Sports

Why The Sports Format Failed at 105.1 After 34 Month Run

July 01, 2016, 7:53 AM

There's no shortage of people who like to talk on the radio in Detroit about sports, both fans and on-air personalities. But its a competitive field.

Station 105.1 knows that. It ended its sports format this week.

Carlos Monarrez of the Detroit Free Press writes:

Tom Mazawey and Sean Baligian, two show hosts at Detroit Sports 105.1 (WMGC-FM), explained Thursday some of the mistakes and failures that led to the station discontinuing its sports-talk format Wednesday after a 34-month run.

Questionable programming decisions, failing to provide a Detroit-centric morning show and the handling of the station’s key personality, Drew Lane, were among the key problems.

But the biggest nail in the coffin came last fall, according to Mazawey. That’s when WMGC, owned by Greater Media, lost a bid for the Detroit Tigers' radio broadcast rights to The Ticket on 97.1 FM.

Mazawey said it wasn’t a fair negotiation after two Tigers executives broke a promise to make it a sealed-bid offer and tipped off The Ticket executives about the offer from Greater Media and WMGC, although a source close to the negotiations on the team's side told the Free Press late Thursday that there was never a sealed-bid offer as part of the process but declined further comment.

 


Read more:  Detroit Free Press


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