Are any local radio stations carrying cactus league baseball games?

[MC]

I have a neighbor that wants to know (I would rather listen to paint dry)

 

[KeithE4]

Just the D'backs on KTAR Arizona Sports 620, and then only on weekends if there's no Suns or ASU hoops conflict, AFAIK.

 

[MC]

Thank YOU! My snowbird neighbor is happy for the info. Guess the games are not on cable TV except for 1305 cox. I think they used to have a package, but they are trying to get more people out to the stadiums.

 

[50kguy]

The arrival of the Diamondbacks took all other MLB teams off the air. KOY was a Dodgers station for many years and KLFF/KNNS/KGME had selected games from Padres, Angels, Giants & A's. KCKY in Coolidge had been a Cubs affiliate based on a very old deal between the owner and team. If there was no Cubs March broadcast, they produced their own with Dave Packey doing the play-by-play.

 

[KeithE4]

The arrival of the Diamondbacks took all other MLB teams off the air. KOY was a Dodgers station for many years and KLFF/KNNS/KGME had selected games from Padres, Angels, Giants & A's. KCKY in Coolidge had been a Cubs affiliate based on a very old deal between the owner and team. If there was no Cubs March broadcast, they produced their own with Dave Packey doing the play-by-play.

Then-KUSK-TV (now AZTV) carried the Giants, A's and (I think) Padres before 1998. 20-30 games each, IIRC. KTAR had the Dodgers for a long time, and whatever 1230 was called in 1990 (KAMJ?) carried the White Sox, at least for that season. The Firebirds were on KXAM 1310 for at least their last few seasons (1994-97).

MLB rules prohibit out-of-market TV games in a major-league market, but AFAIK, there is no rule that prohibits other teams' radio broadcasts. This is also true of the NFL, where Cowboys games have been known to pop up on rimshots in various years (not lately, though). It's just that nobody bothers to do it due to a lack of fan base and ad support relative to the D'backs. The Cubs would probably be the only team that would be remotely successful, but nobody's bothered since KCKY.

Just pony up the $15 for the entire season and listen on your PC or smartphone.

 

[KeithE4]

Thank YOU! My snowbird neighbor is happy for the info. Guess the games are not on cable TV except for 1305 cox. I think they used to have a package, but they are trying to get more people out to the stadiums.

I take it that Channel 1305 is MLB Network (I don't have cable). They sometimes carry a few games per day, but right now they're concentrating on the World Baseball Classic.

At least at this early stage of Spring Training, most Cactus League games are not broadcast back to their home cities, and those that are broadcast are only the weekend games. Some games are only available on MLB.com. Graperfruit League teams are a bit more generous with their broadcasts, both radio and TV.

 

[fybush]

MLB rules prohibit out-of-market TV games in a major-league market, but AFAIK, there is no rule that prohibits other teams' radio broadcasts.

It's my understanding that there is actually such a rule, but it's much more limited; I believe it restricts out-of-town broadcasts on stations in the home team's home county and adjacent counties. Hence, no Red Sox on the radio in NYC proper or adjacent Westchester, but the Sox have been heard on WGCH 1490 in Greenwich CT, in Fairfield County - and no Yankees on Boston radio, but the team has been heard on stations in Worcester (two counties away) and southern New Hampshire (also two counties away).

Of course, getting beyond any county that touches Maricopa puts you way, way out past Media Hut-land...

 

[KeithE4]

MLB rules prohibit out-of-market TV games in a major-league market, but AFAIK, there is no rule that prohibits other teams' radio broadcasts.

It's my understanding that there is actually such a rule, but it's much more limited; I believe it restricts out-of-town broadcasts on stations in the home team's home county and adjacent counties. Hence, no Red Sox on the radio in NYC proper or adjacent Westchester, but the Sox have been heard on WGCH 1490 in Greenwich CT, in Fairfield County - and no Yankees on Boston radio, but the team has been heard on stations in Worcester (two counties away) and southern New Hampshire (also two counties away).

If that's true, the Red Sox & Phillies could be broadcast on Long Island stations. The Yankees play in "Bronx County," and Brooklyn and Queens Counties are in between Bronx and Nassau Counties, so it wouldn't violate the rule. Same for a Phillies broadcast on a Suffolk County station - Nassau County is between Queens and Suffolk Counties. Of course, we know the chances of that ever happening. ;D

Of course, getting beyond any county that touches Maricopa puts you way, way out past Media Hut-land...

The adjacent counties are Yavapai, Gila, Pinal, and Yuma - that covers about 1/3 of the state. The Cubs could make a deal with a Tucson FM station to carry their games ans still be within that rule. Most Tucson FMs make it to the southeastern part of the Phoenix metro, where most Cub fans live.

 

[landtuna]

Most Tucson FMs make it to the southeastern part of the Phoenix metro, where most Cub fans live.

I thought they were all up in Snottsdale.

Nobody here but us D-backers. ;D

 

[KeithE4]

Most Tucson FMs make it to the southeastern part of the Phoenix metro, where most Cub fans live.

I thought they were all up in Snottsdale.

Nobody here but us D-backers. ;D

I knew quite a few in south Tempe when I lived there in the mid '90s. We called the Rural/Baseline area "the far-southwest suburbs of Chicago." ;D

Lots of them in Ahwatukee & Mesa too.

 

[johndavis]

and whatever 1230 was called in 1990 (KAMJ?) carried the White Sox, at least for that season.

I started there in March of 1990, and I only remember them carrying Oakland A's baseball, which they carried until the format changed to Urban AC. Since the format changed mid-season that year (1992?), they had to break format to run the A's games to fulfill the contract.

In 1990, the calls would have been KAMJ, then briefly KPMX (EZ parked the Mix slogan on 1230 to keep KZZP from becoming Mix 104.7 while they were preparing to turn Magic 101 into Mix 101), then back to KAMJ again.

I remember the Cubs games on KCKY (you saw a lot of their Cubs bumperstickers, too) and Dodgers on KTAR and KOY growing up. There's nothing like hearing Vin Scully call a game. Now I want a Bar-S Dodgerdog for dinner...

 

[KeithE4]

and whatever 1230 was called in 1990 (KAMJ?) carried the White Sox, at least for that season.

I started there in March of 1990, and I only remember them carrying Oakland A's baseball, which they carried until the format changed to Urban AC. Since the format changed mid-season that year (1992?), they had to break format to run the A's games to fulfill the contract.

I was visiting family out here in June 1990 (I lived in the Chicago area at the time, and am a White Sox fan), and remember listening to John Rooney call a Sox game on 1230 at the time.

There's nothing like hearing Vin Scully call a game...

Vin's the only reason I watch Dodger games on MLB.TV. He's the best baseball announcer ever, bar none. If he's not doing the game, I don't watch since I'm not a Dodger fan (to put it mildly).

 

[johndavis]

I was visiting family out here in June 1990 (I lived in the Chicago area at the time, and am a White Sox fan), and remember listening to John Rooney call a Sox game on 1230 at the time.

Could've been. The only criteria for programming on 1230 at the time was 'Can we get it on barter?'

 

[dhett]

The adjacent counties are Yavapai, Gila, Pinal, and Yuma - that covers about 1/3 of the state. The Cubs could make a deal with a Tucson FM station to carry their games ans still be within that rule. Most Tucson FMs make it to the southeastern part of the Phoenix metro, where most Cub fans live.

Nope. Pima is also an adjacent county. 40 miles south of Gila Bend, Ajo is in Pima County.