ST. LOUIS — The media feeding frenzy over what colleague Derrick Goold aptly dubbed “ Albertageddon” is a vivid illustration of the times, when what not long ago would have been a significant but not overwhelming story becomes an epic production in which hundreds of thousands of words are written, uncounted hoursof airtime are consumed and the social media world buzzes.
The massive volume of coverage this week not only locally but nationally of a story in which nothing concrete was resolved - Albert Pujols still is a St. Louis Cardinal and never said he’s leaving - provides a tidy capsulized view of where the tent known as the media circus now is pitched. Some topic - any topic - always is necessary to fuel the fire, to keep alive a “talking point” to pull the audience back for the latest tidbit. One need look no farther back than the Brett Favre saga of recent summers and the LeBron James melodrama of last year.
Mike Greenberg, co-host of the Mike and Mike in the Morning show on ESPN Radio and ESPN2, succinctly summed up the media’s insatiable appetite for story lines to develop and follow.
“You come out of a period where you’re crazy with all the football, the playoffs, and you’re talking about games, games, games,” he said on the program Wednesday. But “ ... we’re in the lull right now - NBA dog days, NHL dog days, college basketball revving up for March Madness.”
So something is needed to bridge the gap.
“All of the issues of the sports world are laid out on a platter for us to examine,” Greenberg said.
In other words, with Super Bowl hype over and the NCAA Tournament hullabaloo still a month away, the media machine needs an allconsuming story to keep it oiled. Enter Pujols. But in reality, the fact that an artificial deadline for him to re-sign with the Cardinals passed leaves Pujols in the same situation he was in last year at this time, three years ago at this time or even seven years ago - he is eligible for free agency at the end of the 2011 season. Sure it’s news that talks about a deal didn’t happen. But it doesn’t mean he won’t re-sign, so where is the apocalypse for Cards fans?
Everywhere, at least via the ravenous media monster. And some statistics bear out that massive coverage generates interest. On Thursday, when Pujols reported to camp, through 4 p.m. the top five viewed stories on STLtoday. com, the Post-Dispatch’s website, involved Pujols. So did seven of the top 10. And on Wednesday, deadline day, there were approximately 2.2 million “hits” on the site, about half a million more than on a normal weekday.
We can only hope that next winter we don’t have a James-style carnival playing out on the ultimate hype calliope, ESPN, with Pujols announcing “I’m taking my talents to ...” But at least that would be real, major news.
Fox Sports Midwest General Manager Jack Donovan, whose outlet will be the sole provider of locally produced Cards telecasts this season, didn’t want to discuss how FSM would be affected if Pujols does leave.
“We know that Albert will be with the Cardinals this season and we expect it to be a great year,” he said in a statement.
But he was more detailed in an interview several month ago.
“Financial terms of our deal wouldn’t change with or without Pujols,” he said then.
Donovan wouldn’t reveal terms of that arrangement with the Cards, but a source in local broadcasting said he believes the team is paid about $100,000 per telecast - and with 150 FSM games on tap for this season, that would translate into $15 million. The deal is believed to run through 2018, with two option years to follow. FSM’s Cards telecasts last season drew the highest ratings in the majors, and Donovan knows Pujols helped fuel that.
“He’s the most popular player on the team, and that brings ratings,” he said in that interview. “If he still has another at-bat, people will stay with the telecast to see his last at-bat. Flat out, he’s an extremely exciting guy, and that’s what we’re selling.”
But he said there is a bigger ingredient in the drawing viewers.
“Winning drives ratings,” he stated then.
Whereas there is a big revenue check from TV, the Cards handle the business aspect of their radio network in-house.
Sports, Pages 24 on 02/20/2011