In Boston, Gayle Fee notes WEEI-FM, which “has been choking” on the $17M a year it pays for Red Sox radio rights, “has to tell the team early next year whether it plans to exercise its option to keep the broadcast rights” in ‘17 and ’18. There were rumors that Entercom, the station’s parent company, “has already told the team they want out.” But both Entercom and the Red Sox said that it is “not true.” WEEI is still expected to “at least take a swing at renegotiating the deal.” Entercom Boston VP & Marketing Manager Phil Zachary said, “We have two more seasons on our current contract and hope to continue the relationship for many, many years” (BOSTON HERALD, 11/24).
BLINDED ME WITH SCIENCE: GOLF WORLD MONDAY’s Jaime Diaz writes Fox Sports' group of nine on-air golf analysts, which was "hand-picked" by Fox Sports Coordinating Producer Mark Loomis, is "apparently built for chemistry more than star power." This “might seem to contradict the USGA’s stated expectations” and announcer Joe Buck’s “claim that the golf world would be ‘blown away ... with the effort and the ability that we’re going to throw at this’” (GOLF WORLD MONDAY, 11/24 issue).
RAN AWAY WITH THE SPOON? In Sacramento, Tom Couzens noted NBA Kings broadcaster Grant Napear during Saturday’s game against the T’Wolves on CSN California “read a warning from Comcast Sports Net that included a number to call and a website dedicated to putting pressure on Dish Network,” as the satellite provider is threatening to remove Comcast NBCUniversal RSNs unless a new deal is reached. The broadcast “included repeated warnings that Dish subscribers could lose” Kings games. This comes after Dish on Friday “reached a short-term distribution agreement with Turner” (SACBEE.com, 11/23).
