A thriller between two of the NFL’s biggest names, with much of the country snowed in, resulted in huge numbers for the AFC Championship game.
The Patriots/Broncos matchup had a 31.8 overnight rating on CBS Sunday afternoon, up 9% from Packers/Seahawks on FOX last year (29.1) and up 8% from the same Patriots/Broncos matchup in 2014 (29.5). Compared to last year’s Colts/Patriots AFC Championship, which aired in the late window, overnights jumped 31% from a 24.2.
The Broncos’ win, which peaked at a 36.6 from 6-6:30 PM ET, ranks as the highest rated AFC Championship in the metered markets since 1987 — when NBC drew a 31.9 for Broncos/Browns (31.9). Including NFC games, it ranks as the third-highest rated conference championship game since Cowboys/49ers in 1995 (34.2), behind only Giants/49ers in 2012 (33.4) and Vikings/Saints in 2010 (33.3).
The 31.8 is also the highest overnight for the early conference championship window since the aforementioned Broncos/Browns game.
The AFC Championship comfortably topped its NFC counterpart, ranking ahead of Cardinals/Panthers on FOX by 19% (26.8). This year was the second straight, and just the third time in the past ten seasons, that the early conference championship has topped the late window.
Rogers Media announced Monday it plans to cut 200 jobs across its television, radio and publishing divisions.
The company said the layoffs, which represent 4 per cent of its work force, will begin in February and “conclude as soon as possible.”
“The media industry continues to experience significant pressures from a softening advertising market, fierce competition from global players, and shifting audience consumption habits,” spokeswoman Andrea Goldstein said in an e-mailed statement.
She said the Toronto-based company identified cost savings in production, operations and procurement and “made the difficult decision to reduce head count.”
The cuts will primarily affect Rogers’ conventional television, radio and publishing operations as well as back-office roles, Ms. Goldstein said. She added in a separate e-mail that “today’s announcement impacts all areas of Rogers Media, except for the Toronto Blue Jays.”
Rogers owns the City and Omni television networks, more than 50 radio stations and more than 40 consumer and trade magazine titles as well as specialty television channels including the regional and national Sportsnet channels. The company also owns the Toronto Blue Jays baseball team and has a 37.5-per-cent interest in sports juggernaut Maple Leaf Sports & Entertainment.
To read the rest of the article visit the Toronto Globe and Mail where it was originally published
Rachel Nichols has returned to ESPN after a three-year stint with CNN/Turner Sports. The Northwestern alum is preparing for the Feb. 18 launch of a 30-minute show called “The Jump.” The 2:30 p.m. Monday-through-Friday offering will feature NBA players and analysts and originate from Los Angeles.
She also will contribute to “SportsCenter,” “Outside the Lines” and “E:60.” The Chicago Tribune spoke to her last Thursday.
You are back with ESPN. Why the move?
It was just an amazing opportunity. I get to be on television every day talking about a sport I genuinely love — the fun stuff that makes the NBA such a cool ride and the big-picture issues. In addition I get to cross into other (shows) to do some commentary and interviews. It’s a win, win, win, win, win, which is fantastic.
What is it about the NBA that compels you so?
The NBA has that up-close feeling. There’s a reason why the stars are so marketable; you feel like you know them. We call a lot of them by their first name. The fans can be two feet from them. Sometimes they fall into the stands and the fans are two inches from them.
Do you sense any concern from ESPN about declining ratings and the so-called cord-cutters, the people who no longer are willing to pay for cable?
It is definitely above my pay grade to solve or manage the cord-cutting issue. I can only say this: I worked at newspapers for a long time. And I understand what it is like to work for and be in the middle of a changing industry. And I think there is a difference between, ‘Hey, the model is changing.’ And, ‘Hey, the house is on fire.’ ESPN is still the number one cable network in terms of viewers. It’s hard to look at that and say, ‘Oh, wow, they’re in real trouble.’
What you say is, ‘Oh, wow, they have a changing model.’ And if those cord-cutters are cutting the cord because they are on their phones more, then how is ESPN doing in mobile? How is that business developing? I have no idea what the numbers are, but I do know that being scared of a changing model is not a very forward way of thinking and that it’s exciting when things change. Then there are new opportunities.
To read the full interview visit the Chicago Tribune where this article was originally published
During the past few months a couple of publications have produced an annual “Best Of” the sports radio industry. The lists have created a stir due to their subjectivity and lost in the process was the purpose of why they were created – to showcase the people and stations who perform best in the sports format.
While the results have been met with mixed reviews, it’s led to people asking “do people in the industry vote and what do they base their decisions on“?
Having done research on this subject, I learned that the results were done independently. In a couple of instances feedback was requested from a few industry people but the final determinations were made by the publications.
As a former programmer myself, I was curious why industry people who are tasked with making hiring decisions, coaching talent and generating ratings weren’t more involved in the process. I also wondered why ratings performance wasn’t a heavier factor and what hosts and shows in smaller markets could do to increase their standing if their geography didn’t change during the course of the next 12 months.
I was openly critical of the Talkers Top 100 for Sports Radio because although I enjoyed the piece, the results rarely change from year to year. It felt like the list was built off of reputation rather than actual performance. If a show is in the top 5 in their market one year, but falls to 15th and is getting beat by a local competitor a year later, how can they be in the same spot and ahead of a show that beats them?
That column generated a lot of feedback and many agreed with my position but some did not. A few people then asked me to lead the charge to get a better read on how the best minds in the format viewed the nation’s best sports talk programs.
At first I was reluctant to do it because I recognized how impossible it is to create the perfect list. I also saw the job as being thankless and one which puts me in the line of fire for simply trying to provide some positive recognition to those who perform each day.
But then I realized how much of a hypocrite I was. How could I sit there and be critical of another group’s results if I wasn’t willing to take the same risk myself?
So after wrestling with the decision for a few weeks, I arrived at the point where I was ready to take a stab at it.
However, rather than make it a one-man’s opinion column, I wanted it to be reflective of how the best decision makers in the format feel. To do that, I assembled a panel of more than thirty of the sports radio format’s top executives from ESPN, Fox, Sirius, CBS, iHeart, Cumulus, Entercom, Greater Media, and a few other groups.
The reason why this was important is because I didn’t want any company bias or geographical influence determining the final results. I sought out people who had experience managing in multiple markets and who had run stations in major markets for a lengthy period of time and had been through the rigors of scouting and hiring talent.
In exchange for providing their selections, I promised anonymity. If you want candid responses and strong cooperation from radio executives in different companies, this is the only way to do it. It’s no different than a reporter using “sources” to gain the truth about a sports story or NFL owners using a silent ballot to decide which NFL franchise gets to move to Los Angeles.
Next, I assembled the criteria for what we’d vote on. One of the real challenges with many of these lists is that they try to compile the best of the entire industry. When you combine all day parts plus local and network programs, and offer no rationale for how a decision is made, it makes it confusing, and impossible to analyze and measure.
I decided that I’d approach this project differently. We would focus on identifying the best show for each specific day part, and separate the local shows from the national ones. The goal was to feature America’s best local sports radio morning, midday and afternoon show, and the nation’s best national sports radio show for 2015. I then added two other categories, America’s best local sports radio station, and America’s best local sports radio Program Director.
Every show in this format is important but how do you place an afternoon show over a morning show if they both sound great, have the same ratings, perform in the same market, and each possess a strong track record? It’s not possible. How do you decide where a national show ranks versus a local show and vice versa? They operate and are measured very differently so it’s not an apples to apples comparison.
Once the categories were chosen, I started to scan the entire country and make a list of every single local and national sports talk show. I separated them by day part and market. Most shows were from Top 50 markets but a few beyond that were included too. I dug into their ratings, audience sizes, longevity and track records, and I listened for weeks to better educate myself on their quality of content. My thought was that while we’re still going to come away with a list that is highly subjective, we may as well have some trustworthy information to help us make an informed decision.
After those items were taken into consideration, I compiled the final list and gave each member of the panel a number of options per category to choose from. The panel was asked to pick their top 20 from each category. Recognizing that I’d have a number of different responses, I informed the voters that we’d have a scoring system. A 1st place vote was worth 20 points, 2nd place was worth 19 points, and we’d follow that order until we reached 20th place which was worth 1 point. The reason this was important is because it helps balance out the totals from 30+ voters, all who very different styles, locations and company affiliations.
Once the ballots were sent to the panel, and they cast their votes and sent them back, the final step were adding up the totals to see how the shows measured up. I decided that since I’d be in San Francisco for a few days during the week of the Super Bowl (when most stations broadcast LIVE from radio row), that I’d reveal the winners that week. Since there are 6 categories, I chose to announce the final category (sports radio station of the year) on Monday February 8th since it’s the day after the big game when we find out who the NFL’s best is.
Below are the days for when each category and winner will be recognized. I want to thank each member of the panel who took part in the voting because it’s very difficult. I appreciate the time and respect they gave to the process and thank them for their trust and confidence in me to present a fair and objective analysis on our industry’s best programs for the past year.
I also want to acknowledge every single station, network, host and show, because while these awards may shine the spotlight on who 30+ industry executives believe are the 20 best performers per category in the format for 2015, an argument can be made for every decision. I’ve learned that there are A LOT of damn good sports talk shows on the air, and many don’t get the credit they deserve. If the list was focused on picking the Top 200 this would be easy, but when you have to choose the best of the best, a lot factors go into the decision process.
So with that in mind, mark your calendars – February 1-5 and February 8. Those are the dates when we will reveal “The 2015 Best In Sports Radio Awards“. Get ready for the debates to begin.
Monday February 1 = America’s Best Local Sports Radio Morning Show
Tuesday February 2 = America’s Best Local Sports Radio Midday Show
Wednesday February 3 = America’s Best Local Sports Radio Afternoon Show
Thursday February 4 = America’s Best National Sports Radio Show
Friday February 5 = America’s Best Local Sports Radio Program Director
Monday February 8 = America’s Best Local Sports Radio Station
CSN California (@CSNAuthentic), the home of “Authentic Bay Area Sports,” today announced that former Oakland Athletics pitcher Mark Mulder (@markmulder20), has joined the broadcast team as a color commentator and will be featured in 20 telecasts during the 2016 MLB season.
“Mark’s popularity with A’s fans and his deep knowledge of the game make him a perfect fit to join a broadcast team that is already one of the best in baseball,” said David Koppett, senior executive producer of live events, CSN Bay Area and CSN California. “We’re excited to add Mark’s insight to the terrific work of Glen Kuiper and Ray Fosse.”
Mulder played nine years in the majors with the A’s (2000-2004) and the St. Louis Cardinals (2005-2008). In Oakland, he was a core member of the A’s “Big Three” along with Tim Hudson and Barry Zito. Mulder led the American League with 21 wins in 2001, and won 19 games and struck out a career-high 159 batters in 2002. He represented the A’s in the 2003 and 2004 All-Star Game. Mulder was traded to St. Louis in Dec. 2004 and was a member of the Cardinals 2006 World Series Championship team. He retired after the 2008 season and finished his career with a record of 103-60, a 4.18 earned run average and 834 strikeouts. In 2011, Mulder joined ESPN as an analyst for Baseball Tonight.
Ray Fosse, a 31-year broadcasting veteran and multiple Emmy Award winner who won two World Championships (1973, 1974) with the A’s, along with two Gold Gloves (1970, 1971) and played in two All-Star Games (1970, 1971), remains CSN California’s primary A’s analyst.
Sports, currently, is dominated by Disney’s ESPN, whose trademark saying is: “The Worldwide Leader in Sports.” Unlike many trademark sayings, ESPN’s is true.
The network has multi-year broadcast deals with all the major sports leagues, which means other aspiring sports networks get stuck with amateur chess championships instead of the college football playoffs.
To be clear, FB isn’t getting into sports broadcasting just yet. But it is doubling down on the conversations surrounding sports, which has become an integral part of how we consume sports in this day and age. It’s also something ESPN can’t do, and it could woo some major ad dollars Facebook’s way if it proves popular.
Dubbed “Facebook Sports Stadium”, the new feature will have its own real estate on Facebook’s mobile app. It will consist of four separate tabs: One devoted to live sports commentary from your friends, another populated with commentary from experts like commentators and players, the third will have play-by-play game details, and the fourth will include live game stats.
Two of those FB tabs will compete head-on with espn.com, which already provides play-by-play details and live game stats. And the other two — the social aspects — will surely foster high amounts of user engagement, which advertisers love.
It’s another move FB is making to combat its biggest competitor, Twitter. Sports events are one of the few things Twitter does better than Facebook currently. Users can and do take to Twitter during big games to talk trash, vent, rant and see what others are talking about. Now it’s Facebook’s turn.
For now, the new feature will serve as a complement to traditional sports broadcasters like ESPN. FB will prominently display where users can view the game on TV. But I wouldn’t put it past Facebook to look into broadcast deals in the future, especially if the feature ends up being a huge success, keeping users on the site for longer and attracting more advertisers.
Credit to Investor Place who originally published this article.
If you haven’t heard Mike Francesa’s interview with Katie Nolan you need to stop what you’re doing and listen to it. It is fascinating and one of the most refreshing one-hour conversations I’ve listened to in a long time.
Why might you ask?
Because it not only covers every single subject that would be of interest to Mike’s audience, but his unfiltered responses remind us of why he’s been one of the most dominant forces of all-time in this industry. I give a ton of credit to Katie for being well prepared and doing a great job of listening and guiding the discussion into the right locations.
When it comes to Mike, he has a large amount of fans and critics. That’s to be expected when you perform up to thirty hours per week on the air for nearly three decades in the nation’s number one media market.
Some take jabs at him for being wrong with some of his predictions. Others point out how he once fell asleep on the air for nearly fifteen seconds while interviewing Sweeny Murti. Countless others criticize the fact that he’s not active in the social media space, relies heavily on phone calls, and is a beneficiary of getting into the format early.
Say what you will about “The Pope of New York Sports” but his resume of success is unmatched. When you build the type of brand that Mike has, it’s common to have others poking holes in your performance.
The reality in life is that most people like to see David upset Goliath. It’s why teams like the New York Yankees, Dallas Cowboys, and the Los Angeles Lakers draw the amount of attention that they do. Legions of fans recognize and appreciate their greatness but many love to see them crash and burn.
I grew up listening to “Mike and the Mad Dog” and the show inspired me to pursue working in this industry. I was fortunate to live in New York and watch as the format took off and morphed into the juggernaut that it has become today. WFAN played a strong role in sports radio’s growth because they did a masterful job of making New York listeners feel like they were a big part of the experience.
When you listened to WFAN, it felt big and important. The personalities seemed larger than life and when you called in and became a part of the show by sharing your opinion with the hosts, there was a sense that your voice mattered and the local teams took notice. It felt as if the radio station’s airwaves were the place you’d turn to for holding hold players, coaches, teams and executives accountable for their actions and/or performance.
Truth be told, before I ever considered working in in this business I preferred to listen, but after sitting on the sidelines observing for eight years, I finally took the bait and called in one day after the Knicks defeated the Bulls and Phil Jackson was whining about the referees. I thought I had a good angle and when I presented it to Francesa he absolutely crushed me. Just thinking about it still makes me smile.
As the year’s have passed, the radio station has remained one of the best in the business. They’ve dealt with additional competition, changes in ratings methodology, and a loss of some of the industry’s most iconic broadcasters and play-by-play partnerships, but through it all they’ve remained highly successful.
Whether you care for Francesa’s style and show though isn’t what we’re here to discuss today. Instead I want to focus on some of the key points he made during his conversation with Nolan because they touch on a scary reality that is facing our business.
When asked about the possibility of a “Mike and the Mad Dog” permanent reunion, Mike said “I don’t think we would be the obstacle. I think the business is the obstacle. They don’t want guys like me in this business anymore. They don’t want stars. They don’t want guys who are making a lot of money. They want a bunch of cookie cutter people who they can control that aren’t any trouble. They want a bunch of nameless faceless guys. They want the events and rights fees to carry the day and make the sportscasters interchangeable. That makes it a tough business.”
Let that sink in for a second.
The top performer in the #1 media market in the country who has delivered big ratings for nearly thirty years believes operators are less interested in paying for major brands and top talent.
Is he right? To a certain degree I think he is.
We’ve all heard the phrase “you get what you pay for” and in radio’s case, the future is going to be very unforgiving if the best performers aren’t available to be heard. There are many content options out there now, and new media companies will pay high profile talent and offer them a stage to perform on if they can help them grow their business.
Don’t believe me? Just take a look at the way Netflix, Amazon, iTunes, Pandora, Spotify, YouTube, Facebook and Twitter have blossomed. Just last month before Howard Stern signed a new deal with SiriusXM, there was talk that Apple/iTunes was considering making a run at him.
When Bill Simmons and ESPN split up in 2015, many thought he’d have lesser options but then HBO entered the picture. When Colin Cowherd’s run with ESPN was coming to a close, he had conversations with MSNBC before agreeing to a deal with Fox Sports 1.
Years ago Blockbuster and Hollywood Video, record companies, and the entire newspaper industry thought they were untouchable but once the internet took off and new media outlets started to emerge and invest in content, talent, and a better experience, things changed quickly.
I could be wrong but when Mike says he doesn’t think a reunion with Chris would be possible based on economics, he’s right as it applies to radio. But if digital media or television enter the picture that could be a different story.
And that’s a shame because few have possessed the ability in radio to draw in listeners the way Mike and Chris did. When you add up their talent, chemistry and ability to inform and entertain, it makes for an incredible program which can make a brand a LOT of money.
Would a company prefer to spend less? Of course. I’m sure SiriusXM wishes they didn’t have to pay Stern a king’s ransom. The same holds true for Premiere Radio Networks with Rush Limbaugh, and any great television network which spends big money for top flight personalities who attract a large number of eyeballs.
But if you add up the expenses for any of those shows and compare them to what they generate for ratings and revenue, I guarantee you they’re making money off of their investments. Media companies don’t stay in the business of spending millions of dollars on talent unless they’re making millions more themselves.
The other part of the conversation that I want to examine is the part where Mike discussed how important the ratings are to him. It’s a lesson for every single talent to pay attention to.
When asked about the ratings game and how it affects his show’s content, he said that he doesn’t let it change his overall approach but that he does make tweaks and is always aware of how the show is being consumed. His mindset going into his program each month is that they have one job to do – finish first! Not second, third, fourth or fifth which most others would consider a big success, first! When I heard him say that I couldn’t help but think about that classic Talladega Night’s line “If you ain’t first, you’re last“.
But I digress!
That’s a lot of pressure to put on one’s shoulders especially in a market like New York City. Mike mentioned to Katie that he once received a phone call from an executive who told him “I pay you to finish first” after he came in second. It didn’t make him happy but he understood the point.
From where I sit, I love hearing that. It’s exhilarating to know that regardless of the challenges with PPM and the countless distractions and media options that are available to listeners to pull them away from the show, that Mike makes no excuses and approaches his craft with the expectation of being the best. We need more of that in our industry. Even if you don’t hit #1, that should be the goal every time you grab a microphone and broadcast.
As a matter of fact, you can apply this to every single aspect of your life. If you’re playing sports in school or on a professional level, you should be driven to win the game and be the best player on the field. If you’re in sales, you should want to generate the most amount of money and be seen as the company’s best salesperson.
I can identify with him on this subject because I’m wired the same way. Those who know me well will attest to that.
When I played little league baseball, I won two MVP awards and went to five consecutive All-Star games because all I did was practice and play. Nothing mattered besides being the best baseball player on the field.
As I aged and became more interested in music, I wanted to be the best drummer on the planet and gain a record deal. I’d listen to Lars Ulrich of Metallica, John Bonham of Led Zeppelin, and Neil Peart of Rush and picture myself surpassing them on the list of the best of all-time. I’d practice for hours each day and if I was off on a beat or drum fill, I’d do it again and again until I had it right.
I learned later that you can be the best drummer in the world but you’re not going to land a record deal unless you and the other 3-4 members of your band share the same goal, so when I gave up the chase of becoming a professional musician to work in radio, I once again pushed myself to be the very best I could be.
Throughout the years I’ve been fortunate to have that approach pay off for me. I grew from an intern to News Anchor to Sports Talk Show Host to Producer to Program Director and during that time landed five different programming jobs and produced one of the best national radio programs in the country.
Although I’d like to believe that my talent came into play at some point during each of those processes, I know that my drive and passion to win stood out.
When I was being considered for an opportunity at ESPN Radio, one manager mentioned that I hadn’t had enough major market experience and they weren’t sure if I could handle making the transition from a small market to the big stage. Their point was valid. I couldn’t do anything to change the fact that I lived and performed where I was raised so I decided to put my passion into my pitch and explain why I deserved a look.
I still have the email I sent and in it I said “Many people were critical when the NY Giants selected a Head Coach named Bill Parcells because he didn’t have any experience and was an unknown commodity. A few years later when he was winning Super Bowl’s they looked like an organization of geniuses. Your next Bill Parcells is right here and waiting to make a difference for ESPN Radio”.
Was it ballsy? Definitely. But I believed in myself and knew I could win for them and I wasn’t going to let a situation beyond my control cost me an opportunity. If they didn’t think I was good enough I could’ve accepted that but I wasn’t accepting rejection over my location.
Luckily I landed the job and produced at ESPN Radio for 2 years. Week after week I pushed everyone involved to make “GameNight” as great as it possibly could be, and in doing so I earned the respect of my peers and my bosses. When a bigger opportunity came up to produce “The Dan Patrick Show” just 13 months later, I was given the promotion.
That same mindset helped me when I interviewed for programming opportunities in Philadelphia, San Francisco and St. Louis. In each situation, I entered the process determined to beat the competition and land the job. I had no idea who I was up against, and in many cases I had no local market connection, but what I did have was vision, passion, and an “I won’t lose” attitude. I focused on articulating my vision, asking questions, and selling my love and passion for coaching and creating great sports radio. By focusing on the things I could control, I was able to gain a few fans and win over a few rooms.
I don’t bring up these examples to showcase my resume. I mention them because they help to reinforce Mike’s point. Winning starts with your mindset. You can’t perform as an elite talent or lead a brand to incredible heights if you don’t set your own bar extremely high.
When I see brands sitting in 20th to 30th place and just floundering in their markets it frustrates me. It tells me that there isn’t a big focus on the radio station. Why be in the format and spend any amount of money on a product if you’re not going to maximize its potential? I get that not every city has the budget to pay a Mike Francesa but there are tons of great broadcasters out there and if you want to build an audience, attract advertisers, and make money in this industry, you’ve got to invest in on-air people who are worth listening to.
To bring this back full circle to what we originally started with, once you have great talent, it’s your job to find a way to keep them. I had a former boss of mine in San Francisco once tell me “we will pay for performers but nobody is breaking the bank until they prove it”. That’s a fair statement but unfortunately not every broadcast group subscribes to this theory.
During the past few months I’ve talked to a lot of talent and in three different cases, hosts took over timeslots in different cities and led their stations to double digit ratings and/or double to triple the previous ratings performance, only to be told when contract time rolled around that they weren’t due a raise or were only worth a minimal 1-2% increase.
I’ve also watched as some talented people I know have had to take on responsibilities selling their own shows to make extra money, and a few groups in particular have chosen to only hire talent who sell or pay for their air time. Delivering ratings and a quality product matters little in comparison to inflating the bottom line.
In some of these instances it might be necessary to operate that way. If a company isn’t making money you can’t blame them for not being able to do better. But if that’s the case, there are other ways to show your appreciation for someone who has performed and is helping do their part to grow the business. Whether it’s an extra week of vacation, sales trade, a bump in ratings bonuses, a higher endorsement rate, a guarantee number of appearances, or an extra weekend shift to make additional dollars, all of those things tell a talent “we want you to make more money and you’re important to us”.
When you don’t treat your best people with that respect, you end up losing the pieces that are most vital to your operation. Music formats can get away with it more because they can play songs and tell a DJ that the artists are the stars, but when a personality talks 45 minutes per hour, and is the main reason why people come to your radio station on a daily basis, losing them over a handful of dollars isn’t smart business.
That said, this also is an industry that has compensated a lot of talented people well throughout the course of their careers. The format’s top talent wouldn’t be sticking around for decades if the paychecks and additional revenue streams weren’t attractive.
I’ve heard Francesa say that he’s done with WFAN at the end of 2017, and he says it’s not a negotiating ploy. I don’t know him personally to know if it is or it isn’t but it sounds as if he knows a pay cut awaits him in the future and given his performance and place in the industry, I can see why that doesn’t have a lot of appeal to him. That said, WFAN pays him extremely well so we’re not talking about a couple of nickels and dimes in this situation.
It’s a tough spot for both sides to be in because from the operator’s standpoint, you’re paying millions for a host during a time when salaries are declining and no matter how much you love the performer, there has to be a limit to what you’ll invest.
On the flip side, how do you tell your top talent that you’ll pay them one fee to finish 1st, and then when they do, offer half or even less on their next deal? Is the radio station going to sell ads for less and accept making less money during the duration of the talent’s agreement? Heck no! So why should they take less when they’ve performed and helped the company make a lot of money?
Everyone gets their feelings hurt once it’s time to talk business because the offer (or lack thereof) tells an employee what the company thinks they’re worth. Personalities expect to be paid for hitting their target and companies expect to grow their bottom line and reap the rewards of making significant investments.
When talent though start getting treated as if they’re expendable, and the product becomes less appealing to the audience, you’ve got to ask yourself “is saving the money truly worth it if it means losing your most valuable commodity and having your audience and advertiser numbers decline”?
The challenge of course is to keep your listeners tuned in, your advertisers spending the same or more, and hire new talent for less than the previous host made but at a number that they feel comfortable with. While that sounds great, it doesn’t always work out like that. It’s even more of a risk when it involves a top talent with a lengthy track record and loyal following.
Mike made the point that SportsCenter isn’t what it used to be and most people couldn’t name the anchors on the show today like they once did. The show was once a must-watch and the hosts were household brand names. Today the stars have become the highlights, the games, and the packages, and the talent have become nameless and faceless.
In this case, he’s not wrong. I spent my 20’s and early 30’s fully invested in watching SportsCenter each night. Now, it’s become background noise and a show I can live without.
Which brings me back to the question I previously asked “is losing your best talent and damaging your brand in exchange for eliminating expenses really worth it”?
When you have a superstar talent on your airwaves, delivering an impact, and it’s helping you make money, you continue investing and riding that horse as far as they’ll take you. If you choose to get off the ride when you’re on top of the mountain, understand that the next one could leave you face down in the dirt.
The National Football League is flexing its muscles in negotiations with TV networks over the renewal of Thursday night telecasts, not only seeking a sizable rights fees increase but also pushing multiple broadcasters to split the package and agree to potentially onerous scheduling conditions.
Unlike the previous two seasons when CBS has shared a package of Thursday games with the league-owned NFL Network, the league now wants to divide the contests between two broadcast networks as well as the NFL Network, which has several games to itself in addition to carrying all the games that air on broadcast.
CBS and NBC are in the lead to reach an agreement with the NFL to share the Thursday night package of games, people familiar with the matter said.
Under the scenario being discussed, CBS and NBC would each carry five Thursday games this fall. The games would be simulcast on the league-owned NFL Network, which would carry the remaining Thursday night matchups exclusively. The price tag for the 10 games may be as much as $600 million, said a person familiar with the matter. This past fall, CBS paid $300 million for the rights to eight games.
By dividing the package between two broadcast networks, the NFL is betting that the demand for its product is so great that it can sell two smaller sets of games and make more money. Based on the current talks, that wager may pay off. It is just the latest example of how networks are willing to pay more and more for sports rights that command big live audiences, even as they contend with pressure on revenue in the coming years from cord-cutting.
To read the rest of this article visit the Wall Street Journal where it was originally published
When Robert Smith announced his retirement at the end of the 2000 season after leading the NFC in rushing, it caught everyone off guard. He was in the prime of his career and an important part of the Minnesota Vikings offense, but he sought to pursue a career in medicine and avoid sustaining any additional serious football related injuries.
Although Robert hasn’t become a world famous doctor, he created a strong second career for himself as a football analyst. For the past eleven years he’s contributed to a myriad of football programs on ESPN including most recently College Football Live.
However, all good things must come to an end. Earlier today Robert revealed on Twitter that he would not be contributing to the network’s programming in 2016.
Where Smith goes next is unclear but an eleven year run with the worldwide leader in sports is a great run, and one that lasted even longer than his NFL career. We wish him all the best as he pursues his next opportunity.
ESPN has chosen Marina Green in San Francisco as its production headquarters for Super Bowl 50. From Wednesday, Feb. 3, through Sunday, Feb. 7, 45 hours of original content will originate from two outdoor stages and an adjacent demo field in the 74-acre waterfront expanse in the city’s Marina District.
Live daily editions of SportsCenter, NFL Insiders, NFL Live and a special three-hour Super Bowl edition of Postseason NFL Countdown are among the television shows that will air from Marina Green. Multiple ESPN Deportes and ESPN International shows will also be based in San Francisco during Super Bowl week, culminating with ESPN Deportes’ Spanish-language telecast of Super Bowl 50.
Additionally, from Feb. 3-5, ESPN Radio’s Mike and Mike and ESPN2’s First Take will originate from nearby Fort Mason – totaling an additional 18 hours of programming, while ESPN Radio’s Russillo & Kanell will broadcast live from the NFL Media Center’s Radio Row at the Moscone Center.
Chris Berman, Tedy Bruschi, Cris Carter, Trent Dilfer, Mike Ditka, Tom Jackson, Ron Jaworski, Keyshawn Johnson, Suzy Kolber, Ray Lewis, Steve Levy, Wendi Nix, Adam Schefter, Hannah Storm, Trey Wingo and Steve Young are among the many on-air commentators expected to be featured throughout the week, along with top guests from the world of sports and entertainment.
ESPN Deportes and ESPN’s International veteran team of NFL commentators will also be featured throughout the week reporting from San Francisco including Alvaro Martin, Super Bowl-winning kicker Raul Allegre, John Sutcliffe, Carlos Nava, Ciro Procuna, Eduardo Varela, Kary Correa, Mauricio Pedroza, Pablo Viruega, Roberto Garza, Sebastian Martinez Christensen and Sergio Dipp.
Program schedules will be released at a later date and all shows will be open for public viewing. ESPN’s set-up will begin January 29.
“With iconic landmarks, the Golden Gate Bridge and Alcatraz, as our backdrop, Marina Green will provide the perfect setting and a constant reminder to football fans watching our shows that we are in the heart of San Francisco for Super Bowl week,” said Seth Markman, ESPN’s senior coordinating producer in charge of NFL studio shows and ESPN’s Super Bowl week coverage. “We are very appreciative of the San Francisco Bay Area Super Bowl Host Committee for welcoming ESPN and helping us secure such an ideal location.”
In addition to the company’s television and radio production plans for Super Bowl, ESPN will host the invitation-only “ESPN The Party” on Friday, Feb. 5, at Fort Mason. Annually one of Super Bowl week’s most popular nightlife events, the performers and sponsors will be announced later this week.
Credit to ESPN Media Zone who originally published this information
