Globe: Bruins radio home uncertain

[raccoonradio]

WBZ let expire its right to be the exclusive suitor for Bruins radio rights last month
according to the Globe. They could still wind up on WBZ, or perhaps elsewhere. Another
possibility is the idea of simply simulcasting NESN's audio feed on the Bruins Radio
Network, no matter whom the flagship station winds up being.

Charlie Jacobs of the Bruins would like to stick with 1030. CBS hasn't decided whether or
not to renew

>>Peter Casey, WBZ radio's director of news and programming, confirmed that the window of exclusivity expired last month, but noted the sides could continue to talk.

http://www.boston.com/sports/hockey/bruins/articles/2009/02/11/radio_plans_are_uncertain

 

[BRNout]

Personally, I wonder how much benefit there is from CBS' end to hang on to the Bruins. WBZ is one of the few AM stations in the country that actually enjoys good evening ratings - without hockey. In other words, why pay for the rights to the Bruins when they really don't do anything for your ratings? If anything, the presence of a game causes many regular listeners to tune out. Where is the benefit for the station in this case? WBZ does just fine without an association with the Bruins.

While I am sure that the Bruins would love to stay on powerhouse WBZ, somehow I doubt that it's a 2-way street. By the way, my comment is not meant to be a knock on the Bruins (who are doing GREAT this season!); rather, it is a compliment for WBZ and the strength of their regular programming.

The Bruins would be a better fit with Entercom and WEEI.

 

[Blackroc]

Bruins were supposedly the top billing radio broadcast in the NHL. How much BZ brings in relative to the rights fee I don't know but if they are giving up the games it must not be that much.
The station has a 30y --off and on-- history with the B's while having evening talk. I doubt they are just concluding now, that this combination is not a good thing.

 

[SonicOverload]

it'd be interesting if Entercom picked them up and, in the spring, if there were three games on simultaneously--Sox, Bruins and Celtics. Musical chairs!

 

[DanStrassberg]

it'd be interesting if Entercom picked them up and, in the spring, if there were three games on simultaneously--Sox, Bruins and Celtics. Musical chairs!

Since you can't count WVEI (AM) because you can't hear it in Boston, or even hear it very well in Framingham, you have to wonder which of its FMs Entercom would use in that situation--WMKK or WAAF/WKAF. My guess is WMKK, though there is always a chance that they'd go outside of the company and lease time on WWZN to avoid breaking format on a music station and thereby losing revenue.

 

[thetheo]

it'd be interesting if Entercom picked them up and, in the spring, if there were three games on simultaneously--Sox, Bruins and Celtics. Musical chairs!

Since you can't count WVEI (AM) because you can't hear it in Boston, or even hear it very well in Framingham, you have to wonder which of its FMs Entercom would use in that situation--WMKK or WAAF/WKAF. My guess is WMKK, though there is always a chance that they'd go outside of the company and lease time on WWZN to avoid breaking format on a music station and thereby losing revenue.

They've had 3 live games at once more than once. When it's something like the Revs they tape-delay it, when it's BC Basketball or Football they toss the 3rd one on 1510 (in some kind of time-by like you speak of). So yeah, if they had 3 major sports I'm sure they'd toss one on 1510 or something to the like. Maybe they'd take the B's, put the live games on AAF, but all the pre-post game stuff on WEEI.

 

[aaronread]

My guess is WMKK, though there is always a chance that they'd go outside of the company and lease time on WWZN to avoid breaking format on a music station and thereby losing revenue.

My impression has been that WMKK's profitably mostly comes from its extremely low cost of operation; their tower isn't in a high-demand site, there's almost literally no human staff, etc. So adding a potentially high-value program like Bruins games probably would result in a net increase in revenue.

Of course, that's an assumption based on an impression...both of which could be wildly wrong.

 

[wickedwritah]

When it's something like the Revs they tape-delay it, when it's BC Basketball or Football they toss the 3rd one on 1510 (in some kind of time-by like you speak of).

I can't remember them using 1510 as an overflow station, unless that is a very recent development.

 

[thetheo]

When it's something like the Revs they tape-delay it, when it's BC Basketball or Football they toss the 3rd one on 1510 (in some kind of time-by like you speak of).

I can't remember them using 1510 as an overflow station, unless that is a very recent development.

I know I heard at once at the least, I remember cause I was instantly confused when I cycled through stations, got to 1510, and heard an EEI broadcast on it. I'm going to say it must have been some weekend in October....maybe a sox playoffs game, C's preseason game, BC Football game, or something like that. It's cloudy in my head, but I know it happened at least once.

 

[mgpt6]

In Providence area last June, Celtics playoff games were on WEEI-FM 103.7 and Red Sox baseball was on indie-rock WBRU-FM 95.5

 

[N1WVQ]

Yeah, that sucked when the Sox were on WBRU. As interesting as it was, I'd rather hear music. Why couldn't they put it on an A.M. where sports belong anyway? Ugh!