Sports Hub can't have all five (including the Revs). That got Heismaned by the FTC, which is why Sports Hub got traded to Beasley in the first place.
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Audacy just filed Chapter 11 Bankruptcy
- Thread starter BostonRadioListener
- Start date
Sports Hub can't have all five (including the Revs). That got Heismaned by the FTC, which is why Sports Hub got traded to Beasley in the first place.
Mr. Field can count, money is very tight. I believe Sox Rights is a tarnished “luxury” they simply cant afford.
It's not his decision anymore.
I stated in an earlier post that I was referred the big four leagues (meaning NBA, NFL, NHL, MLB).
If the decision is to get out of the Sox deal, then that's what the decision will be. No emotional attachment. And they won't change the format of WEEI. It will continue as an all sports station. And the Sox won't go to WBZ.
If all the ifs happen (and there are a lot of ifs that would have to happen), I expect the Red Sox would partner with iHeart to create a streaming network using WRKO as the broadcast station. That's based on what I've seen iHeart do in other major markets. It's what the Dodgers did in LA, and I think the Red Sox are every bit as valuable as the Dodgers.
It’s not?It's not his decision anymore.
If the decision is to get out of the Sox deal, then that's what the decision will be. No emotional attachment. And they won't change the format of WEEI. It will continue as an all sports station. And the Sox won't go to WBZ.
If all the ifs happen (and there are a lot of ifs that would have to happen), I expect the Red Sox would partner with iHeart to create a streaming network using WRKO as the broadcast station. That's based on what I've seen iHeart do in other major markets. It's what the Dodgers did in LA, and I think the Red Sox are every bit as valuable as the Dodgers.
He’s Chairman, President and Chief Executive Officer of the Company. He‘s in charge of EVERYTHING. And if they decide top down to cut costs he orders it—it’s done. Sox deal is very expensive. And I agree it won’t change the WEEI format, and further I don’t see much ratings impact worse than the bad numbers today.
He’s Chairman, President and Chief Executive Officer of the Company. He‘s in charge of EVERYTHING.
Nope. Not anymore. The company declared bankruptcy.
He's a non-voting member of the board, and he works for the lenders. It will be their decision.
Field signed an amended contract with Audacy that will keep him on the board of the reorganized company in a non-chairman capacity. The update did not change his role as CEO. But once the company exits chapter 11, the reorganized Audacy and Field will have 120 days to reach terms on a new contract. If that deadline is not met, Field can opt to leave Audacy with a lucrative severance package that would pay him two years base salary – currently $1.35 million per year – as well as a $2 million one-time payout. And if the company opts to terminate its deal with Field, he would continue to receive his salary through at least Dec. 31 in addition to the agreed upon severance package.
Audacy may have arranged a prepacked reorganization with its debtholders, but some analysts have said one of the outstanding questions is whether the new owners will look for new leadership or retain the executives who have an intimate knowledge of the assets.
Red Sox could go to another station. Without any broadcast rights to the Red Sox, Celtics, Patriots, or Bruins WEEI-FM will not succeed in the long-term as a sports talk station.Sports Hub can't have all five (including the Revs). That got Heismaned by the FTC, which is why Sports Hub got traded to Beasley in the first place.
I am not speaking of any attachment. In Boston, the only Sports talk stations that have been successful have been stations with broadcast rights to one of the big four teams. Any station who lost the rights ended up flipping formats. Even WEEI-AM ended up dropping ESPN Radio and going with Sports betting. That's all. It's an observation. I did originally say Sox to Sports Hub, but my theory is the Sox could go to any station, and WEEI-FM would still end up flipping. To remain as a sports talk station, I theory is that WEEI-FM needs the Red Sox or at least one of the other three major sports teams in Boston (Celtics, Patriots, or Bruins).It's not his decision anymore.
If the decision is to get out of the Sox deal, then that's what the decision will be. No emotional attachment. And they won't change the format of WEEI. It will continue as an all sports station. And the Sox won't go to WBZ.
If all the ifs happen (and there are a lot of ifs that would have to happen), I expect the Red Sox would partner with iHeart to create a streaming network using WRKO as the broadcast station. That's based on what I've seen iHeart do in other major markets. It's what the Dodgers did in LA, and I think the Red Sox are every bit as valuable as the Dodgers.
In Boston, the only Sports talk stations that have been successful have been stations with broadcast rights to one of the big four teams.
WEEI in fact HAS one of the big four teams right now, and it hasn't helped the station beat WBZ.
If having a big four team doesn't matter now, then why would the opposite matter?
What are you talking about? It has been financially sustainable since it took the air. A big part of that is that they have broadcast rights to at least one of the big four teams. What does this have to do with beating WBZ-FM? I never mentioned beating WBZ-FM. I mentioned a station with a sports talk format requiring broadcast rights to either the Celtics, Red Sox, Patriots, Bruins, or combination of those teams to be profitable to remain in the format, in the Boston market.WEEI in fact HAS one of the big four teams right now, and it hasn't helped the station beat WBZ.
If having a big four team doesn't matter now, then why would the opposite matter?
What are you talking about? It has been financially sustainable since it took the air. A big part of that is that they have broadcast rights to at least one of the big four teams.
That makes no sense. Posters here are saying the rights to the Red Sox are too high. So the view is having those rights are hurting the viability of the station. That's what this entire thing about dropping the Sox is about. Where are you coming up with this information that having the Sox is financially necessary? It's either one or the other. It can't be both.
It does make sense. Name one sports station in Boston that has been successful without the rights to one of the big four teams. If they dump the Red Sox without having rights to any other team, then that will be the decline of the sports talk format on WEEI, unless the Patriots, Celtics, or Bruins are ready to leave Beasley.That makes no sense. Posters here are saying the rights to the Red Sox are too high. So the view is having those rights are hurting the viability of the station. That's what this entire thing about dropping the Sox is about. Where are you coming up with this information that having the Sox is financially necessary? It's either one or the other. It can't be both.
It does make sense. Name one sports station in Boston that has been successful without the rights to one of the big four teams.
Stop with the ancient history. You said having the rights to the Red Sox is core to the financial viability of WEEI. How much money do they pay the Sox, and how much money does the station make from that contract. If they're losing money because of the Red Sox, then it's not sustainable and the contract will be voided. If they're making money with the Red Sox, then the contract remains. That's how this decision will be made. Not about past history. It's about making money NOW. Understand?
I said it 90 different ways and explained it. Time to move on from this one. In Boston, the only long-term sustainable sports talk formatted stations have been stations with broadcast rights to the either or a combination of the Red Sox, Patriots, Celtics, or Bruins. WEEI has been sustainable because of that. The Sports Hub is sustainable because of that. If they drop the Red Sox without getting rights to any other of the three teams (which I don't see any of them leaving Beasley to go to Audacy), WEEI will end up flipping formats. That's now 91 times. It isn't ancient history. Rather, it's the culture of the Boston listener. It's the same position that others have on discussions of other formats. It's the culture of the market. Therefore, the Red Sox are needed (unless another team is looking to leave change broadcast partners from Beasley). "Understand?" Long term, WEEI will not be a sports station, without the rights to any of the four mentioned teams.Stop with the ancient history. You said having the rights to the Red Sox is core to the financial viability of WEEI. How much money do they pay the Sox, and how much money does the station make from that contract. If they're losing money because of the Red Sox, then it's not sustainable and the contract will be voided. If they're making money with the Red Sox, then the contract remains. That's how this decision will be made. Not about past history. It's about making money NOW. Understand?
I said it 90 different ways and explained it. Time to move on from this one.
But you're doing it without knowing the financials. You don't know for a fact that WEEI is financially sustainable. That's the only basis here. Nothing else matters. Nothing. Not the number of teams. Not what has happened in the past. None of it matters.
If WEEI is making money with the Red Sox, then the contract will be continued. If not, it will be voided. End of discussion.
And without a big four team, they will become less financially sustainable. Whoever picks up the Red Sox and The Sports Hub will be where listeners go for sports. They will take a wound already, and cut it open deeper.But you're doing it without knowing the financials. You don't know for a fact that WEEI is financially sustainable. That's the only basis here. Nothing else matters. Nothing. Not the number of teams. Not what has happened in the past. None of it matters.
If WEEI is making money with the Red Sox, then the contract will be continued. If not, it will be voided. End of discussion.
And the irony here, I do not personally like sports talk as a format. Can't stand listening to grown men go on about pass percentage ratings. But, I understand that in Boston, listeners go to the stations that have rights to a team.
And without a big four team, they will become less financially sustainable.
You don't know that. The owners know, not you. They will make the decision based on actual facts. Which you don't have,
The whole point of bankruptcy is to become MORE financially viable. Thats what this is about.
Owners don't know s(quat). If they did, they wouldn't be in the financial situation that they are. And I'm not buying into your loaded statement about me. Understanding the culture of a city, as a citizen, has equal merit to numbers. It's that exact mentality that has education in the shape its in. Someone high up who can't accept any additional observations.You don't know that. The owners know, not you. They will make the decision based on actual facts. Which you don't have,
The whole point of bankruptcy is to become MORE financially viable. Thats what this is about.
Owners don't know s(quat). If they did, they wouldn't be in the financial situation that they are. And I'm not buying into your loaded statement about me.
Show me the numbers. How much is the contract, and how much does the station bill? Show me. The owners have that info, not you.
And no other qualitative info can help in making a decision. Numbers tell us what. They don't tell us why and how. Qualitative info tells us why and how.Show me the numbers. How much is the contract, and how much does the station bill? Show me. The owners have that info, not you.
It's the same thing in education. This group of student performs worse than that group. "Ok. So why may that be? I know, I'll use these numbers and compare them with focus group, interviews, and surveys to get a better understanding."
I know that corprate radio conducts such, just that you're professing numbers to be the end-all-be-all of this discussion.
I know that corprate radio conducts such, just that you're professing numbers to be the end-all-be-all of this discussion.
That's how bankruptcy laws work. It's all based on facts & numbers, neither of which you have.
And is completely side-stepping what I'm saying will happen long-term if WEEI doesn't have the broadcast rights to any of Boston's big four teams. So again, we have our positions. We both said our points and aren't moving. Therefore, we're at a stalemate and it's time to move on.That's how bankruptcy laws work. It's all based on facts & numbers, neither of which you have.
If this was New York, I'd suggest that WEEI could replace WEPN as the ESPN Radio affiliate, but Boston isn't like New York when it comes to sports talk. Listeners are invested in the local teams. They go to the station(s) that are the local station for their local teams.