The Ticket merging with ESPN in Dallas

[Macnalty]

BARRY HORN

Staff Writer

bhorn@***BANNED-URL***

Published: 07 August 2013 11:56 AM

Updated: 07 August 2013 12:50 PM

In what could be the first step in a sports-talk radio shakeup in Dallas-Fort Worth, SportsRadio 1310 The Ticket in Dallas will operate KESN-FM 103.3, Dallas' ESPN radio affiliate. Ticket employees Wednesday were informed of the change in a meeting, and there is no immediate change anticipated in the radio lineups for either station.

No word yet on what this change means for the Mavericks and Rangers' broadcast rights.

The Ticket is a finalist for two prestigious Marconi Awards, presented annually by the National Association of Broadcasters. No other Dallas-Fort Worth radio station has any finalists, and this marks the seventh time 1310 The Ticket has been named a finalist for "sports station of the year."

But The Ticket's dominance in this market is all about ratings. The June radio ratings have trickled in for the Dallas-Fort Worth sports talk scene. Here are some facts:
-- Among all listeners all week: Ticket (2.6); ESPN (2.1); The Fan (1.0).
-- Men 25-54 weekdays: Ticket (6.6); ESPN (3.6); Fan (2.1)
-- Men 25-54 weekdays 6 a.m.-7 p.m.: Ticket (8.7); ESPN (3.3); Fan (2.2)
-- Highest-rated hour Men 25-54: Ticket's Hardline 6-7 p.m.10.8)
-- 2nd highest-rated hour Men 25-54: Ticket's Dunham & Miller 9-10 a.m.: (10.6)
-- Lowest-rated hour Men 25-54: Fan's R.J. & Shan 6-7 a.m.: 0.7
-- 2nd Lowest-rated hour Men 25-54: Fan's Ben & Skin, 4 p.m. (1.4)

The Fan, the last of the three local stations to enter the sports talk wars, reshuffled its third-ranked lineup in May by adding Jeff Wade and Ben Rogers, formerly of ESPN 103.3 FM, to host afternoon drive.

More to come on this developing story.

 

[StonetheCrow77]

Best thing about The Ticket is/was it isnt part if espn. Blah.

 

[ChronicCowboy]

RIP the ticket

 

[Chocolate Lab]

Cumulus is going to be operating 103.3, not vice-versa. If anything it might be RIP Espn Dallas radio, which sucks.

 

[jterrell]

Both will exist.
The Ticket will move to 103.3 and ESPN will move to 1310 AM.

The Ticket's great ratings are insane given the crappy FM reception on 104.1.

I had 103.3 almost all the way to Tulsa this past weekend. The Ticket was gone 20 miles outside Denton.

 

[Crown Royal]

So long as Sturm is still there, no problem.

 

[Sportsbabe]

The Ticket used to be 80% Cowboys during the season. Something happened to them. I don't know what ... but I hope this helps.

 

[reddyuta]

so who is going to make fun of ESPN now,its sleeping with the enemy.

 

[Zordon]

Yeah but the real question is where's greggo?

 

[Chocolate Lab]

Both will exist.
The Ticket will move to 103.3 and ESPN will move to 1310 AM.

The Ticket's great ratings are insane given the crappy FM reception on 104.1.

I had 103.3 almost all the way to Tulsa this past weekend. The Ticket was gone 20 miles outside Denton.

I suspect there are more moves to be made. Can't see ESPN accepting that sorry little AM signal... Same reason the Ticket wanted to upgrade.

 

[Nova]

Man I didn't realize how much of the minority I'm in by listening to the fan.

I still can't get into the ticket and local ESPN radio is so bland... I mean I like GAC, but that's about it (cowherd is, of course, nationally syndicated).

 

[Boyzmamacita]

I listen to The Fan for pregame and The Ticket for postgame. I wonder how much this will change the postgame show. I like Norm and Donovan.

 

[TwoDeep3]

I guess I am different than most when it comes to this radio station. When they actually discuss sports I think they are exceptional.

But then you have wannabe comedians and wannabe rock stars that turn the sports talk to something more junior high and I lose interest.

I swapped emails with Sturm on quite a few occasions and aired this complaint, but as you would expect he tossed out the numbers and suggested this is part of the charm.

Frankly, I would like to see Dan go the way of the earth shoe on Sturm's show and allow him to just be brilliant.

Again, I'm certain I am the minority here on this.

As far as the rest, I stopped listening to them except when I can catch Norm.

 

[5Stars]

I guess I am different than most when it comes to this radio station. When they actually discuss sports I think they are exceptional.

But then you have wannabe comedians and wannabe rock stars that turn the sports talk to something more junior high and I lose interest.

I swapped emails with Sturm on quite a few occasions and aired this complaint, but as you would expect he tossed out the numbers and suggested this is part of the charm.

Frankly, I would like to see Dan go the way of the earth shoe on Sturm's show and allow him to just be brilliant.

Again, I'm certain I am the minority here on this.

As far as the rest, I stopped listening to them except when I can catch Norm.

Ok, now exactly what does that mean?

lol

 

[TwoDeep3]

Sturm alone without the insipid Dan McDowell.

 

[5Stars]

Sturm alone without the insipid Dan McDowell.

And some of us posters (or maybe just me) should have known what you meant by "go the way of the earth shoe "?

 

[TwoDeep3]

And some of us posters (or maybe just me) should have known what you meant by "go the way of the earth shoe "?

When was the last time you saw earth shoes?

Landry had just led the team to the playoffs and was beaten by Cleveland the second time in the Conference Championship game just prior to the introduction of earth shoes in America on April 1, 1970. BY the end of that decade they were history.

There will be a test on Friday.

 

[5Stars]

When was the last time you saw earth shoes?

Landry had just led the team to the playoffs and was beaten by Cleveland the second time in the Conference Championship game just prior to the introduction of earth shoes in America on April 1, 1970. BY the end of that decade they were history.

There will be a test on Friday.

Oh...well that explains it. I had just come back from a war during that time and did not get to keep up with those shoes. Earth Shoes? I learn something new everyday!

 

[TwoDeep3]

Oh...well that explains it. I had just come back from a war during that time and did not get to keep up with those shoes. Earth Shoes? I learn something new everyday!

I was in the same war and evidently I paid attention.

 

[5Stars]

I was in the same war and evidently I paid attention.

The Dallas Cowboys are getting ready for some of that, I hope.