Depending on which region you're broadcasting from, and your specific market, fan interests vary all over the country. Programming a show across most markets during football season can be pretty straight forward; it's football first and everything else follows. But one of the things I've always find fascinating is what different shows, hosts, and markets see as top-of-mind for their audience this time of year, specifically the NBA Finals.
As an Orlando-based host on 96.9 The Game, and being in an NBA-only city, I focus heavily on all things hoops this time of year. It accounts for roughly 50% of my show each day. We're picking winners, combing through props, venturing analysis from the games the night before, finding guests that help compliment those discussions, you name it.
I can't say I have definitive evidence to back this up, but I think my audience, being the NBA fans they are, wants me to lead off with NBA Finals discussion on most days while the series is still active. Not all shows operate this way. We are talking about a very subjective approach, and each host has their own flavor. But we are in a unique position in Orlando. Unlike our neighbors to the West in Tampa, or big four-sport cities like Boston, we have one local team that really anchors interest in professional sports.
So, I reached out to a few Program Directors around the country, also in "NBA-only" cities and asked what their approach is. I talked to Nick Cattles from Sacramento (Program Director & afternoon host on KHTK), Brad Carson from Memphis (Brand & Operations manager for 929ESPN), and Rob Thompson from San Antonio (Program Director for KZDC).
I asked each of them the same 2 questions. 1) Knowing you have NBA fans in your market, how much emphasis and focus do your hosts put on the NBA Finals, even though your team is not involved? 2) Where do you say the Finals lands in a typical pecking order of a daily rundown for each of your shows?
Here is what they said.
Nick Cattles (Sacremento):
- We try to talk about what's hot. The most crucial aspect of sports radio is making sure you're connecting with your listeners by emphasizing what they are thinking about when they hop in their car or wherever/however they're listening. So, for us - it's the Kings picking at #4 in the NBA draft and the Finals. Also, with the Warriors being 90 minutes away, I feel like we're uniquely situated to spend more time on it than maybe we would with different circumstances.
- I let Justin Marshall (Producer & APD) & the morning guys figure out where they want to situate things. I trust them that they'll talk about what should be talked about. With that said - I always lean towards starting the tops of hours with what's the hottest thing happening in sports, if there's not something that you feel like you urgently need to hit on a local level. One game days and the day after a Finals game, I think it makes sense to talk about what people are getting ready to watch or just watched last night. IF there's something hot locally, then it's a more difficult balancing act. At that point, you lean local.
Brad Carson (Memphis):
- With Memphis being Hoops City, our hosts put a large amount of emphasis on all the NBA Conference Finals (especially the West, since Memphis battled Golden State) & the NBA Finals. All day, all shows. It's still the "A" for us along with the Tigers basketball roster/NBA Draft lead up, college football (Saban vs Jimbo talking time). A good example of basketball centric time is Giannotto & Jeffrey's "Trade a Day" with a daily Grizzlies trade option leading up to the draft they workshop live on-air each day.
- It's near the top if not the very top
Rob Thompson (San Antonio):
- We're a Spurs town and an NBA town. That wasn't always the case. Twenty-five years of playoff basketball created a rather intelligent basketball fan base that still follows and cares about the league even after after the Spurs are done. San Antonio is Military City. We've got fans from all over the country either stationed permanently or training temporarily on the three large bases. Their fandom travels as well.
- The Spurs/NBA are a daily part of our rundown year around and during the Finals will be in every "A" block.
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