The iHeart deal with the Packers expires in 2026, so is this a move toward the future when sports may no longer play a big roll in iHeart Wisconsin's income? With the NFL getting more and more cozy with ESPN is Good Karma radio the next home of the Packers? Sports may just be too talent-heavy and too local for iHeart's liking. The management that took over in July stopped most of the contract renewals that were in the works for the talent that was in place since The Game launched and expanded after 2018.
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97.3 The Game hit with layoffs, possible format change coming
- Thread starter Prosidius
- Start date
If that was the case they wouldn't have departed WTMJ just after GKB took over and had taken over all operations of the network (personnel and such) before then. GKB would also have to make some changes to get the team back because WKTI is just obnoxiously negative about the team (and has disgraced players like Mark Chmura as hosts that they don't exactly want to associate with the team).
But they're the only real market options because it's definitely not going to Audacy and though Saga/WKLH would be perfect they may not have the financials to justify it. It probably stays with iHeart, but most likely as a complement to WMIL or WRIT.
Well, this happened. Same logo as B93.3. Also making references to the soon to be former 93.3, so I'm guessing there may have been some sort of IP deal made with MRA (remember the legal mess when Scripps flipped 94.5 from Lake FM to country, and a Racine station immediately grabbed the name, logo and format?).
They already have voicetracks in place.
I didn't think they'd do anything with the station until the end of the Packers' season. Should be interesting to see where the games will go.
As for The Game, it appears to still be online, but some of the shows are syndicated to other stations around the state. Not sure if everything was moved to WOKY 920.
radioinsight.com
They already have voicetracks in place.
I didn't think they'd do anything with the station until the end of the Packers' season. Should be interesting to see where the games will go.
As for The Game, it appears to still be online, but some of the shows are syndicated to other stations around the state. Not sure if everything was moved to WOKY 920.
The Game Gives Way To B97.3 In Milwaukee
iHeartMedia has flipped Sports "97.3 The Game" WRNW Milwaukee to AC "B97.3". The move takes the AC mantle from Milwaukee
radioinsight.com
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Wonder who they'll get as staff. Will they hire old B staff, or syndicate?Well, this happened. Same logo as B93.3.
The Game Gives Way To B97.3 In Milwaukee
iHeartMedia has flipped Sports "97.3 The Game" WRNW Milwaukee to AC "B97.3". The move takes the AC mantle from Milwaukee
So far, one voicetracker, Robin Rock, from WLIT Chicago.
And, knowing IHeart in Milwaukee, that's probably how they'll staff the station, via voicetrackers from other markets. WLIT would seem an ideal place to tap.
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Nah, IHeart isn't known for being sentimental. But they do mention taking over from 93.3 as the "at work" station in some liners.
Besides, they never mentioned WLPX when they played the same stuff as The Brew. And never reminisced about B97 (WBTT from the 80s) when they became Radio Now.
Funny, it seems like 97.3's format changes mostly go in repeated cycles, between rock, AC and CHR.
Not surprised by this move. Kinda saw it coming to be honest.Well, this happened. Same logo as B93.3. Also making references to the soon to be former 93.3, so I'm guessing there may have been some sort of IP deal made with MRA (remember the legal mess when Scripps flipped 94.5 from Lake FM to country, and a Racine station immediately grabbed the name, logo and format?).
They already have voicetracks in place.
I didn't think they'd do anything with the station until the end of the Packers' season. Should be interesting to see where the games will go.
As for The Game, it appears to still be online, but some of the shows are syndicated to other stations around the state. Not sure if everything was moved to WOKY 920.
The Game Gives Way To B97.3 In Milwaukee
iHeartMedia has flipped Sports "97.3 The Game" WRNW Milwaukee to AC "B97.3". The move takes the AC mantle from Milwaukee
Per Radio Insight, the Packers and Badgers games are moving to WRIT.
And The Game is still live online, as well as 1070 AM in Madison. Surprised they didn't put it on an HD subchannel (97.3-2 is a simulcast of WISN).
And The Game is still live online, as well as 1070 AM in Madison. Surprised they didn't put it on an HD subchannel (97.3-2 is a simulcast of WISN).
I must admit - I'm surprised iHM threw in the towel on FM sports/talk in Milwaukee.
Their contracts with the Packers and Badgers must have been written in a way that gave flexibility in terms of which station carries the broadcasts. Either that, or iHM quickly negotiated modifications.
I like the move at 97.3.
It's odd, though, that 97.3 The Game listeners aren't being redirected to AM 920. That makes no sense to me.
Their contracts with the Packers and Badgers must have been written in a way that gave flexibility in terms of which station carries the broadcasts. Either that, or iHM quickly negotiated modifications.
I like the move at 97.3.
It's odd, though, that 97.3 The Game listeners aren't being redirected to AM 920. That makes no sense to me.
I think they’re telling people to listen on 1070 Madison.
Perhaps 106.9 will pick up the alt format...?
I thought IHeart would stick it out with sports. Granted, the ratings weren't all that good, but it takes a long time to build a format like that. They had the Packers and UW sports, which are pretty nice to have. And, in the next state over, IHeart's KFXN dominates the Twin Cities ratings, albeit with a 25 year head start.
But between The Game, WKTI and WSSP (an AM with a decent translator on 105.7), there were just too many sports stations in the market. Also add in WTMJ with the Brewers and Bucks. And IHeart's sister AM, WOKY, with FOX Sports. WKTI wasn't going anywhere, since sports radio is Good Karma's bread and butter. And Audacy has recently dug in their heels with WSSP, bringing back the translator and adding to their on-air lineup. So, IHeart, seeing one of the top stations in the market about to find religion, threw in the towel to grab the B93.3 audience.
It was a smart move (though I was skeptical when the rumors first started). First, they're obviously tied in with some of their top-performing ACs, like WLIT in Chicago (a source for voicetrackers so far). And they obviously swung a deal with MRA for the branding and IP. Not something I've seen IHeart do before, but it was a very savvy move. The logo is virtually the same, and they're running liners claiming that "B93.3 has moved up the dial". So, obviously some kind of deal was struck. MRA presumably made a few extra bucks, and IHeart probably saved a bunch of promotional money.
They are currently running liners directing the sports audience to The Game's website and IHR stream, and to WOKY 920, which, for some reason is still running the Fox Sports feed (they should move the Game lineup there, IMO). The on-air lineup (or what's left of it) is still in the building, broadcasting to a few outstate affiliates. But they're pretty pissed off about losing 97.3.
In closing, I kind of find it amusing to be able to switch between the zombie B93.3 (currently on autopilot) and the new B97.3. Only real difference is that B93.3 has jingles.
PostScript: WLDB is currently running liners about "moving up the dial to 97.3". So, a deal was made.
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Great points. This situation bears some resemblance to the migration of the Star brand in Buffalo.
With Milwaukee based personalities still in the building and broadcasting to Madison plus a couple or few other markets, it's bizarre to me that local programming isn't airing on 920. Hopefully something happens in that regard tomorrow.
With Milwaukee based personalities still in the building and broadcasting to Madison plus a couple or few other markets, it's bizarre to me that local programming isn't airing on 920. Hopefully something happens in that regard tomorrow.
Yeah they’re pissed off about it. Totally reasonable but some don’t understand why.
They used to run HD subchannel feeds on all their Milwaukee stations. WRIT had 60s-70s oldies, V100 had several over the years and WMIL had classic country AND 'ALT 2K', which was mostly alternative rock and nu-metal from the 'aughts. IHeart cleared out the subchannel music formats a few years ago, probably to save money on royalties. Right now, only WISN is on an FM subchannel (97.3-2).
In general, HD subchannels don't do very well in the market. Hyfin (urban alternative on 88.9-2) and MeTV Music (99.1-2, a simulcast of WRME Chicago) currently scrape the bottom of the ratings, though Hyfin has had minimal success, as well as promotion by the main channel.
Dupe
After the digital transition they had WITI's audio on WMIL-HD2 for a few years since they were heard on 87.7 as part of their weather/traffic deal with that station. Surprised that lasted so long in itself. It turned out in practice that outside WXSS and WMIL, all the rest of the stations have terrible HD reception overall past Waukesha, and since Milwaukee has inner-core LPFM stations taking most of the dial space where translators would usually be, the 'HD analog feeder' strategy you have in other markets is dead in the water (you can't really count WTMJ's FM, which was a move-in from Kenosha), the same as it is in Chicago.
Funny enough, they did make mention of 'a new brew' on 97.3 while making mention of 93.3's legacy, so they did make some mention of their past, surprisingly.
Sports can be sold without the numbers. That's one of the big reasons to run it. Running live and local sports programming, however, can incur high costs. The talent usually doesn't come cheap, and sports usually requires more talent than your average music station, especially when you don't take most of it from the networks.
That probably was what it came down to. I don't know what iHeart was paying, but I'm guessing the Packers didn't come cheap. Live play-by-play usually can't command the money it used to, but I suspect, with the competition for the rights in Milwaukee, it wasn't a barter deal.