Content is king. Last week’s decision by FOX Sports was a sign that networks are beginning to wave the white flag on developing sports content of their own to attract a younger audience. Doesn’t this sound like sports radio in a sense?
The recent licensing deals by ESPN and FOX Sports prove that content control no longer matters to network television executives; they just want proven products on their networks. It’s not a bad strategy. The days of talent needing networks are no longer. The networks need talent who produce proven content to sell time to their advertisers.
The question I’m left with is: why don’t more sports radio stations follow the current trend of sports television networks?
It’s hard to compare sports network television to sports radio stations. I understand the difficulties because the budget size is simply not apples to apples. It’s more apples to peanuts. The flip side is that because of those smaller budgets, sports content networks built their own radio brands and licensed out the content for affiliation—using the megaphone of local sports radio to broadcast/promote their national brand to a worldwide audience.
Television networks never planned for this, because they never thought they’d be in this situation.
Sports Radio Can Serve the Local Listener Better
So here we are—television networks signing licensing agreements for proven content creators to “do what they do,” and we’ll give them a network with traditional broadcast reach to market it.
It makes complete sense.
Why aren’t local sports radio brands doing the same or thinking along the same lines?
When I programmed a sports radio station, one of the top findings we received from our listener research was: more local. People in local markets wanted to hear about their local teams in any way, shape, or form from the personalities heard on our brand.
Why would anyone in St. Louis care what Doug Gottlieb thinks about Duke? He’ll never talk Cardinals baseball or a Blues trade.
Why would a Tampa Bay Buccaneers fan care what the crew of Unsportsmanlike feels about the latest with LeBron James? The NBA doesn’t call Tampa Bay home.
It’s not a knock against the topics or talent that syndication networks provide. The fact is syndication talent can’t provide content for every single market they are heard in. They need to play what they consider “the hits.” Often, the hits don’t play well locally, because local content always wins on sports radio.
Thinking Differently Is Key
So why isn’t sports radio thinking like ESPN and FOX Sports when it comes to licensing deals with talent outside their own walls?
Every local market has a slew of podcasts that have their own equipment, their own brand, their own audience, and their own style of content. Yes, not every independent content creator is the same, but they are in one important aspect.
Their content is the content your local sports radio audience wants. Most sports radio stations already bring on local sports content creators as guests to enhance their content. Why allow your local audience to leave you and go find more of it?
Ask yourself: does a Seattle Mariners fan care more about what Dan Patrick has to say about the Travelers Championship, or a breakdown of Cal Raleigh’s home run chase?
Would a Miami Heat fan lean in more for an interview by Colin Cowherd with Joel Klatt, or a breakdown of last night’s performance from Tyler Herro and whether the Heat could add at the deadline?
The entry point to begin creating your own sports content today is easier than ever. Equipment is more affordable, and ease of discoverability plays to a worldwide audience. Professional sports teams are approving access for these digital brands and content creators, so they have access to distribute content surrounding their teams to those new audiences. These creators have just as many access points as your on-air staff, and they are building younger audiences that you’re chasing.
Advertisers are buying into digital, and away from traditional. Take a look around at many of the local sports radio talents who have been cut in recent years and how they have monetized their talents and their own brands.
Some Guidance for Sports Radio Market Managers
Market managers should consider the following:
When you become an affiliate of a syndicated network, you give up units for your affiliation. You lose the opportunity to make money by putting on a product that doesn’t speak to or connect with your local audience. Why would a local client make a buy for a talent that doesn’t connect with their local customer?
Yes, syndication is free content. But is it the right content to keep your brand relevant for years to come?
Instead of doing what’s always been done, think differently. That’s what ESPN did with the signing of Pat McAfee, followed up by the signing of Rich Eisen, and what FOX Sports is now entering into with the partnership with Barstool Sports.
Why can’t local sports radio stations look at (for example) the Locked On Podcast Network, or independent creators in their local markets, to work on licensing deals of their own?
The benefits outweigh the pitfalls. You become more relevant through connection, and you bring the audiences of those creators to your megaphone. If national radio brands see value in promoting podcasts in your local inventory, why not use that local inventory to benefit you—and save your brands from becoming further extinct?
Thinking differently leads to progress. We all know what doing the same thing and expecting a different result leads to.
Content is king. Local is royalty. Go find yours.
Barrett Media produces daily content on the music, news, and sports media industries. To stay updated, sign up for our newsletters and get the latest information delivered straight to your inbox.
John Mamola is Barrett Media’s sports editor and daily sports columnist. He brings over two decades of experience (Chicago, Tampa/St Petersburg) in the broadcast industry with expertise in brand management, sales, promotions, producing, imaging, hosting, talent coaching, talent development, web development, social media strategy and design, video production, creative writing, partnership building, communication/networking with a long track record of growth and success. He is a five-time recognized top 20 program director in a major market via Barrett Medi’s Top 20 series and has been honored internally multiple times as station/brand of the year (Tampa, FL) and employee of the month (Tampa, FL) by iHeartMedia. Connect with John by email at John@BarrettMedia.com.
