1200 might help ESPN in terms of getting their programming and ad buys on a fairly good signal, full time, either with CC still owning or perhaps buying it from CC. On Boston Sports Media Watch someone wondered if WTKK might try to go with ESPN--I do know their ratings aren't the best but somehow I picture Greater Media sticking with talk plus they have contracts with the likes of Imus and Severin to deal with (but who knows). ESPN would definitely want carriage of their morning show, etc. as well as play by play.
They would def. want a station to carry them 80-90 per cent of the time; some on BSMW were wondering about possibly re-aligning with WEEI which would give them a powerful station and brand name in the market but weekdays it would be only overnight, something ESPN wouldn't want.
Perhaps they could buy time from 1510 for nights, though I'm not sure if 1510 covers some area 1200 doesn't
(maybe a few) in which case you'd have Santos progtalk till 7 pm and then ESPN till morning. (A simulcast during those
hours, with 1200). Or--and I don't know if Entercom would be crazy about this--a re-affiliation with WEEI
overnights but 1200 full time, with 850 adding a fairly good signal to the mix. But I think Entercom may be happy
with Fox Sports Radio (which I believe is produced, ironically enough, by Clear Channel's sister company Premiere
Radio--which syndicates Rush, Coast to Coast, and Beck (still on weekends on WRKO?) to 680.
(Premiere and Fox Sports:
http://premiereradio.com/shows/view/Fox_Sports.html )
ESPN really wants to be on a major station in this sports-hungry market, and yes the pickings would be slim
after 850 and 98.5, but there are major ad dollars in a desirable demo.
)