Sports Radio News
WFAN Morning Show Discusses Carton Conviction
Brandon Contes is a former reporter for BSM, now working for Awful Announcing. You can find him on Twitter @BrandonContes or reach him by email at [email protected].
Sports Radio News
What Can the iPhone Teach us About the Future of Radio Sales?
“Jobs gave a masterclass in salesmanship. He didn’t just sell a product; he sold a vision of the future.”
Jeff Caves is a sales columnist for BSM working in radio, digital, hyper-local magazine, and sports sponsorship sales in DFW. He is credited with helping launch, build, and develop SPORTS RADIO The Ticket in Boise, Idaho, into the market’s top sports radio station. During his 26 year stay at KTIK, Caves hosted drive time, programmed the station, and excelled as a top seller. You can reach him by email at [email protected] or find him on Twitter @jeffcaves.
Sports Radio News
Matt Jones Places Kentucky’s 1st Legal Bet on Wildcats to Win NCAA Tournament
“I think it’s going to be great for the state and give us money into the state, rather than giving it over to the other states that are around us.”
Jordan Bondurant is a features reporter for Barrett Sports Media. He’s a multimedia journalist and communicator who works at the Virginia State Corporation Commission in Richmond. Jordan also contributes occasional coverage of the Washington Capitals for the blog NoVa Caps. His prior media experiences include working for the Richmond Times-Dispatch, the Danville Register & Bee, Virginia Lawyers Weekly, WRIC-TV 8News and Audacy Richmond. He can be reached by email at [email protected] or follow him on Twitter @J__Bondurant.
Sports Radio News
Toronto Blue Jays to allow Radio Crew to Travel to Road Playoff Games
“Wagner had been calling road games for the Blue Jays remotely all season.”
Jordan Bondurant is a features reporter for Barrett Sports Media. He’s a multimedia journalist and communicator who works at the Virginia State Corporation Commission in Richmond. Jordan also contributes occasional coverage of the Washington Capitals for the blog NoVa Caps. His prior media experiences include working for the Richmond Times-Dispatch, the Danville Register & Bee, Virginia Lawyers Weekly, WRIC-TV 8News and Audacy Richmond. He can be reached by email at [email protected] or follow him on Twitter @J__Bondurant.
Sports Radio News
WFAN Morning Show Discusses Carton Conviction
On September 6th 2017, Craig Carton was arrested on charges of conspiracy, wire and securities fraud. He resigned from WFAN soon after and went to federal trial beginning last week. Carton never took the stand during his case. Being quiet is something no one is used to when it comes to Craig, who never held back from criticizing a public figure for any wrongdoing.
While the jury’s decision on Craig shocked no one, Thursday morning at 6am on WFAN served as a coping mechanism for those on the Boomer and Gio show following Wednesday’s announcement of a guilty verdict.
Boomer admitted Wednesday was a “sad day of closure.” Esiason previously opted not to discuss the legal situation with his former partner in the last 14 months because he didn’t want to say anything that could affect or include him in the case.
Esiason was noticeably saddened while discussing the situation, stating “We love Craig, Craig was the light of this radio station for many of us.”
“Unfortunately yesterday was the lowest of lows for all of us that have been involved in this and we can only pray and hope that he and his family find solace in the fact that not at least it’s come to somewhat of an end,” said Boomer who then added, “There will be brighter days ahead somewhere along the line.”
Board-op Eddie Scozzare said he understands when people with an outside perspective of someone that commits a crime are happy about a conviction, but explained those that were close to Craig have a different viewpoint.
“Even though maybe it’s wrong, even though you know he’s been found guilty, we still hoped he got off, because that’s our perspective from the inside as opposed to the outside where people are happy about it,” said Scozzare.
Jerry Recco cited past conversations with his own father who said, “This can’t be, it doesn’t work this way,” referring to Carton’s gambling success. To which Jerry would respond, “but it is, you never saw him lose…you just thought he was good at it.”
“Every time we went out with him, Craig was the one who held court, Craig was the one who told the stories, Craig was the one that made you laugh and it never stopped. There was never ever this notion that something was wrong,” added Recco.
Producer Al Dukes made a similar statement, saying he only saw Craig win, he witnessed Carton succeed at blackjack and was unaware Craig was losing money especially because he was always the same fun, energetic personality. “He was not a bad person. I don’t think he set out to do any of these things,” said Dukes.
Esiason brought closure to the conversation saying, “At the end of the day you have to take a big deep breath and hope and pray that Craig gets through this next stage of it and when he is done with it, somehow, someway he can do something positive to help people deal with what the hell he has dealt with over the last 14 months because he has basically destroyed a lot of people in his wake and it’s really sad to watch how a gambling addiction can do that to you.”
After following what was made public of the case, it did not appear Carton’s defense team had much of an ability to argue his innocence. Maybe Carton couldn’t bring himself to admit guilt, or maybe he ignored the odds and went all in on one final gamble in a desperate attempt at returning to the life he lived 14 months ago.
A rather emotionless Carton left the courtroom telling reporters he was disappointed in the verdict, but respected the decision.
“I’m going to go home and hug my kids and let my lawyers deal with the rest of it,” Carton said.
“The rest of it,” will include an appeal, according to Carton’s defense team. Carton is currently scheduled to be sentenced on February 27th, 2019.
Whether his sentence is one year, two years, five, or ten, when Carton is free he will have offers and his need to have his voice heard, along with the audience’s need to hear him will find Carton on-air again, assuming he isn’t sentenced to the full 45 years that are on the table.
Brandon Contes is a former reporter for BSM, now working for Awful Announcing. You can find him on Twitter @BrandonContes or reach him by email at [email protected].
Sports Radio News
What Can the iPhone Teach us About the Future of Radio Sales?
“Jobs gave a masterclass in salesmanship. He didn’t just sell a product; he sold a vision of the future.”
Have you ever tried to sell a new show, promotion, or event out of the box? Have you ever done it before a skeptical buyer looking for the negatives in what you are selling? Read on.
In 2007, smartphones could access the internet, type messages, and still act like a phone. Many of us used Blackberries and carried iPods for music. It was a little clunky, but the combination worked.
One person thought to change the world forever and combine all this technology into one device. His pitch sold us on ditching multiple devices. He explained why Nokia phones were clunky and hard to hear and the expensive Blackberry had no integrated camera or audio player. It was also horrible for lefties.
Sixteen years ago, he sold a picture of a world where his smartphone would simplify life and change how we communicated, worked, and played. The audience he was presenting to was in Silicon Valley and was loaded with techies, journalists, industry insiders, and hustlers. He told a compelling story. He didn’t give some lackluster demo. He showed off how sleek the product was, its intuitive touch-based surface, and how easily it could surf the web. He even called a person in the audience and showed off the quality of the phone with an impromptu call. The audience roared with laughter.
He knew he was getting the audience to invest in the product emotionally. He spoke about how his company had reinvented the phone, emphasizing their commitment to design and innovation. He created a sense of anticipation and excitement that captured the room. As he reached the climax of his presentation, he uttered the now-famous words, “Today, we are going to reinvent the phone.”
The audience erupted in applause and the anticipation was everywhere in the room. Then, Steve Jobs unveiled the iPhone, and the crowd was in awe.
More than 1 billion consumers currently use iPhones.
Jobs gave a masterclass in salesmanship. He didn’t just sell a product; he sold a vision of the future. He made people believe they needed something they didn’t even know they wanted. It all started with Jobs’ ability to sell innovation like no one else. If you are still on the fence about selling the future of radio- get on board the digital train. Start selling the future of radio and make money right alongside it. Digital revenue is skyrocketing. Revenues will increase by 6.5% in 2023, 6% in 2024 and over 5% per year from 2025 until 2028. So, for every $10,000 of digital you sold in 2022, you will sell $13,720 in 2028. That’s a 37% jump in 5 years. The future is now! Get on The Energy Bus for Digital Radio sales. Sell the future.
Jeff Caves is a sales columnist for BSM working in radio, digital, hyper-local magazine, and sports sponsorship sales in DFW. He is credited with helping launch, build, and develop SPORTS RADIO The Ticket in Boise, Idaho, into the market’s top sports radio station. During his 26 year stay at KTIK, Caves hosted drive time, programmed the station, and excelled as a top seller. You can reach him by email at [email protected] or find him on Twitter @jeffcaves.
Sports Radio News
Matt Jones Places Kentucky’s 1st Legal Bet on Wildcats to Win NCAA Tournament
“I think it’s going to be great for the state and give us money into the state, rather than giving it over to the other states that are around us.”
Online sports betting is now officially live in Kentucky, and Kentucky Sports Radio host Matt Jones had the honors of placing one of the first legal wagers in the commonwealth on Thursday.
Jones hosted his show from The Mint Gaming Hall in Williamsburg where he bet $100 on the University of Kentucky winning the 2024 college basketball national championship.
He told WYMT-TV that now that online betting is live, Kentuckians everywhere can get in on the fun of having an added incentive to watch games.
“It’ll be added revenue for the state and it’s something fun for people when they want to watch games outside of just a Kentucky game that they’re interested in,” he said. “And the fact that you can do it from your phone makes it easy.”
Up until Thursday, betting was legal in neighboring states Tennessee, Virginia, West Virginia, Ohio, Indiana and Illinois.
Jones added that legal betting in Kentucky keeps that money within state borders.
“I think it’s going to be great for the state and give us money into the state, rather than giving it over to the other states that are around us,” he said.
Jordan Bondurant is a features reporter for Barrett Sports Media. He’s a multimedia journalist and communicator who works at the Virginia State Corporation Commission in Richmond. Jordan also contributes occasional coverage of the Washington Capitals for the blog NoVa Caps. His prior media experiences include working for the Richmond Times-Dispatch, the Danville Register & Bee, Virginia Lawyers Weekly, WRIC-TV 8News and Audacy Richmond. He can be reached by email at [email protected] or follow him on Twitter @J__Bondurant.
Sports Radio News
Toronto Blue Jays to allow Radio Crew to Travel to Road Playoff Games
“Wagner had been calling road games for the Blue Jays remotely all season.”
The Toronto Blue Jays aren’t officially back to the postseason yet, but by weekend’s end Toronto will know whether or not they’re headed to either Tampa or Minnesota for the wild card round. When the Jays do hit the road for October baseball, the team’s radio crew will also be making the trip.
The Toronto Sun reported on Thursday that allowing radio play-by-play voice Ben Wagner and analyst Chris Leroux to travel for the best of three series is part of Sportsnet’s all-in approach to the playoffs.
Wagner had been calling road games for the Blue Jays remotely all season. Grounding the radio broadcast crews was originally a measure taken due to COVID restrictions and the U.S./Canada border being closed during the pandemic. The team abandoned radio broadcasts of games in the shortened 2020 season and for more than half the 2021 season.
But since Wagner was brought back, Sportsnet has continued to keep him calling road games from a Toronto-based studio. The company has viewed it as a cost-cutting measure.
The Blue Jays crew isn’t the only one that was held back from road games. Earlier this year the Toronto Maple Leafs radio crew didn’t travel with the team for its first round Stanley Cup playoff series. It wasn’t until a mistake was made in the call of the series-clinching goal that the company decided to send Joe Bowen and Jim Ralph on the road for the second round.
Jordan Bondurant is a features reporter for Barrett Sports Media. He’s a multimedia journalist and communicator who works at the Virginia State Corporation Commission in Richmond. Jordan also contributes occasional coverage of the Washington Capitals for the blog NoVa Caps. His prior media experiences include working for the Richmond Times-Dispatch, the Danville Register & Bee, Virginia Lawyers Weekly, WRIC-TV 8News and Audacy Richmond. He can be reached by email at [email protected] or follow him on Twitter @J__Bondurant.