Kevin Falness is the executive producer and pre/post-game host of the NHL’s Minnesota Wild. He joined the Wild as exec producer before their inaugural season in 2000-2001. Before joining the Wild, Falness worked as the executive producer of KKFN The Fan radio in Denver, Colorado. There, he oversaw talk shows and broadcasts of both the Colorado Avalanche and Denver Nuggets.

The Wild recently made a blockbuster trade in the NHL, acquiring former Norris Trophy winner Quinn Hughes, and is poised for a long playoff run. Falness discussed the impact the Wild have had on the Twin Cities.

In this episode, Falness discussed his unique path to the Wild Radio Network. He also talked a lot about the old days in Denver and the trials and tribulations of starting an all-sports station in Denver in the 1990s.

He also discusses the upcoming Olympic hockey tournament, the possibility of reuniting brothers Quinn, Jack, and Luke Hughes in Minnesota, and his thoughts on franchises wearing old logos from cities the team’s abandoned.

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As 2026 began, a new sports media controversy emerged. Main Street Sports Group, formerly Diamond Sports, missed a payment to the St. Louis Cardinals for their local TV rights. Days later, they missed payments to numerous NBA teams. Reports indicate that the streaming service DAZN wants to buy these embattled regional sports networks. If a deal to sell to DAZN does not go through, there is a strong possibility that Main Street folds, leaving dozens of NBA, NHL, and MLB teams in jeopardy.

Tom Friend reported this story for Sports Business Journal. He is a Feature Writer at Sports Business Journal, focusing primarily on the NBA. In this episode, Friend explains that the leagues want to create their own streaming packages using existing services such as Amazon, Peacock, Apple, and ESPN. He discusses both the short-term impact and the long-term future of regional broadcasts, acknowledging that some large markets find their RSN profitable and will not want to join any league-organized venture.

Friend also discusses the proposed NBA in Europe and the chances of expansion, specifically in Seattle and/or Las Vegas.

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This episode continues a long tradition that began eight years ago. Scott Seidenberg appeared on episode 177, which was released on Christmas. The following year, it continued with episode 229 and has continued every Christmas week since. The whole origin story of this tradition is explained in the first few minutes of the show. The rest of these episodes’ numbers are as follows:

Vol. 3Episode 280

Vol. 4Episode 332

Vol. 5Episode 383

Vol. 6Episode 435

Vol. 7Episode 485

Scott Seidenberg has launched a new gambling website and accompanying podcast, “Bettor Day.” Check out www.bettorday.com

Topics in this episode include the NFL on Christmas, the College Football Playoff, the NBA Cup, and sports documentaries.

Happy Holidays from all of us at Sports with Friends! See you in 2026.

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