Tony Marinaro could (already) be leaving BPM Sports
We’re already halfway through March.
The trade deadline is a thing of the past in the NHL, and the Canadiens have neither sold nor bought…
Despite everything, the team remains just three small points away from a playoff spot. They are three points away from a playoff spot.
CF Montreal has already played three games on the road, and they have lost all three.
And we have a new Prime Minister elected in Canada.
But mid-March is also the beginning of the final radio ratings in Montreal. In 11 weeks, the spring ratings – which are very important in radio – will be closed. And the star hosts of our Montreal stations will all be on vacation for the summer.
Rejean Tremblay, who continues to spend his days on the phone, searching for new exclusives, published a very good article this morning on PunchingGrace.
According to what Rejean has heard, Tony Marinaro is currently winding down the last few weeks of his one-year contract with BPM Sports… and he could leave the station to jump elsewhere next year.
BPM Sports, which is reportedly for sale according to Rejean – I can’t say more about this topic -, would lose a big piece if Tony were to leave the station. He has managed to solidify a block that has always been difficult to fill in the past; that of the mid-morning time slot.
Where could Marinaro end up if he doesn’t return to BPM?
(Credit: )
According to Rej, another podcast company has approached Tony with an attractive and even more interesting offer than what his Sick Podcast – which airs every night at 10:00 PM – brings in.
Given the connections between Maxim Lapierre and Tony, as well as the departure of Guillaume Latendresse – who won’t be returning to the airwaves, I’m told -, it’s easy to think that this other podcast is La Poche Bleue.
Why? Because Tony makes good money with his Sick Podcast, and I don’t see many podcasts that can offer him even more money. I could be wrong, but I think I’m right on target.
The Godfather also mentions another offer on the table… an offer that could make Tony Marinaro the next Ron Fournier. We can think that this other offer comes from 98.5 Sports and would make Tony the late-night guy on 98.5 FM.
I admit that the fit is there.
Except that the last time Tony dared to talk to me about his professional future, he told me he loved BPM Sports and its listeners. Tony has a free hand and enjoys himself on the mic at the French-language sports station. At equal pay – or almost -, I’m pretty convinced that Tony would stay at BPM.
But it’s easy to think that Cogeco can currently offer Tony a lot more money than RNC Media. What will Tony do? Will he opt for the security of Cogeco versus the insecurity of BPM Sports, if he indeed has offers from both stations?
Only he knows…
Tony wants to keep his English-language podcast
I know Tony well. I tried to call him this morning, but he didn’t answer. He must have been preparing for his morning show…
And I don’t call people before 8:30 AM, myself…
I’ll have to wait until tomorrow to try to get him to spill the beans during a commercial break; I’m a regular on Tony’s show every Tuesday.
But I know one thing: Tony has partnered with Samy Cavallero (Sick Media) for his Sick Podcast.
Samy is a 24-year-old man with muscular dystrophy. As long as Samy wants to continue the adventure with Tony, the latter will not let him down.
So I don’t see how Tony could become the next Ron Fournier since he’s already on the air at 10:00 PM on the English side…
I only see two options – other than extending his agreement with BPM Sports: being on the air between 6:30 PM and 9:00 PM on 98.5 FM (before games, on nights when the Canadiens are in action) or selling the Sick Podcast to a major.
Except that a major that opens its wallet would want to keep Tony at 10:00 PM, I assume.
In short, Tony has several offers on the table, and it will be interesting to see which path he chooses.
The BPM Sports schedule is solid this season with a complete morning show, a quality mid-morning show, a Laraque – Gonzalez duo that is very popular, and a return home appreciated by the most discerning listeners. Marinaro’s potential departure would leave a huge hole in the station’s programming…
Extension
Tony Marinaro is still under contract for another season with TVA Sports (JiC). He cannot do radio, podcast, or TV anywhere else between 5:30 PM and 6:30 PM.