Glenn Ordway and Mike Felger probably aren't on speaking terms right now. Not only are the two the biggest names of the biggest shows at their respective radio stations, but one is costing the other quite a bit of cash.
Felger, who is the co-host of 'Felger & Massarotti' - the top rated afternoon drive show in the Boston sports radio market - is costing Ordway about half a million dollars per year due to his success in his two years in the time slot.
According to a Chad Finn report, Entercom - the parent company of the WEEI Sports Radio Network - used a clause that allowed them to slash Ordway's salary of $1,000,000 in half if Ordway's show, 'The Big Show,' didn't meet certain ratings requirements. Alas, they did not, and Ordway's out quite a bit of cash.
According to industry sources, the longtime WEEI host had his reported $1 million annual salary cut in half by station owner Entercom earlier this month. The company took advantage of a clause in the contract Ordway signed in January 2009 that gave it an out if his afternoon drive program, "The Big Show,'' failed to meet a certain standard in the Arbitron ratings.
Sources said Entercom could opt out of the contract if "The Big Show'' failed to finish among the top three stations in the Boston market for a particular demographic in a specific number of consecutive Arbitron books. "The Big Show'' finished fifth in the men 25-54 demographic in the spring book with a 5.5 share. In the winter book, it was fourth (6.1). (via Boston Globe)
Finn wrote that Ordway was contacted in September and presented with an ultimatum: take the pay cut, or his job could be at risk. Smartly, Ordway took the pay cut. Ordway may have lost out on some major cash, but he's still much more financially stable than most of us (myself included).
Still, this is bad news for Ordway and WEEI, which have faced declining ratings with the rise of 98.5 The Sports Hub, which employs Michael Felger and is making its name as Boston's premier sports radio station.
There's still time to right the ship for Ordway and WEEI, but it will take some major changes to make themselves more appealing to a younger demographic.
As Brad Pitt said portraying Billy Beane in Moneyball, "adapt or die." Those are good words to live by for Ordway and company.