more from BOSTON RADIO WATCH by Mark Schnyder
A local FM sports talk start-up is planned
So it’s not a stunt as we follow the money trail.
According to this morning’s reports in Scott’s Shots , the Boston Herald and the Boston Globe, there maybe two definite winners in what might turn into another Boston sports talk radio war.
One may include WEEI’s “Dennis and Callahan” who have been approached by folks planning a multi-station regional sports talk network. According to Scott’s Shots, the start-up sports talk format is being explored by Nassau Broadcasting, owners of classical music WCRB 99.5FM which would naturally be converted from playing Mozart to talking sports(and politics) and serve as the radio web’s new flagship. With “Dennis and Callahan” entering a very strange phase of their contract renewal process with Entercom’s WEEI AM 850, as was reported here and elsewhere earlier this week(BRW 8/13), they are considering of taking their highly-paid, high-profile act to a new regional sports talk network.
The other winner here would include Boston sports fans, who will now have at least four sources for extensive sports and information between WEEI AM, 890 ESPN, Zone 1510 and the new FM brand on 99.5.
But is there really room for four all-sports stations here? Is there enough revenue even with a stronger FM signal? The numbers just don’t add up. It took WEEI years to create its brand and start making and spending big money. While it is the second highest billing sports talker in the nation, its budget is also stretched out with expensive on-air talent and more off-air production staffers than at any other radio outlet in the market, with the exception of an expensive all-news format on WBZ and expensive content deals with the Red Sox and Patriots.
Sports is still a niche and very targeted radio format even in a sports-crazed market like Boston. The track record for local sports competition that went up against WEEI in the past decade isn’t very good which proves the point that there isn’t enough to go around for more than one sports station in the market.
Sports fans can enjoy the ride while it lasts.
What a loss. Nothing is more boring or monotonous than sports radio. I listen to it when I need to cure myself of insomnia.
Great, intelligent music replaced by clueless blowhards showinf their a—.
Boston is sooooo lucky!
I heard the last classical piece, Madame Butterfly, played on WQRS in Detroit. They started playing Nine Inch Nails on top of it...I thought it was technical difficulties, or perhaps hackers. Nope.
Funny thing is, they ended up going through 4 formats in about 10 years.
Been in mourning ever since.