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The Top 20 Mid Market Program Director’s of 2017 Are…

Jason Barrett
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0
The Top 20 Mid Market Program Director’s of 2017 Are…

Much of the focus of the BSM Top 20 in sports radio revolves around the on-air talent. For good reason, they’re the people who the audience sees, hears and interacts with most. But, for one day each year, the brain trust of each brand earns a little bit of recognition. After all, these are the executives responsible for designing and maintaining the on-air strategy, coaching the talent, absorbing each listener complaint, and working with sales, promotions and the imaging department to assure their brand remains in position to achieve great ratings and revenue success.

Last year, we featured the Mid Markets independently of Major Markets and the inaugural award for PD of the year went to Andy Roth of 92.3 The Fan in Cleveland. In 2017, Mr. Roth can rest comfortably knowing that his past success was not a fluke, as he has once again been recognized by our executive panel as the best Mid Market Program Director of 2017.

To determine our Top 20 Sports Radio Program Directors, our panel used the following criteria below. BSM does not vote in this process. We simply add up the votes, design the graphics, and present a collective snapshot for people inside and outside of the industry to gain a better understanding of how sports radio’s top decision makers view the format’s best programs.

  • Ratings success in their local market
  • An established track record of success in the format
  • Spent more than six months managing a Top 20 Mid Market sports radio station
  • Points are given for each ranking (EX: 20 points for 1st place, 1 point for 20th place)

As a result of that criteria, someone for example like Tim Hill, who took over as PD of 107.5 The Game in Columbia, South Carolina in October, isn’t eligible for consideration this year. If we do this again in 2019, and Tim remains in his current position and his brand continues to perform strongly, our panel would have an opportunity to vote for him then.

I remind you that these results reflect the group’s collective opinions. This means they are subjective. However, most would agree that each of these individuals have earned the industry’s respect and their brands have performed consistently.

I extend my congratulations to Andy on a well deserved honor, and am pleased to present “BSM’s Top 20 Major Market Sports Radio Program Directors of 2017”!

Additional Notes:

  • Andy Roth finished ahead of Brad Willis by 14 points; Willis though earned more 1st place votes (8-7)
  • Spots 8-11 were each separated by 2 points; Tom Parker was also 1 point ahead of Dave Tepper
  • Jake Scott finished in 21st place, 11 points behind Drew Anderssen
  • 22-25 belonged to Erin Hogan, Ryan Porth, Cade Voisin and Jimmy Clark
  • 11 of the 30 Program Directors eligible for consideration received a 1st place vote

The Top 20 Major Market Program Director’s of 2017 Are…

Jason Barrett
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0
The Top 20 Major Market Program Director’s of 2017 Are…

Much of the focus of the BSM Top 20 in sports radio revolves around the on-air talent. For good reason, they’re the people who the audience sees, hears and interacts with most. But, for one day each year, the brain trust of each brand earns a little bit of recognition. After all, these are the executives responsible for designing and maintaining the on-air strategy, coaching the talent, absorbing each listener complaint, and working with sales, promotions and the imaging department to assure their brands remain in position to achieve great ratings and revenue success.

In 2016, the award for the Major Market Program Director of the year went to Mike Thomas of 98.5 The Sports Hub in Boston. This year though, Mike is forced to return the trophy to our 2015 winner, Mark Chernoff of WFAN in New York.

To determine our Top 20 Sports Radio Program Directors, our executive panel used the following criteria below. BSM does not vote in this process. We simply add up the votes, design the graphics, and present a collective snapshot for people inside and outside of the industry to gain a better understanding of how sports radio’s top decision makers view the format’s best programs.

  • Ratings success in their local market
  • An established track record of success in the format
  • Spent more than six months managing a Top 20 market sports radio station
  • Points are given for each ranking (EX: 20 points for 1st place, 1 point for 20th place)

As a result of that criteria, someone for example like Eric Johnson, who took over as PD of 97.5 The Fanatic in Philadelphia in December, isn’t eligible for consideration this year. If we do this again in 2019, and Eric remains in his current position and his brand continues to perform strongly, our panel would have an opportunity to vote for him then.

I remind you that these results reflect the group’s collective opinions. This means they are subjective. However, most would agree that each of these individuals have earned the industry’s respect and their brands have performed consistently.

I extend my congratulations to Mark on a well deserved honor, and am pleased to present “BSM’s Top 20 Major Market Sports Radio Program Directors of 2017”!

BSM Maj PD #7

Additional Notes:

  • Mark Chernoff earned the most 1st place votes (16); Mike Thomas produced the second most (7)
  • The closest battle was for 14th place where Armen Williams edged Matt Nahigian by 1 point
  • Ryan McCredden finished in 21st place, 5 points behind Dan Zampillo
  • 22-25 belonged to Ryan Hurley, Rich Moore, Len Weiner and Tim Spence
  • 10 of the 30 Program Directors eligible for consideration received a 1st place vote

The Top 20 National Sports Radio Shows of 2017 Are…

Jason Barrett
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The Top 20 National Sports Radio Shows of 2017 Are…

After three straight days of featuring local hosts and shows, we take a detour to recognize those who perform on the national level. The majority of these personalities have assembled huge loyal followings and are tasked each day with presenting content which appeals to audiences on hundreds of radio stations. They receive a lot of attention due to their show’s extended radio reach and some even add to it with the addition of a television simulcast.

Over the past two years this award has gone to Colin Cowherd of FOX Sports Radio. Colin has been one of FOX Sports’ best additions, and although he remains popular and registered a strong showing on this year’s list, his seat atop the national sports radio mountain has been claimed by a colleague.

For the first time in three years, the titleholder of the top National Sports Radio Show for 2017 is The Dan Patrick Show. Congrats to DP and the Dannettes on the well deserved recognition.

If you’re unfamiliar with how the voting for this process works, here are the details. We involve a large number of radio industry executives from multiple companies and different cities and task them with picking their top 20 programs using the criteria below. BSM does not vote in this process. We simply add up the votes, design the graphics, and present a collective snapshot for people inside and outside of the industry to gain a better understanding of how sports radio’s top decision makers view the format’s best national programs.

  • Strong ratings and reach
  • Quality content delivered on a consistent basis
  • An established track record of success in the sports format
  • Spent more than six months hosting a National sports radio show
  • Points are given for each ranking (EX: 20 points for 1st place, 1 point for 20th place)

Be advised that national radio shows like Wingo and Golic, The Stephen A. Smith Show, and Taz and the Moose were not on the air nationwide for six months in 2017. As a result, they didn’t qualify. Should they remain in tact for six months in 2018 and perform well, they would be eligible for consideration by our executive panel. On the other hand, shows like Mike and Mike, The Ryen Russillo Show and Gio and Jones which are no longer on the air, DID qualify because they aired for more than six months in 2017 on a national network.

Remember that these results reflect the group’s collective opinions. This means they are subjective. However, most would agree that each of these programs have earned the industry’s respect, and are known for delivering excellent on-air content on a regular basis.

We extend our congratulations to every host and network that appears on this year’s list, and now proudly present “BSM’s Top 20 National Sports Radio Shows of 2017”!

Additional Notes:

  • The Dan Patrick Show finished ahead of Colin Cowherd by 5 points
  • Colin Cowherd earned the most 1st place votes (15); Dan Patrick had the second most (10)
  • The closest race was for 13th where Damon Amendolara nipped The Morning Men by 3 points
  • Scott Ferrall finished in 21st place, 13 points behind Gio & Jones
  • 22-25 belonged to Chris Mannix, Jalen & Jacoby, Bucher & Zaloumis and Bomani Jones
  • This is Barstool Radio and Freddie & Fitzsimmons‘ first appearance on the list
  • 46 national shows were eligible for consideration, 8 received at least one (1) 1st place vote

FOX Lands The Thursday Night Football Rights

Jason Barrett
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After a report late Tuesday night by Bloomberg stating 21st Century Fox Inc. was closing in on a contract for the rights to broadcast “Thursday Night Football,” it became official Wednesday morning. The five-year deal lasting through 2022 is reportedly worth over $3 billion.

The terms have not been released by Fox or the NFL, but according to ESPN’s Darren Rovell, Fox will pay $660 million annually for to broadcast 11 “Thursday Night Football” games from week four through 15, not including Thanksgiving. The contract equates to over $60 million per game, a more than 30% increase from the $45 million CBS and NBC paid the last two seasons.

The NFL, which had previously worked on shorter term deals to maximize market value, showed more of a commitment to Fox with the agreed five-year contract.

“We feel very confident in their ability to continue to grow this franchise,” NFL commissioner Roger Goodell said on a Wednesday morning conference call.

For Fox, the decision to invest in “Thursday Night Football” is an interesting reversal based on comments made by CEO James Murdoch in November.

Regarding the NFL oversaturating its product, Murdoch stated, “I do think the proliferation of Thursday availability, and the proliferation of football generally, does mean that you’re asking a lot from customers to watch Thursday. And then they watch a lot more college football games on Saturdays, and then on Sundays, and then on Monday Night Football, etc. It’s a lot. So I do think that preserving the scarcity value of those events and that audience is something that is worth thinking about.”

With the planned sale of $52.4 billion in Fox assets to the Walt Disney Company, Fox is expected to continue pursuing large sports broadcast partnerships. After agreeing to pay 30% more than rival networks CBS and NBC did the last two seasons, Fox’s stock dipped 4% today, showing some investors question the long-term health of the NFL. Despite the league’s continued ratings decline and “Thursday Night Football” being the least appealing NFL game package, it remains a proven commodity, providing a boost to the network’s prime-time schedule.

A new digital partner for “Thursday Night Football” has not been announced yet, but according to Goodell a deal will be completed within the next couple of weeks. Last season, Amazon paid the league $50 million for the rights to stream 11 games, which is five times the amount Twitter paid the previous year.

Questions of which broadcast team will do the games and will they air on the Fox Broadcast Network or their national sports networks FS1 and FS2 remain to be seen. John Ourand reported Joe Buck and Troy Aikman are unlikely to do the “Thursday Night Football” broadcast. Buck would be unavailable for a number of games because of his Major League Baseball playoff responsibilities.

Kevin Burkhardt and Charles Davis, being the network’s NFL “B Team,” would be the likely choice to broadcast “TNF.” However, that can also get in the way of Fox’s MLB playoff studio coverage, which Burkhardt hosts.

Brandon Contes is a freelance writer for BSM. He can be found on Twitter @BrandonContes. To reach him by email click here.

Innes and Payne Create Fireworks on Radio Row

Jason Barrett
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Fireworks went off on radio row in Minneapolis on Wednesday. Houston sports radio hosts Seth Payne of Sports Radio 610 and Josh Innes of SportsTalk 790 were involved in a heated exchange which led to Innes’ station being kicked off of radio row.

Payne and his partner Mike Meltser were on the air hosting their program when Innes sent his producer Jim Mudd to sit near the 610 table to try and create a distraction. Payne wasn’t amused by the attempted stunt and called Mudd over to let him know about it.

“Jim Mudd get over here, listen, you tell Josh Innes that when I see him that I want that little bitch to make eye contact,” Payne said on 610. “Instead of hiding behind his microphone and acting like he’s a big man, make eye contact with me, instead of cowering behind a table like a little bitch. You hear that Josh?”

After hearing Payne’s comments, Innes answered the call and stood face to face with the former Houston Texans defensive lineman. Payne then lambasted Innes, calling him a fraud and a joke and taking him to task over his short radio run in Philadelphia and the way people in his former city allegedly can’t stand him.

Innes countered by warning Payne and Meltser that they’d inevitably get fired due to their low ratings. Payne countered by providing a personal assessment of the 790 morning host.

“You’re a bad person. You’re weak, insecure, and can’t leave things alone,” Payne added. “You’d be so good if you’d focus on being good, but you’re so obsessed with everybody who doesn’t like you that you fall apart.”

The situation then escalated even further when Payne’s producer Landry Locker jumped into the conversation and told Innes, “You’re shaking like a chick. You’re shaking like a chump. You’re shaking like a little bitch.”

That set Innes off, who proceeded to ask Locker “Who the f**k are you? Who are you?”

WEEI in Boston captured the incident on video. To watch it click here. Innes also posted an audio clip on 790’s website of what it sounded like on their airwaves prior to the incident. You can hear it by clicking here.

According to the Houston Chronicle, the rivalry between the two shows intensified earlier this month when Innes called in to Payne and Meltser’s show.

Due to not being able to broadcast live from radio row, Innes has announced via Twitter that his show tomorrow will originate from a local Perkins restaurant in Bloomington, MN.

The Top 20 Mid-Market Afternoon Shows of 2017 Are…

Jason Barrett
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The Top 20 Mid-Market Afternoon Shows of 2017 Are…

The midway point of the week is where we celebrate the programs who entertain our audiences as they head home from work each afternoon. This category is ultra competitive and features some of the best talk talent on the radio airwaves, period.

When the Mid Market honors were handed out last year, the award was given to 3HL of 104.5 The Zone in Nashville. The Tennessee trio have been very successful for quite some time, but despite a stellar track record and strong showing in 2017, a new show has taken the afternoon crown this year.

Congratulations goes out to The Bull and Fox on 92.3 The Fan in Cleveland. Adam “The Bull” Gerstenhaber and Dustin Fox ended 2017 by finishing 1st in the ratings in their market with Men 25-54. Their performance throughout the year in one of America’s greatest sports cities was good enough to earn them this year’s honor.

As we acknowledge in each Top 20 posting, our rankings are determined by a panel of radio executives who use the following criteria below to make their choices. BSM does not vote in this process. We simply add up the votes, design the graphics, and present a collective snapshot for people inside and outside of the industry to gain a better understanding of how sports radio’s top decision makers view the format’s best programs.

  • Ratings success in their local market
  • Quality content and on-air presentation
  • An established track record of success in the format
  • Spent more than six months hosting on a Mid Market sports radio station
  • Points are given for each ranking (EX: 20 points for 1st place, 1 point for 20th place)

Please remember that these results reflect the group’s collective opinions. This means they are subjective. However, it’s difficult to argue with the success and respect of each of these shows in their respective markets.

We salute all of the shows who were recognized this year by our panel and are proud to bring to you “BSM’s Top 20 Mid Market Afternoon Shows of 2017”!

Additional Notes:

  • 3HL earned the most 1st place votes (11); Bull & Fox were second with (10)
  • Spots 2-3, 5-6, 10-11 and 15-19 were separated by only 3 points
  • The Drive with CDot and Fanning finished 21st place, 3 points behind Frank Frangie
  • 22-25 were Scott Garceau w/ Jeremy Conn, The Ride w/ JMV, The Big Show and Cofield & Company
  • 10 of the 37 afternoon shows eligible for consideration received a 1st place vote
  • This is the first list appearance for Frank Frangie, Bo Mattingly, The Huge Show and Unsportsmanlike Conduct

The Top 20 Major Market Afternoon Shows of 2017 Are…

Jason Barrett
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0
The Top 20 Major Market Afternoon Shows of 2017 Are…

The midway point of the week is where we celebrate the programs who entertain our audiences as they head home from work each afternoon. This category is ultra competitive and features some of the best talk talent on the radio airwaves, period.

During the past two years, Mike Francesa has laid claim to this award. The New York sports radio legend has since exited his former radio home WFAN, which means that in 2018 things will be very different. But in 2017, Mike occupied the afternoon slot and went out the same way he started, on top. His consistent performance has earned him a great deal of respect from broadcasting executives and that was made clear once again in this year’s voting, as he was chosen for the third straight time as the format’s best Major Market Afternoon Show. His voting total was the highest of any local sports radio program.

To determine our Top 20 Major Market rankings, we involve a large number of radio industry executives from multiple companies and different cities across the country. They select the Top 20 programs by using the criteria below. BSM does not vote in this process. We simply add up the votes, design the graphics, and present a collective snapshot for people inside and outside of the industry to gain a better understanding of how sports radio’s top decision makers view the format’s best programs.

  • Ratings success in their local market
  • Quality content and on-air presentation
  • An established track record of success in the format
  • Spent more than six months hosting on a Major Market sports radio station
  • Points are given for each ranking (EX: 20 points for 1st place, 1 point for 20th place)

Remember, these results reflect the group’s collective opinions. This means they are subjective. However, most would agree that each of these shows have earned the industry’s respect and play an important role in helping each of their brands achieve success.

We extend our congratulations to Mike and each of the shows who were recognized by our panel this year and now proudly present “BSM’s Top 20 Major Market Afternoon Shows of 2017”!

Additional Notes:

  • Mike Francesa earned the most 1st place votes (25)
  • Waddle & Silvy and Felger & Massarotti tied for the second most 1st place votes (5)
  • 8 of the 30 afternoon shows eligible for consideration received a 1st place vote
  • The closest race was for 13th where Chad Dukes finished 1 point ahead of Ben & Skin
  • Kelvin, Marcellus & E.D finished in 21st place, 7 points behind Dave ‘Softy’ Mahler
  • 22-25 = Chuck & Chernoff, Danny, Dave & Moore, The Loose Cannons and Steve Czaban
  • This is Dukes & Bell and Hochman & Crowder’s first appearance on the list

The BSM Top 20 Mid-Market Midday Shows of 2017 Are…

Jason Barrett
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0
The BSM Top 20 Mid-Market Midday Shows of 2017 Are…

It’s Day 2 of the BSM 2017 Top 20 in Sports Radio awards. Today, we highlight the best Mid Market midday programs airing across the nation. Before you skip ahead to see the rankings, let us remind you of a few things.

To determine our rankings we involve a panel of radio executives and they each use the criteria below to make their decisions. BSM does not vote in this process. We simply add up the votes, design the graphics, and present a collective snapshot for people inside and outside of the industry to gain a better understanding of how sports radio’s top decision makers view the format’s best programs.

Remember that these results are subjective. The members of our panel live in various cities and have different insights and preferences. They also work for different companies, which may or may not factor into their thinking. We try our best to keep the process fair and balanced, and although there will be debates over the selections, it’s hard to argue against the respect and success that each of these programs have earned in their local markets and among the industry’s top decision makers.

  • Ratings success in their local market
  • An established track record of success in the format
  • Spent more than six months hosting on a Mid Market sports radio station
  • Points are given for each ranking (EX: 20 points for 1st place, 1 point for 20th place)

When we last conducted this process, Dan Dakich of 107.5/1070 The Fan in Indianapolis received the most votes from our panel to be named the top Mid Market midday program of 2016. This year though, Dan must reluctantly part with the trophy as it’s being shipped to Nashville to its new recipients, The Midday 180 of 104.5 The Zone.

The team of Jonathan Hutton, Paul Kuharsky and Chad Withrow have been a steady force in the Nashville market. They’ve delivered double digit ratings on a regular basis, earning themselves new contracts and an expansion from three hours per day to four. We extend our congratulations to Chad, Jonathan, Paul and the entire Zone team, as well as every other show which earned a spot on this year’s list. Now without further delay, here are “BSM’s Top 20 Mid Market Midday Shows of 2017”!

Additional Notes:

  • Midday 180 and Dan Dakich tied for the most 1st place votes (8); JOX Roundtable was second with (4)
  • Spots 5-6 and 18-19 were separated by 1 point; Spots 15-16 were apart by just 2 points
  • The Day Shift came in 21st place, 4 points behind Erik Ainge
  • 22-25 were The Hardline w/ Ari & Chance, Jason & John, Bob Valvano and Grady & Big Joe
  • 11 of the 37 afternoon shows eligible for consideration received a 1st place vote

The Top 20 Major Market Midday Shows of 2017 Are…

Jason Barrett
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0
The Top 20 Major Market Midday Shows of 2017 Are…

It’s Day 2 of our BSM 2017 Top 20 in Sports Radio, and today the focus is on the best Major Market midday programs airing across the nation. Before you skip ahead to see the rankings, let us point out a few things.

The voting for these awards each year includes a large panel of radio executives from a number of different companies. They make their choices by using the following criteria below. BSM does not vote in this process. We simply add up the votes, design the graphics, and present a collective snapshot for people inside and outside of the industry to gain a better understanding of how sports radio’s top decision makers view the format’s best programs.

  • Strong local ratings in 2017
  • An established track record in the format
  • Spent more than six months hosting on a Major Market sports radio station
  • Points are given for each ranking (EX: 20 points for 1st place, 1 point for 20th place)

We remind you that this process is an inexact science. Each member of our executive committee has different insights and preferences, and may or may not favor members of their own company or programs they’re most familiar with. We do our best to keep the process fair and balanced by having individuals involved from multiple companies and different cities, but beauty is in the eye of the beholder.

Moving along to the rankings, at this time last year, our executive panel awarded top billing to ESPN LA 710’s Mason & Ireland. Although the Southern California duo was well represented this year too, their spot atop the midday rankings has been taken by a duo broadcasting 3,000 miles away.

The 2017 honor goes to Joe & Evan of WFAN in New York. This is their first time earning the top spot. The New York pair finished 4th in 2016 and 2nd in 2015. We extend our congratulations to Mr. Beningo and Mr. Roberts on being recognized by the panel as the best in their daypart for 2017, and every other show which earned a spot on this year’s list. Now, without further adieu, here are “BSM’s Top 20 Mid Market Midday Shows of 2017”!

Additional Notes:

  • Joe & Evan received the most 1st place votes (14)
  • OMF and Zo & Betrand were separated by 4 points
  • Spots 12-13 and 17-18 were just 1 point apart
  • John Clayton finished 21st, 7 points behind Bob, Groz & Tom
  • 22-25 was Humpty/Canty/Rothenberg, Rick & John, Front Row and Bickley & Marotta
  • 9 of the 37 afternoon shows eligible for consideration received a 1st place vote

The Top 20 Mid-Market Morning Shows of 2017 Are…

Jason Barrett
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0
The Top 20 Mid-Market Morning Shows of 2017 Are…

The wait is over. It’s time to reveal the sports radio format’s Top 20 Mid Market morning shows of 2017. Before we get started, here are a few things to be aware of.

The voting for these awards is done by a large panel comprised of radio executives from a number of different companies. They make their choices by using the following criteria below. BSM does not vote in this process. We simply add up the votes, design the graphics, and present a collective snapshot for people inside and outside of the industry to gain a better understanding of how sports radio’s top decision makers view the format’s best programs.

  • Strong local ratings in 2017
  • An established track record in the format
  • Quality content delivered on a consistent basis
  • Spent more than six months hosting on a Major Market sports radio station
  • Points are given for each ranking (EX: 20 points for 1st place, 1 point for 20th place)

When this award was voted on last year, St. Louis sports radio host Bernie Miklasz of 101 ESPN earned top honors. For 2017, Miklasz can breathe a sigh of relief and light up a cigar because he has once again been chosen by our executive panel as the top Mid Market morning show of 2017.

Bernie’s ability to drive ratings and revenue have been vital to 101 ESPN’s success. He has been St. Louis’ go to source for sports information and opinion for decades, and this latest recognition is an added bonus on top of a brand new contract with Hubbard Radio and the addition of on-air partner Michelle Smallmon.

We extend our congratulations to Bernie and the 101 team, as well as every other show which earned a spot on this year’s list. Now without further adieu, here are “BSM’s Top 20 Mid Market Morning Shows of 2017”!

Additional Notes:

  • Bernie Miklasz received the most 1st place votes (8); Carman & Lima had the second most (3)
  • Wake Up Zone edged the Morning Animals by 1 point; Bruce Hooley did the same to DJ & PK
  • 7 of the 30 morning shows eligible for consideration received a 1st place vote
  • The Bottom Line w/ Chip Brown finished 21st, 7 points behind The Drill
  • 22-25 were The Morning After, Franchise Mornings, The Show w/ No Name and Cole Cubelic
  • This is the first appearance on the list for Carmichael Dave, Bruce Hooley and The Deener Show
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