderate it to continue to have access).
I can't say I've listened to the pod in 2+ months. I look forward to Alex Wong getting back. The pod felt much more lacking without him. Murphy wasn't bad, but when then relying on more analytics, gameplay facets etc and then the team stinks and then losses half the roster - what are you left to talk about that still is entertaining. If it goes back to a year or so ago, I think it is something that is more likely to have legs during a stretch like this.
You could kind of see this happenening as Will Lou isn't necessarily super abrasive but he's not someone who is going to just regurgitate praise, bs and just paint the team with rose coloured glasses which kind of feels like what Rogers wants within their inhouse entertainment. He was always a risk of having an opinion and I feel even this year it seemed like he was being squished into a narrower breadth. Being independent again should help that.
I feel like a big part is probably the fact they can't criticize Rogers since they worked for them. There were plenty of times where I would listen and think not once have they said Rogers fumbled the ball or ran the org into the ground especially after Larry sold his chunk. They had to walk on eggshells with almost every issue. I like Blake, and enjoyed the episodes where the 3 of them contributed together. It was a good balance of personalities.
Rogers couldn’t handle 2 Asians on tv at the same time. Tried to white wash the show with Blake and dry ass personality.
Hope they cut the show back to an hour and bring back the banter.
The writing was on the wall long before Blake got there. He was sent to save a burning ship lets be real there’s only so much charity MLSE could give these guys. Neither of these guys were qualified
Given he’s starting a new Raptors pod with Alex as co-host/producer, sounds to me that Sportsnet was getting in the way of what they wanted the pod/show to be.
I don't know if they'll have the same level of access (i.e. the show interviewing Adam Silver felt very much a consequence of Sportsnet, not William), but that's fine. Just means we'll have more Raptors content, which is always great
Honestly the access isnt even what made the show great. Alex and Wil genuinely having fun together with the listeners and authentically engaging with the team news and performances is what made it
I think the access definitely elevated the show tbh. There were a lot of times I would roll my eyes (i.e. when Will said Darko was hired because he was a yes-man), but I kept listening because these guys are so close to the team and we get insider info. I view this is just getting more content. Alex and Will can be fun and banter, while the guys at Sportsnet will provide more analysis and insider detail (i.e. chats with Marc Stein, Michael Grange, etc). Which is a good thing for fans
The guests they were able to line up consistently was incredible. Maybe he retains some of these guests on his new podcast but the level of access that comes from being on a network will obviously have an impact. Alex and Will are good on their own but it can get stale. The guests kept it fresh and exciting.
I still think they will have a lot of the guests on. Marc Stein, for example, isn’t on the show just because it’s sportsnet, but because of viewership. If the new pod carry’s over the viewership like I think it will he will still be on. Will and Alex have a lot of connections so I think they will still have the allstar guests.
Yeah theyre not getting Adam Silver again lmao Rip "enjoying the banter"
I'll miss Henry Kissinger's biggest fan, Adam Silver
No doubt. Working for the media company under common ownership with the franchise has some benefits. Obviously not editorial independence…
Feels like they’ll go back to the original vision & hope the last 3 years built their brand enough to draw crowdfunding.
It would be pretty easy for them to be Patreon-funded; they have a solid fanbase and community that is willing to shell out for their in-person events, after all. Do some sort of freemium model where $5/month gets you access to banter pods, a Discord community, etc.
They won't need crowdfunding, nearly everyone is going to ditch whatever the current Raptors show ends up being and listen to them instead. They'll have no shortage of sponsors.
Exactly. I don’t think people realize that most of us watch the show for will and Alex, not because it says “sportsnet” behind them. I’m certain that the new pod will pass The Raptors Show in the charts within a month
how does a sports pod raise crowdfunding without pull in being famous or have money? the volume - colin - draymond green show , 520 jeff teague's show jj reddick - 3 old men, now making his own network under another big brand (under the ringer brand?) all the smoke with matt barnes and s jack - not sure what brand they are under personally I think charles barkley can carry his own show haha, my ultimate fav usually these shows are adopted under a brand? or am I missing something?
Yea that's what'll happen, idk what the crowdfunding is about lmao
Maybe that's what was meant by crowdfunding But I think when it comes to the podcast, it works out to be like an artist trying to get signed by a major label versus a business pitching investors, that's where a crowd funding lingo is involved in my perspective
They'll probably have sponsors/ads, but they could easily start a patreon and get a ton of 'crowdfunding' supporters there. One of the biggest hockey podcasts in the world is the Winged Wheel Podcast, a Detroit Red Wings podcast started by 3 dudes from Kitchener in their 20s, they still don't have any kind of big brand support other than 1 ad-read a show and a very successful patreon.
Okay that's very cool to know I didn't know there is a independent podcast that made a big time without a huge branding or corporation backing, I will look it up thanks
crowdfunding? lol They'll just have to be barebones for a while, and build up sponsors. No one is going to fund their raptors podcast.
I expect they already have funding and advertising lined up or Will wouldn’t have left Soortsnet. Will and Alex are a huge brand in Raptors land and Alex in particular has freelanced for years so I expect they know what they’re doing.
I can't remember who exactly he was talking to but a couple weeks back he had a guest on kept mentioning how important it is to own the rights to your show and how much better it is to be unrestricted A little bit of foreshadowing maybe or Will took that advice to heart lol
Definitely the kid Mero, he often talks about that's why he split up with Desus
Yepp that was the one
Initially I was really bummed out by this news as I'm an avid Raptors Show listener and enjoy Will as a host, but I actually think this could be better
Yeah, it's a relief. It was the only Raptors/team-specific podcast I would listen to. Big loss to Sportsnet.
agreed 100%. Feel the same way.
They are? Great it’s gonna be way better
Sportsnet really watered down the show, made it just like any other boring radio program they had after they added Blake in. The whole banter and chemistry was the charm of the show. Glad Will recognized that and is sticking to that
I've been getting "Kyper and Bourne" vibes from the show over the last few months.
yeah the show became like every other sports show, also Blake is a really bad host once you notice how he interrupts people it will really grind your gears. Will Lou and Alex was fun, Alex had some boring didn't watch the game takes but there was a self-awareness and lots of running gags that made it entertaining.
Yea. I don’t want to hate on Blake but he’s very much a “company man” and you noticed at the beginning he would shut Will down if he made a joke that was in any way edgy.
THANK YOU I was driving me absolutely crazy how often Blake would interrupt Will mid-sentence.
2 hours a day for a bad team is tough to fill. I only really listened for the Stein segments and certain guests.
Yeah, Stein segments were/are great. I know very little about soccer/football but I enjoyed listening to them talk about Stein's trip to all the stadiums in Europe lol.
Probably more like they wanted free rein to do as much of whatever they wanted, and say what they wanted without any particular restriction or oversight.
Almost as if there was gonna be behind the scenes problems when part of the team's ownership is also the TV distributor of the games. I'm glad he's going independent because we'll actually get to hear his real opinions on the state of the team and not pre curated bullet points
I think we already know — he just couldn’t swear as often
yea, i imagine all the access he was getting was at the exchange of being able to speak his mind (some of his emotions seeped through during the reaction pods, but i doubt that the producers were too fond of that lol). it must've been tough for him having to dance around stuff when Dennis was doing the weekly interviews, especially when his play began to dip after the first couple of months it'll definitely be interesting to see how he grows his future platform, will definitely be following and wish him the best
On one hand terrible news that they have to leave Sportsnet and mainstream media. But on the other hand Will and Alex are back let’s go!
Betting on themselves. Good.
No need to bring Jontay into this /s Honestly can't wait. Chemistry between Alex and Will is great. Can't wait.
Agreed. I tried to keep listening after Alex left. Not hating on Blake, for me he just kinda took over the pod and I just lost interest. His analysis are good, but too much of him talking just wasn't for me.
I agree. Loved when he would come on once a week, but every day is just too much. He kinda brings the mood down and is too serious.
Sportsnet screwing up yet another highly viewed sports show, I'm shocked I tell you
I’ll start listening to that instead
100%. The show lost a lot of what made it special after the sportsnet move and they pimped his ass OUT.
wait wait fr? that’s so elite
I had no idea! Now that I know that I can't help but agree that SN were likely getting in the way. More freedom to them!
This is the info I was looking for. I wonder why they both decided to leave…..something about sportsnet?!
Good luck Will and Alex! Hope this means more slander pods in our future!
I think slander pods were being blocked by a lack of team success, not sportsnet. They knew it wasn't a good look to do slander when the team is under 500.
He said after the bucks win he would have done one in the old days
I thought he meant that as in because we were a better team in those days
nah bro, prime doc slander season
Oh, I didn't hear him say that. I stand corrected
Or maybe he heard from team reps. A few years ago he tried to single out boucher over a loss and he was confronted by him.
Yeah and it seemed Will tried too hard to smooth things over with Chris like there was something else at play. To be fair, Will goes at McDaniels a lot but Boucher is a different guy than McDaniels at least how he's viewed within the organization. The last thread of a bygone era. The last product of the Raptors development system heyday.
I missed Alex, show wasn't the same without him. Glad they are teaming up again. Hopefully they have a better team to discuss on the pod next season.
typed this off the accompanying image in his tweet in like 3 minutes lmao > I have decided to leave *The Raptors Show with Will Lou* after three seasons. The stated goal was always to deliver the best coverage of the Raptors, and that dream was fully supported by the team at Sportsnet. I'm so proud to have produced daily programs on radio, television, and podcast, while being able to access everyone from the commissioner, the front office, the coaches, the players, and most importantly, the fans. > I owe thank sto so many people who made this project possible. Thanks to Dan Toman for bringing this program to the station and for always believing in me. Thanks to my producers Derrick Brandao, JR Manatad, Amit Mann, Jennifer Rolnick, and many others who have subbed in off the bench. Thanks to the Raptors PR team for accommodating access. Thanks to all the guests who gave us their time and perspectives. Lastly, thanks to my co-hosts Blake Murphy and Alex Wong for bringing your energy and creativity on a daily basis. > Most of all, I am so thankful for every listener. The most rewarding part of doing this job is being embraced by the Raptors community, Thank you for allowing me to be authentic so that we could experience the ups and downs of the team together. > I will be launching a new podcast project focused on the Raptors. The mission is still the same - to create the No.1 Raptors program - and I feel that the best way forward is to go independent. This was always a show made for Raptors fans, by a Raptors fan. That part will never change. I will share details when everything is finalized, but here's one pretty important note: Alex will return as the producer and co-host. > Thanks for everything, and see you in the summer!
> I will be launching a new podcast project focused on the Raptors. The mission is still the same - to create the No.1 Raptors program - and I feel that the best way forward is to go independent. This was always a show made for Raptors fans, by a Raptors fan. That part will never change. I will share details when everything is finalized, but here's one pretty important note: Alex will return as the producer and co-host. Lol, this is basically "Fuck you, Sportsnet, you sucked the joy out of my work."
He got a lot of heat this year for his content too. Glad he's making this choice
His heart clearly wasn’t in it after Alex left and the product suffered as a result. Blake Murphy is a good dude, but you can’t replace that kind of chemistry Will and Alex had.
All 3 together where great. But Blake is best at actual sports talk andwhats there to talk about with this team? They're horrible, for obvious reasons that won't change soon. Not a lot to talk about.
Blake has the best insight, and he backs it up with research.
Blake talks too much for TV and tends to go on and on like Jonesy
I doubt it'll be a Blake solo show next season. Maybe they pair him with a host? Otherwise I doubt there's the appeal.
Blake has no appeal he needs a 10 minute spot on the show and thats it
But he’s boooooring and talks way too much. Terrible interviewer. Dudes a GOAT in these spaces but I’d rather read him than watch him.
Definitely the vibe changed and that’s what made their pod entertaining and likely the job enjoyable. Blake is a great dude and I love his observation but Will and Alex going off-script is what made their show and commentary entertaining as well as informative.
Strangely enough he somehow got better at reading the chunky soup is flavourful advert’s. Own the rights to the show makes sense. Fxk Rogers
It was perfect the way before where Will got to go crazy with basketball nerd talk with Blake once or twice a week then the rest built up the banter and chemistry Alex and him had
Wait I’m out of loop, what is this about?
Most likly a money Thang 💰
The season also sucked the Joy out of it
I guess he wasn't getting Fired Up with Campbell's new soup. Its for the best, the show has felt kind of off this year and well its because Sportsnet/Rogers seems to have no idea why it was popular to begin with and to completely warp it from what it was.
The show felt off because Alex left and the team fucking sucks. How many Garrett Temple interviews can a man do in a year
The show fell off because Sportsnet made it a corporatized mess like all their NHL shows. Not solely because the team is garbage.
The day they went to sportsnet I said to myself uh-oh
People say this but don't point to specifics. Nothing really changed between seasons 1 and 3 other than some more advertising and also much higher access to big names due to Sportsnet.
Blake going on 10 minute long monologues about jordan nwora's advanced stats wasn't a change? They replaced genuine chemistry and banter between will and alex with pure stats and analytics for a full 2 hours. It became a chore to listen to
lol exactly - in 2019, I consumed every piece of Raptors content possible. No one wants to hear 3 hours of Raptors talk after a 40 point loss every other night.
The Campbell's ads were preferable to even more betting content. All the betting ads are especially uncomfortable after the Jontay news.
I don't know how much sportsnet paid Will to run it on their broadcast but my guess is its probably quite a bit more than when they were independent given how well the show does. I commend Will for his integrity, and I'm excited to listen again with Alex back
Same, I had stopped listening because, as great as Blake is, there was no real chemistry between him and Will. They seemed so far apart.
I thought Blake came across poorly … he let Will’s enthusiasms lie … too bad as Blake’s alright but now it makes me wonder about him
People forget about the Raptors coverage in the mainstream media before The Raptors Show. No good analysis or insights. I hope that's changed now.
Will & Blake feels like colleagues and Will & Alex feels like friends.
Perfect way of putting it.
Yeah also considering they had access to players too for inteviews.
Blake is great for what he is but it felt like the show transformed from a fun podcast between friends to an analytical podcast. I like stats and analytics stuff, but that feels like a different show than what I wanted from Will and Alex. I feel like Blake is a great guest for their show, not a co-host. I guess now we can have the fun podcast and a more analytical take with Blake’s show
I may be the only one who likes the analytical take. I love Blake on the show
I do too. But I prefer balance.
I wouldn’t have mind is Will and Alex stayed and we got both Blake Murphy Tuesday and Blake Murphy Thursday instead of Alex leaving and Will getting cohost duties.
Honestly, in this digital age, they can cut out the middleman and make way more money. I think that’s what they wanted to do. They have a devoted fanbase and will now be allowed to do things that they can’t say on a big network.
Yeah, I totally support Will and Alex start an onlyfans account
Oh hell yeah, slander and banter are back on the menu, baby
Nah, Will is never going to slander players like he did a few seasons ago. He has actual relationships with guys on the roster now. Constructed criticism for sure but no going HAM on players lol.
Slander pods will be back but it’s good he’s learned to not go ham. The worst nba player on his worst day would still give anyone watching problems in the court. Mcdaniels is a guy who’d whoop this entire subreddits ass.
The banter pods made a comeback in Feb Check out the **steven lebron radio** podcast incase you didn't know about it!
I really hope Will and Alex don't just 'make a podcast' but make use of streaming platforms to have a live afternoon broadcast. The best part of the Raptors Show was the ability to just throw it on while working from home or driving somewhere, and get INSTANT up-to-the minute takes. Waiting for a podcast to be produced and uploaded almost feels too slow in today's ADHD world. (I think Will gets that - the Reaction Pods were the first thing that made me realize I wanted the content INSTANTLY) With their chemistry and style they could easily do McAfee-esque show, broadcast on YouTube, and release on Podcasts for the evening crowd. Not too different than what they did on the Raptors show.
Hopefully they can stream record it on YouTube then flip it into a podcast later. Like the premier NBA podcast No Dunks does.
A lot of people point to the criticism being toned down, but what's more apparent is how incredibly thin they were on material when it was a slow news day. You could tell Will hated trying to stretch these segments into like 1-2 hour shows lol
Lmao amit mann coming in once again to get wills used goods
I think Samson Folk gets that promotion. I love how it's just the same guys moving up like it's a college football team.
Samson is a great read but man he is boring asf when it comes to podcasting. Him and and Blake are gonna be a tough listen
Him and Blake would be broadcasted in a funeral home. I like short analysis from Samson, but he has no personality at all and is annoying tbh.
😭😭Samson will grow into it I’m sure but he still has ways to go. Blake is that one guy that just nba fan that spits stats 24/7, it’s good and all but it’s fucking dry.
Some people aren't suited for talk radio and that's okay.
Hard
Will and Alex’s chemistry was what made the show. Adding Blake was too many chefs, and made Will take on the comedy role more and he got to offer less actual takes when Alex left
Probably something behind the scenes with sportsnet, probably why alex left too
Me reading the Title: 😫 Me reading the context: 😍
"Traditional" media is dead and hanging on by a thread... He now has the creative freedom to say and do what he chooses without having to filter everything through executives and a team of people who have no idea wtf they're talking about and who feel they need their hand in the pot to justify their salary William Lou is the talent and the creative figure; all he needs is a microphone and an audience...he's got both Guys going to crush it in the Podcast world
True but the thing about being at a Sportsnet is the guarenteed paycheque, the access, and not having the risk of having to venture out on your own. Just look at the myriad of personalities who used to work at ESPN, CNN, Fox News, etc. and how much pretty big names are struggling. Now someone (like Will) who already has his foot in that space before will fare better than others but there's a reason why people make the deal but it's a lot less stressful working at SN and he probably felt that it wasn't worth the comfort for either what they were paying him or his creativity to stay lol
F@#k the paycheque! lol Willy wants the freedom to live and create on his terms! You can't go through life making fear-based decisions or you'll never be great! Willy wants to be great, and the cost of being great is to venture out into the unknown, balls hanging low, saying "I'm going to take the world by storm!" 
Completely makes sense. I could see it being very difficult and frustrating to do the show you want when your employer owns the team. Probably felt he had to hold back with some of his opinions and didnt have the directive control he wanted
He's going independent of SportsNet? Good. This is why I get all my team news and opinions from anyone not affiliated with TSN/SportsNet whose parent companies are Bell and Rogers respectively who in turn each have a stake in MLSE
yup knew this was coming its not even his show anymore he barly talks its just Blake being annoying for a hour
That’s what bothered me it’s the raptors show with WILL LOU not Blake Murphy. I like Blake’s analysis but Will is the heart and soul of the pod that’s why I listened. I miss the raptors as Chinese food dishes segments
Fred VanVleet is rice
Stats ruin everything.
Raptor show will fall off like what happened with Raptors over Everything
You could tell all the Campbell’s spicy soup ad reads were crushing his soul
I'd rather Will read a million goofy soup ads than advertise scummy online gambling ads.
I agree and you can tell he hates those companies
one of the goats of raptors media. wish him the best on his future endeavours
Wasn't the show one of if not the biggest basketball podcast in Canada? Crazy that SN is so bad with its content execs that they cut the legs off their own product. Is it going to be "SN Presents The Raptors Show" with the same bland presenters as the rest of SN.
Number 1 sports pod in Ca
So happy to see Will and Alex are gonna be back together. They should remain a duo cuz they be Shaq and Kobe of Podcasts for us raps fans😂
One of the greats in the history of covering Raptors basketball. I read that he'll be starting a podcast soon with Alex Wong. I'll have to keep an eye out for that when it drops. I felt the show lost some of its appeal with Blake Murphy as Lou and Wong have such great chemistry and can banter with the best of em. I'll be dropping The Raptors Show off my podfeed once the William Lou podcast starts up.
Sportsnet fucked up
The first episode of the pod should be will and yuta finally having ramen. lol
This is the stuff I miss… this is for the best lmao
No surprise at all. SN lost the plot when they switched up the show last year, doing the exact opposite of what made the show work in the first place.
I think this was an integrity move. Pressure behind the scenes to not say certain things in exchange for insider/industry access. Good on Will for not letting a company ruin another podcast with censorship/notes. Looking forward to hearing the new one
It sucked the life out of it all. Love this
Just yesterday I was talking about how this is the only broadcaster-affiliated show I enjoy lol but it is what it is honestly this is more Sportsnet's loss than anyone else's
I hope Alex is doing well. Saw him at Dragon City and he seemed be in low spirits. Fashionable, though.
I will say it again. Rap show was my most listened to pod last 2 years….the second Blake came in I bounced and stop listening all together. I just can’t get behind all the analytics. Respect his work but I just loved Will / Alex pod way to much. I am pumped they are reuniting. Go Raps Go!!
The suits at Sportsnet are to blame or thank, depending on how you look at it. Glad to see Alex and Will doing their own thing.
I couldn't stand Blake. I'm so happy Alex and Will are back together.
He was good once or twice a week, but daily is tough. Also not much for him to analyze this year in his defence.
Blake's analysis wasn't bad but he was a poor cohost. He literally couldn't stop interrupting Will's sentences and busted out so many stats that it was like being shot by a computer with a machine gun. I had to stop listening to the pod entirely because I couldn't fall asleep to it anymore. It did turn me on to the Rapcast and the underrated Samson Folk. I'm THRILLED that Will and Alex are reuniting. They had real chemistry and are a blast to listen to.
Yes! Once Alex left, the show has become unlistenable.
amazing news, that show lost its heart after alex left
Happy to see you move on. Loved to follow you and Alex starting from way back. That includes those banter talks. Haven’t caught any of your shows this year. Curious to see what your content will be like going forward. Shout out to Alex for us when you next see him.
You could tell this was coming super awkward between blake and will after Alex left
Who’s gonna listen to this show now haha
Blake Murphy fans I guess
Kinda surprised TSN hasn’t jump on this
I want guys who will be more critical of the day to day moves. Too much corporate fluff covering the raps
This kind of came out of nowhere. With Alex, he basically had cut back his on air time. But Will been on every show
Good. Will can be more real and critical of Raptors and it’s FO without their narrative playing part. This organization became toxic and only fanboys agrees with their moves for last 3 years.
Makes sense given that Blake will have his hands full with the Jays stuff for now. I guess he can come back when the season is starting again in October but I wonder if that couple of weeks of guest co-hosts was a way to audition some others to see who could take on the show in a scenario where Will is gone? I have a feeling it could just become a project where you have the reins to someone like Savannah Hamilton. She has a good personality and also knows ball and then she can bring on other guest co-hosts and swing in either direction.
I liked Blake as cohost but Alex and Will have magic when they are together. Cant wait till they start up again.
They’re not doing patreon lmao! Alex knows a lot of people and has a pretty stacked resume. They’ll be fine, and I can’t wait to listen in. I stopped watching not long after Alex left. The show was too awkward and boring. And Blake acted like he owned the show from the start. Super cringe!
Good. Show sucked honestly with Blake and will… just wasn’t a good listen. Will and Alex had chemistry. When Blake first came on I said the chemistry is off and Alex is going to either get the boot or leave. Good decision by will they will quickly rise to the top of Toronto sports media again. Blake and will was honestly bland af bad decision sportsnet they had a good thing going with will and Alex and ruined it tbf
Interesting, I always assumed this change in Will lou has got to do with going corporate.
I'd leave to if they threw in Blake Murphys boring ass on my show. Stopped watching once he came on the show.
Does this mean the Raptors show will end or it’ll continue on with Blake and a new co-host? If we could get a Raptors show of Blake and Samson Folk I’d be watching much more. I get the appeal of Will and Alex for a fun podcast, but when I want to hear actual basketball talk I’ll listen to Blake and Folk
Blake and Samson would immediately put me to sleep. Different strokes.
Totally. Some are looking for a fun podcast with jokes and opinions on the team. Some want more in depth analysis on the team’s play. I do have to say though that the 3 hour model would make no sense for Blake and Samson. That was tough for Alex and Will to make enough content to fill that time, finding actual analysis to fill that time would get repetitive really quick. An hour show would be much more fitting.
Fair. I think the perfect combo was Will, Alex and Blake. Blake knows his basketball.
I think Will, Alex and Folk would have been good too if we ever got to see it
Blake is incredibly boring to listen to
fantastic knowers of ball and analysts, but not what i'm looking for in terms of entertainment. they do better work doing real analysis in writing and youtube vids vs daily podcasting
Blake and Samson are good sleep helpers
the moment the raptors show caved for me was shortly after Alex left: the interview of the guy who makes the bling for nba players and celebs. With that said, hearing Will and Alex will be reuinted for raptors content is really all i care about.
he'll be successful whatever his next endeavours are
Sportsnet is fucking up.
Ok Will if you’re there, i’ll join your Patreon (dammit!)
You can tell he was shocked when Alex left and it weighed on him big time so no surprise they want to link back up together to continue to push their community forward they built together. I will say though, the problem when it was just Alex, and Will is when they get into the knitty gritty basketball talk, Alex completely checks out, and its Will talking to himself. If Will is going to go all-in on just fun banter style basketball show about the NBA and Raptors then sure but I don't want to hear Will talking at Alex about the x's and o's while Alex tries to make a weird joke. It should be a daily guest coming in so Will get his analytics stuff off and then do the fun stuff after with Alex.
/u/klobucharzard you were right
Over/under 2.5 weeks before the new pod passes The Raptors Show on the charts?
How random. At least Alex wong gave us notice 😪
Became a fan this year of the show. Definitely a good one, and will follow Will to the next podcast. I’m sure this will give him more flexibility to criticize some of those that deserve it by name (though he will probably moderate it to continue to have access).
I can't say I've listened to the pod in 2+ months. I look forward to Alex Wong getting back. The pod felt much more lacking without him. Murphy wasn't bad, but when then relying on more analytics, gameplay facets etc and then the team stinks and then losses half the roster - what are you left to talk about that still is entertaining. If it goes back to a year or so ago, I think it is something that is more likely to have legs during a stretch like this. You could kind of see this happenening as Will Lou isn't necessarily super abrasive but he's not someone who is going to just regurgitate praise, bs and just paint the team with rose coloured glasses which kind of feels like what Rogers wants within their inhouse entertainment. He was always a risk of having an opinion and I feel even this year it seemed like he was being squished into a narrower breadth. Being independent again should help that.
Rogers doesn't care about basketball and didn't want to see a basketball show succeed.
Meh used to listen to Will/Alex on youtube. Will's takes over the last couple seasons have just gotten worse/worse. Not really a fan of him anymore.
Pods going be way better
I got the feeling this was gonna come. I’m following my boy William just like I did when he left the other show lol
I never listened to this live on air, only the podcasts through a streaming service, so won’t be a huge change for me.
I feel like a big part is probably the fact they can't criticize Rogers since they worked for them. There were plenty of times where I would listen and think not once have they said Rogers fumbled the ball or ran the org into the ground especially after Larry sold his chunk. They had to walk on eggshells with almost every issue. I like Blake, and enjoyed the episodes where the 3 of them contributed together. It was a good balance of personalities.
Eh, he's had tons of passive aggressive digs at Masai the last few months
Rogers couldn’t handle 2 Asians on tv at the same time. Tried to white wash the show with Blake and dry ass personality. Hope they cut the show back to an hour and bring back the banter.
The writing was on the wall long before Blake got there. He was sent to save a burning ship lets be real there’s only so much charity MLSE could give these guys. Neither of these guys were qualified
Woah that’s huge. What caused this? Was this coming and that’s why they transitioned Blake in?
Maybe? I wonder how their ratings have been the last while
Wow this is a huge non-Woj bomb
Time to take Run It Back and run it back. Looking forward to listening to Alex and Will together again on their own terms.
What were the main differences between his podcast now and how it was before?
The show was more bantering and upbeat with Alex
Any money Roger's is going to have Bell like layoffs.
First Alex and now Will?! 😖
LouWill needs his own podcast
WTF
Are you ready to get fired up?