Could Gary Radnich end up at Comcast Sportsnet Bay Area? Let's look at some facts.
Fact #1: Radnich is already co-hosting, (with Willie Brown,) a Sunday post game 49Er's show for the cable giant. That's a pretty good audition.
Fact #2: Radnich' contract at KRON is up at the end of the year. A contract that was signed by the old KRON regime when KRON was not in the financial quagmire it currently finds itself under.
Radnich will not be back at the independent station on Van Ness for pennies on the dollar, but his options are limited. KGO, KPIX, KTVU and NBC Bay Area all have established sports talent under contract, which leads to Fact #3.
A local broadcast analyst forwards me this item:
If Comcast acquires NBC (and its O&Os), as anticipated, there is talk of merging the WRC-4-NBC sports department in DC (Market #9) with Comcast Sports Net Washington, creating a sort of "uber sports department" fronted by Lindsay Czarniak and Dan Hellie.
The scenario might be repeated in Philadelphia, Chicago, San Francisco, and New York, where NBC owns TV stations and Comcast has regional sports networks
I've heard the exact scenario and I predict it will happen in SF. It's well-known that KRON's financial resources are limited. KRON isn't alone, but the other local TV outlets, while not cash-fluent, have some corporate underbelly to at least operate adequate news operations.
**If Comcast does indeed buy NBC, look for it to utilize the DC model in SF, which then opens the window for Radnich to join Comcast. In what capacity? Try a juicier SportsNet Central, which is CCSBA's local sports report.
A Radnich presence would give automatic spark to the local broadcast. CC Sports top suit Ted Griggs likes to "move-the-meter" and this move would no doubt be an attention grabber.
As always, money would be an issue, but as noted earlier, what are Radnich' options? I don't think KQED is in the equation.
Stay tuned.
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"You're" predicting it? It sounds like your source predicted it and you are just confirming it. Nice try though.
ReplyDeleteSeems likely. Listening to him, he talks fondly of Comcast and does that 'who signs your paycheck' shtick. He's very complimentary of the on air talent there, something one would do if comcast is in their future.
ReplyDeleteI just hope they don't give him free reign when he gets there. The 'fly by the seat of my pants' and attempt at inside jokes is grating.
Kevnn: Uh, usually sources work in accordence with, uh, reporters...you think reporters get their stories merely through the mill? No, many get calls and e-mails, like, uh, here.
ReplyDelete