Denver Mile High Sports replaced by K-LOVE 2000s

[Mark Roberts]

Yesterday, translator K251CV (98.1), which had been carrying sports talk as "Mile High Sports" (MHS), was broadcasting dead air with the occasional faint 60 Hz hum. Today, it's broadcasting K-LOVE 2000s from KLDV-HD3.

Judging by an article at Mile High Sports' website (Mile High Sports Radio returns on 98.1 FM - Mile High Sports), this isn't the first time its programming has been bumped from a translator. K251CV had been carrying Mile High Sports since 2021, fed by KQKS-HD3. KQKS-HD3's program information still shows "Mile High Sports" but the channel is silent.

MHS's website, Facebook page, and Xwitter feed have no indication regarding this changeover. The MHS Xwitter feed was active as recently as yesterday.

 

[JeeperOne]

Why does Mile High Sports anymore?? NOBODY listens to them. NOBODY knew they were still on the air once they left AM 1510 & were stuck piggybacking off of translators & buried on HD subchannels

And even when they were on 1510, they affiliated themselves with a network who's hosts were notorious at promoting the use of guns by airing hunting shows (In the wake of the Aurora shooting, that's probably (If not likely) what drove listeners away)

 

[Mark Roberts]

Why does Mile High Sports anymore?? NOBODY listens to them. NOBODY knew they were still on the air once they left AM 1510 & were stuck piggybacking off of translators & buried on HD subchannels

98.1 is actually one of the better Lookout translators, though still a bit on the noisy side where I am.

That said, how many sports stations can one market sustain? I know it's Broncos this and Broncos that right now, but at some point, you want to know if it's going to snow tomorrow.

And even when they were on 1510, they affiliated themselves with a network who's hosts were notorious at promoting the use of guns by airing hunting shows (In the wake of the Aurora shooting, that's probably (If not likely) what drove listeners away)

1510's been off the air for the past few days, by the way.

 

[Mark Roberts]

Good explanation from Lance:

Mile High Sports Radio Ceases Operations

After bouncing around the Denver dial for the past 17 years, "Mile High Sports Radio" ceased operations on Friday, December

radioinsight.com

I guess no one's told Audacy yet. KQKS-HD3 is still up, but silent (photo taken about five minutes ago):

 

[SomeRadioGuy]

Good explanation from Lance:

Mile High Sports Radio Ceases Operations

After bouncing around the Denver dial for the past 17 years, "Mile High Sports Radio" ceased operations on Friday, December

radioinsight.com

I guess no one's told Audacy yet. KQKS-HD3 is still up, but silent (photo taken about five minutes ago):

View attachment 8303

vic will either sell that translator or lease it to someone else.. which could end up being klove

as lance said, its filler programming, but vic has done deals with EMF before

 

[b-turner]

JeeperOne, let me educate you on how things work at many AM radio stations. Mile High purchased time on 1510. The other people on the station purchased their time as well. Mile High cannot dictate their neighbors. It seems Mile High was the low end on listeners as they, seemingly struggled to find translators and HD channels to lease with what they could afford.

I used to manage a station that solder brokered time. The attitude is we could care less who is before or after you and if you even have a listener. We care if the check clears. We saw lots of programmers who were clueless about sales or somehow thought people would come to their door to buy advertising. For those who could sell, they'd sell enough to pay expenses and then after a couple of advertisers cancel after a month or two, they can't cover the bill from the station. Very few were smart enough to understand you always needed more than just enough because just enough doesn't last very long.

 

[Kent]

Why does Mile High Sports anymore?? NOBODY listens to them. NOBODY knew they were still on the air once they left AM 1510 & were stuck piggybacking off of translators & buried on HD subchannels

It was local during the daytime on weekdays, which is when most people listen. The network programming didn’t matter much.

Having said that, your broader point, that no one listens, would seem to be correct. It has ceased operations according to Lance, and it wouldn’t be shutting down if it had a significant listener base.

 

[cc-mar]

Looks like Audacy has shut off the hd3.

 

[radiofan2023]

Looks like Audacy has shut off the hd3.

Who knew George Soros reads this board?

 

[Mark Roberts]

It was local during the daytime on weekdays, which is when most people listen. The network programming didn’t matter much.

Having said that, your broader point, that no one listens, would seem to be correct. It has ceased operations according to Lance, and it wouldn’t be shutting down if it had a significant listener base.

What should put a chill into radio people is that Mile High likely considered the station as mostly a promotional tool, several times going to considerable trouble to keep it on some sort of outlet in the Denver area. Now it has apparently decided that it's not worth it, and has decided it can live without radio broadcasting. Sure, the last station was a translator, but one of the better ones as far as coverage is concerned. And it's indisputable that the sports-talk market in Denver is oversaturated. Play-by-play, too: as I type this, I'm able to hear the Colorado State University bowl game on both KKSE-FM and KEPN. KEPN's getting it from the CSU network; can't tell where KKSE-FM's getting it from. Yes, there's a lot of interest in sports in the Denver market but at some point I would think you'd run out of things to talk about - though it feels like KOA in particular can go on and on and on about the Broncos into infinitesimal detail. Back to the main point I was trying to make: the use cases for radio seem to be shrinking. If you can't make a radio station work that's promoting a local-sports-oriented website/podcast/publication/etc. in Denver, you won't be able to make it work anywhere.

 

[Gravel Switch]

98.1 is actually one of the better Lookout translators, though still a bit on the noisy side where I am.

That said, how many sports stations can one market sustain? I know it's Broncos this and Broncos that right now, but at some point, you want to know if it's going to snow tomorrow.

1510's been off the air for the past few days, by the way.

Agree that the Denver market is oversaturated with sports stations.

Selfishly, it killed me when KEZW-AM 1430 flipped to sports in January 2021 (now KAMP). I know their adult standards format (dating back to 1981) wasn't long for this world given that demographic is dying off, but I thoroughly enjoyed that station/format.

 

[Gregg.]

Agree that the Denver market is oversaturated with sports stations.

Selfishly, it killed me when KEZW-AM 1430 flipped to sports in January 2021 (now KAMP). I know their adult standards format (dating back to 1981) wasn't long for this world given that demographic is dying off, but I thoroughly enjoyed that station/format.

Would you have been OK with the gradual evolution of the Adult Standards format to Soft Oldies? Barry Manilow, Dionne Warwick, Beatles, Lionel Richie, The Carpenters, with an occasional big selling Sinatra or Streisand hit? That seems to be where America's Best Music and similar formats have gone.

 

[davideduardo]

Would you have been OK with the gradual evolution of the Adult Standards format to Soft Oldies? Barry Manilow, Dionne Warwick, Beatles, Lionel Richie, The Carpenters, with an occasional big selling Sinatra or Streisand hit? That seems to be where America's Best Music and similar formats have gone.

There is even a gap there. I could occasionally listen to the first five, but add Streisand and Sinatra and I am instantly gone.

 

[Gravel Switch]

Would you have been OK with the gradual evolution of the Adult Standards format to Soft Oldies? Barry Manilow, Dionne Warwick, Beatles, Lionel Richie, The Carpenters, with an occasional big selling Sinatra or Streisand hit? That seems to be where America's Best Music and similar formats have gone.

KEZW was starting to tilt in that direction a little, and I can understand why, but if the ratio was more soft oldies, then I would've been gone.

I now listen to KLVZ-AM 810 (ID by their translator as "Legends 95.3"), and their format is deep oldies with an adult standard played every hour. It's a great station, and its rotation includes oldies that didn't break the top 25.

 

[Mark Roberts]

KEZW was starting to tilt in that direction a little, and I can understand why, but if the ratio was more soft oldies, then I would've been gone.

I now listen to KLVZ-AM 810 (ID by their translator as "Legends 95.3"), and their format is deep oldies with an adult standard played every hour. It's a great station, and its rotation includes oldies that didn't break the top 25.

There are certainly some interesting juxtapositions there. With the occasional infomercial sale, Crawford seems to be able to make it work.

The problem with such a wide-ranging format, though, is that, sooner or later, it'll play something that makes me tune away fast. Generally, that's doo-wop oldies.

 

[Voicetrack of Reason]

1510 was originally KDKO, and super served Denver's black community. KDKO played some pretty good music too. If I recall correctly, it was owned by SRO for awhile, along with 94.7

 

[DavinaR]

The 98.1 translator is now airing KCRN 1120 am I have noticed the past few days.

 

[SomeRadioGuy]

Vic Michael will lease or sell it to anyone who ponies up the cash. its so new to 1120's line up, that its not on the CRN WEbsite

 

[DavinaR]

I noticed that as well. It is said at the top of the hour id, 1120 am, 1043 fm and 98.1. 1120 being in Limon, and 1043 in Colorado Springs.

 

[JeeperOne]

Why does Mile High Sports anymore?? NOBODY listens to them. NOBODY knew they were still on the air once they left AM 1510 & were stuck piggybacking off of translators & buried on HD subchannels

And even when they were on 1510, they affiliated themselves with a network who's hosts were notorious at promoting the use of guns by airing hunting shows (In the wake of the Aurora shooting, that's probably (If not likely) what drove listeners away)

That said, how many sports stations can one market sustain? I know it's Broncos this and Broncos that right now, but at some point, you want to know if it's going to snow tomorrow.

When 102.7 down in Colorado Springs was up for sale< I suggested that Audacy buy the station & use it along with strrategically located on-channel boosters similar to how 92.5 is configured but more closer to what iHeartMedia did with 107.9 (Or is it 106.7?? I forget which), either turn in the 103.1 translatror license & take it off the air or use it to carry the CBS Radio Network 24/7, convert the 102.7 license from non-comm to commercial & use it to set up a full time Infinity sports Network O&O using the now former Mile High Sports hosts as local talent

By using the KAMP call now on 1430 (Which is a BetQL Network primary, Infinity Sports Network secondary with NO local hosts to speak of), it wouldn't really be the same as a new sports station would be as all it would is give AM 1430 an FM sister station

But alas, it didn;t happen (Maybe Audacy will come to its senses & do the same thing but with 103.1??)

1510's been off the air for the past few days, by the way.

I know that. We wouldn't be discussing it if it wasn't