Media Thread

[Deebo]

Some potential big news in the Toronto Sports Media world:

The usually reliable Jonah from torontosportsmedia.com is reporting via twitter that this could be Bob McCown's last week hosting PTS.

Multiple sources tell me that if you are a fan of PrimeTime Sports on @FAN590 as currently presented, you'd best be tuning in this week as ....massive changes are coming and fast...I'm told this COULD be Bob's final week as host.

— jonah (@yyzsportsmedia) June 18, 2019

[cabber24]

Some potential big news in the Toronto Sports Media world:

The usually reliable Jonah from torontosportsmedia.com is reporting via twitter that this could be Bob McCown's last week hosting PTS.

Multiple sources tell me that if you are a fan of PrimeTime Sports on @FAN590 as currently presented, you'd best be tuning in this week as ....massive changes are coming and fast...I'm told this COULD be Bob's final week as host.

— jonah (@yyzsportsmedia) June 18, 2019

Love the bobcat but I wouldn't be surprised if he calls it.

[Nik]

Huh. Retirement or getting pushed out?

[Michael]

Huh. Retirement or getting pushed out?

If he is pushed out, he will no doubt still get paid the money on his big contract. But it highlights what a cold business it can be sometimes. PTS (SportsNet) is taking a kicking in the ratings from Overdrive (TSN). Perhaps SportsNet has an opportunity to do something now to stop the bleeding.

I wonder if Tim and Sid will take that slot. They could do both the radio and TV spot and perhaps stop the bleeding away from SportsNet over to the TSN show.

[Nik]

If he is pushed out, he will no doubt still get paid the money on his big contract. But it highlights what a cold business it can be sometimes. PTS (SportsNet) is taking a kicking in the ratings from Overdrive (TSN). Perhaps SportsNet has an opportunity to do something now to stop the bleeding.

Admittedly I don't know a ton about these things but I wonder if his contract doesn't have some sort of language about maybe being negated if his show gets cancelled. Then, with that in mind, maybe in order to let him save some face and go out on his own terms they're doing this instead of cancelling his show.

Either way, it's very easy to believe that if McCown is making a ton of money that with radio maybe not being a huge growth industry these days that his show isn't super-profitable.

[Deebo]

Huh. Retirement or getting pushed out?

If he is pushed out, he will no doubt still get paid the money on his big contract. But it highlights what a cold business it can be sometimes. PTS (SportsNet) is taking a kicking in the ratings from Overdrive (TSN). Perhaps SportsNet has an opportunity to do something now to stop the bleeding.

I wonder if Tim and Sid will take that slot. They could do both the radio and TV spot and perhaps stop the bleeding away from SportsNet over to the TSN show.

In the rare times I have been in the car in the afternoon drive time over the last few years. I'd flip back and forth depending on the subject being discussed.

If Tim & Sid take over the time slot, I'd probably be on 1050 exclusively.

[Michael]

If Tim & Sid take over the time slot, I'd probably be on 1050 exclusively.

I made the switch a while ago and will stick with TSN Overdrive regardless. I am not a fan of Tim and Sid, but suggested that they may be the answer for two reasons:

1. They seem to do a lot of goofing around in an attempt to bring in the non-traditional sports radio people. They also seem to appeal to a younger crowd, and the ratings suggest that McCown is losing the younger audience.

2. They are already on the payroll, so re-branding/re-launching them would be a minimal incremental cost compared with going in a whole new direction.

[Michael]

Either way, it's very easy to believe that if McCown is making a ton of money that with radio maybe not being a huge growth industry these days that his show isn't super-profitable.

He would not be the first person to price himself out of the market in radio. He had a long run. Really long. But I can see it not being worth it for the station (for his price tag) or for him (because he will not work for less) anymore.

[Deebo]

If Tim & Sid take over the time slot, I'd probably be on 1050 exclusively.

I made the switch a while ago and will stick with TSN Overdrive regardless. I am not a fan of Tim and Sid, but suggested that they may be the answer for two reasons:

1. They seem to do a lot of goofing around in an attempt to bring in the non-traditional sports radio people. They also seem to appeal to a younger crowd, and the ratings suggest that McCown is losing the younger audience.

2. They are already on the payroll, so re-branding/re-launching them would be a minimal incremental cost compared with going in a whole new direction.

If Tim & Sid take over the time slot, I'd probably be on 1050 exclusively.

I made the switch a while ago and will stick with TSN Overdrive regardless. I am not a fan of Tim and Sid, but suggested that they may be the answer for two reasons:

1. They seem to do a lot of goofing around in an attempt to bring in the non-traditional sports radio people. They also seem to appeal to a younger crowd, and the ratings suggest that McCown is losing the younger audience.

2. They are already on the payroll, so re-branding/re-launching them would be a minimal incremental cost compared with going in a whole new direction.

Yeah, I could see them going that way I just can't stand Sid.

[Peter D.]

Yeah, I could see them going that way I just can't stand Sid.

The thing with Sid is, I find that he is very talented.  Like, Bob McCown replacement type.  But he needs to strip down the persona and outbursts and get back to his original self.  He's filled in a few times and if he simply delivers the goods, he is excellent.

If McCown is truly signing off, then I have to see who his replacement(s) is/are.  Him leaving the airwaves may be enough for me to give up on sports radio for good.  No way am I venturing back over to 1050.

[Guilt Trip]

Overdrive for me. Like O'Dog, Noodles, Ferraro, Bobby Mac. Like listening to the ex-players and get their perspective on things.

[Zee]

Overdrive for me. Like O'Dog, Noodles, Ferraro, Bobby Mac. Like listening to the ex-players and get their perspective on things.

Same here.  I can't stand McCowan and his...





dramatic pauses while he speaks.

I prefer the locker-room-esque banter between the 3 guys on Overdrive.  Just sounds like a more natural conversation to me and I just prefer their style and opinions.

[Nik]

If McCown is truly signing off, then I have to see who his replacement(s) is/are.  Him leaving the airwaves may be enough for me to give up on sports radio for good.  No way am I venturing back over to 1050.

Yeah. He wasn't always my favourite and he definitely wasn't a details guy but I'd at least take the outsider perspective/knowledge about the business side of things over try hard meme bros and whatever latest iteration of ex-jocks talking about what makes the heart of a champion tends to be on sports radio. Unless they try something of a similar vein, I'm likely to just write off the format.

[Dappleganger]

I'm a big Bob fan so I'll be very disappointed by this, I listen daily. Hayes is really good too but O-dog and Noodles are not. Overdrive is the only good show at Tsn1050, I preferred when they were on at 1pm-4pm so I could listen to both.

If they replace PTS with Tim & Sid I won't be listening. I actually like Good Show. Added them to my podcasts yesterday.

[Frank E]

If McCown is truly signing off, then I have to see who his replacement(s) is/are.  Him leaving the airwaves may be enough for me to give up on sports radio for good.  No way am I venturing back over to 1050.

Yeah. He wasn't always my favourite and he definitely wasn't a details guy but I'd at least take the outsider perspective/knowledge about the business side of things over try hard meme bros and whatever latest iteration of ex-jocks talking about what makes the heart of a champion tends to be on sports radio. Unless they try something of a similar vein, I'm likely to just write off the format.

^ this is good stuff