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Would iHeart try for a sports team's rights?

S

spt87

Frequent Participant
Now that iHeart has taking a lead role in the Boston market, would they take a run at one of the sports teams broadcast rights?

They hold rights in other markets including NYC which shows they are willing to spend the money. As mentioned in another thread here, WBZ's demographics have supposedly aged over the last few years. What better way to try to fix that and introduce a different audience to the station than by grabbing the Red Sox or try to put the Bruins back on BZ-AM where they had a long relationship.

Maybe combined with AM 1200 to take the heat off the news format for some day games or even one of the FMs. Of course WRKO was supposedly the primary for the Sox for a couple years as well so that could be an option.

If iHeart gets their debt issue cleaned up before the rights are up for bid they may be feeling even more agressive about it.
 
From the point of view of the teams, many, primarily in the NFL, have preferred FM to AM stations for a number of reasons. Certainly the demos for FM are preferable for teams. Not to mention the audio quality is better on FM. Also the fact the FM waves are more geographically restricted. That may seem like a disadvantage. But for teams, it means fans outside a team's geographic area will have to buy a league-owned service, rather than get it for free. So there's more money for the team by being on FM.
 
spt87 said:
Now that iHeart has taking a lead role in the Boston market, would they take a run at one of the sports teams broadcast rights?

They hold rights in other markets including NYC which shows they are willing to spend the money. As mentioned in another thread here, WBZ's demographics have supposedly aged over the last few years. What better way to try to fix that and introduce a different audience to the station than by grabbing the Red Sox or try to put the Bruins back on BZ-AM where they had a long relationship.

Maybe combined with AM 1200 to take the heat off the news format for some day games or even one of the FMs. Of course WRKO was supposedly the primary for the Sox for a couple years as well so that could be an option.

If iHeart gets their debt issue cleaned up before the rights are up for bid they may be feeling even more agressive about it.
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CBS Radio had the bucks to pump up WBZ-FM. I sure hope Beasley is up to the task. How is the latter doing with sports radio in Philadelphia and Detroit?
 
I was thinking that once Bloomberg's lease with iHeartMedia expires, WXKS-1200 could flip to 24/7 Fox Sports Radio and could give iHeartMedia a shot at some of the sports rights in Boston.
 
miketheradioguy said:
I was thinking that once Bloomberg's lease with iHeartMedia expires, WXKS-1200 could flip to 24/7 Fox Sports Radio and could give iHeartMedia a shot at some of the sports rights in Boston.
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They might put Fox Sports on 1200, but that wouldn't make any difference in obtaining local sports rights.
 
miketheradioguy said:
I was thinking that once Bloomberg's lease with iHeartMedia expires, WXKS-1200 could flip to 24/7 Fox Sports Radio and could give iHeartMedia a shot at some of the sports rights in Boston.
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With all due respect, Mike, it seems to me that most of the advertising dollars go to WBZ-FM and WEEI-FM.

WEEI-AM is pretty much ESPN 24/7, and I don't think they make much of an impact, except for those occasions when games spill over from WEEI-FM.

WXKS 1200 has an even poorer signal than AM 850. Besides, does Boston really need another 24/7 syndicated sports operation?
 
miketheradioguy said:
I was thinking that once Bloomberg's lease with iHeartMedia expires, WXKS-1200 could flip to 24/7 Fox Sports Radio and could give iHeartMedia a shot at some of the sports rights in Boston.
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With that coverage? No way.

In a market of 4.8 million, the 10 mV/m day coverage is only about 1.8 million. No significant team would consider such a poor facility.
 
DavidEduardo said:


With that coverage? No way.

In a market of 4.8 million, the 10 mV/m day coverage is only about 1.8 million. No significant team would consider such a poor facility.
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I was reading that same rumor so many times about WXKS 1200 becoming a full time affiliate of Fox Sports Radio, but I could care less about what will happen once Bloomberg's lease expires.

Another good question would be if Bloomberg could consider purchasing WKOX 1430, the station iHeartMedia's divesting.
 
nowradioguy said:
With all due respect, Mike, it seems to me that most of the advertising dollars go to WBZ-FM and WEEI-FM.

WEEI-AM is pretty much ESPN 24/7, and I don't think they make much of an impact, except for those occasions when games spill over from WEEI-FM.

WXKS 1200 has an even poorer signal than AM 850. Besides, does Boston really need another 24/7 syndicated sports operation?
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You’re right, but we’re talking about if iHeartMedia considers acquiring professional sports teams rights, and where they would them. I do agree with DavidEduardo that WXKS 1200 isn’t the best signal for a sports station, Therefore, I debunk the rumor about 1200 going Fox Sports.
 
Bloomberg 1430? Not the best signal especially at night.They have FM coverage in Boston and Newburyport and yes do have some AMs but AM has interference and coverage problems.Though people can listen online.
If 1200 goes FoxSports it would be to clear programs for advertisers and a few listeners.EEI and Sports Hub get most of the revenue.

Things can and probably will change when the FCC approves the sales or swaps but I heard for now at least when there's spillover sports, like B's and C's at same time, one team may still air on the now iHeart LMA-ed WZLX. A Beasley station like ROR may do that in future.Don't know if iHR would go for sports team rights.Sox, Pats may be locked in to EEI and Beasley respectively for some time to come.
 
I was thinking more of a sport team going to 1030 with a cluster mate maybe picking up games here and there (to avoid stomping on PM drive new block for example). I know that is less common on news/talk stations now with dedicated all sports stations being a thing but in the past BZ did have teams and sports talk shows. If iHeart was looking to bring in younger demographics dropping a sports team on the schedule could attract a different audience to sample the station. They did it with WOR so would not be an unheard of move for them - of course WOR was a real basket case so it may not be a good comparison.

Just wondering if a three way competition for some broadcast rights could emerge.
 
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