Connect with us
Jim Cutler Demos

Barrett Blogs

Divorce Was Inevitable For The A’s and 95.7 The Game

Jason Barrett

Published

on

On Friday afternoon, the Oakland A’s took an unusual approach to signal the end of their relationship with flagship radio station 95.7 The Game. They took to Twitter, releasing a short video which showed their equipment being moved out of a room, as the Kool and the Gang song “Celebration” played in the background. The phrase used in their tweet was “It’s not us, it’s you”, sending a message that they were unhappy with their partnership and moving on to find a new radio home.

Given my familiarity with the situation from having programmed The Game and worked with the A’s, industry folks began asking what I thought of the situation. Rather than spending all day trying to address each email, text and DM, I decided I’d save most of my thoughts for this space. After all, I’m way overdue for a lengthy piece.

Since I left the Bay Area in 2015, I’ve tried to separate myself from what’s happened there. I don’t work with either local sports station, even though I have friends in both buildings. I root for both to do well, and believe there’s plenty of room for each to do so. But this one situation deserves additional context so I’ll do my best to supply it.

Let me warn you in advance, I’m not going to pull any punches in this column. This is also strictly about the A’s partnership, and zero to do with the Oakland Raiders. Some people won’t like reading what I have to say, and if your feelings are hurt, I get it. I’ve put this part of my career in the rear view mirror, and sleep with a clear conscience. I know what I’m writing is true, and I stand by every word. If that’s an issue for you, it’s yours to solve, not mine.

When I heard about the relationship between The Game and the A’s reaching its conclusion it didn’t surprise me at all. In fact, it probably should’ve ended sooner. Had I not been leaving in 2015, I would have strongly recommended ending the relationship then. The goals for both groups were very different, and I think a split is best for both sides. Sometimes in business it’s not about who’s right and wrong, but rather if each party is able to help the other achieve their desired results. In this case, that wasn’t possible.

I haven’t worked for a Major League Baseball team so I’m not an expert on presenting the A’s point of view, but I understand why they’re frustrated. They wanted a flagship station to value them, and show their appreciation by treating them the way KNBR did the San Francisco Giants. They hoped to be a focal part of the station’s content and business strategy, and felt they weren’t given that respect.

If your franchise is in a pennant race, and providing a radio partner with tickets, a suite, remote access, use of trademarks, merchandise, special guest interviews, and the ability to join forces with them on sales opportunities, you’d hope that’d be enough to warrant special treatment on the flagship station’s weekday talk shows. When that TLC isn’t given, and you hear a competing station offering that treatment to another baseball team in your backyard, it creates disappointment. It gets magnified even more when your radio partner enters into a business relationship with the Golden State Warriors, switches its logo to the teams colors, and starts giving them the type of attention you’ve been seeking for years.

Your blood pressure likely increases even more when you tune in to your flagship station, and hear the on-air talent passionately talking about your rival, and welcoming guests and hosts from that team on a regular basis. After seven years of dealing with those issues, you’re probably going to want to find a new radio partner.

In a nutshell, the A’s wanted what the Giants, Warriors, and 49ers had, and didn’t receive it. The franchise was given that respect on television by NBC Sports California, and assumed The Game would be the radio equivalent of that TV station since the Giants were the centerpiece for KNBR and NBC Sports Bay Area.

But therein lies the problem. The team assumed and expected certain treatment from the radio station without taking into account what they needed too.

The Game was launched on FM to generate ratings and revenue, and compete with KNBR for the top spot in the marketplace. If fans were into a specific piece of content, we were going to give it to them, regardless of whether or not we were in business with them. We weren’t going to ignore one side of the Bay as the sports leader had for years. Our idea was to provide a more balanced and unfiltered approach since KNBR was known for leaning in one direction and treating the local teams with kid gloves.

Many thought though that we’d be the East Bay equivalent of what KNBR was to San Francisco and the South Bay. But that was never the plan. By doing that, not only would we have alienated one side of the market just like KNBR, but it would’ve also been business suicide.

When I moved to the Bay Area in June 2011, the station had been rushed on to the air with the A’s as a focal point. A 4-year agreement had been reached with the team, so I understood this was a long term play. We were a new radio station trying to gain fans, so it made sense to have a professional franchise on the air providing us with daily content seven months out of the year, and providing marketing inside the stadium, tickets, interviews, all of the usual stuff you’d expect a sports station to have.

On the other hand, KNBR had the Giants. The franchise played in the best stadium in baseball, were loaded with young superstars and popular personalities, and had just won the World Series in 2010. Excitement for their product was thru the roof.

The 49ers were also on KNBR, and had just hired Jim Harbaugh, and were on the verge of becoming a force in the NFC. Throw in the addition of Mark Jackson as Head Coach of the Warriors, another team on KNBR’s airwaves, and optimism for the market’s lone NBA franchise was growing as well.

Meanwhile, if you sat inside the building I was in, and looked at what you were up against, it was hard to see any path to victory by focusing on the A’s. KNBR’s teams won, and produced big ratings, the A’s did not. More times than not their game numbers were equal to or lower than the station’s talk shows. TV ratings and quarter hour segments provided a similar story.

There was also a public perception that the team wouldn’t spend money to retain key players, the stadium they played in was a mess, and ownership made it worse by continuing to tell the public they wanted no part of being in Oakland. The vibe all the way around was negative. Meanwhile, the teams across the street seemed to have everything going their way.

Reality was that the audience and advertisers had an insatiable demand for Giants, 49ers, and Warriors content, and if we hoped to compete, we needed to be talking about what mattered most to the majority. That didn’t mean the A’s and Raiders weren’t part of our content plans too, they were, but if they expected to be covered the way KNBR had the Giants, well we weren’t going to do that.

Over the next few years, I pissed off a lot of A’s fans, members of the organization, and even some of my staff by taking the on-air approach that I did. It was never personal. I had to look at what was best for our business. I was brought to San Francisco to build a station, grow ratings, and put talent in position to become household names in the market which would hopefully allow them to enjoy lengthy careers there. That mattered more than being popular.

What became frustrating as the relationship grew is that nothing we did seemed to be enough for the team. If we gave away 10 pairs of A’s tickets, and 1 pair of Giants tickets, there was an email or call expressing disappointment with the Giants giveaway. Petty bickering took place if one of our shows spent more time talking about the Giants than the A’s. If an A’s fan complained to the team about something said on the air, another complaint session followed or we’d learn of the team’s displeasure on social media.

Tensions increased more when I hired Buster Posey, Matt Cain, Brandon Belt, Jeremy Affeldt, Ryan Vogelsong, Shawn Estes and Rich Aurilia as weekly contributors. It didn’t matter that I had hired Bob Melvin, Billy Beane, Josh Reddick, Josh Donaldson, Sean Doolittle, Stephen Vogt, Dallas Braden, and Ken Korach too, only that Giants players were receiving air time on the radio station.

But the relationship soured most when we added Aubrey Huff to morning drive. It was a gamble, one that eventually didn’t work out, but when our ratings immediately shot up from 10th to 6th, they didn’t care. It didn’t matter if the station was healthy, and featured Chris Townsend on the show too (the A’s pre and postgame host), only that a former Giant was on our airwaves. It began to feel like the team would rather see us fail doing it their way, than win doing it our way.

I wasn’t privy to the way the A’s operated internally, but I got the sense that Billy Beane understood the big picture, and didn’t care about petty nonsense. I could be wrong, but that’s how he presented himself when we met. I thought he was incredibly sharp and hoped his type of thinking would rub off on others in the organization. Maybe on the baseball side it does, but when we had to navigate issues, and create opportunities to generate interest and revenue with people in other parts of the organization, it felt like we spoke a different language.

For starters, working with A’s PR during the first two years was a nightmare. The former PR head (not Adam Loberstein who was fair and easier to work with) constantly ripped the station, wanting me to set up time with our hosts so he could teach them how to discuss certain issues whenever he disagreed with their positions. If we asked for a bigger name player or someone in the news, it was equal to undergoing a root canal, and the answer was usually no. Even simple stuff like getting tickets to giveaway on-air to the team’s more popular series (Yankees, Red Sox, Giants) was a chore.

When we requested the team promote its players, manager, and GM’s appearances on our radio station via their social media accounts, that too was denied. The franchise tried to blame it on MLB’s rules, but when I provided evidence of how the Twins and Red Sox were using social media to support their radio partners, a few things magically started to change.

Things finally reached the point of no return when the head of PR called our hotline on a holiday threatening to blackball a PT host who had read an update on the air about the stadium issue based on something that had just been posted in the San Francisco Chronicle. He didn’t call me or APD Jeremiah Crowe. Instead he felt it was his place to threaten an employee, even though he had done nothing wrong.

Then, after the radio station spent money to send the midday show to broadcast from A’s spring training, I flew to Scottsdale to personally thank the team for hosting us, and to share some good news that we’d be increasing our player deals for the upcoming season. Before I could even say hello, I was berated like a child in front of a few players just outside the locker room over a few on-air opinions the head PR guy didn’t agree with. I bit back, told him what I thought of his attitude, changed my flight, and headed back to San Francisco a few hours later.

I also had what I would call philosophical differences with the team’s head of broadcasting. When I pitched the idea of Chris Townsend being added as a field reporter during games, it was initially rejected. Nobody loved the A’s more than Chris, and his chemistry with Ken and Vince was great. We were trying to give people more reasons to listen, but they didn’t feel that was important. As it turns out, they finally in 2018 (5 years later) decided to start giving Chris an opportunity to contribute inside the game broadcast.

Challenges also existed at times with the play by play product. Ken Korach and Vince Cutroneo did a great job together, but when Ken had to miss time due to his health or travel issues, the broadcast felt different. I recommended Roxy Bernstein and Guy Haberman as fill-in options, and at first, the team was reluctant. They’d instead put Vince in a booth by himself, and the one-man broadcast often produced lower ratings. That was especially problematic when the team played on the east coast because those start times would be 4pm PT, meaning they were occupying afternoon drive.

After a number of conversations, and constant pleading, they finally gave Roxy and Guy some opportunities, but it wasn’t easy. I even had to battle over a situation where a one-man broadcast was scheduled to happen again in Texas as part of a three game series against the Rangers. The team finally bent, and gave the green light for Roxy to step in, all he had to do was cover his own flight, hotel, and food.

Personally, it didn’t matter to me, which broadcaster they preferred or if they wanted to bring in someone else who the audience might recognize. I just wanted to make sure we were delivering the most entertaining presentation we could to give people a reason to put the game on. It also spared Vince from being put in a spot that was unfair to him.

What I haven’t touched on yet was the business side of the relationship. The team and radio station at that time worked on a rev share. We didn’t pay a rights fee. That was very helpful to a new station which wasn’t ready to absorb huge expenses. However, the reason the Giants did earn a hefty fee from KNBR is because they had what the A’s didn’t, huge ratings, and big advertising. Clients wanted to be at AT&T Park, and associated with the Giants brand.

The desire to be connected to the A’s at that time from a client standpoint was much lower. Our sellers busted their asses to try and get people on board, and they talked up the team’s history, the David vs. Goliath story, and the more affordable pricing, but it was hard. You can only run into a brick wall so many times, before losing confidence.

Making things even harder was convincing the team to create events and revenue drivers beyond spots and on-air segments. I sat in a meeting in 2014, already frustrated by the lack of progress, but decided to take one more stab at it after a chat with my former marketing guy Tony Cafarelli. The 25th anniversary of the A’s sweeping the Giants in the 1989 World Series was happening that season, and I thought, “If ever there was a time for an underdog to remind people the Giants may have the nicer stadium, and the recent track record of success, but when it mattered most, just remember who put who in place” this was it. I wanted to do something big to excite fans, and remind them of what was a special time in Bay Area baseball history.

I pitched a 1989 flashback event featuring appearances by Tony LaRussa, Roger Craig, Will Clark, Mark McGwire, Jose Canseco, Matt Williams, Dave Stewart, Rickey Henderson, and others, with the idea that we’d share expenses, sell tickets, and give fans a chance to hear these guys share stories together, sign autographs, and bring together the entire Bay Area sports community.

After the idea was presented, it was almost immediately nixed because of the sheer mention of the Giants. There was no thought given to showcasing both franchises in a way that might bring more people to a central location, or how unique it’d be to hear McGwire and Clark, LaRussa and Craig, or Canseco and Williams together. As the weeks and months progressed, the idea morphed from a partnered event to a team event, leaving the radio station with no ability to share in the revenue success. I already knew that generating ratings with the team was a tall order, but when I saw what was taking place following that meeting, I realized making money together would be just as difficult.

If you’re a fan of the A’s, I realize this matters little to you. You just want to hear the team’s games on a good radio signal, and hear the hosts on that station talk about them to make you further invested in their success. When you’re not provided with that type of content, and hear the other team in the market receiving it, it pisses you off.

But sports radio isn’t a labor of love, it’s a business. The Game wasn’t built to please an audience of one, it was created to try and reach as many Bay Area sports fans and advertisers as possible. There were many hosts on the station who would’ve loved to have spent more time talking about the team, but when the numbers showed a significant disadvantage every time they did so, it made it harder to continue down that road.

Case in point, during the 2012 playoffs, the A’s provided as thrilling of a finish to the season as I have seen. Korach’s final call was awesome, and our entire staff got swept up in it. If memory serves me right, the A’s were 5 out with 9 games to play, and somehow rallied in the final week to sweep Texas, and win the AL West.

Everyone in the building at that time was bleeding green and gold, and convinced the A’s were going to shock the world. They weren’t interested in hearing about the Giants also being in the playoffs. I warned the crew not to lose sight of what was happening in San Francisco, but sure enough they did.

As it turned out, Justin Verlander and the Tigers ripped the A’s hearts out in Game 5 of the ALDS, sending the team home early. The Giants then bounced back from being down 2-0 to win their first round series against the Reds.

The following week, our talent sounded like the baseball season was over, even though the team eight blocks away was headed to the NLCS. The Giants went on to beat the Cardinals in the NLCS, advancing to the WS, and do what Oakland couldn’t, sweeping the Tigers to win the World Series.

When the ratings data came out the following month, I shared it with the staff, and we talked about what happened. I explained that we allowed our personal fandom and professional allegiance to blind us from what most fans in the market were feeling, and as a result, it came back to hurt us. We treated the Giants as a less important story, yet their games vs. the Reds produced mid 30 shares, and when they advanced to the WS the numbers soared into the 50’s.

Meanwhile, at their peak (Game 5), the A’s popped an 18 share, with the majority of ALDS games registering between an 8 and 14 share. We were pleased with the playoff numbers, because they were much better than the 1-4 shares we were accustomed to receiving during regular season games, but it painted a clear picture of where things stood.

The NY Times produced a piece in 2014 showing how different regions rooted for teams involved in the postseason, and when the Bay Area was shown, all you saw was a sea of orange, including in Oakland. Each piece of evidence offered the same results, and whether diehard fans liked it or not, we couldn’t ignore the signs.

Look at it like this, if you opened a restaurant and served a particular type of meal, and nobody showed up to eat, you’d either change the menu or hang a ‘Going Out of Business’ sign in your window. I didn’t move to the market to oversee a folded radio brand, and neither have any of the managers who have operated the radio station since I left.

The sad part in all of this is that I LOVED the underdog story. It epitomized in many ways who we were at The Game. I thought the franchise had great history, and even this past year I felt myself pulling for them. I wish the team’s games on the radio would’ve brought more fans and advertisers to the dial, but for whatever reason, attracting a large audience at the stadium or on the radio or television was a big challenge.

Though I had differences with some inside the A’s organization, and felt the problems stemmed from jealousy over the Giants, and a lack of creative thinking, there are folks there who I still hold in high regard. Ken Korach is as good of a human being as he is a broadcaster. He’s consistently invested in every game, and whenever the station needed a few minutes of his time to assist with closing a client or creating a quality segment on the radio, he was there to answer the call. He’s a true professional.

I also enjoyed having Billy Beane on the radio. He was not only intelligent, and well spoken, but also candid and comfortable. In many ways, he’s been the face of the A’s brand for the past two decades, and everyone from Brandon Tierney to Chris Townsend to Ric Bucher and Damon Bruce shared positive views of his segments. If anything I wish we could’ve talked him into more appearances in the booth. When he did do it, it was spectacular.

I shared a similar opinion of Josh Reddick, Josh Donaldson, Sean Doolittle, and Stephen Vogt. They weren’t just entertaining on the air (each could have a future in media if they wanted to), but they did extra stuff such as meet and greets, public events, and signing merchandise to help us further connect with fans. The only shame is they weren’t kept around longer.

Last but not least, A’s manager Bob Melvin was a class act to work with. On more than one occasion he went the extra mile to support the station, including going outside of the stadium before a game in uniform to join Chris Townsend on the air. It wasn’t uncommon for Bob to tune into the postgame show on his drive home, and call the hotline to chat with Chris about what transpired that evening. He understood the relationship, and was a pleasure to deal with.

When teams and media outlets work together, things can feel personal at times. I know there are people there now who had zero to do with the first four years of this relationship, and have just been trying to make things better during the past three, but some of the same issues exist. You can say “It’s not us, It’s you” but you may want to ask yourself why three different program directors and four general managers at the same radio station have come away with the same opinion. Not to mention, why the franchise is on the verge of adding its 15th radio partner in 50 years.

These type of relationships are very much like a marriage. You tie the knot with the best of intentions, but as times change, sometimes you discover the fit isn’t right. In this particular case, the A’s and The Game have different needs. The A’s want a radio station that makes them a priority, and The Game wants content on its airwaves which can produce ratings and revenue. That’s why the two sides are getting divorced after seven years together.

But rather than taking shots on the way out the door, it’s wiser to chalk up the split to irreconcilable differences, and move on amicably. The tweet the A’s put out may have rallied their fan base, but it sends a bad message to media partners who might consider working with the team. Putting a sour taste in Entercom’s mouth after a seven year run is also foolish, because they have more play by play partnerships in the radio business than anyone else, and keeping them interested, even if it’s just for leverage purposes, is smart business. Then again, that’s what businesses with a big picture view do. Unfortunately, that’s not the Oakland A’s.

Sign up for the BSM 8@8

The Top 8 Sports Media Stories of the Day, sent directly to your inbox, every morning at 8am ET.

Invalid email address
We promise not to spam you. You can unsubscribe at any time.

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

Published

on

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.

Sign up for the BSM 8@8

The Top 8 Sports Media Stories of the Day, sent directly to your inbox, every morning at 8am ET.

Invalid email address
We promise not to spam you. You can unsubscribe at any time.
Continue Reading

Barrett Blogs

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

Published

on

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.

______________________________________________________________________________________________________

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.

______________________________________________________________________________________________________

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.

______________________________________________________________________________________________________

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].

______________________________________________________________________________________________________

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.

______________________________________________________________________________________________________

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?

______________________________________________________________________________________________________

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.

______________________________________________________________________________________________________

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.

______________________________________________________________________________________________________

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!

Sign up for the BSM 8@8

The Top 8 Sports Media Stories of the Day, sent directly to your inbox, every morning at 8am ET.

Invalid email address
We promise not to spam you. You can unsubscribe at any time.
Continue Reading

Barrett Blogs

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

Published

on

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.

Sign up for the BSM 8@8

The Top 8 Sports Media Stories of the Day, sent directly to your inbox, every morning at 8am ET.

Invalid email address
We promise not to spam you. You can unsubscribe at any time.
Continue Reading
Advertisement

Advertisement

Upcoming Events

Barrett Media Writers

Copyright © 2024 Barrett Media.