Jump to content

97.1 The Freak

RPM

By RPM
in Movies and TV

 Share

Recommended Posts

RPM

RPM 26322

Posted
  • Author
Posted (edited)

Led by an Old Grey Wolf, DFW’s sports radio market to add one more sports station

DFW will soon return to its previous status as a three sports-talk station region. The man who brought us the first will soon bring us the third. Mike Rhyner, the man is given the credit for helping start the popular Sports Radio 1310 The Ticket, is coming out of retirement to lend his talents to 97.1 The Freak.

“I can neither confirm nor deny this,” Rhyner wrote via text. Rhyner, sometimes known as The Old Grey Wolf, retired from The Ticket in Jan. of 2020. He’s still been active on social media, and with his local band, “Petty Theft.”

Multiple sources confirmed that 97.1 The Eagle is planning to change its name to The Freak, and flip its format to sports talk. That will give us 1310 The Ticket, 105.3 The Fan, and 97.1 The Freak. Long time DFW sports reporter Richie Whitt first reported this on SI.com.

It sounds as if The Freak will be a Ticket 2.0, as many of the personalities that were established on 1310 are expected to join Rhyner.

97.1 The Eagle is the current home of the popular long-time local sports radio personalities Ben Rogers and Jeff “Skin” Wade, “The Ben and Skin Show,” which airs in the afternoons.

“Ben and Skin” previously hosted its show on 105.3 The Fan before leaving for The Eagle. Wade is also a long time member of the Dallas Mavericks television broadcast team.

In September of last year, the Mavericks announced it would end its 20-year relationship with 103.3 ESPN and have its games broadcast on 97.1.

As far as the lineup at The Freak, expect people you have heard before at other stations in town.

Sources said former 105.3 The Fan personality Jeff Cavanaugh is in the mix to join The Freak, as are former Ticket personalities Julie Dobbs and Mike Sirois.

Ex-Ticket personality Danny Balis, who left the station in May, is another name on the table for The Freak.

Cavanaugh had been with The Fan for 12 years, and left the station early in 2022. He built a stable of loyal listeners with his analysis of the Dallas Cowboys, and NFL draft and prospect coverage.

He currently hosts a football-centric show on his YouTube channel.

Mike Sirois had been with The Ticket as a producer for 15 years, but left the station in June.

Dobbs has worked in DFW both on radio and TV for more than a decade. She currently hosts a podcast with Texas Rangers reporter, Emily Jones, “The Mom Game.”

Expect The Freak to follow a similar format The Ticket made so popular. Sports. Personalities. Entertainment. Lifestyle.

It will not be a repeat of ESPN.

ESPN’s 103.3 FM station in DFW was originally the second spot in town to compete with The Ticket. It had moderate success, primarily with former Dallas Morning News and Fort Worth Star-Telegram sports columnist Randy Galloway hosting his afternoon show.

Once Galloway retired in 2013, the station was never able to challenge The Ticket in the ratings.

ESPN stopped local programming several years ago, opting for the more cost-effective national shows that drew minimal interest in town.

Earlier this year, Disney effectively sold this particular ESPN station and now 103.3 broadcasts religious programming.

After some initial turnover more than 15 years ago, The Fan has become a staple in DFW with hosts Shan Shariff, R.J. Choppy, Gavin Dawson, Mike Bacsik and a few others.

Now the market will soon have a third sports station, including the one that basically started this thing 30 years ago.

Read more at: https://www.star-telegram.com/sports/spt-columns-blogs/mac-engel/article266360526.html#storylink=cpy

Also wanted to add that 97.1 has a much stronger signal and better coverage than 96.7 & 1310 combined. No idea what their streaming game is like, but I'm sure they are way behind The Ticket.

 

Edited by RPM
Link to comment
Share on other sites
RPM

RPM 26322

Posted
  • Author
Posted
6 minutes ago, Gene Parmesan said:

The tickets morning game is too strong.

Know where to punch. Morning drive is not it. 10-12 is vulnerable. 3-7 is red meat. Late night is also wide open. Run local Tier 2 programs instead of network shit.

  • Hook 'Em 1
Link to comment
Share on other sites
C-Man

C-Man 27230

Posted
Posted

Outside of Rhynes and maybe Sirois, I don't know what they'll be able to snag talent-wise that would make me tune in. Ben & Skin? No. Julie Dobbs? LOL, no.

I'll listen to Rhynes. But he's 72 and already quit once after a decade of mailing it in (but still listenable).

  • Hook 'Em 1
  • Like 1
Link to comment
Share on other sites
Hermanator

Hermanator 7081

Posted
Posted
2 hours ago, C-Man said:

Outside of Rhynes and maybe Sirois, I don't know what they'll be able to snag talent-wise that would make me tune in. Ben & Skin? No. Julie Dobbs? LOL, no.

I'll listen to Rhynes. But he's 72 and already quit once after a decade of mailing it in (but still listenable).

Just give Rhyner and Sirois the afternoon drive, keep Julie far down on an earlier time, and I'll be happy with it. It'll have a great bonus of making sure I don't have to listen to Julie ruin the hangzone again too

Link to comment
Share on other sites
XForce

XForce 218

Posted
Posted
9 hours ago, nolongerU2horn said:

Ben & Skin are the Dude Perfect of local radio

I listened to them for a few segments. Their show is a running ad for their brewery in Celina. That and they ask you over and over when you visit their advertisers DONT FORGET TO TELL THEM YOURE THERE BECAUSE OF BEN AND SKIN. 

JFC. Surely they don’t do that every day?

Link to comment
Share on other sites
Surly Bevo

Surly Bevo 25016

Posted
Posted
If I'm Mike and have final say in all hiring, why not make a run at Monty and Minot and have WIP on from 10-12?  Norm and Donnie are an automatic tune out for me so WIP would be a vast improvement. 

Can’t raise the costs on the group medical bringing Monty on board when trying to get things off the ground.
Link to comment
Share on other sites
Dr Fear

Dr Fear 1268

Posted
Posted
Tonight, 97.1 is now playing a loop of freak-themed songs, and the station website has vanished, replaced by a placeholder "Where my freaks at?" message.  IHeart app/streaming site has already switched to the new branding.  https://www.iheart.com/live/971-the-freak-2241/
The Freaks Come out at Night by Whodini is a real banger lol
  • Haha 1
Link to comment
Share on other sites
danhorn111

danhorn111 55

Posted
Posted

I doubt they will scrub all existence - like you say, that would require removing a good percentage of their drop library.  But I bet they do a segment at some point that basically says "We love Mike and wish him well, but we are just going to keep doing what we've always done." and then continue to ignore The Freak.

Link to comment
Share on other sites

Join the conversation

You can post now and register later. If you have an account, sign in now to post with your account.

Guest
Reply to this topic...

×   Pasted as rich text.   Paste as plain text instead

  Only 75 emoji are allowed.

×   Your link has been automatically embedded.   Display as a link instead

×   Your previous content has been restored.   Clear editor

×   You cannot paste images directly. Upload or insert images from URL.

×
 Share
Go to topic listing


Football ... Basketball ... Baseball ... Other Sports ... Futbol ... 🤫995🤫 ... Gambling ... Movies & TV ... Music ... Hobbies ... Lulz ... Food & Travel ... Daily Texan ... Business and Markets ... Cloak Room ... Help ... For Sale ... Board Discussion ... Subscribe!... Donate!... Advertise... COOKIE MONSTER!

×
×
  • Create New...