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Goodbye CBS Sports Radio = hello Infinity Sports

C

crainbebo

Caused by a "clause in the Entercom/CBS merger" - they were able to keep the name for several years beyond the 2020 deadline, but no more as of April 15th. No programming lineup changes will occur - just the name will change.

radioinsight.com

CBS Sports Radio To Rebrand On April 15 – RadioInsight

Audacy's "CBS Sports Radio" network will rebrand as "Infinity Sports Radio" on Monday, April 15. As first reported by Barrett Sports Media, distributor Westwood One informed stations that they must cease using the CBS Sports Radio name in any form on-air, online, social media, and in sales...
radioinsight.com radioinsight.com
 
PTBoardOp93 said:
Ten days is an awfully short notice period to affiliates to rebrand themselves.
Click to expand...
How much time does it take to record new promos, liners and top-of-the-hour IDs? Radio stations are hunkered down as advertisers continue to consolidate, go out of business or abandon the medium in favor of the internet, so it's not like the CBS Sports Radio affiliates have hundreds of billboards and print ads to rework.
 
CTListener said:
Too bad "Infinity" brings a car to mind rather than anything to do with radio. It's also close to Xfinity, Comcast's branding for its cable and internet services.
Click to expand...

The irony is they got that name from Mel Karmazin, once CEO of Infinity Broadcasting. His son Craig owns Good Karma, which runs sports talk stations that all carry the competing ESPN Radio.
 
If the rebranding was supposed to happen by 2020 Audacy obviously got an extension. I wonder if the bankruptcy filing ended whatever extension agreement there was.
 
CTListener said:
How much time does it take to record new promos, liners and top-of-the-hour IDs? Radio stations are hunkered down as advertisers continue to consolidate, go out of business or abandon the medium in favor of the internet, so it's not like the CBS Sports Radio affiliates have hundreds of billboards and print ads to rework.
Click to expand...
It's not difficult work to update the liners and promos, but you've still got to schedule someone to do it, and it has to be done this week (given that, of the 10 days notice, 4 of them are Saturdays and Sundays).

As you point out, most of the CBSSR stations aren't major market operations with dedicated production staff. They're more like computer-in-a-closet outfits whose staff are mostly dedicated to the country station across the hall.

On the other hand, I doubt Paramount Global is going to have their lawyers visiting every CBSSR station on April 16 to ensure all on-air elements, mobile apps, business cards, station vehicles, mic flags, and building signage have been updated to remove the CBS brand.
 
I also remember Audacy has to rename radio stations like KCBS, WCBS and WBBM into something else at some point due to the same reasons. This is one factor how 106.9 FM San Francisco held the KFRC call letters even though the station is branded 106.9 FM/ 740 AM KCBS Radio.
 
PTBoardOp93 said:
Ten days is an awfully short notice period to affiliates to rebrand themselves.
Click to expand...
Bankruptcy forces some contracts to be restructured. Obviously they didn't come to terms on a new agreement. Just as CBS has relaunched CBS News Radio following the sale, perhaps they have plans coming for radio similarly.

Perhaps we should've seen this coming when Jim Rome moved his video simulcast from CBS Sports Network to X/Twitter in February.
CTListener said:
Too bad "Infinity" brings a car to mind rather than anything to do with radio. It's also close to Xfinity, Comcast's branding for its cable and internet services.
Click to expand...
You obviously have zero knowledge of the Infinity Broadcasting heritage within CBS Radio and Audacy as explained in my story linked in the first post of the thread.
Larry said:
If the rebranding was supposed to happen by 2020 Audacy obviously got an extension. I wonder if the bankruptcy filing ended whatever extension agreement there was.
Click to expand...
Yup.
Y2kTheNewOldies said:
I also remember Audacy has to rename radio stations like KCBS, WCBS and WBBM into something else at some point due to the same reasons. This is one factor how 106.9 FM San Francisco held the KFRC call letters even though the station is branded 106.9 FM/ 740 AM KCBS Radio.
Click to expand...
That deal runs for 25 years from the merger, so at least as of now, Audacy has until 2042 before they lose the rights to the call letters if the call letters even are needed by then...
 
CTListener said:
How much time does it take to record new promos, liners and top-of-the-hour IDs? Radio stations are hunkered down as advertisers continue to consolidate, go out of business or abandon the medium in favor of the internet, so it's not like the CBS Sports Radio affiliates have hundreds of billboards and print ads to rework.
Click to expand...
My local station uses CBS Sports Radio nights and weekends, it'll remain The Sports Animal.
 
pjc1961 said:
This RadioInk.com story includes the new Infinity Sports Network logo:
radioink.com

To Infinity & Beyond: CBS Sports Radio Finishing Audacy Rebrand - Radio Ink

CBS Sports Radio network is rebranding to Infinity Sports Radio, from stipulations outlined in the Entercom/CBS Radio merger.
radioink.com radioink.com

View attachment 6860
Click to expand...
That infinity logo is back after fading away two decades ago. Here is the previous version of the Infinity Broadcasting logo until CBS renamed it CBS Radio around the time they split from Paramount(Then known as Viacom) two decades ago.

1000003562.jpg
 
Destroy a brand instead of licensing its use, and make money off of it? After all, any sports radio nut knows what CBS Sports Radio is. It's a brand. I thought brands were important in business.

I guess they're trying to make/re-create a new one.

Well, at least they're keeping the sports network alive. I like the hosts on CBS Sports Radio.
 
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