EEI to FM scenario back in play?

[thetheo]

Condescending Know-It-All is Felger, not Holley.

 

[Blackroc]

I thought it was odd when eei-am picked up ESPN overnight, eei-fm didn't. They stayed with Fox and JT.
If 103.7 had, they would have blown away the low-powered Prov. station and probably hurt N.Bedford too.
You would think ESPN would have an opt-out with WLKW.

 

[ArtSpooner]

Condescending Know-It-All is Felger, not Holley.

We definitely agree on Felger. He's much worse than Holley and he knows a lot less.

 

[fmradio1]

I thought it was odd when eei-am picked up ESPN overnight, eei-fm didn't. They stayed with Fox and JT.
If 103.7 had, they would have blown away the low-powered Prov. station and probably hurt N.Bedford too.
You would think ESPN would have an opt-out with WLKW.

Citadel Media (through the former ABC Radio Network) distributes ESPN Radio. Citadel owns stations in Providence, so presumably they have first crack at the affiliation. The fact that Citadel has domain names out for ESPN affiliates on 99.7 (Providence) and 100.1 (Worcester) is no accident. My guess is that this has all been in the works for quite some time; probably before the ESPN affiliation was pulled from WAMG/WLLH.

WEEI will move to FM. They know they must if they want to compete long term with the Sports Hub. They will eventually go to 93.7 probably after the first of the year. Most people think Mike FM will be sacrificed but I don't. WAAF will probably be replaced with Mike's format, and Hillman moves down the hall to do mornings on WRKO.

Sometime after that ESPN Radio will be on 850. When that happens, Citadel will flip the Worcester & Providence FM's to ESPN Radio as well. If Mike does indeed move to 107.3/99.7, it makes the Pike in Worcester expendable, and a perfect candidate to go ESPN.

The Worldwide Leader wants to extend their brand. They're no longer are interested in having some pea-shooter AM signal clear their spots that no one can hear. They have their Boston website to promote. They're cross-promoting ESPN Radio talent to TV and the web. This all seems too orchestrated to be a coincidence. My guess is that Entercom and ESPN (through Citadel) have been setting this up for awhile. I would be surprised if it doesn't go down this way.

 

[raccoonradio]

Would agree esp about the Citadel/ESPN connection (guess the Mouse is a major creditor in Citadel's
filing)
Would it be
93.7 WEEI, 97.7 Mike, 107.3 WAAF? or even Mike on both 97.7 and 107.3? Mike is low cost, gets ratings, etc.
but I'd have to think 93.7 gives them good coverage (97.7 not bad either) for WEEI

Is Finneran's contract up in Feb.? Or, Hillman and The Speakah? Hmm

 

[raccoonradio]

>>The fact that Citadel has domain names out for ESPN affiliates on 99.7 (Providence) and 100.1 (Worcester) is no accident.

You'll get a blank page on each but you sure won't get an error message, and a WHOIS says these were registered by Citadel. Could be something to throw off people but who knows

http://espnradio1001.com

http://espnradio997.com

WHOIS search via namesecure.com:

>>Registrant:
>>Citadel Communications
>>Created on..............: Mon, Dec 07, 2009
>>Expires on..............: Wed, Dec 07, 2011

 

[BRNout]

Would agree esp about the Citadel/ESPN connection (guess the Mouse is a major creditor in Citadel's
filing)
Would it be
93.7 WEEI, 97.7 Mike, 107.3 WAAF? or even Mike on both 97.7 and 107.3? Mike is low cost, gets ratings, etc.
but I'd have to think 93.7 gives them good coverage (97.7 not bad either) for WEEI

Is Finneran's contract up in Feb.? Or, Hillman and The Speakah? Hmm

93.7 is a better bet for WEEI because it has a great signal in most of the market except for the south shore, near the RI border (both areas served by 103.7) and right downtown. Had the plug not been pulled on WBCN, then WAAF would have been more expendable. However, now that they have the active rock market to themselves it would be foolhardy to flip them. Mike IS cheap and could be placed on 97.7; but would you still program Mike for such a limited reception signal?

Thing is, the WEEI franchise is so valuable to Entercom that it's worth bouncing Mike to get it on FM. So, my guess would be:

93.7 WEEI-FM (under different calls at first);
97.7 either WEEI-FM (solely for downtown coverage) or it stays WAAF; and,
107.3 WAAF

The only rub here is that any such arrangement leaves Entercom without much to attract women in the 25-54 demo. That must be giving them some pause at the moment and they're probably wishing that they could have bought 99.5 when it was briefly up for grabs. Another option that they must be considering is an LMA. But with whom? Not much out there.....

 

[Rick]

93.7 WEEI-FM (under different calls at first);

It might not be different calls first. Since WEEI is on AM, they don't have to risk losing the call sign. They would simply apply to change 103.7 to something else (my guess would be either WERI or WVEI-FM) and then 93.7 directly to WEEI-FM.

 

[necrat123]

It might not be different calls first. Since WEEI is on AM, they don't have to risk losing the call sign. They would simply apply to change 103.7 to something else (my guess would be either WERI or WVEI-FM) and then 93.7 directly to WEEI-FM.

WVEI-FM is being used by their outlet in "Easthampton" err Springfield on 105.5

 

[mgpt6]

If not for Howie's contract , MIke AM and FM 680 AM and 97.7 FM.

 

[Blackroc]

99.7 going to ESPN and competing against 'EEI-fm 103.7, would be death in the ratings.
I would assume they would have no local programming (like 890 used to have with Felger), as is the case currently with the low-powered Prov Am, that's got ESPN now.
I don't think there's any sports talk in Prov but that's probably a good thing.

 

[raccoonradio]

Mike's music on AM? Maybe years ago but these days I can't picture it (AM _and_ FM maybe but
def. not on AM only)
I was thinking "ESPN 680/ WEEI 850 AND 93.7" but what to do with Howie, Finneran, Rush?

>>I don't think there's any sports talk in Prov

There's the weak ESPN stations now and of course 103.7/WEEI

Very much agree with BRNout's opinions; as for 97.7 it's not all that bad but I'd rather have WEEI
(incl Sox) on 93.7. Of course as I've said many times before, where I work it's 1 town away
from the 93.7 stick!

 

[DJbobo]

Mike's music on AM? Maybe years ago but these days I can't picture it (AM _and_ FM maybe but
def. not on AM only)
I was thinking "ESPN 680/ WEEI 850 AND 93.7" but what to do with Howie, Finneran, Rush?

>>I don't think there's any sports talk in Prov

There's the weak ESPN stations now and of course 103.7/WEEI

Very much agree with BRNout's opinions; as for 97.7 it's not all that bad but I'd rather have WEEI
(incl Sox) on 93.7. Of course as I've said many times before, where I work it's 1 town away
from the 93.7 stick!

98.5 has a pretty good reception in the Providence area.

 

[rapking]

Hear a scenario

WEEI move to 107.3/97.7
WAAF move to 93.7 . Hillman morning crew stay on and rest of WAAF on air staff is gone( AKA MIKE Rock FM like 92.9 ).
ESPN 850 and 1440 ( or 1440 on sale )
I dont like it ( lost jobs ) but I can see it coming .

 

[raccoonradio]

I still think and hope WEEI goes to 93.7 so I can have excellent recep of Sox at work

 

[jlehmann]

If WEEI goes to FM, I think they would probably just put it on 97.7, and also keep it on 850. That way they can be on FM, but still not loose the coverage that 850 provides. No matter what some people say on here, 850 does get up into southern/central NH just fine during the day, and as long as you have a decent radio in the car, it's better than 98.5 in some areas as you go farther north.

If they do this, maybe they would move 107.3 back to Paxton to fill in some of the holes that 97.7 would leave. And by doing this, they wouldn't have to get rid of Mike FM, which I'm sure is bringing in money.

 

[rapking]

If WEEI goes to FM, I think they would probably just put it on 97.7, and also keep it on 850. That way they can be on FM, but still not loose the coverage that 850 provides. No matter what some people say on here, 850 does get up into southern/central NH just fine during the day, and as long as you have a decent radio in the car, it's better than 98.5 in some areas as you go farther north.

If they do this, maybe they would move 107.3 back to Paxton to fill in some of the holes that 97.7 would leave. And by doing this, they wouldn't have to get rid of Mike FM, which I'm sure is bringing in money.

Entercom should had never move 107.3 from Paxton ( Entercom's stupid move ).

 

[ned]

It's official...WEEI will go to 93.7 FM on 1/10/10

 

[Don Juan]

It's official...WEEI will go to 93.7 FM on 1/10/10

Says who? Can you provide a link?

 

[jlehmann]

It's official...WEEI will go to 93.7 FM on 1/10/10

I really hope this is not true. If it is, it will mark the end of any kind of variety of 80s and 90s music on Boston radio, plus a lot of 70s stuff that WODS and WROR doesn't play. Plus it will mean the end of 850 as a valuable signal.