This fall, WHBO in Tampa along with sister station WHOO in Orlando will both drop ESPN Radio and launch a new regional network, Sports Talk Florida.
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1040 To Shed ESPN Affiliation
- Thread starter DToTheJ
- Start date
After the announcement of 98.7, CBS might put ESPN on 1010 to "shelve it" from Clear Channel - not a comfortable relationship, for sure.wabc860 said:Who gets ESPN after they are dropped. It was speculated 1010 AM was to but they are going to be CBS. Can it be 620 AM dropping Fox to become ESPN affiliate in Tampa.
Jeff in Sa-ra-so-ta!
wabc860 said:Who gets ESPN after they are dropped. It was speculated 1010 AM was to but they are going to be CBS. Can it be 620 AMdropping Fox to become ESPN affiliate in Tampa.
Considering that Fox and Clear Channel are deeply tied together I would have to doubt that. It's possible that when the music stops ESPN might not have a full-time affiliate in Tampa Bay. CBS has ambitious plans that don't involve the Mother Ship. There's no way to bring down the ESPN, but it looks like CBS and Cumulus have an idea of how to hammer out their own sports niche.
badjef said:After the announcement of 98.7, CBS might put ESPN on 1010 to "shelve it" from Clear Channel - not a comfortable relationship, for sure.wabc860 said:Who gets ESPN after they are dropped. It was speculated 1010 AM was to but they are going to be CBS. Can it be 620 AM dropping Fox to become ESPN affiliate in Tampa.
Jeff in Sa-ra-so-ta!
No, all the CBS sports AMs are going to carry their new network beginning on 1/2/13.
In Pittsburgh, ESPN was running sports on 1250, which they own, and LMAing 540 for Radio Disney. When CBS announced an FM sports talker, the dropped all the local shows, cancelled the LMA, moved Radio Disney to their own station, and are paying a Clear Channel station (970) to carry ESPN 21 hours a day. 970 dropped Fox, which is now on 540, the original Radio Disney home (owned by Birach out of Michigan).
I think it would be more likely they will cut a deal to run ESPN on 1250 WHNZ 24/7.
Supposedly, WHNZ is profitable as a brokered station and as sports backup for 620 when 970 doesn't work out.Parttimer said:No, all the CBS sports AMs are going to carry their new network beginning on 1/2/13.badjef said:After the announcement of 98.7, CBS might put ESPN on 1010 to "shelve it" from Clear Channel - not a comfortable relationship, for sure.wabc860 said:Who gets ESPN after they are dropped. It was speculated 1010 AM was to but they are going to be CBS. Can it be 620 AM dropping Fox to become ESPN affiliate in Tampa.
Jeff in Sa-ra-so-ta!
In Pittsburgh, ESPN was running sports on 1250, which they own, and LMAing 540 for Radio Disney. When CBS announced an FM sports talker, the dropped all the local shows, cancelled the LMA, moved Radio Disney to their own station, and are paying a Clear Channel station (970) to carry ESPN 21 hours a day. 970 dropped Fox, which is now on 540, the original Radio Disney home (owned by Birach out of Michigan).
I think it would be more likely they will cut a deal to run ESPN on 1250 WHNZ 24/7.
But, let's look at Tampa's 1150 WTMP. It has a decent signal and would fit the bill. Too bad the Cherrys didn't look into that before they lost the station.
Jeff in Sa-ra-so-ta!
Not sure moneywise if its worth going all-in on an ESPN format...without a local staff. Keep in mind ESPN is branding cities all across its media platform. All the talk shows roll side promos of their radio affilliates, and Tampa Bay should be close to being added. 1040s signal wasnt doing them any favors east of Pinellas at night.
Any more wounded-duck music formats on the local FM dial?
Any more wounded-duck music formats on the local FM dial?
I see Mix as venerable.Studio20 said:Not sure moneywise if its worth going all-in on an ESPN format...without a local staff. Keep in mind ESPN is branding cities all across its media platform. All the talk shows roll side promos of their radio affilliates, and Tampa Bay should be close to being added. 1040s signal wasnt doing them any favors east of Pinellas at night.
Any more wounded-duck music formats on the local FM dial?
Jeff in Sa-ra-so-ta!
badjef said:I see Mix as venerable.Studio20 said:Not sure moneywise if its worth going all-in on an ESPN format...without a local staff. Keep in mind ESPN is branding cities all across its media platform. All the talk shows roll side promos of their radio affilliates, and Tampa Bay should be close to being added. 1040s signal wasnt doing them any favors east of Pinellas at night.
Any more wounded-duck music formats on the local FM dial?
Jeff in Sa-ra-so-ta!
First off "venerable" means respected and revered. I assume you mean "vulnerable".
Second, that is WAAAAYYY off base in terms of potential dollars.
Mix would be billing in the millions. A 24/7 ESPN format would not come anywhere close to that. And while you are correct that WHNZ is currently profitable running brokered shows, the point everyone is missing is that in Pittsburgh, a market smaller than Tampa, ESPN is paying CC to carry ESPN. ESPN wants to be able to tell a potential advertiser on Mike & Mike, for instance, that the show is cleared in all of the top 50 markets.
Running ESPN on 1250 would not impede CC's ability to place play-by-play conflicts there, it would actually make it a more logical spot.
And I could have seen an ESPN-for-Fox swap between 620 and 1250, if 620 had not just put together a new morning show. Mike & Mike are pretty much a must-carry for ESPN affiliates. But c'mon, don't you guys want 3 hours of Colin Cowherd every day?
Thank you. The "Spirit of (Steve) Jobs" has struck, again.Parttimer said:badjef said:I see Mix as venerable.Studio20 said:Not sure moneywise if its worth going all-in on an ESPN format...without a local staff. Keep in mind ESPN is branding cities all across its media platform. All the talk shows roll side promos of their radio affilliates, and Tampa Bay should be close to being added. 1040s signal wasnt doing them any favors east of Pinellas at night.
Any more wounded-duck music formats on the local FM dial?
Jeff in Sa-ra-so-ta!
First off "venerable" means respected and revered. I assume you mean "vulnerable".
Second, that is WAAAAYYY off base in terms of potential dollars.
Mix would be billing in the millions. A 24/7 ESPN format would not come anywhere close to that. And while you are correct that WHNZ is currently profitable running brokered shows, the point everyone is missing is that in Pittsburgh, a market smaller than Tampa, ESPN is paying CC to carry ESPN. ESPN wants to be able to tell a potential advertiser on Mike & Mike, for instance, that the show is cleared in all of the top 50 markets.
Running ESPN on 1250 would not impede CC's ability to place play-by-play conflicts there, it would actually make it a more logical spot.
And I could have seen an ESPN-for-Fox swap between 620 and 1250, if 620 had not just put together a new morning show. Mike & Mike are pretty much a must-carry for ESPN affiliates. But c'mon, don't you guys want 3 hours of Colin Cowherd every day?
Your key word is "would". With 3 stations in the format, I don't see MIX staying in its current form.
I don't see it serving a purpose.
Jeff in Sa-ra-so-ta!
badjef said:Your key word is "would". With 3 stations in the format, I don't see MIX staying in its current form.
I don't see it serving a purpose.
Jeff in Sa-ra-so-ta!
If Mix wasn't pulling its weight WFLA would already be on 100.7 instead of a translator.
Another thought.... with CBS launching both an FM local outlet and a national product, maybe what actually happened here is ESPN firing its weaker affiliates to have more control of their product. That could bring 1380 into play as the ESPN outlet, with a new home to be found for Radio Disney, or maybe ESPN even tries to find an FM signal to buy.
[/quote]
If Mix wasn't pulling its weight WFLA would already be on 100.7 instead of a translator.
Another thought.... with CBS launching both an FM local outlet and a national product, maybe what actually happened here is ESPN firing its weaker affiliates to have more control of their product. That could bring 1380 into play as the ESPN outlet, with a new home to be found for Radio Disney, or maybe ESPN even tries to find an FM signal to buy.
[/quote]
EXACTLY. WFLA would move to a full market FM signal before WDAE would. That's a no-brainer. I suggested ESPN to 1380 last week. I'm just not a believer in Radio Disney being profitable there... I bet even just running ESPN 24/7 on that signal "may" generate numbers on the bottom line somewhere in the big picture.
If Mix wasn't pulling its weight WFLA would already be on 100.7 instead of a translator.
Another thought.... with CBS launching both an FM local outlet and a national product, maybe what actually happened here is ESPN firing its weaker affiliates to have more control of their product. That could bring 1380 into play as the ESPN outlet, with a new home to be found for Radio Disney, or maybe ESPN even tries to find an FM signal to buy.
[/quote]
EXACTLY. WFLA would move to a full market FM signal before WDAE would. That's a no-brainer. I suggested ESPN to 1380 last week. I'm just not a believer in Radio Disney being profitable there... I bet even just running ESPN 24/7 on that signal "may" generate numbers on the bottom line somewhere in the big picture.
If Mix wasn't pulling its weight WFLA would already be on 100.7 instead of a translator.
Another thought.... with CBS launching both an FM local outlet and a national product, maybe what actually happened here is ESPN firing its weaker affiliates to have more control of their product. That could bring 1380 into play as the ESPN outlet, with a new home to be found for Radio Disney, or maybe ESPN even tries to find an FM signal to buy.[/quote]
EXACTLY. WFLA would move to a full market FM signal before WDAE would. That's a no-brainer. I suggested ESPN to 1380 last week. I'm just not a believer in Radio Disney being profitable there... I bet even just running ESPN 24/7 on that signal "may" generate numbers on the bottom line somewhere in the big picture.[/quote]
Disney doesn't care about making money with 1380. It is a radio presence for the Disney name and credibility as a "family" place. The impulse to travel an hour away is generated by that presence.
RD is not going to leave 1380 in favor of ESPN unless Disney finds another frequency for both RDs close to each other, i.e.: 810 and 820, and that is not very likely.
Jeff in Sa-ra-so-ta!
I will be honest with you, ESPN's radio schtick has pretty much worn out it's welcome with me. The god awfully scripted point-counterpoint good cop-bad cop routine was old long ago, and some of the positions on air talent take when trying to keep talking to fill air time is pretty pathetic.
That and their manufactured stories the past few years. I am done with them.
And as pathetic as FSR is, I dont know that I want to hear ESPN on 620
That and their manufactured stories the past few years. I am done with them.
And as pathetic as FSR is, I dont know that I want to hear ESPN on 620
There's no way 620 would go ESPN. So they're gonna pull out of live and local in the morning right after CBS goes FM? That would just be stupid. If ESPN is back in Tampa, it won't be on WDAE. I also like how it says that Genesis is "shedding" their ESPN affiliation. LIke it was their choice.
That's normal.Tampa Sports Fan said:There's no way 620 would go ESPN. So they're gonna pull out of live and local in the morning right after CBS goes FM? That would just be stupid. If ESPN is back in Tampa, it won't be on WDAE. I also like how it says that Genesis is "shedding" their ESPN affiliation. LIke it was their choice.
Most people won't know, or care, the real reason, anyway.
Jeff in Sa-ra-so-ta!
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