Watching the NFL Draft on ABC. It also is being covered live on ESPN and the NFL Network in front of a live audience of more than 150,000 fans in the heart of Nashville. What is the lesson for your sports radio station? In today’s Netflix, on-demand, podcast world, live events can be the saving grace for your station.
So that means live play by play is more important than ever before. Shoulder programming before and after every big game makes a ton of sense. Being live on-site or having a live on-site presence is more important than ever before.
While not everything you do can be considered “live coverage” like the NFL Draft or live play by play, but you have to build the sense of urgency competing in today’s audio world. I’m not talking about bar remotes, remotes at car dealerships, or other nonsense like that. I am talking about re-thinking every show – on-site and in-studio with “live coverage” in mind.
Guest Booking
Let’s start with booking guests for your sports talk show. You have to ask yourself what level of urgency does this guest provide? If the guest isn’t providing urgency or advancing a developing or breaking story, can we expect the listeners stick with the show. Or will they flip to a podcast with a bigger name guest instead? Do you want to roll the dice or make sure that all of your shows have a great live feel? Producers, hosts and program directors have to think differently today than even a year or two ago.
Imaging
I’m sure your shows and talent are the best in your market, but you need to be fast and flexible when it comes to your imaging. If there is something happening or a story that’s developing or breaking–your imaging has to talk about that, not generic stuff about coverage of local sports or the best sports station in town.
Be specific, active, and actionable. Something like “Listen to Sports Station all day today to hear the true story on why the Giants picked Daniel Jones with the sixth pick in the NFL Draft.”
Updates
Updates have been a bit of a punching bag over the past few years in sports radio, but they may be more important than ever. Sure you can get information via push alerts on your phone and on Twitter, but if done right your anchors can advance stories, set timelines for your listeners and break news on your shows.
If you’re not doing it already, your anchors should be walking into your shows and be the ones who announce the breaking news. Not your hosts. It sounds bigger and is another way to add urgency. Let the anchors deliver the news with the host mics hot to react to what has happened.
Reporters
Reporters have never been more important to a sports station. Not a reporter who just gathers sound and produces a “wrap”, but a real reporter. One who makes connections and gets information the other reporters don’t, someone who can break news for your station. Podcasts don’t break news. Your sports station needs to.
Your Shows
Now I understand there isn’t always news breaking or developing, but please, please, please avoid these super stale topics: The Mount Rushmore of anything, Best Sports Movies, White Sox attendance, why my favorite sport is better than yours.
Also, with everything you do on your show ask the question: What’s “live” about this topic, guest or discussion? Can this be done better by a podcast? If so, pass on it. In order to survive, radio needs to be live.
Radio has to be careful with all of its staffing cuts. Good update anchors, reporters and producers are needed more than ever to compete in today’s audio world. Live play by play has to be as big of a priority as it has ever been for a sports radio station. Overall, there has to be a renewed focus on “live coverage” and urgency. No listener can be taken for granted because there are just too many choices today. Good luck and go do it!
Matt Fishman is a former columnist for BSM. The current PD of ESPN Cleveland has a lengthy resume in sports radio programming. His career stops include SiriusXM, 670 The Score in Chicago, and 610 Sports in Kansas City. You can follow him on Twitter @FatMishman20 or you can email him at FishmanSolutions@gmail.com.
