Scott Kaplan isn’t on radio but he’s coming through loud and clear.
“I’m happy that I kept it going,’’ Kaplan said.
Kaplan, the onetime, longtime Mighty 1090 sports talk radio host is still sounding off.
“This has kept me relevant locally and nationally,’’ Kaplan said.
Kaplan’s career maintained its pulse by him pushing furniture around.
Some great friends convinced him to convert a room at his Solana Beach residence into a recording studio, after the plug was yanked on the Mighty 1090 last year.
From Kaplan’s cozy confines, “The Scott & BR Show” marches on with a podcast and a video that is seen on YouTube, Facebook and just about any other media platform Kaplan unearths.
“I didn’t know what I was doing, but some people helped me out,’’ Kaplan admitted. “This has kept me visible for other opportunities.’’
Momentum was gathering with Kaplan’s home endeavor. Kaplan, a nonstop networker, also had other coals in the campfire. But with the podcast turning the corner, around the bend was COVID-19.
Kaplan, who covers the NFL for Westwood One radio, wasn’t fazed. He kept doing what he does best: talking sports, yapping about kids and chewing the fat about a world turned upside down.
While COVID-19 halted athletics, it couldn’t silence Kaplan. As others groused about zero games, Kaplan, 50, cleared his throat.
Minus him being connected to a scoreboard, Kaplan makes points with tales of what makes life spin.
“It hasn’t been hard at all to produce content,’’ Kaplan said. “I like to tell stories about the athletes rather than stories about the games or statistics.
“Plus, there’s been enough big sports stories to talk about. But in the world of podcasting we’re not particularly committed to that as we would be if at a radio station. We have the flexibility to talk about what we want.’’
The 90-minute podcast produced by Alex Padilla is nearing its 200th episode and a tribute to Kaplan’s ingenuity and perseverance. It also revealed his flexibility when he recently added a 25-minute condensed version.
“People are listening, and it’s kept me in the game,’’ Kaplan said.
When 1090 went dark, Kaplan saw the light of renewal. He attempted to resurrect 1090 but kept a keen eye for other avenues of revenue, like sided.co, an audience-engagement platform centered on spirited debates.
Still, radio frequency remains a frequent topic. Although after trying to ride to 1090’s rescue with fresh investors, Kaplan sought a white flag in July.
Then, at the Super Bowl, a colleague connected Kaplan with a North County radio insider interested in digging 1090 from its grave, with a twist.
The shows wouldn’t generate from a central studio, instead the hosts and guests contribute remotely. The engineering would be off-site as well, and just maybe the Mighty 1090 simmers this summer.
“We’re meeting daily and trying to figure out the last part of it,’’ Kaplan said. “In reality, it would be an opportunity to add an additional platform for the podcast and one that we are well known on.’’
Kaplan is optimistic about 1090’s rebirth.
“Whenever people can start going back to games, going to casinos, traveling, whenever those things happen,’’ Kaplan said, “we want to already be established.’’
“The Scott & BR Show” planted its flag in 2001. Its vision in 2020 might again include 1090.
Contact Jay Paris at [email protected]. Follow him @jparis_sports.
