WEEI/ESPN

[DJbobo]

What's going on with Entercom and WBOQ? Buy or lease? Whichever, a reconfiguration of the FM stations will follow, with no formats lost and an AM/FM simulcast of the present WEEI. Take this one to the bank.

But imagine...Mike 104.9 anyone? Or Mike 97.7/104.9 with WEEI onto 93.7?

Very interesting. Raccoon's latter suggestion in terms of simulcasting seems very likely; 97.7 and 104.9 would have to go together. There's no way 104.9 can stand alone, the signal gets blown away both south and west of the city by 105.1 WWLI. And a 850/104.9 simulcast would just put WEEI on FM into areas it can already be heard well. Perhaps WAAF on 97.7/104.9, WMKK on 107.3, and WEEI on 93.7?

There's a major flaw in your scenario. WAAF's core audience is all Worcester and Middlesex counties. 97.7/104.9 would just destroy their numbers.

 

[Don Juan]

I should have been more specific. WEEI will add an FM signal in the metro. 850 will not be abandoned to ESPN radio to create a third sports signal on a major station in the ADI. There maybe some dayparting of ESPN programs, beyond late night and weekends, but no 24-7 ESPN outlet

You know, that makes more sense. ESPN for nights and weekends...and preventing others from getting it and putting it on another signal.

I can't imagine why anyone would think WEEI would go to FM and create another new sports outlet (#3) on 850AM with ESPN to compete against itself!

I'm surprised people ran with that story of EEI on FM and ESPN on AM.

 

[SonicOverload]

in the meantime, my cable isn't working and I put on WEEI in the hopes they might have the Dodgers/Phillies game but Mikey is on. Ugh...

 

[raccoonradio]

Not sure if I mentioned it in this thread but WWZN 1510 had it.
I wonder if ESPN tried to pursue getting on 1510 with full time (but they have paid prog talk via Santos, days)

 

[thetheo]

I have no inside info....but trust me this deal wouldn't have happened without some assurance that there will be a FULL TIME espn feed on the air at some point soon.

ESPN is advertising ESPN Radio more than ever on across all of their properties, not to mention they JUST launched espnboston.com a couple weeks ago.

It's part of their overall plan to have a full time station here I'm sure.

WEEI doesn't run enough syndicated programming to make ESPN happy. Overnights, 2-3 weekend shows, and some live sports isn't what they want, they want a 24/7 station here. And most importantly they want Mike and Mike on in the AMs in all the big markets.

 

[raccoonradio]

Not sure if WWZN will pre-empt Thom Hartmann & Ch 5 news (who knows, they may) to carry NLCS gm 2 feat
Pedro Martinez (4 pm start or so). I may catch very start on TV, then more via XM radio while driving to work. Am
sure ESPN does indeed want a full time station here. (Have they considered WWZN--I know, Santos buying time--...
WCRN (yes Worc. but does OK by day and points signal towards Boston @ night) etc.)

 

[SonicOverload]

speaking of sports, WWZN is carrying Lowell Devils hockey... the minor league team for the NJ Devils. Is that a time buy? And who would be silly enough to want to broadcast those games? I was joking elsewhere that maybe they could do a tie-in with Santos, much like Stephen Colbert did a tie-in with a Saginaw, MI minor league hockey team.

 

[Don Juan]

I have no inside info....but trust me this deal wouldn't have happened without some assurance that there will be a FULL TIME espn feed on the air at some point soon.

ESPN is advertising ESPN Radio more than ever on across all of their properties, not to mention they JUST launched espnboston.com a couple weeks ago.

It's part of their overall plan to have a full time station here I'm sure.

WEEI doesn't run enough syndicated programming to make ESPN happy. Overnights, 2-3 weekend shows, and some live sports isn't what they want, they want a 24/7 station here. And most importantly they want Mike and Mike on in the AMs in all the big markets.

Well, you have no inside info....I don't know how much we can trust you. ;-)
It's very hard to get syndicated shows cleared in the major markets...as very few shows can actually make it in a competitive arena.

More than getting the shows cleared, I think they are more concerned about getting the spots cleared. The arrangement that WEEI has with ESPN is less about running the programs, than it is about clearing spots (which can be run without the programming).

If ESPN was so hot on getting their programs cleared, they could get them on some fringe outlet (along with the spots in the programming)...or they can make a deal with ESPN to get the spots aired on one of the top signals in the city, albeit at off times.

It's all about money....and ESPN wants the spots they sell nationally to get on the air in Boston, so they can charge higher rates. I don't think they care if anyone in Boston hears Mike & Mike.

 

[kjlassoc]

Strange thing is that during the ALCS game being broadcast on WEEI tonight is that they are running spots for ESPN programming not carried on WEEI! Shows such as "Mike and Mike" which a.) compete with WEEI programming and b.) aren't even available in the Boston market.

 

[raccoonradio]

Sports flash on WEEI just now said tonite's ALCS game is on WEEI, tomorrow's NLCS on WWZN

 

[thirdendorsed]

Isn't it about time that everyone acknowledged that I am dead-on correct in saying that WEEI won't be handing the AM frequency over to ESPN? Or noting that one line in one story in the newspaper morphed into an assumption that WEEI was headed to FM and ESPN to 850, a premise that has been used, without questioning or attempts at original reporting, by every media commentator in the city or in the region, even though it was dead wrong? Or that people who publish what they try to portray as "watches" of the media are in fact engaged in nothing more than regurgitation of information already published elsewhere and are completely incapable of doing any reporting whatsoever?

 

[thetheo]

Most said it would happen AFTER the world series sometime.

I'm pretty sure that's still a week or two from now.

Just cause it hasn't happened yet doesn't mean it won't, I'll be surprised if ESPN goes into 2010 without a full time signal here.

 

[DanStrassberg]

Just cause it hasn't happened yet doesn't mean it won't, I'll be surprised if ESPN goes into 2010 without a full time signal here.

My guess is that Entercom wants the ESPN spot load (and $$$, of course) but does not want to give up either of its two FM music formats. As long as Julie and Jason figure that they've locked in the ESPN $$$, they probably think they can do as they please because ESPN has nowhere else to turn. I don't think that's true, though; if you look at RadioStationsforSale.net, you will see a listing that has to be WWZN (no call letters mentioned, but enough info to make it pretty clear). If ESPN were to LMA WWZN, I suppose 890 would come back as Progressive talk. It all sounds kind of doable.

 

[beantownradio25]

WEEI isn't taking over any Boston frequencies anytime soon, there were never any reliable sources to confirm that rumor, only a proposed idea by multiple radio news outlets.

They would only be hurting themselfs by launching a full time ESPN station on 850 and WEEI on say.. 93.7

 

[fmradio1]

Kids, ESPN is not a threat! Look at New York and LA. ESPN Radio is a non factor in both markets, and is on much stronger signals with some local programming. If WEEI moves to FM to go head to head with the Sports Hub, do you really think most Boston sports fans are going to waste their time tuning into ESPN on 850? Of course not. And, if Entercom cuts a deal to run the network on 850 24/7 and keeps all the local revenue generated, wouldn't that be a win for them? They could keep the ESPN "event" programming on WEEI while running the talk stuff on 850. They could even simulcast on fringe hours. Plus, 850 would come in handy for play by play conflicts and BC sports.

Keep watching the situation in Philadelphia. The ESPN affiliate there is now simulcasting on an FM as "The Fanatic." Mike and Mike will be doing mornings, but there are local hosts on the rest of the day. Once the audience is transitioned over to the FM, chances are the AM will pick up Colin Cowherd, Scott Van Pelt and the rest of the ESPN Radio talk lineup.

I think a similar arrangement will happen here eventually. For WEEI to compete long term with 98.5 it HAS to move to FM. It's just a matter of when. An agreement with ESPN to clear some national shows on 850 would make sense, and would not hurt WEEI.

 

[rapking]

Do we really need 24 hour of ESPN radio ? Mike and Mike are on TV ( and Scott Van Whatever ).

 

[Dighton Rockhead]

Just cause it hasn't happened yet doesn't mean it won't, I'll be surprised if ESPN goes into 2010 without a full time signal here.

if you look at RadioStationsforSale.net, you will see a listing that has to be WWZN (no call letters mentioned, but enough info to make it pretty clear).

A closer reading of that ad listing mentions the phrase "upgrade in progress"...which, to me, suggests it's Alex Langer's 1060 WBIX.

In any event, Entercom is not likely to rush into making any big moves until they feel they have all thier ducks in a row. That's why they're in this mess in the first place.

 

[DanStrassberg]

A closer reading of that ad listing mentions the phrase "upgrade in progress"...which, to me, suggests it's Alex Langer's 1060 WBIX.
In any event, Entercom is not likely to rush into making any big moves until they feel they have all thier ducks in a row. That's why they're in this mess in the first place.

Don't think so. The item appeared om the For Sale site at least a month (and maybe longer) before the 1060 application became public knowledge. Also, the way I read the idem, I thought the upgrade applied only to the studios.

 

[Dighton Rockhead]

Don't think so. The item appeared om the For Sale site at least a month (and maybe longer) before the 1060 application became public knowledge. Also, the way I read the idem, I thought the upgrade applied only to the studios.

Strictly speaking...you're right. But...if Langer & Co. already knew they were going to go after the upgrade for 1060, then they probably went ahead and worded the ad as if it were already fact. Sort of "in anticipation"...if you will.

 

[thirdendorsed]

As long as Julie and Jason figure

Here's a headline for you. It Doesn't Matter. The strings are being pulled from Bala Cynwyd. This lad "Jason" has absolutely no say in what signal carries what programming. None. they'll listen to "julie," mainly as a courtesy, but it's not her call either.

As I have correctly observed, when weei adds an fm signal it will be basically a simulcast. Some minimal revenue hours will be used to carry some ESPN programs, in particular long-form broadcasts, but they will be the exception. ESPN will not replace any current WEEI marquee programs on the AM. WEEI will clear some, but not all of ESPN's inventory. Two spots an hour on 850 are worth a dozen on some unlistenable AM drop-in frequency. None of the constant P-I spots running on ESPN will make it to WEEI.

Now that I have provided your education, you children may return to your fantasy lands of "what would i do" based on mistaken assumptions, lack of experience, and general inability to comprehend the real world. But don't believe me... wait until it happens and then turn to your favorite radio "watch" where they will do what they do best, which is spit-back the reporting of others, since they have no sources, do no legwork, and have no clue about what is important to operators.