Working in the intense and demanding world of sports radio can generate enough stories for a book. In Randy Merkin’s case, he is now doubling that output and hoping readers enjoy the ride.
Merkin, a Deerfield native, recently released Beyond the Glass: More Stories from a Sports Radio Producer, a sequel to his first book, 2021’s Behind the Glass.
Merkin is executive producer for the Audacy Corporation’s BetMGM, and he separately works for the content team at BetRivers, a sports betting information service. Despite his busy schedule, he found time to write a second collection of memories of colorful moments in his radio career, this time with a slightly different approach.
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“I wanted this one to be a little different than the first one, which was more hardcore stories and an introduction to who I am. I made this one a little more personal,” he said in an interview.
The book takes readers on a 162-page journey through Merkin’s career, beginning with his days at Homewood-Flossmoor High School, where he was a member of the Class of 1988.
Merkin’s professional career began at a small radio station in Platteville, Wisconsin, where he initially earned $12,000 a year before eventually returning to the larger outlets in the Chicago area. He describes how he landed some of the biggest names in sports and sports broadcasting, often relying on little more than determination and persistence to get them on the air.
One section of the book recounts how, in June 2010, Merkin landed Major League Baseball umpire Jim Joyce for an interview shortly after Joyce’s erroneous call with two outs in the ninth inning cost Detroit Tigers pitcher Armando Galarraga a perfect game, years before expanded replay rules were adopted.
Joyce’s mistake became one of the biggest stories in sports, and Merkin was determined to get him on the air despite having little information about where Joyce was at that moment.
He describes how he got Joyce’s cellphone number and persuaded him to do the interview, where segments were later played on national television due to the intense interest in the story.
“That, to me, is the quintessential example of what a producer is,” Merkin said. “You have a big story, and the next day you have that big story on. I was really proud of myself for that one.”
Another of Merkin’s favorite accomplishments occurred in 2014, as sports radio stations around the country were booking Mike Eruzione, captain of the 1980 U.S. Olympic hockey team that stunned the heavily favored Soviet Union en route to winning the gold medal in Lake Placid, New York
Rather than conduct a standard interview, Merkin wanted to surprise Eruzione by bringing broadcaster Al Michaels into the conversation. Michaels’ call — “Do you believe in miracles? Yes!” — during the closing seconds of the U.S. triumph over the Soviets remains one of the most iconic moments in sports broadcasting history.
With Michaels covering the Winter Olympics in Sochi, Russia, and soon to go on live television, time was short. Still, Merkin managed to pull it together, allowing Michaels and Eruzione to reminisce together on the air for eight to 10 minutes.
“That’s a producer’s dream,” Merkin said. “Two guys going back and forth and the hosts are basically out of the conversation as the two guys are just telling stories.”
Beyond the celebrity encounters with figures such as Dennis Rodman and Charles Barkley, Merkin’s book also serves as a guide to successful sports-radio producing, emphasizing that the job ultimately comes down to building relationships and earning trust.
“In both books, what I want people to see is how the media industry works and how tough it is, not knowing the legwork and what goes into it,” Merkin said. “I also wanted people to understand that you can take stuff from the sports radio industry and it translates into any industry.”
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He added, “It’s all about relationships. If you don’t have a good relationship with someone, odds are they’re not going to come on. It is the same thing in any other business.”
While the book is largely filled with positive and memorable experiences, it also contains moments of reflection. Merkin pays tribute to many of the people who shaped his life and career, including his parents, high school teachers and close friend Jeff Dickerson, the ESPN Radio reporter and Vernon Hills native who died of cancer in 2021 at age 44.
He also refers to the personal ups and downs of his own career in the radio industry that continues to face economic challenges. Yet he does not discourage people today from pursuing sports radio, though he offers one piece of practical advice.
“Go for it and shoot your shot,” he said. “But if your shot doesn’t work, have a backup plan.”
Today, Merkin balances his work with family life alongside his wife, Beth, and their children, Brett and Dana. He believes a third book may be in his future.
As he contemplates future writing projects, Merkin also finds himself looking back to his days at Homewood-Flossmoor High School, when he realized he loved sports but lacked the athletic ability to compete at the highest level. Instead, he channeled that passion into sports radio.
“Why can’t I be the Michael Jordan of producing?” he recalled thinking. “I don’t know if I am, but that’s what I strive for. To be great.”
Daniel I. Dorfman is a freelance reporter for Pioneer Press.