• 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

Devil Rays deal with Clear Channel

C

CapeFish

http://www.mediamax.com/capefish/Hosted/Rays/index.htm

I noticed that WNLS here in Tallahassee is now airing games. Did Clear Channel and the Rays enlarge their deal? How do they get affiliates...is it purely the Rays dealing with the affiliate? I know the Marlins and Rays use the same satellite system (Skyview) to deliver games with automation, but what has caused this Rays Radio Network growth spurt?
 
Well if its that "automated" , you can lay off a few more employees who would work a night or weekend shift.....

Or perhaps its just a good sleaze--- excuse me, sales executive who can pitch a team with sticks but no bullpen...

By the way, still within range of the Steve Irwin tragedy, has anyone sampled the Rays "stinger dog" or whatever they call it?
 
Studio20 said:
Well if its that "automated" , you can lay off a few more employees who would work a night or weekend shift.....

Or perhaps its just a good sleaze--- excuse me, sales executive who can pitch a team with sticks but no bullpen...

By the way, still within range of the Steve Irwin tragedy, has anyone sampled the Rays "stinger dog" or whatever they call it?
Click to expand...

I've had a couple of "Sting 'Em Dogs". If you like chili cheese dogs, this one's pretty good. And why are you bringing up Irwin? Crikey, does everything have to be fricking P.C. these days? No offense, but as great as he was, you would think that a freak accident like the one that sadly spelled his end could possibly happen.
 
The name "Devil Rays" or "Rays" has been ludicrious from day one. A Stingray or any other such creature down the animal chain belongs in some gulf coast minor league "A" or "AA" team, not a major league one. It would be a bit "un P C" to use a moniker revolving around the towns baseball history, because as any African-American will tell you..like Bill White....they were given the cold shoulder during spring training years even after Jackie Robinson came to the game..

My original pick was the "Tampa Bay Thunder", to parlay with the Lightning (NHL) and Storm (AFL) playing in what was the Thunderdome, though God knows the team needs the $$$$naming rights$$$$ that Tropicana brings..
 
Gee, I thought this was a radio board.
 
The Thunder is a great name.

Studio20 said:
The name "Devil Rays" or "Rays" has been ludicrious from day one. A Stingray or any other such creature down the animal chain belongs in some gulf coast minor league "A" or "AA" team, not a major league one. It would be a bit "un P C" to use a moniker revolving around the towns baseball history, because as any African-American will tell you..like Bill White....they were given the cold shoulder during spring training years even after Jackie Robinson came to the game..

My original pick was the "Tampa Bay Thunder", to parlay with the Lightning (NHL) and Storm (AFL) playing in what was the Thunderdome, though God knows the team needs the $$$$naming rights$$$$ that Tropicana brings..
Click to expand...
 
CapeFish said:
I noticed that WNLS here in Tallahassee is now airing games. Did Clear Channel and the Rays enlarge their deal?
Click to expand...

What deal?The Rays are in charge of the network, not CC. Only four of the 15 (English) radio stations carrying the Rays are CC-owned. With Skyview systems, a station can now run the games with no personnel needed (even on the flagship!) and the Rays won't even charge an affiliate fee (they just take ALL the inventory). It's a win/win/lose/lose situation (team/station/personnel/fans)...

My vote for team name is "Devil Dogs", tasty snacks with zero nutritional value. How about the "Tampa Bay Ding-Bats"?
 
The fact is having a Dave Wills and Rich Herrara as part of your announcer team tells you what you need to know about the Rays and Clear Channel. These guys shouldn't be near any major league team microphones. It is a true laugh fest to hear some of things that passes as information on their broadcasts. Wills mucks up the game broadcasts with yucks that probably didn't work when he was in Kane County IL and Herrara sounds like he has peaked before he got to Tampa Bay and should look towards the west for the next opening in the Pacific Coast League. I guess some guys work cheap and some teams like Devil Rays and Clear Channel truly don't care what they put out over the air.....
 
MisterNews said:
What deal?The Rays are in charge of the network, not CC. Only four of the 15 (English) radio stations carrying the Rays are CC-owned. With Skyview systems, a station can now run the games with no personnel needed (even on the flagship!) and the Rays won't even charge an affiliate fee (they just take ALL the inventory). It's a win/win/lose/lose situation (team/station/personnel/fans)...
Click to expand...

So what incentive does a station have to run a game vs. Fox Sports Radio if they can't sell ads during the game?

Do the Rays pay each affiliate for the time? I believe they pay WHNZ, but that is the flagship. Do the other stations trade time for the games basically?
 
Puppa93 said:
In this case, the flagship does have a live body running the show from WHNZ's control room. They haven't yet reached a point (for the English broadcasts) of having the broadcast completely run from a radio booth (yet)
Click to expand...

Are you sure about that, Andrew? ;)
 
I found it odd that the Rays were "simulcast" on 970 WFLA in addition to 1250 WHNZ for one game on opening day at the Trop this year. I just can't understand why their flagship station has to be such a low-powered one (especially at night, when the majority of the games are played). Please CC, bring 'em back to 970! Then put the weekday/weekend afternoon games on 1250 so Schnitt won't complain about getting preempted!
 
CapeFish said:
So what incentive does a station have to run a game vs. Fox Sports Radio if they can't sell ads during the game?
Click to expand...

None. Some GM/PD's might think a major league team will draw listeners, but not perennial losers like the Rays. They'd do better airing the nearest AA team, or local high school games...

Do the Rays pay each affiliate for the time? I believe they pay WHNZ, but that is the flagship. Do the other stations trade time for the games basically?
Click to expand...

I don't know; probably some sort of revenue share. It's odious programming and just pisses off most regular radio listeners. :-[ Maybe the Rays will end up on WTAN-- Downtown Dave can dream...
 
radioguy555 said:
I found it odd that the Rays were "simulcast" on 970 WFLA in addition to 1250 WHNZ for one game on opening day at the Trop this year. I just can't understand why their flagship station has to be such a low-powered one (especially at night, when the majority of the games are played). Please CC, bring 'em back to 970! Then put the weekday/weekend afternoon games on 1250 so Schnitt won't complain about getting preempted!
Click to expand...

For the first six or seven years CC paid rights fees while the games were on 970. When that deal ran out no one wanted them. They now buy the time on 1250 and control the content.
 
Which explains why whenever Rich is doing the postgame show and a caller complains about how the Rays aren't progressing, he's always toeing the company line.
 
When will the Devil Rays be the first team to offer only internet broadcasts of their games, when it gets tired of paying WHNZ. Oh wait, Lola will be at One Tropicana Field offering her TAN Talk Network to Stu Sternberg and Associations. Maybe Rich Herrara can do mornings and afternoon drivetime on the TAN talk network in between The Music and Talk of Your Life as well his MAGNIFICANT WALL TO WALL Devil Rays coverage.
 
Re: Rays Internet broadcasts.

These are the sole property of MLB.com, which is why WHNZ has to provide alternate content on its streaming audio during all games. So unless the MLB deal changes, or one of the Rays tiny affiliates forgets to turn off their stream (if they even have one) during the games, there's no chance of hearing the games on the web (unless you pay). Now Dave and Lola will offer Stu & Company a great deal on the Tan-Talk Global and Interplanetary Radio network (NASA claims they can picked up on Pluto, but unfortunately not in Clearwater). Why, for less than the cost of a...

But I doubt even Wagi would stoop as low as "Herrera In The Morning".
"This throat-clearing sound brought to you a variety of fine local sponsors..."
 
Status
This thread has been closed due to inactivity. You can create a new thread to discuss this topic.


Back
Top Bottom