A very serious question....

I am trying to figure out what it takes to get people to watch Sports Night. I am looking for suggestions--please keep them in the realm of sports--no jello wrestling or crap like that. Seems that we get people watching when we talk Panthers or NASCAR. But that's about it. Need to find the answers so we can continue to do good shows....your input is welcomed here or via email at

[email protected]

Thanks a ton, guys & gals.

 

Mike, we dont get News 14 in Mooresville, Iredell Co., or N Meck due to Adelphia Cable. I would probably tune in if it were available in our area.

 

How to Get more folks to watch SPORTS NIGHT

1) Advertise, advertise, advertise!!!! Print, radio, TV ads


2) Get one of your assistants into PRIMETIME's cohosting rotation (I know you can't do it since you have to work in the afternoon, but get one of your assistants to do it on a day off or before/after they leave work for the day).


3) Make it an hour show: Do you really have time to get into issues with only 22 mins of actually air time (between the commercials and the 'Weather on the Ones' forecasts). I think it would be better if you had a full hour to take more callers and get deeper into the issues (you could always have a guest come back after the break and pick up where you left off at . . )



4) Do a combo show with NEWS14 CAROLINA in the Triangle: You are physically connected to each other, right? This shouldn't be too hard to do. You would have the Panthers, (future NBA team) and the NASCAR angled covered while your compatriots up in the Triangle would have the ACC beat and Hurricanes covered. You could have writers from both area papers (in CLT: Observer, Gastonia Gazette, Rock Hill Hearld . . in RDU: N&O and Sun-Herald) on as guests as well as on-air jocks from WRBZ & WFNZ. Perhaps call it CAROLINA SPORTS TONIGHT or something like that . . .

 

there has to be a draw. i can get standard sports highlights from sportscenter, from the internet, from the crawler, etc. for me to devote a 1/2 hour of time, there needs to be a reason. i dont know what the draw is, but something needs to separate you from the standard sportscenter. i do like the call-in part of the show, and i think as you get a larger audience, the calls will obviously become higher quality. anyways, back to a "draw." who are you marketing to? obviously the 25-54 white male- but is that market already saturated? i personally enjoyed shows like jim rows the last word and chris meyers show on espn. however, i know 22 minutes (as sds said, try and bump it to an hour) is not enough to do what you "want" to do.

maybe, and im typing stream of consciousness so i apologize, work in a "lutz's corner" one day of the week, or a day thats devoted to the panthers- panther fridays, something of the sort.

 

I watched it when I had cable, but I too went BACK to DirecTV because the customer service of Time Warner was horrid - at least the people I dealt with were.

I'd watch the show if I could, but that alone isn't reason to get TW.

 

Nascar and football. what else could anyone want? Go with that every night. Certainly enough topics to discusss.

 

Contests...giveaways, etc














...and a hot anchor wouldn't hurt

 

Welllllllllllllllllllll, the UPTOWN CABARET is right down the street from NEWS14 Studios, right ? ? Perhaps do a Friday night show from down there during Panthes season . . . That'll certainly up the ratings :thumbup: !!!!!!!!


NOTE to Mike: This ain't jello wrestling or some other crap . . This is a legitimate suggestion to increase viewership . . . Nothing like HOWARD STERN (i.e. 'Hey, honey lets see them puppies'!!!!) , just set up a remote from the VIP Lounge and talk to the ladies & Patrons about the upcoming NFL weekend and other stuff . .

 

In depth training camp reports.

 

I will admit that I forgot that News 14 had a half hour sports show. So I guess that my first recommendation would be more advertising. I think that some type of cross promotion with Primetime/MSP would be a good way to get the word out.