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Coming soon? Nassau's New England Radio Sports Network

raccoonradio

raccoonradio

All over the Boston media: the idea that a venture capitalist group would deal with Nassau for about 17
of its N.E. stations to set up a regional sports network (including outlets in VT,NH, ME). I had said I
thought WEEI could expand into northern New England with simulcasts of its sports talk. Well, apparently
the same basic idea could happen: a regional sports talk network stretching from the Canadian border
down to Cape Cod. Flagship would be WCRB 99.5 Lowell MA (sorry, classical fans...but something could
be worked out...)

Boston Globe
http://www.boston.com/sports/other_sports/articles/2007/08/16/dennis_callahan_may_move_to_wcrb/

Boston Sports Media Watch
http://www.bostonsportsmedia.com/shots
 
This would seem like a pretty good idea to me. Everyone involved in sports or who is a fan of sports in New England cares about the New England teams. There would be enough to talk about, for sure. You could then piggyback it to other radio stations in which aren't in competition. Then, you pull together local advertisers and some part-timers to cover all the high school games, and you have good numbers and relevant local content.
 
It could very well happen. Check out the station portfolio on Nassau's site (full of classical Bachs,
country Wolves and Froggies, rock Hawks and Franks...some of them could easily be part of this
network. Some of the AMs, too--like the one in Portland that switched from prog talk to ESPN.

>>local advertisers and some part-timers to cover all the high school games, and you have good numbers and relevant local content.

yes and some of the smaller ESPN stations like the ones in the Burlington VT area are referencing local
school sports/minor league teams on their sites and covering them either with "local sports updates"
or carriage of games.
 
I think if I was an owner/leader of multiple stations like Nassau, looking at the market as it currently is set up, looking at the stations and holdings I had, with rates plummeting, and now the slide on Wall Street ... which means numbers have to look good soon or there will be more layoffs [like there is anyone left to lay off ...], this is the way I would go. It is almost guaranteed listeners and revenue.

Music radio is dying, generally. Even the older generation creates an instant DJ with the things you want to hear via an mp3 player or an Internet radio station via work broadband. The playlists are stagnant, stifled, and boring. The DJs aren't live, for the most part, and everyone knows it. FM talk is popular but rightwing talk nutjobs are boring, contrived, and, frankly, wrong on 60 percent of the issues and have gone off the reservation. People want to listen to things they can support and complain about and that is why sports works. Sports also holds the young male demos, from 12-plus to 60-plus.

There are still music lovers who listen to radio. But, they will still have many choices within the network of stations. Actually, this move will lessen competition between music stations owned by Nassau, which should be good for the bottom line.

With so many small mom and pops struggling to get by, a New England sports network would work because there is interest in that kind of talk format, especially in non-compete locations. Think of all the regional advertisers you could get on the air with such a marketing tool, combined with Web and some local spots, and poof, you have a gold mine ... it would seem.

raccoonradio said:
It could very well happen. Check out the station portfolio on Nassau's site (full of classical Bachs,
country Wolves and Froggies, rock Hawks and Franks...some of them could easily be part of this
network. Some of the AMs, too--like the one in Portland that switched from prog talk to ESPN.

>>local advertisers and some part-timers to cover all the high school games, and you have good numbers and relevant local content.

yes and some of the smaller ESPN stations like the ones in the Burlington VT area are referencing local
school sports/minor league teams on their sites and covering them either with "local sports updates"
or carriage of games.
Click to expand...
 
I hope they get an exclusive on the Red Sox. Get them off talk radio stations! As a talk radio listener, any sports is an immediate turnoff. :eek:
 
And now (see Boston board, etc.) it looks like the regional sports network that could challenge
Entercom & WEEI will be...

Entercom...?

>>Terms of the deal between Entercom and Nassau were not disclosed. It will add WEEI programming to markets in Portland, Maine; Cape Cod; Lebanon, N.H.; Concord, N.H.; and Montpelier, Vt., among others.

Something I'd suggested awhile back...adding WEEI shows up north. Will keep WCRB classical I guess..,
 
Yeah, I have to agree. As a fan of talk radio in Concord, there really are few choices: NHPR and WTPL, pretty much, and 'TPL does a ton of sports. WGIR comes in scratching in the house - OK outside - but, again, a lot of sports. Thankfully, on my commute, I can listen to WBZ for news and WRKO and WGIR for talk, when I'm not listening to CDs. Although, the limits to the subject matter in talk radio right now is pretty limited, and, frankly, awful.

FTL_Ian said:
I hope they get an exclusive on the Red Sox. Get them off talk radio stations! As a talk radio listener, any sports is an immediate turnoff. :eek:
Click to expand...
 
Talk PDs figure people pretty much stop listening to talk after pm drive so they just turn to sports play by play.
But yes, sports pre-emptions are a major headache for talk fans. Look at what happened with Jay
Severin's ill-fated syndie show which was often pre-empted by ballgames (esp. in places like WPHT Philly)
 
This is a very creative move, and provides unique content for a bunch of new listeners in different markets. WEEI's on-air talent is very strong, and will be appealing to New England listeners even if they have a 'live and local' option, i.e. WJAB in Portland. I'll definitely be checking it out, esp. middays and afternoons.
 
I'm excited for the "WEEI Network" though doubtful I'll hear it over the air in my portion of "Big Ratings Company Market defined as 179" (Lebanon / Rutland / WRJ). The only major NNE city that may be missed with WEEI would be Burlington VT. It will be interesting to see how WEEI plays out in NNE, since there are lots of New York City sports fans here as well.
 
Jo Jo Kracko said:
I It will be interesting to see how WEEI plays out in NNE, since there are lots of New York City sports fans here as well.
Click to expand...

I was wondering the same thing, especially in Vt./UV which has more refugees from New York than Boston.
 
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