Earlier this week, the New York Times ran an article with the headline, “To Reach Men, Advertisers Dial In To Sports Radio.” The premise of the article was fairly simple: sports radio is a good vehicle for advertisers to use in order to reach men.
After reading this article, I can only assume some other topics considered for this space were:
Truman actually defeats Dewey.
This internet thing may catch on.
Calgon found to not really ‘take you away.’
Replay shows Denkinger missed call in ’85 World Series (sorry, that one’s personal!).
Now, any publicity is good publicity (or so they say), and I was not only glad the format received some pub, but also that a station the company I work for, Entercom, was featured in it (KFXX, 1080 The Fan in Portland).At the same time, I was stunned this was a story in 2018.Sports radio helps advertisers reach men? You don’t say?
Perhaps I am being naïve here, but don’t most people already know this?Over 30 years since the format started and August 19, 2018 was the day the second largest circulated newspaper in the United States decided to write a story on this subject?
I then came to the part of the article where John Fitzgerald, Vice President of ESPN’s multimedia sales for audio and ESPN Deportes, had this to say on the topic of sports radio:
One of the things that advertisers are starting to understand is that sports radio is not your grandfather.We do well with 18 to 49, we do well with 25 to 54, and we do well with 35-plus, but there’s this idea that, this old white guy — and I can say this as an older white guy — and they’re now trapped in what they do and they’re going to do that forever.
Advertisers think this?I have to say this is one objection, of the hundreds I’ve heard, that I personally do not hear, but if this is what people outside of our industry think of the sports radio audience, we have big problems. We all know that our audience is in acquisition mode, out there spending dough, but maybe we aren’t telling enough people that.
Is our format and its strengths a secret?Maybe we really have done the worst job in history of getting a message out there.Maybe we have to keep telling people over and over and over again that sports radio was the “original digital” – TARGETED ADVERTISING.If a business needs men with money in order to exist as a business, it would behoove them to use our products and our format in their marketing mix.
I used to have a boss that would put it this way, “Picture a business with an armed guard standing in front of it.The guards are there to make sure absolutely NO men between the ages of 25-54 go in that business.Would the business survive?If not, they’re a great target for us.”
Perhaps it needs to be repeated even further that our format is the absolute best when it comes to having little to no waste (or as the article refers to it, the “cost per relevant person”).Advertisers are welcome to pay higher prices for “bigger” stations or formats, but they might want to narrow down who their target is and analyze how much of their ad dollar is hitting that specific target with that buy.
The article did mention two of my favorite things to talk about, talent endorsements and the relationship between hosts in sports radio and the listeners, that trust that is built up that makes endorsements work.I often say that sports radio should be a cross between a fraternity and a cult and few other formats really build that type of relationship with their core audience.
That’s our story.If you haven’t been out preaching and selling the quality of our audience, the engagement between our hosts and audience and the exceptional value when it comes to hitting your target market, you’ve been doing it wrong.
And clearly either a lot of us have been doing it wrong, or it was just a really slow news day.
Entercom Houston has reached an agreement with theHouston Texans to extend their current broadcast partnership. The deal calls for Sports Radio 610 (KILT-AM) and 100.3 The Bull (KILT-FM) to continue carrying all Texans games, and Mega 101 FM (KLOL-FM) to broadcast all games in Spanish. The extension keeps both parties aligned through the 2027 season.
“We are thrilled to extend our partnership with the Houston Texans and remain as the team’s flagship home,” said Sarah Frazier, Senior Vice President and Market Manager, Entercom Houston. “Football is an integral part of the Houston community and as the leaders in sports radio, we are committed to providing fans exclusive all-access programming with some of the best on-air talent in the business in both English and Spanish.”
One month after losing his play by play job as the radio voice of the Oakland Raiders, Greg Papa has landed a new opportunity. Papa has accepted an opportunity to take over as host of 49ers Pregame Live and 49ers Postgame Live on NBC Sports Bay Area.
Papa spent the last 21 seasons calling Raiders games, becoming a huge favorite of the team’s fan base. The decision to drop him was made by Raiders owner Mark Davis, who has since replaced Papa and Tom Flores on the radio broadcast with Brent Musburger and Lincoln Kennedy.
The new assignment for Papa puts him in the anchor’s chair of NBC Sports Bay Area’s 49ers pre and postgame coverage starting on Sunday, September 9th when the 49ers kickoff the regular season against the Minnesota Vikings. Papa will work with former 49ers safety Donte Whitner, who has been added as a gameday analyst, alongside Jeff Garcia who joined the broadcast last season. Whitner spent 11 seasons in the NFL, including three with the 49ers. Garcia also spent 11 years in the league, including his first five in San Francisco.
In addition, NBC Sports Bay Area has also added former 49ers defensive lineman Ian Williams as an analyst on 49ers Press Conference Live. The program runs the day after 49ers games, and features a live airing of head coach Kyle Shanahan’s weekly press conference. Williams played for the 49ers from 2011 to 2015.
VSiN, the first network dedicated to delivering daily information about sports gambling, has reached an agreement with 98.5 The Sports Hub to provide Boston-focused action updates.
Starting on Monday, August 20th, VSiN’s Action Updates which cover how sports betting markets are reacting to Boston’s sports teams will air on The Hub weekdays at 12:13pm ET and 6:13pm ET. The reports will originate from VSiN’s Las Vegas studio at the South Point Hotel, Casino & Spa. Content will include the top sports betting stories of the day specifically customized for Boston sports fans.
“Sports gambling laws are changing across the country and The Sports Hub is proud to have a relationship with VSiN and the Musburger team to give our listeners the latest and most accurate information,” said Mike Thomas, Program Director, 98.5 The Sports Hub.
“As the radio home of Boston’s professional football, basketball and hockey teams, no one knows Boston sports fans better than The Sports Hub. We’re thrilled that WBZ-FM 98.5 chose VSiN to deliver the credible sports gambling information its listeners want,” said VSiN CEO Brian Musburger. “The Sports Hub joins a growing list of more than 25 terrestrial radio stations across the country bringing VSiN Action Updates to their listeners, including 670 The Score in Chicago, KNBR in San Francisco, The Mighty 1090 in San Diego, and 101 ESPN in St. Louis.”
93.7 The Fan is making changes to all three of its weekday programs starting September 4th.
In mornings, Colin Dunlap will gain a new partner. Chris Mack joins “The Fan Morning Show” filling the vacant spot left open following the departure of Josh Miller in April. Jim Colony slides back into his role of update anchor and third voice. The show will continue being heard weekdays from 5:30a-10a ET.
The midday show will now consist of Ron Cook and Joe Starkey. Starkey had been part of the afternoon show. Cook’s role remains unchanged. The new show will be simply titled “Ron and Joe” and broadcast weekdays from 10a-2p ET.
With Starkey moving earlier in the day, The Fan will turn to Chris Mueller and Andrew Filliponi to create afternoon excitement. “The PM Team with Poni and Mueller” will air weekday afternoons from 2p-6p ET.
Entercom Pittsburgh SVP and market manager Michael Spacciapolli said of the moves, “93.7 The Fan sets the tone for the sports scene in Pittsburgh. This new lineup elevates our sound and will engage the Pittsburgh sports fans beyond the level they have already come to expect from us.”
There’s been a flurry of sports media activity to catch you up on. This column contains a total of 23 items, and if you’d like your brand or individual news to be included in a future column, all you need to do is pass along the details by email to JBarrett@hvy.tcp.mybluehost.me.
Now here’s the latest!
A new Senior Producer has been hired by ESPN Radio to work with Mike Golic and Trey Wingo. Evan Wilner is Bristol bound after spending the past eight years working for SiriusXM in Washington DC. He’s expected to get started at the network sometime this month.
Well wishes go out to Mike Evans of 104.3 The Fan in Denver. The morning host who works opposite Mark Schlereth has missed time on the air due to undergoing heart surgery. Evans is said to be recovering well but needs time to heal before returning to the airwaves.
Boston sports radio station 98.5 The Sports Hub celebrated its 9th year on the air this week. Congratulations to Mike Thomas and his team on their latest achivement.
Congratulations to John Martin and Jason Smith who had their options picked up to continue as 92.9 ESPN‘s midday show in Memphis. The program has been a consistent ratings success for the station since being added to the schedule two years ago.
After seven years working for SiriusXM‘s NASCAR Radio channel, Jim Noble has left to become Wofford College‘s play by play voice for football and basketball games. Noble posted a note on Twitter expressing his appreciation to those he worked with and covered, and said he’ll still pick up some fill-in assignments on SiriusXM, and appear at the track for PRN broadcasts, but his focus now will shift to his new role with Wofford.
93.7 The Fan in San Diego morning host Dan Sileo is getting a chance to do a little bit of national hosting this fall. Sileo is scheduled to fill in a few times for Jim Rome on the CBS Sports Radio Network. Dates are still to be announced.
Along with the addition of Lauren Rew, 1010XL in Jacksonville made a few other moves as well. The radio station recently added Tera Lageman to Frank Frangie‘s afternoon show. Lagemam has worked in television in Chicago, Gainesville and Greensboro. She assumes the role formerly held by Lauren Brooks who moved to mornings joining Dan Hicken and Jeff Prosser on The Drill. The radio station has also added Joe Cowart and Ryan Green to its weeknight schedule. The duo debuted their new program 1010XL PrimeTime on Monday August 13th.
WWL in New Orleans is adding Steve Geller as its new sideline reporter on Saints games. Geller replaces Kristian Garic who enjoyed a nine year run in the role. Garic remains with the station transitioning to pregame and postgame where he’ll host alongside Bobby Hebert.
Speaking of football, Mike Wickett is returning to the sports radio airwaves this fall as the Chiefs pre and post game co-host on 610 Sports. Wickett currently hosts on 98.1 KMBZ in Kansas City. Prior to moving into the NewsTalk arena he hosted mornings in Milwaukee with Chuck Freimund on 105.7 The Fan.
Former Miami Herald writer and 790 The Ticket host Ethan Skolnick continues to make progress with his new venture the Five Reasons Sports Network. The digital audio brand is partnering with WSVN-7 and WFOR-4 on a few projects, and has begun adding staff to ramp up its coverage of the Dolphins and Heat entering the fall. Five Reasons is also hosting a public event at the Texas Roadhouse in Miramar on Friday August 17th. Not bad for a startup which is just four months in.
All the best to Jason “Pod Vader” Soderberg who was unexpectedly let go as BlogTalk Radio‘s Head of Content. Soderberg spent the past four years with BlogTalk following a sixteen year run at ESPN Radio. He’s looking for his next opportunity. Interested parties can reach him by email by clicking here.
Congratulations goes out to Maura Sheridan on being named the new play by play voice of Vermont Women’s Basketball, and Clay Ables who has been named the Director of the Red Devil Network and Sports Department at WJHI in Indiana.
From the television world, NBC Sports Philadelphia has chosen not to renew the contract of sports media veteran Rob Ellis. Ellis spent 17 years with the company, working his way up from behind the scenes to becoming an anchor and part of CSN/NBC’s morning show. Although Ellis’ television future is in flux for the moment, he can still be heard in Philadelphia on Sports Radio WIP.
Further north in Boston, Mike Giardi has left NBC Sports Boston after a lengthy run. The reason? Giardi has been hired by the NFL Network. His primary focus according to Chad Finn of the Boston Globe will be to cover the New England Patriots.
An addition is being made in Seattle, where KING 5 News is adding former Seattle Seahawk and HOF tackle Walter Jones to its 5th Quarter show. Jones will work alongside sports anchor Paul Silvi.
After 20 years at SportsNet, Daren Millard has announced his departure. He explained via Twitter that the decision to leave the company was one that involved many factors, soul searching, and layers of emotion, but in the end he wanted to pursue a new challenge. No word yet on what Millard has planned next.
The exits continue, this time In Milwaukee, where Telly Hughes has learned he won’t be returning to Milwaukee Bucks television broadcasts. Hughes was relieved of his duties after covering the team for nearly a decade. The franchise told Hughes they were interested in pursuing a different direction. What that will be remains to be seen.
Jordan Strack has been elevated to the position of Sports Director at WTOL in Toledo, Ohio. Strack becomes the 4th SD in station history.
Stadium continues to ramp up its programming and talent roster. Chris Hassel is said to be joining the digital brand to call 10 games this season alongside AJ Hawk and Kristen Balboni. Congrats to all involved.
In writing circles, Chris Biderman has left the USA Today Sports Media Group where he ran the Niners Wire in order to cover the 49ers for the Sacramento Bee. Biderman called the new opportunity to write for a newspaper a lifelong dream and said he looks forward to adding his work to a space which Matt Barrows has helped make special.
The Washington Post has hired Ben Strauss to cover sports and media. Strauss will begin his new assignment for the newspaper starting in September.
It’s another busy period for The Athletic who have added former NFL linebacker turned sports media personality Kirk Morrison as a contributor to their San Francisco bureau. Vincent Bonsignore has exited the Southern California News Group to join The Athletic’s Los Angeles outlet. And in Sacramento, Jason Jones is signing on in September to contribute to the platform’s coverage of the Sacramento Kings.
And last but not least, SB Nation has added Natalie Weiner as a staff writer.
If you’ve followed the sports media business over the past two decades, chances are your familiar with Sean Salisbury. The former quarterback moved into the media when his playing days were done and rose to national prominence at ESPN, becoming one of their top NFL analysts in the 1990’s and 2000’s. I was fortunate to share an ESPN Radio studio with Sean earlier in my career, and we had a lot of fun, and have maintained a relationship ever since.
Currently Sean is heard in afternoons on SportsTalk 790 in Houston, and one of the things that has made him successful is his ability to deliver strong, candid, unapologetic opinions. He’s well rounded, does his homework, and isn’t afraid to offer a thought that might piss off a player, coach, fan, boss or ex-teammate.
I lay that out for you not as a paid member of the Sean Salisbury fan club but because it connects to this next story.
This past Monday, Sean took to Twitter and announced that going forward on his radio program in Houston, the national anthem controversy would not be a topic of conversation. Not for one minute or one second would sports fans be subjected to discussion on one of the most polarizing topics in sports media circles.
Upon learning of Sean’s stance, I applauded his decision. I love the NFL, and enjoy hearing and watching hosts discuss and debate football teams, players, and topics with fans. Since I was a kid, Sunday’s during the fall have been special. I’ve tried to share my enthusiasm for the game with my son, and fortunately he’s embraced the sport even though our NY Giants have produced less than stellar results in recent years. Despite our disappointment with the team’s performance, our love for the game has never waned.
But as much as I love pro football, I can’t say that the media coverage dedicated to covering anthem protests and highlighting the outspoken views of players on situations outside the sport hasn’t had an affect on enjoying it. If a camera shows a player kneeling, some get angry over a distraction being created. If the camera doesn’t show it, noise is made over freedom of speech and expression being hindered. It’s become exhausting listening to both sides lose their minds over this never ending issue.
To make matters worse, the second a player takes to Twitter to express a personal view or takes a knee on the sideline before a game, it feels like it’s the only thing some media members care to discuss. It’s as if the game itself isn’t enough, and they’re looking for a way to introduce their personal political views into sports.
The reason most fans have watched the NFL for the past few decades is because they love to see two teams and their highly skilled players compete to be the best. The twists and turns that occur during the span of a sixty minute contest have long been the bait to keep us biting at the hook. It’s why the league has remained atop the television ratings year after year.
Regardless of which side of the fence you sit on though, the one constant you’ve been able to count on for the past few years is sports talk radio hosts reacting to the anthem issue the day after. In some cases, it’s a content focus the second it happens. But what about when a show takes a stand to eliminate it from its content as Salisbury is doing in Houston? Is that a bad decision? Is he making the right call, sensing that the audience is fatigued, and tired of hearing about it?
Looking at it from afar, here are a few of my initial thoughts.
First, if you hate the amount of attention given to this issue, and it’s affected your interest in the NFL, you’re going to welcome this news. Knowing that you can turn on a show, and not hear a host spend time discussing who knelt on Sunday, and whether Colin Kaepernick belongs on a roster will be seen as a breath of fresh air. It tells fans with that point of view that they can tune in, and count on the show to focus on issues related to their local team, and developments which have or could affect the next game, without hearing about other negative issues taking place in the world.
Salisbury’s position also creates an immediate difference in strategy between his show and the other local options available in his timeslot. That doesn’t mean that the other two local sports radio programs in the market are going all-in on anthem issues, they just haven’t declared the subject off limits yet.
By taking this approach, Sean is energizing his fans, and hoping that more people in Houston share the same belief that eliminating anthem protest discussions on sports radio to focus on the Texans and/or any other key NFL issue is a better use of air time. It also creates an opportunity for the station’s sales department to target advertisers who want to be included in sports radio programming without feeling like there’s a possibility of their spots airing in between divisive commentaries and topics.
But now let’s flip the script, because there’s also danger associated with taking a hard line on specific subjects.
The one thing we know about sports is to always expect the unexpected. You can make a judgement in the moment that feels right, and is initially seen as a positive, but then something happens that you never accounted for. It’s in those moments when you’re forced to either modify your stance, or stay true to it, and miss out on talking about an issue that you never believed would happen, but is now the number one thing moving your audience.
As we sit here on August 15th it’s highly unlikely that we’d see Jerry Jones or Tom Brady take a knee during the national anthem. But what if they did? What if before a game we saw an entire team drop to a knee? Either of those issues would quickly become the biggest story in NFL circles, and inside your listener’s place of employment. Those fans who tune into your show would likely avoid you the next day if they wanted to hear more about the subject because you’ve already gone on record promising not to touch it.
Let’s explore another example.
Wasn’t Houston Texans owner Bob McNair outspoken during an NFL owners meeting last year where he proclaimed the inmates were running the asylum? Given what we’ve read and heard about McNair, it seems unlikely that even in a dire situation he’d approve the signing of Colin Kaepernick. But what if the Texans did the unthinkable? What do you do then?
I realize some of these examples are unlikely to occur, but when you firmly adopt a position, you become married to it. Your intentions may be good, but by definitively promising not to explore certain subjects, you leave yourself little wiggle room when unexpected situations develop.
That said, there’s a lot to be said for sticking to your beliefs as a talent. It’s what many programmers ask of their hosts – pick a side, support your opinion with evidence, and be willing to defend it. There’s always a risk that it can blow up in your face at a later point in time, not to mention a lot more aggravation from dealing with negative feedback on social media. Sean though isn’t worried about that, and he’s committed himself to a position. Whether you agree or disagree with him, I commend him for standing up for what he believes in.
In our world, sports is the main course meal that we promise to serve our listeners. It’s what instantly makes us different from NewsTalk, Music, and other entertainment choices. The NFL’s players, in-game moments, results, contracts, off season moves, etc. have consistently proven to be attractive to our audiences, and that should be enough to stimulate our on-air talent. It’s no coincidence that when the NFL is on display during the fall, many sports radio brands enjoy a spike in listening and engagement.
This notion that sports aren’t interesting enough to excite people to listen for an extended period is not one I share. If a personality is invested in a sports subject, entertaining, informed, passionate, and able to provide sharp opinions that make the audience think, people will listen. Fans do still enjoy the games, and hearing hosts debate in-game decisions, individual contracts, comments made by players, and other sports related issues. If they didn’t, we’d have fewer sports stations, and less companies eager to spend billions to operate in the sports media space.
It’s important to remember that just because you do this for a living, and get tired of traveling, dealing with difficult organizations and players, and watching games, doesn’t mean the audience feels the same. Media people have a tendency sometimes to think that the way they and their colleagues feel is how the everyday fan feels, and that’s not the case. Most fans watch games to enjoy them, not to identify a topic for the next show. That doesn’t mean that our jobs aren’t stressful or complicated, but if you can’t find love for talking about sports thru a microphone, and appreciate how it creates a connection for you with an audience, then something is wrong.
Fortunately, there are still plenty of hosts across the country who love sports, watch them intently, and look forward to sharing what they’ve observed with their listeners. Sean is clearly one of them. Different markets have their own complexities and unique personalities, but a smart on-air talent recognizes which local teams, players, and issues appeal to their audience. By designing their content around those key items, they give themselves the best chance to win.
There are always going to be segments of an audience that flock to a show which dives head first into social issues, and other polarizing topics. There’s another segment of the audience which is going to prefer to hear about sports, and escape those intense real life discussions. In Sean Salisbury’s case, he’s counting on the latter. Now only time will tell if that’s what the people of Houston want or if they prefer the alternative approach.
Altitude 950 is bolstering its programming department with the addition of Dave Tepper as the station’s new program director. He’ll officially join the Denver sports station on August 15th.
Tepper is being counted on to add his seasoned touch, creativity, and vision to Denver’s radio home of the Colorado Avalanche and Denver Nuggets. Among his responsibilities include shaping the station’s on-air, online, social, and mobile programming strategies.
Brenda Egger, Senior Vice President and General Manager of KSE Radio, said “We were fortunate to have many outstanding candidates for this position but Dave’s confidence, winning track record, play-by-play, and team relations experience truly stood out from the others. He brings a wealth of experience and knowledge to our station and I am confident he will be an incredible asset to our team.”
Tepper joins Altitude 950 following a successful stint as Operations Manager of NRG Media’s five-station cluster in Omaha, Nebraska. He has served as the Kansas City Chiefs Radio Network Studio Coordinator and National Network Producer for Westwood One’s broadcasts of the College World Series. His career has also included programming, production and on-air roles in Los Angeles, Houston, and Austin.
“I’m incredibly proud and grateful to the leadership team at Kroenke Sports & Entertainment for the opportunity to program Altitude 950,” added Tepper. “This radio journey has connected me to many talented people in a number of great places, and fortunately we have accomplished special things. Thanks to our collective work I’ve been given the chance to do the same in the passionate sports city of Denver within the beautiful state of Colorado. I can’t wait to get started.”
There’s a great quote by Henry Kissinger which I’ve used for many years. It says “Each success only buys an admission ticket to a more difficult problem.” Simply put, every time you achieve a goal, be prepared to face and conquer an even bigger challenge.
In 2018 I took that advice when I introduced the Barrett Sports Media Summit in Chicago. Mitch Rosen and his team at 670 The Score gave us access to a great staff and venue, and the attendance by many of sports radio’s best programming minds helped us create a successful first event.
To execute this type of event, required countless hours of preparation, creation, and networking to secure top notch speakers. It’s a ton to tackle in a short period of time, especially with other business demanding my focus, but I welcomed the challenge because I believe events like this are important to help industry folks who have limited opportunities to share ideas and stories, network, and learn new ways to grow their business.
Sports radio programming is heard on roughly 800 stations, but we operate now in a multi-platform world against fierce competition. We’re no longer just creating audio and competing against other radio groups for dollars and ears. The opportunities, challenges, and threats are endless which is why it’s more important than ever to learn new things, meet new people, embrace new platforms, and consider alternative methods to future success. By the way, that’s not just a message for programming people. It applies to sales, marketing, social, and digital folks too.
At our Chicago event, we explored many critical areas of our business from podcasting to social media to diversity, merchandising, measurement, imaging, and the intersection of sports and politics. We also welcomed leaders from VSiN and the Action Network to discuss the expected growth for sports betting. In fact, a number of the sports radio PD’s who were in the room that day have since teamed up with VSiN, and the Action Network has since joined forces with ESPN. You can see our full agenda from the last show by clicking here.
Though we may not solve every problem known to mankind, I have no doubt that those who attend our summit will leave the room wiser and better prepared to help their brands maximize ratings and revenue. I’m also confident that attendees will gain new ideas and insights, a deeper appreciation for the business, and a stronger understanding of what missed opportunities and what’s on the horizon.
With that in mind, it gives me great pleasure to announce that the 2019 Barrett Sports Media Summit will be held February 21-22, 2019 in Los Angeles, CA at the beautiful Clive Davis Theater inside the Grammy Museum. The venue is located at 800 W. Olympic Blvd. inside of the L.A. Live complex. Be advised that this event is strictly for sports media professionals.
I considered a number of cities for our next event. New York is my home, San Francisco has special meaning, and Boston, Miami and Houston are other fantastic cities that were given strong consideration. In the end, L.A. made the most sense because it offered a great mix of a spectacular venue, tremendous weather, major brands, and quality talent. The city of Angels has no shortage of sports teams or influential people, and when we open the doors on February 21st, and kick off the first day of our event, we plan to showcase what makes it unique.
A few things will be different at our next event compared to the one we hosted in Chicago. For starters, the Clive Davis Theater offers 200 seats and we intend to fill them all. There will be a ticket fee to attend, which is necessary to offset the costs associated with creating the event. The earlier you purchase your seat, the lower the cost. We will also have a few sponsorship opportunities available for companies who are interested in reaching our online and on-site audiences.
For those of you who will be flying into Los Angeles to join us, we are partnering with the fabulous Luxe City Center which is directly across the street from the Grammy Museum. The hotel is within walking distance of ESPN and the Staples Center (if the Lakers could schedule a home game on one of our evenings that’d be greatly appreciated). BSM has also secured a special discounted rate for rooms which includes a complimentary breakfast. More details will be passed along shortly.
If you’re planning to attend and are interested in speaking at the event, inquiries can be sent via email to JBarrett@hvy.tcp.mybluehost.me. I can’t promise stage time to all interested parties, but if an opening exists and a fit is there I’ll be in touch.
Additionally, I am thrilled to share that we will be introducing four awards at our next summit. Each of these awards are being named in honor of someone who has made a significant contribution to the sports media business. The names of those four individuals and the inaugural recipients of these awards will be revealed at a later date.
I want to be clear that the purpose behind creating these awards isn’t to fill time on our schedule or pat my clients on the back. It’s to recognize and celebrate the impact that a select few have made to our business. It’s bothered me for quite some time that many who do special work in the sports format aren’t remembered beyond a few articles and internal thank you’s. Some of these folks have given their lives to the business, taken big risks, shared their wisdom, and used their talents to create special connections with audiences and advertisers. If their work has been good enough to live inside the minds of the people who consume it for decades, then the least we can do is make time to show our appreciation for what they’ve accomplished, and elevate the stature of those who continue to do meaningful work and blaze new trails for our industry.
By now you’re likely asking, “how do I buy a ticket and book my hotel room?” Since this is an industry only event, the information will not be featured on this site. A second site has been created specifically for this event, and that link will soon be sent to industry members by email.
If you ever needed an excuse to get away from the cold three weeks after the Super Bowl, when the sports schedule is extremely light, then this should do the trick. This is going to be an action packed event that benefits those in attendance, and I’m excited to share additional details with you about what we have planned in the weeks and months ahead. I look forward to seeing you all in Los Angeles this February!
You’ve probably heard or even said this phrase, which may or may not have first been used by Thomas Edison in an essay in 1748, hundreds of times.Just three simple words, very easy to understand the meaning.Especially when you do what we do.
I remember first being told we should always look to sell early in the day and early in the week.The best time to make a sale, the theory held, was in the morning, on Monday, when the client was refreshed from the weekend and the week’s problems were only just beginning.The later in the week, the more stressed the client is and therefore, less likely to be able to focus on meeting with you, talking about their business and, ultimately, buying something.
Since then, I’ve also worked for and with others who believe almost the exact opposite.They believe that as the pain from the week reaches its boiling point, that light at the end of the tunnel, that is the weekend, puts people in the best possible mood, so later in the day on a Friday is actually best.
If you read my stuff, you may be able to guess what my thoughts are – great ideas sell and will sell on Monday, on Wednesday, in the morning or at night.If you feel one of the above theories is on the mark, go with it.I’m never one to have dictates or one way of doing things, to me it’s about what works best for you to hit and exceed your revenue budget.What is important, however, is having a plan for all of your time.
An old boss would ask me, “what’s your time plan?” and it really took me awhile to figure out what they meant.My first thought was, “who has time to put together a plan about time?!” As time went on, I became much more aware of how I was spending my time and making sure that I didn’t end one day without a plan for the next.I truly believe that if you start thinking about what you’re going to do for that day, the morning of that day, you’re already way behind.
There’s no perfect time plan.We’ve all probably worked for or with sales managers who had the “don’t be in this office during the day, go out in the morning and don’t come back until the day is over,” plan, which probably accounts for 75% of all revenues at area Starbucks and Panera’s.I worked with a manager once who had a “sign out board.”You were either in the office on the phone, or you marked on the board where you were and what time you expected to be back.
In training sessions, my theory on time management for sellers is fairly simple: between 10 AM and 3 PM be selling or setting appointments.Other than lunch, which should include a client or prospect at least a couple times per week, do nothing else during those hours.Do not write copy, do not put in an order, do not do a proposal, do not fill out the paperwork for your one on one, if you can possibly avoid it, do not do anything except sell or set appointments during those hours.There’s time before ten and after three to take care of all those things.
If you mentally program yourself that the time you have to accomplish a lot of tasks is only the morning and late afternoon when selling time ends, then you’re more likely to not let distractions take you off your plan and you’ll get things done much quicker.If you’re spending your days either planning your day or trying to figure out who to call, you’re dead in the water.
Time is so valuable to us in sales. It’s crucial that you have a time plan and you stick to it.Time is money isn’t just a saying in media sales, it’s reality.
