The sports world suffered a tragedy on Friday with the news that Columbus Blue Jackets star Johnny Gaudreau and his brother, Matthew, were killed by a suspected drunk driver.
And while the hosts at 97.1 The Fan in Columbus entered the day expecting to discuss Ohio State’s season opener against Akron on Saturday, they understandably pivoted to devoting most of their shows to discussing the heartbreaking news.
As a result, Friday’s episode of Bishop and Friends was predictably somber. There was, however, one moment in which co-host Marc “Chops” Finch expressed outrage about having to do the show with a bucket of Coors Light beer sitting in front of him, considering the nature of the Gaudreau brothers’ deaths.
“Let’s do this right now, sorry.” a visibly upset Finch said as he interrupted his co-host. “Coors Light is on display. Somebody said that in the YouTube chat right now. Send the emails to upper management.”
Finch noted that Morning Juice, which airs before Bishop and Friends, had taken the bucket of beer down during its Friday episode. He then revealed that management had insisted the bucket be put back on the desk, presumably to ensure that the station lived up to its contractual obligations as a part of an advertising agreement.
“The show before us — I respect Bobby [Carpenter] and [Brandon] Beam — they took that down. Management wanted it back up. Send it to them. Not me. I have to sit here next to it; I don’t want to today.”
97.1 The Fan’s Marc “Chops” Finch takes issue with doing a show next to a bucket of beer after Blue Jackets star Johnny Gaudreau and his brother were killed by a suspected drunk driver.
“The show before us… they took that down. Management wanted it back up. Send it to them.” pic.twitter.com/TQR243TZUr
— Awful Announcing (@awfulannouncing) August 30, 2024
Unlike the afternoon show’s feud with station management following Ohio State’s most recent loss to Michigan, this clearly wasn’t a bit. And it’s more than understandable that emotions would be running high following the news of Gaudreau’s tragic passing.
While Coors Light obviously pays to have its beer promoted on the show, it’s hard to imagine that all parties involved wouldn’t be understanding of a one-day hiatus, considering the nature of the news. In addition to being a bad look for 97.1, it’s also not the best PR for the beer company.
As Finch alluded, the show’s YouTube stream was filled with comments pointing out the poor taste of the ad placement. It’s a credit to the host that he was willing to address the elephant in the room, potential backlash from his bosses be damned.
About Ben Axelrod
Ben Axelrod is a veteran of the sports media landscape, having most recently worked for NBC's Cleveland affiliate, WKYC. Prior to his time in Cleveland, he covered Ohio State football and the Big Ten for outlets including Cox Media Group, Bleacher Report, Scout and Rivals.