Bill Adams is out at Hubbard Radio’s Classic Hits WEAT (Sunny 107.9) and Talk 850 WFTL/Palm Beach. He and his partner, Jennifer Ross, have been doing mornings on Sunny 107.9 and Talk 850 since 2015.
From 1995 to 2013, Adams held various roles at Country WIRK, including evening host, news director, and morning host. A move to the morning show at WEAT in 2013 followed this stint at WIRK.
Adams posted a video on X addressing the termination, saying that even though it is the first day, he is “weirdly fine.” Adding, “I Always Wondered What Getting Fired Would Be Like…If this week had taught me anything, it’s that you are not your job.”
Max Media of Hampton Roads has announced the addition and return of John “Johnny D” DeCandido and The Morning Drive with Johnny D back to the FOX Sports 1310. DeCandido’s first day back on the air will be Tuesday, September 3rd.
“Returning to where it all started with The Morning Drive on Fox Sports 1310 AM is an absolute thrill,” said DeCandido in a statement. “The passion, opinions, and lively interaction that Hampton Roads sports fans bring to the airwaves are unmatched. I’m truly blessed to provide the listeners with a new home to express their love for the game.”
Brand Manager Dino Franza added, “We’re so excited to introduce a new live and local morning show, which will complement the great national shows heard on Fox Sports 1310 AM and 100.9 FM. The Morning Drive with Johnny D will give us the market’s only local morning sports talk radio show. Johnny D was heard on The Score 1310 AM in the 90’s, so it’s somewhat of a homecoming for him. He knows the Hampton Roads market and will be a nice lead-in to the Dan Patrick Show and The Herd with Colin Cowherd.”
DeCandido’s sports radio career began in the mid-90’s in Hampton Roads. He also spent time with the Sports Fan Radio Network and the CBS Sports Radio Network.
The rest of the FOX Sports 1310 lineup will feature the national lineup from FOX Sports Radio including The Dan Patrick Show and The Herd with Colin Cowherd.
Audacy has announced weekday programming changes for BetQL Network and is welcoming Brad Evans, Sam Panayotovich and Femi Abebefe as new members of their team.
Evans, a Fantasy Sports Writers Association Hall of Famer, has nearly two decades of experience at Yahoo! Sports, Bally Sports and SiriusXM. He will join Ryan Horvat on “BetMGM Tonight” which airs weekdays from 7:00 p.m. to 11:00 p.m. ET.
Panayotovich, recently a sports betting analyst for FOX Sports and NESN, will team up with Joe Ostrowski on “BetQL Daily” which airs weekdays from 9:00 a.m. to 12:00 p.m. ET. Panayotovich also has experience with WGN Radio, NBC Sports and VSiN, and previously worked with Ostrowski on the original Chicken Dinner podcast.
Abebefe joins Nick Kostos on “You Better You Bet” weekdays from 3:00 p.m. to 7:00 p.m. ET. Abebefe joins BetQL Network from VSIN and previously served as a local sports anchor for KOMO-TV in Seattle.
“Brad’s two decades of industry-leading expertise have made him one of the most decorated personalities in fantasy sports history, and we’re thrilled to add him to ‘BetMGM Tonight,’” said Mitch Rosen, Vice President, BetQL Network in a release. “We’re equally excited about the additions of Sammy P. and Femi to bolster our midday and afternoon programming. Together, these three hosts enhance our ability to deliver Wagertainment and premier sports betting analysis to our listeners nationwide.”
Evans succeeds Trysta Krick, who will continue as a contributor to Audacy’s 670 The Score in Chicago. Abebefe succeeds Ken Barkley, who recently announced his departure from the network.
Congratulations to Danny Parkins and Mark Schlereth who were recently named co-hosts, along with Craig Carton for FS1’s new morning show. A show which has had a lot of people talking about its name and not in a good way.
I have always been someone who thinks we put way too much time and emphasis on the names of shows. I’ve written about this before, but whenever someone is struggling to name a show or podcast, I tell them the same story from when a show was struggling with a name and called a very well-known local sports executive, considered by many to be a sports marketing expert.
“What time will the show air?” he asked. The answer was the show would be on from 1 p.m. to 3 p.m. weekdays. “Call it, ‘The One to Three Show’ that way whenever you say it you’re also promoting what time it’s on every time you say it. So, it’s the name, but it’s also marketing.”
Hundreds of names had been tossed around. Hours had been wasted. The absolute simplest name in history is the one they went with because it actually served a purpose. Which is why sometimes it’s just easiest to say the people’s names and move on. It generally doesn’t mean a hill of beans.
With that said, I think FS1 has swung and missed from the get-go here with the name ‘Breakfast Ball.’
Yikes.
It is just a name and should ultimately have no bearing whatsoever on the show itself, but I fear it’s a bad sign. I reached out to several people after the announcement was made, looking for feedback about the mix of the three hosts. Almost every single person I exchanged messages with said something about how bad the name was before ever getting to what I really reached out about.
Putting aside the name, which is just so, so hard to do, it’s a bit of a weird mix. I’d be lying if I didn’t say I was a bit concerned radio just lost good talent going to TV (Schlereth of course has done plenty of TV before) and I’m not sure they’re necessarily being set up for success.
The news became officially official yesterday that Parkins who was at 670 The Score in Chicago and Schlereth from Denver Sports 104.3 The Fan would team up with Craig Carton and be the 8 a.m. to 10 a.m. ET show in the revamped FS1 lineup. Call it the post-Skip Bayless era.
I cringe when I think of the three guys sitting on a zoom call being told, “Hey, congrats! Huge day! So excited to have you guys. And we can’t wait to tell you guys what we are going to call the show… BREAKFAST BALL!” They had to be dying inside a little.
I don’t even get it. What does that mean? It sounds like a really bad, low-budget, comedy movie. Or maybe that’s just because I think of BASEketball whenever I see or hear it? Or it could be a new breakfast menu item at Hardee’s – just a big ball of pancake with eggs and bacon and cheese oozing out of it. “This update is brought to you by Hardees and the all-new Breakfast Ball…”
I sure hope the show is a lot better than the name, but that concerns me, too. Three white alpha males of various ages, but other than Schlereth having played in the NFL and the other two not having played in the NFL, they all seem … similar. I’ll be curious to watch and see what makes each of them different on the show. It feels like they could end up really fighting each other for talk time. Two guys used to talking with one person for four hours per day, now on with two other people and half the time.
Individually, each of these guys is a good listen. I hope that I’m wrong here and this is just me not being able to get past the brutal name. These guys are pros and have many years of sports talk experience amongst them. From what I understand the money is great and nobody can question anyone wanting an opportunity to better themselves and their family. And what’s the worst thing that happens? It doesn’t work? Ok, that would be bad, but none of them would be unemployed long, so there’s really little risk overall.
A longtime sports radio executive made the point to me that it takes a bit of courage in 2024 to have as little diversity on a new national show like this one. The same person also made the point that clearly FS1 needed to make some adjustments, and they brought in some fresh faces along with some veterans and are looking for something to click with different groups of people. The other option was to stick with things that weren’t working, which they couldn’t continue to do. Applaud them for recognizing it, trying to fix it and give the shows some time to develop.
In other words, tune in and judge the show by what we see and hear when it comes on the air and has time to work out the kinks.
Don’t judge a book by its cover, no matter how bad the cover might be.
This past week we celebrated National Radio Day and one of the things I appreciate about radio is the passion a lot of people in the business have for it and have had for it since a young age. I had the chance to reach out to several people from different areas of the business to ask them, ‘What does radio mean to you?” So, my pick for best things I heard this week are the answers I was given to the question.
My favorite answer came from Mike Hulvey, the President/CEO of the Radio Advertising Bureau:
“I was an eight-year-old little boy walking into a high school gymnasium with my father when I saw my first radio broadcast. I looked up to the top row of the bleachers and I saw two broadcasters sitting behind a small table with a felt banner and headphones on. And my life has never been the same since. Radio has truly been a part of every day of my life since that moment. And I have seen it change communities. I have seen it change businesses. I have seen it change people. I’ve seen it connect in ways that you could only imagine. And radio is so important to the fabric of our country and our communities. To me, radio is just about everything.”
I am throwing you a little bit of a curveball this week, because normally I post about one of our sports stories, however, this week I want you to take a look at an article from one of my colleagues on the news side of Barrett Media, Dave Williams. Dave wrote about the WCBS situation and what it symbolizes. Frankly, I think this goes for radio, in general, and is not just limited to news when he says:
“As an industry, we’re a bunch of old folks sitting on the porch watching the parade pass by without even bothering to wave to us. We sit and rock, silently wishing we could join them though the only things stopping us are our wistful memories, and foolish pride.”
If you want a strong dose of reality, check out Dave’s article by clicking here.
But in the world of news and politics, it’s obviously the story of the week, and will springboard into a two-month sprint into the November 5th election.
For News/Talk hosts, this brings an opportunity for daily content filled with analysis, reaction and opinions on hours of speeches, viral cable news moments and more.
So how do you want to handle it?
The options are unlimited, but finding unique angles are important. In fact, there are so many content opportunities, it can be overwhelming.
First off, make the job easy on yourself. Whether it’s the host or the producer, find the right accounts across X, Instagram, Facebook, YouTube and TikTok that allow you to easily pull clips from the various speakers that you’re looking to use on your show. Knowing how to use these platforms as a search engine will save you enormous amounts of time when it comes to cutting audio for your show.
And it’s imperative you do this. Adding the audio element to your presentation is critical. Do not just read the quotes that you want to address. Find the audio and it amplifies your topics tenfold. In an audio medium, anything else would be lazy.
Then, find topics that can be serious, but also fun and entertaining.
On KCMO, I’ve set aside one segment each day on the “weird” from the previous evening. If you’re not aware, Kamala Harris’ VP pick Tim Walz is the one who has coined the term “weird” for Republicans. It has been a fairly effective attack against Republicans in recent weeks and has stuck as a phrase that’s become part of the political lexicon in the 2024 cycle.
So in honor of Tim Walz, I’ve found three “weird” things from each night that we’ve turned into a daily segment at 7:30 each morning. Rarely have they been serious in nature, they’re mostly fun and bizarre, but it has given us an opportunity to find a fun benchmark for the week that goes beyond the, “Can you believe what this person said!” conversation.
It’s also an opportunity to highlight three quick topics and things that much of your audience likely missed from the night before but makes them feel more informed on the evening’s events, without having to slog through all four hours of the DNC. They’re coming to you for information and entertainment delivered in a concise manner that doesn’t waste their time.
In conversations that become more in-depth and serious, always think about how to spin it forward. The, “I’m outraged over ____ comments” are entertaining and can be informative but think ahead. And think about your audience. If your audience is right-leaning, they will want to know how these comments, speeches and ideas from the DNC impact their preferred candidates and the election at-large.
It can’t simply just be, “This is the dumbest idea ever!” Your audience is smart. They probably think many of the ideas from this week aren’t great, but they’re coming to you for more than that.
If they’re just looking for quick hits of outrage, they can scroll through X and get hundreds of these from different individuals. You need to give them that reason to come to you.
And if there’s any way to localize some of this content, run with it. If any speakers have a tie to your market, or ideas from speakers come courtesy of politicians in your state or region, you’d be wise to try and bring it back home. That’s not always easy or possible, but it’s something to think about as the DNC wraps up and the general election season hits its apex.
Be creative, be informative, move stories forward and as always, have fun. Even when it doesn’t seem possible!
While a majority of radio formats and programmers are looking forward for the next great thing, Brad Savage, PD of Triple A non-comm WAPS (The Summit)/Akron, is rummaging through the past several decades of music and constructing a musical history class every week for his “Cruisin’ the Decades” show. Each hourlong show features a century’s worth of music personally curated by Savage, where he picks and plays a song from every decade starting with the 1910s while also providing some musical and artist history.
“’Cruisin’ the Decades’ is a love letter to the power of radio and record-collecting,” Savage says. “It’s a super-wide show about music history.” The roots of the show formed in his first radio gig at Adult Standards KLBB-AM/Minneapolis, where he played older songs and wondered what people were thinking about when they first heard those tracks.
He did an early version of the show on his college station, KVSC/St. Cloud, MN, but only went back as far as the 1990s. Then, during the first few months of COVID lockdown in spring 2020, Savage started pondering the concept again. “We started hearing about the Spanish Flu pandemic of 1918, and I was curious what artists were singing about back then and what songs were popular the last time we went through a pandemic – and I realized that I have those records in my collection,” he says.
And so it was: “Cruisin’ the Decades” was reborn as a specialty show on The Summit, which Savage did initially as a feature at 5 pm on Fridays. “Prime time!” he says, laughing. “I didn’t tell anyone I was starting it. I just put it on and said, ‘Well, let’s see how this goes.’” Initial feedback trickled in that listeners thought it was interesting, then widened as the audience caught onto this history lesson about the roots of modern music. “About nine to 12 months in, we started to get a lot of comments about the show,” says Savage, adding that his GM has blessed his side project.
The jump to worldwide coverage was unique – and sudden. Savage had been emailing with a friend, Paul Walker, at KSKO/McGrath, AK, who suggested he could cover the whole country in one fell swoop by getting the show on shortwave WRMI (Radio Miami International), which airs programming from independent producers. “Paul put me in touch with the Station Manager in January 2022,” Savage says. “They air talk shows and also shows by some music nuts who want to create shows that cover large areas on 12 different shortwave frequencies. I was like, hell yes, I have a shortwave radio, so I started listening and decided to produce a version that would cover the country.”
From there, Savage started researching other shortwave outlets and got the show on 500kw giant WBCQ/Monticello, ME, and Channel 292 out of Rohrbach, Germany. Walker then offered to run “Cruisin’ the Decades” on KSKO, which has repeaters and translators across the state, and that gave Savage the idea to hit up other radio friends and self-syndicate the show on AM/FM. “We’re still on the shortwave outlets and KSKO and a few other stations that started early, but the show is now up to 51 stations around the country and in different countries, and that’s just me hustling and bothering people until they say yes,” he says. “It’s even on Armed Forces Radio’s Joe-FM network, so it airs on all U.S. bases around the world.” A self-described radio nerd, Savage loves seeking out new stations where he thinks “Cruisin’ the Decades” would be a good fit. “It’s a slow build, but the growth has also been organic – I’ll sometimes get interest from some station out of the blue,” he says.
For now, Savage continues to produce the weekly show as a labor of love since he doesn’t charge carriage licensing costs. “I think it satisfies this creative urge in me where I just want to pick the songs, especially in the pre-rock ‘n’ roll era. There are so few classic jazz and adult standards stations,” he says. “I spend a lot of time learning about those genres from the 1920s-1960s. It’s a nice way for those stations to acknowledge the roots of modern music for an hour each week.”
Savage does a lot of research for each episode, ensuring each edition includes a good amount of artist history. He jokes that he sometimes has interesting conversations with his record label friends when he’s asked if he’s listened to a new album by a current artist. “I have to say something like, ‘No, but I’ve listened to everything Duke Ellington did back in 1932!”
There’s also some solid crossover between his work on The Summit and “Cruisin’ the Decades,” especially where artist interviews are concerned. “A couple of months ago, I talked to Master Gee of The Sugarhill Gang and interviewed him about the National Hip-Hop Museum in Washington, DC, for a segment on The Summit, and I reused that on the show,” Savage says. “There’s a lot of fun thought going into the content.”
For more information on “Cruisin’ the Decades,” to find all archived episodes of the show or to ask Brad how you can air the show on your station, visit cruisinthedecades.com.
“Cruisin’ the Decades” – episode 122, August 17, 2024
“One song per decade, 100 years of music.”
Byron G. Harlan – “I Like The Hat, I Like The Dress, I Like The Girl That’s In It” (1911) Vaughn DeLeath – “Blue Skies” (1927) Artie Shaw’s Orchestra “Begin the Beguine” (1938) Hank Williams Sr. – “Move It on Over” (1947) Thurston Harris – “Little Bitty Pretty One” (1957) AUDIO HISTORY ACTUALITY: The Invention of Color Television (1958) Mariam Makeba – “Pata Pata” (1967) Neil Young – “Heart of Gold” (1972)
SHORTWAVE SHOUT-OUTS: “Listener Greetings” with Martine in Poland
Missing Persons – “Destination Unknown” (1981)
Green Day – “On the Wagon” (1994) [rare B-side song not from LP]
Saving Jane – “Girl Next Door” (2005)
SPECIAL GUEST IN-STUDIO INTERVIEW: Milky Chance Milky Chance – “Stolen Dance” (2013) Eddie Vedder – “Save It for Later” (2024) [cover of The English Beat]
BONUS TRACK: The English Beat – “Twist & Crawl” (1980)
I have worked with many small- to medium-sized businesses (SMBs) that have expanded to other territories. They are either a new business or a business with other locations that are new to the area. Building name recognition is crucial for success, especially for those new to town and not yet well-known. Some industries are crowded, dominated by established locals, or have not been invented yet. Here is some advice on the importance of investing in name awareness advertising and why ambitious SMBs who want to make a lasting impact should be known before they are needed:
1. Be Ready to Spend
Percentage of Revenue
According to Gartner, B2B companies typically allocate 5-10% of their annual revenue to marketing efforts. This can cover all kinds of things like business cards, chamber memberships, and signage. Spending 10-30% of that budget for name awareness campaigns is a good rule of thumb. The exact percentage depends on the company’s stage and growth goals. And budget what you want to become. If you plan on being a $3-million-dollar company in a year or two, invest like you are there now. Spend $150-$300k on marketing and $15,000-$90,000 in building your name! HAVE THE CAPTIAL. GET A LOAN. INCLUDE IT IN YOUR BUSINESS PLAN.
Used or New
Newer Companies: For SMBs just starting or entering new markets, a higher allocation toward brand awareness (closer to 30%) may be necessary. Establishing recognition and trust takes time, and investing in brand-building pays off in the long run.
Established Companies: Well-established firms can spend less (around 10-15%) on brand awareness. Their reputation provides a solid foundation, allowing them to focus on other marketing initiatives. For example, an accounting firm expanding to its seventh regional state may not need to spend as much on its name.
2. Be Competitive
Industry Norms
Competitor Spending: Analyze how much competitors invest in brand awareness. Savy media reps have access to spending reports. If your rivals have strong brand recognition, consider allocating additional resources to stand out. Remember, in a competitive market, visibility matters. When a potential customer goes to Google, you want them to know your name so they can look up information. If they go looking for category information, you are in for a dogfight.
Market Saturation
Crowded Markets: SMBs must work harder to gain attention in highly saturated industries. A higher ad spend on name awareness becomes essential. Differentiating your brand from the noise requires strategic investment. Invest in news, talk, and sports radio stations to get name awareness to executives and business owners. Radio can provide the frequency in sixty, thirty, fifteen, or even five-second ads to hammer your name home. Repetition is the mother of learning!
3. Have a Goal
Short-Term vs. Long-Term
Immediate Need: Name awareness might take a back seat if your primary goal is short-term lead generation, and you already have a good name. Maybe you bought an existing business. Focus on targeted campaigns that drive immediate results. It would help if you had a good digital marketing partner.
Building Long-Term Recognition: For SMBs aiming at sustained success, consistent investment in name awareness is critical. Over time, this builds familiarity and trust among potential clients, which is positive word of mouth spread to thousands of potential clients.
4. Ad Spend Benchmarks
Digital Platforms
Targeted Options: LinkedIn, industry-specific websites, and Google Ads offer cost-effective brand awareness options. Start with a modest budget (e.g., $2,000-$5,000/month) and adjust based on performance metrics.
Traditional Media: Depending on your industry, consider traditional B2B advertising channels such as radio, trade publications, or industry events. While these may require a larger budget, they can yield highly effective results as they target larger markets. Remember, at any given time, only 5% of the market is ready to buy. The other 95% can learn about you before they need you.
5. Measuring ROI
Metrics That Matter
Impressions: Track the number of times potential clients see or hear about your brand.
Engagement: Monitor clicks, likes, shares, and comments on your ads.
Conversion Rate: Measure how many leads or inquiries result from your brand awareness efforts. Or ask your radio rep how to track how many people visit your website after hearing an ad.
Be consistent and creative in your approach. Tell them who you are, and then tell them again in the same ad. Budget for it, and they will come, even in competitive markets. The days of waiting for the customer to learn about you through word of mouth are gone. Everything is faster and noisier now.
The Dave & Mahoney Show launched in 2009 in Las Vegas when CBS Radio disbanded the syndicated “Adam Carolla Show” on KXTE. Both Dave and Mahoney worked at the station and were given the opportunity to put together a show…with a catch. There was only one salary for the two to split.
“We decided to gamble on ourselves,” says Dave Farra. “With the help of some great program directors (looking at you, Ross Mahoney and Charese Fruge) and some not-so-great programmers (looking at you ‘guy’ that threatened to stab Mahoney with a pair of scissors), the show grew in ratings and was able to secure some amazing opportunities with great partners. Since then, we were lucky enough to add co-host Audrey Drake a little over five years ago and our longtime friend and colleague Chris Jackson as our Executive Producer.”
The Dave and Mahoney Morning Show now broadcasts from Phoenix, AZ at KSLX 100.7 FM. It broadcasts to over 50 markets across the country. The show averages about 7-8 songs per hour. “Working on a Classic Rock format, we all get to enjoy nothing but HITS and the great music we all grew up listening to,” says Farra. “Each member of the team has our strengths, and we know our roles. On-air, I play the host and driver. Mahoney is hilarious, and his perspectives are truly unique to ‘him.’ Audrey provides a totally different kind of color and humor to the conversation. Chris is a master of organization and is an audio ninja. With our genuine friendship and business acumen, we have been able to build something special through our collective team efforts.”
In the last few years, the show has been shuffled about considerably, new markets, new companies, new affiliates.
“It’s a pretty wild story, how we landed in Phoenix, working for Hubbard,” explains Farra. “We had just signed a new 5-year deal with Audacy in Las Vegas when we got an odd call from our GM, who referred to it as the ‘strangest call I’ve made in my 30 years in the business.’ We were being traded. Audacy agreed to a deal with Amazon to sell their property that the backup transmitter was on for $50 million dollars, as it was right in the middle of a campus Amazon was building in North Las Vegas. Turns out Beasley was leasing one of the backup towers for one of their translators, and there was a little clause in the contract that said that if Audacy sold that tower during the course of the lease that Beasley got to swap a station with Audacy from their portfolio.They chose our flagship KXTE, and they wanted the morning show to come along with it. So, off to Beasley we went, but this was right around the time Hubbard called as their longtime morning man was retiring from their monster classic rock station KSLX. With the transfer of the contract, we were able to engage with the Hubbard team. The deal made sense, and the chance to work with Hubbard, Greg Strassell, Trip Reeb, and David Moore was one we couldn’t pass up. Beasley was incredibly gracious throughout the whole process, and we were able to keep the show on KXTE in Las Vegas, where it continues to do very well in the ratings. It ended up working out as the ideal situation for all parties involved, and we are grateful for everyone seeing the bigger picture of what everyone was trying to accomplish. Hubbard, Beasley, and our internal team trusted the process, and it yielded strong dividends all the way around.”
“We are very passionate about serving our hometown community of Phoenix,” says Farra. “We work with St Mary’s Food Bank and have a couple of great events like ‘April Foods Day’ where we recruit volunteers to come help pack boxes at the local food bank. We are currently in the middle of Dave & Mahoney’s ‘Need To Feed,’ where we are aiming to raise more than $10,000 and 50,000 meals for those in need. We also launched ‘Socktober’ just last year, where we collect new socks for struggling veterans, unhoused individuals, and children in need. We are also a part of some fantastic KSLX events like ‘10k for the Troops,’ collecting greeting cards for our troops overseas during the holidays and ‘Cause For Paws,’ giving out booties to dogs across the valley during the hot summer months.”
“When it comes to our affiliates, we provide as much local content as they need! We are very humbled and honored to broadcast our show in so many markets, and we aim to help make our affiliates sound as connected to their market as we can. We cover lots of local content on our flagship station in Phoenix as well as Las Vegas where we were a staple for so many years. We still do local events with our listeners in Las Vegas as much as possible, and market visits are something that we love to experience with our partner stations.”
“And while the music formats do dictate the type of audience we have on each station, we base our show material around relatable content for everyone. Between me being a father of 4 and navigating through the chaos of having a big family, Mahoney being a gamer, glutton and the ‘Lazy Man’s Man’ and Audrey who is very tied into to pop culture being our fountain of youth, the show tries to cover all bases for anyone listening. Our show airs on Alternative, Active Rock, Classic Rock, and even Hot Talk formats across the country.”
As far as other talent across the country The Dave and Mahoney Show admire, “The list here is long,” says Farra. “But the work that Kevin and Bean were doing at KROQ as we were coming up in alternative radio was an inspiration. Dave Ryan and Mojo have such impressive bonds with their audiences. Sherman and Tingle put on a great show that is based on friendship. We could go on and on. We never try to emulate anyone, but we certainly draw inspiration from the people that move the needle of ratings, revenue, and most importantly, meaningful human connection.”
“We just recently got back from Morning Show Bootcamp in San Diego, and it’s always inspiring because we get to connect with the brightest, most driven shows and executives in the business. To see their vision and the way the talent is putting the boots on the ground to bring those visions to life is undeniable. Some great takeaways this year: making yourself invaluable from a revenue perspective, being irreplaceable in your listeners’ lives, and don’t get caught up in all the noise of complaining. The very core of this business is alive and well, with talented people that love it, and are working tirelessly to make sure that connection to listeners’ lives stays as pure as it’s always been.”
“As far as AI goes, it can be used as a tool in certain aspects of the show such as copywriting and production for different bits and segments we do. However, AI cannot replace talent. Our show is built off our individual personalities, and that’s something AI cannot duplicate. We are still firm believers in the shared human element of radio, and as much as AI creeps into our lives, it will never be able to live life with listeners in the truly connected and beautiful way that shows across this great country do every day.”
So, with the recent news about Steven Tyler’s voice, I had to ask, “Hypothetically, if Aerosmith were to continue to tour without Steven Tyler, is there someone out there that could actually pull off replacing him?” “No chance!” says Farra. “The flag of their legacy was so firmly anchored over their 50 incredible years of success if they tried to replace him, they would only be able to achieve being the best Aerosmith cover band. He is one of a kind!”
“What songs would you put on an Olympic Soundtrack?” “So many great anthems out there, but man, is there a better fight/competition song than Metallica’s Enter Sandman?” Farra asks. “On the other end of the rock spectrum, give me some more Killers tracks that you see exploding in popularity in college football stadiums across the country 20 years after their release.”
Long-term goals for the show: “Sky is the limit!” says Farra. “Every morning, we walk into the studio excited to do the show, and it is a labor of love. With that foundation, we believe we can continue to build this thing (with the help of our incredible syndication partners at Compass Media Networks) to be one of the biggest rock shows in the country. While the show is already heard coast to coast, we see bigger stations in influential markets reaching out and trusting us to be their morning show of choice. And we work hard to be good partners. We have decades of shows in front of us, and we could not be more excited about the future of the show, the business, and what we are building.”
“You can find us on Facebook, Instagram & Twitch at @daveandmahoney. You can listen weekdays from 6a-10a PST at kslx.com and check out our live video feed at Twitch.tv/DaveAndMahoney from 8-10a PT. The Dave & Mahoney Podcast is available at daveandmahonoey.com and on all podcast platforms.”
As consumers continued to fuel the increase of sports betting across the United States, Erin Dolan knew that the niche would begin to grow at ESPN consistent with its slogan predicated on serving sports fans. Just a few years removed from her undergraduate studies, she had navigated auditions and interviews to earn a job with the network as a sports betting analyst, responsibilities of which include reviewing metrics, staying updated on sports news and delivering picks across network programming. Dolan would not have signed with the network if she did not sense a commitment towards the offering, but it became apparent to her that the company was interested in the space and looking to optimize its growth.
Dolan worked from home over her first three years with the network where she formulated content and took part in programming from afar. Over the last year, she has been live at the ESPN Bristol studios where she has been a conspicuous on-air personality associated with ESPN BET, the network-branded sportsbook. ESPN entered into a 10-year contract with PENN Entertainment to create the sportsbook, which launched last November. As part of the deal, ESPN has utilized its media properties to promote the sportsbook. Dolan is among the ESPN talent who have starred in commercials detailing the product.
Dolan appears on the weekday studio show alongside analyst Joe Fortenbaugh and host Tyler Fulghum where she provides her insights and analysis to the audience. While on the program, she seeks to blend her knowledge with her authentic personality.
“If someone hears something from you and they lose money on it, there’s a different type of level of hate rather than an opinion on something, so it definitely stresses me out to some extent,” Dolan said. “But at the end of the day, I think I’ve grown the last couple of years that I’ve been here, and as my platform has grown, to really let that go because that’s out of my control.”
From the onset of her time with the network, the integration between linear and digital outlets has been embedded across several ventures. As the pay TV penetration rate continues to decline Dolan has been able to exhibit her versatility and identify a target audience while leaving room for others regardless of their sports betting proficiency. Equipped with a cognizance of how numbers can be overwhelming to viewers, she tailors both her content and personality apropos to the content being presented.
“At times, of course you’re serious, but this is supposed to be fun,” Dolan said. “You want to be sitting on the couch with your friends winning bets or wherever you are… but I really try to bring the side of me that’s just myself and authentic, and I think that’s what kind of stands out on television.”
Dolan recognizes that her personality might not appeal to everyone and that consumers can decide whether or not they want to tune in. As a Philadelphia sports fan and native of Delaware County, she professes having a thick skin and works to tune out criticism predicated on misogyny.
“I would never change my personality or dim any type of light or anything to make people feel that I wasn’t conceited in a way, but I also don’t think I’m conceited,” Dolan said. “I just think people take to different personalities differently.”
When Dolan first started attending the University of Oregon, she was focused on becoming a physical or occupational sports therapist. A prerequisite journalism course she nearly ended up dropping began discussing Erin Andrews, a venerated sideline reporter for FOX Sports, and the responsibilities within her role. Realizing for the first time that she could pursue a similar career path, she set her mind towards working in sports media and explored different concentrations.
“I’ve watched this industry, [and] I’ve studied everyone,” Dolan said. “I had a list on my computer in college of all the girls, where they were and what they were doing and how they got there, and I was like, ‘Okay, I know how this works now, so how do I navigate through this myself and get to point X,’ which, to be honest, I didn’t know was going to be ESPN, ‘and just position myself the best way possible.’”
Dolan later transferred to Penn State University and the Big Ten Conference. For the year-and-a-half she was on campus, she participated in a wide array of media endeavors and worked professionally for several companies. A combination of hard work, perseverance and talent earned her the Harry Kalas Award, becoming the first female to win the prestigious honor given by the Philadelphia Phillies.
“I was like, ‘I have to use this to get to where I want quick,’ and I knew I wasn’t probably going to go the traditional route,” Dolan said of her time on campus, “but I really used college as, no joke, [a] fast track as opposed to maybe just sitting back hoping something was going to happen.”
By conveying her unwavering ambition and demonstrating persistence, Dolan positioned herself to land a job as a freelance sports reporter with PHL17. The eight-hour shift, which involved covering sports stories within a news format, began at 3 a.m. Although she was off the clock before noon, she also worked as the sideline reporter for Philadelphia Wings lacrosse games, resulting in a dearth of tangible respite.
When leaving PHL 17, Dolan was presented with offers to join NBC Sports Washington and PointsBet, and she surprised many people by choosing the latter. From hosting segments to reporting on VSiN, Dolan gained salient experience and conveyed her personality; however, everything changed with the onset of the global pandemic. While employees at PointsBet lost their jobs, Dolan retained her position with added obligations pertaining to individual content creation and production.
“Fortunately for me, I never really shut down in that time,” Dolan articulated, “and what that had me do is learn how to work from home and work remote and just create digital content even more so, whether that was a selfie video or a promotion here or just different ways that we can put out content that was not the traditional, ‘Come into the office and stand in front of a camera.’”
Dolan eventually moved on from PointsBet and began working as a contract employee for FanDuel where she created her own show, Girls Who Bet, and was able to divulge picks for the first time. In combining her sports betting acumen and media skills, she earned a multiyear contract with ESPN and continued leaning into her personality and opinion.
“You just go, and I think that’s something I’ve learned being at ESPN and what all the other talent is doing,” Dolan said. “You just go, and then you just do as much as you possibly can during that day, and then you’re on to the next day.”
Concurrent with the growth of sports betting, Dolan recognizes that some employees at the network are still trying to learn more and become familiar with its vernacular. As a result, she proffers background information and suggestions to staff members of television and radio programs to better guide the interview.
Through her time with the network, Dolan has not kept her Philadelphia sports fandom clandestine but remains objective on the air. While there is subjectivity rooted within the practice of sports betting, she has built her credibility through a combination of results and accountability. Dolan has an NFL “Best Bets” record of 61-29-1 since joining ESPN and provides analysis backing her selections.
“I’m not just like, ‘Oh, here’s my pick. Have a nice day,’” Dolan said. “I give you three to five points during the shows, and I think that’s how I built credibility, but of course, records don’t lie, but now trying to sustain them is going to be the hard part.”
In addition to her obligations on linear television, Dolan is consistently creating digital content. As the host of The EKD Show, Dolan talks about various topics within sports betting and other aspects of her life, such as covering Super Bowl LVIII in Las Vegas. On top of that, Dolan is active on TikTok and creates a variety of different short videos such as taking viewers through a day of her life at work.
“This new wave of content is all authentic, whether you’re on TikTok, YouTube or anything,” Dolan said. “It’s all personality-based, so I think just being yourself and being authentic and showing the real thing instead of maybe the most buttoned up, professional content, people take to it because it’s relatable.”
As sportsbooks continue to enter the marketplace, ESPN BET looks to endure and grow by leveraging the strengths of ESPN and PENN Entertainment. ESPN BET will launch in New York in late August pending regulatory approvals, bolstering its reach to 46% of the U.S. population as it tries to draw from the average of 10 million monthly visitors using the ESPN App, ESPN Fantasy and company website.
“Sports betting as a whole is going to continue to get bigger – it’s not going to slow down, even if at times it feels like it’s plateaued,” Dolan said. “More states go live, more users. The football season is going to be insane.”
When Dolan considers what is ahead, she tries to shift her mindset back to the present moment and remain aware of tradition and innovation. At the same time, she is discerning new opportunities and challenges in the space and prognosticating their implementation. Dolan is grateful for what she has and is targeting strong bets while fostering chemistry with her colleagues on ESPN BET Live, especially with the cast being together in studio to start the NFL season for the first time.
“Obviously I’m already on SportsCenter and our pregame shows, but more so, the success would be having a bigger presence on some of our bigger shows and continuing to push to get on those,” Dolan said, “and the success would also be just having fun [and] being happy.”
Staying grounded in the present moment, Dolan is ready for the NFL season and to provide users with expert betting insights, analysis and expertise across a legion of ESPN programming on linear and digital platforms.
“It’s definitely a long-term play for me,” Dolan said. “I like being a betting analyst. I’ve worked really hard to do this. It’s also one of these positions that’s brand new to, not only me, but to everybody, so really working with people and establishing myself in this space, I think it would be silly for me to then just try to pivot and do something else right now, so I’m in it for the long run.”
Ahead of the start of football season, FOX Sports revealed a new programming lineup for FS1 that includes revamped morning offerings and a new look in afternoons. The network aims to bring fans informative, entertaining and compelling content surrounding the latest action and storylines within sports. Craig Carton, a former sports radio host at WFAN, departed the station last June to join FOX Sports on a full-time basis and subsequently worked to adopt a more sustainable lifestyle. After hosting an eponymous morning show for the past two years, Carton is headlining the evolution of the program, titled Breakfast Ball, that brings longtime voices of sports radio to the screen.
Carton will be joined by Mark Schlereth and Danny Parkins, both of whom have major-market hosting experience and tangible appeal to an audience. There are clear differences between radio and television in terms of how you prepare a show, the personnel involved and the manner in which you are able to delve into a topic. In utilizing two hosts with a similar background, Carton is confident that the new show will adeptly blend information and entertainment, enduring industry headwinds and becoming appointment viewing.
“I think what you’ll find with these two guys being added to the mix now is real kind of free rolling, spirited, entertaining talk show that guys and gals who love sports and entertainment will be attracted to because we’ll have more fun than anybody else,” Carton said. “Knock on wood, we’re the most entertaining show that exists, and we’ll also deliver all the meat and potato sports stuff that fans crave, so I’m really thrilled with the decision that FOX made to bring these two guys into the fold, and I think it’s going to be great.”
The show conducted its first rehearsal on Thursday and will continue preparations ahead of its launch next Monday. Over the first week, the show will air from 12 to 2 p.m. EST since afternoon host Colin Cowherd is on vacation. Starting on Tuesday, Sept. 4, Breakfast Ball will lead off the day of FS1 programming for a two-hour show beginning at 8 a.m. EST emanating from New York City. Carton remembers the first rehearsal he had at WFAN working alongside Boomer Esiason, which in essence was a tryout show in July 2007, and is hoping that he will be able to look back on this rehearsal and recognize similar success.
“We’ve never worked together, the three of us, and while I know you can’t see what we did today, it was very natural [and] very easy,” Carton said. “Everyone kind of filled in their appropriate space, and I felt that way when I did the tryout with Boomer, and I’ve never felt that way since, and I feel really good about that.”
Carton was recently inducted into the New York State Broadcasters Hall of Fame, a prestigious industry honor and momentous achievement following his return to WFAN. In focusing on television full time, outside of a weekly podcast on gambling addiction that airs with new episodes on WFAN every Saturday morning, he feels acclimatized to the speed within the medium. The new show is utilizing the same studio and largely analogous production team, which includes the addition of a producer who formerly worked on First Things First.
“Everyone’s got their niche, but collectively, the group succeeds, and I really think with Danny [and] with Mark, we found that,” Carton said, “and as we’ve developed this show now, moving time slots by a little bit and rebranding it under a new name, it just feels to me like a fresh start, and I’m happy for that, and I really couldn’t be any more happy with the guys that I’ll be working with now.”
The final episode of The Carton Show aired on Friday, Aug. 2, and since that time, he has been involved in conversations about the new program and also taking part in other ventures. Earlier in the month, he called three New York Yankees games on WFAN alongside Suzyn Waldman and felt that he broke the ice.
Carton had dabbled in play-by-play over the years and still wants to call a New York Knicks game in the future or broadcast games for FOX Sports. At the same time, he recognizes the vacant play-by-play job on Yankees radio broadcasts and the appeal of the opening. From the time John Sterling announced his retirement in May, the radio broadcasts have featured a rotation consisting of Justin Shackil, Emmanuel Berbari and Rickie Ricardo.
“It’s the primo job in baseball play-by-play radio wise for sure and carries a lot of gravitas with it, but I do not think in the moment that I’m being considered to be the full-time Yankee play-by-play guy,” Carton said. “….I’ve got a great job with FOX, and I’m excited about turning this show into a juggernaut.”
As Carton hones his effort towards exhibiting his strengths and building chemistry with his colleagues, he will hope to serve as an effective lead-in to The Facility, the other new morning show featuring Emmanuel Acho, LeSean McCoy, James Jones and Chase Daniel. The program is in the timeslot that was previously occupied by Undisputed, which came to an end early this August after longtime host Skip Bayless left the network. Outside of the new morning show, The Herd and First Things First are remaining intact while Speak adds Paul Pierce and Keyshawn Johnson as analysts alongside host Joy Taylor.
“I think our success certainly lends to other shows having early success from a standpoint of the first quarter hour [and] second quarter hour,” Carton said. “Let’s give them the largest audience possible and hope that the rest of the day builds off that, and I take that responsibility seriously. We want to be part of the success of the network. We want people to look back and go, ‘Hey, that morning show really set the table for the network,’ and we will take great pride in doing that.”
In building chemistry with his colleagues, Carton anticipates catching several ballgames down the stretch run and spending time together outside of the studio. By the time the football season ends, he hopes that the show proves to be a welcoming destination for fans to hang out and immerse themselves in sports discussion.
“I do think once people sample the show – the first couple weeks of it – and then get into some type of habitual viewing of the show, they’ll all say the same thing,” Carton said. “‘That show is fun. Those guys like each other, they know their sports. They’re also having a good time [and] they’re entertaining,’ and I do think we can achieve that in short order.”
