Changes Coming To TSN 1050?

[paulwoods13]

I realize the budget cuts are deemed necessary, but if I want to hear US sports radio, and I occasionally do, I just listen to ESPN radio on line. TSN IMO, would be better off reducing the some of the local shows and go with a National show. It would definitely fit better into a budget, and keep the Canadian content. For example, keep all the local morning and evening drive shows as is, but add a National show the rest of the day.

I think the problem with this is that any really successful sports radio station has focused on local. Sports by nature tends to be locally oriented. Would Torontonians tune in to hear a lot of talk about the Canucks, Oilers, Blue Bombers, etc.? I think CFL fans here would, if there was lots of CFL content through the day, but I doubt hockey, baseball and basketball fans would want a national approach. I think Bell will probably abandon the sports talk format in Toronto at some point. Hopefully 1150 sticks to sports and maybe eventually goes with 18 hours of local programming each day.

[AngeloV]

I think the problem with this is that any really successful sports radio station has focused on local. Sports by nature tends to be locally oriented. Would Torontonians tune in to hear a lot of talk about the Canucks, Oilers, Blue Bombers, etc.? I think CFL fans here would, if there was lots of CFL content through the day, but I doubt hockey, baseball and basketball fans would want a national approach. I think Bell will probably abandon the sports talk format in Toronto at some point. Hopefully 1150 sticks to sports and maybe eventually goes with 18 hours of local programming each day.

I get what you're saying Paul, but I think a national show would do at least as well as Fox sports radio does, and probably better. It probably wouldn't even cost that much as they can have different personalities from TV (they seem to have so many there already) each taking a night of the week.

[ArgoRavi]

I get what you're saying Paul, but I think a national show would do at least as well as Fox sports radio does, and probably better. It probably wouldn't even cost that much as they can have different personalities from TV (they seem to have so many there already) each taking a night of the week.

Does anyone remember The Team back in the early 2000s? Weren't they a national sports radio network? I recall Eric Tillman having a show on there back then and there was lots of CFL content. Unfortunately, it did not last long.

[paulwoods13]

Does anyone remember The Team back in the early 2000s? Weren't they a national sports radio network? I recall Eric Tillman having a show on there back then and there was lots of CFL content. Unfortunately, it did not last long.

Yep. It was on 1050 in Toronto. IIRC, when it dropped the sports-talk format, one of the reasons given by mgmt. was that sports-talk works only with heavy local content. I agree with AV that TSN-produced national content would be better than Fox and/or ESPN and/or CBS, but it would probably also be more expensive.