My Chicago Tribune column: WSCR winning ratings battle over WMVP

Posted on by

In my Chicago Tribune column today, I write about the sports talk radio battle in Chicago. Here’s the link for Tribune subscribers. For those who can’t access directly, you can get the link here via my Twitter feed.

From the column:

*******

With the baseball teams floundering, the most interesting crosstown rivalry might be between the town’s two sports talk radio stations.

The Arbitron spring ratings were released Tuesday and, on one level, WSCR-AM 670 would appear to be as dominant over WMVP-AM 1000 as the Cubs were over the White Sox this year. However, unlike baseball, there are various ways to spin radio numbers to make them look more favorable.

In men ages 25-54, the prime advertising demographic for sports talk radio, WSCR ranked fourth in the market with a 4.7 share (percentage of Chicago listeners tuned into the station); WMVP was 16th at 2.4. WSCR ruled in morning drive, as “Mully & Hanley” were third at 6.8; “Mike & Mike” were 10th at 2.9 on MVP. In the afternoon, “Boers & Bernstein” were second at 5.2, while “Waddle & Silvy” were 16th at 2.6 in the first three months of their new time slot for WMVP.

The wide gap is a sharp departure from a long period when the stations ran neck-and-neck in the ratings, with WMVP occasionally coming out ahead. WSCR program director Mitch Rosen says his station was able to surge ahead in the last 18 months thanks to continuity in its lineup and a larger focus on Chicago sports compared to WMVP, which airs ESPN national programming from 5-10 a.m.

“We’ve stuck with the same lineup for several years,” Rosen said. “People get into habits when it comes to listening to stations. Continuity makes a big difference in radio.”

*******

Full disclosure department: I am the co-host of “The Scorecard,” a Saturday morning golf talk show on WSCR, and station personalities Mike Mulligan and Dan McNeil also are special contributors to the Tribune. Several Tribune reporters also regularly appear on WSCR as guests or as substitute hosts.

 

Fox to use All-Star Game to pump up Fox Sports 1; will feature elaborate promo spot

Posted on by

Aug. 17 is coming soon. Time for Fox Sports to really start beating the drums for the debut of Fox Sports 1.

Fox has a major 90-second ad slated for its telecast of the All-Star Game. As you’d expect with Fox involved, it won’t be subtle.

Here is a video about the making of the promo, which features Miguel Cabrera, Joe Flacco, Mike Tyson, Patrick Willis and others.

Here are the details from Fox:

*******

What do you get when you are preparing for the biggest sports network launch in history and you’re televising what likely will be the most-watched sports event of the summer?  A golden opportunity.

That’s what FOX Sports Co-Presidents and COOs Randy Freer and Eric Shanks saw when they commissioned FOX Sports marketing chief Robert Gottlieb to create a rare 90-second promotional spot that would define for America the essence of FOX Sports 1, the nation’s new sports network, launching on August 17.  The spot premieres in-game during FOX Sports’ coverage of the 2013 Major League Baseball All-Star Game on Tuesday, July 16.  The MLB All-Star Game is traditionally the highest-rated, most-watched television program in July and August in non-Olympic years.  Pregame coverage on FOX begins at 7:30 PM ET.

Enlisting the help of powerhouse HSI Productions and highly sought director Joseph Kahn (http://josephkahn.com/bio), a Grammy Award-winner who has worked with dozens of A-list artists from Lady Gaga to Eminem, as well as directing award-winning commercials, a concept was designed with one solitary goal — define FOX Sports 1.

“This spot really is about introducing FOX Sports 1 to America, and letting fans know what they can expect come August 17,” Gottlieb said. “We recognize that sports ultimately is about the fun of loving your team and hating your rival. It’s about the fun of buzzer beaters, comebacks and huge hits. That is what we, as fans, look for in our favorite sports. Because fourth-and-goal with the game on the line may just be the most fun you have all year. So, this spot is about celebrating what only sports provides. The fun of anticipation … the fun of competition … the fun of celebration.”

Building a production team that includes two-time Academy Award nominee Jeff Cronenweth (The Social Network, The Girl with the Dragon Tattoo) as director of photography, sports choreographer Mike Fisher (http://www.mikefisheronline.com/), editor Adam Petrofsky (Rock Paper Scissors), veteran visual effects supervisor  Patrick Murphy from A52 and renowned commercial music house Elias Arts (http://eliasarts.com/), the production scale far exceeds any previous FOX Sports commercial effort.

Major facilities — Los Angeles Memorial Coliseum, Charlotte Motor Speedway, Gillette Stadium, Los Angeles Sports Arena, The Galen Center and Comerica Park — provide the backdrop.

Star athletes and sports personalities who have agreed to participate include Super Bowl MVP Joe Flacco; former heavyweight boxing champ Mike Tyson; four-time NASCAR champion Jeff Gordon; U.S. Women’s Soccer Olympic gold medalist Alex Morgan; UFC champion Georges St. Pierre; boxing champ Canelo Alvarez; NFL Pro Bowl linebacker Patrick Willis; USC head football coach Lane Kiffin; Georgetown basketball coach John Thompson III, St. John’s basketball coach Steve Lavin, NASCAR driver Kasey Kahne; and reigning American League MVP Miguel Cabrera.

“Using any measure, this is the most ambitious commercial project we have taken on,” Gottlieb said. “This spot sets the tone for everything.”

The shoot, set to an energized version of the classic tune Happy Days are Here Again, opened in Charlotte, N.C., where Gordon and Hendrick Motorsports teammate, Kasey Kahne, worked with a 150-person production crew, dozens of extras and a few high-tech toys to re-create the intense on-track action of a 200-mph NASCAR race.

“You never know what to expect when doing something like this,” Gordon said of the shoot. “Things come together fast and they can change at the last second … it definitely takes you out of your element. You’ve got to be open-minded to what the director or the script may call for and have fun with it.”

Trailed by a tricked-out black Mercedes SUV equipped with the Ultimate Arm (http://www.ultimatearm.com/) and filmed from above by a high-speed, drone helicopter equipped with a Blackmagic cinema camera, racing action is captured from angles never before seen on race day.

Two days later, the entire production team moved nearly 900 miles north, setting up a shoot at Gillette Stadium in Foxboro, Mass., with Morgan, who scored the game-winning goal in the 123rd minute against Canada, sending the U.S. team to the gold medal game against Japan at the 2012 London Olympics.

Following Foxboro, production moved to Los Angeles for several days before wrapping in Detroit.

“I’m putting on a different hat today … from being the guy giving the orders, to being the guy receiving the orders,” Thompson said.  “I haven’t worn that hat in a while but [Joseph Khan] had control of the situation and it was much like a practice, where we had to run the same scene over and over and over again … he’s a perfectionist and that’s a good thing.”

Added Flacco: “It should be fun, and that’s what it’s all about out here … we’re having fun and we’ll see where it goes.”

Did Kanye West really fall asleep while attending LeBron’s ‘Decision’ announcement?

Posted on by

It’s been three years since LeBron James’ infamous “Decision” telecast on ESPN. While the backlash was considerable, he seems to have recovered nicely.

Courtney Cox recalled her memories from that night on Fansided.com. She worked the floor as a stage manager for the event.

Cox had an interesting passage about Kanye West suddenly showing up to witness the big moment.

So Kanye walks in with no entourage, just a couple of people, and now I’m thinking he’s either here because he was at the wedding rehearsal for Carmelo Anthony and LaLa, or he was the Chicago representative picked to show out when LeBron chose the Bulls. To this day, I’m still not sure why he was in the building.

I spend the first 15 minutes or so honed in on ‘Ye’s every move. He seems chill, he’s wearing his glasses indoors, and he’s not making sudden moves. I forget he’s there until one of the camera operators says, “I think Kanye West fell asleep.”

At the biggest non-sporting sports event in a while, Kanye West fell asleep before anyone announced anything. He was doing the church/school head nod and everything. Wake up, Mr. West.

He would eventually wake up and leave well before The Decision ended.

Cox also painted the scene just after James announced he was going to Miami.

No one seemed to have a clue during the day where James might end up, but walking into the situation, I really thought it’d be Cleveland. The whole thing was too elaborate, too showy for him to go somewhere else. He had to stay home. If not, it really is like your girlfriend thinks you’re going to propose, and you break up with her on national TV.

It was so telling seeing James’ whole demeanor change throughout the rest of the program. During commercial breaks, he appeared somber, realizing the magnitude of his action. I loved the idea of players controlling their own destiny, but I felt for betrayed Cavs fans and this grand gesture of rejection.

Programming alert: New ESPN Nine for IX documentary examines Pat Summitt

Posted on by

I have my summer plans for Tuesday nights.

ESPN has dedicated nine straight Tuesday nights to airing documentaries on women’s sports. This version of 30 for 30 has been named Nine for IX, a neat title acknowledging the impact of Title IX.

I was out of town and will need to catch up on the series debut last week; a film about Venus Williams. There’s still eight to go, including the latest tonight.

Pat XO (8 p.m. ET) documents the life of Tennessee coach Pat Summitt. There are the highs of winning eight NCAA titles, and the lows of being diagnosed with early-onset dementia.

These documentaries are about women, but the stories should compel everyone to watch. Make a point of watching these films.

Here’s a link with a complete rundown of the series.

As for tonight’s film on Summitt, which is produced by Robin Roberts, this is the view from directors Lisa Lax and Nancy Stern Winters:

*******

When we were approached by ESPN and Robin Roberts about making this film, we were both honored and a bit trepidatious. Not only had Pat’s story been told, and told very well, but we didn’t want this film to be a film about Pat’s Alzheimer’s disease.

Pat’s illness carries with it a stigma that presumes one’s ability to contribute — one’s worth — no longer exists. The irony is Pat is working to fight that stigma by helping people understand this disease. And, in many ways, her illness is simply another remarkable chapter in an extraordinary life.

As with all films we do, we seek to find a connection. With “Pat XO,” we didn’t have far to look. As identical twins, we know the strength and influence of family and how one sibling’s memories can fill the void of another’s. As mothers, we see the miracle that is Pat’s relationship with Tyler. It’s what we work for and hope for. And on days when our work creates too much time and distance apart from our kids, we find comfort in knowing Pat always found a way to maintain an impenetrable bond with her son. As All-American collegiate athletes, we know what it is to be part of a sisterhood, a team that shaped who we are. And that continues to make us better people. And as former TV sports producers, we know that, as sports legends go, they don’t get much bigger than Pat Summitt.

But, more than anything, as women who watched our Grandma Goldie lose herself to this terrible disease, we understand — no matter what memories are taken — there’s always a way to connect. We are thrilled to have found our own way to tell the story of a woman whose life so deeply touches our own.

 

 

The hometown radio call for the Blackhawks Stanley Cup winner

Posted on by

Thanks to Hawks fan Kevin Ford for passing along the hometown radio call of the Blackhawks’ thrilling finish for Game 6.

WGN’s John Wiedeman and Troy Murray did a great job of capturing the moment.

As I wrote earlier, I was out of the country for two weeks, and wasn’t able to see or hear highlights from the thrilling climax until yesterday. So it’s all new to me.

It’ll never get old for Blackhawks fans.

Posted in NHL

Despite historic victory, big ratings drop for men’s final at Wimbledon

Posted on by

This seems to be a bit surprising. I would have thought more viewers would have been interested in watching Andy Murray’s historic win.

Sports Media Watch reports:

Even a historic victory by Andy Murray could not make up for the absence of Roger Federer.

Wimbledon coverage featuring the Murray/Novak Djokovic men’s final earned a 2.0 overnight rating on ESPN Sunday, down 35% from coverage featuring the Federer/Murray final last year (3.1), and down a tick from coverage on NBC featuring Djokovic/Rafael Nadal in 2011 (2.1).

The 2.0 overnight is the second-lowest for coverage of the Wimbledon men’s final since at least 1996, ahead of only Nadal/Tomáš Berdych in 2010 (1.9).

 

He gone: Hawk Harrelson scripts his final call

Posted on by

Veteran White Sox announcer Ken Harrelson always has said he wants to make his exit from Earth while calling a game. Naturally, he doesn’t want to be describing a “duck snort.”

In an interview with Matt Lindner of Redeye, Hawk envisioned his final call:

“Verlander on the bump,” he began. “Here’s the pitch. Konerko hits it. That ball hit hard. Wayyyyyy back … he looks up, you can put it on the boooooard,” before hitting his head playfully against his desk while laughing. “That would be it for me,” he continues. “And then all of a sudden on my tombstone it says ‘He gone.’ “

Hopefully, it doesn’t work out that exact way. Since Konerko might be playing his final year with the Sox, that final call would occur much sooner than Hawk, 71, would prefer.

 

 

Posted in MLB

Carry On: Inspiring ESPN Outside the Lines story will leave you numb

Posted on by

This piece runs 21:12 and it is worth every second of your time.

It is about a former ESPN producer, Lisa Fenn, and the bonds she formed while doing a story on two incredible individuals who battled to overcome unthinkable obstacles. Here is a preview of the story.

Here is the link to the entire video, which includes a moving first-person essay from Lisa Fenn about her experience.

Fenn writes:

Perched atop Dartanyon’s back — yes, riding on his back — was teammate Leroy Sutton. He traveled around up there because he had no legs, and the school had no elevator. And because when he was 11 years young, he was hit by a train. Yes, a freight train. Though the paramedics saved his life, they could not save his entire body. His left leg was amputated below the knee, his right leg below the hip. His mother, ravaged by guilt, soon slipped into drug use and disappeared for stretches of time, leaving Leroy alone to care for his younger sister. His father spent nearly all of Leroy’s youth in jail. The “why” questions haunted Leroy, but he learned to mask their torment with a quick smile.

The one with no legs, being carried by the one who could not see. At first, I stayed because I simply could not look away.

 

Back on beat after 2-week sports media blackout: Did Blackhawks really score 2 goals in 17 seconds?

Posted on by

Greetings, everyone. Your faithful sports media correspondent has returned from two weeks in the Baltic Sea.

It seems there isn’t much talk about sports media in the Baltic countries. They aren’t caught up about the latest with Skip Bayless or whether Bill Simmons launched another angry tweet.

Mostly, it’s about being blonde and having a good time. Not a bad combination. By the way, high, high marks for Stockholm, Berlin, and Copenhagen. If you get a chance to go there, go.

For two weeks, I existed in a virtual sports media blackout. How bad was it? Yesterday was the first time I saw the wild finish to Game 6 of the Stanley Cup Final.

Since my oldest son is an avid Blackhawks fan, we knew immediately at 5 a.m. in Stockholm about the Hawks pulling out the miracle to win the Cup. However, in the ensuing two weeks, I couldn’t find a computer with a strong enough connection to run the video with the highlights. So much about the Internet capabilities in the Baltics.

I did finally see it yesterday. Even though I knew the outcome, I found the heart pumping a bit faster near the end. Talk about a historic moment for Chicago sports.

It felt good to get away, but it also feels good to be back in the saddle.

Sherman Report is back and ready to serve.