I'm starting a new thread because of the importance of this news. The Buffalo News is reporting on its website this evening that the Bills are moving to WGR. There were few details. The News says an official announcement could come as soon as Wednesday. This is the logical choice. WGR is Buffalo's sports radio station. Now it has both of the city's major sports teams. It'll be interesting to hear how all this unfolds. I assume John Murphy will continue as play-by-play man. But would Entercom ask that one of its hosts -- Howard Simon, maybe -- serve as game analyst? Will hosts such as Mike Schopp tone down their rhetoric? Will there be an FM broadcast, perhaps at 107.7FM?
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Bills Moving to WGR
- Thread starter Philip_Airtime
- Start date
When it rains, it pours. First Shredd & Ragan to morning drive on the Edge, now this.
The story can be found at: http://www.buffalonews.com/sports/bills-nfl/article694869.ece This is quite a coup for Entercom and WGR in particular. No word yet about whether it's a Bills in-house deal or contracted for cash. Some posters opined that because WGR has a history of harshly taking the Bills to task, the games would wind up on WBEN. Guess not. So it's back to WGR, which broadcast the Bills during four consecutive trips to the Superbowl. Perhaps history will repeat itself. More recently has put up some impressive shares, Men 25-54. Today's news certainly won't hurt.
In order to receive "Arbitron credit" for simulcasting, WBEN must simulcast 100% of the time on 930 and 107.7. No flip flops to WGR. Perhaps a trimulcast on 550, 930 and 107.7 as they did with the Sabres last season? But diluting the Bills between three stations would serve no real benefit for WGR. Recall the first year when the Bills were simulcast on WGR and then WGR-FM. Most of the listening went to 97 Rock. WGR really need the Bills ratings boost, so for the remaining three years the Bills were carried only on WGR-AM. 97 Rock continued to be involved in promotions and events.
Let's hope the schedule maker doesn't have the Bills playing 4 o'clock games in December. The WGR night pattern has a severe null to the east. But it's solid to Syracuse, Erie, Olean and Cleveland during the day. And strong in TO at night. Eh?
After reviewing predictions from the other thread, my money was on WBEN. Missed it by that much. (Props to Maxwell Smart.) SirRox called it. So he'll buy the pizza and beer for the rest of us. Cheers!
The story can be found at: http://www.buffalonews.com/sports/bills-nfl/article694869.ece This is quite a coup for Entercom and WGR in particular. No word yet about whether it's a Bills in-house deal or contracted for cash. Some posters opined that because WGR has a history of harshly taking the Bills to task, the games would wind up on WBEN. Guess not. So it's back to WGR, which broadcast the Bills during four consecutive trips to the Superbowl. Perhaps history will repeat itself. More recently has put up some impressive shares, Men 25-54. Today's news certainly won't hurt.
In order to receive "Arbitron credit" for simulcasting, WBEN must simulcast 100% of the time on 930 and 107.7. No flip flops to WGR. Perhaps a trimulcast on 550, 930 and 107.7 as they did with the Sabres last season? But diluting the Bills between three stations would serve no real benefit for WGR. Recall the first year when the Bills were simulcast on WGR and then WGR-FM. Most of the listening went to 97 Rock. WGR really need the Bills ratings boost, so for the remaining three years the Bills were carried only on WGR-AM. 97 Rock continued to be involved in promotions and events.
Let's hope the schedule maker doesn't have the Bills playing 4 o'clock games in December. The WGR night pattern has a severe null to the east. But it's solid to Syracuse, Erie, Olean and Cleveland during the day. And strong in TO at night. Eh?
After reviewing predictions from the other thread, my money was on WBEN. Missed it by that much. (Props to Maxwell Smart.) SirRox called it. So he'll buy the pizza and beer for the rest of us. Cheers!
He can afford it! (Trade deals etc..) ;D
HDBG
JustPastBuffalo said:
I could see the trimulcast happening. Something might need to give if the Sabres/Bills have a game at the same time anyway.
WBEN isn't gaining a lot of traction by using 107.7, and a lot of us here think WGR would actually benefit more by using 107.7. Maybe this becomes the tipping point.
JPB called it with WGR's signal problems on the night pattern. I suspect that the Bills will insist on at least an FM simulcast, and a trimulcast allows 107.7 to be the FM. That would also help out coverage in a big chunk of the Rochester market if they decide to run the games on WROC. I could see a WROC/WCMF simulcast in Rochester even. Entercom Buffalo also has 'KB in their pocket in case of a Bills-Sabres conflict, so they wouldn't have to break the trimulcast.
As far as the pizza and beer is concerned, Simon Pure & pizza from The Roseland on Rhode Island for everybody!
As far as the pizza and beer is concerned, Simon Pure & pizza from The Roseland on Rhode Island for everybody!
B
Bob1370
Guest
Well, we all figured on Entercom getting its hands on the Bills broadcasts, though the flagship signal is different than a lot of us expected. Only questions now are;
1)Which station in Entercom's Rochester cluster gets the Bills? (My money is on WCMF although I
could see a case to be made for either the Buzz or 98PXY...CMF has the infrastructure of
people to do Bills-related chatter all week, something WBEN used to do in the old days that
helped both the station and the team.)
2)Since Entercom's not a presence AFAIK in Syracuse or Erie, who gets the team broadcasts
there? (Erie's really Browns territory, and Syracuse is divided between the Bills, Jets and
Giants, with all of them taking a back seat to SU sports, so it may not be that important...)
3)Will Fan 590 in Toronto remain on the network? Or has lukewarm interest in the team in
Southern Ontario, plus Rogers becoming a 50% partner in the Leafs and Raptors and therefore
more interested in pushing their own product than Ralph Wilson's, mean the Bills either need
a new home in T.O. or will have to hope WGR's strong north lobe grabs 'em?
4)Who will be John Murphy's partner? His continuing to be the play by play voice is a given, he's
one of the crispest and smoothest in the league. The color slot may be open. Too bad CBS has
Steve Tasker locked up... Kelso is OK, but the broadcast might benefit from the kind of
foreground personality that the late Stan Barron used to be...
1)Which station in Entercom's Rochester cluster gets the Bills? (My money is on WCMF although I
could see a case to be made for either the Buzz or 98PXY...CMF has the infrastructure of
people to do Bills-related chatter all week, something WBEN used to do in the old days that
helped both the station and the team.)
2)Since Entercom's not a presence AFAIK in Syracuse or Erie, who gets the team broadcasts
there? (Erie's really Browns territory, and Syracuse is divided between the Bills, Jets and
Giants, with all of them taking a back seat to SU sports, so it may not be that important...)
3)Will Fan 590 in Toronto remain on the network? Or has lukewarm interest in the team in
Southern Ontario, plus Rogers becoming a 50% partner in the Leafs and Raptors and therefore
more interested in pushing their own product than Ralph Wilson's, mean the Bills either need
a new home in T.O. or will have to hope WGR's strong north lobe grabs 'em?
4)Who will be John Murphy's partner? His continuing to be the play by play voice is a given, he's
one of the crispest and smoothest in the league. The color slot may be open. Too bad CBS has
Steve Tasker locked up... Kelso is OK, but the broadcast might benefit from the kind of
foreground personality that the late Stan Barron used to be...
I think I've already addressed most of your questions, Bob, but I'll be interested to hear the opinions of others. One question I didn't address is the Murphy/Kelso "issue".
Why do you think that will be a change in the Bills broadcast team? They're hired by the BILLS, not by the radio stations. Murph & Kelso are solid, and that's unlikely to change. Kelso's not as exciting as some color commentators, but his NFL experience is invaluable and he explains complex concepts pretty well to the average fan. WGR will have plenty of opportunity to insert it's personalities as the sideline reporter, and on the pre and post-game shows. Any thought of Tasker giving up a national gig is an indication that somebody spent too much time in a heavy RF field.
There's even a possibility that some of the production people - like Doug Wolf and Greg Harvey - could end up on Entercom's payroll to smooth the transition. They've both worked for multiple owners in the market, and are known at Entercom. Bills broadcasts are complex undertakings, and planning and equipment purchases need to get underway now. Citadel/Cumulus hired them - and others - as specialists. Entercom would be smart to do the same. Game day in-house production will likely fall to those already on staff, although volume might induce them to bring another production voice into the fold at Entercom - at least during Bills season.
Why do you think that will be a change in the Bills broadcast team? They're hired by the BILLS, not by the radio stations. Murph & Kelso are solid, and that's unlikely to change. Kelso's not as exciting as some color commentators, but his NFL experience is invaluable and he explains complex concepts pretty well to the average fan. WGR will have plenty of opportunity to insert it's personalities as the sideline reporter, and on the pre and post-game shows. Any thought of Tasker giving up a national gig is an indication that somebody spent too much time in a heavy RF field.
There's even a possibility that some of the production people - like Doug Wolf and Greg Harvey - could end up on Entercom's payroll to smooth the transition. They've both worked for multiple owners in the market, and are known at Entercom. Bills broadcasts are complex undertakings, and planning and equipment purchases need to get underway now. Citadel/Cumulus hired them - and others - as specialists. Entercom would be smart to do the same. Game day in-house production will likely fall to those already on staff, although volume might induce them to bring another production voice into the fold at Entercom - at least during Bills season.
L
lchase
Guest
http://www.buffalobills.com/news/ar...Entercom/60cbf1f0-30c6-4bde-9584-9bdc24ef9428
Oooh, the Russ Brandon Show!! Can't wait for that one... :
Oooh, the Russ Brandon Show!! Can't wait for that one... :
So, the 'CMF/'ROC simulcast is a go. Makes sense to me. I still think that an FM will be added to the Buffalo broadcasts. Maybe they'll end up on Star's HD2 channel. :
SirRoxalot said:So, the 'CMF/'ROC simulcast is a go. Makes sense to me. I still think that an FM will be added to the Buffalo broadcasts. Maybe they'll end up on Star's HD2 channel. :
I know you're having some fun, Rox. But Bills games will be on KISS 98.5 HD-2. Since I'm one of the five people in the area with an HD radio, that's how I will listen.
Philip_Airtime said:
I would be very surprised if an FM simulcast were not added to the mix. Down here in Philadelphia the FM carrying the Eagles flipped to sports in order to thwart inroads from Philly's ESPN service, also on FM. The Eagles flagship at 94.1 FM has been that way for several years.
CBS added back an AM simulcast a couple years ago on their original all-sports WIP, and has since added the wrinkle that the AM signal does not go out as HD, so that people listening inside the stadium can hear the game in "real time".
I would think dedicating 102.5 to gameday coverage makes more sense than 107.7 given its impressive signal footprint. Also because the target NFL audience is generally a younger skew nowadays...which hampers AM ratings, as we all know.
Richard in Allentown, PA (ex-East Aurora)
Where was John Murphy this morning? Simon & White were promoting his appearance at 9, but when the time came... "We're trying to get ahold of John Murphy," Simon sez. Maybe John called the wrong station. It's the AM station, John. Three call letters. No "F."
How long before first degree buyer's remorse sets in at Entercom? "OMG! We paid a truckload for the rights to a team that hasn't gone to the playoffs in 12 years and in all likelihood won't make the playoffs next season!" Yes children, it's all fun and games until you're in the middle of a seven game losing streak and the Sabres are pissed off because you're spending so much time stroking the Bills.
How long before first degree buyer's remorse sets in at Entercom? "OMG! We paid a truckload for the rights to a team that hasn't gone to the playoffs in 12 years and in all likelihood won't make the playoffs next season!" Yes children, it's all fun and games until you're in the middle of a seven game losing streak and the Sabres are pissed off because you're spending so much time stroking the Bills.
Element9 said:
That's a great point.
As cheap as Cumulus is said to be, they are still in it to make money. Apparently a cost-benefit analysis dictated that they'd be better off letting the Bills go.
Hmmmm.
AND.......
What happens when Ralph Wilson kicks the bucket?
Tick, tick, tick.
Will WGR still maintain broadcast rights from Los Angeles?
The "Bills to <somewhere else>" discussion has already run its course on at least one other thread. I don't think that they're going anywhere. We'll know more as the stadium negotiations unfold with Erie County.
Element9 said:
Something tells me they've already factored that in. Their goal is to build a sports destination station. They're selling a station, not a show. The Bills are part of that station. And they will also get specific advertising for that programming. They know what it's worth because they've been programming against it. And they can make money from that relationship in more ways and at more times because it doesn't involve breaking format. That's an important factor, and might explain why Cumulus let it go in Buffalo, yet paid the rights fees in markets where they have stations with the sports format.
Element9 said:
So where are the Sabres going to go? WECK? I have a feeling that's a risk Entercom will take. I think the entire NHL knows they're not as valuable as the NFL. But by the same token, it's not unusual to have multiple teams on the same station, and still make everyone feel good.
B
Bob1370
Guest
"What happens when Ralph Wilson kicks the bucket?
Tick, tick, tick."
Tom Golisano is already on record saying he will do whatever is necessary, either on his own or in partnership with someone else (Bob Rich and/or Terry Pegula, perhaps) to keep the Bills in Western NY.
Since the Bills are very profitable where they are, and a move will be extremely costly and promise a dubious ROI at best literally anywhere else they could go, sheer business considerations dictate that they're going nowhere but Orchard Park regardless of whether Tom Golisano's money ever has to get into the equation.
Tick, tick, tick."
Tom Golisano is already on record saying he will do whatever is necessary, either on his own or in partnership with someone else (Bob Rich and/or Terry Pegula, perhaps) to keep the Bills in Western NY.
Since the Bills are very profitable where they are, and a move will be extremely costly and promise a dubious ROI at best literally anywhere else they could go, sheer business considerations dictate that they're going nowhere but Orchard Park regardless of whether Tom Golisano's money ever has to get into the equation.
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