ESPN Allegedly Asking Radio Affiliates For $100K

Wednesday, March 11, 2009


ESPN Radio has been poking and prodding its way into a ton of local radio markets over the past few years, and now that they've developed somewhat of a stronghold, it appears it might come at a cost. Sports by Brooks is reporting, that Top 30 markets featuring ESPN's shows might soon have to be upwards of $100K for rights....

A source told me that ESPN is planning to charge some non-ESPN owned and operated sports radio stations fees to carry its radio network programming. For big markets (Top 30), the annual charge to stations is as high as $100,000.

Even in good economical times, that move is a serious horse pill to ingest for local sports talk radio stations.

My reaction, as a former sports radio program director and on-air personality for 16 years (including on ESPN radio affiliates), is that very, very few (if any) Top 30 markets would pay a six-figure sum to air ESPN network programming.

Most, if not all of those stations make their money on local sports talk shows and play-by-play ad sales. Revenue from ESPN’s national properties is usually negligible - as most of its shows have struggled in the ratings against large market, local shows. (I know, not in every case.) Perhaps local stations could make money on ESPN Radio’s play-by-play properties, but not enough to make up that $100K rights fee in any scenario.
Whether or not ESPN actually IS going to ask for that kind of money is really irrelevant. The $100K gives local stations something that their own programming doesn't, and that's the simple business model of "out sourcing". Obviously there are a lot of other factors that go into rights deals like this, but in the end, $100K might be a small price to pay instead of the headache that comes with managing talent and programming on a day-to-day basis. Still though, local hosts make a heck of a lot less than $100K, so for a lot of markets it probably wouldn't make sense.

ESPN Radio is definitely not a market standard, but their current business model definitely could make sense on a case-by-case basis.

ESPN Radio Wants $100,000 From Local Affiliates (Sports by Brooks)

Posted by Awful Announcing at 9:07 AM

4 Comments:

pleaaaaase do it ESPN! bring back local sports talk!

Unknown said...
Mar 11, 2009, 10:33:00 AM  

Yeah, seriously. My local affiliate (104.3 the Fan) will drop ESPN like a used wetnap and go with programs like Jim Rome and Dan Patrick who they can get for much less. Plus what do Mike and Mike even contribute to sports - they are likeable, but make no actual points. (I do like Cowherd sometimes though)
www.sundayhop.com

JayPwn said...
Mar 11, 2009, 10:50:00 AM  

This is how I would respond if I was one of the radio stations:

Dear ESPN,

Go fuck yourself.

GMoney said...
Mar 11, 2009, 10:55:00 AM  

No doubt Dan Snyder would pay it to air that terrible crap in the DC market. He owns the station that carries ESPN Radio down here. I really wish he wouldn't pay it, but I know for sure he will.

Big Daddy Goob said...
Mar 11, 2009, 12:03:00 PM  

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