CBS FM Sports Lineup Projections/Predictions

[becker5]

thank God we can finally put the thought of Maxwell going to 92.3 a rest! It will be a good day when you guys finally admit his show isn't good and it will be off the air at the end of August

 

[vjm]

thank God we can finally put the thought of Maxwell going to 92.3 a rest! It will be a good day when you guys finally admit his show isn't good and it will be off the air at the end of August

Oh boy...

Since Maxwell's contract expires at the end of October (signing a 1 year deal in 2010), I think it's looking more and more like WNCX is just gonna let him play out the string as it were.

So let's cut out the Maxwell is gone at the end of the month talk.

Seriously Becker...he must owe you money or something.

 

[HHH]

I don't know why everyone is talking about 92.3 having a "poor signal".

Yes, they don't have the big reach of the Parma Ridge FMs, but they cover the five county metro just fine. That's all that counts in the ratings game.

Here is 92.3's coverage area: http://www.radio-locator.com/cgi-bin/pat?call=WKRK&service=FM&status=L&hours=U

Compared to WNCX: http://www.radio-locator.com/cgi-bin/pat?call=WNCX&service=FM&status=L&hours=U

Here is WKNR daytime: http://www.radio-locator.com/cgi-bin/pat?call=WKNR&service=AM&status=L&hours=D

Here is WKNR night: http://www.radio-locator.com/cgi-bin/pat?call=WKNR&service=AM&status=L&hours=N

 

[Rusty Muck]

thank God we can finally put the thought of Maxwell going to 92.3 a rest! It will be a good day when you guys finally admit his show isn't good and it will be off the air at the end of August

Oh boy...

Since Maxwell's contract expires at the end of October (signing a 1 year deal in 2010), I think it's looking more and more like WNCX is just gonna let him play out the string as it were.

So let's cut out the Maxwell is gone at the end of the month talk.

Seriously Becker...he must owe you money or something.

Or Becker is really Zumock with a big-time grudge against Maxwell. Whatever. I don't care.

It's been common knowledge that Kiley & Booms are headed to 92.3 morning drive for two weeks now. (Take THAT, Becker!) How in the hell Max and Booms can co-exist for two months in the same time slot, I don't know.

And Becker, tough cookies if you want me to admit "Maxwell's show isn't good." I still refuse to listen to Alan Cox or Rover's Morning Kayfabe by pure principle alone. Deal with it.

 

[Tim]

HHH: The radio-locator view of 92.3's coverage is a computer estimate...it's not too accurate.

I've seen actual the engineering study of the current coverage/tower site on I-271 eastside, and there is a deep null (towards Detroit) that runs through the city of Cleveland to the northwest).

Also, the pattern flattens out with secondary nulls to the southwest (Columbus) and southeast Alliance (Canton).

Unfortunately, 92.3 does not reach the 5-county Cleveland metro....with huge holes in Lorain and Medina county...2 of the 5 counties.

When a station has problems in cars...in-home/in-business listening is even worse. Many media people believe the lack of full-market coverage is a main reason why no format in the frequency's history has been a big ratings & revenue success. And, that goes back to the late 1940's/early 1950's.

You are the first person I've ever read/heard who said 92.3 has an adequate signal across the Cleveland metro. Wish it were so....it just isn't.

 

[Ron Lee]

thank God we can finally put the thought of Maxwell going to 92.3 a rest! It will be a good day when you guys finally admit his show isn't good and it will be off the air at the end of August

Oh boy...

Since Maxwell's contract expires at the end of October (signing a 1 year deal in 2010), I think it's looking more and more like WNCX is just gonna let him play out the string as it were.

So let's cut out the Maxwell is gone at the end of the month talk.

Seriously Becker...he must owe you money or something.

I dont think Zumock has a grudge against Maxwell or anything, he just wonders why he is the one targeted by Maxwell's little rants. It seems obvious that Max doesnt like Zumock because he is in the spot where he wants to be, doing afternoons at WMMS. Why doesnt he go after Cox, you might ask? Becuase Zumock is a rookie and an easy target. Cox has said repeatedly that he isnt interested in "radio wars", but if he was drawn into one, he would likely chew Maxwell up and spit him out.

Zumock doenst have a grudge with him, other than the questioning of why he would do the obvious and pick on the rookie and not the radio veteran. But, Im sure you know that having heard Chad's thoughts/ comments on the subject, Nate... Max will be gone soon, so rest assured, haters.

Or Becker is really Zumock with a big-time grudge against Maxwell. Whatever. I don't care.

It's been common knowledge that Kiley & Booms are headed to 92.3 morning drive for two weeks now. (Take THAT, Becker!) How in the hell Max and Booms can co-exist for two months in the same time slot, I don't know.

And Becker, tough cookies if you want me to admit "Maxwell's show isn't good." I still refuse to listen to Alan Cox or Rover's Morning Kayfabe by pure principle alone. Deal with it.

 

[Ron Lee]

thank God we can finally put the thought of Maxwell going to 92.3 a rest! It will be a good day when you guys finally admit his show isn't good and it will be off the air at the end of August

Oh boy...

Since Maxwell's contract expires at the end of October (signing a 1 year deal in 2010), I think it's looking more and more like WNCX is just gonna let him play out the string as it were.

So let's cut out the Maxwell is gone at the end of the month talk.

Seriously Becker...he must owe you money or something.

I dont think Zumock has a grudge against Maxwell or anything, he just wonders why he is the one targeted by Maxwell's little rants. It seems obvious that Max doesnt like Zumock because he is in the spot where he wants to be, doing afternoons at WMMS. Why doesnt he go after Cox, you might ask? Becuase Zumock is a rookie and an easy target. Cox has said repeatedly that he isnt interested in "radio wars", but if he was drawn into one, he would likely chew Maxwell up and spit him out.

Zumock doenst have a grudge with him, other than the questioning of why he would do the obvious and pick on the rookie and not the radio veteran. But, Im sure you know that having heard Chad's thoughts/ comments on the subject, Nate... Max will be gone soon, so rest assured, haters.

Or Becker is really Zumock with a big-time grudge against Maxwell. Whatever. I don't care.

It's been common knowledge that Kiley & Booms are headed to 92.3 morning drive for two weeks now. (Take THAT, Becker!) How in the hell Max and Booms can co-exist for two months in the same time slot, I don't know.

And Becker, tough cookies if you want me to admit "Maxwell's show isn't good." I still refuse to listen to Alan Cox or Rover's Morning Kayfabe by pure principle alone. Deal with it.

Yeah, I really screwed that last post up and for some reason, couldnt get back in to repair it. This is what I wanted to say...

I dont think Zumock has a grudge against Maxwell or anything, he just wonders why he is the one targeted by Maxwell's little rants. It seems obvious that Max doesnt like Zumock because he is in the spot where he wants to be, doing afternoons at WMMS. Why doesnt he go after Cox, you might ask? Becuase Zumock is a rookie and an easy target. Cox has said repeatedly that he isnt interested in "radio wars", but if he was drawn into one, he would likely chew Maxwell up and spit him out.

Zumock doenst have a grudge with him, other than the questioning of why he would do the obvious and pick on the rookie and not the radio veteran. But, Im sure you know that having heard Chad's thoughts/ comments on the subject, Nate... Max will be gone soon, so rest assured, haters.

 

[Rusty Muck]

Yeah, I really screwed that last post up and for some reason, couldnt get back in to repair it. This is what I wanted to say...

I dont think Zumock has a grudge against Maxwell or anything, he just wonders why he is the one targeted by Maxwell's little rants. It seems obvious that Max doesnt like Zumock because he is in the spot where he wants to be, doing afternoons at WMMS. Why doesnt he go after Cox, you might ask? Becuase Zumock is a rookie and an easy target. Cox has said repeatedly that he isnt interested in "radio wars", but if he was drawn into one, he would likely chew Maxwell up and spit him out.

Zumock doenst have a grudge with him, other than the questioning of why he would do the obvious and pick on the rookie and not the radio veteran. But, Im sure you know that having heard Chad's thoughts/ comments on the subject, Nate... Max will be gone soon, so rest assured, haters.

Heh. It's all good.

Well, most of it is just a pointless "war" anyway. I honestly don't care anymore about any of those shows. Just food for thought. Don't interest me, don't care to listen.

I know people hate on Booms, but "Kiley and Booms" will likely be better recieved than Maxwell would have been had he been scooted to 92.3 (and there was never any indication whatsoever). Moreover, Kevin Kiley will get more respect here than in any other market he's been in.

Thing is, if Maxwell's contract is bought out or run out, don't expect a return of Scott and Jeff. Rather, as "The Fan" will command a decent round of salaries - period - expect syndication instead (dear God, please let it not be BOB&TOM or 'Hot Beer and Free Wings').

 

[Rusty Muck]

Here is 92.3's coverage area: http://www.radio-locator.com/cgi-bin/pat?call=WKRK&service=FM&status=L&hours=U

[ ... ]

Here is WKNR night: http://www.radio-locator.com/cgi-bin/pat?call=WKNR&service=AM&status=L&hours=N

To be fair, 92.3 at night is infinitely better than WKNR at night, at least in Lorain County. True, there are many significant holes in 92.3's coverage area, but WKNR is utterly inaudible in the same area.

 

[dasfonzie]

I hadn't really thought about it, but I'm guessing Ribz (Mike... something?) from the Maxwell Show will probably pop up on The Fan. He just mentioned to "Mr. Roth" how big a sports fan he was

 

[OhioMediaWatch]

Thing is, if Maxwell's contract is bought out or run out, don't expect a return of Scott and Jeff. Rather, as "The Fan" will command a decent round of salaries - period - expect syndication instead (dear God, please let it not be BOB&TOM or 'Hot Beer and Free Wings').

I see what you did there.

There appears to be little doubt now that Maxwell is gone at the end of his contract (I've heard October, no, I won't put an exact date on it like others here ). The only question is if CBS buys him out, or lets the contract run its course.

And you are right...there wasn't a single hint or drop of a hint or rumor that Maxwell was going to end up on the sports station. Even before it became known that "Kiley and Booms" were coming in.

I've seen that same 92.3 signal plot that Tim talks about. The nulls are rather obvious. The signal looks like a squashed peanut, the squashing done in the directions Tim notes (Detroit, Alliance/Canton and Columbus in specific).

Is it a "good enough" signal for some success with a high-profile format? Maybe. Remember, Rover got established on 92.3 and O&A built up some ratings there.

But I can't get this scenario (not rumored or confirmed at all) out of my head - CBS Radio turns WNCX into the classic rock version of "Radio 92.3", with few or no air personalities.

Then, when they determine that 92.3 is just not cutting it for "The Fan", they move it to 98.5, by that time, supplanting a station with few or no air staffers.

That's just a scenario in my head...that's not a rumor out there or based on fact. Just a guess.

 

[Tim]

OMW: You and I, and others I'm sure, just can't get the idea out of our heads, that the CBS Cleveland sportstalk station belongs on a big-coverage frequency like 98.5....not on the very-marginal 92.3.

In 2011, sportstalk on FM is one of the few rapidly-growing radio formats....and a format that reaches a wide demographic range of listeners....not just older or middle-aged, or younger.

It's a format that, with ratings, will attract big-money national/regional advertising....and sportstalk is also the kind of format the larger local businesses will go crazy to be a part of.

No offense to today's WNCX. They've had some good years on 98.5. But, moving them to 92.3 wouldn't be like killing a legendary station in it's peak/golden years. I doubt there would be angry mobs of classic rock listeners protesting on Public Square.

So...common sense tells us sportstalk on 98.5, not 92.3....just makes way, way too much sense not to eventually happen.

 

[vjm]

It probably will happen in the next 18-24 months.

As I said before, the only reason they didn't do it right away was to make sure the format would be a hit before displacing a legendary heritage classic rocker.

If CBS uprooted NCX for the Fan right of the bat and it flopped, there would have been hell to pay.

 

[Tim]

How can any format be "a hit" if half the market can't really hear it? It would seem, that'd be a "test" with one hand tied behind it's back, so to speak. Illogical. Too much ratings success history in other markets to need a "test" first before changing to a better frequency. Cleveland/NE Ohio is one of the sports hotbeds of the country. A good-signal sportstalk is a no-brainer.

Testing sportstalk on a bad-frequency makes no sense to me.

 

[vjm]

There is no iron clad guarentee that the Fan will be a hit.

Now in theory, it should be.

But you know the old saying about when you assume...

It'll go down a lot smoother uprooting WNCX (because there will be outcry when it happens...don't kid yourself) when The Fan establishes itself as a successful format, thus they can justify it more than if they did it right off the bat.

You bump off NCX for the Fan right away, and it bombs, then it's a double whammy, and CBS isn't in the business to do double whammies.

CBS is playing it safe...The Fan bacomes a hit, it then can go to the bigger station (with NCX finding a home on 92.3).

If it bombs, then it goes down as giving it the old college try, and the jukebox gets fired back up like nothing ever happened.

Sometimes you just can't go gung-ho all at once, and the step-by-step method makes more sense.

 

[FM 100 Means Music]

The main thing I care about, will this be enough to push Rizzo, Munch, Reghi, and Roda off the air permanently in the Cleveland market?

 

[almaniac27]

The main thing I care about, will this be enough to push Rizzo, Munch, Reghi, and Roda off the air permanently in the Cleveland market?

I couldn't care less what happens to those clowns now that there will be a viable alternative. It never made sense to me how a big sports town like Cleveland could have such an amateurish sports station with no competition for so long.

 

[HHH]

How can any format be "a hit" if half the market can't really hear it? It would seem, that'd be a "test" with one hand tied behind it's back, so to speak. Illogical. Too much ratings success history in other markets to need a "test" first before changing to a better frequency. Cleveland/NE Ohio is one of the sports hotbeds of the country. A good-signal sportstalk is a no-brainer.

Testing sportstalk on a bad-frequency makes no sense to me.

If 92.3 is truly a test station, they will look at the response from the zip codes in the coverage area to help make a judgment.

I can understand that moving Classic Rock to 92.3 right away would be risky to a profitable station (WNCX) if all-sports on 98.5 flops. But it is not impossible that they would do it right away and hope for the best.

I am in downtown Cleveland a lot and 92.3 comes in just fine in the city, and when I drive out to Elyria. I still think that it reaches enough of the 5-county to be a "good enough" signal.....certainly after dark (remember it gets dark at 4:30--drive time--in the winter) they blow 850 AM away. Not to mention all that static and buzz on ANY AM station these days when you go near power lines, neon lights, under bridges, etc. And a previous post is correct: Rover and Opie and Anthony got some pretty good numbers on that frequency.

 

[Rusty Muck]

OK...here's where we stand with 92.3 The Fan based on what has been made public, along with some educated guesses:

6 - 10 a.m. - Kiley and Booms
10 a.m. - 2 p.m. - Local host(s) TBD
2 - 7 p.m. - Adam the Bull with Local cohost TBD
7 - 10 p.m. - Local host(s) TBD
10 p.m. - 1 a.m. - Tony Bruno (FSR)
1 - 6 a.m. - J.T. The Brick (FSR)

I actually thought of something.

Conventional wisdom says that CBS wouldn't even consider any current talent at WKNR. That makes sense and could very well be the case. But thinking about the possibility that if anyone could be had, let's consider one of the few dynamic (and controversial) personalities that WKNR has: LeCharles Bentley.

Even while he has a good position with "Xs and Os," and has exposure on the OSU pre/post coverage, it is possible that he might want to advance to a bigger position? Currently, he can't ascend to afternoon or mid-mornings on WKNR, for obvious reasons.

Is it far-fetched to consider pairing LeCharles with Adam the Bull? That would accomplish multiple things:

1) It fits CBS' template of pairing a professional host with a hometown athlete - and a name figure at that.
2) For those who are critical of LeCharles, likely pairing him with a solid pro like Adam can help improve his on-air delivery and rapport.
3) LeCharles is still a hometown hero and a popular figure; who better to help introduce a newcomer like Adam to the Northeast Ohio region?
4) It literally poaches the biggest up-and-coming talent WKNR has.

That being said, the rest of my potential lineup still holds water, although for grins and giggles, let's steal away Andre Knott from WTAM and pair him with D-Man (having a duo or trio is optional IMO), and then scoot Ken over to late evenings.

The intent of the midday show should be easygoing enough to provide a sensible contrast to mornings with K&B and afternoons with (Bentley &) The Bull... while being smart enough to steal away tRBS' entire listener base quickly and profoundly.

So, let's tinker with my prospective lineup, shall we?

6am-10am: Kiley and Booms
10am-2pm: 'Dre and D-Man
2pm-7pm: Bentley and The Bull
7pm-10pm: Ken Carmen
10pm-6am: FSR or Y!SR

Again, it's an experimental lineup. Best used for entertainment purposes only, your mileage may vary, yadda yadda yadda.

 

[FM 100 Means Music]

I actually thought of something.

Conventional wisdom says that CBS wouldn't even consider any current talent at WKNR. That makes sense and could very well be the case. But thinking about the possibility that if anyone could be had, let's consider one of the few dynamic (and controversial) personalities that WKNR has: LeCharles Bentley.

[/quote]

Hate to tell you this but Xs and Os is a brokered show. Je'rod Cherry's "people" handle sales and they keep the ad revenue in exchange for a flat fee to WKNR. (note the giant Coors logo on their page)

Besides, Bentley is still pretty hated by Browns fans for taking so much of the team's money without playing a snap for them. Not that it was his fault, but still....