1480 WABB (The Ticket) going to FM in Mobile, AL?

[swilliams342]

(I thought i should post this over on this board since this station is based out of Fort Walton beach).

I always enjoy listening to the Southern Sports Show and was so glad to get to hear them loud and clear in Mobile on wabb 1480.
While driving back from Mobile,AL Thursday night, i was listening to the southern sports show and they were talking about being on 1480 am wabb and were so excited to be on the air over there. While they were on that subject, i heard them say that sometime in the coming months or so that they will be soon going to FM in Mobile. They did not give a clue where on the dial they would end up, but i thought that was kinda interesting that they would mention that during there show. Is there any guess on which freq this would end up on in Mobile if this was to happen?

 

[tomservo]

Translators on 95.7 (99 watts), 99.5 (250 watts) and 100.3 (250 watts) already cover at least part of Mobile, and translators on 106.9 (10 watts) and 103.7 (10 watts) are in Baldwin County. All are dormant as far as I know and ripe for moving.

 

[Dr voicetrack]

So no matter where they go on FM, they'll still be a non-factor. The best thing to happen for sports listeners was 1480 going sports. It forced WNSP to FINALLY sharpen things up. New voice guy (Major upgrade. More natural sounding and not so forced over the top, cheesy sound.), and losing that God-awful Yahoo sports network was a blessing, and going with Fox Sports. The overall sound of WNSP is far more listenable now than it has been in years.

This thread should actually be on the Bama board since we're talking about a Mobile AM station and where a bad show will wind up on FM in Alabama.

 

[Mario500]

^What "bad show"?

 

[tomservo]

So no matter where they go on FM, they'll still be a non-factor. The best thing to happen for sports listeners was 1480 going sports. It forced WNSP to FINALLY sharpen things up. New voice guy (Major upgrade. More natural sounding and not so forced over the top, cheesy sound.), and losing that God-awful Yahoo sports network was a blessing, and going with Fox Sports. The overall sound of WNSP is far more listenable now than it has been in years.

This thread should actually be on the Bama board since we're talking about a Mobile AM station and where a bad show will wind up on FM in Alabama.

All of that may be true, but WNSP still needs to work on their processing. They're fighting a loudness war and beating everyone by +155%.

 

[Poledo]

It's strange that all these years the Ticket's target audience has been the Pensacola market and now they are serving FWB, PCB and Mobile with a big glaring hole in coverage over Pensacola.

It makes me wonder if the folks behind ESPN 1450 in Pensacola are powerful enough to lock the Ticket out of the Pensacola market?

About the only way left for the Ticket to get back into Pensacola would involve the Catholics selling 1230 and the 103.3 translator (new, not on the air) to Hale... or getting Sunny 105.7 to carry Southern Sports Tonight while sticking with the successful music/AC format during the day.

 

[Nate Wesley]

(I thought i should post this over on this board since this station is based out of Fort Walton beach).

I always enjoy listening to the Southern Sports Show and was so glad to get to hear them loud and clear in Mobile on wabb 1480.
While driving back from Mobile,AL Thursday night, i was listening to the southern sports show and they were talking about being on 1480 am wabb and were so excited to be on the air over there. While they were on that subject, i heard them say that sometime in the coming months or so that they will be soon going to FM in Mobile. They did not give a clue where on the dial they would end up, but i thought that was kinda interesting that they would mention that during there show. Is there any guess on which freq this would end up on in Mobile if this was to happen?

Really, the entire "Ticket" operation ought to originate from Mobile instead of North Florida. That could be what they have in mind, ultimately.

 

[Poledo]

Really, the entire "Ticket" operation ought to originate from Mobile instead of North Florida. That could be what they have in mind, ultimately.

I doubt that will happen. I'm actually shocked they are in Mobile at all... think about having to secure sports rights in 4 different radio markets! Seems very difficult.

Thinking about Hale's purchase of 93.5 in Panama City... might it have been made possible by Hale working with Clear Channel to move his 94.5 translator to a different frequency opening up Destin's airwaves to WFLA 94.5? I'm also wondering if Clear Channel is helping him secure a Mobile translator as part of that deal...

The Ticket has always been a Florida operation. The old 98.1 reached Pensacola, FWB and to a smaller extent Panama City, but was only licensed in the Fort Walton DMA. Right now I see no way for the Ticket to get back on the air in Pensacola 24/7 unless 1230 is for sale. I have little reason to believe 1230 might be available, but Catholic churches aren't as wealthy as they once were.
Putting the Ticket on WCSN Sunny 105.7 at night (only at night) seems like it might be easier to accomplish. Sunny does carry Auburn Football and has a history of doing Spanish programming at night. They also have a fine signal over the urban area of Pensacola... good enough to fill in the gap to the west of WTKE 100.3's signal, but not good enough to fill the gap to the south east of 1480.

 

[Nate Wesley]

Really, the entire "Ticket" operation ought to originate from Mobile instead of North Florida. That could be what they have in mind, ultimately.

I doubt that will happen. I'm actually shocked they are in Mobile at all... think about having to secure sports rights in 4 different radio markets! Seems very difficult.

Thinking about Hale's purchase of 93.5 in Panama City... might it have been made possible by Hale working with Clear Channel to move his 94.5 translator to a different frequency opening up Destin's airwaves to WFLA 94.5? I'm also wondering if Clear Channel is helping him secure a Mobile translator as part of that deal...

The Ticket has always been a Florida operation. The old 98.1 reached Pensacola, FWB and to a smaller extent Panama City, but was only licensed in the Fort Walton DMA. Right now I see no way for the Ticket to get back on the air in Pensacola 24/7 unless 1230 is for sale. I have little reason to believe 1230 might be available, but Catholic churches aren't as wealthy as they once were.
Putting the Ticket on WCSN Sunny 105.7 at night (only at night) seems like it might be easier to accomplish. Sunny does carry Auburn Football and has a history of doing Spanish programming at night. They also have a fine signal over the urban area of Pensacola... good enough to fill in the gap to the west of WTKE 100.3's signal, but not good enough to fill the gap to the south east of 1480.

But there's easily more sports talk money in market #97 than in markets 188 and 232. The Ticket's history in North Florida doesn't that much to me, as I'm sure they can do the math. The Hale family can keep their nice Florida homes, but most of their lunch money can probably be earned working the Mobile/Baldwin County metro if they do it right. (At least that's what I *think* someone would/should buy a Mobile-area station, but wither WASG, WIJD, WTOF...)

Not only should 1480+(translator to be named later) be the flagship station, but it should possibly follow a model WJOX Birmingham has done off and on for years: Locally based morning, midday, or afternoon shows that are 'syndicated' to other nearby markets (like Montgomery's WTXK 1210/W298BC 107.5, coincidentally known as "The Ticket"). Keep just enough local staff in Ft. Walton to sell local ads and broadcast high school football over a cell phone ;D

 

[tomservo]

The Ticket doesn't have any competition in FWB or Panama City, does it? At least in FWB it seems to be a captive audience PLUS the benefit of FM; neither of those apply to Mobile. They would be the immediate underdog on AM, on a signal with severe issues during evening and nights. It simply doesn't cover the metro properly, like most other Mobile AMs.

 

[Groove1670]

but most of their lunch money can probably be earned working the Mobile/Baldwin County metro if they do it right.

Baldwin County is flooded with Auburn Network stations. The ZEW (I think has Alabama.

Baldwin has enough ad buy choices at this time.

None of ticket signals (at this time) target Baldwin. Pensacola & Ft. Walton along with Mobile are a world away from Baldwin County.

With the exception on one TV station, all of the sales offices were closed because of poor sales. All are base out of Mobile & Pensacola.

The ticket staff will continue to sell the Panhandle, and they will probably add a staff to Mobile.

The goal is not to sell based on signal. The goal is target winning sales territory. Baldwin does not fit into that picture with the current ticket signals.

 

[Poledo]

On second thought, if my hunch that The Ticket desperately wants back into Pensacola... The Catholics would be fools to turn down a trade of 1480 in Mobile for 1230 (plus that new 103.3 translator) in Pensacola...

... and the Ticket's flagship program is Southern Sports Tonight, I think. Just clearing that one show on WCSN would be significant. Hale does have a history with WCSN's owner... he's LMAing 100.3 in FWB from them.

 

[Rob]

How's about 106.1 That's not needed sine 104.1 is now full power and can be heard on both markets.

If Hale buys that, increases it's power (10,000 watts??) It can be clearly heard in Mobile and Pensacola. The stick can be moved westward too.. say Gulf Shores, AL. Then Hale can dump the AM stations and Just have three FM's.

(I wonder if he can increase 100.3's output as well, Crestview seems to be getting the short end of the stick)

If he wants to create a true sports network, that would be the only solution. forget these itty bitty translators.

-Rob

 

[Groove1670]

I love getting my daily dose of laughter.

 

[tomservo]

On second thought, if my hunch that The Ticket desperately wants back into Pensacola... The Catholics would be fools to turn down a trade of 1480 in Mobile for 1230 (plus that new 103.3 translator) in Pensacola...

... and the Ticket's flagship program is Southern Sports Tonight, I think. Just clearing that one show on WCSN would be significant. Hale does have a history with WCSN's owner... he's LMAing 100.3 in FWB from them.

What would the Catholics want with 1480 in Mobile? They already own 1410 and it has a much better signal, day and night, than WABB.

 

[Poledo]

I didn't know the Catholics were already on the air in Mobile... I just knew Mobile had a whole lot of Catholics... many of Mobile's Catholics don't speak English though. Spanish Catholic radio?

 

[Poledo]

Hows about 106.1 moves to Atmore and co-locates with 105.9 and ups the power to 50kw mono? That should put a good sports signal into both Mobile and Pensacola.
Then there's the small problem of Cumulus probably hating Hale for selling them 98.1 after he had already entered into a sales contract with another party. Cumulus probably won't take Hale's phone calls anymore...
Oh well, it was a damn good idea for a split second.

 

[cceng1]

I guess no matter what I or anyone else says, Rob will never understand that stations can't just randomly change their power.....I'm being kind here....don't know why....maybe it's old age and I am getting mellow.

 

[Groove1670]

Rob I,m gonna upgrade my CP to 500kw with HAAT of 900M so I can cover all of Alabama. I'll file a form 301z soon. ;D

 

[tomservo]

Rob I,m gonna upgrade my CP to 500kw with HAAT of 900M so I can cover all of Alabama. I'll file a form 301z soon. ;D

You joke, but damn, I'd like to see that coverage map.

Heck, I'd kill for a plot of the predicted coverage of WBRC-FM back when it had a permit for 500 kW from atop Red Mountain in Birmingham. I don't think anyone knows if the station ever actually operated with that much power, but it was supposed on the air for a while from 1946 onwards, at 102.5 MHz. Even from a short tower it must have been something else.