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Enterprise Radio was an American all-sports radio network which operated in 1981. The network fed twice-hourly sports updates and a series of sports talk programs to affiliates across the United States. Based in Avon, Connecticut, the network's content was well-regarded and featured a number of notable sports personalities, but the network burned through cash amid overhiring and poor advertising support. It ceased broadcasting after nine months on the air.

History

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Enterprise Radio was formally announced in April 1980 by Scott Rasmussen, the son of ESPN founder Bill Rasmussen. It would broadcast updates at 15 and 45 minutes after the hour as well as 13 hours a day of call-in sports talk, live play-by-play, and specials.[1] (Rasmussen had previously left ESPN in October 1979.[2]) This programming would be fed by the Westar satellite to affiliates, because of increasing AT&T Long Lines expenses.[3] After deciding to lease a studio building instead of building one of its own,[4] Enterprise began broadcasting at 7 p.m. on January 1, 1981, having signed up 36 affiliates in markets across the U.S., though none in its home market of Hartford. It had eight talk show hosts for its 13-hour weekday broadcast schedule.[5][6][7] Affiliates split advertising time in network programming evenly with the network; Enterprise required a station air a minimum number of sports updates for access to air its talk shows.[8] Most stations only aired five or six hours of the 13-hour talk show block, primarily the 10 p.m.–1 a.m. slot.[9]

Enterprise never got major sports contracts, with many contracts not up for bid; it presented a bid for Major League Baseball radio rights but lost to CBS.[10] The network carried the 1981 Stanley Cup Finals as well as two boxing matches, between Larry Holmes and Trevor Berbick in April 1981 and Holmes and Leon Spinks two months later.[11] Enterprise Radio also provided coverage of the National Sports Festival in Syracuse, New York, and the 1981 Wimbledon Championships of tennis.[12] Had it continued to the end of the year, the network had rights to the 1981 Astro-Bluebonnet Bowl college football bowl game.[9]

In early August, Enterprise warned it was seeking a partner due to what it called "severe cash flow difficulties". By that time it had 65 affiliates,[13] though its national penetration was about 50 percent. Though the company had gone public, much of the money it raised went to creditors in loans, and it had overhired employees for its launch.[12] It entered into negotiations with real estate investors from California and Arizona, who struggled to complete the deal in a timely fashion. In early September, Enterprise employees appealed to the U.S. Department of Labor for assistance, as they had gone three weeks without pay.[14] The network laid off 20 back-office employees on September 15,[15] but it was not enough. Several of the station's on-air personalities, including Don Chevrier, quit and hired lawyers, seeking back pay. On September 24, the network ceased broadcasting and dismisssed its remaining 75 staff.[12] At the time, Enterprise owed $1.5 million to creditors and $2.2 million in other debts and loans.[12]

Several employees, including senior vice president of broadcast operations John Chanin, sued, alleging Scott Rasmussen made misrepresentations as to the company's finances.[16] Chevrier and John O'Reilly sought the arrest of company officials for signing bad checks; the Connecticut Labor Department sought an arrest warrant for Scott Rasmussen; and the Internal Revenue Service placed a lien on network property.[17] The contents of Enterprise's facilities were auctioned in December to satisfy the secured creditor New England Merchants National Bank.[18]

Rasmussen turned himself in to police in December 1981.[19] His trial on 79 counts of failure to pay wages was delayed into November 1983, when the Rasmussens paid slightly under half the outstanding wage bill.[20][21]

The next major attempt at all-sports radio was the 1987 flip of New York City radio station WHN to sports as WFAN, which became successful and prosperous when it moved to 660 kHz in 1988.[22]

Presenters and reporters

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Enterprise Radio hired a range of recognized sportscasters and players to anchor and report its programs, including:

Two Enterprise Radio interns, Kevin Harlan and Sean McDonough, became network play-by-play announcers.[26]

See also

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References

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  1. ↑ "All-Sports Radio Network Planned in Avon". Hartford Courant. April 14, 1980. p. 7. Retrieved August 24, 2026.
  2. ↑ "PlayBack". Broadcasting. July 7, 1980. p. 38. ProQuest 962774637.
  3. ↑ "The sky's the limit for satellites". Broadcasting. April 21, 1980. pp. 74–76. ProQuest 962741583.
  4. ↑ Brady, Rosemary (August 5, 1980). "Radio Sports Network Delays Building Office". Hartford Courant. p. 20. Retrieved August 24, 2026.
  5. 1 2 3 4 5 Chung, L. A. (December 30, 1980). "New Year Brings 24-Hour Sports to the Radio Dial". Hartford Courant. pp. D1. Retrieved August 24, 2026.
  6. ↑ "36-Stations Join Radio Network". Hartford Courant. January 3, 1981. p. C2. Retrieved August 24, 2026.
  7. ↑ McEnroe, Colin (January 11, 1981). "No Local Takers for Enterprise Radio". Hartford Courant. p. TV Week 36. Retrieved August 24, 2026.
  8. 1 2 "Enterprise Radio fills nation's airways with daily sports". The Midland Reporter-Telegram. Associated Press. January 30, 1981. p. 3D. Retrieved August 24, 2026.
  9. 1 2 Grace, Bob (August 29, 1981). "Enterprise Radio no flash in the pan network, or so says its president". Houston Chronicle. p. 3:9. Retrieved August 24, 2026.
  10. 1 2 "Enterprise Radio: All-sports network is trying to find its niche". The Herald Statesman. Associated Press. June 18, 1981. p. 6D. Retrieved August 24, 2026.
  11. ↑ Craig, Jack (May 31, 1981). "Radio sports are big Enterprise". The Boston Globe. p. TV Week 21. Retrieved August 24, 2026.
  12. 1 2 3 4 5 Condon, Tom; Lehr, Dick (September 25, 1981). "Sports Radio Operation Falls Silent". Hartford Courant. pp. A1, A16. Retrieved August 24, 2026.
  13. ↑ "Cash Flow Slows, Network Seeks Aid". Hartford Courant. August 5, 1981. p. D5. Retrieved August 24, 2026.
  14. ↑ Chung, Lisa (September 12, 1981). "Delay Seen in Rescue Of Enterprise Radio". Hartford Courant. p. C7. Retrieved August 24, 2026.
  15. ↑ "Sports Network Lays Off 20 At Avon Offices". Hartford Courant. September 16, 1981. p. B4. Retrieved August 24, 2026.
  16. ↑ Bonney, Anne (October 15, 1981). "2 Former Broadcasting Executives Sue Enterprise Radio Over Closing". Hartford Courant. p. B3. Retrieved August 24, 2026.
  17. ↑ Condon, Tom (November 3, 1981). "Finances Being Probed: Failed Network's Troubles Mount". Hartford Courant. pp. A1, A8. Retrieved August 24, 2026.
  18. ↑ "Enterprise Radio Network Raises $500,000 in Auction". Hartford Courant. December 4, 1981. p. C11. Retrieved August 24, 2026.
  19. ↑ Lehr, Dick (December 12, 1981). "Sports Radio President Surrenders". Hartford Courant. pp. B1, B2. Retrieved August 24, 2026.
  20. ↑ Stertz, Bradley (July 21, 1983). "ESPN Sells Stock To Pay Salaries". Hartford Courant. p. A4. Retrieved August 24, 2026.
  21. ↑ Stertz, Bradley (November 29, 1983). "Enterprise Radio Owners To Pay Nearly Half of Wages They Owed". Hartford Courant. pp. B1, B4. Retrieved August 24, 2026.
  22. ↑ Hoffmann, Frank; Dempsey, Jack M.; Manning, Martin J. (December 6, 2012). Sports-Talk Radio in America: Its Context and Culture. p. 8. ISBN 9781136428913.
  23. ↑ Craig, Jack (February 8, 1981). "WITS voice still on hold". The Boston Globe. p. 65. Retrieved August 24, 2026.
  24. ↑ Horn, Barry (July 3, 1981). "An earfull: Enterprise radio can't stop talking sports". The Miami Herald. p. 7E. Retrieved August 24, 2026.
  25. ↑ Kirschner, Chris (June 15, 2020). "Now a Yankees radio icon, John Sterling was launched to stardom in Atlanta". The Athletic.
  26. ↑ Anderson, Logan. "EP 112: Sean McDonough, ESPN & the Boston Red Sox". SayTheDamnScore.com. Retrieved August 24, 2026.
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