Van Rysdam, who also helped oversee the Texans radio network, will be replaced on an interim basis by Jeff Garrison, program director for CBS’ KILT-FM (100.3 FM).

“We look forward to filling the position on a full-time basis as soon as possible with a great leader,” Purdy said.

Van Rysdam was hired at CBS Radio in 2000 by Laura Morris, who recently was replaced by Purdy as manager of the CBS Radio Houston cluster.

Van Rysdam’s departure is the latest in what is expected to be a series of changes at KILT, the longest-tenured and top-rated of Houston’s four all-sports radio stations, in the wake of Purdy’s appointment to oversee CBS Radio stations in Houston in addition to the company’s Dallas-Fort Worth stations.

‘Not as dominant’

“We’re doing a lot of brainstorming on how we can take the radio station higher,” Purdy said during a conversation before Van Rysdam’s departure was announced. “We are the leader, but we’re not as dominant a leader as (KTCK in Dallas). We were, but losing the Charlie Pallilos (to KBME) and the John Granatos and Lance Zierleins (to KGOW) of the world hasn’t been good to us. Those are three names in this market you don’t replace easily.”

“We’re No. 1, but we need to be better. We need to be a much bigger brand. The Ticket in Dallas and (WFAN) in New York and WIP in Philadelphia — that is the level where we want to be. We need to be top five in men 25-54, and we will not be satisfied until we are in that position.”

Model changing

Another challenge facing Purdy is the Texans radio network, which has been a consistent money-loser for CBS because of its terms — $70 million over 10 years — during a time when the model for media deals has changed from rights fees to advertising partnerships, as CBS negotiated recently with the Cowboys.

“It’s a deal that was cut at a time when sports rights deals were tremendously different,” Purdy said. “That’s not the way they are today, as evidenced by our deal with the Cowboys.”