Yankee radio broadcasts to switch to ESPN and FM band?

[GordonGecko]

ESPN Radio is interested in competing in the City. They need to brand themselves against the entrenched WFAN.

Hopefully that means they'll get rid of those 2 sexually repressed losers talking college sports for 4 hours each morning

[NJRuss]

Attachment 21013

Above is the predicted coverage patter for WRKS (previously WXLO 99x and WOR-FM). Most of the Class B FM's off Empire have similar patterns. It's all line of sight...

Cheers!
-Doug

99X with Crazy Jay Thomas in the AM!

[dstoffa]

99X with Crazy Jay Thomas in the AM!

Well, with ESPN Radio being on WRKS-FM, sounds like Charlie Steiner is coming home....

Jay Thomas and Charlie Steiner on 99x

Cheers!
-Doug

p.s. -

Steve Smokin' Weed from 1976.... on 99X!

[Norge]

The bummer to me is the coverage going South. There are no affilliates within Phillies or Orioles territory, which basically is everything south of Princeton. I could get 880 the whole length of the Jersey Turnpike during the day and all the way through Delaware. At night, I could listen as far south as the Susquehanna on Route 95, and some spots below that. I drive that route a lot with two sons in Baltimore and I counted on radio coverage. No way that FM station goes much below Exit 6 or 7 on the NJTPK.

Might be time for Sirius/XM.

I'm with you. I live at the shore (in Phillies and Yankee terriroty) and NY FM stations typically do not come in well on the radio. WCBS, on the otherhand, comes in very well

[Big_E]

The best part about XM radio is they use the HOME TEAM broadcasters, which means for 81 games a year you do NOT need to listen to Sterling and Waldman...

[Yankees1962]

The best part about XM radio is they use the HOME TEAM broadcasters, which means for 81 games a year you do NOT need to listen to Sterling and Waldman...

That has its shortcomings though with guys like Hawk Harrelson and his good guys/bad guys crap.

[yanksfanrwu]

Sucks for me up in New Haven, no way I'll be able to get that station on my radio. Guess i have to rely on my MLB.com app

[yankees2010]

The best part about XM radio is they use the HOME TEAM broadcasters, which means for 81 games a year you do NOT need to listen to Sterling and Waldman...

I actually find it interesting to listen to another team's broadcast to get their perspective on the Yankees

[BRNXBMRS]

Hopefully that means they'll get rid of those 2 sexually repressed losers talking college sports for 4 hours each morning

The problem is they host a "national" show. I dont care about Boisie state or some midwest team. Give me NY sports!!

[dstoffa]

The problem is they host a "national" show. I dont care about Boisie state or some midwest team. Give me NY sports!!

And therein is the rub. ESPN NY will be taking orders from the corporate office in Bristol CT, and will run a considerable amount of ESPN Network programming.

WFAN is a local station, locally programmed, discussing sports topics near and dear to the NY sports fan. It will be a better NY Sports station compared to ESPN Radio, regardless of signal, as long as it is programmed as a local station, and if ESPN rams corporate mandate on it's NY station.

Cheers!
-Doug

[BRNXBMRS]

And therein is the rub. ESPN NY will be taking orders from the corporate office in Bristol CT, and will run a considerable amount of ESPN Network programming.

WFAN is a local station, locally programmed, discussing sports topics near and dear to the NY sports fan. It will be a better NY Sports station compared to ESPN Radio, regardless of signal, as long as it is programmed as a local station, and if ESPN rams corporate mandate on it's NY station.

Cheers!
-Doug

Probably but I hope not.

[hellonewman]

And therein is the rub. ESPN NY will be taking orders from the corporate office in Bristol CT, and will run a considerable amount of ESPN Network programming.

WFAN is a local station, locally programmed, discussing sports topics near and dear to the NY sports fan. It will be a better NY Sports station compared to ESPN Radio, regardless of signal, as long as it is programmed as a local station, and if ESPN rams corporate mandate on it's NY station.

Cheers!
-Doug

Well, then ESPN are fools. They should know from history that one of the things that almost killed WFAN in its early years (along with being on the weak 1050 frequency ESPN now occupies) was that its early programming had a vague, national feel to it. Shifting to a NY orientation, along with the switch to 660 and inheriting Imus as a morning-drive anchor, was what got WFAN off the ground.

[effdamets]

Well, then ESPN are fools. They should know from history that one of the things that almost killed WFAN in its early years (along with being on the weak 1050 frequency ESPN now occupies) was that its early programming had a vague, national feel to it. Shifting to a NY orientation, along with the switch to 660 and inheriting Imus as a morning-drive anchor, was what got WFAN off the ground.

I'm not so sure Imus had anything to do with any boost of ratings... ever.

[Jersey Yankee]

The radio station hires the announcers, the team doesn't. But I've always assumed that the team has a great deal to say about that decision.

So how is it that Sterling has been w/the Yankees since long before the YES Network?

[Jersey Yankee]

And therein is the rub. ESPN NY will be taking orders from the corporate office in Bristol CT, and will run a considerable amount of ESPN Network programming.

WFAN is a local station, locally programmed, discussing sports topics near and dear to the NY sports fan. It will be a better NY Sports station compared to ESPN Radio, regardless of signal, as long as it is programmed as a local station, and if ESPN rams corporate mandate on it's NY station.

Cheers!
-Doug

So who's gonna be doin' the radio broadcasts? CHB or Ben Affleck? Or some other Beantown doosh?

[Jersey Yankee]

And therein is the rub. ESPN NY will be taking orders from the corporate office in Bristol CT, and will run a considerable amount of ESPN Network programming.

WFAN is a local station, locally programmed, discussing sports topics near and dear to the NY sports fan. It will be a better NY Sports station compared to ESPN Radio, regardless of signal, as long as it is programmed as a local station, and if ESPN rams corporate mandate on it's NY station.

Cheers!
-Doug

WFAN, WCBS880 and WINS1010 are all in the same CBS newsradio family.

[dstoffa]

WFAN, WCBS880 and WINS1010 are all in the same CBS newsradio family.

While the AM Cluster you write of is owned by CBS Radio, each is programmed locally to serve its local market. Most ESPN Radio Stations feature network programming, and don't have local, original programming.

[Mr Coffee]

I'm not so sure Imus had anything to do with any boost of ratings... ever.

I used to listen to Imus. But it was the reverse scenario-- I had WFAN on from listening to sports talk the day before, and that's how I started listening to him.

[JL25and3]

I'm not so sure Imus had anything to do with any boost of ratings... ever.

I was at a Yankee game some years ago when WFAN was handing out a magazine celebrating their 20th or something anniversary. It had interviews with lots of longtime personnel - people like Suzyn Waldman and Ed Coleman - and every one of them cited Imus's hiring as a major factor in the station's success.

They also all told the story about Jim Lampley taking a whiz into a coffee cup while on the air, without missing a beat.

[effdamets]

I tend to believe it's more that sports radio was becoming more popular and Imus was in the right place at the right time.... Take a look at his ratings track record.

[hellonewman]

I tend to believe it's more that sports radio was becoming more popular and Imus was in the right place at the right time.... Take a look at his ratings track record.

How closely were you following radio in 1989? All-sports radio stations WEREN'T becoming more popular. It was an experiment in its infancy. WFAN was the guinea pig and it was failing miserably. I don't know specifically what Imus' ratings were in 1989 but I can guarantee they were well above anything WFAN had experienced to that point and having his show, whatever you think of him personally, helped them get a foothold.

[Yankeefan3783]

I listen to 1050 occasionally, and it doesn't hold a candle to 660 as far as sports talk goes. ESPN radio comes off gimicky to me. WFAN is more fan oriented and of course sticking to local teams most of the time is a bonus.

Anyways, hopefully the Yankees stay on 880, simply because I like being to get their signal pretty clear wherever I drive.

[b0mber]

I actually find it interesting to listen to another team's broadcast to get their perspective on the Yankees

I get a little tired of hearing about how high the yankee's payroll is, and the scrutinizing of our older veterans.

[dstoffa]

I listen to 1050 occasionally, and it doesn't hold a candle to 660 as far as sports talk goes. ESPN radio comes off gimicky to me. WFAN is more fan oriented and of course sticking to local teams most of the time is a bonus.

Anyways, hopefully the Yankees stay on 880, simply because I like being to get their signal pretty clear wherever I drive.

Today's Post (8/3/12) has an article reading that it is 60-40 that ESPN will make a push for the Mets. They are the better value.

CBS currently pays $6 million for the Mets, and $14 million for the Yanks. CBS is taking a beating on the Yankees -- ad revenue doesn't make up for the broadcast rights. ESPN may not want to take a bath, either. (It's funny how the $$$ for broadcasting follows the methods behind ticketing...)

If CBS keeps the Yankees, and lets the Mets go, it is unknown if they will move the Yanks to WFAN, or keep them at WCBS.

Cheers!
-Doug

[BRNXBMRS]

Today's Post (8/3/12) has an article reading that it is 60-40 that ESPN will make a push for the Mets. They are the better value.

CBS currently pays $6 million for the Mets, and $14 million for the Yanks. CBS is taking a beating on the Yankees -- ad revenue doesn't make up for the broadcast rights. ESPN may not want to take a bath, either. (It's funny how the $$$ for broadcasting follows the methods behind ticketing...)

If CBS keeps the Yankees, and lets the Mets go, it is unknown if they will move the Yanks to WFAN, or keep them at WCBS.

Cheers!
-Doug

As long as those two idiots that announce the Yanks are gone, I dont care what station the Yanks play on.