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."
When Matt McClearin joined Donovan, many on this site observed that the two of them lacked chemistry. When I tuned in, I was inclined to agree with them, although I thought that the biggest problem of the show was Blake, who was obviously unhappy with his situation and it showed in his inappropriately disrespectful attitude toward – well, toward pretty much everything.
But Blake was gone pretty soon, so that solved that problem. I wasn’t able to listen to the show for a while, but lately I’ve tried to make it a point to tune into both The Invasion (that show needs a new name, and needs to stop calling itself “most dangerous midday show”) and The Sweet Spot.
And I gotta say, I think Matt and Donnie sound just fine together, and it also seems to me like Matt is fitting in well with the Ticket crowd. He seems to know sports across the spectrum of sports taking place in the DFW, and the guy talk is starting to come along. Donovan seems increasingly comfortable with the partnership. Is it all the way there? Depends, I suppose, on what “there” is. But it’s getting better and better and is overall very listenable. Whether Matt was forced on Jeff Catlin or not, I think this pairing is going to be just fine.
I also like The Sweet Spot. I never had the problem with Sean that some on this site have had, but it sounds to me like he and David Mino, with support from one of my fave raves, Justin Montemayor, are having some fun and putting on a pretty good show.
And by the way: I agree with the Confessor from the last thread who called the Barrett Sports Media piece on Matt “a puff piece,” for that it certainly is. Nothing wrong with puff pieces -- it's like a million other generally gentle personality profiles, not intended to be a takedown or in-depth investigation. It's fine for what it is. However, it is also weirdly written and, in places, badly written and apparently completely unedited: “cultivating a professional atmosphere mired by the ratings,” and my favorite hat trick of bad drafting, “The station frequently posts stellar ratings each quarter, representing a place where McClearin feels he can grow his brand and show to unrealized heights.”
I agree with you about the puff piece. That it was a puff piece is fine. I mean, for fuck's sake, every Observer article other than Whitt's "Hard Lie" on The Ticket or The Freak has been a puff piece. Same with D Mag on both The Freak and The Dumb Zone/Dan and Jake. Funny, I rarely if ever see a comment lambasting the The Dumb Zone/Dan and Jake puff pieces. I guess we save our keenly honed, eye for journalistic intregrity skills for that which we dislike. The rest is just A-OK.
I also agree that Donnie and Matt are beginning to find their groove. Matt was born and raised in the DFW area, so he knows the teams, the fanbase, and the scene. Ditto Donnie. While nowhere near what it once was, Matt still needs to continue to work on his propensity to overshare. Now that they (meaning, Donnie too) are no longer being purposely submarined every day, the rough edges are smoothing out. Sorry if this doesn't go well with the vocal ones out there, but Blake acted like a whiny, entitled, tittie baby on their poorly named show. But Blake got what he wanted (what he knew he was going to do long before Dan and Jake ever officially left their jobs) and acted like a horse's ass on the way out, ensuring his bona fides with his soon to be new boss men and those who go hoarse.
The Sweet Spot is noticeably improving on a damn near daily basis. Mino has asserted himself while Sean has simultaneously come to the realization that he's in a genuine partnership, and as such monologues will not suffice.
All in all, The Ticket is going to be fine. It might not soar to, and remain aloft at, the dizzying heights it has in the recent past (ratings), but there's still nothing that comes close to it in this or any other market.
Going to repost this since I got in last thread by a hair: Nasty Nestor said on his Facebook page last week that he was in Dallas for Rangers-O’s. How the hell he can show his face around here & NOT get beat up is beyond me. If you want to see the post, it’s on the subreddit.
@ Grayson P1 What's even more amazing is that he was apparently there with a media credential from some spare AM station in Baltimore that's up on the enchilada end of the dial.
Exactly. And the Baltimore media either hates him (whoever the MASN woman was who sued him, for example) or doesn’t care about him. That’s why he can go do his own thing without retribution (that & his signal sucks).
Ticket has extended their deal with the Stars: https://barrettsportsmedia.com/2023/10/13/the-ticket-signs-extension-with-dallas-stars/. This will run until the 28-29 season. Josh & Razor are still calling the games.
I have found myself enjoying Donny and Matt the last few weeks. Matt still strikes me as a bit generic at times but they have done much better with a full sports calendar to discuss. I think they will be just fine. I have honestly been listening more now than before D&J left as I was out on Dan as much as I am on Corby. I'm still not sold on the Sweet Spot. Sean is still a hard listen for me at times but he has gotten better.
I liked both Dan and Jake before they were paired together. Once together they brought out the worst in each other so I tried to only listen to sports segments.
I dont how it works ROI wise but hardline trips end up good each time. Green Bay, Vegas (sure circa paid for all they I imagine) and LA all proved for some funny moments and a little change up from the norm.
The 401k lack of fiduciary prudence is code for HR/benefits people within Cumulus were likely getting nice kickbacks or trips to San Diego, Hawaii etc to attend all expense paid boondoggles with various investment funds at the expense (higher fees) for the Cumulus employees. What a piece of shit company with shitty benefits and poor health insurance. Would be cool if a rich benefactor/P1 bought the Ticket outright and ran it as a complete independent.
@Chad GPT: I’m not really for a P1 buying the Ticket. It might turn out to be a Reddit user who runs the station into the ground. Lest we forget what happened when a P1 hosted his own show for an hour. There’s a reason why some P1’s & 99% of the r/theticket userbase are not in radio. It’s better if it’s chain owned. I’m not trying to knock your opinion down, it’s just too much of a wildcard if they do sell to some P1s.
Just remember Mike Rhyner's comments on this back when they were having signal issues. He said in this day and age it would almost be impossible for a single owner to run a standalone station because of costs. The cost of equipment, personnel, a building, not to mention the .gov red tape and regulations for a tower, transmitter, and frequency.
I’m from the Sherman/Denison area (hence my name), & there is at least one single guy that owns & is the only on air person at his station (KJIM 1500, if you’re curious). Though he’s retiring & has aired ads on TV asking if you would like to buy the station. You can own & singlehandly run your own station, it seems like more of a small market thing. DFW is not the place for that (closest thing is the non-commercial stations).
That figure doesn't take into consideration federal taxes, health insurance (for Blake, too), 401k, and is utterly reliant and based upon a constant baseline sub count-- a sub count that necessarily must remain at said baseline (unless the per month/annum rate is raised and/or a tier grade is put into effect) from this point forward. This means that unlike a contract, there is no guarantee whatsoever any of this is sustainable for any period of time. While you can reasonably project out a handful of months at a time, that's about it. Anything other than 3-6 out months is reckless. And this is why I came to believe Dan and Jake will end up at The Freak. I use the past tense because a move to The Freak became apparent to me around mid-November of last year.
At that time I based this upon (and still do), three factors: 1. Whitt's thus far dead on accurate account of Rhyner, The Freak, and who would be involved, which included The Hang Zone by spring '23. 2. That sometime circa April '22, Dan and Jake (Dan especially) began to focus on the unfairness of non-compete clauses in particular, and the plight of the average laborer vis-a-vis corporate ownership. The focus was regular and sustained. And finally, 3. the sustained focus on the world of the independent content creator, the future of that endeavor and that of the entire entertainment industry, and how much money certain high profile creators earn. As I said, by mid-November '22, it became all too obvious what was coming down the pike.
While Whitt's source's timing as far as THZ goes was off, I firmly hold the claim is not. It's my belief that the deal was struck underneath the table/tacitly sometime in February '22, first with Rhyner, then later someone local at KEGL from iHeart (probably the point person for Rhyner, B&S, and Sirois's Freak proposition, who's also no longer there), and ultimately "invisibly inked" with iHeart proper once the settlement with Cumulus was reached.
Moreover, in light of the above, I also contend that The Dumb Zone is merely the mise en place for the deal struck with iHeart. That is, the same terms they sought (publicly admitted) in bad faith, knowing both Cumulus would not agree to them and that they would not negotiate (recall Dan's "non--negotiable") to find a compromise. Which is to say, that while Dan and Jake sit out the remainder of their non-compete, they are establishing the attendant podcast/extra source of income. Hence, the relatively low monthly sub fee and the amount of, and the means by which, they produce content. It is what you would expect from, say, a full time, M-F, PM drive show in the 4/5th largest market in the country to offer up as bonus content -- and not the amount and quality of content you would expect from creators who come from their pedigrees, salaries, benefits, etc., and the lifestyle those things afford.
Come January '24, things are going to get, as the kids say, "hella af" interesting around here.
One more thing. The impetus for all this? Dan not being moved with Bob to PM drive. If you take the time to read Dan's statements in court, on other pods, interviews, and in his own content, it is plain for all too see. He was and still is big angry.
I know I said that I would talk about the subreddit less, but their constant hatred of McClearin is getting on my last nerves. Love him or hate him (I’m neutral), every single week since he started has had at least 1 post whining about him. I get it, they hate everyone not named Dan & Jake, but it’s time to stop with this crap. The station hates them. I’ve started to avoid them since this saga began. It’s time to wipe it off the face of the earth. It’s beyond hope at this point.
One more thing about the sub; I’ve always thought this comment perfectly explains how bad it is: https://www.reddit.com/r/theticket/comments/vzrpwd/comment/igai9k0/. Rant over, I promise.
(Anonymous default caught me, so here it is again) One more thing about the sub; I’ve always thought this comment perfectly explains how bad it is: https://www.reddit.com/r/theticket/comments/vzrpwd/comment/igai9k0/. Rant over, I promise.
Interesting to hear that some cost cutting has taken place at iHeart, front office staff and the long time Bo and Jim producer, Randy, have all been let go in the last couple of weeks. Scuttlebutt is that it is to help cover for the on-going costs of TF salary bill. More to come too. (for the full year of its existence, TF is down in revenue about ~20%)
Wonder if all those those involved in the declarations about how TT support staff was underpaid and poorly treated, realize people at their new joint are literally losing their jobs to help pay both their current big dollar salaries and those (we all know) are about to be added.
No. It is utterly lost on them. Why? Because it was all a bunch of bs to begin with. Bs they used as both a cover story and to rationalize the unscrupulous way they went about it all. Pro tip: When an individual or group feels compelled to let everyone know they're good people, they usually aten't that great. Huge ted flag stuff. It's what the entire on air staff did fir nearly 3 months. Some still do.
I commend Dan and Jake for putting out a product that is continuing to add listeners. Whether it will continue to grow, or sustain its current level, no one knows. But it's off to a good start.
Since no more freebies, looks like I won't be sampling it. I assume some Confessors are subscribers. Can those who have heard it recently tell us how it sounds to them? Entertaining? More profanity? Comparo with The Hang Zone?
Subscriber here. I enjoy the presentation, and feel it is maturing. In a formatics sense rather than subject matter. But it's still got a very strong flavor which it seems folks either love or hate. It's the best and worst parts of dan and Jake with little moderating influence. Blake's presence has helped a ton. Plenty of profanity, but not so much that it's off putting to this late thirties listener. It's not as strong as the hangzone because it can't play off station wide content, banter, or bits. The longer form interviews are great. I feel like I'm getting good entertainment value for the subscription price.
I got to wonder how much longer the artist formally known as Bo & Jim will last. Jim retired last year, & contrary to what Russ Kraddick said (nothing against him personally) Randy left on his own terms. He has family in California & wants to move closer to home: https://radioinsight.com/headlines/260081/randy-james-to-depart-lonestar-92-5/. Bo’s been at this since at least the 80s, & he isn’t getting any younger.
I know some of you are going to read too much into it. Here’s the announcement: https://www.iheart.com/podcast/960-the-bo-and-them-show-on-de-28512548/episode/the-bo-and-them-full-show-126071314/. I’m taking him on his word. It may be layoffs, but I really don’t think that. If the guy wants to spend time with his family, so be it. If you still believe he was forced out; ask yourself this: if he is, why would he manipulate the listeners by saying he wants to leave for a very personal reason? Think about that.
Good to know and it would be weird to cut someone and allow them back on the air. But it would be easy to understand that Randy, being a very good and loyal dude, (and for Bo, who's now lost his long standing crew) would want it to appear he left on his own terms, came to an agreement and chose to publicly state it that way... I'm only reporting I've been told from a few sources (some that report to have spoken to people involved in the station, some directly that work in the office) that it was one of a few on-going cost cutting measures and not the last one coming.
@TGORK: Good points. It may be both. Should note his last day is on Halloween. I don’t know when the next round takes place, so keep that in mind. As I’ve said, Bo’s been at this for a very long time. He must be thinking about retirement. He just 70 on Friday. Looks like we’re about to see a end of an era in DFW radio.
Episode from Friday if anyone wants to sample the show for free. Of interest, there is a lot of discussion around their decision to leave the ticket in Jason Alexander talk at the 1 hour mark.
Gordon's Twitchy tonight was interesting. He had on Line4Guy (audio only) who gave up very little new information, other than having two adult children. Denied being a friend of Dan. Evasive about living in Cleveland and what he does for a living. He did retell a joke that got dumped on WTDS. Then Gordon video called George, who was with his family at a bar in Austin. Then he called Monty, who was wearing VR goggles.
Seeing that the FCC has begun the process of stripping the license of Fox’s station in Philly because of the fact that its parent company aired pro-election fraud content. Remember that they also own Fox 4. It’s only in Philly for right now, but I’d be concerned even for those not interested in politics. Relevant to this place, if it does spread to DFW, Doocy & Sam will be out of a job. I’ll try to find a article & keep a close eye on it.
That’s an outdated article from August. This new development happened on Saturday. This is the announcement that I found via the TV Tropes US politics board: https://twitter.com/OmarRiverosays/status/1716205635208102127. If I find an actual article, I’ll post it here.
Sorry but that tweet and that account reads as some liberal wet dream hype man trying to whip his followers into a frenzy like Arsenio Hall and the Dog Pound
So an interesting question. Patreon shows them as having 5881 members, but only 5574 paid members. Anyone know the difference in those 2 numbers? I guess you can follow them but not pay? C
Just finished listening to the one free dumbzone episode from last week (apparently they’ve restarted weekly free episodes). There was a somewhat interesting discussion in the middle - Dan played audio (shocking!) from a Jason Alexander interview where he talked about salary negotiations for the Seinfeld cast. Dan felt it related to their situation in leaving cumulus. A few observations on the conversation:
1. Dan reiterated that it was not about salary but instead about being able to do “other ventures” - but made it clear they did NOT want to podcast, but they’ve been forced into it. He presented them as forward-thinking in the new digital age and cumulus as backwards in focusing only on terrestrial radio. But he also, again, said and showed they had no plan or concrete goals in these other ventures. This was not well thought out. And I still don’t think they know what they want to do.
2. In discussing why they left, Dan said there’s never just one reason why things end. It was an accumulation of multiple things. That rings true.
3. Jake was very quiet in the conversation. Dan even asked if he felt like he couldn’t speak about it (lawsuit), and Jake said no, he just needed to get his thoughts together. Dan asked him what he said when people say “oh you just want to podcast”, and Jake said “yeah it’s not that, but I need time to get my thoughts together as to what it was.” Neither of them came across as articulate in either their grievances or what they wanted. Jake’s most telling comment was along the lines of “I dunno man, after everything that happened, I just wasn’t feeling it.”
I haven’t listened to the podcast nor do I have any intentions to (subreddit praising D&J like Jesus & their behavior during the trial ruined it for me), so I don’t know what Jason said, but I have to disagree about the Seinfeld comparison.
For most of its run, the main 4 were the highest paid TV stars & still make a ton of money in syndication to this day. Jerry ended the show & its own terms & (finale aside) went out beloved. This is different. The last sentence is the only thing that D&J can compare themselves to Seinfeld. They tried to go out being beloved, but instead we got a lawsuit & one side acted like Cumulus shot their dog & Dan & Jake is the damn pope & the other side tried to be reasonable but got accused of being (to paraphrase P1 Rachel when this got started) a MAGA-cum-racist-cum-participant in January 6th-cum-idiot who shouldn’t even consider themselves a P1.
I want to make it clear that I have nothing against the podcast, D&J, or Force here. No, I don’t think comparing themselves to the Seinfeld cast applies here.
TL;DR: D&J can’t really compare themselves to the Seinfeld cast. The only thing they have in common was they tried to go out beloved, but instead polarized everyone & (unwillingly) created a borderline cult.
Well Grayson, you’ve made yourself look like a fool now. The whole point of the conversation was that the rest of the cast was NOT getting syndication royalties. They asked and were told in no uncertain terms that that was a non-starter.
So next time try listening to the content before commenting on it.
@KTDK Sanger You know, I just read an article. Jerry & David do make money, Julia, Jason & Michael don’t. It makes more sense now. I’ll eat my words. Ignore above.
Well it was certainly nice of Grayson P1 to show his Ticket purity in ensuring that he will never listen to the pod. We need declarations of fealty like that so we don't question your Cumulus P1 bonafides. The ultimate virtue signal to all Cumulus corporate sycophants - "I shall never listen to the pod"
The, you know, actual judge seemed to think Dan and Jake’s behavior during the trial was just fine, so I’m very curious to hear what Grayson took issue with.
One more thing about this, & then I would like to move on. I’ve said over & over that Cumulus is a business 1st. The whole trial has created some people that have acted horrible towards The Ticket during this time. I hate when that happens. Thankfully it doesn’t happen here that much, but it’s happening a lot with the subreddit. They’ve ruined the podcast for me. Does that mean I’m a Cumulus fanboy? Hell no. They overhype the podcast too much. That’s one of the reasons why I switched over to here. It’s a toxic wasteland. I support D&J from a distance, but I also support TT, TF, hell, I’ve respected the Fan for years. I would like to hear the podcast, but it sadly has been ruined by a vocal minority. Maybe it’s just me. And if that makes me a Cumulus bootlicker, then I don’t care. Let’s talk about something else.
Where did the judge say that? I read every available proceeding, and nowhere did the presiding judge say that. If you are referring to the settlement, recall, it's a settlement. Settlements entail concessions on both sides. We'll never know what was conceded, in full, by either side. As to not listening to a pod because of reddit? Well, to each her own, bit that's a bit silly.
I wanna get off the topic too but I'll go ahead and dive back in lol. The ticket subreddit kinda turned me of DZ/HZ as well, but even before they left. I seriously thought there were bots for the HZ with how many just random comments there were like "HZ is the best ever" just out of the blue. I still liked the show fine and shouldn't let that turn me off of a station, it just was so tiresome.
In other news, whatever the musers saw on their cab ride better live up to the hype. Love their travel stories usually.
Re Ragonks 10/24 10:42a comment. I think dans comments back up some of what some of us were hearing as this went down. That THZ didn’t know what they wanted, couldn’t articulate it, and Cumulus wasn’t willing to give them a blank check on “outside ventures” and that’s where it all broke down.
And as a side note- Dan thinking they’re too focused on traditional radio instead of digital kinda makes me laugh. The Ticket is consistently one of the top 2-3 billers in the market. Last ratings book Cumulus had 4 of the top 7 stations in the market ( and while ratings do not equal revenue, good ratings sure help you get revenue). The reason they’re focusing on terrestrial is that is still a whole lot of money to be made there. C
The blockbuster comparison is not totally fair, IMO. Netflix started in 1997 and Blockbuster by 2005 had lost 75% of its market value and was clearly going away. Most people switched to Netflix for convenience and because they didn't want to pay the late fees. Podcasting has been around since roughly 2000. Now, 23 years later, it is big, but terrestrial radio is still going along pretty well. I think the fact that radio is free marks a big difference between these two industries and makes it a flawed comparison.
I think that D&J are doing a fine job at making money with their podcast, but nowhere near as many people are listening to them now vs how many were listening to them at the Ticket.
As an aside, did anyone catch Jub during the corner say something like time here for me is getting shorter by the day? I think the thought he may be gone sooner than later seems quite plausible.
Sports talk is definitely moving to podcasting more than radio but ya, there is still a large amount of people listening to radio. I'm under 30 and when I get in a friends car, the car is still on the radio most of the time, and even more so for sports talk. Podcast are going to become bigger and bigger, radio smaller and smaller, but it's still being used by a lot of people.
I think the key word here is “still”, which is was and currently, but not necessarily will be. I too think there is, and always will be, a spot for terrestrial radio, given its foothold and unique advantages over podcasting. I just think that discounting leaning more heavily into digital, because there’s still a lot of money being made in radio, is shortsighted. That’s the thought I think I was replying to originally, but I don’t know; I don’t read well, and I do most of my reading/posting while driving.
Radio isn't going anywhere anytime soon, if ever. Subscription services, across all platforms, are mostly losing money. Within the next 2-3 years, the "cut the cable" companies, etc., will exactly resemble what we know as the legacy or institutional media entities. They will merge into 3-4 megacorps, absorbing everything independent. Absorbed too will include the Patreons (already large on its own) of the world. Entailed here is the notion of "doing it our own way, f the man" that so many are enthralled with rendered fatuous. To tie it into the meta thread here, it will mean that TDZ never left "Cumulus" so to speak. In short order, they will indeed be working for the man (either via iHeart vis-a-vis The Freak or another giganticorp). If anyone out there is under the false assumption that the new breed of tech-based corporatism is different from the Cumuluses, wake up. Do not let the advent of adult playgrounds at the office fool you into believing, say, Google or Apple are concerned with Living Wages and decent (any) health insurance. Look no further than where, how, and by whom their goods are manufactured.
I think the general consensus is that they will likely go to a podcast network (just like a band doesn't keep putting out their own stuff but signs to a label). And yes, those podcast networks are just an updated business model of the radio business model. Everyone knows that. But one thing I think you're missing is this. I know a few people whose podcast is on a network, in similar situations as Dan and Jake. They pay for their own health insurance. Outside of Texas, the ACA Marketplace is actually on par with anything an employer would offer, as far as plans and rates. I am a consultant and live outside of Texas and I haven't taken any employer provided health insurance since I left Texas. I have an Exchange plan for my family (BCBS) and it's accepted everywhere my old employer provided plan was. That's to say that the idea of 401K and health insurance only coming from a company and therefore you being stuck with that company and their rules is not really how it works anymore*
@hot dog I'm not sure if you're addressing my comment or comments in general. But if you are replying to mine, I would say that it matters not (insurance and 401k). Those are an aspect of it, but not really important. The main point is that for all the talk (by Dan, Jake, and many of their fan base) about the evils of The Man, they will soon enough be working for The Man. Unless they create their own, new platform from which to broadcast and monetize, make no mistake about it, they very soon will be, once again, worshipping at the altar of The Man in one guise or another. They might even one day find out the Old Boss in reality wasn't so bad.
I did see a thread on DZ reddit the other day where they suspect as part of the settlement that the DZ would attempt to remove the NRLB case but that in the end it is up to the NRLB whether to drop it or not. Sounds like the NRLB is moving forward as of now.
That makes no sense. At all. The fantasy bs some of you cook up and the "deep psychoalanalysis" some of you offer is utterly risible. Look nofurther to the latest book. TDZ in no way affects TT. That in no way means TDZ isn't currently and won't continue to grow and succeed. I know, that's a difficult thing for those in the cult, with their ironically rigid way of thinking, to get their head aeound.
Again, fantasy. While we're at it, post a link to where Gordo is doing as such. Would like to read what he has to say. Wherever it is, it's not on reddit Ticket. The cult, it's real. It's real and it's creepy. You farts realize DnJ... nevermind. You've been brainwashed.
Man oh man, TF went down in both cume and each day part. I also noticed that their 1 year anniversary passed with little to no mention -- including themselves. No longer are the local rags and associated pods filled with odes to "The Genius of The Godfather." iHeart did nothing in any substantive form to mark the date. That says a lot. I go back and forth on whether TDZ will enter into TF fray Jan. '24 (a mere 2 months away, wow). I'm not sure if TDZ or anyone can save TF at this point. After all, Mike Rhyner helped to found and assemble the talent -- the same Rhyner who so many of the, NB: older demo, pledged their dying allegiance to when his plans were laid bare by Whitt. The same station that has Mike Sirois, who so many of the loudest public P1 voices that represent "the future" pledged their dying allegiance to. Ditto with Julie. Then the "cherry on top," "wait for it" moment took place and Grubes was thrown into the mix. Everyone loves Grubes (me included). But wait, there's more. The Dark Cloud "came out of retirement," and, and, and, well, we all know the story. A story that can be summed up best as, "Cat is the dumbest mf'r in the history of radio to force the true voice of a generation, Chael Sirois to leave. Greedy Cumulus. Greedy Norm. Greedy Gordon. Greedy George. I'm done!" Only for TT to go on to have the most ridiculously successful year in local radio history. My point is that in the final analysis, no one actually gave a shit about what they so passionately professed. Passion is easy. Short term, short-lived enthusiasm is easy. Nostalgia too is easy. Far too easy. It's the main reason why people end up dissatisfied with their life.
I'm not going to dive into TDZ here other than to say that there might be a lesson on human nature to be gleaned from TF story as a whole. I'm a DZ sub and listen at my leisure. It's hit and miss. More hit but enough miss to be noticeable. I intend to to keep subbing and listening for as long as they do it, which I hope goes on as long as they want to do it. The show does need work. It also needs more guidance. The addition of Blake has been a net positive, but it's not enough. Not sure what that would entail, but it's sorely needed. Frankly, it's the sole thing that keeps me somewhat but not fully in the camp that believes they'll be on TF the day after the NC expires.
As to TT: Nothing lasts forever and neither will TT. If you read Peter's breakdown on the reddit site (so cool of Peter to do that every month), you will see that TT did more than just fine. The FAN made some inroads, as would be expected, as they always do especially during the hopeful time of Cowboys season. Tack on a verge of winning the World Series Rangers, and one would be shocked if they didn't. Even so, TT maintained its #2 cume in the market position and #1 across all day parts vis-a-vis TF and The FAN. If you take the time to look at Peter's graphic, you'll see that both The Sweet Spot and yes, the McClearin cohosted Invasion have better numbers than either NaD or THZ did this time last year -- when TT had historic numbers. So there's that.
RIP Bob Knight (Take that M-fer drop). Thought Dan Wetzel did a great column on the coach. Can't wait until his passing is discussed and he is voted into that three bedroom apartment in the sky. "He was brilliant. He was a bully." Probably the best two lines that summarizes Knight's career.
(a) That's neither the first nor the 15th time The FAN midday shows have bested TT. Especially during the Autumn and early Winter books. There are several factors given for as to why this is so often the case. Peter does an able job on his reddit post. He even leaves off a couple critical facets. By the way, The FAN's edging of TT during those day parts, during those book periods historically include edging both BaD and THZ. Indeed, no shows have historically been beaten by The FAN than NaD and THZ. The data is there for any and all to see. Easily accessible, easy to analyze, at that.
(b) Again, these new shows that are supposedly so reviled, so awful that Cat and Bennett ought to be terminated immediately....have better numbers than THZ did this time last year. That is, during a historic ratings run.
I'm sorry this bothers you, as it apparently does. Else why post something so utterly obtuse to the central point (?).
Isn’t weird that the Ticket didn’t send a show to the WORLD SERIES road games. Not even one employee. Went to Mavs , Stars and Boys but not the easy flight to AZ. Weird
The reason for that is timing. The other trips were planned well in advance. Organizing a broadcast from a WS game on less than a week's notice isn't just the easy flight to AZ. Is there a trip to a NBA Final, Stanley Cup Final that I'm forgetting?
re Ratings: Anyone who is goofing on the new shows for "failing" because they're ranked in their 3rd full month at #3&4, while AMD/PMD are #1 are either (a) ignorant of how ratings work (b) have an agenda (c) both.
Up until 2023, the month-to-month results for both show slots was wildly erratic. Norm, Bob and Dan, Dan and Jake, whatever floated from #1 down to #14. Only when the entire station hit the 2023 #1 run, did both those slots also consistently land there.
I still chuckle when I recall those months where Dan and Jake's ratings would take some notable hit (Sept 2020 4.4/#7) and the wild outcry for Catlin's head for not putting Jake with Corby and breaking up BaD. How far we've come.
The idea TT was going to lose both Norm to retirement, and THZ (for whatever reason) at the same time and have to replace both - and stay #1 - is not one a serious human would ever possess. That doesn't even begin to throw in Fan's reaping the benefit of the Rangers (which they fully deserve, btw). for all of it's faults, PPM is a pretty revealing methodology and does so on the quick (see: TF, or stations that flip to xmas music and back) - so the fact the two shows have successfully sustained a ranking that keeps them in national buys is a testament to the depth of loyalty from the P1.
The Fan's midday is just better for baseball talk. I'll admit that I listened to them a lot during this playoff run for Bacsik's insight. The Ticket doesn't have any true baseball minds who can go further than basic-level analysis but they know that is good enough for the majority of their audience. Not criticizing, it's just apples to oranges and it depends on preference. The Ticket's coverage of the Rangers' run focused more on the experience and the ride while The Fan would go more in-depth on the matchups and opponents.
When Matt McClearin joined Donovan, many on this site observed that the two of them lacked chemistry. When I tuned in, I was inclined to agree with them, although I thought that the biggest problem of the show was Blake, who was obviously unhappy with his situation and it showed in his inappropriately disrespectful attitude toward – well, toward pretty much everything.
ReplyDeleteBut Blake was gone pretty soon, so that solved that problem. I wasn’t able to listen to the show for a while, but lately I’ve tried to make it a point to tune into both The Invasion (that show needs a new name, and needs to stop calling itself “most dangerous midday show”) and The Sweet Spot.
And I gotta say, I think Matt and Donnie sound just fine together, and it also seems to me like Matt is fitting in well with the Ticket crowd. He seems to know sports across the spectrum of sports taking place in the DFW, and the guy talk is starting to come along. Donovan seems increasingly comfortable with the partnership. Is it all the way there? Depends, I suppose, on what “there” is. But it’s getting better and better and is overall very listenable. Whether Matt was forced on Jeff Catlin or not, I think this pairing is going to be just fine.
I also like The Sweet Spot. I never had the problem with Sean that some on this site have had, but it sounds to me like he and David Mino, with support from one of my fave raves, Justin Montemayor, are having some fun and putting on a pretty good show.
And by the way: I agree with the Confessor from the last thread who called the Barrett Sports Media piece on Matt “a puff piece,” for that it certainly is. Nothing wrong with puff pieces -- it's like a million other generally gentle personality profiles, not intended to be a takedown or in-depth investigation. It's fine for what it is. However, it is also weirdly written and, in places, badly written and apparently completely unedited: “cultivating a professional atmosphere mired by the ratings,” and my favorite hat trick of bad drafting, “The station frequently posts stellar ratings each quarter, representing a place where McClearin feels he can grow his brand and show to unrealized heights.”
I agree with you about the puff piece. That it was a puff piece is fine. I mean, for fuck's sake, every Observer article other than Whitt's "Hard Lie" on The Ticket or The Freak has been a puff piece. Same with D Mag on both The Freak and The Dumb Zone/Dan and Jake. Funny, I rarely if ever see a comment lambasting the The Dumb Zone/Dan and Jake puff pieces. I guess we save our keenly honed, eye for journalistic intregrity skills for that which we dislike. The rest is just A-OK.
ReplyDeleteI also agree that Donnie and Matt are beginning to find their groove. Matt was born and raised in the DFW area, so he knows the teams, the fanbase, and the scene. Ditto Donnie. While nowhere near what it once was, Matt still needs to continue to work on his propensity to overshare. Now that they (meaning, Donnie too) are no longer being purposely submarined every day, the rough edges are smoothing out. Sorry if this doesn't go well with the vocal ones out there, but Blake acted like a whiny, entitled, tittie baby on their poorly named show. But Blake got what he wanted (what he knew he was going to do long before Dan and Jake ever officially left their jobs) and acted like a horse's ass on the way out, ensuring his bona fides with his soon to be new boss men and those who go hoarse.
The Sweet Spot is noticeably improving on a damn near daily basis. Mino has asserted himself while Sean has simultaneously come to the realization that he's in a genuine partnership, and as such monologues will not suffice.
All in all, The Ticket is going to be fine. It might not soar to, and remain aloft at, the dizzying heights it has in the recent past (ratings), but there's still nothing that comes close to it in this or any other market.
Going to repost this since I got in last thread by a hair: Nasty Nestor said on his Facebook page last week that he was in Dallas for Rangers-O’s. How the hell he can show his face around here & NOT get beat up is beyond me. If you want to see the post, it’s on the subreddit.
ReplyDeleteNobody knows what he looks like or cares
ReplyDeleteThat too. It still amazes me that he’s learned nothing from that & continues to be a giant prick.
DeleteI care.
Delete@ Grayson P1 What's even more amazing is that he was apparently there with a media credential from some spare AM station in Baltimore that's up on the enchilada end of the dial.
ReplyDeleteWell that's one way to keep the boss from telling you to not choke people.
ReplyDeleteExactly. And the Baltimore media either hates him (whoever the MASN woman was who sued him, for example) or doesn’t care about him. That’s why he can go do his own thing without retribution (that & his signal sucks).
ReplyDeleteTicket has extended their deal with the Stars: https://barrettsportsmedia.com/2023/10/13/the-ticket-signs-extension-with-dallas-stars/. This will run until the 28-29 season. Josh & Razor are still calling the games.
ReplyDeleteI have found myself enjoying Donny and Matt the last few weeks. Matt still strikes me as a bit generic at times but they have done much better with a full sports calendar to discuss. I think they will be just fine. I have honestly been listening more now than before D&J left as I was out on Dan as much as I am on Corby. I'm still not sold on the Sweet Spot. Sean is still a hard listen for me at times but he has gotten better.
ReplyDeleteI think me and KDF may be the only people that are more prone to listen to something without Dan lol
DeleteI liked both Dan and Jake before they were paired together. Once together they brought out the worst in each other so I tried to only listen to sports segments.
DeleteSsshhhhhh. Don't let The Chosen hear you say such things, you boot looking, corporate shill.
DeleteI dont how it works ROI wise but hardline trips end up good each time. Green Bay, Vegas (sure circa paid for all they I imagine) and LA all proved for some funny moments and a little change up from the norm.
ReplyDeleteYep, despite the screamcore lead vocalists, the kids are alright.
ReplyDelete5771
ReplyDeleteWhy does this animate you? Baaaa. Baaaa. Culti-esque. So odd. So sad.
DeleteNo sheep. No sheep. You're the sheep.
Delete$477,839 annual income (pre-Patron fees and taxes)
DeletePatreon takes 8% at the tier they're most likely on, so that's $440,000. That would give Dan and Jake $180,000 each and Blake $80,000
DeleteBut, but...what about 401k and benefits?!
Deletehttps://www.pionline.com/courts/cumulus-media-pay-1-million-settle-401k-erisa-lawsuit
...oh
The 401k lack of fiduciary prudence is code for HR/benefits people within Cumulus were likely getting nice kickbacks or trips to San Diego, Hawaii etc to attend all expense paid boondoggles with various investment funds at the expense (higher fees) for the Cumulus employees. What a piece of shit company with shitty benefits and poor health insurance. Would be cool if a rich benefactor/P1 bought the Ticket outright and ran it as a complete independent.
Delete@Chad GPT: I’m not really for a P1 buying the Ticket. It might turn out to be a Reddit user who runs the station into the ground. Lest we forget what happened when a P1 hosted his own show for an hour. There’s a reason why some P1’s & 99% of the r/theticket userbase are not in radio. It’s better if it’s chain owned. I’m not trying to knock your opinion down, it’s just too much of a wildcard if they do sell to some P1s.
DeleteJust remember Mike Rhyner's comments on this back when they were having signal issues. He said in this day and age it would almost be impossible for a single owner to run a standalone station because of costs. The cost of equipment, personnel, a building, not to mention the .gov red tape and regulations for a tower, transmitter, and frequency.
ReplyDeleteI’m from the Sherman/Denison area (hence my name), & there is at least one single guy that owns & is the only on air person at his station (KJIM 1500, if you’re curious). Though he’s retiring & has aired ads on TV asking if you would like to buy the station. You can own & singlehandly run your own station, it seems like more of a small market thing. DFW is not the place for that (closest thing is the non-commercial stations).
ReplyDeleteI’ll chip in $50 to the $122MM total we’ll need
ReplyDeleteThat figure doesn't take into consideration federal taxes, health insurance (for Blake, too), 401k, and is utterly reliant and based upon a constant baseline sub count-- a sub count that necessarily must remain at said baseline (unless the per month/annum rate is raised and/or a tier grade is put into effect) from this point forward. This means that unlike a contract, there is no guarantee whatsoever any of this is sustainable for any period of time. While you can reasonably project out a handful of months at a time, that's about it. Anything other than 3-6 out months is reckless. And this is why I came to believe Dan and Jake will end up at The Freak. I use the past tense because a move to The Freak became apparent to me around mid-November of last year.
ReplyDeleteAt that time I based this upon (and still do), three factors: 1. Whitt's
thus far dead on accurate account of Rhyner, The Freak, and who would be involved, which included The Hang Zone by spring '23. 2. That sometime circa April '22, Dan and Jake (Dan especially) began to focus on the unfairness of non-compete clauses in particular, and the plight of the average laborer vis-a-vis corporate ownership. The focus was regular and sustained. And finally, 3. the sustained focus on the world of the independent content creator, the future of that endeavor and that of the entire entertainment industry, and how much money certain high profile creators earn. As I said, by mid-November '22, it became all too obvious what was coming down the pike.
While Whitt's source's timing as far as THZ goes was off, I firmly hold the claim is not. It's my belief that the deal was struck underneath the table/tacitly sometime in February '22, first with Rhyner, then later someone local at KEGL from iHeart (probably the point person for Rhyner, B&S, and Sirois's Freak proposition, who's also no longer there), and ultimately "invisibly inked" with iHeart proper once the settlement with Cumulus was reached.
Moreover, in light of the above, I also contend that The Dumb Zone is merely the mise en place for the deal struck with iHeart. That is, the same terms they sought (publicly admitted) in bad faith, knowing both Cumulus would not agree to them and that they would not negotiate (recall Dan's "non--negotiable") to find a compromise. Which is to say, that while Dan and Jake sit out the remainder of their non-compete, they are establishing the attendant podcast/extra source of income. Hence, the relatively low monthly sub fee and the amount of, and the means by which, they produce content. It is what you would expect from, say, a full time, M-F, PM drive show in the 4/5th largest market in the country to offer up as bonus content -- and not the amount and quality of content you would expect from creators who come from their pedigrees, salaries, benefits, etc., and the lifestyle those things afford.
Come January '24, things are going to get, as the kids say, "hella af" interesting around here.
One more thing. The impetus for all this? Dan not being moved with Bob to PM drive. If you take the time to read Dan's statements in court, on other pods, interviews, and in his own content, it is plain for all too see. He was and still is big angry.
ReplyDeleteI know I said that I would talk about the subreddit less, but their constant hatred of McClearin is getting on my last nerves. Love him or hate him (I’m neutral), every single week since he started has had at least 1 post whining about him. I get it, they hate everyone not named Dan & Jake, but it’s time to stop with this crap. The station hates them. I’ve started to avoid them since this saga began. It’s time to wipe it off the face of the earth. It’s beyond hope at this point.
ReplyDeleteOne more thing about the sub; I’ve always thought this comment perfectly explains how bad it is: https://www.reddit.com/r/theticket/comments/vzrpwd/comment/igai9k0/. Rant over, I promise.
ReplyDelete"That figure doesn't take into consideration federal taxes, health insurance (for Blake, too), 401k,"
ReplyDeleteUh yeah, the salary figures in their contracts don't include federal taxes either.
And as is widely known, the insurance is so bad that everybody uses their spouse's. And they've been taken to court over their illegal 401k practices.
Totally normal shirt find another angle.
Roasted. Another angle? Ah. You're part of the cult. So odd. So sad. Are you related to one of them? In love?
DeleteYou are a CPA? Good lord. How many clients have you misled and costed $1000s? Better, do you ha a client?
Deletelol, "costed"
Deletegood try though turbo
(Anonymous default caught me, so here it is again) One more thing about the sub; I’ve always thought this comment perfectly explains how bad it is: https://www.reddit.com/r/theticket/comments/vzrpwd/comment/igai9k0/. Rant over, I promise.
ReplyDelete5805
ReplyDeleteHere's a quarter, call someone who cares.
DeleteSick Travis Tritt reference, bruv.
DeleteI’m partial to the Simpsons version myself. “Here’s a phone, call someone who cares.”
Delete4767
ReplyDeleteAre we just posting random numbers on here now? Because I really want to make a Rush reference here.
ReplyDeleteInteresting to hear that some cost cutting has taken place at iHeart, front office staff and the long time Bo and Jim producer, Randy, have all been let go in the last couple of weeks. Scuttlebutt is that it is to help cover for the on-going costs of TF salary bill. More to come too. (for the full year of its existence, TF is down in revenue about ~20%)
ReplyDeleteWonder if all those those involved in the declarations about how TT support staff was underpaid and poorly treated, realize people at their new joint are literally losing their jobs to help pay both their current big dollar salaries and those (we all know) are about to be added.
No. It is utterly lost on them. Why? Because it was all a bunch of bs to begin with. Bs they used as both a cover story and to rationalize the unscrupulous way they went about it all. Pro tip: When an individual or group feels compelled to let everyone know they're good people, they usually aten't that great. Huge ted flag stuff. It's what the entire on air staff did fir nearly 3 months. Some still do.
DeleteI commend Dan and Jake for putting out a product that is continuing to add listeners. Whether it will continue to grow, or sustain its current level, no one knows. But it's off to a good start.
ReplyDeleteSince no more freebies, looks like I won't be sampling it. I assume some Confessors are subscribers. Can those who have heard it recently tell us how it sounds to them? Entertaining? More profanity? Comparo with The Hang Zone?
Be fair, now.
Subscriber here. I enjoy the presentation, and feel it is maturing. In a formatics sense rather than subject matter. But it's still got a very strong flavor which it seems folks either love or hate. It's the best and worst parts of dan and Jake with little moderating influence. Blake's presence has helped a ton. Plenty of profanity, but not so much that it's off putting to this late thirties listener. It's not as strong as the hangzone because it can't play off station wide content, banter, or bits. The longer form interviews are great. I feel like I'm getting good entertainment value for the subscription price.
DeleteThey still put out one free video episode every week. Another settlement victory that I guess you missed
ReplyDeleteI got to wonder how much longer the artist formally known as Bo & Jim will last. Jim retired last year, & contrary to what Russ Kraddick said (nothing against him personally) Randy left on his own terms. He has family in California & wants to move closer to home: https://radioinsight.com/headlines/260081/randy-james-to-depart-lonestar-92-5/. Bo’s been at this since at least the 80s, & he isn’t getting any younger.
ReplyDelete"left on his own terms" ... *wink*
DeleteI know some of you are going to read too much into it. Here’s the announcement: https://www.iheart.com/podcast/960-the-bo-and-them-show-on-de-28512548/episode/the-bo-and-them-full-show-126071314/. I’m taking him on his word. It may be layoffs, but I really don’t think that. If the guy wants to spend time with his family, so be it. If you still believe he was forced out; ask yourself this: if he is, why would he manipulate the listeners by saying he wants to leave for a very personal reason? Think about that.
DeleteGood to know and it would be weird to cut someone and allow them back on the air. But it would be easy to understand that Randy, being a very good and loyal dude, (and for Bo, who's now lost his long standing crew) would want it to appear he left on his own terms, came to an agreement and chose to publicly state it that way... I'm only reporting I've been told from a few sources (some that report to have spoken to people involved in the station, some directly that work in the office) that it was one of a few on-going cost cutting measures and not the last one coming.
Delete@TGORK: Good points. It may be both. Should note his last day is on Halloween. I don’t know when the next round takes place, so keep that in mind. As I’ve said, Bo’s been at this for a very long time. He must be thinking about retirement. He just 70 on Friday. Looks like we’re about to see a end of an era in DFW radio.
Deletehttps://www.youtube.com/watch?v=2d4BL05fv_I&pp=ygUJZHVtYiB6b25l
ReplyDeleteEpisode from Friday if anyone wants to sample the show for free. Of interest, there is a lot of discussion around their decision to leave the ticket in Jason Alexander talk at the 1 hour mark.
Gordon's Twitchy tonight was interesting. He had on Line4Guy (audio only) who gave up very little new information, other than having two adult children. Denied being a friend of Dan. Evasive about living in Cleveland and what he does for a living. He did retell a joke that got dumped on WTDS. Then Gordon video called George, who was with his family at a bar in Austin. Then he called Monty, who was wearing VR goggles.
ReplyDeleteSeeing that the FCC has begun the process of stripping the license of Fox’s station in Philly because of the fact that its parent company aired pro-election fraud content. Remember that they also own Fox 4. It’s only in Philly for right now, but I’d be concerned even for those not interested in politics. Relevant to this place, if it does spread to DFW, Doocy & Sam will be out of a job. I’ll try to find a article & keep a close eye on it.
ReplyDeletehttps://www.phillyvoice.com/fox-29-news-broadcast-license-fcc-public-comments/
DeleteIt doesn't sound like that is going anywhere in Philly
That’s an outdated article from August. This new development happened on Saturday. This is the announcement that I found via the TV Tropes US politics board: https://twitter.com/OmarRiverosays/status/1716205635208102127. If I find an actual article, I’ll post it here.
DeleteSorry but that tweet and that account reads as some liberal wet dream hype man trying to whip his followers into a frenzy like Arsenio Hall and the Dog Pound
DeleteHa, it's even worse than I thought
Deletehttps://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Occupy_Democrats
5841
ReplyDelete2112
DeleteSo an interesting question. Patreon shows them as having 5881 members, but only 5574 paid members. Anyone know the difference in those 2 numbers? I guess you can follow them but not pay?
DeleteC
I guess listening to Creed helps after all. (Never forget the Thanksgiving halftime show.)
ReplyDeleteWorld Series, mfers.
Just finished listening to the one free dumbzone episode from last week (apparently they’ve restarted weekly free episodes). There was a somewhat interesting discussion in the middle - Dan played audio (shocking!) from a Jason Alexander interview where he talked about salary negotiations for the Seinfeld cast. Dan felt it related to their situation in leaving cumulus. A few observations on the conversation:
ReplyDelete1. Dan reiterated that it was not about salary but instead about being able to do “other ventures” - but made it clear they did NOT want to podcast, but they’ve been forced into it. He presented them as forward-thinking in the new digital age and cumulus as backwards in focusing only on terrestrial radio. But he also, again, said and showed they had no plan or concrete goals in these other ventures. This was not well thought out. And I still don’t think they know what they want to do.
2. In discussing why they left, Dan said there’s never just one reason why things end. It was an accumulation of multiple things. That rings true.
3. Jake was very quiet in the conversation. Dan even asked if he felt like he couldn’t speak about it (lawsuit), and Jake said no, he just needed to get his thoughts together. Dan asked him what he said when people say “oh you just want to podcast”, and Jake said “yeah it’s not that, but I need time to get my thoughts together as to what it was.” Neither of them came across as articulate in either their grievances or what they wanted. Jake’s most telling comment was along the lines of “I dunno man, after everything that happened, I just wasn’t feeling it.”
I haven’t listened to the podcast nor do I have any intentions to (subreddit praising D&J like Jesus & their behavior during the trial ruined it for me), so I don’t know what Jason said, but I have to disagree about the Seinfeld comparison.
DeleteFor most of its run, the main 4 were the highest paid TV stars & still make a ton of money in syndication to this day. Jerry ended the show & its own terms & (finale aside) went out beloved. This is different. The last sentence is the only thing that D&J can compare themselves to Seinfeld. They tried to go out being beloved, but instead we got a lawsuit & one side acted like Cumulus shot their dog & Dan & Jake is the damn pope & the other side tried to be reasonable but got accused of being (to paraphrase P1 Rachel when this got started) a MAGA-cum-racist-cum-participant in January 6th-cum-idiot who shouldn’t even consider themselves a P1.
I want to make it clear that I have nothing against the podcast, D&J, or Force here. No, I don’t think comparing themselves to the Seinfeld cast applies here.
TL;DR: D&J can’t really compare themselves to the Seinfeld cast. The only thing they have in common was they tried to go out beloved, but instead polarized everyone & (unwillingly) created a borderline cult.
Well Grayson, you’ve made yourself look like a fool now. The whole point of the conversation was that the rest of the cast was NOT getting syndication royalties. They asked and were told in no uncertain terms that that was a non-starter.
DeleteSo next time try listening to the content before commenting on it.
@KTDK Sanger You know, I just read an article. Jerry & David do make money, Julia, Jason & Michael don’t. It makes more sense now. I’ll eat my words. Ignore above.
DeleteAnd again, the subreddit’s actions has made me NOT want to listen to it. That’s my fault. I’m sure it’s good, but not the best thing ever.
DeleteWell it was certainly nice of Grayson P1 to show his Ticket purity in ensuring that he will never listen to the pod. We need declarations of fealty like that so we don't question your Cumulus P1 bonafides. The ultimate virtue signal to all Cumulus corporate sycophants - "I shall never listen to the pod"
DeleteThe, you know, actual judge seemed to think Dan and Jake’s behavior during the trial was just fine, so I’m very curious to hear what Grayson took issue with.
ReplyDeleteNot with Dan & Jake themselves, just with 99% of r/theticket users.
DeleteOne more thing about this, & then I would like to move on. I’ve said over & over that Cumulus is a business 1st. The whole trial has created some people that have acted horrible towards The Ticket during this time. I hate when that happens. Thankfully it doesn’t happen here that much, but it’s happening a lot with the subreddit. They’ve ruined the podcast for me. Does that mean I’m a Cumulus fanboy? Hell no. They overhype the podcast too much. That’s one of the reasons why I switched over to here. It’s a toxic wasteland. I support D&J from a distance, but I also support TT, TF, hell, I’ve respected the Fan for years. I would like to hear the podcast, but it sadly has been ruined by a vocal minority. Maybe it’s just me. And if that makes me a Cumulus bootlicker, then I don’t care. Let’s talk about something else.
ReplyDeleteLet's talk about Ty Walker leaving The Ticket 45 days too soon.
DeleteWhere did the judge say that? I read every available proceeding, and nowhere did the presiding judge say that. If you are referring to the settlement, recall, it's a settlement. Settlements entail concessions on both sides. We'll never know what was conceded, in full, by either side. As to not listening to a pod because of reddit? Well, to each her own, bit that's a bit silly.
ReplyDeleteGrayson, buddy. You have got to let the subreddit go.
ReplyDelete(Alright, no more subreddit talk for a while, I promise.)
ReplyDeleteMarconi’s are tonight. Musers are in NYC. We’ll see if they win.
Also, Arizona V. Texas in the World Series. Interesting.
I wanna get off the topic too but I'll go ahead and dive back in lol. The ticket subreddit kinda turned me of DZ/HZ as well, but even before they left. I seriously thought there were bots for the HZ with how many just random comments there were like "HZ is the best ever" just out of the blue. I still liked the show fine and shouldn't let that turn me off of a station, it just was so tiresome.
ReplyDeleteIn other news, whatever the musers saw on their cab ride better live up to the hype. Love their travel stories usually.
I actually find it hard to believe that's the first time any of them have seen coitus in the wild.
DeleteRe Ragonks 10/24 10:42a comment. I think dans comments back up some of what some of us were hearing as this went down. That THZ didn’t know what they wanted, couldn’t articulate it, and Cumulus wasn’t willing to give them a blank check on “outside ventures” and that’s where it all broke down.
ReplyDeleteAnd as a side note- Dan thinking they’re too focused on traditional radio instead of digital kinda makes me laugh. The Ticket is consistently one of the top 2-3 billers in the market. Last ratings book Cumulus had 4 of the top 7 stations in the market ( and while ratings do not equal revenue, good ratings sure help you get revenue). The reason they’re focusing on terrestrial is that is still a whole lot of money to be made there.
C
I’m not a real dog, but I am an actual moron, so I can barely remember when Blockbuster was making a whole lotta money.
DeleteBad comp, bruh.
DeleteI disagree, Floof. I trust that makes me correct.
DeleteThe blockbuster comparison is not totally fair, IMO. Netflix started in 1997 and Blockbuster by 2005 had lost 75% of its market value and was clearly going away. Most people switched to Netflix for convenience and because they didn't want to pay the late fees. Podcasting has been around since roughly 2000. Now, 23 years later, it is big, but terrestrial radio is still going along pretty well. I think the fact that radio is free marks a big difference between these two industries and makes it a flawed comparison.
ReplyDeleteI think that D&J are doing a fine job at making money with their podcast, but nowhere near as many people are listening to them now vs how many were listening to them at the Ticket.
As an aside, did anyone catch Jub during the corner say something like time here for me is getting shorter by the day? I think the thought he may be gone sooner than later seems quite plausible.
Sports talk is definitely moving to podcasting more than radio but ya, there is still a large amount of people listening to radio. I'm under 30 and when I get in a friends car, the car is still on the radio most of the time, and even more so for sports talk. Podcast are going to become bigger and bigger, radio smaller and smaller, but it's still being used by a lot of people.
ReplyDeleteI think the key word here is “still”, which is was and currently, but not necessarily will be. I too think there is, and always will be, a spot for terrestrial radio, given its foothold and unique advantages over podcasting. I just think that discounting leaning more heavily into digital, because there’s still a lot of money being made in radio, is shortsighted. That’s the thought I think I was replying to originally, but I don’t know; I don’t read well, and I do most of my reading/posting while driving.
DeleteRadio isn't going anywhere anytime soon, if ever. Subscription services, across all platforms, are mostly losing money. Within the next 2-3 years, the "cut the cable" companies, etc., will exactly resemble what we know as the legacy or institutional media entities. They will merge into 3-4 megacorps, absorbing everything independent. Absorbed too will include the Patreons (already large on its own) of the world. Entailed here is the notion of "doing it our own way, f the man" that so many are enthralled with rendered fatuous. To tie it into the meta thread here, it will mean that TDZ never left "Cumulus" so to speak. In short order, they will indeed be working for the man (either via iHeart vis-a-vis The Freak or another giganticorp). If anyone out there is under the false assumption that the new breed of tech-based corporatism is different from the Cumuluses, wake up. Do not let the advent of adult playgrounds at the office fool you into believing, say, Google or Apple are concerned with Living Wages and decent (any) health insurance. Look no further than where, how, and by whom their goods are manufactured.
ReplyDeleteMeet the new boss, same as the old boss.
I think the general consensus is that they will likely go to a podcast network (just like a band doesn't keep putting out their own stuff but signs to a label). And yes, those podcast networks are just an updated business model of the radio business model. Everyone knows that. But one thing I think you're missing is this. I know a few people whose podcast is on a network, in similar situations as Dan and Jake. They pay for their own health insurance. Outside of Texas, the ACA Marketplace is actually on par with anything an employer would offer, as far as plans and rates. I am a consultant and live outside of Texas and I haven't taken any employer provided health insurance since I left Texas. I have an Exchange plan for my family (BCBS) and it's accepted everywhere my old employer provided plan was. That's to say that the idea of 401K and health insurance only coming from a company and therefore you being stuck with that company and their rules is not really how it works anymore*
Delete*outside of Texas
@hot dog
ReplyDeleteI'm not sure if you're addressing my comment or comments in general. But if you are replying to mine, I would say that it matters not (insurance and 401k). Those are an aspect of it, but not really important. The main point is that for all the talk (by Dan, Jake, and many of their fan base) about the evils of The Man, they will soon enough be working for The Man. Unless they create their own, new platform from which to broadcast and monetize, make no mistake about it, they very soon will be, once again, worshipping at the altar of The Man in one guise or another. They might even one day find out the Old Boss in reality wasn't so bad.
The NLRB case moves forward...
ReplyDeleteReally? How interesting. Source?
DeleteI did see a thread on DZ reddit the other day where they suspect as part of the settlement that the DZ would attempt to remove the NRLB case but that in the end it is up to the NRLB whether to drop it or not. Sounds like the NRLB is moving forward as of now.
DeleteI find it incredibly revealing that Gordon has taken to Reddit in an attempt to disarm and prevent negative talk about the ticket
ReplyDeleteThat makes no sense. At all. The fantasy bs some of you cook up and the "deep psychoalanalysis" some of you offer is utterly risible. Look nofurther to the latest book. TDZ in no way affects TT. That in no way means TDZ isn't currently and won't continue to grow and succeed. I know, that's a difficult thing for those in the cult, with their ironically rigid way of thinking, to get their head aeound.
DeleteNothing to do with ratings, love.
DeleteAgain, fantasy. While we're at it, post a link to where Gordo is doing as such. Would like to read what he has to say. Wherever it is, it's not on reddit Ticket. The cult, it's real. It's real and it's creepy. You farts realize DnJ... nevermind. You've been brainwashed.
DeleteWanna skate?
DeleteThis is a short, interesting read:
ReplyDeletehttps://www.hollywoodreporter.com/business/digital/podcasts-hot-pod-summit-2023-1235337983/
Speaking of ratings. The numbers for October.
ReplyDeletehttps://radioinsight.com/ratings/dallas-fort-worth/
25-54: 1. KLNO 2. KTCK 3. KSCS 4. KHKS 5. KSPF (up from #13)
_______ 6T. KMVK (up from #11) 6T. KRLD-FM (up from #10) 8T. KVIL (down from #5) 8T. KPLX 8T. KJKK
18-34: 1. KLNO 2. KHKS 3T. KSCS 3T. KKDA (up from #7) 5. KPLX 7. KVIL (down from #2) 11. KRNB (down from #5)
18-49: 1. KLNO 2. KSCS 3. KSPF (up from #8T) 4. KMVK (up from #8T) 5. KHKS 6T. KPLX 6T. KRLD-FM 6T. KJKK 9. KVIL (down from #2)
Man oh man, TF went down in both cume and each day part. I also noticed that their 1 year anniversary passed with little to no mention -- including themselves. No longer are the local rags and associated pods filled with odes to "The Genius of The Godfather." iHeart did nothing in any substantive form to mark the date. That says a lot. I go back and forth on whether TDZ will enter into TF fray Jan. '24 (a mere 2 months away, wow). I'm not sure if TDZ or anyone can save TF at this point. After all, Mike Rhyner helped to found and assemble the talent -- the same Rhyner who so many of the, NB: older demo, pledged their dying allegiance to when his plans were laid bare by Whitt. The same station that has Mike Sirois, who so many of the loudest public P1 voices that represent "the future" pledged their dying allegiance to. Ditto with Julie. Then the "cherry on top," "wait for it" moment took place and Grubes was thrown into the mix. Everyone loves Grubes (me included). But wait, there's more. The Dark Cloud "came out of retirement," and, and, and, well, we all know the story. A story that can be summed up best as, "Cat is the dumbest mf'r in the history of radio to force the true voice of a generation, Chael Sirois to leave. Greedy Cumulus. Greedy Norm. Greedy Gordon. Greedy George. I'm done!" Only for TT to go on to have the most ridiculously successful year in local radio history. My point is that in the final analysis, no one actually gave a shit about what they so passionately professed. Passion is easy. Short term, short-lived enthusiasm is easy. Nostalgia too is easy. Far too easy. It's the main reason why people end up dissatisfied with their life.
ReplyDeleteI'm not going to dive into TDZ here other than to say that there might be a lesson on human nature to be gleaned from TF story as a whole. I'm a DZ sub and listen at my leisure. It's hit and miss. More hit but enough miss to be noticeable. I intend to to keep subbing and listening for as long as they do it, which I hope goes on as long as they want to do it. The show does need work. It also needs more guidance. The addition of Blake has been a net positive, but it's not enough. Not sure what that would entail, but it's sorely needed. Frankly, it's the sole thing that keeps me somewhat but not fully in the camp that believes they'll be on TF the day after the NC expires.
As to TT: Nothing lasts forever and neither will TT. If you read Peter's breakdown on the reddit site (so cool of Peter to do that every month), you will see that TT did more than just fine. The FAN made some inroads, as would be expected, as they always do especially during the hopeful time of Cowboys season. Tack on a verge of winning the World Series Rangers, and one would be shocked if they didn't. Even so, TT maintained its #2 cume in the market position and #1 across all day parts vis-a-vis TF and The FAN. If you take the time to look at Peter's graphic, you'll see that both The Sweet Spot and yes, the McClearin cohosted Invasion have better numbers than either NaD or THZ did this time last year -- when TT had historic numbers. So there's that.
10-3 finished behind The Fan
ReplyDeleteRIP Bob Knight (Take that M-fer drop). Thought Dan Wetzel did a great column on the coach. Can't wait until his passing is discussed and he is voted into that three bedroom apartment in the sky. "He was brilliant. He was a bully." Probably the best two lines that summarizes Knight's career.
ReplyDeletehttps://sports.yahoo.com/coaching-legend-bob-knight-famous-for-both-victories-and-outbursts-dies-at-83-223223902.html
@Nellie's poorly timed leap
ReplyDelete(a) That's neither the first nor the 15th time The FAN midday shows have bested TT. Especially during the Autumn and early Winter books. There are several factors given for as to why this is so often the case. Peter does an able job on his reddit post. He even leaves off a couple critical facets. By the way, The FAN's edging of TT during those day parts, during those book periods historically include edging both BaD and THZ. Indeed, no shows have historically been beaten by The FAN than NaD and THZ. The data is there for any and all to see. Easily accessible, easy to analyze, at that.
(b) Again, these new shows that are supposedly so reviled, so awful that Cat and Bennett ought to be terminated immediately....have better numbers than THZ did this time last year. That is, during a historic ratings run.
I'm sorry this bothers you, as it apparently does. Else why post something so utterly obtuse to the central point (?).
It was to correct your assertion that the ticket beat the fan and the freak across all dayparts
ReplyDeleteIsn’t weird that the Ticket didn’t send a show to the WORLD SERIES road games. Not even one employee. Went to Mavs , Stars and Boys but not the easy flight to AZ. Weird
ReplyDeleteThe reason for that is timing. The other trips were planned well in advance. Organizing a broadcast from a WS game on less than a week's notice isn't just the easy flight to AZ. Is there a trip to a NBA Final, Stanley Cup Final that I'm forgetting?
DeleteYes, they broadcast from Miami for the NBA Finals and from San Francisco and St Louis for the World Series. Pretty sure they went for the Stars too.
Deletefair enough. maybe had something to do with the recent LA and NY trips? Budget already spent?
Deletere Ratings: Anyone who is goofing on the new shows for "failing" because they're ranked in their 3rd full month at #3&4, while AMD/PMD are #1 are either (a) ignorant of how ratings work (b) have an agenda (c) both.
ReplyDeleteUp until 2023, the month-to-month results for both show slots was wildly erratic. Norm, Bob and Dan, Dan and Jake, whatever floated from #1 down to #14. Only when the entire station hit the 2023 #1 run, did both those slots also consistently land there.
I still chuckle when I recall those months where Dan and Jake's ratings would take some notable hit (Sept 2020 4.4/#7) and the wild outcry for Catlin's head for not putting Jake with Corby and breaking up BaD. How far we've come.
The idea TT was going to lose both Norm to retirement, and THZ (for whatever reason) at the same time and have to replace both - and stay #1 - is not one a serious human would ever possess. That doesn't even begin to throw in Fan's reaping the benefit of the Rangers (which they fully deserve, btw). for all of it's faults, PPM is a pretty revealing methodology and does so on the quick (see: TF, or stations that flip to xmas music and back) - so the fact the two shows have successfully sustained a ranking that keeps them in national buys is a testament to the depth of loyalty from the P1.
Amen, brutha. Same group this time next year will be saying DnJ were morons for ever keaving. Funny, they might well be correct.
DeleteThe Fan's midday is just better for baseball talk. I'll admit that I listened to them a lot during this playoff run for Bacsik's insight. The Ticket doesn't have any true baseball minds who can go further than basic-level analysis but they know that is good enough for the majority of their audience. Not criticizing, it's just apples to oranges and it depends on preference. The Ticket's coverage of the Rangers' run focused more on the experience and the ride while The Fan would go more in-depth on the matchups and opponents.
ReplyDeleteNew post/red up.
ReplyDelete