One PD Responds To ESPN Radio Move, Others To Follow?

Tuesday, September 18, 2007


I said this yesterday, but it bears repeating in this spot. The decision of putting a one-hour Stephen A. Smith show at the end of a two-hour Mike Tirico could be the downfall of ESPN Radio. Now I don't know much about Sports Radio ratings, but I know enough to know that S.A.S. gets terrible ratings in New York.

Well a Program Director in Chicago has taken the steps to make sure Stephen is never heard on his airwaves, and I'm sure others will follow in kind. Mr. Sunshine explains....

Go to Chicago’s ESPN1000, an ESPN owned and operated station. It’s already sent a response to the split show. Former ESPNRadio producer Justin Craig, now ESPN1000’s P.D., will be covering up Stephen A. He moved the highly successful Mac, Jurko and Harry Show back an hour to 2-6p CT. ESPN1000 will then run a best of MJH hour from 6-7p CT. No Stephen A. in Chicago!

How many more ESPN affiliates will make the same adjustments? From a sales standpoint, who can sell Mike Tirico? How can you even make a promo from Tirico’s “rants/takes?” There won’t be any.
The truth hurts, and Mr. S is dead on with his assessment. Who would buy spots on Tirico's show? It wouldn't make any sense at all. Especially since this decision took 2 whole months to make. If I were a PD I would do everything in my power to follow Justin Craig in Chicago. If Cowherd is getting ratings for you in the morning, stick with him and try to find any discernible talent you can to cover up this mistake.

Nothing against Tirico as a broadcaster, but they're setting you up to fail my friend. And it has everything to do with S.A.S. as a broadcaster.

ESPN Radio Slaps Listeners and PDs in the Face (Mr. Sunshine Vegas)

Posted by Awful Announcing- at 11:54 PM

12 Comments:

ESPNRadio 1000 had been looking to move MJH up for a while after 'SCR moved Boers & Bernstein to 2-6, but your take is 100% correct

This Tirico/Cheez Doodles A. Smith split show concept is D.O.A. already

Is ESPN trying to give Rome or whoever's on Sporting Snooze Radio affiliates on purpose?

Anonymous said...
Sep 19, 2007, 1:40:00 AM  

Here in Columbus, they had just made a change to pick up the last two hours of the show known as the Dan Patrick Show, and they have local programming bookending it.

They cut Cowherd to 10-12 (thankfully), run local 12-2, then DP 2-4, and then local again 4-6. Before, the 4-6 (Big Show) was a three hour spot. I'm wondering if with the recent changes they'll work out a different arrangement not to pick up SAS because he sucks. Or, to go to some other type of syndicated programming during the former DP time slot. Mike Tirico is a good guy, but he's about as exciting as vanilla.

Hermano said...
Sep 19, 2007, 8:16:00 AM  

These guys really seem to believe that they can program us to like something we hate just by putting it in our faces.

Eric (Extra P.) said...
Sep 19, 2007, 9:26:00 AM  

I think that its very interesting that a former national ESPN radio guy Justin Craig (former producer of M&M in the morning) would so quickly find a way to change network programming. However, I am sure that the suits will love it when they get Screamin A off the air in LA, Dallas etc.

Anonymous said...
Sep 19, 2007, 9:31:00 AM  

Can Triple-X Radio in DC change the super-low power hours for 730 AM to 3-4 pm now? That would be a good fix.

Seriously, choosing between SAS and John Thompson for afternoon listening in DC now is lose-lose. I hope Triple-X comes up with a solution to keep SAS from being heard (because John Thompson must own 980s soul, assuming radio stations have souls), even if it means a one-hour infomercial for the Buck Bomb.

Max Wass said...
Sep 19, 2007, 10:30:00 AM  

ESPN Radio in Boston has Mike Felger at 3 so Bostonians won't have to sit threw the SAS filth either...

Anonymous said...
Sep 19, 2007, 12:05:00 PM  

How soon before he accuses the Chicago P.D. of racism?

I heard that he's in the process of suing the Philly paper on race discrimination.

Anonymous said...
Sep 19, 2007, 12:05:00 PM  

What's Tirico's first "rant/take" going to be: Lloyd Carr belongs on the Mount Rushmore of college football coaches?

Anonymous said...
Sep 19, 2007, 12:06:00 PM  

DP was always cut short in Pittsburgh so that Mark Madden could be heard from 3-7. When is SA's show? I'm sure it'll be covered up.

GameDayChat said...
Sep 19, 2007, 12:10:00 PM  

Steve A. will air on ESPN 1000 in Chicago from 11 p.m. - 1 a.m. weeknights. Not live, but not TOTALLY off air.

Anonymous said...
Sep 19, 2007, 12:41:00 PM  

The decision to move MJH up an hour in Chicago had already been made before the SAS announcement came about. The station also doesn't carry Cowherd, they have a local show featuring former Bear Tom Waddle in that spot.

Anonymous said...
Sep 19, 2007, 4:14:00 PM  

According to Bob Costas on Rome this afternoon, opinions on sports talk radio and blogs don't matter because they're mean spirited and misinformed, so who cares where Screamin' A. Smith's show is actually heard....

Anonymous said...
Sep 19, 2007, 8:12:00 PM  

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