It would require a HEFTY BAG full of money.It would have to involve the buyout of Gary Radnich's contract which is doubtful but not impossible. He's got a lot of overhead, after all.
It would pair Bruno and Radnich from 6-10 AM and IN AN INSTANT blow KNBR off the map, but if you're talkin' move-the-needle material, it would work.
The money involved: probably a million or so, (Radnich: $500K, Bruno, $300K and the rest for staff.
Just estimates.
Most of all, it would IMMEDIATELY catapult 95.7 The Game into a real threat, at least in the AM drive time, and blow off KNBR.
Sure, Knibber still has the Giants, 49ers, and Warriors but The Game would have, arguably, the BIGGEST Morning Show in the Bay Area. Maybe the nation.
*Can it be done?
Sure.
The biggest obstacle would be getting Radnich, who has labored on the Leader for 23 years and is loyal to the core. But Gary likes money and security. Not to mention the fact he's nearing his mid-60's and his next big contract is probably is last big contract.
Tony Bruno loves San Francisco and is looking for a job. He has a history of short stays at radio stations and is known to be a pain in the ass to GMs but this alliance with Radnich, probably his last rodeo, could mellow him.
Entercom has the financial wherewithal to pull this off and The Game's PD, Jason Barrett, would have to woo like hell to bring Bruno and Radnich together, it starts with money and money is the greatest equalizer.
For three+ years The Game has tried everything under the sun to dent KNBR, to make themselves worthy, anything and everything to become a genuine player in the sports-radio war. Only KNBR hasn't lost an inch and although its pesky FM counterpart tries and tries, KNBR is King.
A Radnich-Bruno morning pairing would SIGNIFICANTLY stack the deck against the KNBR dynamic.
Furthermore it would allow two of the more engaging, funny, energetic and enlightening personalities in radio work TOGETHER, a DREAM TEAM of a radio show. Would it work? Yes. Could it really happen? Sure. Like I said, there's nothing more basic than money. That wouldn't necessarily alone work because there needs to be negotiating and non-compete clauses and some details ironed out but it's infinitely doable.
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I like Bruno, a lot. Tony, however, has a star complex and working with Radnich would nix that. Tony wouldn't play nice with Radnich and he's quickly bore of The Game is the light isn't always shining on him. I think Entercom would be too scared to sign Bruno at that kind of money if in six months or a year Bruno came calling demanding, as he did in other markets, money he thinks he's worth, no matter what the station's doing. Don't think it would ever happen. Plus, Radnich doesn't want to gamble with starting over after 23 years at KNBR and close to retirement age.
ReplyDeleteWhen Bruno would come on with Radnich, Gary was definitely the straight man. I don't know if he'd want to play that role every day.
DeleteTotally agree. That BTH is just dreadful. Impossible to listen to. Aubry Huff is garbage and his voice sucks. They make The Rise Guys sound like Frank and Mike in the Morning.
ReplyDeleteI like the idea but it's either boom or bust. Or both.
ReplyDeleteThey could bring Dibley with them. Only problem would be his children couldn't do sounders anymore as I'm sure their voices are much deeper by now.
ReplyDeleteDon't forget about.Dre
ReplyDelete95.7 will always have a huge disadvantage when going up against 680...the signal. That's one reason why every format tried on 95.7 has failed.
ReplyDeleteTotally agree. What's the point of spending all that dough if they don't have a signal?
DeleteMake that a 2nd agree with 1:26pm.
DeleteWhen you have a pile of garbage signal. Who in their right mind is going to listen?
The constant fading of a signal is not my idea of spending a morning.
Hello Daly City. Can you hear me?
Radnich has said on KRON,he's going to work for at least five more years. Near 70 and doing a job that requires no hard work seems doable.
ReplyDeleteBut I can tell you exactly what a Gary and Tony show would sound like...Raddy cackling non stop almost hysterically for three hours at everything Tony says..beating on his desk while turning beat red.
Bruno is one of those guys who says he doesn't follow any political party...and then all his views turn out to be conservative. What a surprise.
Oh,and no Kate Scott along for the ride.
My expert analysis.
Gary could be the greeter at Walmart!
ReplyDeleteI could see it. Anything without Kate Scott and the two morning doofuses works for me. KNBR would still have the Giants, A's, Warriors, etc. - but none of those teams play between 6-10am M-F to draw listeners away from 95.7...
ReplyDeleteToday, KNBR tweeted "coming up next - Dwayne Kuiper" and the segment finally started 12 minutes later.
Anything with Radnich is gross. A pairing like Bruno and Radnich would like pairing a white wine with filet mignon. Seriously? That would turn me off to conventional radio permanently.
ReplyDelete"Tony Bruno loves San Francisco"
ReplyDeleteI thought the reason he lost his previous gig in SF was because he dissed the city.
It's probably rich's worst idea to date, and that's saying something.
ReplyDeleteWhy stop there, Mr. Lieberman? Since we're playing Fantasy Radio, let's also get Mike Francesa & Dan Patrick signed up for the 95.7 afternoon drive time so they can talk to exciting guests like Brodie Brazil and still get a 0.8 rating.
ReplyDeleteIt would be great for about a month or until they ran out of stories they find funny. Jock sniffing callers would keep it propped up for another couple months. Eventually one of them, in the course of jocularity, will say something stupid enough to get fired.
ReplyDeleteThey would last about a month before Radnich "goes on vacation".....these are two #1 guys...Radnich and Damon... not even the celebratory cake could save them. Bruno and someone yes...and why would the game re-hire Dibley?
ReplyDeleteA couple of things:
ReplyDelete1) When KNBR had Radnich from 6-10, the ratings weren't so hot and, paraphrasing Bob Agnew, people still like Gary but not as many in morning drive
2) Wasn't Radnich burning out doing his Buster Brown thing @ 11pm and working off 2 or 3 hours of sleep?
I'm a Kate Scott fan but she wouldn't work on a Radnich/Bruno joint; don't know offhand of anybody who could
P.S. To answer a mostly rhetorical question that comes up here in different forms: people listen to Murph & Mac in SPITE of them; it's just that people really love sports...
...what if The Game switched brand names? 95.7 could be known as The Forfeit
Scott doesn't have personality, at least not on air. That's why Gary went without humor and his usual schtick last week when Krueger was on vacation. The approach actually improved Kate's listenability. She can do a decent job with serious sports commentary as long as it involves recent events and information.
DeleteSpeaking of Dibley, I hear him late at night on KCBS doing the traffic report!!
ReplyDeleteMy favorite fantasy radio, give Gilbert Gottfried an afternoon primetime show on KGO and see how many liberals are offended by the end of the first day. I'm guessing all nationalities.
ReplyDeleteHe could also say "Aflac" every other sentence! That would be annoying but non-the-less memorable for at least one shift.
Delete...Oh, the sweat!!!!
DeleteGary already used The Game as leverage during the Damon Bruce fiasco. That was before his show had a renaissance when Krueger came back. So KNBR obviously fears losing him to The Game.
ReplyDeleteHis show is simulcast on CSN, so what would happen with that arrangement?
Big Bruno fan; Radnich is repulsive.
ReplyDeleteIt wouldn't work Rich. The best half hour on radio turned in to the so-so half hour on radio. Fatsnitch increasingly interrupted Bruno's flow and made snide remarks when Bruno was laid off at another station years ago. Something along the lines of: "when a guy bounces around different stations and markets it makes you wonder. As of now he wants some time off and will do the half hour when he feels ready".
ReplyDeleteI'm for the Game hiring Bruno for his own show. Don't bring Fatsnitch in to the equation unless Bruno is up against him in the same time slot...
Bruno choices for employment must be wearing out if he comes to a station with such low ratings. For whatever reason he left the national shows of espn,yahoo,fox and a syndicated one as well.Like radnich he is past his prime guess only apperaring on the Keith Olberman show now
ReplyDeleteI'm a Giants fan but enjoy the sports talk shows on 95.7 much much more than the shows on the commercial leader. Here is the problem--I can hear KNBR near Redding, but start losing 95.7 once I'm west of the Concord Naval Weapons station. 95.7 can bring on Long John Nebel back from the dead but until they find a way to at least cover the Bay Area--everything they do will be useless.--JK
ReplyDeleteA lot of noise and nonsense but the casual sports fan of Northern California seems to like that. Radnich offers little in the way of insight on what's going on. He does a nice interview but doesn't really seemed that interested in sports. The snappy patter and light jokes seem to be his stock in trade. Bruno uses a lot of schtick too, but he at least seems to know and care about sports. Putting them together? Not a bad idea. Would 'The Game' try it? What have they got to lose. Still, with their weak signal, it would be tough making a dent on KNBR's ratings. But KNBR really hasn't had a show that is really popular since the days of Frank and Mike.
ReplyDeleteRadnich is overrated and I usually can't stand listening to him.The Game should hire Bruno ASAP for mornings and pair him with a sharp sidekick. He's fun to listen to, doesn't follow the "topic" radio format to death and can talk about all sports and teams. I love hearing A's and Raiders talk but also appreciate someone that can talk about the rest of the league intelligently.
ReplyDeleteIt's all about the lack of signal strength. Until that improves, zzzzzzzzzzzz's.
ReplyDeleteBruno's act was tired years ago and Radnich is an unlistenable bore. What's the point of pairing these two has-beens? That kind of money could be much better spent.
ReplyDeleteSo let's put some young, cheap, know-it-all loudmouths to attract that 'young demographic.' that the consultants are coveting. Now that makes a lot of sense!
ReplyDelete