No one knows how to market and build hype like the NFL. The league has made the NFL Draft into a multi-week buildup and week-long spectacle in a different city every year. This week, the NFL put a dent in the NBA Playoffs by releasing its full season schedule, which had sports fans buzzing and breaking down games that were months away. Are news/talk radio hosts, stations, and leaders ready to put that lesson into action?
The NFL is a five-and-a-half-month sport, but it has brilliantly figured out how to keep the attention of its fans nearly 12 months out of the year. Between the aforementioned Draft, schedule release, NFL Combine, summer camps, and preseason games, the NFL doesn’t miss a beat.
Oh, and the league has taken Christmas Day away from the NBA, the one calendar day the NBA had ownership over. The NFL said to the NBA, “Yeah, we’ll take that too, while we’re at it.”
There are lessons here for news/talk radio stations and, frankly, any media brand in general. Every format has a perceived “slow season.” News/talk radio stations know that Presidential and Midterm election years are likely to create a ratings bump thanks to more interest in big elections.
But that still leaves odd years that aren’t election years and a news cycle that may not always be on fire, which is the opposite of what we’re dealing with right now.
However, it’s not good enough to just assume that ratings may not be as strong in non-election years. The NFL didn’t complain about not getting headlines in the off-season; they figured out how to make their sport the most-discussed product in American sports as often as possible. And if you think they’re done, they’re not. The league is always innovating and trying to figure out ways to keep itself top of mind with its passionate audience.
Are you doing that with your radio station or show? While there are mixed opinions on social media usage, at least by hosts, stations should find ways through their platforms to consistently remind listeners and try to capture them, even when they’re not listening to a radio. If they’re scrolling through social media, it’s highly unlikely they’re listening to a radio at that moment.
Are there events or special show programs in the off-season that may benefit listeners from an entertainment and information perspective and can become revenue drivers for the station?
My wife is often amazed that grown men walking up to a podium and announcing an NFL Draft pick can draw millions of viewers. But, that’s exactly what happens now, with this year’s NFL Draft being the second-most watched Draft of all time.
The NFL Draft was first televised live on ESPN on April 29, 1980. This was a significant moment, marking the beginning of the NFL Draft as a major televised event. There were probably those around NFL HQ who scoffed at the idea.
Nearly 50 years later, the NFL is laughing all the way to the bank.
There’s no doubt that not every idea will be a “hit”. But that’s part of being creative and taking chances. We can all do a better job of creating content and promotions that are not reliant on elections or red-hot news cycles.
The NFL has mastered this and owns the sports conversation whenever it chooses to. It’s a lesson we can all learn from.
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Pete Mundo is a weekly columnist for Barrett Media, and the Vice President of News/Talk for Cumulus Media, while also hosting “Mundo in the Morning” and programming KCMO Talk Radio in Kansas City. Previously, he was a fill-in host nationally on FOX News Radio and CBS Sports Radio, while anchoring for WFAN, WCBS News Radio 880, and Bloomberg Radio. He’s also the owner of the Big 12-focused digital media outlet Heartland College Sports. To interact, find him on X @PeteMundo.
