I have used this phrase and attitude many times in my sports radio selling career. For years, people used the exact words in another more familiar order, specifically to shoot a gun: Ready. Aim. Fire.
Get it?
In 1982, one of the best business books ever written, In Search of Excellence, was published by Tom Peters and Robert Waterman. Peters and Waterman worked in the San Francisco office of McKinsey Consulting. Peters traveled the world and talked to the best companies. He was on a mission to learn about ‘organization effectiveness’ and ‘implementation issues.’ He found that what he saw had a profound impact on how companies focused primarily on organization and strategy suffered compared to those who dove in on activity and culture. He also wrote a bestseller and game-changer. He also came up with Ready, Fire. Aim.
What’s your style?
When your company launches a new digital package or NTR sponsorship, do you wait around until forced to pitch it a few times? Or, do you toss it out to some clients who should be open to the idea and then figure it out as you go? Peters would argue you should experiment more aimlessly.
Whatver good came from procrastination? To get me out of a rut, I will ask myself what the worst thing that can happen from asking a client to try a new idea is?
They say no.
Okay, on the other hand, they could say YES. Or, at the minimum, appreciate that you are keeping them up to date with the latest opportunities in the market. Often I will take this approach to oversized packages. Let’s say the station has an NTR project like a concert, sports fair, or event. The title sponsorship package is two times what your best clients have ever spent with you in a single month. Rather than sit around and get a new prospect list ready and customize a package with price-sensitive elements or whatever other excuses I can think of, I take action. I FIRE.
I will call my client, who may get sticker shock, and say, “I want to show you this sponsorship because even if it isn’t a fit for you, you will know what XYZ or ABC competitor is spending and what they got.” I have been amazed at how a few of them have reacted. Out of the blue, they step up and buy to be the big shot in the market. Or, based on their feedback, I learn what they want and pivot and sell them a lower package or some additional program. I AIM after my initial meeting.
Would you please go back and rethink how you can change your approach at whatever you know you should be doing? Are you spending too much time staying comfortable and playing the what-if game? Forget about it. When you are working on your 2022 budget, and deciding which clients can up their spending, get ready, FIRE, and then aim.
It’s a season of change in many sports these days. College football coaches are changing teams. The NFL will surely have some coaching vacancies of its own soon enough. Don’t forget it’s also free agency time in baseball.
Courtesy: LA Times
With all of that said, it’s also a crazy time for broadcasters. We need to start figuring out who the new players and coaches are and how to get to know these people as soon as we can. It’s as much about meeting the new folks as it is getting to know who they are in their jobs and as people. How do you go about this process?
Working in the industry as long as I have, it’s almost a given that every few years, it’s out with the old and in with the new. When you work in Chicago it seems to happen more often than that. Sometimes, from a broadcast perspective, the change is good. Other times it can be a little more difficult to deal with. I’ve been witness to both. But what matters at the beginning is you need to do your best to understand the change and adapt to the new way things may be done.
How do you introduce yourself? What approach should you take? What’s the first thing you should do? Well, it’s not that simple. Every case is quite different. Gathering information that will be useful to you is the best way to start the process. There are more than a few ways to accomplish this feat.
One of the first steps I would take when working in baseball was to contact fellow broadcasters that may have interacted with the new player or manager. The team announcing crews usually have the best insight into the nuances and personality of the person you are wanting to meet. They will have knowledge of how that player or manager likes to be approached. Is the player routine-oriented? Does he/she like to get the media business out of the way first, or do they want to wait until they’ve prepped for the game? That is the kind of critical information to have to develop a healthy respect for one another.
I also wanted to know from other broadcasters what their impressions of that player or coach were. Is this the kind of person you could joke around with or not? Was this a person that would open up to you, if they got to know and trust you? I would store this information in the back of my head, just so I was prepared. Even if a broadcaster told me to stay away from a particular guy, I would always try to find out for myself. I gave that new person the benefit of the doubt until they either proved the information about them was wrong or spot on.
Another method to introduce yourself to the new guy/girl was to make sure I was at the team’s first media availability. Whether it be a fan fest or just an introductory press conference, it’s important to have that person start recognizing your face and name.
I recall talking to one player that joined a team I worked for in particular at a fan convention. The informal setting of these events allows you to get some time with the new players and managers. In a casual conversation with this player, I wanted to find out when was the best time to approach him for pregame interviews. He told me that if he was seated at his locker facing away from the stall, feel free to approach. I’m so glad I was armed with that information, because I saw several fellow media members get turned away, when he wasn’t ready. I always tried to respect those wishes. The season went smoothly and he was a great ‘go to’ guy when needed because of that relationship we forged.
If you’ve been in the business a long time, you probably know a few of this new player’s former teammates. Many likely played for the team you broadcast and with the access you’ve had, introductions can be made or arranged. It’s always a better ‘in’ or ‘edge’ in the beginning of a relationship to have that extra cache of being introduced by one of that player’s peers. Most of these players respect one another and if you’re deemed ‘cool’ or ‘good’ by one, others will give you that chance to at least prove them wrong.
Every once in a great while, a team will put on a ‘meet and greet’ for a new coach or manager. It’s a way for those that regularly cover that particular team to get to know a new leader in a very informal manner. I recall one such time an NFL team put together a lunch for those that regularly covered the team to meet the new head coach. It was a completely off-the-record gathering, filled with stories and a lot of pizza too. The unfortunate thing was, the guy we met that day was only himself for about 3 months, then he became ‘the coach’ and the relationship changed. Still, it was a unique idea and approach to allow some of the media, he would be seeing on a daily basis to have a chance to relax and break bread.
Change is never easy to deal with, especially after establishing long relationships with previous players and coaches. But it is a fact of whatever game you’re covering, things are going to change and you must have the ability to change along with it. If not, you could get left behind and out of the information loop.
There are less than 100 days remaining until the 2022 BSM Summit takes place in New York City. We’ve announced 31 participants for the show so far, and have more to reveal in the weeks and months ahead. I think you’re going to like what’s still to come.
Putting this conference together isn’t easy. It requires months of meetings, brainstorming, promotion, selling sponsorships, pursuing speakers, and creating everything that attendees see on stage over a two day period. I’m thankful to have help from some amazing partners, but as I’ve mentioned previously, this isn’t an event that makes us rich or ends with 5-10 new clients signing up to work with BSM. The goal each year is simple, make sure the conference is valuable for those who attend, and don’t run BSM out of business by doing it. As long as those two things remain solid, it’s worth doing.
Some might wonder, why go thru months of headaches if you’re not going to break the bank or immediately add clients. That’s fair to ask. If you look at it from a pure business standpoint, one could easily make a case that pouring this type of energy into something else could be more lucrative. But money was never the motivation for doing this. I felt the sports media industry lacked a signature event where smart, successful media professionals (who don’t often cross paths) could gather at one location to laugh and learn together, and I wanted to change that. If over a two day period attendees could gain insight, information, ideas, and introductions, it’d put everyone in a stronger position to remain successful.
I’ve unapologetically loved the sports media business since I started listening to Mike & the Mad Dog on WFAN and watching SportsCenter on ESPN. I was fortunate to live and work in a number of cities over the past two decades, learning how different companies and people operate, and I remain involved today thru my work with BSM. I mention this because I also know media people. They tend to wait until the last minute to book hotel rooms, airfare, and purchase tickets, even if they can save money by acting sooner. I know, I used to do it too. I can’t control when you book your room or plane ticket, but I do want to give you an added incentive to buy your ticket to this year’s show. Seating is limited, and once the last seat is filled, that’s it. We can’t make extra room.
With that in mind, most of you are either taking today off or working inside a much quieter building. If you’ve thought about coming to the Summit, take 5-10 minutes to log on to BSMSummit.com to take advantage of our special Black Friday sale. We’ve reduced tickets for the day, so whether you’re planning to attend in NYC or watch the conference online, there’s a discount to help you out. Just $199.99 for live tickets, and $124.99 for virtual.
BSM’s Black Friday sale on Summit tickets expires at 11:59pm tonight. In the meantime, Hotel Edison in NYC is offering rooms for just $109 + taxes to Summit attendees. Click here to take advantage of the special room rate we’ve secured for this year’s show. Those of you planning to fly to NYC for the show, there have been a ton of great deals offered by American, Southwest, United, JetBlue and Frontier. It might be worth checking into today since Black Friday often has even better sales on travel.
If you’re interested in learning more about the industry, staying a step ahead, forming new relationships, strengthening existing ones, exploring potential business deals, and celebrating the business you’re in, I hope you’ll join us either online or in New York City for the 2022 BSM Summit. I’m making it easier on you, by offering lower ticket prices today. The rest is up to you!
T andem sell more. Have you noticed that sales are more manageable when you have a good partner? Grab the new salesperson at another station in your cluster (preferably targeting females) and go in on a two-station buy. Work with any B2B rep and exchange leads. Join a leads club. Focus on who, not what.
H ave gratitude. A more positive attitude will come over you when you consider what is going right, not wrong. Johns Hopkins University claims that even if you have a family history of heart disease, a positive outlook reduces your chances by 25%. In other words, bad ratings may mean lower rates.
A llow yourself the luxury of time. Don’t put off until tomorrow what you can do today. Put in the preparation, and you will feel so much better about not winging it in your next presentation.
N ever quit trying to find solutions. Instead of playing the blame game when something doesn’t work at the station or with a client, focus on solutions. Focus on the outcome you want, not the shitty hand you have been dealt.
K now when to stop asking questions. For most of my life, I have been the person who asks questions and controls the conversation. I have surrounded myself at times with clients who like to hear themselves talk, and I have had my unfair share. I need to control the conversation better and give them a chance to speak after answering some questions that lead to a sales opportunity. I then need to take my turn and explain how my solution fits their needs.
S erve yourself first. Do you put off getting massages, going to the movies to see what YOU want, or negotiating a better commission percentage? Stop it and take care of YOU.
G ive thanks to all your support staff. We indeed are only as good as the backroom people. Listen to how coaches stroke support staff at their weekly press conferences in college football. We can learn something from that.
I nvolve your friends and family in your career. Give them a chance to help you. Ask them for introductions and leads. Make sure they know what you do and what type of clients you are looking for. It shouldn’t be too hard since you should only have 18 prospects anyway. Let them know how they can support you, ask, and you shall receive.
V acation! Have you planned one lately? Make it a goal to plan a weekend getaway and one major vacation. Plan every detail. Start savoring your victory dance. Visualize it. See yourself on vacation, at goal, and enjoying the fruits of your labor.
I nvest in yourself. Commit to attending some online seminars. Learn more about digital. Get Google certified. Go back to grad school, be an adjunct professor at the local junior college, or join toastmasters. Remember this: If you aren’t EARNING or LEARNING, you are wasting your time.
N ever say never. Don’t burn a bridge. Keep your friends close and your enemies closer. Keep an open mind and don’t take things personally. People and situations change. Be the person who takes the higher road and doesn’t say hurtful things.
G ive your partner, wife, or significant other a break. Please show them some gratitude for allowing you to spend so much time on your career. You make that choice every day. And, giving up an hour or 2 per week to do something for them goes a long way.
When you talk to industry people about successful brands in sports talk radio, most conversations include WFAN and 98.5 The Sports Hub. The New York and Boston sports radio brands are consistently recognized for their ability to deliver large audiences and revenues.
Helping to create that success is a mixture of strong play by play partnerships, skilled programmers and even more importantly, some of the most dynamic on-air personalities in the format. Fortunately for us, a few of those gamechangers will be present to share their opinions and insights on content matters in New York City at the 2022 BSM Summit.
Starting in New York, it’s an honor to welcome WFAN afternoon drive host Craig Carton to the 2022 BSM Summit. Heard daily on ‘Carton and Roberts‘ alongside Evan Roberts, which is also featured on TV on SNY, Carton has made his presence felt ever since returning to the airwaves in November 2020. Prior to taking on the challenge in afternoons, Craig spent a decade partnering with Boomer Esiason on ‘Boomer and Carton‘, forming one of the most successful sports radio morning shows in the country. In addition to enjoying success in New York, Craig has also experienced the ups and downs that come with performing in different markets. His radio travels have taken him to Philadelphia, Denver, Buffalo and Trenton, NJ. The Syracuse graduate and outspoken host is expected to join BSM President Jason Barrett for a one on one conversation at this year’s Summit.
Shipping up to Boston, it’s a pleasure to welcome two of the format’s highest rated performers to New York City. They’re heard on 98.5 The Sports Hub in morning and afternoon drive, and at the Summit, they’ll interact together during an in-depth content conversation with BSM President Jason Barrett.
Fred Toucher is one half of the Sports Hub’s popular morning show ‘Toucher & Rich‘, which recently added syndication. The Detroit native started his career in Georgia before moving to Boston in 2005. Toucher & Rich, which includes Rich Shertenlieb, officially moved into the sports talk format in 2009. Since making the format switch, the duo have consistently produced some of the best ratings in the entire format in mornings during the past fifteen years. Toucher & Rich have also been recognized by industry executives as one of the top two morning shows in the format each of the past three years in the BSM Top 20, including taking top honors in 2018.
Mike Felger on the other hand is heard on the ride home alongside Tony Massarotti on The Sports Hub. The Marconi Award-winning afternoon radio show has been a fixture in Boston since the station’s inception in 2009. During the past twelve years, Felger & Mazz have been a steady force atop the Men 25-54 ratings including recently delivering an impressive 18.9 share in the summer book to finish 1st. The Milwaukee native also hosts a show for NBC Boston, and has previously served as a columnist for the Boston Globe. Similar to Toucher & Rich, Felger & Mazz have earned high praise from format execs in the BSM Top 20. They’ve been voted one of the top 2 afternoon shows each of the past 2 years including grabbing the top spot in 2019.
We’re excited to add all three of these men to the lineup for the 2022 BSM Summit. As vital as it may be to spend time on business issues in order to stay ahead of a rapidly changing media climate, without great talent and content, the rest is irrelevant. Few understand what it takes to deliver success in this format consistently like Craig, Fred and Mike, and I’m glad they’re making the time to share their knowledge with us.
To reserve your hotel room, purchase tickets or learn more about the speakers we’ve lined up for the 2022 show, visit BSMSummit.com. We hope to see you online or in New York City this March.
Flipping through the pages of your high school yearbook often evokes feelings of nostalgia no matter your high school experience. Looking back at the photos of your fellow classmates from the days where everyone was just trying to find and establish their own identity can make you long for those days of simplistic chaos. As you look at each section of the book, usually the class valedictorian is highlighted, where you can learn more about the person with the highest grade point average considered to be at the top of your class.
The valedictorian of Lowell High School in San Francisco, CA would turn out to be a man who sports fans referred to as “Captain Midnight” on the other side of the country for 34 years. Underneath his yearbook photo, this kid’s ambition was listed as seeking to become a “New York Sportscaster,” and he certainly left no doubt that he achieved his goal, and then some, when he signed off the airwaves for the final time last week (for an excellent peak behind the scenes video of the final show click here).
Indeed, the maxim holds true that if you can make it in New York City, you can make it anywhere. For Steve Somers, that mantra held true starting from the moment his voice was broadcast over the airwaves of WFAN. He’d discuss the latest happenings across the world of New York Sports, and frequently take calls from listeners, giving them a chance to share their opinions.
Somers did not get to the city that never sleeps right away though. He worked in television for roughly 17 years prior to moving to the East Coast with various outlets and in different markets, including his hometown of San Francisco. He also spent time in Atlanta, Los Angeles, and Sacramento.
The day Somers finally made it to New York City was emotional for him. At the time, Somers had not held a job for two and a half years, nor had he worked in radio since his foray in television had begun. None of that stopped him though from catalyzing an exciting career on the air in the number one media market in the country.
“I’ve often said to people that if you were to take an airplane flight from the [West] Coast to the [East] Coast, it would take about five and a half to six hours,” said Somers. “It took me 22 years to land in New York. And I cried — I was so happy joining a radio station in New York City that was going to be doing something 24/7.”
Somers, 74, was the last of the original voices from its 1987 launch as the pioneer of the sports talk radio format in New York City to depart the station,. Despite being from San Francisco, he helped the station establish its local sound. He did this not only by taking an innumerable amount of calls over his career, but also by being able to understand and relate to the passion and zeal New York sports fans had for their favorite teams: the Devils, Giants, Islanders, Jets, Knicks, Mets, Nets, Rangers, and Yankees.
“You can’t come into somebody else’s house and rearrange the furniture,” said Somers. “Maybe this is old school — and I’m old and I went to school — but it may be old school to be a please and thank you guy [on the phone]… I have a lot of respect for coming into this city and talking to what I consider to be the number one place for media and the number one place for sports.”
While it took several years for the station to find its audience, Somers never had a doubt that “New York’s FAN” would be able to find its sound and appeal to a local cohort of listeners, as well as its group of listeners from abroad.
“I never thought the radio station would not survive,” said Somers. “I had always thought that with nine professional teams in New York City — how could it not survive?”
When Somers was hired prior to the station’s July 1, 1987 launch, management at WFAN had to make decisions regarding the station’s programming lineup, specifically what it would do overnight.
“They weren’t sure whether they would have syndicated programming overnight, or a repeat of daytime programming overnight, or whether or not they would have a live person overnight,” said Somers. “To my good fortune, I was their last hire, and, of course, did a live program overnight for the very first time on the very first all-sports 24-hour station.”
Through his time on the air, Somers brought a unique on-air sound to listeners in the New York-Metropolitan area, with recurring bits, such as the Fearless Forecaster, and other production pieces. It all surrounded his famous monologue, which he notoriously prepared every night on a standard yellow stenography pad. Additionally, Somers would frequently take calls during his show while in the studio, or as he put it — “Me here, and you there.” His most famous caller? None other than comedy and television legend Jerry Seinfeld, who would often talk about his beloved New York Mets on the program yada, yada, yada.
“I don’t think I’m anywhere close to his talent, but he grew up listening to me and the radio station at night, and became a fan,” said Somers. “I’m not going to say we were the best of friends, [but] we had a very good radio listenership acquaintance kind of relationship.”
The cast of people Somers worked with “on the other side of the glass” included the likes of Evan Roberts, Sal Licata, Paul Rosenberg, and, of course, Eddie Scozzare, all of whom served in various roles for the program. Somers recognizes the effort they demonstrated in trying to make the program exciting, entertaining and engaging for the listeners.
“Being a producer is a thankless job,” said Somers. “As long as somebody gave an effort; that didn’t mean they were all 100 percent successful any more than anyone on the air has a brilliant show every time they are on. If you were to give effort, you were succeeding as far as I was concerned.”
Aside from the plethora of on-air talent, including Somers, Mike Francesca, Chris ‘Mad Dog’ Russo and Don Imus, those behind the scenes, such as former WFAN Vice President of Programming Mark Chernoff, helped institute and maintain the station’s upward trajectory throughout most of the years Somers was on the air.
“Chernoff was all-business,” Somers elucidated. “He was very strict. He wanted you to always follow the rules and be your best and go from there. A boss’s job is to boss, and some are easier to get along with than others. Chernoff and I got along okay. If you were honest, candid, direct matter-of-fact with him, you [would get] along.”
WFAN is now led by its new vice president of programming Spike Eskin, who joined the station this year, 34 years to the day of its launch, after he served in a similar role at SportsRadio 94WIP in Philadelphia.
Somers speaks fondly of Eskin and Senior Vice President and New York Market Manager for Audacy, Chris Oliviero, two influential voices at the radio station, the latter who infamously sent Somers a letter asking for an autograph as a high school student in 1993. “The Schmoozer” knows they are up to the task in continuing to lead the original home for sports talk radio further amid an oversaturated 21st-century media landscape.
“Radio is certainly not the same as it was 34 years ago. There are so many other ways that you can get information. Radio, to me, was always personal and intimate, and no matter how it goes into this next century with all the technical advancements and utilizing all the venues, all the platforms and social media, generally speaking what separates radio and really WFAN to this day from other radio stations is [that it’s] personal and intimate, and it can be both of those.”
Somers confirmed that he was offered a midnight to 5 a.m. time slot to stay on the air at WFAN, which he politely declined. While he had his final show Monday and left on good terms, he does not view it as the definitive end of his broadcasting career; indeed, he is leaving the possibility of “Schmoozing” again open for consideration.
“How do you really retire from talking?,” said Somers. “At this moment, I don’t feel like doing a podcast, but if WFAN wants to have me back someday [to fill] in, I would certainly listen and probably do it… The retirement was really going to be the best option for me at this time. Again, down the road, if they were to give [me] a call, I’d be flattered.”
Somers affirms it was the people around him that led him to his success, both in and out of the WFAN Studios, and a significant reason why he was able to stay there for 34 years in the number one media market in the country: New York, NY.
“The people, whether it was management then or management now, and all the calls and all the listeners that I might have had over the years, I owe everything to them… because they gave me a chance to realize my dream; to realize my goal; to realize my destination, and they gave me a chance — the audience gave me a chance; gave me a life; gave me a career. And I owe everything to them.”
Courtesy: NY Post
For now, Somers is retired, and content with his decision.
“If I have to go through a major withdrawal, so far so good. I’m at peace with everything and making whatever adjustment you have to make; just [moving] forward and [looking] forward to any new challenges that may come my way.”
Give the Devil his due. Speak of the Devil. Prospecting is the Devil’s work. And, now, thanks to sales author and speaker Phil M Jones, you have devilishly productive prospecting.
I ran across Jones after a recommendation from long-time radio sales trainer Chris Lytle. Jones has a smooth delivery complete with a British accent and focuses on training salespeople on what to say, when to say it, and even how. I have found him direct, simple to understand, and implement.
Recently, he deviated from our sales language and reminded us about his prospecting philosophy. So many of us relate cold calling with prospecting when, it could be reconnecting with orphan accounts, upselling current accounts, or approaching people you know but just haven’t done yet. And, yes, of course, it can involve approaching clients you don’t know.
When we first start as an AE, most of all we do is chase new prospects. Our list is anywhere from 60-100+ accounts, and our sales software can organize it a hundred different ways. As we progress, we get 20-30 accounts on the air with another 15-20 seasonal accounts, and then we have as many as 50 dead accounts. Here’s another way to do it. Cut it back to 18 total accounts. Jones thinks it is impossible to prospect more than 18 customers, and I agree with him.
After working with 2 million salespeople, Jones has found that there’s no way we can actively WORK more than eighteen accounts at a time. Jones says we should list 18 prospects who fit the descriptions of our perfect customer. It is easier to think about 18 prospects rather than 80. The list always stays at 18 as you drop off clients who say no or yes and replace them. The “devilish” tie-in here is that Jones organizes the prospects into three groups of six.
Get it? 6-6-6? Here they are:
Low Hanging Fruit
These six are ready to drop, and all you must do is line them up. These are prospects who can bill this month because it’s an easy decision for them. The billing number may not be that big, but it makes SENSE! The florist for a Valentine’s Day promo, a sporting goods store for a pro athlete remote, call-ins, referrals, or existing clients who are repeat business.
Perfect client
Gather six clients who fit the perfect description of a client. It could be one who listens to the station, sponsors a local team, or matches up with your personality well. One of the feelings that can overcome you is that YOU get to choose and are empowered when you invite them to do business with you.
BIG 6
These are dream clients. Think big budgets and big clients. Corporate clients, municipalities, or clients in high-rise office buildings, clients that it could take a year in your pipeline to even get an opportunity to present an annual budget. These accounts require you to get to know key decision-makers in that company, volunteer to be around them, whatever it takes. You can’t have 18 prospects like this BIG 6, or you won’t sell anything in the short term.
Your BIG 6 can move into a Low Hanging Fruit basket. Then, you need to replace them, and the Devil is in the details.
Brian Griese is the answer to a pretty cool NFL trivia question. Griese and his father, Bob Griese, are the only father/son quarterback combination in NFL history to both win Super Bowl titles. The elder Griese, a Hall of Fame quarterback, won back-to-back titles with Miami in Super Bowls VII and VIII and later served as a top college football analyst for ABC Sports from 1987-2005.
Courtesy: Getty Images
The younger Griese followed in his dad’s footsteps one more time, in becoming a college football, and eventually NFL, color commentator. Brian was named to the ESPN Monday Night Football booth in 2020, in a three-man booth featuring Steve Levy on play-by-play and Louis Riddick as the other analyst. The crew was basically given last season as an audition. They passed and were brought back for the 2021 Monday night schedule.
FOOTBALL CAREER
Griese played collegiately at Michigan from 1993-1997. He was a walk-on for the Wolverines after turning down scholarships at Purdue, where his dad played, and Kentucky.
He managed to piece together a pretty nice career for a non-scholarship player. In his career he went 17-5 as a starter. Oh yeah, the Wolverines won all three games against Ohio State in which he was the QB. Griese was inducted into the Rose Bowl Hall of Fame in December of 2012.
Griese led the Wolverines to the 1997 National Championship (as recognized by the Associated Press). After being selected in the third round by the Denver Broncos in the 1998 NFL Draft, he earned his Super Bowl ring with the Broncos in his rookie season, as John Elway led the Broncos to a victory in Super Bowl XXIII over the Falcons. Elway retired after the Super Bowl and Griese became the starting quarterback for the Broncos during the 1999 season. Griese made the Pro Bowl in 2000. After leaving the Broncos, Griese started games for the Dolphins, Bears and Buccaneers.
After his release in July of 2009, he decided to retire from the NFL.
ROAD TO ESPN MONDAY NIGHT FOOTBALL
Griese joined ESPN soon after his playing days were over in 2009. His rise to the MNF Booth was 11 years in the making. He was a leading analyst on college football for the network, calling big games on ABC and ESPN since his hiring. Griese teamed with Levy, field analyst Todd McShay and reporter Molly McGrath to call prominent games which included broadcasting New Year’s Day Bowls on television and the College Football Playoff games on ESPN Radio.
Griese previously called ESPN’s MNF doubleheader game in 2019 – with his current MNF booth mates Levy and Riddick, and 2018 with Beth Mowins. He also called Denver Broncos’ preseason games on TV (2018-19 with Levy) and regular season games on the radio (2010-12).
AS AN ANALYST
When Griese, Levy and Riddick took over the MNF booth, ESPN was looking to shake things up. Levy was a known commodity, handling many different roles at the network, including hockey. Riddick was more of a question mark from the start. He had the chops as a former player and front office guy, but he had never really served as a game analyst. Griese on the other hand, as I’ve denoted earlier, had plenty of game experience and the ability to break down a game. The risk though, was a three-man booth. These are never easy situations in any sport.
Courtesy: ESPN Images
“Obviously having three people in a booth versus two people in a booth is different,” Griese told The Athletic last year before the groups’ first season together. “It’s different structurally. The amount of time that you have to talk and how you organize that is something that you have to work through. It’s going to be a work in progress, but I think as time goes on, we’ll develop our rhythm.” he said.
The roles have been carved out nicely. Griese is a pro in the booth. He can break down what a quarterback sees or what an offensive coordinator is trying to accomplish on any given play, or in certain situations. Having been not only a starter in the NFL, but a backup too, really helps him in my opinion. Sometimes as a starter you get very comfortable with what you’re calling, because of the involvement play to play. As a backup, he had the ability to understand by listening to the offensive coordinator in ‘game situations’ and soaked up that knowledge. In turn now he’s able to present that information from both sides if you will. Yet, both Griese and Riddick can explain things to the casual fan. He knows his audience is far less familiar with the nuts and bolts of a game plan than he is.
I really feel like Riddick’s development into a top-flight analyst, comes from Griese’s understanding of the role. What do I mean by that? Last year, I felt like Riddick deferred a lot to Griese. In kind, I think the former QB nurtured Riddick, and allowed him to grow, because of how Griese handles his job. I’ve said it many times, there is a unique skill that only a few former athletes have mastered. That is simplifying the game of football down to its basic form and allowing everyone watching to understand the intricacies involved. All Griese had to do, was be himself and Riddick is doing the same. It really works, especially with an experienced ‘traffic cop’ in the booth.
“Ultimately, I don’t view our role as showing up every week and trying to show people how much football we know. That’s not the point.” Griese told the Athletic. “They will learn something new watching the show, and at the very minimum, they will know why the game was won or lost, whether that’s a decision by a player or a coach. They will be engaged emotionally because that’s always what the most interesting thing to me is when we watch a football game.”
There have been occasions where Griese has been questioned for some of the comments he makes. Most recently in the Bears/Steelers Monday Night game on November 8th. Late in the game the Bears tied the score at 26. With 1:46 on the clock, going for one point seemed like it would be the obvious thing to do. The Steelers were called for encroachment and Griese asked whether Matt Nagy would go for two.
“If this is offsides on the defense, now you have options,” Griese said. “Do you want to go for two here and potentially… (quick pause), well you’re going to kick this field goal either way. It’s a higher percentage to win the game.”
There was that pause. He was likely hearing from his producer reminding him of the situation and that it only made sense to kick the extra-point.
Everyone makes a mistake from time to time, even people that played the game at the highest level. I don’t hold that against Griese, considering, as a Bears’ fan, that game had no flow thanks to all the penalties that were called in that game. Tony Corrente and his crew made far more mistakes that night than the broadcast team did.
I’m sure, if Griese is like many, as soon as that commercial break hit, he probably took off his headsets and looked at his partners and said something like, “What did I just say?”. He also probably thanked the producer or whoever got in his ear for having his back.
This situation certainly doesn’t define Griese as a broadcaster or an analyst. I look at it as a blip on the radar and one that doesn’t happen very often.
Courtesy: ESPN Images
CONCLUSION
As a whole, I enjoy Griese’s work on ESPN and ABC. He’s become a household voice in football and now is a mainstay on MNF. His less is more approach works, I think it helps the casual fan understand the game better. It’s always nicer when the analyst doesn’t talk down to you, he/she talks to you and helps the fan to see what they are talking about. The Griese name surely carries some cache, with name recognition as well.
The 2022 BSM Summit continues to add firepower to the sports media industry’s premier conference. After previously announcing the first twenty one participants to take part in March’s event in New York City, another seven talented media professionals have been added to the speaker schedule.
Making his BSM Summit debut in 2022 will be the media industry’s leading business analyst Gordon Borrell. The well respected and accomplished CEO of Borrell Associates is featured frequently in the trades and mainstream publications for his insights on advertising trends and forecasts in local media. Borrell will join Amplifi Media CEO Steven Goldstein on stage at the Summit for an in-depth discussion on the advertising climate in 2022. The two men will offer insights and opinions on what advertisers value most, where they’re expected to invest future dollars, which categories will continue to rise and decline, and what brands can do to position themselves better to increase revenue. Additionally, Borrell will be hosting his local advertising conference in Miami a few days after the Summit. Those interested in heading to South Beach and learning more about the marketing world can learn more by clicking here.
Switching to the content end, the Summit is thrilled to welcome The Volume’s Jake Crain to New York City. The host of The JBoy Show will also be making his debut at the conference. Crain will be part of a talent panel along with John Jastremski and Kazeem Famuyide.
Also making his debut at the Summit will be Carl Scott. Meadowlark Media’s Executive Director of Audio will join our podcasting panel featuring Blue Wire CEO Kevin Jones and The Volume’s Head of Content Logan Swaim. Hubbard Radio’s Digital Content Director Phil Mackey will guide the conversation.
Not everyone participating at the Summit will be new to the audience though. Returning to the stage as part of our GM’s discussion will be newly appointed Audacy Boston Market Manager Mike Thomas. Thomas recently led ESPN 1000 in Chicago as the station’s GM after working with Mark Hannon to turn 98.5 The Sports Hub in Boston into one of sports radio’s top performing stations. It should be noted that each time Thomas appears at the Summit it follows a recent promotion. We figure by 2023 or 2024 he’ll be running the entire industry.
A Summit isn’t complete without attention given to programming matters. To help us address some of those key issues, we’re excited to welcome back the Vice President of FOX Sports Radio & Podcasts Scott Shapiro. The passionate network executive who oversees many of the nation’s top national programs is always a great listen for folks interested in learning how programmer’s view and tackle the industry’s most important affairs.
Last but certainly not least, voice talent extraordinaire Jim Cutler will return to the stage to lead a session on storytelling. One of the industry’s prominent station voices and creative minds has a penchant for putting on entertaining and informative sessions. If you’ve attended the conference before, you’re already aware. To those planning to catch this one, you’re in for a treat.
Keep an eye out over the next two weeks. We’ll be making additional announcements involving a few high profile talents we’ve lined up for the 2022 BSM Summit. A reminder, the event is just 104 days away, so if you haven’t purchased your ticket yet, please do so. Half of the room is already full and seating for the conference is limited. I realize some folks may prefer to wait until the last minute to make sure the world is safe. If you’re not comfortable flying to NY for the show, we do have an option in place to enjoy the conference virtually thanks to NuVoodoo Media. For more information on tickets, click here.
That said, the in-person environment is excellent. If you haven’t attended the Summit before I think you’ll find the two days in New York City to be time well spent. This conference is not open to the general public. You must either presently work in an area of the media industry or be pursuing a degree in the broadcasting field.
One final note, airfare is low right now. There are roundtrip flights to and from New York from many major cities for less than $200.00. We’ve also secured a low hotel rate of $109.00 per night at Hotel Edison in NYC to help companies and individuals keep costs down. The sports media industry has endured two years of difficulty due to the pandemic, preventing many from networking, learning, celebrating, and growing. The two days we spend together in the big apple won’t solve every issue facing our business, but I promise you’ll leave the show more informed, more connected, and better prepared for the challenges that lie ahead.
The recently formed Audio Active Group publishes audio insights, advertiser case studies, and sales videos to benefit anybody who wants to study audio. Pierre Bouvard is the Chief Insights Officer of Cumulus Media and Westwood One and has done media research for years. In fact, over the last six years approximately, the AAG ordered eight consumer studies focusing specifically on the home improvement market.
Courtesy: Adobe Stock
The results were that radio continues to be effective, efficient, and often the most successful way of boosting brand awareness and bringing shoppers to a home improvement retailer, whether in person or online. I’ll give you a few ideas on how you can capitalize in a moment. And that should be no surprise to those of us who have spent hours listening to play-by-play or sports talk on the weekend while doing a DIY project or yard work. The studies showed that the heaviest users of audio are the biggest drivers of home improvement sales. When comparing three categories of heavy radio listeners, podcast listeners and heavy TV viewers (more than eight hours a week for radio and 24 hours a week for TV), you get exciting results.
Audio consumers, either radio or podcast listeners, turn out to be “massive spenders” in the home improvement category. Maybe those in front of a TV aren’t too motivated to do anything, let alone a DIY project. The studies also found that a home improvement retailer that increased spending by more than 100% on AM/FM radio in 21 local markets experienced a significant surge in-store traffic and sales.
Additionally, AM/FM radio ads that focus on sales events for different home improvement departments consistently created a halo effect that increased online shopping and store visits. That’s news you can use. And that explains why Lowes and Home Depot are back in the Top 10 in November radio spot buys. It also gives you some data to get busy selling this category. Start prospecting any product you see each week on College GameDay. Ladders, drills, stains, sealants, and paints. Go to Home Depot/Lowes and see what’s on display, who is spending money to be in store, and figure out how to reach that rep. Partner up with that company, do remotes from the store, co-sponsor DIY clinics, and get involved at the store level because your P-1’s are there. And, while we are at it, why not launch your own remodeling makeover at the radio station?
Work with a remodeling company and do a half cash/trade deal to remodel your studio, kitchen, or sales areas and give them the top-of-the-hour ID “Sports Radio 96.9, built by Jones Remodelers.” Get some new studio furniture like stand-up computer monitors and do a “stand up” segment brought to you by a retailer. Think of the social media you can get out of this. Great before and after photos of the kitchen or studio remodel. Videos of the remodeling work handled with materials from a sponsor and labor by the best DIY person at the station.
And, by the way, when you put DIY-oriented commercials together, the research says female voiceovers drove stronger brand awareness among both men and women. So start building it, and the sponsors will come.
