Connect with us
blank

Sports Radio News

670 The Score Wins Summer Book, ESPN 1000 Makes Progress

“Parkins and Spiegel held one advantage for the book over other shows, they finished #1 in afternoons among non-Hispanic stations.”

Jason Barrett

Published

on

blank
Photo Credit: BusinessClass.com

Sports radio listening was alive and well in Chicago for the summer book. 670 The Score turned in the stronger numbers for the quarter among local brands, but ESPN 1000 also gained ground, giving both sides positive momentum entering the fall.

Starting with The Score, the station won the quarter, delivering a 4.1 to rank 5th in the M-SU 6a-Mid category. The Score also produced a 4.8 to place 4th M-F 6a-7p. Those numbers and all used throughout this article are for the coveted Men 25-54 demo and include the combined shares of over the air radio listening and streaming.

Among The Score’s weekday shows, middays were where the brand enjoyed its highest shares. Dan Bernstein and Leila Rahimi popped a 5.9 share M-F 9a-12p to rank 3rd. Laurence Holmes was next best with a 5.3 from Noon to 2p to finish 4th. Bernstein and Rahimi were slightly down two tenths from the spring book. Holmes picked up five tenths during the quarter.

In the drive times, Danny Parkins and Matt Spiegel popped a 4.7 during their M-F 2p-6p slot to rank 4th. Parkins and Spiegel did hold one advantage for the book over other shows though, they finished #1 in afternoon drive among non-Hispanic stations (the top 3 rated stations during Chicago’s 2p-6p timeslot were Mexican Regional and Spanish Contemporary brands). Rounding things out in morning drive, Mike Mulligan and David Haugh reeled in a 4.6 to finish 6th. Mully and Haugh recorded the best quarter to quarter gain though on the station, adding 1.1 points. Parkins and Spiegel were slightly down by two tenths,

For ESPN 1000, the news was much better in the summer than it was in the spring. The station received a 2.7 M-SU 6a-Mid to finish 18th for the book. Among all stations M-F 6a-7p, ESPN 1000 finished tied for 14th with a 2.9. Both numbers were up over a share from the spring book. Good progress.

Looking at the weekday shows, 1000 elevated its morning performance from the spring, delivering a 2.1 share between 5a-9a to earn a tie for 16th. That was up over a share from the prior book. The 5a-9a hours represent two hours of Max-Keyshawn-Jay Willams and two hours of David Kaplan and Jonathan Hood.

In middays, the combination of one hour of Kaplan and Hood and two hours of Carmen DeFalco and John Jurkovic, lifted 1000 to an 11th place 3.2 share finish M-F from 9a-12p. That performance represented a gain of ten ranked positions and a 1.7 share increase. Very strong. Mike Greenberg’s national show, which airs on ESPN 1000 M-F 12p-2p remained the station’s best performer for the quarter, securing a 4.4 share to finish in 7th. Greeny was 6th last book with a 4.3 share, showing the program has been consistently well received in the windy city.

Wrapping things up, 1000’s afternoon team of Waddle & Silvy, featuring Marc Silverman and Tom Waddle, helped the brand snag a 14th place finish with a 2.8 share M-F 2p-6p. That was a 1.3 share increase and ten position jump from the spring book, another positive boost for the station.

At night is where ESPN 1000 enjoyed a head to head win against The Score. The combo of Chicago White Sox baseball and Chris Bleck & Adam Abdalla carried 1000 to a tie for 13th with a 3.2. The Score’s airing of Chicago Cubs baseball and evening talk shows produced a 3.0 to finish 16th.

It’s worth pointing out that 1000 had a rough July but saw a big turnaround in the August monthly. The station went from 0.2 5a-7a, 1.2 7a-10a, 1.7 10a-12p, 2.3 12p-2p, and 1.4 2p-6p in the July monthly to an 0.8, 2.6, 3.7, 5.3 and 3.6 in August. If that activity carries forward to the fall book, especially with the White Sox in the playoffs, the station has a chance to make the race tighter.

That said tightening and winning are two different things, and right now The Score is rolling. The station has won all three books in 2021, has good consistency throughout the lineup, and is positioned well to remain strong in the fall.

Congrats goes out to Mitch Rosen and The Score team on winning the book, and to Mike Thomas and the ESPN 1000 team on making significant progress in the summer book. Chicago listeners have two top notch sports radio brands vying for their attention, and it’s nice to see each side with positive stories to tell heading into the fall book.

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.”

blank

Published

on

blank

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?”

Continue Reading

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…”

blank

Published

on

blank

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.”

Continue Reading

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.”

Avatar photo

Published

on

blank

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.

Continue Reading
Advertisement

blank

Barrett Media Writers

Copyright © 2023 Barrett Media.