John Pappendick of the Aberdeen American News wrote a very nice article on Sportsmax September 24th, 2007. The article was reprinted in the Rapid City Journal October 2nd.
SPORTSMAX HOST HOPES TO TUNE IN ENTERTAINMENT
As a boy growing up in rural Nebraska in the 1960's, Mike Henriksen had plenty of "friends" on the radio to keep him company and entertain him at night. "I used to listen to legendary radio guys like Jack Buck, Harry Carey, and Milwuakee Bucks broadcaster Eddie Doucette" said Henriksen, the Sportsmax Radio owner who has built his own legend as a South Dakota broadcaster over the last 25 years.
Here is the link:
Mike was featured in the Sioux Falls Argus Leader October 26, 2007, in an article by columnist Stu Whitney.
GUEST PICKER COMES UP WITH BIG LEAD
This is what we get for outsourcing our high school football picks......This year we altered the format by adding two guest prognosticators - "Sportsmax" radio host Mike Henriksen, and KSFY sports director Erik Thorstenson. Their participation provided a revelation: Henriksen is evil. The broadcasting veteran went 43-5 in Tuesdays opening round, building a healthy lead....
Here is the link:
http://www.argusleader.com/apps/pbcs.dll/article?AID=/20071026/COLUMNISTS0104/710260329/1135/SPORTS
Also, here is an article from the
DELL RAPIDS TRIBUNE January 5th, 2007
Leaving “one of the best jobs in the state” to take over his own business was actually a pretty easy decision for Mike Henriksen.
Henriksen, of Dell Rapids, had been co-host of “Sports Talk with Craig and Mike” on KWSN radio in Sioux Falls for more than five years. He left that position in October to become owner and host of “Sportsmax,” a syndicated radio show.
“‘Sportsmax’ was started by my good friend, Tom Maxwell, almost 10 years ago, and his widow Deb has kept it going. When she decided she was ready to move on, I decided this was a great opportunity for me, and something that felt really natural,” Henriksen said. “There were some folks who questioned why I would leave the job I had, but the Lord really threw open some doors when it came to the timing of this.”
Sportsmax is an hour long sports interview show that is heard on radio stations across the state of South Dakota once a week. The show, originated by Tom Maxwell a longtime sportscaster in the state, aired on WNAX in Yankton. When Maxwell moved back to KORN in Mitchell, he took the show with him, and then began syndicating the show to other stations. Maxwell was killed in a car accident in October of 2001, and his wife Deb, with the help of Jim Thompson in Spearfish, kept the show going. Deb has been the lone host for the past four years.
“I could not have taken over this business if I had not been working for KWSN the last few years,” said Henriksen. “The contacts I have made and the experience I have gotten in an interview format have been great!”
However, Henriksen felt it was time to move on, although he will continue to broadcast games for the station and South Dakota Public Television.
Henriksen has had to do a lot in a short period of time. First, he set up a studio in his home, which is where the show is recorded and edited. It is then downloaded to the web where his affiliate stations pick it up. He also hit the road.
“I knew people at most of the affiliates, but not all of them. Once you meet them in person it is much easier to do business with them over the phone or with e-mail,” he said.
Henriksen also needed to build up the number of stations running the show, and to try to get the show aired in better time slots in some markets.
Henriksen added, “Just about every station now either runs it Friday night prior to their high school sports coverage, or Saturday morning before or after their local coaches show, which is great!”
He also needed to work on the quality and diversity of the show. So far, guests have included a sports phsycologist, the new radio host for the Minnesota Twins, football and volleyball coaches, authors, and MVP’s from the football playoffs 20 years ago.
In addition, Henriksen has had to find advertisers.
He said, “I have a few on the air with me now. I did not want to push things until I knew what I had.”
Now things are in place.
“After the first of the year I will be on 15 stations across South Dakota, and some of those stations are going to be running the show twice each week,” he said.
As for the future, Henriksen says you can expect more coming out of his home studio.
“I have some ideas for some other shows, and the technology really makes that possible, but for right now I need to get the ‘franchise’ show running as strong as possible, so I am not sure when the new shows will debut,” he said.
His ideas for shows include both sports and non-sports related topics, and could go to stations across the country. But, he is also keeping an eye on the past.
“Tom Maxwell’s name is in the title of the show and I plan on keeping it there,” he said, “It was his vision that got this show off the ground, and I am going to do my best to continue his legacy.”