Posted on 09/18/2012 12:38:59 PM PDT by raccoonradio
In a long-rumored (Chad Finn reported it earlier this summer, had been rumored even before then) move, Entercom radio announced this afternoon that programming on 850 AM will switch to all ESPN radio beginning on October 5th. The station will carry the full lineup of ESPN Radio programming.
Also announced was a tighter integration with ESPNBoston.com, the audio stream for WEEI 93.7 FM will be available through ESPNBoston.com and ESPNBoston’s video player will power WEEI’s video player with content from ESPN.
The full release:
Tuesday, Sept. 18
Entercom and ESPN Radio Join Forces to Launch “ESPN on WEEI” 850 AM
WEEI to provide the best in local and national sports talk and play-by-play
ESPN 850BOSTON, MA – Entercom Boston and ESPN Radio today announced that starting on Friday, October 5, WEEI will split its AM/FM simulcast and begin broadcasting ESPN Radio on 850 AM. “ESPN on WEEI” will air ESPN’s entire national lineup, including the entire upcoming Major League Baseball postseason schedule, the NBA, and college football and college basketball. ESPN Radio on 850 AM will debut with Mike Greenberg and Mike Golic, of “Mike and Mike in the Morning,” broadcasting live from Foxboro’s Gillette Stadium beginning at 6 a.m. ET on October 5.
WEEI’s legendary local lineup of “Dennis and Callahan,” “Mut and Merloni,” “The Big Show with Glenn Ordway and Michal Holley,” and “Planet Mikey with Mike Adams” will now be broadcast solely on the 93.7 FM frequency. In addition, 93.7 FM will be the exclusive home of Red Sox baseball, Celtics basketball, Patriots’ Monday and Friday, NFL football and the NFL playoffs. As part of this expanded partnership, listeners will be able to access 93.7 WEEI’s live audio stream through the popular ESPNBoston.com website. At the same time, ESPNBoston.com’s video channel will now power WEEI.com’s video player with the most up-to-date ESPN video content.
“Since 1991, WEEI has been the gold standard in sports radio. This strategic alliance with ESPN allows WEEI to deliver to the most passionate sports fans in America the very best in local sports talk and play-by-play on WEEI FM and the very best in national sports talk and play-by-play with ESPN on WEEI AM,” said Jeff Brown, Entercom Vice President and Market Manager. “WEEI 850 AM is a proven sports brand. Joining forces with ESPN provides advertisers an additional touch point to connect with a highly valuable and sought after consumer.”
“We’re pleased to team with Boston’s preeminent sports radio outlet and one of the nation’s best radio broadcasting companies in Entercom to bring the number one national network into New England,” said Traug Keller, ESPN Senior Vice President, Production Business Divisions. “This move coupled with the existing presence of ESPNBoston.com provides Boston’s passionate fans the best of ESPN’s national and local coverage and analysis.” “We are excited to be expanding our partnership with ESPN in such a meaningful way,” said Entercom President and CEO David Field. “Combining Boston’s leading sports station, WEEI-FM, and the new ESPN on WEEI 850 AM, together with our ability to cross promote content through our existing mobile and digital platforms, gives passionate Boston sports fans the very best in local and national sports content.”
Beginning Friday, October 5, the new ESPN on WEEI 850 AM ESPN lineup will be:
6 a.m. to 10 a.m. “Mike & Mike in the Morning”
10 a.m. to 1 p.m. “The Herd with Colin Cowherd”
1 p.m. to 4 p.m. “The Scott Van Pelt Show”
4 p.m. to 7 p.m. “ESPN Today”
7 p.m. to 10 p.m. “Hill and Schlereth” / ESPN Play-by-Play
10 p.m. to 12 a.m. “SportsCenter Tonight”
12 a.m. to 6 a.m. “SportsCenter All Night
I cannot understand why anyone would want to listen to sports radio.
It is a reflex button push when Hannity becomes too much to take. I listen to a lot of sports radio between the hours of 3 and 6 PM.
I miss Eddie Andleman and the Sports Huddle.
I listen for the games and some sports talk. WEEI’s local side (on FM only soon) has some funny bits.
Sports talk is big money. It’s a growing format. If anything reg. political talk is waning as advertisers (Bud, etc.) go for younger listeners and also a wider range of “demos”. Some people like politics. Even more like sports. People who care more about how the Jets played instead of the election.
Big money from advertisers. People do listen. (And talk radio in general, politics included, has lots of “time spent listening”—people stay tuned to a show because of the topic. And they’re loyal, they like listening to a talk or
sports talk station and come back time and time again.)
I like “The Ticket” here in Dallas, although mostly sports talk, I live that it mostly veers off into general “guy talk”.
All sports would just be boring.
I miss Jason Smith on the night shift at ESPN radio. He was really good.
Sorry. Not true. WEEI at 103.7 out of RI puts out a heck of a signal. They carry the same content as 93.7. For now. I hate ESPN Radio.
Right, well they’re talking in Boston itself.
WEEI 93.7’s tower is in Peabody just north of Boston. It reaches quite a bit but south of Boston that 103.7 is a BIG help. Years ago it was one of the Boston Phoenix’s stations but it got sold to Entercom.
I like ESPN’s baseball playoffs at least. Last year they had some guy named Bobby Valentine who was fun to listen to.
I hear he’s employed now somewhere else but he may get fired...ironically enough, right around the same time
ESPN goes 24/7 on 850 :)
The Jets ran into the Steelers, that’s what happened...Hehehehe.
What is the format of 850 AM now?? Air America??
same as fm 93.7, sports talk. There is a station at 1510 that used to be libtalk—someone bought time. He started to run out of money so there’s only libtalk on 1510 3-7 pm, and only till Nov.—rest of it is new nbc sports network, local sports, etc.
so libtalk hosts like Schultz, Steph. Miller, etc are not heard in Boston. It failed...in Boston...
My Gosh, I guess, Rush really BOMBED in MASS.../s
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