When are the Braves, Falcons or hawks contract up? Also when are GT and UGA's up? Since CBS has a "national" sports mandate, I figure that 92.9 will make a run at one or two of these.
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Too Much Sports in Atlanta?
- Thread starter Gregg
- Start date
I like 92.9 in the mornings,because of Kristen Ledlow,last year Bleacher Report duded her the next Erin Andrews.
the golden boy said:
We're not talking about a Sports station with a 2 share or a 3 share, we're talking about a 0.6 share - there is absolutely no way 92.9 is even close to "meeting revenue goals"
If they picked up the Falcons next season that might make a difference, but why would the Falcons agree to a contract with a station that is scoring a 0.6? (Unless CBS sacrifices a huge amount of money to get them on board)
A
alleo
Guest
Its this or Neal Bortz or Rush .Come on guys sports talk is got to be better
Why would the Falcons agree to a contract with a station with a low rating?
A) If you were a football team, wouldn't you rather be on a full-power FM Sports station than a so-so AM Sports station and a female-leaning FM music station (WQXI and WSTR)?
B) CBS corporate ownership.
C) Despite current poor ratings in Atlanta, Tampa and a few other cities, CBS is VERY committed (should I repeat VERY?) to having FM Sports stations in most large markets. CBS is spending a LOT of money on FM Sports stations, along with converting CBS College Sports to a general cable TV sports channel. They want to replace ESPN, or at least equal it, as the major national broadcast sports authority. Atlanta is a top 10 market and CBS is going to work on 92.9 till it is a force in the market.
It's surprising that CBS's FM Sports stations in Atlanta and Tampa are below a one. Dallas and Washington are only in the ones. Cleveland is barely in the twos. But have patience. WFAN-AM-FM NYC is one of the biggest money-making stations in the nation. WXYT-FM is sometimes #1 in Detroit. CBS is going to get the ratings up in Atlanta and other cities. And CBS will spend money to get the MLB and NFL franchises to do it.
WZGC is Atlanta's most expensive station by far, even without a major league franchise. It is live and local 24/7. It has to pay hosts, producers and sports update people all hours, day and night, as well as reporters and stringers who cover the big local teams. WSB doesn't come close since WSB runs some syndicated shows and spreads its own costs for Clark Howard and Herman Cain among other stations. CBS Corportate is committed to WZGC, despite the costs, whatever it takes.
A) If you were a football team, wouldn't you rather be on a full-power FM Sports station than a so-so AM Sports station and a female-leaning FM music station (WQXI and WSTR)?
B) CBS corporate ownership.
C) Despite current poor ratings in Atlanta, Tampa and a few other cities, CBS is VERY committed (should I repeat VERY?) to having FM Sports stations in most large markets. CBS is spending a LOT of money on FM Sports stations, along with converting CBS College Sports to a general cable TV sports channel. They want to replace ESPN, or at least equal it, as the major national broadcast sports authority. Atlanta is a top 10 market and CBS is going to work on 92.9 till it is a force in the market.
It's surprising that CBS's FM Sports stations in Atlanta and Tampa are below a one. Dallas and Washington are only in the ones. Cleveland is barely in the twos. But have patience. WFAN-AM-FM NYC is one of the biggest money-making stations in the nation. WXYT-FM is sometimes #1 in Detroit. CBS is going to get the ratings up in Atlanta and other cities. And CBS will spend money to get the MLB and NFL franchises to do it.
WZGC is Atlanta's most expensive station by far, even without a major league franchise. It is live and local 24/7. It has to pay hosts, producers and sports update people all hours, day and night, as well as reporters and stringers who cover the big local teams. WSB doesn't come close since WSB runs some syndicated shows and spreads its own costs for Clark Howard and Herman Cain among other stations. CBS Corportate is committed to WZGC, despite the costs, whatever it takes.
Gregg said:
Now I understand why CBS is doing this (RE: ESPN)
What I don't understand is this assumption that CBS can "work on 92.9 till it is a force in the market" - it's like starting up an Urban station in New Hampshire and "working on it till it is a force in the market"
It's like CBS can't even conceive of the possibility that in some areas of the country, people don't wan't to listen to FM Sports
^If it's nationally fed, and CBS Sports Radio starts creating its own national celebrities, I guess that makes sense
I think John Fricke is the best host on 92-9 the Game, and they have him stuck on weekends. I'd like to hear him in afternoon drive. Archer & Bell are just so entertaining and relaxing, and Chuck & Chernoff are good, also.
I also feel The Game should pair Mitch Evans with Jason Goff in evenings.
Personally, I like Jerome & Jamie. No, they're not funny, but I find them knowledgeable and intelligent.
I also feel The Game should pair Mitch Evans with Jason Goff in evenings.
Personally, I like Jerome & Jamie. No, they're not funny, but I find them knowledgeable and intelligent.
CBS will have to pry UGA from WSB's cold, dead fingers.secondchoice said:
The Braves (and to a much lesser extent the Hawks) would be interesting...since Cumulus and the Bros. Dickey are both a competitor and customer of the Big Eye.
Tech would be an easy pickup. I don't know what Tech is making on the 790 and 106.7 deal, but it can't be much since Tech was adamant to get an FM signal as part of the deal (and there you go).
One thing 92.9 could do is pick up other SEC games.
I foresee 92.9 going after Tech and the Falcons, and MAYBE the Braves.
Surely us message board folks aren't the only ones who recognize that Jason Goff & Jim Murray are the stars at the Game. They've got to get each of them in a better slot. I'd like to see Jason go solo in afternoon drive...let him play off a producer but make it clear that it's "The Jason Goff Show."
Jim & Jason are great because I think they both understand that first & foremost, it's all about being entertaining.
One of their fill-in hosts, Mark Ryan, is very good too. He reminds me of a young Cowherd. You may not always agree with him, but you don't change the station when he's talking.
And kudos to the Game management for putting together a train wreck of an afternoon show. They couldn't do worse if they didn't try. Holy smokes it's bad.
Jim & Jason are great because I think they both understand that first & foremost, it's all about being entertaining.
One of their fill-in hosts, Mark Ryan, is very good too. He reminds me of a young Cowherd. You may not always agree with him, but you don't change the station when he's talking.
And kudos to the Game management for putting together a train wreck of an afternoon show. They couldn't do worse if they didn't try. Holy smokes it's bad.
atlantaboy said:
Re-read my original post. I didn't say 92.9 were meeting their goals; I said if. I also said that sports is one of the highest-billing formats in the country, despite not-so-stellar ratings. I'm not privy to how much money 92.9 is making or losing, but the station is fairly new; thus, it may take a while to get their feet under their legs.
Re: why the Falcons would want to be on a low-rated station...it's all about who will pay top dollar. To the naked eye, the Braves going from WSB to WGST a few years ago made no sense at all, when you consider ratings & signal. IIRC, WSB was losing money with the Braves. I don't know how WGST fared or WCNN now. But the bottom line is if people want to hear the Falcons, they'll flock to whatever station airs it.
RoddyFreeman said:
So that's where he is. I've been a Fricke fan since his days of doing local radio in San Diego and later on at Fox Sports Radio.
Now here's something to consider. If 92.9 takes Tech, the Falcons, and/or the Hawks, would some of the sports AMs losing teams pick up some of the local minor league teams, like the Gwinnett Braves, the Gladiators, and/or the Silverbacks? WDUN currently carries the G-Braves and [email protected] used to carry the Silverbacks. WDUN is really butthurt since they lost UGA to Cox's FMs in the area (103.7 and 106.1, not sure why Cox needs to use both for UGA since 103.7's coverage is entirely within 106.1's coverage).
Heck, I'm still surprised CC doesn't put the Braves or 'Backs PBP en espanol on ESPN Deportes.
What about some of the local colleges getting into DI sports, like Kennesaw, Georgia State (which is moving up to DI-A/FBS) and Georgia Southern (ditto). Would someone pick them up?
Georgia State has the following stations currently listed on their website for football (all other sports are carried on Album 88):
WCFO-AM (1160)
WMLB-AM (1690)
WGST-AM (640) (night games only)
WGST-FM (sic) (92.3) (night games only)
http://www.georgiastatesports.com/ViewArticle.dbml?DB_OEM_ID=12700&ATCLID=638342
Either 680 or 790 would be an upgrade to any of these stations, especially 680 at night.
Georgia Southern is on WDUN, but could use an Atlanta proper station.
WFOM would make sense for Kennesaw, at least as a backup, when they get going in 2015.
Heck, I'm still surprised CC doesn't put the Braves or 'Backs PBP en espanol on ESPN Deportes.
What about some of the local colleges getting into DI sports, like Kennesaw, Georgia State (which is moving up to DI-A/FBS) and Georgia Southern (ditto). Would someone pick them up?
Georgia State has the following stations currently listed on their website for football (all other sports are carried on Album 88):
WCFO-AM (1160)
WMLB-AM (1690)
WGST-AM (640) (night games only)
WGST-FM (sic) (92.3) (night games only)
http://www.georgiastatesports.com/ViewArticle.dbml?DB_OEM_ID=12700&ATCLID=638342
Either 680 or 790 would be an upgrade to any of these stations, especially 680 at night.
Georgia Southern is on WDUN, but could use an Atlanta proper station.
WFOM would make sense for Kennesaw, at least as a backup, when they get going in 2015.
Sports is like business news: the people who desperately need the latest news from each will have come up with some reliable way to get their info. These days, it's online.
Nobody who really passionately cares about a game score is waiting for the sports blurb to hear it. Nobody deeply invested in the stock market is waiting for the little stock ticker highlight during the 6:00 news.
The question then becomes how much of a bone needs to be thrown to try to capture that audience and how many ads can you sell to them? An example might be NewsTalk WSB and their ~45 second sports during morning drive. The Southwest Airlines sponsor slot seems longer than the sports. It probably isn't but it seems that way. This is fine by me. No interest in sports.
Nobody who really passionately cares about a game score is waiting for the sports blurb to hear it. Nobody deeply invested in the stock market is waiting for the little stock ticker highlight during the 6:00 news.
The question then becomes how much of a bone needs to be thrown to try to capture that audience and how many ads can you sell to them? An example might be NewsTalk WSB and their ~45 second sports during morning drive. The Southwest Airlines sponsor slot seems longer than the sports. It probably isn't but it seems that way. This is fine by me. No interest in sports.
secondchoice said:
jabba17 said:
I don't know when each sports team's contract is up, but I will tell you guys what radio stations in the Atlanta market I think the sports teams should be on. Here they are.
PRO-SPORTS
- Atlanta Braves - If Cumulus & Dickey don't want to let go of them, they should be on KICKS 101.5 WKHX-FM.
- Atlanta Dream (WNBA) & Atlanta Hawks should both be on 680 The Fan WCNN-AM. If the Dream & the Hawks were to each have a game on the same day or night, the scheduling conflict resolution affiliate could be 98.9 The Walk W255CJ-FM. It could be the Hawks' games on The Walk like it is now, and the Dream could keep their games on 680 The Fan.
- Atlanta Falcons should be on 92.9 The Game WZGC-FM.
- Gwinnett Braves & Gwinnett Gladiators should both stay on WDUN.
COLLEGE SPORTS
- Georgia Bulldogs should stay on the affiliates they're on now (News/Talk WSB-AM/WSBB-FM, 106.1 FM WNGC, & 103.7 Chuck FM WXKT). As for a scheduling conflict resolution affiliate (If News/Talk WSB-AM/WSBB-FM can't air a game on account of elections, State of the Union, etc.), B98.5 WSB-FM could be the scheduling conflict resolution affiliate.
- Georgia Southern Eagles - If Atlanta needs a true affiliate for this team, they should be on 97.1 The River WSRV-FM.
- Georgia State Panthers should stay on Newstalk 1160 AM WCFO.
- Georgia Tech Yellow Jackets should be on both 790 The Zone WQXI-AM and Star 94-94.1 FM WSTR.
- Kennesaw State Owls - The Men's Basketball games are currently on Talk 920 AM WGKA. When the football games get underway, both football and men's basketball should stay on WGKA.
Why do I think the sports teams should be on the radio stations I mentioned above? To avoid scheduling conflicts with the sports teams as much as possible with exception to the Dream, the Hawks, and the Dawgs on their respective stations. It's also because of some sports teams' logo colors being the same as the colors of radio station logos. Falcons & The Game, Braves & KICKS, Georgia Southern Eagles & The River, and Georgia State Panthers & WCFO all make great pairs in terms of matching colors of logos for each respective team and station.
What about the Atlanta Silverbacks? Their games don't need to be covered on the radio. In speaking of soccer, with all the talk about the retractable roof stadium slated to replace the Georgia Dome once completed, it has been said we could get a MLS Soccer team. If that happens, they should be covered on TV only, not radio.
What about 1230 The Fan 2 WFOM-AM and 1340 The Fan 3 WALR-AM? The coverage of each station is limited. Therefore, not much people listen to those stations. Anyway, that is all.
the golden boy said:
Yes, Sports bills higher than its share - so do Alternative and AAA - but we're talking about a station with a 0.6 share after 6 months on the air - even if it's billing the equivalent of a 1.6 share, that's still horrible
They've had 6 months to "get their feet under their legs", and ratings have only gone down
CBS could invest a huge amount of money, though, and outbid Lincoln Financial for the Falcons, and that would probably change things - but even then, that's a huge risk, because you're then talking about 92.9 having decent ratings during football season, and then dropping back down to low ratings throughout the rest of each year
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