Detroit's Sports Rap Radio Ceases Operations As WXYT-AM Returns To "The Bet" Programming

[Mykel the Radio Fan]

The all-African-American-hosted brand was unveiled in February and launched in June of 2024. Parker did not cite any reason behind the closure.

Sports Rap Radio Ceases Operations

After less than three months in operation, Rob Parker's Sports Rap Radio has shut down. Unveiled in February with an

radioinsight.com

 

[SomeRadioGuy]

The all-African-American-hosted brand was unveiled in February and launched in June of 2024. Parker did not cite any reason behind the closure.

Sports Rap Radio Ceases Operations

After less than three months in operation, Rob Parker's Sports Rap Radio has shut down. Unveiled in February with an

radioinsight.com

Um, he did it's right there in the article you linked to, "Parker told Barrett Media that a second round of funding fell through."

 

[Mykel the Radio Fan]

Thanks for the correction.

 

[JJSPC]

Just asking, is the site of the nine tower array worth more $$ to Audacy to sell off than the actual signal itself?

 

[Mykel the Radio Fan]

The all-African-American-hosted brand was unveiled in February and launched in June of 2024. Parker did not cite any reason behind the closure.

Sports Rap Radio Ceases Operations

After less than three months in operation, Rob Parker's Sports Rap Radio has shut down. Unveiled in February with an

radioinsight.com

Update: As SomeRadioGuy told me, Parker actually DID cite a reason; a lack of funding.

 

[101.9 La Kalle]

Looks like that's a wrap for Sports Rap.

 

[Kelly A]

If you're looking for an easy reason: It's always, without exception, involving money. Full stop.

 

[The New Chico]

Some serious underfunding there. Gotta get those ducks in a row beforehand- only lasting 10 weeks doesn't give you enough time for proof of concept I am afraid. Could have been a great idea, but we will never know. I have been involved in projects where the exciting stuff (concepts, marketing, talent) was all there, but the "boring" stuff (money, mainly) wasn't. Not a great feeling.

 

[Loverofradio]

How much money does it cost to lease an Audacy AM station in Detroit? I’d think it’d be less than what I pay for rent

 

[davideduardo]

How much money does it cost to lease an Audacy AM station in Detroit? I’d think it’d be less than what I pay for rent

For 50 kw WXYT, I'd guess in the $25, 000 a month range. Keyword: guess... and that depends on who pays things like the power bill, the property taxes, etc. If it is the licensee, the fee will be greater.

If this were a house worth $3 to $4 million, the rent would be comparable

 

[MarkW]

I live in the market. The station had an expensive staff with a weekly cume of only about 10,000, a 0.1 AQH share, and zero or almost zero paid advertising.

The signal is garbage across most of the market at night due to short tower height. The signal behaves like a shortwave station (i.e. annoying fading and surges).

The investors evidently realized quickly this was a lost cause and not worthy of a single penny of additional investment. I figured from the get go the concept would fail within six months given the very rocky launch.

 

[radiofan2023]

I never could figure out how Rob Parker could run this format, plus prep for and do his daily evening show on Fox Sports Radio, plus do his baseball podcast and whatever else he has going on.

 

[billmich]

Just asking, is the site of the nine tower array worth more $$ to Audacy to sell off than the actual signal itself?

no, the towers are located out in the sticks with little or no demand for that land

 

[Kelly A]

From what I'm hearing from folks close to the situation, the project was underfunded. They hadn't raised enough operating capital to run operations for even a full year.

 

[boombox4]

Sounds like another case of a cool radio idea (building a black sports network) that fell through.

Sports betting (the station is not 'The Bet') is a really big deal now. I hear more sports bet related spots on sports radio and talk radio stations than even last year. Obviously, there is money in it....

 

[boiseengineer]

KGA Spokane and its translator did that for a while.
Now all sports.

 

[MarkW]

Sounds like another case of a cool radio idea (building a black sports network) that fell through.

Sports betting (the station is not 'The Bet') is a really big deal now. I hear more sports bet related spots on sports radio and talk radio stations than even last year. Obviously, there is money in it....

1270 returned to its "The Bet 1270" moniker after the plug was pulled on Sports Rap Radio, which had anemic listenership, a sizable payroll, and almost zero paid advertising during its brief run.

 

[boombox4]

1270 returned to its "The Bet 1270" moniker after the plug was pulled on Sports Rap Radio, which had anemic listenership, a sizable payroll, and almost zero paid advertising during its brief run.

Understood. Sounds like a great idea with no money in it. Sad, in a way, but that's the way radio is. BIN only succeeded because IHeart is behind it all the way, and they got a lot of corporate sponsors.

 

[Jean Luc]

I weep for what Wixie has become. This is the station of The Lone Ranger, Challenge of the Yukon, The Green Hornet, Mickey Schorr, Joey Reynolds, Joel Sebastian... And now sports betting.

 

[radiofan2023]

I weep for what Wixie has become. This is the station of The Lone Ranger, Challenge of the Yukon, The Green Hornet, Mickey Schorr, Joey Reynolds, Joel Sebastian... And now sports betting.

I'm not a fan of the sports betting format on stations either, but if they played those 70+ year old Lone Ranger shows, they wouldn't have any ratings at all. Why not be glad they're still on the air, rather than complain they aren't playing shows from 70 years ago?