WBZ and the Red Sox

[Mark Laurence]

On Jul 10, 2007, at 10:48 PM, Kevin Vahey wrote:

> I consider this one of the great mysteries of Boston radio history.
> The Red Sox and WBZ have never joined forces. WBZ certainly coveted
> sports as they have been the home of the Pats, Celtics and today the
> Bruins. WTIC became a Sox  station 50 years ago in part so Tom Yawkey
> could hear the games in South Carolina. Why WNAC, WAAB, WHDH, WMEX,
> WITS, WPLM, WRKO, WEEI but never WBZ?

Maybe because their strong signal would lower the value of network  
affiliations in many markets.  I'm guessing that was more of a  
consideration 20-40 years ago than it is now, but I think the network  
was probably a large part of the financial package.  As a network  
flagship, WBZ would be competing against many of its affiliates.