Boston Battle Lines Are Drawn with WEEI/NESN & Sports Hub/CSNNE

Just announced on Boston’s 98.5 The Sports Hub, the city’s top rated sports radio station, its afternoon drive show hosted by Michael Felger and the Boston Globe’s Tony Massarotti will be simulcast on Comcast SportsNet New England. No date has been set, but it’s expected to start soon. Felger has been a host on CSNNE’s Sports Tonight program for several years and has been affiliated with Comcast SportsNet dating back several years.

Just this year, NESN started simulcasting WEEI’s Dennis & Callahan every morning from 6 — 9 a.m.

In Felger & Massarotti’s case, all four hours of their show will be aired on Comcast SportsNet New England from 2 — 6 p.m.

Here’s the joint press release from WBZ-FM/CSSNE.

98.5 THE SPORTS HUB’S NO. 1- RATED FELGER & MASSAROTTI SHOW TO BE SIMULCAST ON COMCAST SPORTSNET BEGINNING THIS FALL

Live Broadcast Strengthens Comcast SportsNet’s Position and Broadens the Show’s Reach into Four Million New England Households

Burlington & Brighton, MA – September 22, 2011 –  Comcast SportsNet and 98.5 The Sports Hub today announced an agreement to air a live simulcast of Boston’s leading all-sports radio station’s popular Felger & Massarotti Show on Comcast SportsNet beginning this fall. Felger & Massarotti currently can be heard  weekdays from 2:00-6:00PM on-air, online at www.cbsboston.com, and via the Radio.com app for a variety of mobile devices. To coincide with the show’s television debut, Felger & Massarotti will broadcast from a newly renovated set at 98.5 The Sports Hub’s Brighton studios.

Hosted by Comcast SportsNet personality Michael Felger and veteran Boston baseball writer and columnist Tony Massarotti, 98.5 The Sports Hub’s Felger & Massarotti Show is the No. 1-rated afternoon drive program in Boston with Men 25-54 and Men 18-49.

“Felger, Mazz, and the Sports Hub have taken over Boston radio with a rocket launch to the top of the ratings. Adding Felger’s acerbic nature for four more hours to our line-up and Mazz’s credentials are huge pluses for Comcast SportsNet as we continue to build out our programming which features local, entertaining sports programming from 6 a.m. to 1:30 a.m.,” said Bill Bridgen, Comcast SportsNet Executive Vice President and General Manager. “The Sports Hub’s growth mirrors our own dramatic evolution which began with the launch of SportsNet Central and has continued with the addition of a host of new programming including Quick Slants, The Baseball Show and more.”

“98.5 The Sports Hub has enjoyed a meteoric rise in the Boston sports landscape, and the Felger & Massarotti Show has been an integral part of that success,” said Mark Hannon, Senior Vice President/Market Manager, CBS RADIO Boston. “Partnering with Comcast SportsNet on this simulcast allows us to extend our brand further, while also making the Felger & Massarotti show available on CSN to over four million households in New England.”

Felger also hosts Sports Sunday and co-hosts Sports Tonight on Comcast SportsNet. The Boston University grad is the hottest personality in Boston sports and his willingness to take on owners, coaches, players, and fans with his unique brand of biting commentary has set him apart in the Boston sports media market.

Massarotti, a Waltham native and Tufts University graduate, is the author of four books and a long-time baseball writer and columnist for a range of Boston news outlets, including the Boston Globe, the Boston Herald, and Boston.com. Massarotti adds balance to the program with a perspective that only a pragmatic, life-long Bostonian can have.

“Tony and I are thrilled to broadcast our show on Comcast Sports Net, expanding our audience even further,” said Felger. “CSN understands the need for personality and strong opinions, which is right up our alley.”

Added Massarotti, “Simulcasting the show adds an entirely new dimension to the experience we provide our fans. And for many of Comcast SportsNet’s viewers we will be a welcome addition to their afternoon entertainment.”

And that’s it.

About Ken Fang

Ken has been covering the sports media in earnest at his own site, Fang's Bites since May 2007 and at Awful Announcing since March 2013. He provides a unique perspective having been an award-winning radio news reporter in Providence and having worked in local television. Fang celebrates the three Boston Red Sox World Championships in the 21st Century, but continues to be a long-suffering Cleveland Browns fan.

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