WEEI Missed A "Royle" Opportunity After Ordway's Firing
Glenn Ordway was ousted after a long career at WEEI in a shake-up that had ratings to blame as ‘EEI has been blasted by CBS’ Radio 98.5 The Sports Hub. The station has replaced Ordway with Mike Salk who has been on Boston radio in the past on 890 and with ESPN radio.
Ordway has been with WEEI since 1987 and has been part of “The Big Show” for 18 years as a host. The hiring of Salk, who will co-host with Michael Holley for “The Big Show” will be fighting against Felger and Mazz on the Sports Hub for the listening audience. I think WEEI swung and missed on that choice.
Nothing against Salk, who is polished and good, his morning show with Brock Huard (former NFL QB) in Seattle is a ratings hit. His football and sports knowledge is excellent and he displays a great rapport with his co-host. But if they wanted to really shake things up and challenge 98.5, they need only have looked in Boston itself and hired Jen Royle.
Royle is an Emmy award winning journalist/radio/television personality who has vast experience covering baseball, she covered the Yankees from 2003-2009, before moving to Baltimore in 2010 covering the Orioles before starting a Baltimore Ravens pre-game broadcast in 2011.
Since moving back to Boston in 2012, she’s appeared on WEEI, 98.5 as a guest host and has appeared on Comcast Sports New England as a guest. With baseball season starting, she would have been the perfect foil for Felger and Mazz. A ballsy, knowledgeable baseball person who can give as good as she can take and isn’t afraid to ruffle anyone’s feathers while making a point. In my opinion she and Holley would have made an eclectic team.
In the mainly male dominated sports radio talk realm, WEEI could have made not only a big splash but have a different perspective on the sports talk genre. And a very entertaining one to boot.
