• Get involved.
    We want your input!
    Apply for Membership and join the conversations about everything related to broadcasting.

    After we receive your registration, a moderator will review it. After your registration is approved, you will be permitted to post.
    If you use a disposable or false email address, your registration will be rejected.

    After your membership is approved, please take a minute to tell us a little bit about yourself.
    https://www.radiodiscussions.com/forums/introduce-yourself.1088/

    Thanks in advance and have fun!
    RadioDiscussions Administrators

550 KTRS and the St Louis Cardinals

C

coltsfan

Guest
Is it true that Tim Dorsey may sell KTRS to the St Louis Cardinals? What would happen to the signal and all the staff? I have noticed a change in how far KTRS reaches into southern Illinois over the last year or so. It isn't quite as strong as it used to be.
 
> Is it true that Tim Dorsey may sell KTRS to the St Louis
> Cardinals? What would happen to the signal and all the
> staff? I have noticed a change in how far KTRS reaches into
> southern Illinois over the last year or so. It isn't quite
> as strong as it used to be.
>
I hope it stays with KMOX....I live in Atlanta and can get my Cards fix with them....550 surely won't have that signal...and anyway, isn't there something to be said for a 50plus year relationship...even in this modern corporate radio age???
 
> > Is it true that Tim Dorsey may sell KTRS to the St Louis
> > Cardinals? What would happen to the signal and all the
> > staff? I have noticed a change in how far KTRS reaches
> into
> > southern Illinois over the last year or so. It isn't
> quite
> > as strong as it used to be.
> >
> I hope it stays with KMOX....I live in Atlanta and can get
> my Cards fix with them....550 surely won't have that
> signal...and anyway, isn't there something to be said for a
> 50plus year relationship...even in this modern corporate
> radio age???
>

My understanding is that one of the big hang-ups is whether Dorsey and his brother will continue to be employed by KTRS after the sale. Dorsey is trying to squeeze everything he can out of this. Also a lot of fans are making their displeasure known over the potential switch. So no decision has been made yet by the Cardinals, although at last word, it is about 50-50 as to the move.

The biggest drawback to the sale is the nighttime signal of KTRS, which is poor at best once you get about 10 feet away from the tower. Whether the Cards can apply to have the signal boosted after the sale is something else entirely. But whatever happens, they will not get anywhere near the nighttime coverage of KMOX. The dyatime signal is another matter.....KTRS has a stronger reach during the day than KMOX for some reason.
 
The only reason the Cardinals have such an appeal was the fact they were the Southernmost and Westernmost team up to the 1950's. What is the second element that boosted the Cardinals' popularity?

K-M-O-X

Going to KTRS is just flat out dumb. Even if the Cards own the station.

Cardinal Baseball is still a radio sport in a lot of places. To do anything different would be dumb.

Internet broadcasts and sattelite radio is just not that widely in use.

DOn't the Cardinals understand that they will lose a lot of their national appeal. Not even the 100-station network of mostly 500w and 1kw graveyard stations is enough to reach the Cardinal Nation. KMOX is what does it. Without KMOX you can't even get the Cardinals in Chicago. (Although I was hoping that WMVP would pick up the Cards after losing the Sox, I doubt anyone would seriously consider that.)
 
Sure, you can get the Cards anywhere in the world on the internet, or via XM in the US if you subscribe. If the Cardinals do move to 550, I think that would be one of the main driving factors.

The Cardinals already have some high powered FM affiliates that cover the far fringes of the Missouri side.

To, me, at least, since Jack Buck's passing, it doesn't really matter to me where the Cardinals games are aired. I no longer turn down the TV and turn on KMOX to hear the audio. While Wayne Hagin is a fine broadcaster, the magic is gone...

And MLB rules would keep a station from being affiliated with the Cardinals in the Chicago metro, or any other with their own team. The Cardinals used to have an affiliate in Tampa, but that went away when the Devil Rays started up.

> The only reason the Cardinals have such an appeal was the
> fact they were the Southernmost and Westernmost team up to
> the 1950's. What is the second element that boosted the
> Cardinals' popularity?
>
> K-M-O-X
>
> Going to KTRS is just flat out dumb. Even if the Cards own
> the station.
>
> Cardinal Baseball is still a radio sport in a lot of places.
> To do anything different would be dumb.
>
> Internet broadcasts and sattelite radio is just not that
> widely in use.
>
> DOn't the Cardinals understand that they will lose a lot of
> their national appeal. Not even the 100-station network of
> mostly 500w and 1kw graveyard stations is enough to reach
> the Cardinal Nation. KMOX is what does it. Without KMOX you
> can't even get the Cardinals in Chicago. (Although I was
> hoping that WMVP would pick up the Cards after losing the
> Sox, I doubt anyone would seriously consider that.)
>
 
Does 880 in Highland still carry the cubs?

IS that not in the St. Louis metro?

They would still be dumb to dump KMOX.

I would say KMOX is dedicated to the Cardinals. Here there was a big explosion, and what is on KMOX's stream? Mike Shannon talking it up at his bar.
 
Cards moving d-u-m-b

I can testify to that. Here in Detroit, WJR had the Tigers for decades- they went hand-in-hand. The Tigers WERE WJR and vice-versa. No longer.

A few years ago, they moved to WXYT 1270 AM (for many of the same reasons they're thinking of going from KMOX to KTRS) and, despite the fact they went 50,000 watts a few years ago, their coverage area still pales in comparison to WJR at 760. 50kw on a coverage map is one thing, 50kw at 1270 just doesn't cut it.

CARDS- DON'T DO IT!!! It just hasn't been the same in the Motor City since.

> The only reason the Cardinals have such an appeal was the
> fact they were the Southernmost and Westernmost team up to
> the 1950's. What is the second element that boosted the
> Cardinals' popularity?
>
> K-M-O-X
>
> Going to KTRS is just flat out dumb. Even if the Cards own
> the station.
>
> Cardinal Baseball is still a radio sport in a lot of places.
> To do anything different would be dumb.
>
> Internet broadcasts and sattelite radio is just not that
> widely in use.
>
> DOn't the Cardinals understand that they will lose a lot of
> their national appeal. Not even the 100-station network of
> mostly 500w and 1kw graveyard stations is enough to reach
> the Cardinal Nation. KMOX is what does it. Without KMOX you
> can't even get the Cardinals in Chicago. (Although I was
> hoping that WMVP would pick up the Cards after losing the
> Sox, I doubt anyone would seriously consider that.)
>
 
I believe Larry Rice is still playing the games on 880 and 1510 in Highland.

> Does 880 in Highland still carry the cubs?
>
> IS that not in the St. Louis metro?
>
> They would still be dumb to dump KMOX.
>
> I would say KMOX is dedicated to the Cardinals. Here there
> was a big explosion, and what is on KMOX's stream? Mike
> Shannon talking it up at his bar.
>
 
>
> And MLB rules would keep a station from being affiliated
> with the Cardinals in the Chicago metro, or any other with
> their own team. The Cardinals used to have an affiliate in
> Tampa, but that went away when the Devil Rays started up.

Actually, that's not 100% true. There is still a New York Yankees affiliate on the air in Tampa. In order to broadcast, the Yankees have the right to air all of their home games in Tampa accept those that involve the Devil Rays. When the Yankees are on the road, they need to have a release signed by each individual club to allow the game to air in Tampa. Baltimore and Seattle have refused to sign those waivers, but all the other games are on in the Tampa market.

It's a convoluted system, but if some team and some station wanted to do it they could. The rules also allow other exceptions. For example the Marlins have actively tried to get into the Tampa market as Florida's national league team. However no station has taken the bait. The Marlins are hated for trying to block baseball from coming to Tampa. Given the currrent state of the Devil Rays, maybe the Marlins are owed an apology.
 
What would happen to the Blues rights if the Cardinals did indeed buy the station..one of the reasons the Blues went over to KTRS is that were a stepchild on KMOX and would get bumped to either an FM or whoever would clear room on the log if the Cardinals were on..

There was a moment in time when the Blues migrated to KSHE when the hockey and baseball schedules conflicted..KSHE promoted the hell out the broadcasts, and KMOX got wind of it and ended the relationship...

What response might Infinity have if this sale in fact does go down? Would they let it go without a fight--or is this the first in a series of MLB rights moves that are in response to the XM deal, which had some rightsholders screaming bloody murder during the World Series, when the deal was first announced?
 
Broadcasting in another team's market

>(Although I was
> hoping that WMVP would pick up the Cards after losing the
> Sox, I doubt anyone would seriously consider that.)

In general MLB frowns upon one team encroaching on another's market.

Back in 1973 when Harry Caray was fired by the Cardinals and hired by the White Sox, WGNU picked up the WS games solely because of Harry Caray's popularity. The broadcasts lasted one season. WGNU would have continued them if permitted to do so.
 
> What would happen to the Blues rights if the Cardinals did
> indeed buy the station..one of the reasons the Blues went
> over to KTRS is that were a stepchild on KMOX and would get
> bumped to either an FM or whoever would clear room on the
> log if the Cardinals were on..
>
> There was a moment in time when the Blues migrated to KSHE
> when the hockey and baseball schedules conflicted..KSHE
> promoted the hell out the broadcasts, and KMOX got wind of
> it and ended the relationship...
>
> What response might Infinity have if this sale in fact does
> go down? Would they let it go without a fight--or is this
> the first in a series of MLB rights moves that are in
> response to the XM deal, which had some rightsholders
> screaming bloody murder during the World Series, when the
> deal was first announced?
>

I would guess that KMOX would go after both the Blues and the Rams.

If the Cardinals DO in fact move to KTRS, they would be making a major mistake, in my opinion. Not only would they lose (AND p.o.) fringe area listeners, they also would be facing a credibility issue. If they control all the programming on the station, where would the objectivity be? Would anyone working at the station feel able to criticize the team without fear of reprisal? Would all the employees feel obligated to toe the company line and not be able to report on the team in a fair, unbiased manner? That does concern me.

As for Infinity, I really think they could care less whether the Cards are on KMOX or not. The nitwits presently running that company have no clue as to how to properly program a radio station. They only care about one thing......money. If KMOX's billing collapses if they lose the Cards (and it will), watch how fast they dump the station.

God, I miss the Hyland days..............
 
Re: Broadcasting in another team's market

> In general MLB frowns upon one team encroaching on another's
> market.
>
> Back in 1973 when Harry Caray was fired by the Cardinals and
> hired by the White Sox, WGNU picked up the WS games solely
> because of Harry Caray's popularity. The broadcasts lasted
> one season. WGNU would have continued them if permitted to
> do so.

Just picked this one up...

It happens on the fringes of markets at times. One example not far from home for me...WTIG/990 Massillon (Canton, OH market) picks up the Cincinnati Reds.

But WTIG is a tiny station, and presumably is small enough and far enough away from Cleveland that MLB doesn't care...

This isn't counting markets like Youngstown/Warren, which is basically directly between Cleveland and Pittsburgh.

-OA<P ID="signature">______________
Ohio Media Watch - <a target="_blank" href=http://ohiomedia.blogspot.com>http://ohiomedia.blogspot.com</a></P>
 
Those of you who are living in the past don't or
refuse to understand the dyamics of media today,
it's all about ROI. Whether Uncle Fester listened
to Cards games on KMOX for fifty years makes no
difference if you're looking at the bottom line, and
understanding that even in St Louis fragmentation and
cable television games have altered the power of owning
broadcast rights to the Cards. If KTRS ends up with
the games, they'll simply build a regional network which
will more than cover the holes in the signal. Regarding
the Blues, who gives a ----? It is a loser, you don't
make money with Blues Hockey. I know, I've seen the
figures.
 
Status
This thread has been closed due to inactivity. You can create a new thread to discuss this topic.


Back
Top Bottom