Re: WEEI gets Patriots Monday

[Sean Smyth <sportswriter@dejazzd.com>]

Bob Nelson writes: 
> WEEI was hinting at a big annoucement, to be made
> today
> at 11:50 pm. I wondered what it would be--they'd be
> getting rights to Bruins games? Maybe they'd be
> syndicating their programs to stations throughout New
> England? 

Curiously enough, WVEI (1440) is now billed as "a member of the Sportsradio 850 WEEI radio network." Nice two-station network they have going.

> No, the news was that 'EEI had signed a multi-year
> deal
> to do "Patriots Monday" starting this August. During
> pre-season, regular season, and post-season (if they
> make playoffs, which they're likely to do), WEEI will
> broadcast from the new CMGI field on Mondays. They'll
> have exclusive interviews with coach Bill Belichick,
> his players, etc.
> 
> So it looks like "the Zone" (1510) only had "Patriots
> Monday" for a year. (Note that Pats flagship WBCN
> didn't get the rights to "Patriots Monday", but
> maybe they just want to stick to doing the games
> themselves...)

The Zone has held the Patriots Monday rights for three years. It had been speculated Kraft steered the show that way in part because he owned some One-on-One Sports stock (don't know how true that is though). Seems contradictory for 1510 to be dropping the show now, just as they are gearing up with their local programming. 

As an aside, has anyone else listened to the new "Dale and Neumie Show" on WEEI middays? Brutal, nauseating, kiss-ass radio.

Sean