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Red Sox Radio Rights

T

TJMPRO

Saw this on http://www.allaccess.com today.

Direct Link: http://www.boston.com/business/articles/2006/04/13/red_sox_radio_deal_likely_to_top_12m/?page=2

The BOSTON GLOBE is speculating that the BOSTON RED SOX radio rights deal could push the team's yearly rights take over $12 million a year at a time when other teams are encountering stiff resistance from radio and facing decreasing rights fees.

Incumbent flagship WEEI-A/BOSTON is battling to keep the SOX rights against a proposed deal that would have the team buy a piece of a GREATER MEDIA FM station, likely WBOS/BOSTON, and the GLOBE says that the next deal could approach the $13 million paid by CLEAR CHANNEL for ATLANTA BRAVES rights and could exceed the NEW YORK YANKEES' $10 million deal with WCBS-A/NEW YORK (although that deal will expire at the end of the year).

The paper notes that the CHICAGO WHITE SOX' new deal with WSCR-A/CHICAGO is for less than its previous deal with crosstown WMVP-A and that the ST. LOUIS CARDINALS bought an interest in KTRS-A/ST. LOUIS only after longtime home KMOX-A sought to lower the fees it was paying to the team. The article also says that CBS RADIO put in lower bids for the SOX on behalf of WBZ-A and WBCN, and references the controversy over MAJOR LEAGUE BASEBALL's deal to put games on XM SATELLITE RADIO in competition with local broadcasts.
 
> Saw this on http://www.allaccess.com today.
>
> Direct Link:
http://www.boston.com/business/arti> cles/2006/04/13/red_sox_radio_deal_likely_to_top_12m/?page=2
>
>
> The BOSTON GLOBE is speculating that the BOSTON RED SOX
> radio rights deal could push the team's yearly rights take
> over $12 million a year at a time when other teams are
> encountering stiff resistance from radio and facing
> decreasing rights fees.
>
> Incumbent flagship WEEI-A/BOSTON is battling to keep the SOX
> rights against a proposed deal that would have the team buy
> a piece of a GREATER MEDIA FM station, likely WBOS/BOSTON,
> and the GLOBE says that the next deal could approach the $13
> million paid by CLEAR CHANNEL for ATLANTA BRAVES rights and
> could exceed the NEW YORK YANKEES' $10 million deal with
> WCBS-A/NEW YORK (although that deal will expire at the end
> of the year).
>
> The paper notes that the CHICAGO WHITE SOX' new deal with
> WSCR-A/CHICAGO is for less than its previous deal with
> crosstown WMVP-A and that the ST. LOUIS CARDINALS bought an
> interest in KTRS-A/ST. LOUIS only after longtime home KMOX-A
> sought to lower the fees it was paying to the team. The
> article also says that CBS RADIO put in lower bids for the
> SOX on behalf of WBZ-A and WBCN, and references the
> controversy over MAJOR LEAGUE BASEBALL's deal to put games
> on XM SATELLITE RADIO in competition with local broadcasts.
<font color=green> So EEI billed about 45mil last year and a rights fee of 12mil, would be 26% of gross revenue. Yeah,they can handle that for rights to a wagon like the Sox.</font>
 
How does XM figure into this? I live and work in central Connecticut. The New York Yankees telecast from WCBS-AM 880 of New York was still aired on channel 176 as usual without the local advertising (on the XM display we have set up at work in Newingon, CT). It sounds like they only take the home team's feed as the only Yankees vs Angels coverage the other day was from the Anaheim (I won't call them Los Angeles) Angels station.

Yes, Red Sox fans (ewwwww!)...XM was carrying the WEEI-AM feed the last few days with your two announcers, who do a quality job. I'm not gonna slight them.<P ID="signature">______________
The 2006 New York Yankees...on to title #27!</P>
 
Possibilities:

--Red Sox get part of WBOS. Current format, or sports talk? Maybe they can
lure ESPN away from 890/1400? As they're just down the street from El Globo
(Our Parent Company Owns 17 Per Cent Of The team), expect the Dan
Shaughnessy Show...

--As hinted in article, Entercom offers to put Sox on 680--better signal?
This may sound like a longshot, but picture a swap where you'd have
Dennis and Callahan, Dale & Holley, Big Show, Planet Mikey, Red Sox,
and Fox Sports on WEEI _AM 680_ while WRKO _AM 850_ offers S.A.M.,
DePetro, Rush, Howie, Celtics, Savage et al. Again just a wacko theory.
Swaps have happened before (smooth jazz 99.5 to 96.9, though it eventually
became talk; country 96.9 to 99.5...)

--As article said, CBS tried to land Sox for WBZ or WBCN but offer was
too low. Could a deal still work out? Heck, I thought Severin was
headed to WBZ for sure...so you never know!
 
> --As hinted in article, Entercom offers to put Sox on
> 680--better signal?

WRKO DOES have a better signal than WEEI, especially on Cape Cod and in New Hampshire. But neither 680 nor 850 does very well (or even adequately) in MetroWest at night and WVEI doesn't really get into Natick or Framingham after sunset. However, WVEI may do OK at night in Marlborough and points west of there (including, of course, Worcester). So what Entercom needs to do is buy time on WBIX for the Sox night games. WBIX covers Natick, Framingham, Wellesley, Wayland, Weston, and even Needham pretty well at night, but does not cover Marlborough at night. I'm sure there would be interesting negotiations between Ms Kahn and Mr Langer over what Entercom would have to pay for the time on WBIX. Even so, the sum, which would be a small part of cost of the whole Sox deal, would constitute a major part of WBIX's revenue. Also, it would get WBIX some badly needed publicity--at least in MetroWest, where it is licensed.
 
> > --As hinted in article, Entercom offers to put Sox on
> > 680--better signal?
>
> WRKO DOES have a better signal than WEEI, especially on Cape
> Cod and in New Hampshire. But neither 680 nor 850 does very
> well (or even adequately) in MetroWest at night and WVEI
> doesn't really get into Natick or Framingham after sunset.

However, WEEI-FM from Rhode Island comes in fairly well in MetroWest on a quality FM tuner.
 
> However, WEEI-FM from Rhode Island comes in fairly well in
> MetroWest on a quality FM tuner.

Ah, yes.

The turkeys -- without the Eagles;
The baloney -- without Joni;
The flack -- without Roberta.

How the times have changed!
 
> > However, WEEI-FM from Rhode Island comes in fairly well in
> > MetroWest on a quality FM tuner.
>
> Ah, yes.
>
> The turkeys -- without the Eagles;
> The baloney -- without Joni;
> The flack -- without Roberta.
>
> How the times have changed!

Bring back Dick Provo!
 
> > --As hinted in article, Entercom offers to put Sox on
> > 680--better signal?
>
> WRKO DOES have a better signal than WEEI, especially on Cape
> Cod and in New Hampshire. But neither 680 nor 850 does very
> well (or even adequately) in MetroWest at night and WVEI
> doesn't really get into Natick or Framingham after sunset.

WEEI nighttime coverage map:
http://radio-locator.com/cgi-bin/pat?call=WEEI&service=AM&status=L&hours=N

WRKO:
http://radio-locator.com/cgi-bin/pat?call=WRKO&service=AM&status=L&hours=N

Again, problems to the west due to having to protect various signals on 680
and 850. I worked at a post office in Woburn till 1990, and WRKO used to
have the Sox rights. It was easy to pick them up; you could see the 'RKO
sticks from the P.O. parking lot. Then my job shifted to N. Reading; WRKO
still an easy get, WEEI more difficult (if anything, interference from
machinery has made WEEI tougher to pick up, at least in most parts of
our building. We can pick up WBOQ in the parking lot or the lunch room but
not inside (for Sox games)<P ID="signature">______________
raccoonradio5ap.gif
</P>
 
Could the Sox buy a station outright??

Could the Sox possibly buy a share of WEEI-850 and it's growing network of satellite stations throughout southern New England??

To me, one thing seems certain: CBS Radio (WBZ-1030/WBCN-104.1; were they to have simulcast games??) is probably out of the running. I don't think they would dare bid the $12 million a year or more that is rumored to be the team's asking price.
 
> WEEI nighttime coverage map:
http://radio-l> ocator.com/cgi-bin/pat?call=WEEI&service=AM&status=L&hours=N
>
> WRKO:
http://radio-l> ocator.com/cgi-bin/pat?call=WRKO&service=AM&status=L&hours=N
>
> Again, problems to the west due to having to protect various
> signals on 680
> and 850. I worked at a post office in Woburn till 1990, and
> WRKO used to
> have the Sox rights. It was easy to pick them up; you could
> see the 'RKO
> sticks from the P.O. parking lot. Then my job shifted to N.
> Reading; WRKO
> still an easy get, WEEI more difficult (if anything,
> interference from
> machinery has made WEEI tougher to pick up, at least in most
> parts of
> our building. We can pick up WBOQ in the parking lot or the
> lunch room but
> not inside (for Sox games)


It is to bad WEEI 850 can't have a strong nighttime single like WFAN 660 and WCBS 880 in NYC. Isn't this because of KOA 850 in Denver? I don't think the 850 in Connecticut or Montreal hurts WEEI at night. CT's 850 is only daytime and Montreal's 850 is both day and night. Maybe CBS and Entercom can switch WBZ to 850 and WEEI to 1030.
Sports Radio 1030 WEEI
WBZ News Radio 850
<a target="_blank" href=http://radio-locator.com/cgi-bin/finder?call=&band=Both&freq=850&freq_exact=Yes&city=&state=&country=&format=&owner_search=starts&owner=&scope=&count=20&is_lic=Y&is_cp=Y&is_unl=Y&is_ful=Y&is_lp=Y&sort=Call&sr=1&sid=>List of 850's Around America</a>
 
> It is to bad WEEI 850 can't have a strong nighttime single
> like WFAN 660 and WCBS 880 in NYC. Isn't this because of KOA
> 850 in Denver?

That was the original reason, and for the most part it still is. They were there first.
 
Yes, among other stations (there's one in western PA too I think,
also Montreal). Once not long ago I heard KOA fairly clearly when
WEEI was off due to a tech. tune up of some sort (about 3 am)

> It is to bad WEEI 850 can't have a strong nighttime single
> like WFAN 660 and WCBS 880 in NYC. Isn't this because of KOA
> 850 in Denver? I don't think the 850 in Connecticut or
> Montreal hurts WEEI at night.

Though a few years ago people would complain about hearing stuff in
French just west of Boston...

For Red Sox fans, 1080 WTIC reaches pretty far--I was able to hear
the Sox while in Ohio...

CT's 850 is only daytime and
> Montreal's 850 is both day and night. Maybe CBS and Entercom
> can switch WBZ to 850 and WEEI to 1030.

I don't think that would EVER happen--WBZ's flamethrower signal
to 850? That would be the most lopsided "trade" in history! Unless
CBS and Entercom were to merge some how...

> Sports Radio 1030 WEEI
> WBZ News Radio 850
> List of 850's Around America
 
NY Times Co.

> Could the Sox buy a station outright??
>
> Could the Sox possibly buy a share of WEEI-850 and it's
> growing network of satellite stations throughout southern
> New England??

If the Red Sox couldn't the NY Times Co. could. They own a number of radio and TV stations.

> To me, one thing seems certain: CBS Radio
> (WBZ-1030/WBCN-104.1; were they to have simulcast games??)
> is probably out of the running. I don't think they would
> dare bid the $12 million a year or more that is rumored to
> be the team's asking price.

There are too many games for it to be on BCN.
 
> Yes, among other stations (there's one in western PA too I
> think,
> also Montreal). Once not long ago I heard KOA fairly clearly
> when
> WEEI was off due to a tech. tune up of some sort (about 3
> am)

Yes. The old WHDH (AM) 850 (now WEEI) was, I believe, the second AM to operate at night on 850. KOA was the first. 850 (830 pre-NARBA) was once a Class IA clear channel, meaning that KOA was the only station on the channel. 680 was also a IA Clear Channel. KPO San Francisco (now KNBR) was the sole occupant, but WLAW (Lawrence, the first predecessor of WRKO), was, I believe, the third station to operate at night on that frequency. The second was WPTF, Raleigh NC.

The Montreal station on 850 is currently dark. It was a relatively latecomer on the frequency, going on the air sometime in the'50s after WXKW Albany NY went dark in 1952. The WXKW story is long and fascinating but it's for another time on a different board because, except for protecting WHDH, WXKW was not really part of Boston radio history.

What was the Montreal 850 is now CINF 690, having moved to the better frequency when the CBC took the old CBF 690 dark a few years ago. WHDH/WEEI did not really protect Montreal because WHDH was the older station. Instead, Montreal (the station was licensed to a suburb--Verdun, I believe) took advantage of WHDH's pattern which protects to the west, especially at night. Although Montreal is a lot further north than west of Boston, WHDH's pattern provided decent protection. Even though the Montreal 850 no longer exists, the allocation remains for international purposes, and though the likelihood of its being reused by Canada is small, it must be protected. In fact, the FCC's so-called "ratchet rule" requires that interference be reduced if any US station on 850 changes its operation. If, for example, Entercom were to decide to diplex WEEI with WRKO (a very good idea that was actively considered at one point by American Radio Systems, a former owner of WRKO and WEEI), the relocated WEEI would have to take quite a signal hit to the northwest at night to protect a station that no longer exists and in all likelihood never again will. I've been told by a radio engineer high up in a major radio company that the resulting loss of coverage that WEEI would suffer must have been the reason that ARS dropped the plan and that if his company owned WRKO and WEEI, he would not consider moving either station to the other's site for just this reason.
 
Re: NY Times Co.

> There are too many games for it to be on BCN.

Possibly one of the dumbest things ever stated on this board!

Lets see...shall we stick with programming that is less than successful or shall we put on a ratings grabber with the Sox for six months out of the year?

Yeah, you're right, lets stick with the music format that is continuing the station's downward spiral because there's just too many Sox games.
 
Re: NY Times Co.

> > Could the Sox buy a station outright??
> >
> > Could the Sox possibly buy a share of WEEI-850 and it's
> > growing network of satellite stations throughout southern
> > New England??
>
> If the Red Sox couldn't the NY Times Co. could. They own a
> number of radio and TV stations.

I don't see the connection between the NY Times and WEEI. Last time I checked, WEEI wasn't for sale. Perhaps NY Times could buy the CRB signal but I don't see that happening either, because what would they do it the rest of the year? There's already too many sports stations in Boston.
>
> > To me, one thing seems certain: CBS Radio
> > (WBZ-1030/WBCN-104.1; were they to have simulcast games??)
>
> > is probably out of the running. I don't think they would
> > dare bid the $12 million a year or more that is rumored to
>
> > be the team's asking price.
>
> There are too many games for it to be on BCN.
Did you miss that he also mentioned WBZ? Why can't the Sox be WBZ?

>
 
Here is a good one. Entercom should try and get the 850 out in Denver from Clear Channel. Lets see how much that station would be worth. Entercom could maybe trade two of its FM stations in other markets with maybe 93.7 Mike FM being one of them. Then Entercom could lower the power on 850 Denver and fix the single on WEEI 850. Just a idea.
 
Not sure if that will happen but I will say that one night WEEI was off air doing maintenance and Iwas picking up KOA in Beverly (3 am)!
 
The Herald's Inside Track (yeah, not sure how accurate this is,but who knows?) says WEEI could still be in play.http://thetrack.bostonherald.com/moreTrack/view.bg?articleid =137866"Word is, Henry has met with Entercom cheese David Fields and ’EEI has sweetened its offer to the Sox..."Fields reportedly is not eager to be the guy who lost the Red Sox - and the millions in advertising dollars the games bring in."He's also concerned that GM could launch an FM sports talk stationthat would pose a serious challenge to 'EEI.
 
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