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How Do Sellers Make The Most Of Seasonal Clients?

Dave Greene
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How Do Sellers Make The Most Of Seasonal Clients?

This has been mentioned in this space before, but I once heard a great description of how to prospect when you’re selling sports radio.  An old boss said, “Picture any business and put an armed guard out in front of it.  That guard’s only job is to make sure that no 25-54 year old men get in.  Now, would that business survive?  If the answer is no, they’re a great target.”

There are other qualifications, of course, such as do they have the money to spend (most importantly!) but this tip is a pretty good place to start.  However, a couple of times a year, it’s really the exact opposite.

With Mother’s Day right around the corner, this is one of those times when we are able to sell to some businesses who would otherwise not be a great target.  This time of year, along with Valentine’s Day and mid-December for the holidays, are times when seasonal advertisers like florists, day spas, higher end restaurants and certain retailers come in to play.

I’ve found in these instances it is always best to be the early bird.  When the beginning of May rolls around, if that’s the first time you’re talking to people about Mother’s Day advertising, good luck. The best strategy with seasonal business is to try and lock it in in advance, preferably during your up-front sale at the end of the previous year.

It’s never a secret when these holidays and special occasions are coming up, yet too many times I hear promotions staff and sellers talking about what to do for these after it’s already too late.  Late January isn’t the time to be talking about what to do for Valentine’s Day, November would be a much better time to do so.

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We often talk about cultivating relationships with clients and not being that AE who only talks to clients when it’s renewal time.  With these short term or seasonal clients, it’s even more likely to happen so we have to be extra careful.  I think it’s important to remember that men are always needing to buy their wives or girlfriends gifts.  There are birthdays, anniversaries and, of course, those times when we find ourselves in the doghouse and need to earn our way out. 

These are all good reasons to talk to some of these businesses about doing more than just the 2-3 times per year push with our sports stations.  I remember working with a florist in St. Louis who typically only bought us during these times, but then after he had built up a relationship with our audience, he realized that he needed to have a constant reminder to our listeners that no matter the occasion, he was the florist you should use, and it paid off.

Remind yourself to get in to see your seasonal advertisers other times of the year.  We can’t just assume these clients are sitting around waiting for us to come by because it’s Mothers Day in a few weeks.  Have a yearly planning meeting set up with them so you can lay out where they want to run or heavy up, but be sure to check in a few other times during the year just to see how business is going and perhaps start working early on copy and promotional ideas.  We usually know well in advance when these advertisers are going to run so it makes no sense to wait until the last minute. 

Also, it’s ok to be the seller who is asking about promotions for these holidays well in advance.  A lot of us in media are guilty of only thinking 30 days (or less) out.  Sometimes the reason there is no Mother’s Day promotion locked in is because nobody has asked about it.  

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The most successful sellers I’ve seen will generally lay out their year, before it starts, and are making calls for seasonal advertisers at least 90 days in advance.  Get out in front of these opportunities and you could earn quite a bit of short term business.  But, show up two weeks before Valentine’s Day and I don’t care how good of an idea you have with you, that business has already made plans with another station and you lost out.

The 2019 Winter Ratings Report For Sports Radio

Jason Barrett
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The 2019 Winter Ratings Report For Sports Radio

The fall tends to be when sports radio pulls out all the stops. The format loads up on content, hoping to capitalize on the countless opportunities available due to a crowded sports calendar. But once the Super Bowl is over, audiences can be harder to reach thanks to less action and weaker storylines.

Regardless of those challenges, the winter book represents each station’s first report card for the calendar year. Getting off on the right foot is important because it can send a brand backwards if they don’t.

For our first quarterly ratings report for the sports radio format in 2019 we begin with a look at some of the key takeaways from 25 different markets. We hoped to have this out a week or two sooner but sometimes data takes a little longer to come in. Though there’s a constant pressure to get things out quickly, we’d rather take our time to gather information, analyze it, and produce a thorough review especially when it involves something as important as a brand or market’s quarterly performance.

If you don’t see a market listed below it’s because we didn’t have access to their data this quarter. With that in mind, if you manage a station and would like your city/brand included in our spring report, please be sure to pass along your information via email to JBarrett@hvy.tcp.mybluehost.me.

Also, we understand that you may be aware of a few of these stories already, especially in some of the nation’s larger cities. Whether it’s already been reported or not though we felt it was important to include the information since this piece examines the quarterly performance of the sports talk format.

Now that we’ve got that out of the way, let’s take a look at how the sports talk format radio performed across the country in the 2019 winter book.

NEW YORK:

Chances are you’re aware by now of the winter book ratings controversy in the big apple involving Mike Francesa and The Michael Kay Show. It may be old news by now but since this is a quarterly ratings piece on the sports radio format we’re going to cover it once more.

The overall quarter was once again won by WFAN but the weekday shows draw all the attention in the nation’s largest market. Starting with mornings, The Fan’s ‘Boomer and Gio’ finished 5th with a 5.3, a two tenths of a point gain year to year. 98.7 ESPN NY’s airing of ‘Golic and Wingo’ did a 3.6, six tenths of a point higher year over year.

Shifting to middays, Joe and Evan had the best number on FAN for the quarter with a 7.2 which was enough to place them 3rd. ESPN NY’s ‘Humpty and Canty with Rothenberg’ were further back with a 2.8. CMB wrapped up the midday sweep for The Fan by delivering a 6.8, also good enough for 3rd place. ESPN NY’s airing of The Stephen A. Smith Show generated a 3.1.

The most contested race took place in afternoons and who won depends on which version of the numbers you value most. If you go strictly by the Nielsen radio ratings, The Michael Kay Show defeated Mike Francesa 5.9. to 5.5. But since The Fan’s stream is measured separately, and ESPN NY includes theirs in their overall number, this has created room for debate. With the stream added, Francesa wins 6.2 to 5.9.

I have a few thoughts on this situation that I want to pass along. I have no dog in this fight and am not looking to change anyone’s mind. I just want to give you a few things to think about.

First, Francesa has a valid point. Why should a part of his audience not count while Kay’s does? That makes no sense. The days of counting only people listening to radio stations are long gone and the fact that this is even a conversation shows how badly our industry misses the mark at times.

But what’s come to light in NYC is nothing new. This debate has waged on in multiple markets for the past few years. I hope for the industry’s sake that the double dipping for revenue purposes is worth it for the radio stations that have to deal with bad PR and sales headaches over not having one total number.

But Kay also has a legitimate claim to victory. He won the ‘radio’ ratings for the quarter. That’s long been the focus for how we measure and bonus shows in this format. Now when he produces a better radio number than Francesa, the streaming argument comes into play?

Is it Kay’s fault that Francesa’s station chose to run their business differently? No. He did what he was supposed to and won the battle he’s been told mattered most since he began trying to win this ratings war. The same one everyone gave Francesa credit for winning his entire career. I’m pretty sure Kay’s GM (Tim McCarthy) will be bonusing Michael, Don and Peter based on where they finished the quarter in the radio ratings, not where they’d be if The Fan’s streaming number is included.

What I’d like to know is why is this a talking point now? It wasn’t brought up in the past when Francesa was cruising to ratings wins.

Here’s something else I’ve wondered about. When Kay won the winter book last year over CMB by two tenths of a point, why wasn’t anything said then about the streaming number? I don’t remember the number being added to CMB’s performance. If it was, then how much worse was their radio number? If it wasn’t, would CMB have won with it included? If so, then why wasn’t a bigger deal made of it? That’d seem to be pretty important and worth battling for given that the show was brand new and taking over for a NY sports radio legend. If they won that book, maybe less noise is made over them being installed in PM drive.

Perhaps even more worthy of questioning is the actual streaming performance of the market’s top shows. Given that we live now in a world where people listen heavily on their phones, computers, smart speakers, and to podcasts after a show airs live, doesn’t it seem odd that in a market like NYC, a show like Francesa’s would only generate seven tenths of a point in streaming listening? I don’t buy it. If Michael Kay’s number is included in his total rating, I’m sure his streaming number is relatively low too. With all of the promotion given from ESPN and the YES Network that doesn’t make a ton of sense either.

Let me be clear, this is not a knock on either show’s ability to generate listening on the stream. It’s more of a question about Nielsen’s ability to fully capture each station’s digital audience. I’m sure if I looked at The Fan and ESPN NY’s digital numbers they’ll show a much stronger story than what’s been reported by radio’s measurement service.

To wrap this up, Kay and Francesa both had a legitimate reason to proclaim victory but because their stations run their businesses differently it’s put them in a position of having to defend their performances. Maybe that’s not ideal but it does keep people talking and the industry paying extra attention.

LOS ANGELES:

The winter book in the nation’s 2nd largest market saw both ESPN LA 710 and AM 570 LA Sports make strides. Each station improved its weekday prime share book to book. 710 overall led the quarter by one point.

Mornings were a close battle with 710’s ‘Keyshawn, LZ and Travis’ edging The Dan Patrick Show and 1-hour of Colin Cowherd by three tenths of a point. Middays saw Stephen A. Smith edge the remaining two hours of Cowherd’s program also by three tenths of a point, and ‘Mason and Ireland’ turn in just under a 4 share to deliver a win over Fred Roggin and Rodney Peete. 710 finished up with Jorge Sedano earning a victory in afternoons over 570’s ‘Petros and Money’.

Though it was just one month I did notice some positive signs for both brands in the month of March. 570 gained ground year to year in every single weekday category especially with DP and Colin. 710 also received a lift in most spots with Stephen A. generating the best year to year share increase. Will the final month of the book carry over and lead both brands to a strong spring book? Only time will tell.

CHICAGO:

This is one of our favorite market’s to cover because both brands have been operating the format for a lengthy amount of time, the PD’s are both smart quality people, and there’s a lot of good talent to listen to on the air. But over the past year, this has started to become a one horse race with 670 The Score pulling away. That was the case again in the 2019 winter book as The Score won every key matchup.

Starting with weekday prime (M-F 6a-7p) The Score finished tied for 4th with a 5 share, 2 full points ahead of ESPN 1000 who came in 11th. The Score also won the full week, coming in 6th with a low 4 share, nearly two full points in front of ESPN 1000 who were tied for 15th.

The weekday shows produced a similar story with The Score’s morning show ‘Mully and Haugh’ turning in a strong 3rd place performance with a 7.7 share. ESPN 1000’s airing of Golic and Wingo was a little more than 5 shares behind, putting the station in 9th place.

In middays, ‘Bernstein and McKnight’ on The Score finished comfortably ahead of 1000, coming in 9th with a mid 3 share. 1000’s David Kaplan was just under a 2 share and ‘Carmen and Jurko’ delivered a high 2 share for their full shows.

Afternoons were once again won by The Score’s team of Dan McNeil and Danny Parkins. The Score was 5th with a mid 4 share. ESPN 1000’s ‘Waddle & Silvy’ were tied for 7th with a low 4 share which was 1000’s best showing for the book.

When you look at the past two years a few things stand out. First, The Score should feel great about the progress it’s made. Twenty four months ago ESPN 1000 was winning this head to head matchup. 12 months later The Score took the lead. This year 670 has extended it. However, a big part of this story is ESPN 1000’s loss of share.

Case in point, at this time last year, ‘Mully and Hanley’ finished the winter book with a 7.5. That’s two tenths lower than ‘Mully and Haugh’. ‘Spiegel and Parkins’ in middays recorded a 5.1 which was a point and a half better than ‘Bernstein and McKnight’. Afternoons were practically a wash with ‘McNeil and Parkins’ one tenth of a point higher than ‘Bernstein and Goff’.

That means The Score stayed consistent but didn’t add much share. Yet during that same twelve month period, ESPN 1000 lost six tenths of a point in mornings, almost two full points between the hours of 9a-1p, and a little more than a point in afternoon drive. Two years ago at this time David Kaplan and Waddle and Silvy were both celebrating 1st place finishes.

Midday listening is down for both brands which is why The Score’s decision to install Laurence Holmes into the daytime lineup makes a ton of sense. 1000 has to figure out where their meters have gone during that time because David Kaplan and ‘Carmen & Jurko’ didn’t forget how to deliver a good show and entertain an audience. 1000 also has some work to do to get a few ears back on their drive time shows. While they search for solutions, The Score is sitting pretty in the driver’s seat.

DALLAS:

The winter book once again showed both Sports Radio 1310/96.7 The Ticket and 105.3 The Fan in healthy positions. The quarter was kinder though to The Ticket who finished 1st in weekday prime with a high 6 share. The Fan was strong too though coming in tied for 3rd with just under a mid 5 share.

Looking at the weekday shows, ‘The Musers’ were 2nd with a low 6 share, seven tenths of a point in front of The Fan’s ‘Shan & RJ’ who came in 4th. ‘G-Bag Nation’ on The Fan tied the combination of ‘Norm & Donovan’ and ‘BaD Radio’ for 3rd with just under a 6 share between the hours of 10a-3p. Afternoons found ‘The Hardline’ in 1st with just under an 8 share, three points ahead of ‘Ben and Skin’ who came in 5th.

The ratings listed above are the radio numbers for the quarter. This doesn’t include each station’s streaming numbers. There were a few positives for the quarter in that department. One which stood out for The Ticket was The Musers streaming number beating 103.3 ESPN’s radio number 1.8 to 1.4. The Hard Line also popped an additional 1 share thru the stream.

One item that has to feel good for folks at The Fan, the station has grown its share by over a full point over the past 3 years in the winter book among both Men 25-54 and Persons 25-54. They’ve also made significant gains in their ranking positions.

Though it’s easy to get caught up in who’s winning, both stations were consistently in the Top 3-5 across the board. That’s a strong representation of the market’s appetite for sports radio content.

SAN FRANCISCO:

KNBR rebounded from losing the fall book to 95.7 The Game to win the winter book. The Sports Leader was 4th in both weekday prime (M-F 6a-7p) and the full week (M-SU 6a-Mid). The Game slipped to 8th in prime and 9th for the full week.

Turning to the weekday programs, ‘Murph and Mac’ bounced back from their fall defeat to knock off ‘Joe, Lo and Dibbs’. M&M were 4th with a low 5 share, better than a point and a half in front of JLD who came in 9th.

Afternoon drive saw the team of Tom Tolbert and John Lund finish 1st in the market with an impressive 7.3. The Game’s Damon Bruce placed 7th just under a 4 share.

Middays are a little trickier since the two stations air shows at different times. Regardless KNBR’s Gary Radnich and Larry Krueger won their head to head matchup between 10a-1p. The duo came in 6th with a high 4 share. The Game’s Matt Steinmetz and ‘The Guru’ Daryle Johnson were 9th with a mid 3 share during their 10a-12p show.

The Game did earn a head to head victory in weekday prime thanks to Greg Papa and Bonta Hill. Papa and Hill recorded a 5.3 during their 3 hour show which was good enough for 4th. KNBR’s ‘Fitz and Brooks’ finished in 7th with a low 4 share during their two hours on-air.

Year to year the market has lost more than 3 shares of sports radio listening which is odd but both brands remain in good shape. The spring book should especially be fun to watch as Giants baseball should boost KNBR’s cume, and a Warriors playoff run should increase The Game’s numbers. Add in the 49ers picking 2nd in this past NFL Draft and there’s a lot to draw people to the dial in the Bay Area.

HOUSTON:

The winter book belonged to 97.5 ESPN Houston. The station finished ahead of Sports Radio 610 and SportsTalk 790 in weekday prime (M-F 6a-7p) with a low 2 share. 610 produced a mid 1 share and 790 hovered around a 1 share.

Where 97.5 received its top performances was in morning and afternoon drive. ‘The Bench’ with John Granato and Lance Zierlein delivered just under a 3.5 during their show (7a-9a) which was higher than the other two stations combined during those 2 hours. ‘The Blitz’ with Fred Faour and AJ Hoffman accomplished the same feat in afternoons with a mid 2 share. One point to keep in mind though, 610 and 790 feature 4-hour morning shows.

That said, it was a strong showing all the way around for 97.5. 790 has since made adjustments to its weekday lineup, and 610 has landed a top notch PD in Armen Williams to try and reverse their luck. We’ll see if it makes any difference when the spring numbers come out.

PHILADELPHIA:

The winter book produced a lot of strong results for both local sports stations but from a sheer bragging rights standpoint WIP earned top honors over 97.5 The Fanatic this quarter. WIP finished 2nd for the full week (M-SU 6a-Mid) with a mid 8 share. The Fanatic was 4th with a high 5 share.

In the individual dayparts, Angelo Cataldi continued to demonstrate why he’s one of the best in the format by producing just under a 10 share to finish 2nd. The Fanatic’s morning show featuring Marc Farzetta and Tra Thomas were 4th with a mid 5 share.

Middays saw Joe DeCamara and Jon Ritchie continue to win their daypart with a high 8 share. The Fanatic’s Anthony Gargano and Jason Myrtetus were 6th despite increasing the station’s share to a 6 share.

The competitive afternoon battle this quarter went in favor of Jon Marks and Ike Reese who finished 1st in the daypart with a 9.2, six tenths of a point in front of Mike Missanelli who came in 4th.

WIP’s Joe Giglio also turned in a strong showing at night finishing 1st with just under a 7 and a half share. The Fanatic was tied for 6th with just under a mid 5 share.

As strong as WIP was this quarter with Men 25-54, it’s worth sharing their Adults 25-54 story too. The station finished 5th overall in the demo with just below a 6 share. The results were even better in mornings where Cataldi placed 2nd with a mid 7 share. Marks and Reese also boosted the station to 4th in afternoons with a 6 share.

It’s only fair to mention that The Fanatic is disputing the final result in afternoons. The station contends that with their streaming number added to the mix they’d have tied WIP’s ‘Marks and Reese’. However, WIP doesn’t include their streaming in their overall number so that didn’t give them an unfair advantage. If neither brand gained an advantage from a streaming lift and it’s a pure radio rating vs. radio rating, then the only conclusion we can come up with is it was a better winter book for WIP’s afternoon show.

WASHINGTON DC:

The quarter was strong once again for 106.7 The Fan. DC’s sports radio leader finished 2nd in weekday prime (M-F 6a-7p) with a low 8 share, and 3rd for the full week (M-SU 6a-Mid) with a mid 6 share. Team 980 was further back with low 1 shares in both categories.

The weekday shows produced a similar story with The Sports Junkies capturing 3rd place with an impressive 8 and a half share. Grant and Danny grew 106.7’s share even higher in middays, turning in just under a 10 share, although their ranking position was also 3rd. Afternoons saw Chad Dukes come in 4th with a low 7 share. However, Dukes was just one tenth of a point away from being tied for 2nd.

DETROIT:

The Ticket remains one of the best stories for the entire sports format, performing on an elite level with all radio brands in the Detroit market. For the winter book the station was #1 with Men 25-54 for weekday prime (M-F 6a-7p) with just under a 12 share and 1st for the full week (M-SU 6a-Mid) with just under a 10. The weekday shows were equally dominant with ‘Karsch & Anderson’ (13.9) and Mike Valenti (13.3) finishing 1st in their dayparts, and ‘Jamie and Stoney’ (9.0) placing 2nd in mornings.

The station’s success with Men also carried over to Persons 25-54 where Valenti (8.4) and ‘Karsch & Anderson’ (9.1) were 1st in middays and ‘Jamie & Stoney’ finished 4th with a 6.1.

When the conversation for a sports station becomes “how do we make sure we’re beating every station in the market in all demos” that’s when you know you’re in the money. That’s where The Ticket finds itself on a pretty regular basis.

BOSTON:

The winter book was an enjoyable one for 98.5 The Sports Hub. The Boston sports station finished 1st overall with Men 25-54 a 13 share. Helping guide The Hub to 1st place finishes this quarter were ‘Toucher and Rich’ who delivered a low 12 share in morning drive, ‘Zolak and Bertrand’ who generated just under a 13 and a half share in middays, ‘Felger and Massarotti’ who produced the best overall number in the market with a mid 15 share, and Adam Jones who cranked out a 9 and a half during the evening.

WEEI was lower than they’ve been in the past but still finished in solid shape. ‘Mut and Callahan’ turned in a high 7 share to finish 2nd in mornings, ‘Dale and Keefe’ came in 3rd with a low 7 share in middays, and ‘OMF’ recorded a 6 and a half share to place 3rd in afternoons. The station’s evening programming was just under a 4 share which put them just outside the Top 10.

One item worthy of being mentioned, the loss of Kirk Minihane in morning drive on WEEI has had a big effect on the ratings.

SEATTLE:

Despite not having a ton to work with from a local sports standpoint, 710 ESPN remained strong for the quarter leading the market with a 7th place finish in weekday prime (M-F 6a-7p) with a 5 share among Men 25-54. Sports Radio KJR finished 15th for the quarter.

710’s best performance came in mornings where ‘Brock and Salk’ finished 6th with a mid 5 share. ‘Danny, Dave and Moore’ were only one tenth of a point and one ranking position behind the mornings team’s performance in afternoons. ‘Bob, Groz and Tom’ and John Clayton both placed 7th for the winter book with high 4 shares.

PHOENIX:

Book after book the story remains the same in the valley of the sun, 98.7 FM Arizona’s Sports Station operates on a different level than the rest of the market options. Bonneville’s sports station finished the quarter 5th in weekday prime with Men 25-54 with a low 5 share. The other local sports radio brands were under a 1 share.

‘Doug & Wolf’ helped fuel 98.7’s success with a 4th place showing in mornings with just under a mid 5 share. ‘Bickley and Marotta’ earned the same share as the morning crew though they came in 5th in middays. ‘Burns and Gambo’ closed things out in afternoons in 7th with a share that was one tenth of a point lower than 98.7’s other two shows.

MINNEAPOLIS:

The Twin Cities is very interesting because you have two stations producing full time sports content with very different agendas. KFAN is radio focused and firmly in the driver’s position from a ratings standpoint. SKOR North (formerly 1500 ESPN) on the other hand was introduced to the market in January and places a higher priority on digital and less on traditional radio ratings.

Because this piece deals primarily with radio ratings we’re going to look solely at KFAN’s winter performance. However, there were some really interesting and positive developments for SKOR North on the digital front. That may be something worth covering in a separate piece at some point.

For the quarter, KFAN remained strong. The station produced just above a 10 share for the full week (M-SU 6a-Mid) and was either 1st or 2nd in each of its respective dayparts. Paving the way for the station was ‘The Power Trip’ which popped just under a 14 share. The midday programs hosted by Paul Allen and The Common Man both delivered mid to high 8 shares, and Dan Barreiro continued to lead in afternoons with just under a 12 share.

SAN DIEGO:

The Mighty 1090 may no longer be in business but for the station’s final full book the programming team can rest easy knowing they went out on top. 1090 cruised to victory with Men 25-54 finishing 6th in weekday prime (M-F 6a-7p) with a high 4 share. The station also led all local sports radio brands for the full week (M-SU 6a-Mid) tying for 11th with a little more than a mid 3 share.

In the weekday show categories, ‘Ben and Woods’ led 1090 to a win in mornings by coming in 7th with a 4 share. 1090’s airing of Stephen A. Smith Show dropped the station to 14th with a mid 2 share but that was still good enough to win the head to head competition. From 12p-3p Darren Smith was dominant producing the best share for the quarter of any local market sports talk show. Smith came in 2nd with just under a 7 share. Completing the ratings sweep in afternoons was ‘Scott & BR’ who were tied for 4th with a 6 share.

By comparison, 97.3 The Fan and XTRA 1360 were further back for the quarter. The Fan was 21st in weekday prime and full week. XTRA 1360 was 23rd in prime and 22nd for the full week. Jim Rome’s program delivered the best rating for the quarter on The Fan. Colin Cowherd’s show produced the top result for 1360.

TAMPA:

2018 wasn’t kind to WDAE but 2019 is already showing signs of a major turnaround for Tampa’s leading sports station. With its weekday lineup now solidified, WDAE finished just outside the Top 10 in weekday prime (M-F 6a-7p) with Men 25-54. The bigger story though was the station’s year to year performance which was up more than 70%.

A big part of that growth for WDAE was the reunion of Ron Diaz and Ian Beckles. The new afternoon team recorded a 6th place finish in their first full book, over 3 shares higher year to year. Additionally WDAE enjoyed significant gains year to year in both morning drive and middays.

PORTLAND:

1080 The Fan and 102.9/750 The Game continued their battle for bragging rights in the market by tying in weekday prime (M-F 6a-7p) with a low 2 share with Men 25-54. ‘The Dan Patrick Show’ helped The Game win in mornings, delivering the best rating of any sports talk show in the market for the quarter (low 4 share). That was better than a point and a half ahead of ‘Dusty and Cam’. Jim Rome also led The Game to a win with a 2 share which was 8 tenths ahead of Colin Cowherd’s show on 1080.

Between the hours of 12p-3p ‘Dirt and Sprague’ helped 1080 slip by over The Game’s John Canzano by 3 tenths of a point. Afternoons saw 1080 earn their most decisive win with Isaac & Suke producing more than double the share of The Game’s airing of Bill Reiter’s show. Rip City Radio placed 3rd for the quarter.

ST. LOUIS:

Similar to the stories in Detroit and Phoenix, 101 ESPN is on a very different level when it comes to local sports radio listening. The station’s competition has become music brands vying for the Male 25-54 listener. Other sports options in the marketplace don’t rank high enough to warrant additional details.

For the quarter St. Louis’ sports station finished 3rd in weekday prime (M-F 6a-7p) with a high 6 share. The station was just under a 6 share and tied for 3rd for the full week. 3rd place was also where 101 ESPN saw Bernie Miklasz, Kevin Wheeler, Anthony Stalter and The Fast Lane finish in their respective dayparts.

CHARLOTTE:

WFNZ continued to lead the market, finishing just outside the Top 10 for the quarter in weekday prime (M-F 6a-7p) with Men 25-54. One particularly impressive feat, the station was 1st overall in the market for the book in TSL. The best ranking on the station for the quarter went to Nick Wilson and Josh Parcell who finished 9th in middays.

PITTSBURGH:

93.7 The Fan continued their dominance for the quarter. The station placed 2nd for the quarter M-SU 6a-Mid with a low 11 share. That was a year to year gain of nearly 2 and a half shares. In weekday prime the performance was even stronger. The Fan popped a high 12 share which was up 4 and a half points year to year.

Sizing up the weekday shows, The Fan Morning Show was 2nd with an impressive 14.3 up more than 5 shares year to year. The show’s March number was especially strong (mid 15 share).

In middays, Cook and Joe were #1 for the quarter with a mid 15 share, up nearly 5 full points year to year. March was incredible for the midday team too as they delivered a 17 share, best on the radio station.

Turning to afternoons, Poni and Mueller were #3 for the Winter book with a mid 9 share, up 1 point year to year. This is the daypart where The Fan has their heaviest competition. Mark Madden remained in front for the quarter.

To put into perspective how strong The Fan’s quarter was, here’s a quick look at some of their Persons 25-54 highlights. The morning show was 2nd in the market with a low 9 share. Cook and Joe were 2nd in middays with a low 10 share, and the station overall in weekday prime was 3rd with a low 8 share, and 5th overall for the full week with a low 7 share.

If advertisers are trying to reach people and move product in Pittsburgh there’s no way right now they can afford to not be on the market’s top sports station. Their numbers are extraordinary.

KANSAS CITY:

The winter book was beneficial for both Sports Radio 810 WHB and 610 Sports but it was 810 who led the way with Men 25-54 in the key weekday demos. WHB finished ahead in weekday prime (M-F 6a-7p) and full week (M-SU 6a-Mid) recording 3rd place finishes in both categories. ‘The Border Patrol’ with Steven St. John and Nate Bukaty were the highest ranked sports radio show in mornings (3rd). ‘The Program with Soren Petro’ earned the same respect in middays (3rd), and ‘Between The Lines with Kevin Kietzman’ prevailed as well in afternoons (4th).

One positive for both brands were their average rating rankings. These numbers are utilized more in the sales department, not the share numbers programmers look at. WHB was 3rd in mornings and middays, and 4th in afternoons with a 1.0 or higher. 610 also performed well coming in tied for 5th in mornings and afternoons with a 0.6. Based on the results both brands should be on the radar to earn future business.

MILWAUKEE:

This is a market that has flown under the radar in the past but going forward it should be worth paying further attention to. iHeart has entered the sports radio race with 97.3 The Game and just added Steve Czaban to morning drive. Good Karma moved to FM with 94.5 ESPN and recently brought in former Minneapolis PD Brad Lane to steer the ship. Then there’s the market leader 105.7 The Fan operated by Entercom who remain the most familiar to local sports talk listeners.

Analyzing the winter book, which was the first 3-month period where all 3 brands operated on the FM dial, 105.7 The Fan remained in front but the race was tighter than it’s been in the past. The Fan won the full week by four tenths of a point over 94.5 ESPN and were over a point in front of The Game. For weekday prime The Fan held a nine tenths of a point advantage over 94.5 ESPN and were nearly two full points in front of The Game.

Turning to the weekday dayparts (which in the future will require a lot more detail since each station features programming during different hours), The Fan received its best performance for the quarter from its morning show Chuck & Winkler which finished 10th overall with a mid 3 share. 94.5 ESPN was nine tenths back in 14th, and The Game finished 18th more than 2 shares behind.

Middays saw The Fan’s Bill Michaels win his timeslot of 10a-2p with just under a 3 share which was good enough to finish tied for 12th. 94.5 ESPN came in 16th with a low 1 share, just two tenths of a points in front of The Game who placed 18th.

Finishing up with afternoons, The Big Show on The Fan emerged victorious between 2p-6p, coming in 13th with a low 3 share. That was seven tenths better than 94.5 ESPN who finished 15th. The Game came in 19th trailing by almost 2 full points.

Though it was a good book for The Fan, remember that these were the first full books for 94.5 ESPN and 97.3 The Game on the FM dial. With lineup reinforcements on the way for The Game, and Good Karma owning the radio play by play rights to the Packers, Brewers and Bucks on their sister station WTMJ (dominant NewsTalk brand in the market), this race should be much tighter in the weeks and months ahead. May the best brand win!

INDIANAPOLIS:

107.5/1070 The Fan continued to lead the market with Dan Dakich giving the station a strong performance between Noon and 3pm. Dakich’s low 6 share was good enough to place tied for 6th for the winter book. The Fan also received solid showings from JMV in afternoons and ‘The Jeff and Big Joe’ show in middays. ‘Golic and Wingo’ lagged though with a low 3 share.

NASHVILLE:

Though their share may be down compared to 2 years ago, 104.5 The Zone remains the market leader across all key categories. The station finished the winter book 1st in weekday prime with Men 25-54 as well as #1 in middays (Midday 180) and tied for 1st in afternoons (3HL). Mornings (Wake Up Zone) for The Zone produced a 2nd place finish. One additional positive for Nashville’s ratings leader were #1 rankings for all key weekday shows with Men 18+.

MEMPHIS:

92.9 ESPN remained strong delivering a 4th place performance for the quarter with Men 25-54. The individual breakdowns found ‘Jason & John’ in 3rd with just above a 9 share in their daypart. Gary Parrish came in 2nd in afternoons with just under a mid 10 share. Geoff Calkins finished 5th between 9a-11a at just under a 7 share. Eric Hasseltine and ‘Golic & Wingo’ were both in 6th place in their respective dayparts. Hasseltine produced a low 8 share while Golic and Wingo were in 6 share territory.

OKLAHOMA CITY:

The quarter saw The Sports Animal once again turn in impressive numbers with Men 25-54 for all weekday shows. The Morning Animals recorded a 2nd place finish with an 8.7. Craig Humphreys placed 4th between 9a-12p with a mid 6 share. The Monsters of the Midday tied for 3rd with a low 7 share followed by Jim Traber registering a 3rd place tie between 2p-6p with a low 5 share. The hours of 4p-8p which include Al Eschbach saw the Sports Animal come in 7th with a low 4 share.

For 107.7 The Franchise there was something to feel great about as well. During the hours of 3p-6p the station’s afternoon show, ‘Triple M Ranch’ featuring Sam Mayes, Colby Daniels, and Aaron Davis finished ahead of The Sports Animal. They edged Traber during those three hours by two tenths of a point, finishing with a low 5 share.

The best performance for the quarter with Persons 25-54 came from The Sports Animals who came in 5th with a high 5 share. Overall OKC’s two sports radio brands were once again in strong shape.

CLEVELAND:

Full market data wasn’t available but we did learn that The Bull and Fox on 92.3 The Fan finished 1st overall in PMDR. The popular show has been tops in their daypart for 4 of the past 6 books.

You Have A Lot Of Products To Sell

Dave Greene
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You Have A Lot Of Products To Sell

What do we sell?  A better question might be, what don’t we sell? 

Fifteen-second commercials.  Thirty-second commercials.  Sixty-second commercials.  Live endorsement ads. Open and closing billboards.  Sponsorships for the studio, a show, an hour, the phones, the text line, the streaming, the traffic center, the weather center, the sports update desk and on and on. Targeted display. SEM. SEO. Pre-roll. Home-page takeovers. Emails.  Events.  Promotions.  And, I’m sure I’ve missed a few things.

Image result for we sell everything

The fact of the matter is, we all have so much to sell and so much to focus on, that it is possible (and maybe likely) to get lost some of the time.  We all know the drill, someone from the company flies in to town to train us on the latest product we are going to roll out.  Enthusiasm is high, the new product gets some momentum and then in a few weeks something else comes along that takes our attention away.  Pretty soon, that product that was hot for a bit is on the back burner and the new one has taken its place.

There was already too much to sell when it was just radio and events.  Digital has added a whole new set of tools to our belts, but has also added a lot more information to our already clogged heads.  Plus, part of our jobs is not only to inform clients and prospects about our full product portfolio, but also to keep up with the latest and greatest, which can change by the day, seemingly, when it comes to digital. 

I teach my teams to take digital a couple of products at a time.  Learn them, figure out the best targets for them and then book meetings to talk about them as part of a prospect’s media mix.  If you’re lucky enough to have a Digital Sales Manager, take them with you so you can hear several times how those particular products are pitched. 

When it comes to learning about new products, training or items covered in other meetings, I always make the suggestion to try and take one or two things out of each.  This goes for all of our products, but especially digital, if you try and take in all of the information thrown at you, it will be impossible.  Know what problems the product solves for your clients and start there.  If that problem comes up down the road, you can pull that solution out of your memory bank and then dig in to its intricacies.

With our radio and event options, keep your customer and their target audience at the forefront.  We never want to sell something because it’s what we want to sell, it has to be what helps solve the client’s problem.  If you feel like there are too many options of stations or products that could be presented, put yourself in the client’s shoes. 

You are supposed to be the marketing consultant, so, assuming you did a good needs analysis and really drilled down to find their key marketing challenges, you should have the information you need to guide them to making the right decisions.  If you owned this business and were the one investing in marketing and advertising, which of the products would you buy in order to best reach that target audience?

We have a lot to offer and each product offers a potential solution to a variety of problems.  Your expertise should come in to play when deciding which products to focus on for each individual client presentation.  Whether it’s fifteens, thirties, sixties, endorsements, sponsorships, digital, events, promotions or any of the other numerous items we have at our disposal, recommend the best path so your client makes good decisions and never feels lost.

Dan Mason Becomes Chairman of VSiN

Jason Barrett
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VSiN continues to invest in sound leadership. The company has announced that Dan Mason has been named Chairman of VSiN (Vegas Stats & Information Network). He had previously served as strategic advisor to the sports betting information media network for the better part of the past year.

As part of Mason’s increased role, he will continue working with VSiN’s management team to capitalize on growth and partnership opportunities in the sports betting and media space. In addition to his position with VSiN, Mason serves as chairman of the Broadcasters Foundation of America, senior advisor for Broadcast Relations for iHeartMedia and contributes to the Horse Racing Radio Network.

“There are few media executives with both the experience and reputation that Dan brings to the table,” VSiN founder and CEO Brian Musburger said in a release. “He’s already brought invaluable guidance to our team as a senior adviser and investor, and we look forward to having even greater access to his unmatched depth of knowledge and relationships in this industry.”

“Brian and his team have caught lightning in a bottle here,” Mason added. “Besides establishing itself on the satellite platform, recently extending its agreement with SiriusXM, VSiN has made tremendous inroads into the OTT space with Sling TV and fuboTV, as well as growing its own subscription offerings. We will now look to further expand our reach across video and audio channels, including terrestrial radio where sports have thrived for decades.”

For more information on VSiN visit their website by clicking here.

The Good, Bad, And Weird Of The 2019 NFL Draft

Andy Masur
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The Good, Bad, And Weird Of The 2019 NFL Draft

Maybe I’m showing my age. Maybe I’m just over it. Maybe it was just too much this year. I don’t know, but I just couldn’t get into the 2019 NFL Draft. Believe me, I get that I’m completely in the minority according to the numbers. 

Kyler Murray

NFL Communications issued a press release Monday, with a headline, “2019 NFL Draft reaches new heights and record numbers: 47.5 million viewers and 600,000 fans in attendance making it the highest rated, most watched and most attended ever.”  Numbers don’t always tell the story, considering you had a choice of NFL Network, The ESPN family (ESPN2, ESPN Deportes), ABC and all of the aforementioned web platforms. If you wanted it, you could find it. For others there was no escape from it. 

I give the league a lot of credit as a marketing entity. They really controlled the overall message from the very beginning. Roger Goodell was booed loudly when he welcomed everyone to Music City. The booing continued even with Titans’ QB Marcus Mariota, Hall of Famers Tim Brown and Mean Joe Greene up there with him to deflect some of the attention away. 

Everything seemed very choreographed and on point. The message seemed to be, “The NFL is pure, family entertainment. It loves kids, the military and its Hall of Fame players.” It was like a bad magician who tells you to “look at this hand, see its waving, but don’t look over here!”.  Ignoring all of the issues that the league has on its plate.

It’s a pretty big plate too, but it was kept in the oven and completely ignored during the four-day commercial.  

Did the NFL control the broadcasts? The NFL Network never once made reference to the Chiefs ongoing situation with Tyreek Hill. Even after audio surfaced of Hill discussing injuries to his 3-year old son. Even after Chiefs owner Clark Hunt told an audience during a draft party, he was “deeply disturbed” by the audio. It brings up a totally different argument about how to handle information detrimental to your owner, the NFL. For accuracy sake, ESPN mentioned Hill on a couple of occasions during its telecast. 

Tyreek

Hill isn’t the only cloud hanging over the league. Colin Kaepernick, Kareem Hunt and ongoing issues concerning concussions and CTE to name a few. 

Listen, I get it, you don’t want to air someone’s dirty laundry at a birthday party, but in this case, we’re all aware of the filthy stuff and it’s hard to party. I also understand that the NFL is not the only league dealing with adversity, but it comes to the surface now because of the big stage the league is on during its annual draft. 

Now as far as the coverage of the actual draft: 

There was one star that shined brighter than all the others. The NFL Network seemed worried about losing Mike Mayock to the Raiders as the team’s new GM.

Fret not! Daniel Jeremiah took the ball and ran with it, unblocked into the end zone. His approach was fresh with just enough “snark” to make him an enjoyable adversary to those that were also on the set with him. His information was good, his opinions were credible and researched. I enjoyed his insight and the way he presented things. 

There was an awkward moment on ABC involving Lee Corso. He and the rest of the College GameDay crew of Rece Davis, Kirk Herbstreit and Desmond Howard were going through the 11th pick in the draft, when Corso, started packing up his stuff and stood up to leave. Davis saw Corso getting ready to depart. “Taking off on us?,” Davis asked. “Yeah, I gotta go,” Corso said. “See you guys. I’ll see you guys in the fall.” 

Before the draft began, the 83-year-old continued his tradition of placing items on his head to show his favorite for the day. This usually involves the head of a mascot costume from the college team he thinks will win. Before round one, Corso put on a big head of Ohio State quarterback Dwayne Haskins. Corso left four picks before the QB was selected. ESPN says that Corso was expected to only work part of the draft so it was a planned exit. Still, very strange.  

Image result for lee corso draft

After the dust settled, the broadcasts were as good as they’ve been in the past, but I felt they were still a bit tilted toward the NFL messaging program.

There is transparency in the other major sports leagues. Whether it be a GM talking about a rebuild in baseball, or the commissioner openly questioning established rules governing pace of play or the DH. Or the NBA firing owners for transgressions that make the sport look bad. That type of open dialogue is so critical to credibility in everyday league business and its broadcasts The NFL could and should learn the lessons from its colleagues. 

There’s No Such Thing As Too Much Prep

Andy Masur
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Before the ballparks fill up, before the microphones go on and before the lineups are given, your team’s broadcaster has been hard at work. Probably for a few hours. A casual fan probably would say, “that can’t be, don’t they just show up a few minutes before the game and broadcast?”. Wrong! 

Any play-by-play broadcaster worth his or her salt is busy several hours before the action starts. Prep, as it’s known in the business, is the key to a good, informative, interesting and entertaining call.  

“Prep is the foundation of play-by-play. Whether it’s talking to players & coaches in the clubhouse or during BP, calling high school football coaches for info a few days before you broadcast their game or updating statistics & biographical information during the off-season or whenever you learn something new.”, says Robert Ford the radio voice of the Houston Astros, who is in his 7th season with the club.

Image result for robert ford astros

“I view it as continuing education; I’m always learning & looking for more information about teams, players, coaches, managers, even umpires. The better prepared you are (& the better you get at compiling information in such a way that it’s easy to find & at your fingertips), the better the broadcast will sound.”, said Ford. 

If you think this is a new process or requirement, think again. Jack Corrigan now in his 17th season of calling Rockies games on KOA knows exactly how important prep is. “Preparation remains paramount for a play-by-play broadcaster. No matter how many years you’ve been doing this (34 in baseball for me) never assume that a game can be covered solely on your experience. It is such a part of the daily rhythm of the job. It would feel too strange not to have it in my routine.”

There is no one way to prep for a baseball broadcast. It is a personal process for most, that develops over time. It’s up to each individual how to present the information and what information gets presented. Baseball is filled with numbers, stats and tons of information provided by the team. From all of that, you have to decide what is important to your listening audience. It’s not an easy process, but one that is critical to a broadcast. 

Remember there is no right way or wrong way to do this, but there are differences among broadcasters. 

“Because I’ve been blessed to be in the game for a long time, I tend to focus my prep on areas less obvious. A personal angle on a player or players becomes the perfect way to humanize the game beyond the numbers,” the veteran Corrigan says. “The audience remains a mixture of fans in terms of their interest. You must be able to keep the casual listener with you by offering something personal to keep them from being overwhelmed by the statistical/strategic information that the hardcore fan seeks. I enjoy the pursuit of something beyond the obvious, beyond the headlines.”

Colorado Rockies
(Illustration) Courtesy: Major League Baseball

The way the game is trending, younger broadcasters go about things a bit differently. Ford breaks down what he focuses on before a game. 

“Pre-game, I try to focus more on what’s happening right now. I mark up my stat sheet with notes on hot/cold hitters & relievers, & fill my OneNote (Microsoft program/app) with daily team info & news.”, said Ford. “I’ll usually circle the clubhouse to see if there’s anyone I want to talk to or ask something about a previous game, or to confirm any notes I may have read elsewhere. I usually go to the pre-game press conferences held by both managers to glean more information. If I know the opposing manager well, I may ask him something one-on-one, before or after he talks to the media. Sometimes, I will go into the opposing team’s clubhouse to talk to a player or two, particularly if it’s someone local from Houston, or someone who previously played for the Astros.”

I know my routine has changed over the years and has become a little more streamlined. I had a great mentor in my early career, Pat Hughes, the Cubs’ play-by-play announcer for the last 24 seasons, taught me a lot. He is meticulous in his pregame prep. He has folder upon folder with information on baseball history as it relates to the Cubs and in general. More importantly he is a fountain of baseball knowledge and a student of the game. I’m lucky to have learned under him. 

Corrigan learned early from some of baseball’s great announcers as well. 

Pat Hughes

“I was fortunate in that my early years in baseball were spent with Joe Tait, the Hall of Fame basketball broadcaster who was also a terrific baseball man, and Herb Score. Joe led by example in simple things like the arrangement of your workspace, proper timing for when to do what at a particular moment, the understanding of how much information was required, even when much of it won’t be used because of how the game’s storyline played out.”, said Corrigan. “It sounds a little funny, but from Herb I learned how to listen. As a former player that might’ve been one of the all-time great pitchers if not for an injury from a line drive to the face, he was a great source of information regarding the game from a player’s perspective. When Herb had some comment about strategy or a player’s approach, it made great sense to pay attention. Both men also taught me how almost as much can be gained from hanging around scouts in the press dining room as it can behind the batting cage.”

Ford’s routine is more of a work in progress, “In some ways, I feel like it’s still developing; I usually tweak a few things every year. It really started for me in 2002, when I was calling games for the Yakima (WA) Bears in the short-season Northwest League. Going into the year, I had no idea how to prepare for a broadcast. But each day I fiddled with my routine & preparation until I got to a point where I felt I was comfortable with my routine & felt prepared going into every game.”

The technology age has really changed things for some broadcasters. Those that have climbed aboard that train find things are a little easier in putting together notes and stats. In Ford’s second season with the Astros, he purchased an iPad Mini and used the One Note App to streamline his process. “Before that, I kept mini loose-leaf binders with pages on every player, manager & team. Going digital cut down on my prep time, particularly in the baseball off-season, & gave me more time to process & synthesize all the information that’s thrown my way on a daily basis during the season.”, said Ford. 

The internet not only changed things for broadcasters and how they prepare, but also for the fan and what they know. There’s so much information out there. Multiple places to get the information on news and analytics puts some pressure on the guys calling the games. 

“You must be well-versed in your own right to maintain credibility.”, says Corrigan. “I think there is a need to talk in more detail about the entire industry. The team you cover is still paramount in your approach, but you also need to be able to discuss what’s happening elsewhere in the game, too.”

Baseball Stat
FILE – In this Oct. 25, 1986, file photo, Boston Red Sox first baseman Bill Buckner misplays the ball during during Game 6 of the World Series against the New York Mets. Buckner, a star hitter who became known for making one of the most infamous plays in major league history, has died. He was 69. Buckner’s family said in a statement that he died Monday, May 27, 2019, after a long battle with dementia. (Stan Grossfeld/The Boston Globe via AP, File)

What’s important for young broadcasters to realize is that doing play-by-play at a high level requires a lot of hard work. What’s important for the fans is to realize what goes into the broadcast and putting it together. Appreciate it and understand that all the hard work is really for you. 

Welcome to the 2019 Sports Radio Draft

Jason Barrett
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Each year sports media fans visit this website to see who industry executives have picked as sports radio’s best in the annual BSM Top 20. It’s a subjective series which involves a lot of suits, and it generates a lot of chatter throughout the format.

Since the annual Top 20 features the collective views of radio executives, I thought it’d be fun to do something involving talent. When I first rolled out the Sports Radio Draft in 2015 and 2016 I included PD’s but I changed that in 2017 because I felt executives already had a voice with the Top 20 and it’d be interesting to see if talent saw things similarly or different than their bosses.

In 2018 I took a break from the Draft project because I thought it might have run its course. When I started though to flirt with the idea of doing it again this year, I found the responses to participate were very favorable. As a result I dove back in and here we are today.

Before we get into this year’s results, let me share a few key things. First, every voter was told they can’t vote for themselves and any person they chose had to be currently hosting a sports talk show. They could also vote for someone from their own station if they saw fit.

I also wanted the Sports Radio Draft order to mirror this year’s NFL Draft. So for example, you’ll find a host in Phoenix picking first because the Arizona Cardinals have the 1st selection. You’ll see multiple hosts from New York involved because the Giants have multiple picks and the Jets have the 3rd choice. I even involved hosts from both San Francisco sports stations and one from Las Vegas since the Raiders have three picks and the 49ers have the 2nd overall choice. My one goal was to involve talent who were either located in the market where each NFL team played or hosts who were passionate fans of the franchise associated with their pick.

As you go thru the selections remember that this is extremely subjective, meant to be fun, and the hosts who get picked (or not picked) and the order where they’re chosen has everything to do with who’s involved in the draft process and where they pick. I also encourage you to scroll past the picks for some additional comments provided by some of our draftees. With that said, here are the results of the 2019 Sports Radio Draft.

DRAFTEECITY/STATIONSELECTION
1. DOUG FRANZPHOENIX – ARIZONA SPORTS 98.7 FMBROCK HUARD
2. LARRY KRUEGERSAN FRANCISCO – KNBR 680ANDY GRESH
3. MICHAEL KAYNEW YORK – ESPN 98.7FMCHRIS RUSSO
4. DARYLE ‘GURU’ JOHNSONSAN FRANCISCO – 95.7 THE GAMESTEPHEN A. SMITH
5. JEFF PANTRIDGETAMPA – (PRIOR) WDAE 620/98.7 THE FANDAN LE BATARD
6. GREGG GIANNOTTINEW YORK – WFANJIM ROME
7. LAUREN REWJACKSONVILLE – 1010XLSARAH SPAIN
8. JAMIE SAMUELSENDETROIT – 97.1 THE TICKETTONY BRUNO
9. MAGGIE GRAYNEW YORK – WFANSTEVE SOMERS
10. VIC LOMBARDIDENVER – ALTITUDE SPORTS RADIO 92.5COLIN COWHERD
11. MO EGGERCINCINNATI – ESPN 1530DAN PATRICK
12. STEVE ‘HOMER’ TRUEMILWAUKEE – ESPN 94.5/540TONY KORNHEISER
13. MARC HOCHMANMIAMI – WQAMMARC ‘SILVY’ SILVERMAN
14. CARL DUKESATLANTA – 92.9 THE GAMEMIKE VALENTI
15. STEVE CZABANWASHINGTON DC – TEAM 980JON’ STUGOTZ’ WEINER
16. KYLE BAILEYCHARLOTTE – WFNZPAUL FINEBAUM
17. ADAM SCHEINNEW YORK – MAD DOG SPORTS RADIODANNY PARKINS
18. MATTHEW COLLERMINNEAPOLIS – SKOR NORTHMIKE GOLIC JR.
19. PAUL KUHARSKYNASHVILLE – 104.5 THE ZONECLAY TRAVIS
20. CHRIS MUELLERPITTSBURGH – 93.7 THE FANGREGG GIANNOTTI
21. BOB STELTONSEATTLE – 710 ESPNFREDDIE COLEMAN
22. JEREMY CONNBALTIMORE – 105.7 THE FANSCOTT FERRALL
23. LANCE ZIERLEINHOUSTON – ESPN 97.5 RICH EISEN
24. JOHN LUNDSAN FRANCISCO – KNBRTOM TOLBERT
25. EYTAN SHANDERATLANTIC CITY – 97.3 ESPNANGELO CATALDI
26. DEREK SCHULTZINDIANAPOLIS – 97.5 FOX SPORTS RADIODAN BERNSTEIN
27. STEVE COFIELDLAS VEGAS – ESPN 1100/100.9MIKE FRANCESA
28. PETROS PAPADAKISLOS ANGELES – AM 570 LA SPORTSDAVE ‘SOFTY’ MAHLER
29. ‘SOFTY’ MAHLERSEATTLE – SPORTS RADIO 950 KJRPETROS PAPADAKIS
30. CHUCK FREIMUNDMILWAUKEE – 105.7 THE FANDAN DAKICH
31. JOHN IRELANDLOS ANGELES – ESPN LA 710STEVE MASON
32. MARC JAMESBOSTON – WEEI/NESNCHRIS CARLIN

HEARD IN THE DRAFT ROOM:

I hate writing his name because every national poll ranks Brock and Salk ahead of Doug & Wolf but with Huard I get the ESPN connection, the extra national exposure, plus he’s a funny, tapped in dude. You’re likely wondering why I didn’t take Wolf….I just can’t get over the West Virginia thing. – Doug Franz

That’s unbelievable value at the 27th pick landing Mike Francesa. Gary Parrish didn’t get taken either? He was the #1 mid-market afternoon host in the country. WTF! – Steve Cofield

Gregg Giannotti is a steal at 20. It was a tough call between him and my co-host Andrew Filliponi. Gregg though is the most purely talented guy I’ve come across in the business. – Chris Mueller

If he’s there I’m shaking up the draft and taking Scott Ferrall. – Jeremy Conn

Somers is a franchise cornerstone. No one can do what he does. It’s very unique. – Maggie Gray

I’m going with someone with a high ceiling. That’s Mike Golic Jr.. – Matthew Coller

When a legend like Jim Rome is still on the board I think you gotta take him. – Gregg Giannotti

I hate the politics part of him, and hate that he’s immovable once he forms an opinion no matter how smart a counter argument is. But Clay Travis is a very compelling listen who’s consistently very smart and interesting. – Paul Kuharsky

What Are The Characteristics Of a Perfect Sales Rep?

Dave Greene
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As I write this, I’m listening to a debate on our station about the NFL Draft.  The hosts are going back and forth about whether or not a particular player is too short and too slow while going over their statistics from the combine.  One of the hosts asked the other what they thought the perfect player at that position looked like and whether or not that player really existed.  The other host agreed that very few, if any, players in NFL history were really the perfect make up.  

Image result for nfl combine measurement

All the talk about prospects and what a perfect player looks like, got me thinking about our business, and what a perfect salesperson might look like…

The first thing you would want is what I call “the first impression closer.”  When this person walks in someone’s office for the first time, do they immediately look at them and think, “This is someone I can see myself doing business with?”  The first glimpse of a person, the first words said by a person and the tone of the person’s words are three things people will evaluate quickly. 

Next, they’d need to be someone who can be trusted.  This works a couple of ways. As an employer or manager, can you trust this person to do the job?  Will they consistently prospect, cold-call, do CNA’s, present, close the decision makers and service?  To the clients, can this person be trusted to look out for the best interest of the business and only bring ideas that will help grow revenues and not just the package du jour.  Will they service the account or just come in when it’s renewal time?

Creativity would be high up on my list.  Reps who are good at coming up with ideas for their clients generally retain more business.  Whether it be a traffic driving promotion, something designed to increase social following, or simply putting together really good copy, if you can make your clients stand out in creative ways, you’ll provide the best added value they can ask for.

The perfect seller would have Energizer Bunny-esque work ethic.  If your sales manager has to think about whether or not you are someone who works hard at the job, something is wrong.  They should see it in the way you move.  I’ve mentioned this before, but the best compliment I’ve ever been given from a boss was one who told me that “wind moved when I walked,” translated as –  I move with a purpose because I’m busy trying to make things happen.

Image result for energizer bunny

Along those same lines, this person would need to be “on” twenty-four-seven.  Ours is far from a 9-5 business and the really successful reps know that you’re, at the very least, always prospecting for new business. 

I give everyone I interview the same scenario to describe to them what a successful seller in our industry is like.  I describe a scene where you are eating dinner with someone and you overhear the person behind you describing their new business to a friend of theirs.  The best in our industry will make sure they don’t leave that restaurant without introducing themselves and giving a card to the business owner behind them.  

If there was such a thing as the salesperson combine, these would be the skills I would want to see.  Give me a trustworthy, well-spoken and well-dressed, creative person with endless energy and the ability to always be looking for ways to connect with decision makers and I’ll put them at the top of my draft board every single time.  

Where You Do Your Sales Pitch Matters

Dave Greene
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Like many of you, I spent this past Sunday morning and early afternoon glued to my TV set as Tiger Woods completed his comeback by winning another green jacket.  I’ve heard some people call it the best sports television they’ve ever seen and some that were ranking it in their top 3 or top 5 sporting events of all time.

One of our sales reps asked me, “Wouldn’t you’ve loved to have been there and felt all that energy?” I immediately responded, “Absolutely not! The last place I want to be to enjoy a golf tournament is at the actual golf tournament.”

I speak from a lot of experience.  As a former golf show producer back in my early days of radio, I had the pleasure of traveling to several US Opens and PGA Championships.  While I loved getting a first-hand look at the courses and really enjoyed the player’s interaction with one another during practice rounds, as soon as the real golf started, I wanted to be somewhere I could watch more than one hole or one group.  It’s just simply not ideal to really be able to follow the action when you are at the tournament.

So, what does this have to do with selling sports marketing?  Well, there’s an ideal place to do what we do as well.  The ideal place is at our office, in our environment, where we are most comfortable.  You bring the client to the station, which allows you to give them the tour, hopefully you run in to a couple of the jocks or a great guest as you’re walking through, or sometimes you’ve even planted someone to be lurking when you know the client is going to coming in.  The staff treats them well, maybe their name is up on the board or TV screen when they walk in.  It’s a big deal that this client has come in for the meeting and this should work in your favor during the presentation and close.

However, most of us end up pitching at the client’s location, where it’s their environment and where they’re most comfortable.  And, worse than that, this is where they can easily get distracted. 

Auto dealers are the worst when it comes to this.  They end up having to deal with a client of their own, so the meeting starts 15-20 minutes late, then they have to check their phone and return a few texts, then they have managers and assistants coming in the whole time while you’re trying to keep their attention.  Your odds of making a sale go way down because the client isn’t even sure what you’ve presented since their attention was constantly elsewhere.

There is one other option better than their place and that is at a neutral site, perhaps over a meal or on the golf course.  In this scenario, nobody has the “home field advantage” and everything is somewhat equal.  You should certainly have less distractions to keep the attention of the person you are pitching.

As with anything in our business, you could learn more by tracking how you do in this area.  Does where you make the pitch affect your closing ratio or does it not make any difference?  You may learn that what you need is to schedule more presentations at your office, after all, don’t we always expect to win more at home?

A Story Unlike Any Other Told Perfectly

Andy Masur
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A Story Unlike Any Other Told Perfectly

For a few hours on Sunday, I felt like I traveled back in time. Yes, 2008 had its challenges: the failed banking system, the stock market crash and the start of a major recession. It also had a golfer that transcended the sport, we would hang on every shot and putt. We’d guess how many shots he’d win by and how many Major victories he’d claim. I’m of course talking about Tiger Woods, who once again had us in his paws as he rolled to an improbable but not impossible win at the Masters.   

Image result for tiger woods

The telecast was incredible. Jim Nantz, not surprisingly, was up to the task.  Big moments are his signature. Nantz set the stage beautifully as Tiger lined up the clinching putt, “…many doubted we’d ever see it, but here it is” he said. Then as the 2-foot put headed into the jar, Nantz simply said, “A return to glory!”

The most incredible thing Nantz did, was what he didn’t do – talk.

Nantz let the pictures tell the story, as he “laid out” for 2 minutes and 42 seconds. No words could have ever done those pictures justice. 

The raw emotion captured was incredible. The embrace he shared with his caddie Joe LaCava and the words “we did it” several times were quite visible though not heard. The use of natural sound captured the crowd at its apex. The chants of “Tiger! Tiger!”. Then came the tear-jerking moment, Tiger’s embrace with his young son, then his mom and then his daughter. Incredible.

Nantz broke his silence with, “I never thought we’d see anything that could rival the hug with his father in 1997, but we just did.” A reference to Tiger’s first Masters win and the embrace with his late father Earl. 

Image result for tiger woods son hug

Speaking of that famous hug. Kudos to the CBS Production team for coming back with the flashback of the ACTUAL moment between Tiger and his father and then a slow fade back into the present day of Tiger and his son. Amazing stuff that really brought it home. That moment came just before Nantz and Nick Faldo, a two-time green jacket winner, interviewed Tiger in Butler Cabin. Nantz called it, “one of the greatest days in the history of this 83-year old tournament”. 

It’s incredible to me to think that this CBS crew had less time to prepare for the final round and the possibility of a Tiger win than they normally would have. There was a possibility of severe weather on Sunday afternoon, so Augusta National officials opted to move the start time for the fourth round up a few hours. CBS started its national broadcast of the final round at 9am ET. The leaders teed off about 20 minutes later. 

Director Lance Barrow said he found out about the early broadcast before going on the air Saturday. CBS sports chairman Sean McManus told the Associated Press that even with the earlier airtime, it still had the feel and drama of a final round at Augusta. “During huge events like this, everyone steps up. I am very proud of what we did and it was a great broadcast,” McManus said.

Image result for jim nantz tiger butler cabin

A lot has happened to Tiger in the 14 yeas between his wins at Augusta. Its why Nantz’s words “A return to glory” really sum it up. Tiger was on top of the world, the number one golfer in the world. His Sunday red & black was feared by others. Then it all went away.

A very public and bitter divorce. Addiction issues. Injuries. Tiger wasn’t a jungle cat anymore. It was sad to watch the fall from grace.

Now, one win doesn’t mean that Tiger is back, but Tigermania has returned to the mainstream.  It’s definitely one for us all to celebrate.

TV viewers couldn’t get enough on CBS, in the time frame of 9am ET to 2:30pm ET Sunday, 21 percent of all televisions that were on in the US were watching Tiger. It was the highest rated morning golf event in 34 years. Tiger can still draw them in and Nantz and his CBS crew still know how to tell the story. 

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