Tuesday, January 31, 2006
RADIOHEAD
Unless WEEI or another station knocks the Sox off the Sox, the Olde Towne Team will likely take control over the local radio game broadcasts. More vertical integration from Yawkey Way is coming to a New England home near you.
The boys on Yawkey Way now more than ever want to control the story (i.e. communicate directly to the public instead of through the media). No leaks, no press conferences, everyone stay on message. Don’t venture from the talking points. Be like the Bush White House. Being interviewed by a subordinate (think Tom Caron questioning Larry Lucchino) is without a doubt easier than taking punches from Dennis and Callahan. From the Sox perspective, taking the radio broadcasts in-house would decrease the need to speak with non-Red Sox affiliated media, thereby decreasing the chances of an interview getting off message.
The business reasons have more of a long-term benefit to the Sox.
''The Red Sox are very important to WEEI," said Greyser, the Harvard professor. ''If they didn't have the Red Sox as their core programming from the equivalent of late February through early October, and maybe beyond, they'd have to do a lot to substitute for that."
EEI promotes Red Sox competition. Not the MFY, but many of the EEI hosts and guests work for Fox Sports New England and/or the Boston Herald giving their employers “free” publicly (Globe staff is banned from appearances). NESN is a direct competitor of FSNE and Red Sox minority partner, The New York Times Company – owner of the Boston Globe, battles for advertising revenue with the Boston Herald on a daily basis. A major blow to EEI would indirectly hurt the Herald and FSNE.
Without a Godfather type offer from EEI, the Red Sox will likely take over their radio broadcasts in one fashion or another. Having full control over content and indirectly hurting your competition just makes the most sense.
Unless WEEI or another station knocks the Sox off the Sox, the Olde Towne Team will likely take control over the local radio game broadcasts. More vertical integration from Yawkey Way is coming to a New England home near you.
The boys on Yawkey Way now more than ever want to control the story (i.e. communicate directly to the public instead of through the media). No leaks, no press conferences, everyone stay on message. Don’t venture from the talking points. Be like the Bush White House. Being interviewed by a subordinate (think Tom Caron questioning Larry Lucchino) is without a doubt easier than taking punches from Dennis and Callahan. From the Sox perspective, taking the radio broadcasts in-house would decrease the need to speak with non-Red Sox affiliated media, thereby decreasing the chances of an interview getting off message.
The business reasons have more of a long-term benefit to the Sox.
''The Red Sox are very important to WEEI," said Greyser, the Harvard professor. ''If they didn't have the Red Sox as their core programming from the equivalent of late February through early October, and maybe beyond, they'd have to do a lot to substitute for that."
EEI promotes Red Sox competition. Not the MFY, but many of the EEI hosts and guests work for Fox Sports New England and/or the Boston Herald giving their employers “free” publicly (Globe staff is banned from appearances). NESN is a direct competitor of FSNE and Red Sox minority partner, The New York Times Company – owner of the Boston Globe, battles for advertising revenue with the Boston Herald on a daily basis. A major blow to EEI would indirectly hurt the Herald and FSNE.
Without a Godfather type offer from EEI, the Red Sox will likely take over their radio broadcasts in one fashion or another. Having full control over content and indirectly hurting your competition just makes the most sense.
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Thank you - Red Sox!
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