What's Up With Sports Radio?

[Penn State Patriot]

I am not one to start threads, but I felt like this question needed to be asked. Why is sports radio so bad?? I should preface by saying I do have podcasts I listen to that occupy my time when driving or going for a run, but every now and then, its just easier to turn on the radio and listen to the Sports Hub or WEEI. I'm sure there are others who feel the same. But I would say about 90% of the time, I'm always questioning why I decided to turn it on in the first place. And it's not about the stations' negativity or anything like that, but rather the content and topics of conversation. It's awful. They don't talk about anything. Today, I listened to about a 20-minute segment on both stations. The topics centered around food, obscure music from the 00's, and the solar eclipse. To me, it's pretty clear both stations mail it in on Sundays, but come on. Nothing about the Final Four or either championship game? The Masters this week? The Bruins, Celtics, or Sox? The draft? If a show does a little fluff for 30-seconds coming back from a break, I'm fine with it. But my biggest pet peeve is a show that plays a song coming back from break, and then spends the next five minutes talking about that song, or the band, or a concert they went to seeing that band. It drives me crazy.

The only shows I will regularly listen to when they're on are Ken and Curtis on WEEI and Felger and Mazz. At least I know what I'm getting with both of those shows, which is sports topics the entire time. I don't know any other show that can say that. And its not just a Boston thing. I've tried other cities on the Audacy app and hear the same stuff. I've only been in MA since 2014, so I missed shows like The Big Show back in the day. I'm just curious if anyone feels the same way I do.

 

[farn]

I really liked radio 15-20 years ago. It’s become trash. Sad.

I wish they’d actually just discuss the teams, but eggheads somewhere have determined that ratings increase when the hosts are ‘controversial’. Ratings rule. Quality doesn’t.

 

[signbabybrady]

I would say if you compare it to Jules or The Kelce's podcasts it's not even close.

Someone should attempt to replicate that on air.

 

[jmt57]

At least you have a choice there. Here in the Tampa area we used to have three sports talk stations to choose from; now there is only one.

When I do turn on the car radio to listen to sports, I have to change the channel as soon as they go to a commercial.
Once the ads start, they literally continue for five straight minutes.

 

[Triumph]

Music, movies, TV is not what it was.

Sports radio. Eddie Andelman. Is the Kowloon still open?

 

[XLIX]

I am not one to start threads, but I felt like this question needed to be asked. Why is sports radio so bad?? I should preface by saying I do have podcasts I listen to that occupy my time when driving or going for a run, but every now and then, its just easier to turn on the radio and listen to the Sports Hub or WEEI. I'm sure there are others who feel the same. But I would say about 90% of the time, I'm always questioning why I decided to turn it on in the first place. And it's not about the stations' negativity or anything like that, but rather the content and topics of conversation. It's awful. They don't talk about anything. Today, I listened to about a 20-minute segment on both stations. The topics centered around food, obscure music from the 00's, and the solar eclipse. To me, it's pretty clear both stations mail it in on Sundays, but come on. Nothing about the Final Four or either championship game? The Masters this week? The Bruins, Celtics, or Sox? The draft? If a show does a little fluff for 30-seconds coming back from a break, I'm fine with it. But my biggest pet peeve is a show that plays a song coming back from break, and then spends the next five minutes talking about that song, or the band, or a concert they went to seeing that band. It drives me crazy.

The only shows I will regularly listen to when they're on are Ken and Curtis on WEEI and Felger and Mazz. At least I know what I'm getting with both of those shows, which is sports topics the entire time. I don't know any other show that can say that. And its not just a Boston thing. I've tried other cities on the Audacy app and hear the same stuff. I've only been in MA since 2014, so I missed shows like The Big Show back in the day. I'm just curious if anyone feels the same way I do.

Boston sports radio only cares about the local 4 pro teams. They don't talk about college sports nor would they ever talk about the Masters. Right now is a lull in the pro sports scene. The Celtics and Bruins are finishing up their regular seasons strong but the playoffs have not yet started. The Red Sox just started, so they won't be relevant until late July. And the Patriots have nothing to talk about except the draft, which can only provide so much mileage.

 

[Penn State Patriot]

Boston sports radio only cares about the local 4 pro teams. They don't talk about college sports nor would they ever talk about the Masters. Right now is a lull in the pro sports scene. The Celtics and Bruins are finishing up their regular seasons strong but the playoffs have not yet started. The Red Sox just started, so they won't be relevant until late July. And the Patriots have nothing to talk about except the draft, which can only provide so much mileage.

I get that it's a pro sports town and I accept that. Unfortunately though, I don't think it's because of a lull. This is just what sports radio is now: Hosts and fill-ins who waste so much air time talking about absolutely nothing. How is it that Felger and Mazz can talk sports for the entirety of their show every day, no matter the time of year, and every other show on either station seemingly refuses to do so? I will never understand that. You could argue that Toucher and Rich wasn't even a sports show.

 

[Stu Pidassle]

The ads are a good indication of what the radio stations think of their audience - sports betting, erectile disfunction, weight loss, short circuits and wet basements. The on air content follows along...

 

[IcyPatriot]

To be fair their gig is entertainment ...
People in the car ... in and out of the car like me.
We relied on them way back when before all the information came to us on X.

So they are earning the only way that they can ... is what it is.

 

[Stu Pidassle]

To be fair their gig is entertainment ...
People in the car ... in and out of the car like me.
We relied on them way back when before all the information came to us on X.

So they are earning the only way that they can ... is what it is.

You do have a very valid point. Unfortunately it isn't just radio, all entertainment has degenerated to click or die.

 

[IcyPatriot]

You do have a very valid point. Unfortunately it isn't just radio, all entertainment has degenerated to click or die.

So much disinformation ... mouthpieces for their sources ... controversy ... earn from clicks.
Some of radio is good ... some podcasts also ... Mazz doing the baseball hour at 6:00 is a good listen.
Mazz generally without Felger can be pretty good ... but not with either Murray ... they suck.

 

[tuckeverlasting]

So much disinformation ... mouthpieces for their sources ... controversy ... earn from clicks.
Some of radio is good ... some podcasts also ... Mazz doing the baseball hour at 6:00 is a good listen.
Mazz generally without Felger can be pretty good ... but not with either Murray ... they suck.

mazz is good on baseball it's just his voice sux...


ps and his mini me to felcher.

 

[RIpats88]

its all about hot takes and negativity. if you listen to felger/mazz you would think the celtics/bruins are trash and not 2 of the top teams in their leagues.

 

[FredFromDartmouth]

I really liked radio 15-20 years ago. It’s become trash. Sad.

I wish they’d actually just discuss the teams, but eggheads somewhere have determined that ratings increase when the hosts are ‘controversial’. Ratings rule. Quality doesn’t.

Yup, the Big Show with the Big O was the best sports radio ever, but WEII gutted it and tried to out slime Felger. What a disaster.

 

[DarrylS]

I get that it's a pro sports town and I accept that. Unfortunately though, I don't think it's because of a lull. This is just what sports radio is now: Hosts and fill-ins who waste so much air time talking about absolutely nothing. How is it that Felger and Mazz can talk sports for the entirety of their show every day, no matter the time of year, and every other show on either station seemingly refuses to do so? I will never understand that. You could argue that Toucher and Rich wasn't even a sports show.

Toucher and Hardy do not bill themselves as a sports show, more of a "men's show" that often talks about sports..
My beef is with Bertram who tries to find a "nontroversy" in ever comment and event in all 4 sports, particularly football. What irks me most is when he gets on a rant about anything Patriots Zolak, who knows more about the Pats than any other host, goes silent and does not counter. Cannot tolerate that bombastic ******* Felger..
All of this reflects today's love of controversy and conflict, which no longer informs, but is designed to make you angry about things which seem very benign.
When I lived in Maine in the early 2000's could not wait to come back and listen to Dale & Holley or the "Big Show" as that is where I learned so much about the Pats, NFL and pro football in general. Now I listen to pandora..

 

[Ivan]

I stopped listening when Angelo from Everett and Deb got divorced. It broke my heart, I never got over it.

 

[farn]

Yup, the Big Show with the Big O was the best sports radio ever, but WEII gutted it and tried to out slime Felger. What a disaster.

I loved that show. Then, the yelling over one another started…

 

[oldrover]

When we lived in Maine, I always enjoyed the Morning Jab on WJAB out of Portland with Shoe and Joe.

Always sports, never politics, goofy callers, good stuff.

 

[Ian]

I loved that show. Then, the yelling over one another started…

They also gave 98.5 a massive head start by staying on AM radio as long as they did. I feel like that didn't do them any favors.

 

[Sect140]

98.5 and WEEI are so negative because that’s what the majority of Boston Sports fans want, if the listeners weren’t like that they probably would change their format. National shows on TV and radio are shock jockeys, as many have mentioned it’s all click bait.

I’ve said this before but the best money I spend monthly is on SIRIUS radio, sports have their own networks, NFL, NHL, NBA, MLB, College, PGA, MMA, for college even the main conferences have their own radio stations.