Not to be outdone...CBS Sports Radio starts Jaunary '13

[ShawnHill1]

I came across this on the506.com, with the press release coming from the Eye itself...

http://www.cbspressexpress.com/cbs-radio/releases/view?id=32154

Programming will be 24/7, with all or some of it airing on all of CBS' sports-talk stations; Cumulus is partnering with CBS to market and distribute the new network to stations, and programming will also air on Cumulus' sports-formatted stations (KNBR, WCNN, KTCK [who will share programming with CBS-owned KRLD-FM], etc.)

The only major market, at least so far, that hasn't signed up is Los Angeles; CBS sold-off KFWB (more accurately, put it into a trust), which would have been a logical place to carry CBS Sports Radio, seeing as that they're the radio flagship of the Clippers and still carries other sports at times.

[DToTheJ]

So now we have four sports radio networks associated with the big four TV networks, plus Yahoo.

Prediction: Yahoo either merges with one of the two new sports networks or just folds. There can't be that many radio stations across the country to warrant five major sports radio networks.

[socalguy]

What's to "merge"?  Czaban?  And remember, Brando's already connected to CBS Sports Net.

This is devasting to Gow/YSR.  Not only do they lose the ability to claim some major market affiiates like The Ticket in Dallas and The Score in Chicago (fringe clearances but still "affiliations"), they now find themselves unable to grow network clearances in the future.  Remember CBS, Cumulus and FSR (Clear Channel) all bring their own station groups in as forced affiliations.  The fourth net, NBC, doesn't own radio stations but has partnered with the biggest radio network distribution company in Dial Global.  They bring a lot of sports content through Westwood One to hundreds of stations and can leverage those clearances to force clearance of NBC's new content (at the expense of Gow/YSR). 

[ShawnHill1]

So now we have four sports radio networks associated with the big four TV networks, plus Yahoo.

Prediction: Yahoo either merges with one of the two new sports networks or just folds. There can't be that many radio stations across the country to warrant five major sports radio networks.

One thing I can predict as almost a certainty, speaking of Yahoo...I think Tim Brando's radio show makes it way eventually to CBS Sports Radio.  Also, I know that Jim Rome signed a long-term deal with Premiere/Clear Channel a few years ago, and I'm sure CBS Radio will be bidding for his services once that deal is up.

[EJM]

Since the new CBS network is supposed to be 24/7, wouldn't Sports Byline USA (both the network itself and its flagship program) also be vulnerable?  I'm surprised that it has survived this long.

[ShawnHill1]

You know who else might take a bit of hit?  ESPN Radio.

I went through the list of stations listed on the press release, and nearly of all of them have an ESPN Radio affiliation.  If NBC can bolster its station lineup, ESPN can be in a bit of trouble as well as Yahoo.

[TheBigA]

Personally I don't understand why this took so long.  ESPN has basically had a monopoly for a long time.  Lots of radio stations are running sub-par stuff because they can't get ESPN.  NBC and CBS were also VERY late to creating sports channels on cable.  Did they think ESPN was  a fad?  That were was no money in sports?  Where have they been?

Now if I'm ESPN Radio, I may be wondering why my syndicator (Cumulus) is so cozy with the competition.

[EJM]

Now if I'm ESPN Radio, I may be wondering why my syndicator (Cumulus) is so cozy with the competition.

In addition, if I were with Disney/ABC--or with Dial Global--I'd be wondering about any potential discussions between CBS and Cumulus concerning CBS Radio News.

[TheBigA]

I'd be wondering about any potential discussions between CBS and Cumulus concerning CBS Radio News.

In the short term, how do they handle CBS News content that might be used in CBS Sports and vice versa?

[Nate Wesley]

I think there had been rumblings of CBS Sports possibly doing this for some time, but nobody noted anything solid.  Or were we just not paying attention?  Sports FM launches in outlets in Boston, Dallas, Detroit, Cleveland, Pittsburgh, Philadelphia, and Washington D.C. over the last few years, with Tampa soon to join...perhaps these launches had more long-term planning than anyone knew.   

If there's a loser to this, I don't think it's ESPN, Fox, or Yahoo.  It's NBC--they just publicized plans for a slow, modest rollout of a sports radio network featuring updates and two long-form shows at night.  Now here comes CBS Radio and Cumulus working together with a 24/7 effort that will have definite major market clearances in January 2013. 

Fox and Yahoo have fighting chances, thanks to small market affiliates needing cheap programming (compared to ESPN, who charges). NBC Sports Radio could be DOA.