Kevin McNamara will host "The Score," which returns to local radio next week
PROVIDENCE — Kevin McNamara plans to make good use of his extra hour.
The length of his weeknight show will double with the return of "The Score" to radio airwaves next week. McNamara is the local anchor in a lineup that will feature a few prominent national voices and significant gambling-related content. He was a long-time sports writer at The Journal and now helms his own sports website at kevinmcsports.com.
“In one hour I tried to be as newsy as I could,” McNamara said. “It’s basically a three-segment show — we'd try to have three different subjects. Now we’ll try to hit those three different subjects, but we’ll have a real avenue for calls.”
McNamara’s start time comes forward by an hour on 790 AM — he'll be on the air from 5-7 p.m., Monday-Friday. His second hour will be simulcast in his current time slot on WPRO, which can be found at 630 AM and 99.7 FM. Providence men’s basketball, Brown men’s basketball and football, the Patriots, the Celtics and the Yankees are among the major properties under contract for at least the 2022-23 season.
How 'The Score' will differ from other sports shows
“If Pete Gillen and Rick Pitino and God Shammgod are in town, 'The Score' and WPRO are all over it,” McNamara said. “If that’s in Boston, they don’t go. It’s not on their radar.”
"The Score" will look to cut into the market share of the two current Boston-based giants. WEEI has been displaced atop the ratings by The Sports Hub, with their afternoon drive hosted by Michael Felger and Tony Massarotti drawing more than 20% of male listeners between the ages of 25 and 54. It will require something other than offering the same content.
“For 18 hours a day, if you want to know about the Boston sports teams, there’s no other place to go in the country,” McNamara said. “This is a different product.”
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"The Score" will rely on CBS Radio for three national shows — Jim Rome from 12-3 p.m., JR Jackson with his JR SportsBrief from 11 p.m.-2 a.m. and Amy Lawrence overnight from 2-6 a.m. The Daily Tip and Bet QL Daily cover the time from 6 a.m.-noon. You Better You Bet airs from 3-5 p.m. and Bet MGM Tonight will follow McNamara from 7-11 p.m.
“I’m looking forward to seeing how different they all are,” McNamara said. “I think, because it’s new, I’d encourage people to give it a shot. It will be very different from the Boston-based sports radio that we’ve become used to.”
Appealing to both Rhode Island and Massachusetts communities
The obvious appeal in this market is related to recent discussions in local state legislatures. Rhode Island legalized sports gambling in 2018 and Massachusetts just passed a bill legalizing it and awaits only the governor's signature. "The Score’s" signal is strong enough to reach border communities like Fall River, Seekonk and those deeper into the state like Foxboro.
“We couldn’t have picked a better time to get this product on air,” McNamara said. “This is the oldest AM radio signal in Rhode Island. It's definitely strong into Southeastern Massachusetts and up into Foxboro. It’s going to have some Massachusetts coverage for sure.”
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McNamara will broadcast remotely from Warwick, Providence and Barrington next week to coincide with the station’s return to the market. The previous edition of "The Score" ran for 10 years through 2008 before being discontinued. The Friars are their biggest local sports property and are coming off a Sweet 16 run in the NCAA Tournament for the first time in 25 years.
“Total home run to have the Friars do so well last year,” McNamara said. “To have them on WPRO is invaluable. The access and cooperation from them have been excellent.”
On Twitter: @BillKoch25
This article originally appeared on The Providence Journal: Former Providence Journal sports writer to host radio show on WPRO
