Bisons Bolt to 'KB

[SirRoxalot]

AllAccess.com is reporting that the Bisons signed a 3-year deal with WWKB, starting in the spring.

So, WECK loses a steady source of income.

I guess that means that the lefties in the Bison's line-up will be encouraged to hit into left field...

 

[Yeziknoradio]

AllAccess.com is reporting that the Bisons signed a 3-year deal with WWKB, starting in the spring.

So, WECK loses a steady source of income.

I guess that means that the lefties in the Bison's line-up will be encouraged to hit into left field...

Ah, so with that 3 year deal in place, and the understanding that outbidding is not a viable option, it all makes sense now.

Regent wasn't willing to wait 3 years to figure out what to do with WECK...how deep will the new owner's pockets be in 3 yrs time?

Deep enough to outbid Entercom or who ever owns KB' at that time?
Not likely.

You need pretty deep pockets to outbid Entercom, I would think.

 

[SirRoxalot]

Bidness

Bid? I believe that the Bisons were paying for the broadcasts. If Entercom gives them 'KB for free, they've cut themselves a better deal than they had. 'KB may have more success selling Bison games than they do selling their regular programming.

 

[Philip_Airtime]

I think this is a situation where the Buffalo Bisons want to be on a more powerful radio station. Afterall, their night games can be heard across the eastern seaboard, as opposed to WECK, which isn't even able to cover the entire metro region at night.

I wouldn't be surprised if the Bisons are paying more to be on KB than on WECK. But it is probably worth it. Also, I don't know this for sure. I assume, though, that KB doesn't sell time during Bisons games. The Bisons do, perhaps including radio spots as part of the sponsorship packages businesses sign up for.

 

[AndrewLawson]

Re: Bi$on$ Bolt to 'KB

There is an underlying reason for the Bisons move from WECK to WWKB. WBEN pre-empted WHDL's move to Progressive talk by changing KB's format to Progressive. Signing the Bisons is Entercom's first of many moves to suffocate WECK's announced move to News-Talk.

The Bisons are only too happy to move back to 50kW WWKB, where the games can be heard throughout Buffalo, Rochester and the East Coast. Entercom kills two birds with one stone: Entercom picks up around $500+ per game and takes the revenue away from Culver's bottom line. This isn't a matter of building audience share, because cume and AQH Listeners for Bisons games don't amount to much.

Advice to the folks at Culver: You can't play "bean bag radio" as you're doing now in Lockport. Entercom plays for real against all competitors, even 1kW graveyarders. This is only the first volley. It takes thick skin and deep pockets to compete with Entercom.

Ask Chet Musilowski about competing with the big guns. In the late 70's, he bought WNIA and changed the format to Gold-AC as "WECK, The Roll that Rocks." Within months, the station was bleeding red ink. Within a year, Musilowski flipped WECK's format to "Music Of Your Life," turning the station into a money maker.

"Those who do not learn from history are doomed to repeat it."

 

[Element9]

Good points, but I suspect you meant W-H-L-D. You may have tipped your hand. Bona grad, perhaps?

-9-

 

[midnight_skulker]

Re: Bi$on$ Bolt to 'KB

There is an underlying reason for the Bisons move from WECK to WWKB. WBEN pre-empted WHLD's move to Progressive talk by changing KB's format to Progressive. Signing the Bisons is Entercom's first of many moves to suffocate WECK's announced move to News-Talk.

Didn't anyone learn any lessons from WHLD's disastrous try at lib talk?
That lesson is... when you buy a station, you may want to keep quiet about your new format intentions until the day you're ready to go. WHLD gave Entercom plenty of heads up time, and the corporate giants responded.

I know some find silence suspicious. But just like they used to say "loose lips sink ships", saying too much too soon can also derail a business deal.