Celtics Bolt WEEI

["Way Of The Ray" <wayray@ix.netcom.com>]

Jim Baker may join Eddie Andelman on this
station, which no one listens to in the Boston area,
and is barely audible elsewhere.

And the Celtics will have the least radio presence
of  the four Pro teams in Boston....

C's switch from WEEI to `The Zone'
by Jim Baker
Friday, April 6, 2001

Here's one breaking story you didn't hear on WEEI's ``20/20 Sports Flash.''

The improving Celtics yesterday severed their WEEI (850) radio relationship
of more than 15 years, effective after season's end, and agreed to a
five-year, $2 million per-season package with Sporting News-owned WWZN
(1510), the Woburn-based former WNRB now dubbed ``The Zone.''

WWZN prevailed over WTKK (96.9-FM) and WEEI, which reportedly lost major
money over similar terms with a struggling C's team.

``We're proud to partner with such a legendary franchise,'' said Sporting
News Radio chief Chris Brennan, who confirmed WWZN will carry all games.
``By acquiring the Celtics, the station is moving forward to improve our
presence in the marketplace.''

Rich Pond, the Celtics' chief operating officer, took the high road
regarding another possible reason for the change - negativism toward the C's
despite flagship status, particularly Glenn Ordway and mates ridiculing
then-coach Rick Pitino's remarks on a Eddie Andelman-Dale Arnold show with
Pitino in-house.

``We have never called WEEI to mandate what they do and I know they must
entertain in other broadcast-day parts (besides C's games), but you can be
certain the WEEI people knew we weren't happy,'' Pond said.

Brennan, saying he was born the year of the C's first title (1957) and that
they won 13 before he graduated from high school, stressed WWZN's format
embraces ``smart sports talk.''

Though not getting specific, John Cravens, Sporting News Radio group chief
of stations in Chicago, New York, Los Angeles and here, indicated WWZN may
soon have local hosts.

``Where there's smoke, there's fire, and we'll do what it takes to be
competitive,'' Cravens said.

Andelman may bolt WEEI sometime after his May 20 ``Hot Dog Safari.''

This column broke word Feb. 18 that the C's might leave Entercom-owned WEEI
for then-WNRB, owned by Microsoft billionaire co-founder Paul Allen, who
also owns the Seattle Seahawks and Portland Trail Blazers and whose New York
station carries New York Islanders games.

WWZN changed from WNRB on Monday and finishes Papa Joe Chevalier's
three-evening run of shows from Champions tonight. Adding the C's is huge as
WWZN has not cracked Arbitron's book despite a 50,000-watt signal.

WWZN and Ch. 56 air Revolution games starting with tomorrow night's
MetroStars opener at 7.

Howard David is superb calling C's fortunes on WEEI and continues with the
Lakers invasion at 7:30 tonight (also on FSNE). But Brennan, saying his
station won't face conflicts (unlike WEEI, which keeps only the Red Sox
under a five-year deal), called it premature to peg next season's
announcers.

``We'll be far more innovative with vignettes and other short-form
subjects,'' he said.

WEEI program director Jason Wolfe would not specify his station's bid or
monetary loss with the C's, but said: ``We knew it would be a business
decision. I'm disappointed, but we had a great relationship with the Celtics
and will for years to come.''