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For those who say people don't listen to sports play-by-play on the radio...

That's a different thing. The network was run by iHeart at 97.1. They get spots, and the affiliates get spots.
This was when KLIF was the flagship. Distribution was handled by the Texas State Network.
 
I don't know of any teams that have all of the in-game spots. Except perhaps the Angels who own the station.
It depends on the team and situation. Some teams farm out broadcast ad sales, whereas some sell it as part of their in-arena ad sales. Either way, it's rare when the radio or TV station has much, if any inventory to sell in the games.
 
Either way, it's rare when the radio or TV station has much, if any inventory to sell in the games.

The number and length of the breaks are set by the leagues and TV. When that guy with the yellow vest walks on the field, it's time to run the spots.
 
The number and length of the breaks are set by the leagues and TV. When that guy with the yellow vest walks on the field, it's time to run the spots.
I get how the process works, thanks. The point was; that those in-game radio spots aren't an individual station inventory.
 
Stations don't spend money for radio rights for nothing.
As the rights continue up, owning the broadcast rights for a team amounts to the old 'loss leader' model. You like the listeners, prestige, and shutting out the competition, but you only have so much inventory with lots of expenses behind it. That includes extra talent charges, away travel expenses, and promotional and technical expenses for remote gear and transmission. Anymore your only hope for making any money is if the team makes the playoffs.
 
As the rights continue up, owning the broadcast rights for a team amounts to the old 'loss leader' model. You like the listeners, prestige, and shutting out the competition, but you only have so much inventory with lots of expenses behind it.

I understand the expense part of it, thanks. That's why the station gets inventory during the game. They also get visual placement at the venue, and so many seats to give out to their local sponsors. It's not a loss leader. Now there are also stations that get their games from a network, so they don't have those expenses. But even they get spots during the game. When you hear the host say the name of the network, what follows are the local station spots. Yes the team gets spots in the broadcast based on their agreement. They also get host reads from the talent, as do the various leagues. Everyone is making money from the game.
 
Did they get spots? You said there were network spots.
the pre/post game shows had the majority of the local avails. The in-game avails went to the Mavericks Radio Network. The network game the affilates 2 :30 second avails....1 in the second period and the other in the 4th period. This was back in 1999-2001 when I ran the board for the Network on KLIF.
 
I don't know of any teams that have all of the in-game spots. Except perhaps the Angels who own the station.
Dodgers buy the Spanish language time in LA, and they pay for it in part with in-game inventory which the station can sell to a very limited range of clients.
 
This was back in 1999-2001 when I ran the board for the Network on KLIF.

Did KLIF pay a rights fee to the team for this, or was it barter? It sounds to me like barter, which is different from the current situation.

This is why I keep saying "it depends."
 
I had to run pizza deliveries on the last Super Bowl. Kevin Harlan and Kurt Warner on Westwood One saved the day for me. No TV commercials, but let's face it, 90% of them were dumb as rocks. The game was exciting, down to the last minutes. Kevin Harlan can make a national radio broadcast exciting.

And who *doesn't* love Steve Raible's excitement on the Seahawks radio network? Having that experience as a player in the first few years of the franchise and the 25+ years of former anchoring on KIRO-7 also helps.
 
Did KLIF pay a rights fee to the team for this, or was it barter? It sounds to me like barter, which is different from the current situation.

This is why I keep saying "it depends."
I believe it was a barter situation.
 
I believe I've heard local spots on stations during games. When you're a DXer you pay attention to stuff like that. The local spots can clue you in to the location of the station you're hearing.

Next time I listen to a Seahawks game on KIRO-AM or FM, I'll have to pay closer attention. Usually my mind is on the game, or whatever else I may be doing while listening to it.
 
I have a data point for the "it depends" category. I'm an Oakland A's fan (yeah, I know) and the local AM affiliate, KAHI in Auburn, seems to get every other break for local avails.

Dave B.
 
I have a data point for the "it depends" category. I'm an Oakland A's fan (yeah, I know) and the local AM affiliate, KAHI in Auburn, seems to get every other break for local avails.

That's pretty standard in barter. It's usually a 50-50 split. If you're a station carrying play by play sports and you only get spots in the pre & post game shows, there's something wrong. Especially if your station is originating the coverage.
 
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