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WDAE Turns In Impressive January Ratings Performance

Jason Barrett

Published

7 years ago

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The January ratings have come out in Tampa, and the Nielsen gods were very kind to sports talker 620 WDAE. Considering that the Buccaneers were out of the playoffs, baseball wasn’t in full swing, and the market doesn’t have an NBA team, either the Lightning are a sports talk phenomenon, the NFL Playoffs matter a great deal, or the talent are on fire and producing content that can’t afford to be missed.

Although I’m sure the radio station would love to say it’s the latter, it’s likely a combination of many of those factors, and in any event, a good month is a good month, regardless of how it comes together.

Bear in mind as you review the numbers, that WDAE doesn’t face a serious contender for their sports talk crown in the Tampa market. After CBS and Beasley finalized a business deal in 2014 which resulted in Beasley pulling the plug on the sports format on 98.7 The Fan, the market’s only other sports talk station, Sports Talk 1040, didn’t appear in the January ratings.

That said, WDAE does line up against every other radio station in the market, and it’s clear that their brand of sports talk has had a strong appeal to local listeners.

In the desired demographic of Men 25-54 M-F 6A-7P, the radio station delivered a 6.1, which was good enough for 3rd place. That was up from a 4.3 in December, and a 4.1 at the same time last year. A two share rise is very impressive and shows that the station is onto something.

In analyzing the shows themselves, here’s how they stacked up.

In mornings from 6a-9a, Rick and Tom finished 6th with a 5.6.

From 9a-12p, Ronnie and TKras came in 3rd with a strong 7.7. A 2 point spike from mornings to middays tells you that the audience is making an appointment to hear what Ronnie and Tom have to say.

In the 12p-3p slot, Ron and JP were 3rd with a 6.5. What makes that more impressive is that it was the show’s first official ratings book since former host Ian Beckles departed. Not a bad way to start off for a new show.

To round things out, Steve Duemig produced an 8th place finish in afternoons, delivering a 4.7.

Overall, the middays are where WDAE experienced their largest success, and now the challenge is to maintain the performance in middays, and increase the growth during the drive times. If they can do that, 2016 figures to be very kind to the folks at iHeart Tampa.

 

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Dan Patrick: NBC Created ‘Something That Was Brilliant’ With Flex Scheduling

“Networks were so upset that NBC would go ‘Hey, you know what? We’re gonna take that game and we’re gonna have it on Sunday night.’ Then FOX and CBS would be scrambling there.”
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6 hours ago

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March 29, 2023

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Roger Goodell wants flex scheduling to come to Prime Video’s Thursday Night Football package. It could happen this season, but we won’t know for sure until May after league owners decided to table a vote on the proposal. On Wednesday, FOX Sports Radio’s Dan Patrick joined the chorus of critics calling it a bad idea.

Patrick said that the league always prioritizes revenue. If it were thinking about the fans, this isn’t something that would even be discussed.

The idea of flex scheduling was first introduced for NBC’s Sunday Night Football package in 2006. The goal was to make sure the prime time TV package could deliver high quality games every week.

“NBC did something that was brilliant where they were able to flex Sunday night games,” Patrick said. “Everyone wanted it.”

While the fate of flex scheduling for Thursdays remains up in the air, we do know that flex scheduling is coming to Monday Night Football on ESPN this season. Patrick, who worked for NBC when the practice was introduced, said that it always took care of one broadcast partner by screwing others.

“Networks were so upset that NBC would go ‘Hey, you know what? We’re gonna take that game and we’re gonna have it on Sunday night.’ Then FOX and CBS would be scrambling there.”

Dan Patrick suggested that perhaps Amazon’s Prime Video doesn’t deserve the same treatment as NBC or ESPN. Far fewer people watch the Thursday night game than any other primetime NFL contest.

Whether or not flex scheduling comes to Thursday Night Football, Patrick says it does not guarantee to change the package’s reputation for delivering largely unappealing games.

“I’ve long said it’s crazy to say you have to play Sunday and then turn around and play Thursday and we’d always go ‘Man, these Thursday games aren’t good,’” he concluded. “Well, was it the matchup or just the quality of play?”

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106.7 The Fan Extends Deal to Remain Washington Nationals Flagship

“We’re looking forward to continuing to serve as the home for everything Nats for the foreseeable future…”
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9 hours ago

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March 29, 2023

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106.7 The Fan has announced it has reached a multi-year extension with the Washington Nationals to remain as the MLB club’s radio flagship.

Nationals fans will continue to hear game broadcasts on the station, and those living inside the club’s broadcast territory will be able to stream the radio broadcasts on the Audacy app.

“Opening Day is finally here and we’re thrilled to celebrate the return of baseball season by extending our partnership with the Washington Nationals,” said Audacy Washington D.C. Senior Vice President and Market Manager Ivy Savoy-Smith. “We’re looking forward to continuing to serve as the home for everything Nats for the foreseeable future and give the team’s fans a front row seat to the action on the field and top storylines throughout the year.”

The Nationals have called 106.7 The Fan home since the 2011 season. Beyond game broadcasts, the station will welcome Nationals President of Baseball Operations and General Manager Mike Rizzo to The Sports Junkies every Wednesday at 9:00 AM throughout the season. The station will also air segments titled “Nats Insider”, hosted by broadcaster Dan Kolko that feature player interviews and features. Those segments will air all along the Nationals Radio Network.

“We couldn’t be happier to partner with Audacy in bringing Nationals fans even more of the interviews and exclusive access they love,” said Lerner Sports Group COO Alan H. Gottlieb. “From in-depth interviews with execs and top players, to off-the-field profiles and more Spanish and English bilingual content than ever before, Audacy offers a comprehensive look at our ball club from all angles.”

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Todd Markiewicz Departing 97.1 The Fan

“He has left an indelible mark in the Columbus market and within the sports/talk radio world by building The Fan with excellent programming, dominant ratings, and overall market share.”
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March 29, 2023

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Longtime 97.1 The Fan Vice President and Market Manager Todd Markiewicz has announced he is leaving the sports radio station.

Markiewicz has been named the President of the 1870 Society, a Name, Image, and Likeness collective working with Ohio State athletics and Learfield to devise NIL strategy, fundraising, and logistics.

In an internal memo, Tegna Columbus President and General Manager John Cardenas credited Markiewicz for helping to establish the brand as “the powerhouse sports station in the country. He has left an indelible mark in the Columbus market and within the sports/talk radio world by building The Fan with excellent programming, dominant ratings, and overall market share.”

Markiewicz joined the station in 2010. Under his leadership, 97.1 The Fan has routinely ranked as the highest-rated station in the Columbus market.

His final day with the station will be Friday, May 26th.

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