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ESPN OR FSR FOR NEW FM?

R

RADIO37

Guest
I have a couple of questions for folks with sports radio experience:

We will be launching a new FM in a small market with no sports radio, hence we are considering doing sports on FM. Another local group recently dropped ESPN (with a 1.5 share on a weak AM) in favor of news/talk. The coverage area has about 200,000 people.

I have spent my 10 years in the business doing Christian radio, and I am not a big sports fan, so I am a little worried about managing a sports format with limited knowledge and a very limited budget.

The owner gave me the green light to do sports (in my opinion the only format hole in the market) with the conditions that:

- I run it with no additional staff until it starts generating revenue

- No additional equipment is required to start up (we have a dish and some receivers available)

- He does not want any type of raunchy sexual ads on the network spots (the previous sports station here used to run them, but I'm not sure if they were locally inserted or if they came from the network).

So I have a few quick questions:

1. If it were up to you, would you go with ESPN or FSR? Money is tight, meaning we will not be doing anything local at first, so the network
will run 24/7.

2. Are both ESPN and FSR 100% barter?

3. What type of satellite receivers do they require?

4. Do ESPN or FSR run network ads for sexual-type products on their network time?

I will be calling both ESPN and FSR once we have a solid date to launch the station, but I figured I would start my inquiries here. Thank you so much for any
information you can provide on launching a sports format on FM.
 
I'd go with ESPN... but only because of the recent cutbacks at FSR. Mike & Mike aren't the best morning show out there, but it's their centerpiece program. The network is also live 24 hours, as opposed to Fox... which is now only live from 6a-9a and 3p-2a EST (if Patrick's show isn't included in the timeframe...)

You'd still be able to carry Rome... less so probably with Patrick, probably for obvious reasons. However, Tony Bruno is a good possibility as well.

ESPN also would give you the PBP packages as well (MLB, the NBA, some BCS games) that FSR can't offer. Plus, it can give a good branding and imaging option.
 
I second that... I only miss Jason "The Brick" from our market's day with FSR... ESPN has constantly tweeked and pruned the sports talk format... I think ESPN radio stands on its own and along side its big brother; ESPN and its other video options... Best to you! A 30 plus year vet who spent half in Christian Radio...
 
Are you trying to attract Christers, or make money as a radio station? The two are mutually exclusive almost everywhere. [EDIT] NOTE: FSR dumped a huge part of the payroll and took on Dan Patrick. Why? MONEY. ESPN is so 90's--FSR is so 2002. Why don't you start your own format for a network: ChristSportsNET. We work you hard, but don't tip.[EDIT]


[EDIT-inflammatory]
 
Sorry that someone has seen the wolf in sheep's clothing... Radio37 has a conviction to keep things within an ethical line.. The owner has that right, just as another can do as they please.. It might cost a few clients and may draw some.. As one who spent half in the normal commerical operation and half in the Christian operation, I can say you can't judge the book (station) by the cover (format).. I, too, get very down about those who sell air time to folks who proclaim all without any accountability (give me 15 bucks and I'll give you 15 minutes to say Jesus is a cow)... But, I smile at the concern this one guy has for standing up for his value and what his ownership sees as the level of ethics they wish to establish.... Production must have been around a someone who was like the warden in "The Shawshank Redemption".... I was involved with two types of ownership under that banner.. One still continues to impress me with integrity and one I still scratch my head how their 'fear upon the staff' has made them a revovling door to good talent that is now out of that format... ("Was Jesus a Liberal or a Conservative???? Answer: YES! Point: Don't put him in MAN's box of the definitions!" ... A student in our small seminary ...)... :eek:
 
I work at one of Fox Sports Radio affilates as a Producer. For me, Fox Sports Radio was maddddd cool, but now, ever since they laid off their staff, and their programming clocks, things changed.

Now, the overnight has "Best Of" talk shows.


Now, some of you might be mad, but please pardon me right quick. For me, Big Ben Maller was one of the best radio personalities, he might have sounded (joking sounding) but he was maddd cool. He was maddd nice. I had the chance to work with him when he came to our station to broadcast his show from here. He was madddd nice, he even gave me a ride home. He is one of the most nicest radio personalities.
Thank God John Frickie is still on there, him as well, he is also one of the most nicest radio personalities that remain on there. JT The Brick is also cool.


The thing I don't like, that I feel they made the biggest mistake. Right before they go into their commercials, they have a 15 second Hard Head Banging Instrumental Music on there, as well as some of the show opens. Why does everything have to have Head Banging Music on there. John Frickie show has mostly Dance, Hip Hop, and R&B music as well as some Rock music, but not as bad as the 15 second music before the commercials.
There's some Church Priest, Bus Drivers, my coworkers that do not like Heavy Hard Rock Head Banging music, trust me, not everyone like that music.


One last thing, going back to Big Ben Maller, they let him go, but they brought back Bruce Jacobs.
Of all people, why Bruce Jacobs. He SU***. He yells and rants, and yells at his callers. Sometimes it's funny, but it's not good, especially for a new listenner. They should have brought back Hacksaw Hamilton


Fox Sports Radio (is not the same as before) :(
 
The problem I have with ESPN Radio is the amount of time their usual hosts are not on their shifts. Doug Gottleib and Tirico and Van Pelt who run between noon and 6pm were both out all last week.

Other than that, the programming is pretty high quality almost any hour of the day.
 
production said:
Are you trying to attract Christers, or make money as a radio station? The two are mutually exclusive almost everywhere. [EDIT] NOTE: FSR dumped a huge part of the payroll and took on Dan Patrick. Why? MONEY. ESPN is so 90's--FSR is so 2002. Why don't you start your own format for a network: ChristSportsNET. We work you hard, but don't tip.[EDIT]


[EDIT-inflammatory]
Click to expand...

Why did you even bother to respond if you had nothing meaningful to add?
 
almaniac27 said:
This might throw a wrench into the works...
http://www.sportsbybrooks.com/espn-radio-wants-100000-from-local-affiliates-22740
Click to expand...

I could very easily see that happening. (A bit of inside baseball here) ESPN recently began running more game broadcasts on their main channel (as opposed to opting in on broadcasts, now if you carry ESPN, you have to play the NBA All Star Game, etc.) so actually asking for money could make sense because FSR and SNR just carry talk
 
Mainedude2007 said:
I could very easily see that happening. (A bit of inside baseball here) ESPN recently began running more game broadcasts on their main channel (as opposed to opting in on broadcasts, now if you carry ESPN, you have to play the NBA All Star Game, etc.) so actually asking for money could make sense because FSR and SNR just carry talk
Click to expand...
I figured this is a cost-cutting move. There's no need to have two sets of people (one for a talk show, one for play by play) if you can force the All Star Game on all affiliates. But perhaps that's not what you meant by inside baseball. :D
 
SportsDotCom said:
ESPN brand is superior. You're not going to like all the hosts on any network. But, if you wantt o make money you go with ESPN.
Click to expand...

You're right, but there's quite a bit of a growing 'anti-ESPN' segment of the population out there. Well, perhaps anti-ESPN isn't the best way to describe it, but not everyone enjoys everything associated with the WWL hype machine. There's a lot of diverse opinion and commentary being enjoyed online that doesn't carry the corporate ESPN filter--you can tap into that alternative want and thrive without them, I think.
 
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