Entercom Communications Chair, President & CEO David Field said that legalized sports gambling is a "big potential growth opportunity for all-sports radio station advertising and eventually could bring in" an additional $100M a year in new ad revenue. In Philadelphia, Bob Fernandez notes Entercom reported 3% revenue gains in Q1 '19 and a "small profit." Entercom is the nation’s No. 2 radio group, and about 45% of the company’s ad revenue is "generated through news, sports or talk stations" (PHILADELPHIA INQUIRER, 5/1).
HEADING SOUTH: The Hornets named John Focke radio play-by-play broadcaster. Focke previously served as Exec Producer and studio host for the T'Wolves' radio network, as well as radio play-by-play man for the WNBA Minnesota Lynx. This comes after the Hornets unexpectedly parted ways with play-by-play announcer Chris Kroeger in late March (THE DAILY). In Minneapolis, Michael Rand wrote the Twin Cities radio market is "losing a good broadcaster and all-around nice guy." Plans to replace Focke locally are "not immediately known, though the Lynx duties are the most urgent," as the WNBA season starts May 25 (STARTRIBUNE.com, 4/30).
ORIGIN STORY: SI Films and Mandalay Sports Media are teaming to produce "UFC 1: Origin of the Octagon," a feature-length documentary that "traces the roots of the pro MMA league back to its tumultuous first event" in '93. A fall '19 premiere on the SI TV digital network "is in the works." The film is being directed by John Mason Gordon (DEADLINE.com, 4/30).
