Either Relevant or True » Does Dan Have a Done Deal?

…Dan Patrick, who’s leaving the network after 18 years as one of its biggest stars, soon will announce his new deal: He’ll continue in radio and launch a new nationally syndicated program via Chicago-based Content Factory.

Oh, there may not be much of an interruption of service at all! Just as long as there’s streaming audio and/or podcasts.

Also, Dan pulled out of the Lake Tahoe Celebrity Golf Tournament as of last night.

[Via Deadspin, via The Big Lead]

Edit 2:14: Apparently, Dan left the golf tournament because today was announcement day. Here’s the press release!

Edit 2:37: Why is ESPN using generic drops on the show today? Is Dan being pushed out prematurely?

If KO guests, I wonder how that will work: does anyone think Content Factory will sign on Keith as well? That would be a “get!” I know little to nothing about radio, so please be kind!

Praise for Keith:

http://www.lacitybeat.com/article.php?id=5791&IssueNum=214

It seems Bill Kurtis is behind Content Factory as well as some prominent names from Premier Radio. I could understand that being the lure for DP, but the network is still an infant. Wouldn’t DP be more valuable on the market if he went for a more stable position? Or, is there a perception that KO comes with the package and because KO has been ruffling feathers, he/they may not be as enticing, so going for a new operation is the surest bet to do what DP wants to do? Also, being that Content Factory is new, how much work is DP going to have to do prior to show launch to promote the show and build affiliates? Work he wouldn’t have to do if he went to an already established radio network — say Sporting News Radio, for instance.

Just throwing some thoughts out there from a guy who worked in radio for 10 years.

I was half listening (in the third hour) on the day Dan made his announcement. It sounded like he wasn’t going to be on again until that week of August 17th. Anyone else hear that? Like I said, I was only half-listening at work.

By the way, Rob Feder, the writer of the Sun-Times piece is an excellent journalist, you can pretty much bank on it’s accuracy.

This is quite interesting…Indeed, Dan had lined up a place to go; he just wasn’t ready to talk about it right away.

Will Content Factory sign on Keith? I think so. Why? Because the release described Dan’s “brand” not as “the Dan Patrick brand,” but as “The Big Show.” “Big Show = “Dan and Keith.” True, Keith used to call his first MSNBC program “The Big Show,” but my firm belief is that now that Dan and Keith have re-established themselves as a team in radio, they’re going to stay together. And now that ESPN no longer has to be dealt with, the only limits to how Keith can team up with Dan will be those imposed by his other commitments.

It’s going out on a limb, and it may not work. There may be times when Keith feels as if he might as well put that black leather ESPN2 jacket back on. But the good thing is, Dan and Keith are already a known quantity and a lot of people would doubtless be happy to hear them back together a lot more. So if Keith is closely involved in this, I would not be a bit surprised. Especially because Dan alone is good, but Dan and Keith together is dynamite. It’s like reuniting the Beatles.

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