Tony Bruno: 'Game Changer'

TONY BRUNO


*95.7 FM 'The Game' continues to struggle ...especially in the key morning drive (5-9 AM) ; despite repeated new morning shows and experiments, Entercom's FM All-Sports outlet is lagging behind its own projections.


*Enter popular and talented Tony Bruno--I've learned through the grapevine that Bruno was contacted by a key Entercom (which owns The Game) exec out of its corporate SF office making initial contact. It's not known what was discussed but put two and two together.


*Bruno already does a weekly half-hour spot with Damon Bruce. It's funny, smart, edgy, and often controversial --in a good way. It's one of the most compelling thirty minutes of content in local radio.


*Bruno, out of Philadelphia, is a very special, ultra-talented personality but who is deemed difficult to work for. Often times, good people fit that description --Bruno is not alone. But he would need to change his professional MO otherwise he'll forever be stuck here.


*The Game has a new PD--his first project is well-known in local broadcast circles: Get rid of these guys. Because they're a disaster. Enter Bruno. Maybe.


*Game Changer: Again, Bruno comes with baggage but a "Bruno In The Morning" would rearrange the ratings deck for 95.7 FM. Bruno is expensive too (try about $300K a year and 3 years guaranteed --just for an example) but good people are expensive.


*Bruno loves the Bay Area and would probably JUMP at a chance to host his very own show but there is one significant problem (among a few others): Bruno's mother is 91 and lives in Philly. Bruno is thought to be against moving to another city while his mother lives out her sunset years.  Then again, that's why you talk and negotiate--anything is possible.


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OK, 95.7 The Game If You Really Want To Move The Needle: A Gary Radnich-Tony Bruno Dream Team In The Morning; Play Ball

 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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