The Josh Innes Show - Sports Radio 610 Focus Group

Episode Date: November 13, 2024

I just saw that Sports Radio 610 in Houston is asking for listeners to be part of a focus group. I think I'd like to be part of this. I have thoughts. Speaking of Houston radio, I'm going to offer you a full on breakdown about why sports programming will never be on a legit FM signal. It's a little inside baseball. But, you'll learn something. Learn more about your ad choices. Visit megaphone.fm/adchoices

All right, Jamokes. So I just saw this pop up, and I got a lot of things I want to get into today. I'm probably going to do three. I might do three or four of these things today. I got to do this. I got to go over and put in my bets in Illinois. Go get my $1.59 fries and Diet Coke from McDonald's. You should get the app.

Bada, bop, bop, bop. The McDonald's app, among all the fast food apps, you can find cheaper shit, better quality shit. Like the burger king app doesn't get you a goddamn thing the burger king app sucks the chick-fil-a app is fine but the mcdonald's app every day if you have an account you can get at least in mine a medium fry in any size drink for like a dollar fifty i'm like shit i'm on manjaro anyway i'm not that hungry let's fucking go but i just saw this pop up. And this is from Sports Radio 610 in Houston, which, by the way, I have nothing against these

people. I want to be very clear. I've talked to the guy that programs the station. I've sent him an email. I'm not nearly the Neanderthal psychotic person that I used to be. I still have those feelings, but I just rep you know, repress them instead of letting them out in the world. I stew, I rage on the inside. I'm still just a rat in a cage, but I have nothing against them or any of the people there. In fact, I have friends that are there. So, and I, I truly have no ill will towards any human that works that radio station. Okay? That said, I see a message from Sports Radio 610, and this is the worst if you work on a radio station. Houston, we want to hear from you.

Sign up for our Sports Radio 610 listener focus group here. Can you join us Wednesday, December 4th from 6 to 7.30 p.m.? We're doing a focus group on the station and want your input. If you'd be willing to take part, click the link and give us your info. I'm clicking the link. Look, anybody has thoughts on sports radio and sports media, it's your boy. Now, they probably won't select me anyway, but if they don't ask for your name and shit, do I just show up? Like, do I have to go catch a flight down to Houston in early December to go be part of the Sports Radio 610 listener panel?

All right. They've sent me the survey monkey. All right. Here's the Sports Radio 610 listener panel. What is your age? I'm the prime age that radio stations are looking for. 35 to 44. Like, I'm key.

I'm like right in the heart of the fucking demo, man. I'm 38 years old. 35 to 44 like i'm key i'm like right in the heart of the fucking demo man i'm 38 years old 35 to 44 now you might say joshua how can you count you're a radio guy oh contraire bonjour i am not a radio guy i'm a jamoke that sits in his underpants in his bed every morning and records a podcast i'm not a radio guy what is your gender gender? What is gender? Sports Radio 610. Can I write that in? Why is there not a third option? Male or female? I'll say male. How often do you listen to Sports Radio 610 between 6 a.m. and 10 a.m.? Pain and Pendergast. I guess I would, do I need, here's the options. One to two days a week, three to four days a week, every day or none of the above.

If I put none of the above, which is true, then why would they select me? So I'm gonna have to lie a little bit. I mean, I listened to it some, like I've listened, look, I know what it fucking sounds like. You know what I'm saying? Like it's the same show as it was 10 years ago. Like no offense to them,

but I don't know what would have changed about it. like did they put like a wacky sidekick in there is Bobcat Goldthwait like their sidekick like are they slapping chicks asses probably not so it's probably the same show is there a donkey show going on in the eight o'clock hour every day I'm gonna guess no so I'm gonna put uh one to two days a week. That sounds about right. How often do you listen to sports radio 610 between 10 a.m. and 3 p.m.? That's in the loop with Reggie, John, and Figgy. I will say one to two days a week. I don't know the kid, Reggie, that's doing that with John, so I have nothing to offer about him. I don't really know. I know John very well. He's a good friend.

And Figgy, you talk about a wonderful dude that's a talented dude that does great video work. Figgy's a talented cat. It's a wide range of talents that the guy has, and I admire him. How often do you listen to the afternoon show? I'm going to say none of the above on that that one those are two guys I don't really know I've never met the football player guy and I actually like uh Ron Ron's a good guy but uh um I will put none of the above on that because honest to god like if we're being honest like I would seek out listening to Lopez a little bit because we're friends and I like Figgy and I have nothing against Sean and Seth and I think they do a solid show like I don't think it's a bad show

every time I've ever listened to The Drive with Sterner and Hughley I'm kind of like like if you're doing focus groups that makes like something's not going right with you if you're doing focus groups like when I was here they were talking about like well we got to kind of get a focus group you got to you have to pay for well generally speaking you have to pay this is to me this isn't like a paid focus group like a real focus group this is like hey come up and you know we're just going to use listeners to gauge some shit so i don't know if this is a true blue actual focus group or not uh but i'm gonna put none of the above because honestly i think that's their worst show would you say houston sports or

would you say sports radio 16 is your favorite sports radio station in houston well what are my options you know you can't pick up 97.5 and i can't with a straight face say 790 although my good friend sean salisbury is on 790 but other than that i have nothing against like matt thomas and shit but i can't like that station i can't really support now if they hired me again i'd support the shit out of them i'd say hey bygones be bygones uh but i would i will say yeah i will say yes it is my favorite sports radio station would you be willing to come to the station for a focus group on wednesday december 4th from 6 to 7 30 p.m and give us some in-person feedback with a small group of your peers in

exchange for pizza and beer and some unnamed prizes you had me at pizza and beer the unnamed prizes that's just lanyap uh let's see um unnamed prizes that they're gonna go digging through the old prize closet like here's one of these old cups that says this cup was stolen from sports radio 610 lol if yes please provide your name and email should i do it i'm gonna. Like, what are they going to say? No, they may not even know it's me. Josh Ennis, Josh Ennis show. God, they're going to call my bluff and say yes. Then I'm going to be like, shit, how the hell am I going to get down to Houston? Let's see if they say at gmail.com.

There's no way in hell they accept me for this. But it's a funny goof. It's a goof. It's a bit. So let's see here. Have I filled it? So December 4th from 6 to 7.30 p.m. Are you willing to come? Look, I'm in. I'm in.

So we shall see what happens. We'll see if I get to be part of a sports radio focus group not that anyone gives a shit about my opinion anymore but if you're doing a focus group for a radio station generally speaking things are not going as well as you want them to i will say this about 610 610 is the best of the sports radio stations. I think it's the best run. I think it's the best sounding. I view every other sports operation in the city

to be second tier. That doesn't necessarily mean I think all the shows on 610 are great. I just view it as kind of the cream of the crop, the class of it. My problem with 97.5, I'm getting into a sports radio breakdown here, but I will break this down for you.

97.5, and I didn't even work there, quote unquote, but I was there for a year and AJ brought me on and I appreciate AJ for doing that because AJ is the most badass dude on the planet. And I love him very much for doing that because it kind of got me back in the door. But I wasn't truly an employee. I was like an independent contractor and I worked for endorsements.

Really, the Rona kind of worked out well for me because I got my foot in the door there, and we were getting these endorsements for these masks that were paying a shitload of money, an endorsement for some gambling site that was paying a shitload of money. So I'd find myself making a couple grand a month working two hours over at 97.5 just hawking masks to people like this is the most comfortable mask I've ever worn I love having my rights violated order your rights violating mask today two for one and go bet on sports I forgot what site we use for that my bookie I think it might have been but anyway so um 97.5 is and this isn't a knock

on the people that work there because obviously Bootsy Paul is someone I know very well and he's a friend of mine and Joel is a friend of mine and Jeremy they're good guys um and I know John I've met John and I know Lance like Lance and I are buddies like we I wouldn't say we're like best friends we don't ride a tandem bicycle together. We can go years without saying something to each other. But we did work at 790 at the same time for a little bit before he left, and then I ended up coming in to do the morning shit. But I have nothing

against him either. Look, I truly don't have any beef or ill will towards any of the people there. But 97.5 is a throwaway. It's a pointless radio station. That's 97.5 Houston if you're listening in Philly, not 97.5 in Philly. That is also a throwaway. It's a pointless radio station. That's 97.5 Houston. If you're listening in Philly, not 97.5 in Philly, that is also a throwaway radio station, but at least it's a throwaway radio station that almost tries. 97.5 Houston is just a throwaway station. It's not well run. I don't know that they even care about it. It's got a half signal because the stick is

out towards Beaumont. So once you start getting west of 610, you don't really pick it up. And, look, again, I'm not saying this to rip these people, but it's just not a very good radio station. And it's tough when you can't pick it up. I think AJ was trying, and I don't think AJ ever wanted to be a program director, but he was kind of thrust into it. And he did the best he could there and during the Rona. And now AJ's killing it just flat

out killing it at the station in san antonio i'm like aj tell them to hire me there i'll come work with you in san antonio i'd give my left nut to do that at this point that'd be fun but um there's nothing there for me but i'm like listen tell them you're a powerful man you're the big morning host tell them you need josh ennis in san an San Antonio. But that station's kind of a dud. And look, it's never going to get ratings. I don't even think they subscribe to the ratings anymore. They're like, fuck it. We're tired of wasting money to show our.1 to people.

All right, if you're ready to win some real cash during the basketball playoffs, you've got to check out Pick 6 from DraftKings. When it comes to basketball payouts, DraftKings pick six posterizes the competition, including prize picks. It's a very simple concept. Hit all your picks and score higher minimum payouts on pick six, plus even more cash if you outscore the competition. Pick six is available in most states, Missouri California Texas Georgia and more and I absolutely love it look every night we're going to be having playoff basketball every night so when you're sitting around and you might not have interest in a particular game let's say you're a

fan of a particular team they're not playing that night here's how you make it a little bit more fun for the other games build a little lineup there with Pick 6. It's really great. Me and my wife do it all the time, so make sure you do it. And new players get 50 in Pick 6 credits instantly on just a $5 entry. Download the DraftKings Pick 6 app now and use code INNES, that's my name, I-N-N-E-S, for new customers to play. $5, and pick six credits better payouts bigger wins only with pick six from draft kings the crown is yours gambling problem call 1-800-GAMBLER help is available for problem gambling call 888-789-7777 or visit ccpg.org in Connecticut. Must be 18 plus. Age and eligibility restrictions vary by jurisdiction.

Pick six not available everywhere, including New York and Ontario. Voidware prohibited. One per new customer. Bonus award. It is non-withdrawable pick six credits that expire in 14 days. Limited time offer.

See terms at picksix.draftkings kings dot com slash promos then you got 790 which is what it is i think sean's wonderful i haven't listened to a show that he does with the guy that he has on there with him now i forgot the guy's name um and that's not a knock-on am i honest i just don't know but uh sean's a wonderful guy i think sean's great at talking football he's my favorite person in the world to talk about football like he and i we used to do some really good segments together and go out and drink together I love Sean a lot I think he's a good dude and I think he's good on the radio um I think Matt Thomas is a good radio guy I think he and Ross have a really good rapport it's a good solid little midday show and I I would assume that the afternoon show is dog shit so I wouldn't listen to it I think

they're on TV now from what I understand so good for them but um I would assume that the afternoon show is dog shit. So I wouldn't listen to it. I think they're on TV now, from what I understand. So good for them. But I would assume that's just a god-awful radio show because it's always been a god-awful radio show. So there. So I just don't think 790 is a very good radio station. And they also don't care. That's the part that, again,

here's why I give 610 the edge in that city. It's because, like, they have a program director, and that program director's job is to be the program director for Sports Radio 610. It is not that, you know, like, the guy who runs 790 runs KTRH and technically runs 950, I think, too. Although 950 is just a lot of brokered or paid programming and shit like that i think walton and johnson are on there or johnson and producer kenny so um like their focus isn't on 790 it's a place where they can put the baseball games and the basketball games and it can make a little bit of money my guess is they're not paying a lot of the dudes a lot of money anymore i got paid a shitload to go there but i would imagine that they're not paying those dudes

buku bucks. They're making probably decent money on live endorsements because that's a big focus of theirs is live endorsements, which is totally fine. But they don't have a passion to beat anybody or win. And I knew they didn't have a passion to beat anybody or win. When our numbers started going up after the Radio Row thing and they were embarrassed, I'm like, well, fuck you. I got you numbers. That's what you fucking paid me to do. But whatever. The difference between those, and I'm just letting you behind the curtain here, is that 610 is still a valuable property.

Like, if 790 went away, like, there's a good part of their revenue that comes from that station. Although, Sunny is more. KTRH is way more. Buzz is more. I don't know how the urban station they have does financially i would imagine it's fine because there's not a ton of cost wrapped up in it they are the breakfast club in the morning and my girl carmen's on there and i'm sure she makes a nice little bit but like i don't think that station generates a ton because i don't a lot of urban stations don't make a ton of money uh but I would imagine that basically I would think that 790 is probably second to last in their cluster of radio stations behind KPRC. And I bet KPRC even makes a little bit.

And there's not a ton of cost wrapped up in it, so that helps them. So I would think that's kind of where that goes. So if they lost that station, it would hurt their overall revenue as a station, as a cluster of stations. But at the end of the day, I don't think it's that important to them. They just view it as something that they don't want to make noise. They want it to make the money it makes. If it makes more than that, great. They're not trying to push the envelope with it.

It just exists. They've got four legit money-making big time stations. Sunny is one of the biggest stations in town. Buzz with Rod Ryan in the morning makes a fuck ton of money, right? Rod's the shit there. Same with KTRHB. Michael Berry on his own generates millions of dollars. So 790 is there, but it's not that important to them, right? And if it went away, like, well, let's put it this way. I've been told that the reason why there will never be an FM sports radio station in Houston is because, like, you'd have to take a signal that already exists and put sports on it,

and a sports station would not make up enough revenue to make up for the revenue you would lose from taking away that other FM station, if that makes sense. Plus, if you can't get rid of an AM signal, why murder that AM signal by taking sports off of it? What are you going to put on it? Regional Mexican? So you'd kill that radio station, but you'd still own it and it would just hemorrhage money. So it'd be stupid. It wouldn't hemorrhage money, but you would lose a big chunk of money that was coming from the FM station that you dropped to put sports on and on 790 if that made sense so and the same thing goes for 610 right so at 610 you've got that's Odyssey and they have Mega and they have the Bull and they have what is now called the Spot I think

it's still called the Spot and that used to be Hot 95.7 before that it was Jazz but that's where I met Jilly working on Hot 95.7. And that was a great fucking radio station. Just a killer radio station. And they've got, they technically have 650, which I think probably still airs Jim Rome. But that's a daytime only. There's no cost in it. And it's all syndicated.

And then 610. I think those are the stations, unless I'm missing one. Bull. No, Mix. They have Mix as well. So they've got their stations up there. None of those stations, I've been told this by people, not necessarily from there, but it's understood that people ask, why wouldn't you put 610 on FM and just kill the other stations? Well, if you did that, again, I'm going way in the weeds here, but this is the kind of shit that interests me. So if it interests you, great. If not, hey, rock on, right? But let's again i'm going way in the weeds here but this is the kind of shit that interests me so if it interests you great if not hey rock on right but let's put it

this way if you're if you're odyssey and you have 6 10 the signal 6 10 a.m and you're stuck with it and let's say that station is generating seven million dollars a year in revenue i don't know what they generate five six seven million dollars in revenue maybe a little bit more than that because they don't have to pay for the Texans. Back when they used to have to pay seven million dollars a year for the Texans, I mean, they were fucked. But let's say, was it seven or ten they paid? They paid a ten year

seventy million dollar deal at one time, so it was seven million a year. Let's say that that station's generating seven, eight, nine million dollars a year. And let's say an underperforming station they have, they're like a mix. Let's say mix is generating, even without good ratings, seven, eight, nine million dollars a year. All right, so you've got two radio stations. You want to say, we want to take our sports

programming and put it on 96.5 where mix is playing adult contemporary, hot adult contemporary, Kelly Clarkson, The Weeknd type type shit we want to put sports on there and you say okay let's do that so you take sports and you put it on there so you take the money that that radio station was making seven million a year let's say 610 is generating sports is generating seven million dollars a year and let's say that mix is generating seven million dollars a year so you're dumping that am signal which you still own and have to put programming on, and you're moving it over to 96.5. Well, where does that $7 million a year

you were making for 96.5 go? You know where it goes? It disappears. And that's why that's never going to happen. You're not going to take Mix and put it on an AM station and make $7 million. It's not going to work. And're not going to take mix and put it on an AM station and make $7 million. It's not going to work.

And the only thing you can make money on on an AM station is sports or talk. You could dump regional Mexican or Tejano music on there. You ain't going to make any money. You can dump oldies on there. You ain't going to make any money. So that's why that's never going to happen. Unless they are of the belief that they can essentially double the revenue of 610 if it were on FM. And that's never going to happen because I don't believe a sports radio station in Houston, which is a soft sports

market to begin with, is going to essentially double the revenue if it moves to FM. Now, on one hand, here's one way it could happen. Let's say you move to FM and you essentially render 790 completely obsolete because you're on FM and you, well, actually if you move to FM, you're going to kill one of those other stations. And my guess is it would just be 97.5. Like the gal people might just sell the fucker and be like, that's a waste of money. This is stupid. We're done with this. So you kill that and you take whatever rating you would get from them as well. Like, I think you would, if you put sports on FM in Houston, it would certainly be bigger than it is now because you'd essentially be the only game in town. No one would be flipping over to 790 to hear sports when they could hear sports on FM. So you'd win there and your ratings would go up,

but would it be good enough and big enough of a bump for you to justify making that move you see what i'm saying could you justify the move revenue wise and you can't there's no way and you'd be stuck with a dead am signal that you would probably just run 610, the sports stuff on anyway, and it would be a waste of a signal. Now, if you ever sold 610, or if 790 ever, or if iHeart sold 790, then maybe there's a justification for launching an all-sports station on one of their FMs. I think the FMs that you have over on iHeart

are too big of brands to flip to sports. The one that could have was 93.7 back when it was rock, and it was kind of middling. That's why they moved it to urban. And I think urban does well enough there for them and it doesn't cost them a ton. They'd have to invest a lot of money in talent over there to put a sports station on. So I don't think they'd ever do that. The only scenario I could see that happening is if one day somehow Odyssey sold 610 to somebody. And you would take either, and I think the two options that they would have would be Mix, which has always kind of been talked about as kind of like it's not what it used to be, or Spot. I don't think they would dump Spot because there's not a lot of money in Spot.

They don't have a big morning show. It's just a jukebox. There's not a lot of cost that they have invested in the show. So I don't think they'd worry about that. I think that would be fine. I think Mix would be the candidate where they've had a revolving door of morning shows and everything else they've had. That would be your candidate for a radio station to become an FM sports station. And I don't think that will ever happen because I don't know what kind of value a station like 610 would have to sell. And again, even in that case, you're still losing the revenue.

How much could you sell? I mean, radio stations sell for nothing now. Like back in the day, you'd sell radio stations for 50, 70, 80, $90 million. Now big time radio stations are selling for a fraction of that. Legendary radio stations selling for a fraction of that. So I don't think they'd see the value now all this goes back to the initial point which was there's a focus group for 610 and i'd like to be part of it but if there is a focus group for 610 that tells me they may not be totally happy with all the stuff they have and if they're not totally happy with the stuff they have maybe they need your boy to come in and ride in on that white horse and say, hi-ho fucking silver, let's fucking bring some life to this place.

Or maybe they don't. They might just tell me to go fuck myself, which they have done before, which is fine. But now you've been taught, you just got a lesson, a lesson of the economics of radio in Houston. Do you feel smarter? Did I waste your time? I don't know, maybe.

But anyway, all right, we'll talk again soon.