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Does It Pay To Broadcast Live From Radio Row?

Jason Barrett

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In ten days, sports radio stations across the nation will invade Houston, Texas to broadcast live from radio row, during the NFL’s annual week long celebration of their biggest game, the Super Bowl. But while the sheer mass of stations may enhance the NFL’s image, and the on-air personalities may gain personal satisfaction from making a road trip to host their programs on location, the question of whether or not it’s a necessary expense creates division among many broadcast executives.

From the programmers point of view, there are a myriad of reasons to be there. It is the biggest event in sports, and the Super Bowl has mass appeal in every local market. Some people subscribe to the theory that a sports station should only make the trip if its local team is playing in the game, but I don’t agree with that point of view.

In most cities, the NFL is king. Ratings for national games are among the most watched programs on television, and they often outperform the performance of a local market’s baseball, basketball, hockey and college teams. Audiences keep tabs on all teams and players, and when you include gambling, fantasy football, and transplants living in each community into the mix, it’s easy to see why interest is high. If a local team is in the big game, it becomes a bigger deal, but it’s a must-watch event regardless of who participates.

While this may be the biggest event of the sports calendar, every station in America is going to talk about it whether they’re live inside of a convention center in the host city, or sitting in the air conditioned studio from which they operate on a daily basis.

So why go?

Many programmers argue that it’s vital to strengthening the brand’s image in the eyes and ears of the audience. Being there reinforces your position of being a major league brand, and if that’s the way your station has been built and sustained, then there shouldn’t be internal debate about whether it’s important or not to make this trip. It’s the same reason why a news/talk station broadcasts live on location from the cities where presidential debates take place.

But if perception isn’t enough of a reason to justify sending your station on the road for Super Bowl week, then what about the ratings? In years past, the brands I managed often saw a minimal bump during the week of radio row broadcasts. The difficult question though was whether or not a minimal ratings increase was worth spending thousands of dollars. It could be argued that the station could generate the same ratings staying in the building and covering the event rather than sending five to ten people on the road for one week.

From a talent’s perspective, they share less concern about the brand’s financial challenges. Their primary interest is to put on the best show possible, and gaining access to high profile athletes and celebrities, and the sites and sounds leading up to the Super Bowl helps them do that. Many on-air people look forward to the week long festivities created by the NFL and its partners, and they value increasing their stature and relationships with others in the media space. Although those relationships may benefit their show in the future, you could once again argue whether or not this is enough of a reason to justify sending a show on location.

What many personalities don’t realize is how costly this week is to the brand they work for. Some talent do appreciate it and recognize the commitment their employer is making, but others just assume it’s part of doing business.

Except it isn’t.

For a Program Director, General Manager, President, and CEO, to sign off on spending ten to twenty thousand dollars to send their people on the road to broadcast for three to five days from a remote location, which won’t provide a huge return on investment from advertisers or the ratings, is a tall order. I’ve heard hosts over the years say, “it’s the Super Bowl, if our sales team can’t sell this then we’re screwed”. That may sound right, but what many talent lack an understanding of is how much value advertisers place on this one to two week promotion.

If you’re a client, the debate becomes whether or not it’s beneficial to spend thousands of dollars on this promotion instead of on a sustained campaign on the same radio station. Many hosts think that by reading the sponsor’s name and five second tag prior to each interview that they’ve fulfilled their obligation, but what they haven’t taken into consideration is whether or not those name mentions and tags help the client grow their business. Giving a client a web banner on your Super Bowl page, a name mention on your social media posts, and on-air plugs prior to interviews may fulfill what was presented, but if the client loses money, they won’t support future promotions.

Ask yourself this question, would you spend thousands of dollars to promote your business during a week of shows from the Super Bowl? If the answer is yes, would you select this opportunity over others available on the same radio station? If your decision had a lasting impact on your company’s bottom line, would you make the call to sponsor this week?

One way hosts and programmers can help themselves is to work with the sales team to gain a better understanding of how a success or failure will be measured by the client who sponsors this week. Have you met with the client to personally thank them for supporting this promotion? Have you brainstormed with them prior to the promotion to gain a sense of what their hot buttons are? Are there other things you’re willing to do beyond the traditional buy to help make the client feel special?

For example, are you sending out a daily tweet and Facebook post to thank the sponsor and encouraging your fans to support them? Have you created an on-site banner with the client’s logo and had every guest who visits the table sign it so you can bring it back to them to display inside their place of business? If the client is also making the trip, have you helped them gain access to a credential to visit your setup or include them on a guest list to attend some of the parties taking place in the host city? Maybe it means making future appearances at the client’s location, speaking on one of their spots, taking the client out to dinner, getting them tickets to a future game or event in your city, or supporting one of their charities to show that you’re equally invested in them.

Certain things can be measured in this business, and some can’t. The value of an on-air mention and web/social sponsorship during this week might not be enough to justify the costs, but when you tug on a client’s heartstrings and give them things that money can’t buy, that has personal value. Don’t discount how important that is.

John Goforth, who previously served as sales manger of 670 The Score in Chicago, and as an account executive for ESPN 1000, 101 ESPN and 590 The Fan, explained how the perception of Super Bowl week was received in multiple sales departments he worked in.

“We always sold it, but it felt like something we were doing to help cover programming costs”, said Goforth.

“In years past we included live video streaming of the shows from radio row, which was cool because it provided other opportunities. For example, if you sold a sponsorship to Dunkin Donuts, and gave the guests who stopped by a coupon for a year’s supply of coffee, it helped extend the brand presence. You could show the client how you were helping put their band in front of notable people. But the extra nonsense added via billboards and bumpers was always overpriced.”

Noel Wax, former VP of sports sales and director of sales for CBS’ Radio brands in New York, Los Angeles and San Francisco, said much of the value depends on the involvement of a local team and unique assets.

“If we were lucky enough to have one of the teams in our markets represent us in the Superbowl, then it was a big deal for revenue” said Wax.

“What it really came down to was how creative the station was in generating great ideas to sell around its coverage. Just selling audio billboards of the station’s coverage was not exciting or lucrative. If the sales team had access to trips or tickets, that made it more attractive. I found that the best successes came from approaching marketers who were also fans.”

Those assets certainly help drive larger revenues for the station, but the programming department can’t be placed on standby waiting for the company to acquire them. Instead they have to make a simple decision, are we invested in being live on location for this event or not?

One side of the argument that warrants further examination is the role that corporate executives and market managers play in it. If a sports station being live from the Super Bowl is going to be contested, then how else are you providing reinforcements to help your brand cement its position in the local listener’s mind? Is the station reinvesting its funding in marketing to help the brand gain more fans? Are you moving the money from the Super Bowl trip to create a bigger impact at spring training? Is the station holding back the funding because it plans to make a bigger play to snag a local team’s radio rights?

In each of those scenarios, most programmers will be flexible. Their end goal is to grow the brand. Whether it’s done through the Super Bowl or spring training, additional radio rights or a heavy marketing campaign, the bottom line is growing the audience and brand perception. It’s when executives frown upon making necessary sacrifices to help the station, and offer no alternatives, that programmers become frustrated and question the company’s commitment.

When I ran stations, I felt there was value in broadcasting live from big events. It may not have always been favorable on the spreadsheet, but it absolutely made an impression. And sometimes you have to make financial sacrifices to grow your company.

Case in point, during my first year in San Francisco, we sent our entire staff at 95.7 The Game to Indianapolis to broadcast from radio row. The crew had only been working together for a few months, and this trip allowed them to form deeper bonds outside of the building. That’s something that you can’t measure. It was expensive, but we knew that our competitor would have a minimal presence at the event, and that would serve us well in strengthened our identity in the market.

We also felt that it would send a message to the local teams that we meant business. We knew it may not provide an immediate financial return, but the long-term goal was to entice those teams to work with us. By utilizing that approach, we became serious contenders for the radio rights to the Oakland Raiders and Golden State Warriors, with the Silver and Black signing on two years later to become the station’s flagship NFL partner. The Warriors didn’t immediately switch over, but a few years later they too followed suit.

The San Francisco Giants and 49ers, and a few notable sports agents also took notice. Over the next year, players who had previously been unavailable or not interested in pursuing weekly call-in deals with the station, started to adjust their line of thinking. When we signed Buster Posey and Matt Cain the following season to an exclusive agreement, it put everyone in the market on notice.

The final piece of this puzzle that I want to shed light on is the value it presents to the NFL, and their role in making it a better experience for radio operators.

In recent years, radio row has become a bigger hassle. The process to being approved for credentials takes a long time, and that impacts stations who are trying to determine what they can or can’t spend to cover the event. If you’re applying in November, you shouldn’t have to wait until the second or third week of January to find out if all of your people and the hotel rooms you’ve requested have been approved. That puts stations in a tough financial position because booking last minute rooms, cars and flights requires additional expense, inconvenience and in some instances, less manpower.

The next issue that creates a problem are the increasing technical costs. Some stations have to absorb two thousand dollars in fees for ISDN lines and internet, and then either send an engineer on the road or hire a local engineer as an independent contractor. That’s a lot of money to spend just to get on the air. The alternative is accepting lower broadcast quality which would defeat the purpose of broadcasting there.

Then there’s the lack of information of who’s going to be available on radio row. Most hosts and producers have no idea who’s available to be booked for their shows until the day of, and then it becomes a mad scramble to chase down PR people, and team officials. This makes it chaotic for hosts, producers, guests, and handlers, who are trying to foster relationships with one another yet have a limited time to do so.

Lastly, there doesn’t seem to be a lot of TLC displayed by NFL officials towards radio stations and their employees. These brands offering up countless hours of their programming time to help the NFL sell its biggest game of the season, and spending thousands of dollars to do so. Many also invest additional millions of dollars on the radio rights of the NFL’s local teams. You’d think that would provide for better treatment, but I’ve run stations that did and didn’t have NFL play by play relationships, and neither was treated any differently.

Whether the league offered better placement inside the venue, access to guests who other brands couldn’t get, priority access inside the building, or something as simple as a few more hotel rooms and advanced approval, every little bit sends a message that the NFL values its radio partners.

Let me remind you, these stations broadcast from a place called RADIO Row. If the costs and challenges become more hassle than they’re worth, it could make brands reconsider attending. A lack of on-site support and reduced air time for the league’s biggest game could have an affect on viewing. Given the current climate of television, and the growing economic challenges for broadcast companies, it wouldn’t be wise for the league to continue making their loyal partners feel neglected during the week of their biggest annual event.

I was curious how a number of programmers across the country felt about the importance of broadcasting live on radio row. Each of these guys work for different companies, and are sending their stations to broadcast in Houston this year. Here are their perspective on the pros and cons of Super Bowl week.

  • Mike Sheppard – Mighty 1090, San Diego, CA
  • Rich Moore – Sports Radio 950 KJR, Seattle, WA
  • Dan Zampillo – ESPN LA 710, Los Angeles, CA
  • Chris Kinard – 106.7 The Fan, Washington D.C.
  • Joe Zarbano – WEEI, Boston, MA

Why do you believe it’s necessary for your station to broadcast from radio row during the week of the Super Bowl?
Moore: It’s the payoff week to the biggest draw in our format on the biggest media stage. Super Bowl week is an overdose of sports talk content gold. When the format was growing and earning credibility, being at the biggest events was vital. The key now is not just being there, but maximizing the content.

Super Bowl week also used to be about getting big names on that you couldn’t usually get on any other time. That’s still there but now it’s also about the news and content, and being there gives you an advantage. It probably is more necessary nowadays to the stations in markets where the NFL is present and strong.

Zampillo: Two things come into play for us at ESPN LA 710. One, we just got the Rams this year, and given the attention around the NFL returning to LA, and now with the Chargers coming, I think it helps us cement ourselves as the football station in town. Plus, we launched a new morning show with Keyshawn Johnson involved, and given his status and ability to draw big guests, it makes sense to have our morning show there.

Sheppard: It’s a strategic brand decision. Part of our content and event filter is whether or not a listener would expect a particular element from “San Diego’s Sports Leader”. In our opinion, a Super Bowl week broadcast is in sync with the audience expectations of the Mighty 1090 brand. More importantly (and based on audience research we have done), NOT having a presence there would erode our leadership position in the mind of the audience.

Kinard: If done right, it can make your station sound big and create an impression that you own the most important sporting event of the year. But I think whether you make the decision to send a show depends on several factors, including your market’s competitive situation, budget, strengths and weaknesses of your hosts and producers, and what kind of market you are in. In our case, we have a midday show with 2 talented interviewers and some great connections, and I am confident they will produce content worthy of the expense we are incurring to send them.

Zarbano: It’s necessary because our audience is captivated by the Patriots and the NFL. This is the biggest event of the year, and our listeners want to feel like they’re there even if they can’t be. When the Patriots are in the Super Bowl, New Englanders are obsessed with Patriots related content. Broadcasting live from radio row affords us the opportunity to deliver the very best possible radio.

How much of an impact does it have on your station’s ratings?

Moore: It’s a pretty strong week for us. We gain strong AQH. With a natural bigger audience available that week, booking the week on radio row allows us to set good appointments and create great social media and digital content as well.

Zampillo: I think it will have a small impact on ratings if done right. If we get the right guests and handle the show in the spirit of the way it was meant to be executed it will give us a bump.

Sheppard: Minimal. That’s not why we do this. It’s a strategic brand decision rather than a topical or tactical ratings play.

Kinard: These shows can create some must-listen to moments, which has the potential to move the ratings needle. But I think it’s more of an overall branding benefit than anything.

Zarbano: We see quite a noticeable increase, particularly in cume, when the Patriots are in the Super Bowl and we’re broadcasting live from radio row. The interest level in our market is huge.

Why do you think this week of programming matters to the audience?
Moore: It’s the biggest topic, and the hype of the Super Bowl coverage attacks the majority of the cume. If your team is in it, it’s a can’t miss event. If not, it’s a newsy week that helps listeners at the water cooler.

Zampillo: The Super Bowl is the biggest event in sports. And even casual sports fans are interested in the game.

Sheppard: Based on our content and topic matrix, coverage of the NFL is far and away the # 1 audience need. Given that the Super Bowl is the NFL’s most important event each year, it would be foolish of us not to capitalize on the buzz and content of this week.

Kinard: The Super Bowl is not just the biggest sporting event of the year, it’s a spectacle. The game is huge, but the commercials and the halftime show are highly anticipated as well. The stars come out, and it’s a great opportunity to hear from the legends of sports, but it also provides your station with an opportunity to crossover into the worlds of entertainment and pop culture.

Zarbano: WEEI’s audience is very emotionally invested in the Patriots and football content. If the Pats are playing in the Super Bowl, the interest level rises. These rabid fans want to be at the game and taking in the week’s events, but since they can’t, they rely on our presence and ability to deliver to make them feel closer to the action.

If you weren’t there, what type of affect do you think it would have on your brand?
Moore: It’s not the end of the world anymore, but the KJR brand has been built with the expectation that we will be live from the big events and deliver those experiences to our audience. With our station located in a great football market like Seattle, and KJR a proud partner of Westwood One, we try to make sure we are there.

Zampillo: I don’t think it would hurt us. If we were not going and still hitting the hottest topics that matter to our audience, we would be in good shape.

Sheppard: It would negatively impact our leadership branding.

Kinard: I think you can certainly cover the game from afar just as you would any of the other major sporting events. As long as the shows continue to spend a majority of their time talking about the game and doing the blocking and tackling of PPM strategy, this should be a great week regardless.

Zarbano: It’s a perception battle. Many of our P1’s also listen to our competitor. If the competition broadcasts from radio row and your station is not there, it can make your brand look second rate. Our audience is going to be more interested in listening to the shows that are on the ground with the team in Houston (Super Bowl City) rather than the show which is sitting inside of a studio back in Boston during the week of the biggest game in sports.

Some industry folks feel that it’s not worth the expense to broadcast from there. How do you respond to that?
Moore: It’s certainly going that way. It is really hard to commit to it each year in advance, but if you work with your sales team, and can justify great value and frequency to see your coverage, it can be done. It’s RADIO row, and yet the NFL is pricing radio stations out of being there. $2000 for ISDN and internet is almost impossible to justify.

Zampillo: I understand that point of view. The problem is, Radio Row used to be special. Now, everyone has the same guests on, and most of those guests are low quality guests who are pushing products that do not connect with our audience. If you can do the best version of your show while working in important aspects of being on Radio Row like BIG name guests, it makes sense. If you can’t do that, then I understand staying home.

Sheppard: It’s not cheap, but we send all of our shows, and make it a priority to not only cover our expenses, but actually make money with our Super Bowl week sponsorships. Many of our hosts will ad-lib sponsors who are more than willing to support these broadcasts financially.

Kinard: For some stations, it may not be worth the cost. It depends on your competitive situation, and what else you would spend that money on.

Zarbano: We are blessed to have a great sales staff. The revenue they bring in always greatly outweighs our expenses.

Since the majority of the week consists of interviews with big named athletes and celebrities, what does your brand do differently to standout from the rest of the crowd?
Moore: We form relationships with NFL guests and contributors all season long, and use this week to extend them and have longer conversations in person that pay off our audience. We also have regular contributors who have established relationships with players, coaches, etc. and we send them too because it helps increase our access to other high profile guests, plus their continued presence assures that our programming will remain top notch.

Zampillo: We are only going to talk to guests who the audience is excited to hear from. We are not putting on a guest to just put on a guest. It has to be someone where the audience says Wow! This is cool or interesting!

Sheppard: First, we want our broadcasters to have good shows. Although I see stations still doing it, pimping non-relevant athletes, celebrities or products is not what we do. Content is the # 1 primary objective with an emphasis on Super Bowl content or guests that really deliver.

The second thing we reinforce is that we are a multi-platform media company, and as such, we are sending two content contributors and videographers to file photographic, video and written content from the festivities.

Kinard: We try be very selective about the guests we book, and make sure the show doesn’t sit around waiting for guests to arrive. The content should still be about the game, and we try to make sure our shows continue to break down the game, talk to listeners, etc.

Zarbano: We are very picky about who we put on the air and what we promote. We will only put on guests that we feel can move the needle.

What is one thing the NFL could do better during the week of radio row shows to keep stations wanting to return and support their biggest game of the year?
Moore: They could help radio stations by managing the inflating technical costs for sure.

Zampillo: It would be nice if it was better organized. Too often it feels like a free for all. I understand it is on each station to book guests, but it would be great if you had a better idea of who will be there and when.

Sheppard: The hotel process could be improved. The longer we have to wait for accommodations, the more expensive air travel becomes. For example, this year we requested seven rooms but were only granted two. That makes it more challenging.

Kinard: I think they generally do a great job with the event. More availability of guests from the league and the NFL Network would be beneficial.

Zarbano: The credential process can be confusing and time consuming. It’d be helpful if there was a clearer process when requesting conditional and regular Super Bowl credentials.

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Barrett Blogs

Is Sports Journalism Still Worth Paying For?

“I know many like to declare print being dead. I’m sorry I’m not one of them. Adults still enjoy reading.”

Jason Barrett

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Courtesy: Don Nguyen

I’ve been thinking about this column all week because it’s a topic I’m passionate about and curious to hear the responses to. For starters, let me pose a few questions to you. Does quality journalism still matter? Is it worth paying for? Do advertisers see enough return on their investments with print outlets through associations with influential writers, publications and branded content? Are consumers hungry to read the full details of a story or are they satisfied with the cliff notes version and absorbing messages that fit inside of 140-280 characters?

The world we’re in is saturated with content. Attention spans are rapidly shrinking. Social media is both to blame and bless for that. The positive is that we’re exposed to more content than ever before. This means more opportunity to reach people and grow businesses. The challenge of course is standing out.

People listen, read and watch less of one thing now, opting for variety during the time they have available. The issue with that is that it often leads to being less informed. I know many like to declare print being dead. I’m sorry I’m not one of them. Adults still enjoy reading. I see nearly three million people do it on this website alone and we’re small potatoes compared to mainstream brands. Clearly people like to learn.

I raise this topic because last week, Peter King announced his retirement although he left open the door for side projects. After forty plus years of writing the gold standard of NFL columns, King revealed he wanted to slow down and invest his time in other areas of life. Among his considerations for the future after taking a breather are teaching.

In a podcast interview with Richard Deitsch, King said “We may love this column but I doubt that it made enough money for NBC to pay what they were paying me. I don’t think words are very profitable anymore. It’s a sad thing but it’s what’s happened to our business.”

Later in the conversation, King discussed the difficulty he might face if speaking to students about whether or not to pursue working in the media industry. He acknowledged that the business is bad right now. However, he pointed out that if you can write and read, and be an intelligent thinking contributing member of society, there are a lot of jobs you can do beyond being a writer for a paper covering the NFL. You can teach English, work in PR or for a team or league website. But journalism is different now, and though it’s not impossible to do, having flexibility is important.

I agreed with most of King’s remarks and thought about the two different ways people might respond to them.

If you’re in agreement with Peter, you’ll point to the reduction in industry jobs, the changes in salaries, the lack of trust in media outlets, the economic uncertainty facing traditional operators, the shrinking ability to uncover truth, and the data that frequently supports video being hot, and print not so much.

Those who disagree will list the New York Times and The Athletic as examples of print brands that still matter. They’ll also mention the surge in newsletters, the arrival of new online outlets, and the daily communication between millions of people each day on social media, much of it revolving around conversations created or supported by text.

Where I sit is somewhere in between.

First, the notion that it’s harder now than before is one I’ll challenge. When I entered the business, I had to mail letters, send cassette tapes, and wait months for a response. There was no internet or opportunity to create a podcast, Substack, website or video to build an audience. I had to be selected by someone to have a chance to work. There were thousands like me who wanted a way in and were at the mercy of decision makers preferring my resume over someone else’s. I did exactly what King said on the podcast when he mentioned having to do other jobs to support yourself while pursing a dream.

Where I agree with King is when he mentioned words not being as profitable anymore. Are print reporters and columnists going to make what they once did? Probably not. There will always be exceptions just as there are in television and radio, but if you think you’re going to do one specific job and making a financial killing on it, prepare to be disappointed. Today, you better be able to wear different hats and create a lot of content in multiple places. Earning a lot for doing a little is a way of the past.

The one area where I’ll differ is when it comes to advertising. I believe there’s untapped value for brands in print. Recall with the written word remains strong. There’s also less advertising clutter in written stories than audio and video programming blocks. Advertisers may not seek out traditional print advertising anymore but branded content, newsletter associations, and social media placements remain valued.

What I admire greatly about King is that he evolved over the years. His written work on SI was must-read but that didn’t stop him from leaping into the online space and launching MMQB. The arrival of that microsite was done at the right point in time, and when SI began to change, King didn’t hang on, choosing to make the bold move and jump to NBC. Upon his arrival, he started contributing on television, podcasts, and expanding his profile on social media.

What you should take away from Peter is that you’ve got to constantly examine the business, and understand when it’s time to pivot, even if it means leaving your comfort zone. You also have to recognize that things are going to change and your job description will likely be one of them. If you stay married to what you once did, you’ll be in a tough spot. If you roll with the punches and embrace what’s new, you’ll survive and thrive.

You also have to understand that you’re going to be tied further to what you produce. Does your presence and performance grow advertising revenue? Are you speaking on behalf of brands and helping them move product? Do you grow subscriptions or readership to levels that make it easy for a company to invest significantly in you? Talent is subjective. Results aren’t. Those who create quality while boosting the bottom line will remain in demand.

Remember this in a few years when artificial intelligence becomes a bigger part of content creation and discovery. Those who adapt to it and work with it will be just fine. Those who reject it will be searching for new career paths. Not that there’s anything wrong with that. There’s better stability in other industries. But there’s nothing like creating content around the world of sports and media. It just requires adaptability and being comfortable with being uncomfortable.

BSM Summit Update:

In ten days we unite the sports media business in New York City for the 2024 BSM Summit. All of the sessions are now complete. I’m excited to add Natalie Marsh, General Manager of Lotus Communications in Las Vegas, Cody Welling, Station Manager of 97.1 The Fan in Columbus, and Stephanie Prince, Vice President and Market Manager of Good Karma Brands West Palm Beach to our schedule. The full agenda for both days is posted on BSMSummit.com.

In addition, I’m thrilled to share that we’ll have a few special appearances at the ESPN Radio After Party on Wednesday March 13th. Joining us on-site will be Evan Cohen, Chris Canty and Michelle Smallmon of UnSportsmanLike, Freddie Coleman and Harry Douglas of Freddie & Harry, and Chris Carlin from Carlin vs. Joe.

Thumbs Up:

Chris Mortensen: Rarely does the sports media industry collectively agree on anything but you won’t find much disagreement on Chris Mortensen. He was a special talent and human being. I was fortunate to see it firsthand as a producer at ESPN Radio. I then enjoyed many interactions with Mort as a program director lining up calls on the radio stations I ran. It didn’t matter what job you did or where you worked, Chris treated you well. His work was hall of fame worthy but it was the manner in which he interacted with people that truly made him a legend. Rest in peace, Mort. I’m sure the next wave of conversations with John Clayton are going to be amazing.

Mike Felger: It would’ve been easy to pile on and publicly root for a competitor to fail and fold. Instead, Felger took the high road, acknowledging that he’s rooting for WEEI to come out of bankruptcy in good shape. That’s what smart business people. Mike is comfortable in his own skin. He has the highest rated show in Boston and having a competitor to compete against as well as a potential landing spot when contracts come up is never a bad thing. Besides, why would anyone want to see friends and respected professionals lose an opportunity to work or listeners given less choice for sports talk entertainment? Nice job, Mike.

iHeartmedia: The company’s fourth quarter results were down year-to-year but they were above prior projections. iHeart also gained 16.6% growth in podcasting revenues during Q4, and just got stronger by luring Stephen A. Smith’s podcast away from Audacy. A pretty good week for Bob Pittman and his lieutenants.

Sportico: Jason Clinkscales is an easy guy to root for. He’s written quality content for Awful Announcing, is a sharp guy who enjoys the industry, and after a year full of personal tragedies, he deserved a break. That came last week when Sportico hired him as a reporter and editor on their breaking news team. Well done Sportico. Looking forward to reading the first piece.

National Association of Broadcasters: Creating buzz for conferences isn’t easy but the NAB’s recent announcement of having Daniel Anstandig of Futuri Media present a first-of-its-kind presentation at its April show alongside Ameca, an autonomously AI-powered humanoid robot has certainly increased conversation and intrigue. I’ll be in attendance for the event and am curious like many. I’m just hoping Joe Rogan isn’t right when he suggested this week that robots will jump out of an aircraft carrier with machine guns and do damage.

Thumbs Down:

Kroenke Sports and Entertainment: This isn’t a shot at the company. It’s more about losing a talented media executive. Matt Hutchings, the company’s former COO and EVP was a key part of developing Altitude Sports. Under his watch, the Nuggets and Avalanche won titles, and the company cemented its position in the local sports radio space.

The dispute with Comcast over airing Nuggets and Avs games is well documented, and Hutchings will get some of the blame for the teams not being broadcast on local TV but I tend to believe decisions of that magnitude land at ownership’s doorstep. Regardless, KSE is weaker today than yesterday due to losing Hutchings.

New York Jets: I get it. 98.7 ESPN New York moving away from the FM dial provides a concern for the franchise, and in other cities, football does perform well on classic rock stations. I just see the fit with Q104.3 as an odd one. If Aaron Rodgers returns and the Jets finally take off the way their fans hoped they would last year, it’s going to feel strange hearing their games locally on a channel that has little content time dedicated to the team beyond game days.

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Erika Ayers and Spike Eskin Led Barstool Sports and WFAN to Success But Their Exits Raise Questions

“Rod and Spike understand the business. They know people are going to ask these questions.”

Jason Barrett

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There were two big management moves last week that have sports media folks talking. First was Erika Ayers Badan announcing her exit from Barstool Sports as the brand’s CEO. Second was the news of Spike Eskin returning to Sportsradio WIP and exiting his role as the VP of Programming for WFAN and CBS Sports Radio.

Let’s start with Erika. What she did for Barstool was spectacular. In 2016, I thought Barstool had a strong understanding of social media, unique talent and voices, podcasts that were cutting through, and a connection with younger fans that traditional outlets couldn’t deliver. They also produced events that drew a lot of public attention. But I didn’t view Barstool as a buttoned up business capable of generating hundreds of millions of dollars. Erika Nardini aka Erika Ayers Badan and Dave Portnoy deserve credit for making it one.

Erika told me at our 2020 BSM Summit that Barstool didn’t have a P&L sheet when she joined. She had to build systems, hire staff, grow the sales arm of Barstool, and help Dave Portnoy find investors. What followed were marketing deals with major brands, content partnerships with different media outlets, a massive investment from Penn National, and a changed perception of Barstool as a mainstream player. They were no longer just the cool, rebellious brand on social media and the internet that gave no f’s and generated attention. They became game changers in the sports content space.

So why leave?

If Barstool is now clear of restrictions and able to operate without investor influence, that should be enticing, right? In her farewell video Erika said that she felt she accomplished what she set out to do. I understand and appreciate that. But I can’t help but wonder if less structure and investor involvement made it less appealing to stay. She did join the brand after The Chernin Group got involved not before it.

I have no inside knowledge on this, and I’m not suggesting Barstool won’t continue growing and dominating. They likely will. It just raises questions about how the brand will manage sales, PR, critical internal and external issues, and battles with suitors when they try to lure away Barstool’s on-air and sales talent.

The business end of Barstool appears weaker today than it did a week ago. That’s more of a testament to what Erika did than a knock on anyone still there. To grow revenue the way she did the past 8 years speaks volumes about her skill as an executive. Wherever she lands next, it’s likely she’ll make a difference.

Will it be easier to do business with Barstool moving forward? Time will tell. I don’t expect they’ll make it easier for media outlets like ours to cover them. But if I’ve learned anything in eight years of following them it’s don’t ever bet against Dave Portnoy. Too often people have. Each time he’s proven them wrong. Portnoy has built a powerhouse brand, and grown the business by zigging when others zagged. But how Barstool moves forward without Erika will be of great interest to many in 2024.

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Spike Eskin will be leaving WFAN and his position as the VP of Programming for Audacy to return to WIP and co-host the afternoon show. On paper this is a great move for WIP. Spike understands Philadelphia and WIP’s audience, he lives and breathes Philly sports, and has a great rapport with the entire lineup. He’s maintained an on-air presence through his Rights to Ricky Sanchez podcast, and I believe that moving into a host role alongside Ike Reese and Jack Fritz will be a seamless transition for all involved. Being in his mid to late 40’s, he’s also got plenty years ahead of him to cement his spot as an on-air talent. I expect Spike, Ike and Jack to do well together.

But to exit WFAN and the top programming role at Audacy in less than three years, raises a few questions. Why is this opportunity better for Spike than the programming role he just held? Was he happy at WFAN? Were folks happy with him at WFAN? Many have opinions about WFAN’s changes the past few years. Some love the fresher approach. Others don’t. That’s what makes sports radio in New York fun, people care.

As a follower of WFAN for over thirty years, it’s a different brand than the one I grew up on. That’s not a bad thing by the way. I’m almost 50. If Spike and Chris Oliviero programmed to please the Mike and the Mad Dog crowd that’d be a mistake. Attention spans are shorter, content options are larger, digital is more important and the days of a city flocking to the radio at 1pm to hear a host’s first words are gone. Judging from the ratings, revenue, and turnout for Boomer and Gio’s last live event, the station is doing well. They’ve got a lot of talent, a stronger digital game, and they’ll continue thriving. Spike deserves credit for the brand’s progress.

But why is a hosting role and less influence over a brand better for Eskin? Spike has been a part of WIP’s afternoon show before. Though leading the show vs. being the third mic is a different animal. He also programmed the station really well. In fact, Spike did such a good job at WIP that it landed him the top programming position in sports radio. Is there a personal part to this given that his father made afternoons in Philly must-listen for 25 years? Or is it about the personal relationship he has with Ike and Jack?

And how does this work from a financial standpoint? It’s likely that Spike was paid more to lead Audacy New York than Jon Marks was to host WIP’s afternoon show. If that’s the case, and nothing changes for Eskin, and WIP just adds payroll, does it affect what Chris Oliviero can spend on Audacy New York’s next brand leader? I can’t see that happening at all. Chris is going to make sure he has what he needs to land the right leader in New York.

Finances only come up because it’s known that Audacy is going through a bankruptcy process. Adding expenses right now seems unlikely. However, to add someone with Eskin’s skill and track record at a station where he previously shined is smart business, especially when you consider that he can win as a host and programmer if needed. That’s going to naturally lead to folks asking ‘will Spike eventually host PM drive and program WIP? If so, what does that mean for current PD Rod Lakin?’ ‘What happens when talent at WIP that Spike had a hand in hiring don’t like what Lakin suggests or if WIP’s ratings decline?’

Spike told Joe DeCamara and Jon Ritchie that’s not on his radar and the idea of joining the afternoon show was raised by PD Rod Lakin. Some of you may read that and be surprised that Lakin would suggest it. But Rod stepped into the role that Eskin previously held. I’m sure they’ve talked plenty the past few years. If their relationship is strong that should help. I don’t know it well enough to say if it is or isn’t. This move suggests Lakin’s more concerned with strengthening WIP than worrying about himself or industry chatter.

If anyone can navigate the situation and make it work, it’s Rod Lakin. He’s calm, cool, collected, smart and doesn’t get flustered by noise and pressure. I know this because we’ve known each other for over a decade, and I introduced him to folks years ago, which led to him landing the Philly role. If you read Derek Futterman’s piece on Angelo Cataldi last month, the Philly icon shared a small example of what makes Rod a great leader.

But Rod and Spike understand the business. They know people are going to ask these questions. The flurry of texts and emails I received about this last week was insane. I’m sure it was even louder on the local level. Many will suggest that Audacy will use this as an opportunity to eventually reduce expenses and stay strong by having Eskin handle two roles. Only those involved know the answers but one thing I know is that Rod Lakin knows how to program. If he’s not supported there, he’ll have plenty of interest elsewhere.

In a perfect world, Spike excels in afternoons, Rod leads WIP to greater success, and WFAN finds a great leader to move the brand forward. But until the smoke clears, noise will fill the air in the big apple and city of brotherly love.

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Thumbs Up:

Colin Dunlap, 93.7 The Fan: While on the air last week, Dunlap received a call from a 65-year old woman named Colette. She told the Pittsburgh host that she and her husband were disabled and after undergoing 28 surgeries, she was physically struggling to clear her walkway of snow. Hearing her story moved Dunlap to react. He then called on the audience to step up and help. Shortly thereafter, one of 93.7 The Fan’s listeners, a gentleman named Tom, phoned in, and made the drive over to help out a fellow listener. That’s the power of live radio at its best, all possible by Dunlap reading and reacting to the situation perfectly.

Clay Travis, Outkick: Whether you love him or hate him, Clay delivers strong opinions and commands your attention. A perfect example was his Friday night reaction video to the demise of Sports Illustrated. If you haven’t watched it, it’s worth checking out. It’s nearing one million views at the time of my writing this.

VSiN: The sports betting network based out of Las Vegas recently redesigned its website and the new look and feel of it is excellent. Clean throughout, easy to navigate, and rich of content. Nice work by Bill Adee all involved.

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Thumbs Down:

Sports Illustrated: Laying off the majority of its staff was bad enough, but to notify people by email or have them find out on social media shows a lack of class and a disgusting approach to running a business. All of those traits by the way are the exact opposite of what SI once stood for – RESPECT.

During SI’s glory days, the content was must read. But in recent years, the outlet landed in the hands of operators who valued clicks over quality. Many predicted and expected this once storied brand to crumble. Unfortunately, the naysayers were proven right.

To those affected, I’m sorry for the crummy news. Some will rebound and help other established brands. Some will launch their own platforms or exit the industry. Anyone looking to do future freelancing work is invited to email [email protected].

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BSM Summit Update:

I’m happy to share that Good Karma Brands president Steve Politziner, Edison Research co-founder and president Larry Rosin and ESPN Chicago program director Danny Zederman have been added to our lineup. We’ve also finalized two of our four awards recipients and are working on a third. I’m hoping to share those details soon along with a few other high profile additions to this year’s show. I’ll be heading to Las Vegas during Super Bowl week, which is when we reveal our BSM Top 20 of 2023, and after that I’m hoping to finalize our schedule so it can be released by the end of February.

I know everyone likes waiting until the last minute to buy tickets and reserve hotel rooms. If you want to avoid being left out though, the time to act is now. Everything you need is posted on BSMSummit.com. Our deadline for hotel room reservations is February 13th. We’ve also sent out free ticket contests by email to the advertising community and tri-state area colleges. We’ll have two more this week for executives and programmers. Be sure to check your spam folder just in case it doesn’t arrive in your inbox.

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2-Seconds to Vent:

Jimmy Pitaro, Eric Shanks, John Skipper, Nick Khan, Colin Cowherd, Paul Finebaum, Clay Travis, Craig Carton, Adam Schein, Michael Kay, and Fred Toucher all have something in common with many others across the industry. They’re accomplished professionals with plenty on their plate yet when contacted, they always respond. Most of the time, they do so quickly. That’s greatly appreciated.

If those tasked with running the largest media companies in America, and hosting shows with content, advertising, and audience commitments can find time to respond, why is it so hard for other professionals to do the same? If you don’t want to be featured on BSM, speak at a Summit, market with us or answer a question, just say ‘not interested‘. It takes two seconds. The best in the business understand the value of relationships and promotion. Unfortunately, many do not. I don’t use this platform to draw attention to these issues but sometimes I wonder, should I?

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Original Projects:

On BNM this week we’re doing five days of features on NPR professionals as part of ‘Public Radio Week‘. It’s not easy pulling it off but we’re trying some different stuff. Next week we launch ‘Where Are They Now‘ on BSM. Peter Schwartz will have the first feature next Tuesday. Coming up in February, we drop the BSM Top 20, Derek Futterman’s ‘Day Spent With‘ series which includes spending a day with professionals across different areas of the industry, and we’ll profile a number of black voices on BNM as part of the brand’s focus on Black History month. I hope you’ll check them out whenever time allows.

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Recommended Viewing:

If you’re looking for a movie to watch during the week, check out Blackberry if you haven’t already done so. The film is about the rise and fall of the Blackberry phone, and I thought it was excellent. It had a similar feel to the movie Jobs, and the series Super Pumped: The Battle For Uber. Worth your time if you’ve got two hours available to watch something different than live games or sports programming.

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If you have a question or comment you’d like addressed in a future column, please send it to [email protected]. That same email address can be used to pass along press releases, interview requests or news tips. Thanks for reading!

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Justin Craig, Chris Kinard, Mary Menna Added to 2024 BSM Summit Lineup

“What I’ve always enjoyed about the BSM Summit is that it showcases speakers from many different areas of the industry.”

Jason Barrett

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To kick off 2024, we’re announcing the additions of three more talented broadcasters to our 2024 BSM Summit. More on that shortly. The Summit takes place March 13-14 at the Ailey Theater in New York City. For tickets, hotel rooms, and additional details, visit BSMSummit.com. Those interested in sponsorship opportunities, contact Stephanie Eads. A number of items are already claimed but she can tell you what’s left. Reach her by email at [email protected] or by phone at 415-312-5553.

What I’ve always enjoyed about the Summit is that it showcases speakers from different areas of the industry. We’ve featured top talent, researchers, agents, digital leaders, podcasting experts, ratings analysts, tech builders, play by play voices, and of course, program directors and market managers. There’s many ways to succeed, and no better way to learn than to hear from folks who consistently win.

In the sports audio world, 98.5 The Sports Hub, 106.7 The Fan, and ESPN Radio are highly respected brands. The Hub and The Fan are dominant in Boston and Washington D.C.. ESPN Radio meanwhile maintains a strong position as one of the top national audio brands. All feature strong leaders, and we’re fortunate to have all of them represented in NYC.

It’s a pleasure to welcome Beasley Boston Market Manager Mary Menna to the Summit. This is her first appearance at the conference. Mary is responsible for managing The Hub’s business, currently the top revenue generating brand in all of sports radio. I’m excited to have her offer her insights on a panel with Chris Oliviero and Scott Sutherland. More details on the session, date/time closer to the show.

On the programming side, it’s great to welcome back Chris Kinard of 106.7 The Fan, and Justin Craig of ESPN Radio. Both will be involved in programming panels at the show.

CK has helped lead The Fan and Team 980 to consistent growth in the nation’s capital. He’s a forward thinking type of leader with a great feel for the current and future challenges facing the business. I’m looking forward to having him share a few lessons he’s learned with the rest of the room.

For my friend JC, he’s seen ESPN Radio evolve for the better part of two decades. Liked and respected by most, he’s valued and trusted to guide ESPN Radio’s day-to-day operations. Given the network’s change in focus, talent, and structure, he’ll have great insights to share on where national sports audio is moving.

Our speaker list now sits at twenty. It will grow much more over the next two months as we reveal other additions to the show. We’ll also be announcing our award winners, and a few other surprises. This is a fun and informative two-day event for sports media professionals. If you haven’t joined us before, I hope you’ll do so this time. Everything you need to know prior to the event will be available at BSMSummit.com.

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