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KNBR Cruises to Ratings Win in 2021 San Francisco Spring Book

“For KNBR, every daytime show finished the quarter in the Top 5. The Giants are also playing great and pumping in audience.”

Jason Barrett

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Photo Credit: Sean Pavone/Shutterstock

The Bay Area’s sports radio scene remained healthy in the 2021 spring book, led by the sports leader, KNBR. Among Men 25-54, the San Francisco sports station secured Top 3 finishes in weekday prime (M-F 6a-7p) and for the full week (M-SU 6a-Mid), producing a respectable 4.5 and 4.3 share.

KNBR got its best quarterly performance from its morning show ‘Murph & Mac’. The team of Brian Murphy and Paul McCaffrey finished 1st overall from 6a-10a with a 5.5 share. Their performance was up eight tenths of a point and five ranking positions from the winter book.

Middays also experienced growth as the team of John Lund and Greg Papa wrapped up a 5th place showing thanks to a 4.2 share. Papa and Lund went up two ranking spots from the winter book, adding three tenths of a point in the process.

Afternoons enjoyed similar success. Tom Tolbert, Larry Krueger and Rod Brooks also popped a 4.2 share. That placed them 4th from 2p-6p. They were up six tenths of a point and five ranking positions from the winter book.

Thanks to a strong San Francisco Giants baseball team and Mark Willard, KNBR once again enjoyed great success during the evening hours of 7p-12a. The station was 2nd overall with a 5.0 share, up from a 2.0 share and 13th place in the winter book.

Meanwhile, for local competitor 95.7 The Game, the winter and spring books produced similar stories. The station was 11th in weekday prime (M-F 6a-7p) with a 3.2 share, up two tenths of a point and two ranking positions from the winter. The Game was also 14th for the full week (M-SU 6a-Mid) with a 2.6 share. That was the same ranking position from the winter book, but they did pick up one tenth of a point.

In AM drive, ‘The Morning Roast’ with Bonta Hill, Kate Scott and Joe Shasky delivered a 2.4 share. That was the same number the show produced in the winter book. The positive, the program gained three ranking positions from book to book.

Middays with Matt Steinmetz, Daryle ‘The Guru’ Johnson and Dan Dibley gained one tenth of a point from winter to spring, improving from a 3.1 to a 3.2. The show held steady in 11th place.

Afternoons were where The Game made its best progress. Damon Bruce, Ray Ratto and Matt Kolsky claimed a 6th place finish with a 3.8 share. That was up five tenths of a point and three ranking positions from the winter book. They were also just four tenths of a point behind Tolbert’s show, and that’s without having the benefit of a few Giants day games.

At night is where The Game took a step backwards. The station was ranked 19th with a 1.7 share, down three tenths of a point and six ranking positions from the winter book. A strong Warriors playoff run next year at this time could change things quickly.

Similar to recent stories told in New York and Philadelphia, San Francisco has one program director signing off, and another coming in. For Jeremiah Crowe, this is a great way to say goodbye. Every daytime show finished the quarter in the Top 5. The Giants are playing great and pumping in audience. That puts incoming PD Kevin Graham in great shape as he gets acclimated to a new market.

For The Game, the afternoon show has some great momentum. With football season around the corner, that should lead to a few more ears tuning in. If the station can get mornings and middays to pop the way PM drive is right now, we could have a tight sports radio race once again in the Bay Area.

Sports Radio News

Dan Patrick: NBC Created ‘Something That Was Brilliant’ With Flex Scheduling

“Networks were so upset that NBC would go ‘Hey, you know what? We’re gonna take that game and we’re gonna have it on Sunday night.’ Then FOX and CBS would be scrambling there.”

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Roger Goodell wants flex scheduling to come to Prime Video’s Thursday Night Football package. It could happen this season, but we won’t know for sure until May after league owners decided to table a vote on the proposal. On Wednesday, FOX Sports Radio’s Dan Patrick joined the chorus of critics calling it a bad idea.

Patrick said that the league always prioritizes revenue. If it were thinking about the fans, this isn’t something that would even be discussed.

The idea of flex scheduling was first introduced for NBC’s Sunday Night Football package in 2006. The goal was to make sure the prime time TV package could deliver high quality games every week.

“NBC did something that was brilliant where they were able to flex Sunday night games,” Patrick said. “Everyone wanted it.”

While the fate of flex scheduling for Thursdays remains up in the air, we do know that flex scheduling is coming to Monday Night Football on ESPN this season. Patrick, who worked for NBC when the practice was introduced, said that it always took care of one broadcast partner by screwing others.

“Networks were so upset that NBC would go ‘Hey, you know what? We’re gonna take that game and we’re gonna have it on Sunday night.’ Then FOX and CBS would be scrambling there.”

Dan Patrick suggested that perhaps Amazon’s Prime Video doesn’t deserve the same treatment as NBC or ESPN. Far fewer people watch the Thursday night game than any other primetime NFL contest.

Whether or not flex scheduling comes to Thursday Night Football, Patrick says it does not guarantee to change the package’s reputation for delivering largely unappealing games.

“I’ve long said it’s crazy to say you have to play Sunday and then turn around and play Thursday and we’d always go ‘Man, these Thursday games aren’t good,’” he concluded. “Well, was it the matchup or just the quality of play?”

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Sports Radio News

106.7 The Fan Extends Deal to Remain Washington Nationals Flagship

“We’re looking forward to continuing to serve as the home for everything Nats for the foreseeable future…”

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106.7 The Fan has announced it has reached a multi-year extension with the Washington Nationals to remain as the MLB club’s radio flagship.

Nationals fans will continue to hear game broadcasts on the station, and those living inside the club’s broadcast territory will be able to stream the radio broadcasts on the Audacy app.

“Opening Day is finally here and we’re thrilled to celebrate the return of baseball season by extending our partnership with the Washington Nationals,” said Audacy Washington D.C. Senior Vice President and Market Manager Ivy Savoy-Smith. “We’re looking forward to continuing to serve as the home for everything Nats for the foreseeable future and give the team’s fans a front row seat to the action on the field and top storylines throughout the year.”

The Nationals have called 106.7 The Fan home since the 2011 season. Beyond game broadcasts, the station will welcome Nationals President of Baseball Operations and General Manager Mike Rizzo to The Sports Junkies every Wednesday at 9:00 AM throughout the season. The station will also air segments titled “Nats Insider”, hosted by broadcaster Dan Kolko that feature player interviews and features. Those segments will air all along the Nationals Radio Network.

“We couldn’t be happier to partner with Audacy in bringing Nationals fans even more of the interviews and exclusive access they love,” said Lerner Sports Group COO Alan H. Gottlieb. “From in-depth interviews with execs and top players, to off-the-field profiles and more Spanish and English bilingual content than ever before, Audacy offers a comprehensive look at our ball club from all angles.”

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Sports Radio News

Todd Markiewicz Departing 97.1 The Fan

“He has left an indelible mark in the Columbus market and within the sports/talk radio world by building The Fan with excellent programming, dominant ratings, and overall market share.”

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Longtime 97.1 The Fan Vice President and Market Manager Todd Markiewicz has announced he is leaving the sports radio station.

Markiewicz has been named the President of the 1870 Society, a Name, Image, and Likeness collective working with Ohio State athletics and Learfield to devise NIL strategy, fundraising, and logistics.

In an internal memo, Tegna Columbus President and General Manager John Cardenas credited Markiewicz for helping to establish the brand as “the powerhouse sports station in the country. He has left an indelible mark in the Columbus market and within the sports/talk radio world by building The Fan with excellent programming, dominant ratings, and overall market share.”

Markiewicz joined the station in 2010. Under his leadership, 97.1 The Fan has routinely ranked as the highest-rated station in the Columbus market.

His final day with the station will be Friday, May 26th.

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