OT: Felger and Murray Cutoff While Complaining About Layoffs at 98.5

[Bill Lee]

Radio is dying because there are far more listening options to divide listeners from podcasts to Spotify and Apple Music and Pandora. Streaming apps are killing broadcast television too. Both radio and TV are downsizing.

My hot take: podcasts are dying. They're killing the goose laying the golden eggs with too many ads. Sure, you can skip them, but that just kills the flow of whatever you are doing.

So far I'm "downgrading" to lesser known podcasts with fewer/no ads, but as soon as those get popular enough they too get over-burdened with ads.

I also have u2b premium and sh!t-can any video with built-in ads. Life is too short to be told I need a skeezy VPN or a gonad hair trimmer. I have free range nuts and no ad is gonna change that!

There is going to be a streaming version of the Sunday Ticket. That is a given. There is too much money for the NFL to make with a deal. The question is which streaming service will get it.

They will find a way to f*ck it up. The sticker price will be shocking, IMO. ESPN and Amazon have paid so much for their little slice of the pie, they aren't going to let that be de-valued without getting some kickback. NFL will find a way to make you sign up for at least three things you don't want just to get what you do want.

I will give credit where credit is due. I was there when Felger was a beat writer with the Herald, and the guy worked hard and certainly invested a lot of time on the radio in between to eventually get that opportunity as well as his television gig. He was also helpful to me on a few occasions and was always great from that standpoint.

While I don't like his schtick on air, knowing the backstory, I do have an appreciation for how he got to where he is.

Hitler got the trains to run on time...

 

[Wax Frog]

I think a @Ross12 and @ashley1992 podcast would be far more interesting to listen to

 

[woolster22]

LOL, fingers crossed. I want this dish off my roof and all this equipment gone so bad in ways I can't even express. Paying the amount per month when that re-starts ($200+) for channels I don't watch is just ridiculous, and I've been counting down the months since I first found out that DirecTV was finally going to be not renewing.

Needless to say, I really hope the deal doesn't fall through and that we don't end up stuck with having to sign up for a streaming service that's somehow tied to a cable company I/we have to also subscribe to.

We will be forced to sign up for numerous streaming services the way the NFL spreads the love and the way the fed government continues to cut breaks for ISPs who sat on their hands, refused to upgrade services and then cried poor and demanded vertical integration exemptions while they bought up content producers they refused to pay.

Now theyre all launching streaming apps trying to continue the ridoculous model of profiting from the advertisers pushing filler content to the subscribers who are actually paying NOT TO SEE ADS.

There's good reason illegal streaming services are so popular - and often the quality + reliability exceeds the legitimate sources.

But hey, when government grants you 0 competition markets, you don't need to worry about the quality of your services.

There's damn good reason the only 2 services people talk about 'needing' are netflix and hbo. If the rumor netflix will be adding ads is true, it will torch their subscriber base. Just watching shows built for ad breaks w/o them is abnoxious enough I'd bail. They'd be forced to rework the format of all their content to make it work.

But alas, all the idiot execs who tanked cable co's are now on the c-suites of these boards, and they haven't changed a bit.

 

[woolster22]

Streaming prices are going to keep going up. Everyone who thought ditching the cord was a great idea will end up without any real savings, but with less reliable transmission.

You forget theres free options for everything - which is how this all got started in the first place.

Like Cuban warned the NFL, "pigs get fat, hogs get slaughtered."

 

[woolster22]

I doubt it will be a company that requires a cable subscription. The NFL knows that there is a huge opportunity to make money off of cord cutters. They are going to give it to a pure streaming service like Apple or Amazon or to a provider who will allow you to get it through their streaming service without cable like HBO Max.

HboMax is currently getting gutted for tax writeoffs by the new owners.

The NFL will never go to HBO. They need advertising space for all the pharma, booze and gambling ads. Hulu is right up their alley.

 

[NovaScotiaPatsFan]

People actually listen to Felger voluntarily? I always thought his listeners were ex cons who were forced to listen as some sort of punishment.

 

[Deus Irae]

People actually listen to Felger voluntarily? I always thought his listeners were ex cons who were forced to listen as some sort of punishment.

I like to listen to some of the guests. Bedard's worth a listen, for example.

 

[Boomer B]

I'm not in Boston so I listen to some of the sports radio online, typically Zo from the Sports Hub and Fauria on Weei.

Because I'm in Vancouver we typically get more of the west coast games - Seahawks, 49ers, Rams, Chargers, etc.. with a few of the national games as well, so on normal TV only 2 Pats games have been shown here this year (Steelers and Packers). Used to be better when Brady was on the team and they were winning a lot, we'd get about 70% of the games. For years I ordered the NFL ticket from the local cable provider, and it cost me about $250 a year. 3 years or so ago I tried a website called DAZN which had full NFL and English Premier League coverage but the first game I watched was choppy, so I cancelled my plan with them. This year I tried them again after hearing their service was a lot better and have had no issues. Instead of $250 for the NFL package I'm gonna pay about $80 and get more than just the NFL.

 

[Thelonious]

Please feel free to fire Wiggy and that angry shrew on the morning show. whatever her name is. Keep Meggo, and pick one or the other of that dreary duo she has to work with. It doesn't matter WHICH of them you fire: they are virtually indistinguishable from one another. Gretsch and Keefe are great, now that Gretsch has learned to keep his rectal/poopo jokes in check. I like Mutt, though I have no idea why. I like Fitzy, even though he gets on my nerves from time to time. Andy Hart would be fine with a little therapy around the Napoleon Complex issue.

 

[Thelonious]

Oh, Felger. When I have worked on federal contracts, there were always a number of handsome, presentable guys who were worthless, but - for some inexplicable reason - it never occurred to anybody to bounce them off the contract. That's Felger. When God's janitors are sweeping up the rubble after the end of the world, Felger will still be on Boston radio, complaining about something or other.

 

[Actual Pats Fan]

I will give credit where credit is due. I was there when Felger was a beat writer with the Herald, and the guy worked hard and certainly invested a lot of time on the radio in between to eventually get that opportunity as well as his television gig. He was also helpful to me on a few occasions and was always great from that standpoint.

While I don't like his schtick on air, knowing the backstory, I do have an appreciation for how he got to where he is.

Used to enjoy the entertaining and occasionally informative Four Downs With Felger

Those days are long gone. Clown takes.

Heard him say last week Flutie threw a 'terrible' ball.

So did Montana. Meanwhile, Eason and Bledsoe's balls were beautiful.

...as they were picked off.

 

[Joker]

Oh, Felger. When I have worked on federal contracts, there were always a number of handsome, presentable guys who were worthless, but - for some inexplicable reason - it never occurred to anybody to bounce them off the contract. That's Felger. When God's janitors are sweeping up the rubble after the end of the world, Felger will still be on Boston radio, complaining about something or other.

all Felcher has ever needed is a good punch in the snot box...he's got what I call lifelong punk disease.

 

[patfanken]

while I certainly understand your take on Felger, Iike @Ian, I have a soft spot for him for 2 reasons. He was a decent beat writer when he was at the Herald, and 2nd because he's been VERY honest as he's developed his "hot take" style. He doesn't try to pretend that his "hot takes" are anything more that entertainment, to get a discussion going, or even to piss people off.

Its a shtick that I personally get tired of in about 5 minutes, but it works for him, given his show is one of the highest rated and grossing shows in the nation. And btw- Mazzarotti makes me ashamed to be a Tufts grad.

As for they rest of the mediots way too many try to emulate Felgar, but aren't honest about what they are doing and why. Adam Jones is an odious example of someone who just takes a negative take on any home team he is discussing. He is unlistenable.

 

[1960Pats]

I know whenever there is a non-sports related sports story that is really big that I need to avoid sports talk radio. Hell, even yesterday I turned on the radio and they were talking about how Belichick didn’t go to Kraft’s wedding. I didn’t listen to sports talk radio for two weeks when the Celtics suspended Udoka. It was predictable that the Udoka story was going to dominate the airwaves.

It is just so much easier for the hosts to discuss a coach getting suspended for an affair than breaking down offensive line play.

Every once in a while I turn on sports talk only to turn it off almost immediately. The latest case of that came when I put on weei a day or two ago and a caller named Dan was talking. That was when Jermaine Wiggins decided that he wanted to stop him so he screamed DAN over and over at least 8 times as Dan tried to talk. I haven't moved so fast in years when I leaped at the radio to shut it off.

I miss the good old days.

 

[1960Pats]

while I certainly understand your take on Felger, Iike @Ian, I have a soft spot for him for 2 reasons. He was a decent beat writer when he was at the Herald, and 2nd because he's been VERY honest as he's developed his "hot take" style. He doesn't try to pretend that his "hot takes" are anything more that entertainment, to get a discussion going, or even to piss people off.

Its a shtick that I personally get tired of in about 5 minutes, but it works for him, given his show is one of the highest rated and grossing shows in the nation. And btw- Mazzarotti makes me ashamed to be a Tufts grad.

As for they rest of the mediots way too many try to emulate Felgar, but aren't honest about what they are doing and why. Adam Jones is an odious example of someone who just takes a negative take on any home team he is discussing. He is unlistenable.

I have an odd Tufts story.

Years ago I received a reunion email from Tufts intended for a doctor with my exact first name, last name and middle initial. I think the reason I got it was because we had just made a donation to Tufts in the name of a family friend, a heart specialist who had passed away. I decided that maybe the doctor would want to know that his 15th reunion was coming up, so I called his office and let his receptionist know that he should let Tufts know his real address. He did and I stopped getting his mail.

My youngest son now has that doctor as his PCP.

As for talk radio, the last show I enjoyed was The Sports Huddle, and that was many moons ago.

 

[Joker]

Every once in a while I turn on sports talk only to turn it off almost immediately. The latest case of that came when I put on weei a day or two ago and a caller named Dan was talking. That was when Jermaine Wiggins decided that he wanted to stop him so he screamed DAN over and over at least 8 times as Dan tried to talk. I haven't moved so fast in years when I leaped at the radio to shut it off.

I miss the good old days.

HEH...AIN'T IT?... how about that commercial Wiggy constantly pimps, QC Kinetix using the same non-existent word
"regenative"...he literally cannot pronounce regenerative. I would find that embarrassing if that was my company...

 

[rochrist]

Every once in a while I turn on sports talk only to turn it off almost immediately. The latest case of that came when I put on weei a day or two ago and a caller named Dan was talking. That was when Jermaine Wiggins decided that he wanted to stop him so he screamed DAN over and over at least 8 times as Dan tried to talk. I haven't moved so fast in years when I leaped at the radio to shut it off.

I miss the good old days.

Guy Mainella and Bob Lobel, amirite?

 

[PatsFanInVa]

Interesting bit from this article:

Mike Felger and Jim Murray were talking about the ‘frustrating’ layoffs at 98.5. Then the feed froze

Sports talk show host powerhouses Mike Felger and Jim Murray discussed the recent “frustrating” layoffs at 98.5 The Sports Hub during a Facebook video Thursday evening before the feed s…

www.bostonherald.com

They apparently were having a broadcast on Facebook talking about various things and when they mentioned layoffs, they got cut off.

From the article:

“Radio… apparently is in trouble, we’re finding out,” Felger said, with a nod to the recent layoffs at 98.5, which is under the Beasley Media Group umbrella.

A viewer of the Off-Air Show then asked about the layoffs at 98.5, which has been dominating ratings across the board for years.

“Good question, Paul,” Felger responded. “What makes it so frustrating and sobering for us at the station, is that this station could not be more successful.

“You just couldn’t… you can’t get better ratings than we get,” he said.

Murray added, “It’s (expletive) crazy.”

Felger went on to say that 98.5 The Sports Hub is the fifth top-billing station in the country.
---
According to the article, it wasn't long after that the broadcast ended.

It is sort of nuts that even radio is struggling, as that and television seemed to be the two media outlets that were still hanging in there. I know online ads have been a mess for a while now, which is why newspapers and other outlets are dying because aside from subscriptions or help, there are not exactly other options.

Radio has on-demand audio with podcasts and all the extra content that I'm surprised they couldn't monetize since that's at least their thing. Amatuer people are struggling because there aren't a lot of podcast ad networks out there, but everyone is focused on building an audience hoping for a light at the end of that tunnel or maybe a sponsor. Video is where it's at, but that's another challenge in and of itself

someone's gotta do it. I'll give you the 2004 version so you can write the Buggles pleading for this not to have a 2024 reunion.

 

[PatsFanInVa]

PS, anybody else hear the harp-like "fourth note" on the piano and think you had a Windows alert?

 

[Kdo5]

I used to hate him but over time I’ve softened up. I think he puts on a good show and is unabashedly honest in how he feels. I think his opinions are genuine and I can generally see where he is coming from even when I disagree.

Obviously he loves to rag on Boston sports fans because that is a major part of the shtick which is probably what primarily makes people hate him but in regard to his takes, I don’t think they are egregious.

Again, he puts on an entertaining show and it’s a fun listen on the afternoon drive. The ratings don’t lie about it either. So yeah…I’ve grown to be okay with him, not so much those who try to be Felger Jr.