A home for those who love almost everything about The Ticket (1310 AM, 96.7 FM, Dallas-Fort Worth), and who would like to discuss -- respectfully and fondly -- their thoughts on how (and whether) to eliminate the "almost."
Friday, October 2, 2020
October 2, 2020 -- 130th Anniversary of the Birthday of Julius "Groucho" Marx
It's OK, Pdude. Helen Reddy and Bob Gibson passed, you made a mistake, so what. No foul. No harm done. The little man inside didn't quite say it was time. You were hasty. We understand. Come back to the 5&10, Jimmy Dean, the water's warm, the reds, smokin', and short people got no reason to live.
If the rumor mill is right, it looks like a Saturday shakeup of sorts at The Ticket. Elf returns to Saturdays and the local sports medicine show that was on KESN is moving to The Ticket on Saturdays, as well.
Anyone have the skinny on why Donnie is on Cirque so often? Why would a Varsity member be playing games with the JV on a somewhat regular basis, and on his one day off during Cowboys season? Could it be more practice for what could be going down during the 10-noon slot due to Norm's health? Dunno. But it does seem odd to me.
And it's been announced that Matt Mclearin (remember MaSS?) and Jean Jacques Taylor will be bringing their shows/returning to The Ticket on Saturdays.
Anyone else notice the change in Sea Bass's delivery and tone? Slower, more deliberate, softer in timbre, and even a tad more Texas twang to it.
Ya picked a fine time to leave us, Plainsman / A Weekend shakeup and the JV's been blown to bits The Cowboys make Jake cry / Rhyner's a gadfly And the ratings are sinkin' again Ya picked a fine time to leave us, Plainsman
Saad Yousaf from The Athletic has now been hired as a part-time (see: weekend) host.
I wonder if we will start to see local weeknight and, well, 7 days per week local day and night programming a la The FAN? Either that or the CTO is cutting bait with most if not all JV showgrams and going a different direction. Whatever the case, something is definitely afoot.
OK. Per his Twitter acccount, he will be a producer/board-op/reporter/Johnny on the spot and not a host. At least not purely a host. Still, something is up and up in a big way. This is a lot of activity for one station in less than a three day span to come down. It's the kind of activity that happens either just prior or just after a sea change occurs (usually a format switch, though that's not the case here).
If we see Tom Gribble back at the Ticket we will know something is up. The agreement between Disney and Cumulus ends on Oct. 7th. The question is are these folks under contract with Disney or Cumulus. If Cumulus they may be finding spots for them until their contracts expire.
Just remember it's Cumulus. They have a history of destroying money-making stations all across the nation. It was only a matter of time before they turned on The Ticket.
Heard the Muser tribute to Bob Gibson this morning.
I lived just a couple miles from him for many years. He was very well-liked in my community, no sign of his historic surliness. I never met him but he was friendly with some of my friends. Biked and drove by his home frequently, notable for having a huge satellite disk off to the side long before home satellite reception became a thing.
The USA is not Europe and The Ticket--like all things necessarily do--is getting old, clinging dearly to the past, and eventually will go off into that good night. Thing is, the process is further along than many of us thought. When you're close to something, it's difficult to see deep, structural change.
I will second 10/5 3:04:
"This is a lot of activity for one station in less than a three day span to come down. It's the kind of activity that happens either just prior or just after a sea change occurs (usually a format switch, though that's not the case here)."
These are acts of desperation, of something holding fast to that which is fading. Ahh, the twilit gloam of copse. Rhyner knew.....
Not so sure that there's nothing to see here, 1101. Let me get this straight: Everything's OK, nothing to see here.....and yet a failed station (and it has failed since day 1) has many of its hosts hired on by another company under the same ownership in both host and producer/board op roles for days and time slots that have been filled for years by in-house talent. Oh, that and said station is hiring talent from elsewhere, as well, for those same already filled in days/time slots.
103.3 was swallowed up by Cumulus months (perhaps a year or more) ago. It goes away, well, it goes away and so too the talent. Instead, that same failed talent pool is taking the spots of others. There is something to see here. Most definitely there is.
Exactly, 934. That's why the potential fallout for JV aspirations and place on the ladder is tumultuous. As in, I bet we will see many leaving the station and/or being let go. Why would you have The Last Resort, Kick Around, Eli, Justin, et al fill in for drydock when you can have JJT, a local sports fixture, and others like him do those duties? You wouldn't. You'd have JJT and co. do it. So, yeah, this is big.
Good point, Surly. Somehow, someway, I'm sure things will be worked out. They most always are in situations like this. Though I must admit that it would be funny as all get out if Gordon really began to drive home wings for p, pushups and situps between segments, and other JJT oddities. Could make for some good old fashioned Ticket tension.
Prelim Q3 data showing Ad revenues down significantly year over year and some serious talk about cutting budgets. Diabetic, vaping 3rd stringers should be on high alert. If you haven't already, seriously consider growing a longer beard and upping your twitch streaming game as it may help in some manner.
I think that ding dong who kept posting stream of consciousness cum bizarro world sorta current slang might a month or 2 ago might have known what s/he/it was talking about. Something is definitely up. Feels like a true So Anonymous hold onto your butts change. I'm thinking in terms of something on a par with Mike leaving and Bob joining "The Hardline" (why oh why did they not change the name? so very dumb not to). But perhaps even more jarring. A veritable sea change, I'm thinking. The move that really struck me was the hiring of Saad Yousuf from The Athletic as a producer, board op, and as in an ambiguously worded (by him) sometimes on-air role.
My guess is Cumulus is living up to its reputation for ruining successful stations. It might take them years to get around to it, but eventually, they will. Could be The Ticket's time. They see The FAN seriously competing and even beating The Ticket during certain books and in the all important drive time slots. None of them (or at least the decision makers) have lived here for 26 years and merely see a handful of books and make a business decision. I really do believe our Ticket World is about to be full on 2020'd. (As if Mike's departure and the reconfiguring of 12-7 wasn't enough!)
Got anything to add, So Anonymous or anyone else who's in the slightest know?
"The Fan’s duo of Shan Shariff and RJ Choppy outrated KTCK’s The Musers terrestrial audience by more than a point and a half. Shan and RJ topped their spring performance by a full point, finishing seventh with a 4.1 share for the summer book. They also gained another 0.6 from streaming. On the other hand, summer listening for The Ticket’s iconic morning show declined a bit, both terrestrially and digitally as The Musers earned a 2.4 share, while their streaming number was a 1.8. With or without the stream included, Shan & RJ prevailed this book."
Can't wait to hear defensive Junior whine about this tidbit.
At least WIP and CdS are safe. Was great to hear Elf this morning...extra extra crispy. Love me some nutty Elf. Teebox on Saturday? I wasn't able to tune in until 1:30 so I missed the morning lineup.
So weird to hear spots on The Ticket asking listeners to tune in to ESPN radio for one sort of coverage and The Ticket for another. What's weirder is ESPN is not only mentioned first, but also last. The Ticket is briefly sandwiched in between as sort of an afterthought. What is going on? Did Mike know something that he wouldn't or couldn't and still can't or won't say? I'm telling you all this right now, and I don't care how crazy you might think it sounds, but I have a sinking feeling that outside consultants are making drastic and stupid suggestions. Drastic and stupid suggestions that Cumulus is going along with. Moreover, I think, like many other successful Cumulus stations, The Ticket is going to be radically changed sooner rather than late and as a result run into the ditch and ruined. When I say radically changed, I mean it. Musketeers let go kind of radical.
3:37 I'm afraid I agree. Cumulus has a history of this with stations on San Franciso and Atlanta and numerous other markets. When a station's talent is making too much money and their ad revenue falls off, they blow it up for cheaper national broadcast.
The question is, where the ESPN employees being paid by Cumulus or ESPN? If Cumulus can they hang on until their contracts are up without being sued for breach of contract.
Per a post by Oak Highlands Brewery on Facebook, JTT and MM will be doing their weekly JaM Session Podcast live from the brewery on Fridays from 4-6 starting Oct. 23.
Matt McClearin @McMatt967 · 5h For those wondering, @JJT_Journalist and myself make our return to @dfwticket THIS Sunday afternoon from 12-3. Cowboys play Monday night, so stop down for a bit with us. And, to answer the question, we will be bringing them.
Thanks, Surly. Glad to see Matt has a sense of humor about things. Things sure have gotten much more interesting Ticket weekend wise. Now if they'd only get the weeknights rolling and get rid of the national feed. Shoot, if they're now promoting ESPN as the "national, meta sports picture lung" of the combo pack, then why not make The Ticket all local all the time? Makes sense to me, but then again, radio consultants, by definition, do not peddle in the making sense game.
Brokeback Pman..."I cain't quit you, MTC!"
ReplyDeleteIt's OK, Pdude. Helen Reddy and Bob Gibson passed, you made a mistake, so what. No foul. No harm done. The little man inside didn't quite say it was time. You were hasty. We understand. Come back to the 5&10, Jimmy Dean, the water's warm, the reds, smokin', and short people got no reason to live.
"Just when I thought I was out they pull me back in!"
ReplyDeleteIf the rumor mill is right, it looks like a Saturday shakeup of sorts at The Ticket. Elf returns to Saturdays and the local sports medicine show that was on KESN is moving to The Ticket on Saturdays, as well.
ReplyDeleteAnyone have the skinny on why Donnie is on Cirque so often? Why would a Varsity member be playing games with the JV on a somewhat regular basis, and on his one day off during Cowboys season? Could it be more practice for what could be going down during the 10-noon slot due to Norm's health? Dunno. But it does seem odd to me.
And it's been announced that Matt Mclearin (remember MaSS?) and Jean Jacques Taylor will be bringing their shows/returning to The Ticket on Saturdays.
ReplyDeleteAnyone else notice the change in Sea Bass's delivery and tone? Slower, more deliberate, softer in timbre, and even a tad more Texas twang to it.
Ya picked a fine time to leave us, Plainsman / A Weekend shakeup and the JV's been blown to bits
The Cowboys make Jake cry / Rhyner's a gadfly
And the ratings are sinkin' again
Ya picked a fine time to leave us, Plainsman
More:
ReplyDeleteSaad Yousaf from The Athletic has now been hired as a part-time (see: weekend) host.
I wonder if we will start to see local weeknight and, well, 7 days per week local day and night programming a la The FAN? Either that or the CTO is cutting bait with most if not all JV showgrams and going a different direction. Whatever the case, something is definitely afoot.
OK. Per his Twitter acccount, he will be a producer/board-op/reporter/Johnny on the spot and not a host. At least not purely a host. Still, something is up and up in a big way. This is a lot of activity for one station in less than a three day span to come down. It's the kind of activity that happens either just prior or just after a sea change occurs (usually a format switch, though that's not the case here).
ReplyDeleteIf we see Tom Gribble back at the Ticket we will know something is up.
ReplyDeleteThe agreement between Disney and Cumulus ends on Oct. 7th.
The question is are these folks under contract with Disney or Cumulus. If Cumulus they may be finding spots for them until their contracts expire.
Bu bu bu but RATINGS!!!! Why would they need to make these changes if they're killin' it every day? I'm sure sorely's got if all figure out.
ReplyDeleteAnonymous 10:16
ReplyDeleteJust remember it's Cumulus. They have a history of destroying money-making stations all across the nation. It was only a matter of time before they turned on The Ticket.
Heard the Muser tribute to Bob Gibson this morning.
ReplyDeleteI lived just a couple miles from him for many years. He was very well-liked in my community, no sign of his historic surliness. I never met him but he was friendly with some of my friends. Biked and drove by his home frequently, notable for having a huge satellite disk off to the side long before home satellite reception became a thing.
RIP.
Anon 2:52
ReplyDeleteAccording to JJT's twitter their KESN show is not moving to The Ticket, it will be a podcast: https://twitter.com/JJT_Journalist/status/1313077215899332608
Bullet dodged there, that show sucks balls
Update to the update. JJT's partner says they will be on The Ticket weekends: https://twitter.com/McMatt1033/status/1313478979475714050
ReplyDeleteLet the ball sucking begin
Interesting disconnect. Maybe the Ticket is just going to rerun podcasts?
ReplyDeleteSounded like a lot of qualifiers were thrown out by the mid day show re: low finals ratings, but ok.
ReplyDeleteThere worm is turning. And on many fronts.
ReplyDeleteThe USA is not Europe and The Ticket--like all things necessarily do--is getting old, clinging dearly to the past, and eventually will go off into that good night. Thing is, the process is further along than many of us thought. When you're close to something, it's difficult to see deep, structural change.
I will second 10/5 3:04:
"This is a lot of activity for one station in less than a three day span to come down. It's the kind of activity that happens either just prior or just after a sea change occurs (usually a format switch, though that's not the case here)."
These are acts of desperation, of something holding fast to that which is fading. Ahh, the twilit gloam of copse. Rhyner knew.....
This activity is happening because 103.3 got swallowed up. That's all. Nothing to see here.
ReplyDeleteNot so sure that there's nothing to see here, 1101. Let me get this straight: Everything's OK, nothing to see here.....and yet a failed station (and it has failed since day 1) has many of its hosts hired on by another company under the same ownership in both host and producer/board op roles for days and time slots that have been filled for years by in-house talent. Oh, that and said station is hiring talent from elsewhere, as well, for those same already filled in days/time slots.
ReplyDelete103.3 was swallowed up by Cumulus months (perhaps a year or more) ago. It goes away, well, it goes away and so too the talent. Instead, that same failed talent pool is taking the spots of others. There is something to see here. Most definitely there is.
The weekend hosts are the fill-ins for Tier 1 so it kind of matters.
ReplyDeleteExactly, 934. That's why the potential fallout for JV aspirations and place on the ladder is tumultuous. As in, I bet we will see many leaving the station and/or being let go. Why would you have The Last Resort, Kick Around, Eli, Justin, et al fill in for drydock when you can have JJT, a local sports fixture, and others like him do those duties? You wouldn't. You'd have JJT and co. do it. So, yeah, this is big.
ReplyDeletewill be awkward since JJT has blocked every Ticket personality and 85% of P1s on twitter
ReplyDeletewhat does a lady have to do around here to get some wings?
ReplyDeleteGood point, Surly. Somehow, someway, I'm sure things will be worked out. They most always are in situations like this. Though I must admit that it would be funny as all get out if Gordon really began to drive home wings for p, pushups and situps between segments, and other JJT oddities. Could make for some good old fashioned Ticket tension.
ReplyDeletePrelim Q3 data showing Ad revenues down significantly year over year and some serious talk about cutting budgets. Diabetic, vaping 3rd stringers should be on high alert. If you haven't already, seriously consider growing a longer beard and upping your twitch streaming game as it may help in some manner.
ReplyDeletehold on to your covid butts
ReplyDeleteI think that ding dong who kept posting stream of consciousness cum bizarro world sorta current slang might a month or 2 ago might have known what s/he/it was talking about. Something is definitely up. Feels like a true So Anonymous hold onto your butts change. I'm thinking in terms of something on a par with Mike leaving and Bob joining "The Hardline" (why oh why did they not change the name? so very dumb not to). But perhaps even more jarring. A veritable sea change, I'm thinking. The move that really struck me was the hiring of Saad Yousuf from The Athletic as a producer, board op, and as in an ambiguously worded (by him) sometimes on-air role.
ReplyDeleteMy guess is Cumulus is living up to its reputation for ruining successful stations. It might take them years to get around to it, but eventually, they will. Could be The Ticket's time. They see The FAN seriously competing and even beating The Ticket during certain books and in the all important drive time slots. None of them (or at least the decision makers) have lived here for 26 years and merely see a handful of books and make a business decision. I really do believe our Ticket World is about to be full on 2020'd. (As if Mike's departure and the reconfiguring of 12-7 wasn't enough!)
Got anything to add, So Anonymous or anyone else who's in the slightest know?
Saad Yousuf was brought on from 103.3 ESPN, like the rest of these folks. They didn't hire him out of thin air.
ReplyDeleteThanks for the clarification, Surly (12:45 here). I, obviously, didn't know that.
ReplyDeleteRating info:
ReplyDeletehttps://barrettsportsmedia.com/2020/10/08/the-dallas-sports-radio-summer-ratings-story-is-complicated/
"The Fan’s duo of Shan Shariff and RJ Choppy outrated KTCK’s The Musers terrestrial audience by more than a point and a half. Shan and RJ topped their spring performance by a full point, finishing seventh with a 4.1 share for the summer book. They also gained another 0.6 from streaming. On the other hand, summer listening for The Ticket’s iconic morning show declined a bit, both terrestrially and digitally as The Musers earned a 2.4 share, while their streaming number was a 1.8. With or without the stream included, Shan & RJ prevailed this book."
ReplyDeleteCan't wait to hear defensive Junior whine about this tidbit.
At least WIP and CdS are safe. Was great to hear Elf this morning...extra extra crispy. Love me some nutty Elf. Teebox on Saturday? I wasn't able to tune in until 1:30 so I missed the morning lineup.
ReplyDeleteThe Teebox was on at their normal time. Before them was the sports medicine show that had been on 103.3, That T.O. doctor. (Not T.O. Owens)
ReplyDeleteThanks for the info. When did JJT and Matt McClearin air?
ReplyDeleteThey didn't.
ReplyDeleteDan has the COVID
ReplyDeleteMark Cuban says he's "OK" with walking over the dead bodies of genocided Uyghurs because China is a customer and, well, $500 million is $500 million.
ReplyDeletehttps://thefederalist.com/2020/10/12/mark-cuban-tells-megyn-kelly-china-is-an-nba-customer-im-ok-doing-business-with-china/
Didn't he also say he'd never heard of any sexual assault going on with the team he's micromanaged for decades?
Thanks for the JJT/McLearin info, Surly.
ReplyDeleteThis comment has been removed by a blog administrator.
ReplyDeleteThis comment has been removed by a blog administrator.
ReplyDeleteSo weird to hear spots on The Ticket asking listeners to tune in to ESPN radio for one sort of coverage and The Ticket for another. What's weirder is ESPN is not only mentioned first, but also last. The Ticket is briefly sandwiched in between as sort of an afterthought. What is going on? Did Mike know something that he wouldn't or couldn't and still can't or won't say? I'm telling you all this right now, and I don't care how crazy you might think it sounds, but I have a sinking feeling that outside consultants are making drastic and stupid suggestions. Drastic and stupid suggestions that Cumulus is going along with. Moreover, I think, like many other successful Cumulus stations, The Ticket is going to be radically changed sooner rather than late and as a result run into the ditch and ruined. When I say radically changed, I mean it. Musketeers let go kind of radical.
ReplyDelete3:37 I'm afraid I agree.
ReplyDeleteCumulus has a history of this with stations on San Franciso and Atlanta and numerous other markets. When a station's talent is making too much money and their ad revenue falls off, they blow it up for cheaper national broadcast.
The question is, where the ESPN employees being paid by Cumulus or ESPN? If Cumulus can they hang on until their contracts are up without being sued for breach of contract.
Per a post by Oak Highlands Brewery on Facebook, JTT and MM will be doing their weekly JaM Session Podcast live from the brewery on Fridays from 4-6 starting Oct. 23.
ReplyDeleteThe more you know...
do they sell wings there? jj will be all over them
ReplyDeleteSo McLearin was incorrect in saying he and JJT were coming to The Ticket?
ReplyDeleteMatt McClearin
ReplyDelete@McMatt967
·
5h
For those wondering,
@JJT_Journalist
and myself make our return to
@dfwticket
THIS Sunday afternoon from 12-3. Cowboys play Monday night, so stop down for a bit with us. And, to answer the question, we will be bringing them.
New thread started.
ReplyDeleteThanks, Surly. Glad to see Matt has a sense of humor about things. Things sure have gotten much more interesting Ticket weekend wise. Now if they'd only get the weeknights rolling and get rid of the national feed. Shoot, if they're now promoting ESPN as the "national, meta sports picture lung" of the combo pack, then why not make The Ticket all local all the time? Makes sense to me, but then again, radio consultants, by definition, do not peddle in the making sense game.
ReplyDeletesurly just remember that if you accept "them" you're agreeing to shove "it" in their faces
ReplyDelete