Story Poster

100th Episode: Thank you, SicEm365 Members

August 21, 2020
5,842

“Before you make any decisions on what you want to do next, we want to talk…”

That text flashed on my phone from Ashley Hodge. It was late in the day on March 18, and I was pretty much done with talking for the day. Paul and Craig had been fired by M&M Broadcasting at noon. I’d later told our audience about things happening behind the scenes and tweeted that we’d be on hold with local programming until the dust settled. Not long after that, there was more talk—and this conversation ended with my walking out the door at M&M Broadcasting, fired as well.

Not knowing where our broadcast team would land next, I decided that I needed to talk, even if I was pretty worn out by the events that had transpired. So, I picked up the phone and made a call. Three days later, our team was on a conference call with Ashley, Brian, and Colt. And out of that, SicEm365 Radio was born. Coming out of that first conversation, Paul and Craig and I had no sponsors and no studio to call home. We weren’t sure how we’d make it work—and we knew we were facing the implications of the Covid-19 pandemic, which meant tighter budgets for sponsors and no games to cover. What a crazy time to start a sports talk station from the ground up. But we knew the opportunity we’d been handed was unique. We’d been given the opportunity to start a new business, a new format, and a new way of working.

We took the leap and made our first broadcast on April 6. It was like landing on a trampoline—and ever since then, we’ve been jumping from one milestone to the next.

Today, August 21, 2020, marks our 100th show on SicEm365 Radio.

To those who said we couldn’t do it—thank you. Your doubt has motivated us to prove that an internet-based radio show can be an amazing product for listeners day in and day out. To the sponsors who came on board—thank you. Your support has allowed us to grow at an exponential pace. We are committed to maximizing the value of your investment in us. To the guests who have been on our show—thank you. You are MVPs. Your time, your insights, and your stories allow us to bring the best segments and discussion to our listeners around the world.

We've interviewed dozens of Hall of Fame coaches and players from all sports and all levels. We’ve been joined by Heisman Trophy winners and Baylor legends from all sports. And, I’m especially proud that we’ve been unafraid of taking on the social justice issues, and covering the impact of Covid-19 on sports. And I promise you, we’ll continue to ask the tough questions you expect us to ask and have a voice on the stories you care about. It’s an honor that we have been told that our show is making a difference—Dr. Ackerman joined us on the afternoon the Big 12 decided to keep moving forward, and we’ve hosted guests who helped flip the switch with McLennan County's original shutdown of high school athletics. Last night, there were scrimmages across the area. That’s not solely because of us, of course. But whatever role we can have in supporting sports in Central Texas—from Baylor to our high schools—and beyond, we want to be a part of that exchange of ideas.

And finally, to those of you who have downloaded the app, sent in questions, commented on threads, supported our sponsors, and listen every day—thank you isn’t enough. You are why this dream is reality. We are here to bring you the best coverage of sports in Central Texas and beyond—and your support and interaction tells us we’re providing value and entertainment to an ever-increasing number of listeners who can tune in from anywhere in the world. You don’t know what it means to us to have you along for the ride. Thank you for choosing SicEm365 Radio. Thank you for sending in your questions. Thank you for supporting our sponsors. And most of all, thank you for challenging us to dream bigger and to continue to make this station better for you.

One hundred days is just the beginning. Wait until you see where our dreams are taking us next—there are big announcements around the corner.

Our next hundred days start right now. We are still growing. We are still learning. We’ve embraced the unknown and we cannot thank you—our listeners, guests, and sponsors—enough for believing in us and helping spread the word. Keep it up. I think we make a great team.

Let us know what you’re looking forward to in the next 100 days.

Gratefully,

David Smoak

On behalf of Craig Smoak and Paul Catalina and the SicEm365 Ownership Team of Ashley Hodge, Brian Ethridge, and Colt Barber

Discussion from...

100th Episode: Thank you, SicEm365 Members

509 Views | 0 Replies | Last: 3 yr ago by smoaky
There are not any replies to this post yet.
Refresh
Page 1 of 1
 
×
subscribe Verify your student status
See Subscription Benefits
Trial only available to users who have never subscribed or participated in a previous trial.