Radio

I think a big part of the problem here is that the team employs the Play-by-play man, not the flasgship station or its company.

The Richardsons, for the most part, have been wonderful owners for us, IMO. Hell, JR got the team here in the first place with a lot of sweat and tears, so I can't bitch too much. But make no mistake...they are a funny bunch.

To release your play-by-play announcer (one of the best in the league) just a week after the season ends, and offer up no viable explanation to your customers (fan base) is just weird. And stupid, from a business standpoint. That is, unless, Rozinski did something so unspeakable that it was in everybody's interest to keep a lid on it.

Hence the situation now. Clear Channel has lost money on the Panthers. WBT is dragging their feet as well. Most of it is the money issue, no doubt. But think about it....right now, from a broadcasting angle, the Carolina Panthers have no identity. They have no voice. And, under the current Richardson business model, Clear Channel/Jefferson Pilot/Infinity would have little to no say as to who will be calling games on this network (and on their station(s)).That would scare the hell out of me if I'm looking to partner up with the Richardsons as the flagship station/network of the Carolina Panthers.

I have worked in radio, and my ol' man has been in the Clear Channel family since its inception. So I think I'm right here.

Anyway, it's just my $ .02.

 

http://www.gastongazette.com/Portal/ASP/sports/panthers/PanthersDisplay.asp?ID=1169

Szoke interviews for Panthers vacant play-by-play broadcast position
By: Steve Reed
Gazette Sports Reporter

CHARLOTTE – The Carolina Panthers on Thursday interviewed color commentator Jim Szoke for the team’s vacant radio play-by-play broadcaster position.
According to sources within the organization, the Panthers have also expressed an interest in a few other candidates including Mick Mixon, who works as the color commentator for University of North Carolina basketball and football games alongside Woody Durham. The team has also interviewed a handful of local college announcers, but at this point nobody from outside the Carolinas. Mixon worked at WCGC 1270 AM in Belmont in 1980-82.

The Panthers play-by-play position came open when the team refused to renew the contract of Bill Rosinski, who had been the team’s play-by-play announcer since the team broke into the league back in 1995.

Szoke would be an obvious choice to replace Rosinski because he’s witty, intelligent, and, like Rosinski, boasts a deep, recognizable voice.

Szoke is currently employed by WRFX-FM, where he holds the position of sports director. However, he’s been the team’s color commentator and is one of only a handful of media personalities to have seen every Panthers game.

For the last several years Szoke has been the host of “The Panthers Stadium Show,” the team’s award winning countdown to kickoff that provides a comprehensive preview and analysis of the Panthers and the day’s upcoming game. The show features live interviews with coaches and players, college and pro football insiders and reports from around the league.

Szoke was unavailable for comment.

Rosinski was terminated by the team earlier this month in a move that took almost everyone by surprise and upset fans throughout the Carolinas. At the time, Rosinski said it might have had something to do with his remark in a newspaper article about not getting a NFC championship game ring from the team after they made the Super Bowl last season.

Rosinski said he’s still contemplating his future, but has interviewed with C-SET, which is a regional radio network started by Charlotte Bobcats owner Bob Johnson.



1/28/2005

 

Huh?...Brian Estridge from TCU interviewed for the job last Wednesday. Last time I checked Ft Worth is outside the Carolinas.

t123

 

I'm hoping Dan Akroid gets the job

 

The wild card to all of this is Bob Johnson, owner of C-SET and the Bobcats. Assumes that he buys 106.1 FM and converts it to sports (Fox Sports Radio), he will need programming for that station to compete with WFNZ 610/1660 irregardless of who owns it (currently Infinity). He can also package it with TV rebroadcast rights on C-SET TV in hopes of getting wider Digital Cable coverage with the 3 Cs Charter, Cox, and Comcast to fill out the Carolinas.

 

That's true. By taking the radio rights, they can fill up a lot of space...and you add in a show by a player or two, you can add cheap content immediately. Then the marketing cost of striking a deal for the rights (at a cost of probably 1/2 of what the Panthers got last time) is startup/exposure and you can use some of the same talent for both.

 

Did you know Kasay renounced Jesus and had a sex change?

you didn't hear it from me.

 

they don't have to say one damn thing. Do you expect them to say he fucked an intern, slapped the owner, stole some stuff or failed a drug test? For an organization to say why they didn't want him back would be low class.

 

See the final sentence in the paragraph you quoted, dude.