NESN and WBZ-TV today announced a partnership in which NESN will provide pre-game reports from each game for the WBZ newscasts, and WBZ will provide the official weather updates on NESN. In addition, WBZ-TV sports anchor Dan Roche will be a regular guest on NESN’s pre-game shows.
From a joint press release:
NESN, New England’s most watched sports network, and WBZ-TV, the top-rated Boston broadcast station in primetime, announced today that they have entered into a partnership that will connect the two market leaders in a unique content sharing relationship associated with NESN’s Red Sox and Bruins coverage. The partnership, thought to be the first-of-its-kind in the country between a regional sports network and a broadcast station in the same market, will launch on Friday, April 13 for NESN’s exclusive coverage of the Red Sox home opener and will feature a number of regularly scheduled game-day activities, including:
- NESN Live Shots for WBZ-TV Newscasts
NESN will provide live pre-game reports from Fenway Park and all NESN road telecasts for WBZ-TV’s 6:00 PM and Noon newscasts. The live shots, which will primarily feature NESN’s Don Orsillo, Jerry Remy or Jenny Dell, will take place throughout the baseball season beginning tomorrow for the home opener against the Tampa Bay Rays.- WBZ-TV Sports Anchors on NESN
WBZ-TV sports anchor Dan Roche will appear as a regular guest on NESN’s Boston Red Sox pre-game shows, joining NESN host Tom Caron and Hall of Famers Dennis Eckersley, Jim Rice, Peter Gammons, and NESN’s newest analyst, former MLB slugger Matt Stairs.- WBZ-TV Weather Updates on NESN
· WBZ-TV News’ team of AccuWeather meteorologists, led by meteorologist Todd Gutner, will provide the “Official Forecast of NESN’s Red Sox Coverage.”
· WBZ-TV’s AccuWeather team will provide NESN with weather updates for NESN’s pre and post-game shows.
· WBZ-TV’s AccuWeather team will provide NESN in-game weather updates during rain delays.
· WBZ-TV’s AccuWeather updates will also be provided year-round to NESN Daily, NESN’s nightly sports news program, which airs at 10:00 PM on non-game days or immediately following NESN’s post-game coverage on Red Sox and Bruins game days.
“This unique partnership brings together two of the strongest and most popular media companies in New England in a way that we think complements the strengths of each organization,” said Sean McGrail, NESN’s President and CEO. “WBZ-TV has a long-standing history as a local leader in the Boston market and we are looking forward to working closely with them.”
“We are delighted to partner with NESN, the region’s top-rated sports network, and combine the significant resources of our two powerhouse media organizations to bring viewers even more comprehensive and compelling weather and sports content during Red Sox and Bruins seasons,” said Ed Piette, President and General Manager of CBS Boston’s WBZ-TV and myTV38 (WSBK-TV).
Boston Sports Media Watch 
So is this the beginning of the end for D&C on NESN? If WBZ is going to be strategically partnering with NESN, I doubt they’d be keen on their main sports radio competition getting airtime.
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Maybe similar to the NECN/WTKK (96.9 the political talk station)? But, yeah, why would CBS basically need a RSN doing anything for it? It’s got the resources of CBS behind it.
Isn’t this like CSNNE asking NESN for weather, meanwhile NBC wasted 600m or whatever on the Weather Channel years ago?
However, wouldn’t it be odd for NESN to simulcast one WBZ show in the morning and then have F+M on CSNNE later? Only thing I can think is that the younger demos would watch if it were on NESN.
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A little strange for sure, but really apples and oranges. NESN is paying $ to Entercom for the WEEI content whereas the WBZ deal is more about promotion and marketing with no actual dollars changing hands. Big difference in the media world.
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So is this the beginning of the end for D&C on NESN? If WBZ is going to be strategically partnering with NESN, I doubt they’d be keen on their main sports radio competition getting airtime.
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Good, I like Rochie.
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and jenny dell will be given her own show
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Bruce,
I read your SBNation column on the coverage from NBCSports and its RSNs. NESN would obviously never sell rights on the Sox, but would Comcast be interested in trying to wiggle away Bruins rights from NESN? Would they ever allow?
You said it perfectly:
Comcast SportsNet has affiliates in other NHL playoff cities – Chicago,
Washington, Philadelphia and San Jose. (CSN Bay Area) The difference
here is that those affiliates carry the broadcast rights to the Blackhawks, Capitals, Flyers and Sharks,
respectively. CSNNE does not hold the Bruins broadcast rights, but will
still provide pre-game and post-game coverage for each playoff game.
—
That must drive them nuts. Out of those markets, maybe sans Caps/Flyers?, Boston is a cash cow in regards to ratings rights.
I’d assume if they threw a large enough % share at Jacobs, he’d leave NESN in a second.
My theory on the RSN approach NBC is trying to accelerate, since FOX is getting into the business, is buying up the rights to everything they can do.
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The Bruins own part of NESN. So your theory is a non-starter.
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I understand that, and it’s why I said, “That must drive them nuts”.
Could always sell it if CSNNE are offering some monster share/deal.
Jacobs doesn’t sound like he cares what network has it. CSNNE does. With how much competition there is now, I think they would make a serious push.
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The Bruins’ NESN stake (and the accompanying advertising and subscriber revenue) may be worth as much as the rest of the Bruins assets combined. When Charles Dolan was evaluating the Red Sox for purchase, he attributed 50% of the value to their majority stake in NESN.
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Official forecast of Sox casts??? Wow…truly cutting edge and industry changing…not. More content and filler for free on both sides…and more viewer confusion.
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