Diamondbacks Are Division Champs, But Does KTAR / Arizona Sports 620 Care?

[asugeorge1]

As most of you probably already know, your Arizona Diamondbacks clinched the National League Western Division title tonight. Fifth division title in fourteen seasons. Pretty impressive for a team that was suppose to finish last in the division! Mass hysteria and celebration ensued out at Chase Field tonight as the players went nuts and jumped into the pool out in right field. Diamondbacks radio network coverage was great with post-game interviews afterwards by Jeff Munn and Greg Schulte, but once that was done, no analysis, no KTAR post-game show, nothing. Instead, we get the ESPN network feed on Arizona Sports 620.

In years past (at least for the last thirteen seasons), most Diamondbacks games were followed by Diamond Talk with extensive post-game coverage by KTAR-AM (both as News Radio 620 and Sports 620 KTAR). This season, though, I've noticed that Arizona Sports 620 has dropped all pre-game and post-game coverage that is not already aired by the Diamondbacks radio network. To me, this is disappointing for what is suppose to be Arizona's #1 Sports Station. Maybe it's the state of AM radio as a whole or specifically Phoenix sports fans, but I think KTAR's post-game coverage of Diamondbacks baseball has gone way downhill the last couple seasons. Remember years past when Brad Cesmat and Dave Burns would host Diamond Talk after each and every Diamondbacks game or, even better, when they had the 620 Sports Line each and every night? Now, KTAR can't wait to get back to the boring national radio feed of ESPN. It seems that Sports 620 KTAR Arizona Sports 620 is more concerned with promoting national ESPN shows like Mike and Mike in the Morning (we get it Mike Golic, you started your radio career in Phoenix) than covering the local sports teams like the Diamondbacks. Disappointing indeed. At least Fox Sports Arizona has wonderful post-game coverage going on!

Has anyone else noticed this from Arizona Sports 620? Or, an even better question, do Phoenix sports fans really care about radio coverage of Diamondbacks baseball?

P.S. Go Diamondbacks! ;D

 

[DrAkbar]

Or, an even better question, do Phoenix sports fans really care about radio coverage of Diamondbacks baseball?

Guess not. All the pre and post game hoopla is a carryover from the days when KT'R was just one station and needed to sell every second of the day. Since they went bi-polar and operate on two bands, there's no longer the need to be all things to all people. Plus there's the added cost of staffing during the regular season. As the D'backs advance in the playoffs, our hunch is you'll hear coverage on 92~Three as well as Sports Parkinglot 6~Twenty. And that most likely includes the missing pre and post game talk shows.


Go D'backs.....Go Cards....Go Suns (oops no season)...Go Mercury...Go J J - King of Beepers!

 

[landtuna]

I'm always happy to hear that any of our local teams (high school, college and professional) are doing good although the idea of listening to a beisbol game would put me right to sleep. And, other than the LLWS (which REALLY is a world series) watching a game is no guarantee of continued consciousness either.

The D-backs had a full house last night to maybe all the radio fans were at the game instead of hunched over their transistor radios (not including the guards at the Buckeye Media Hut of course).

 

[EricStein]

I'm always happy to hear that any of our local teams (high school, college and professional) are doing good although the idea of listening to a beisbol game would put me right to sleep. And, other than the LLWS (which REALLY is a world series) watching a game is no guarantee of continued consciousness either.

High school sports are a moot point in Arizona. I blame it on the AIA's short-sightedness and continuing their deal with Cox cable for "game of the week" coverage instead of finding an over-the-air broadcast outlet (AZ-TV, are you listening?) or making a deal with Fox Sports Arizona. Sure, 3 and 12 have half-hour shows every Friday night, but that's just highlights AFTER the game.

 

[landtuna]

High school sports are a moot point in Arizona. I blame it on the AIA's short-sightedness and continuing their deal with Cox cable for "game of the week" coverage instead of finding an over-the-air broadcast outlet (AZ-TV, are you listening?) or making a deal with Fox Sports Arizona. Sure, 3 and 12 have half-hour shows every Friday night, but that's just highlights AFTER the game.

I wouldn't call high school sports (meaning football) moot but from a broadcasting cost perspective most of the audience is already at the game, not viewing from home. How large an audience could a broadcast get?

I could possibly see the playoffs being televised (or at least having a complete review and not the quickie highlights) but even there most of the interested audience is already at the game.

The Phoenix metro is not Jasper Junction, TX where the ONLY thing is Friday night football.

But having said all that.....I would watch. ;D

 

[KeithE4]

Now, KTAR can't wait to get back to the boring national radio feed of ESPN. It seems that Sports 620 KTAR Arizona Sports 620 ESPN Radio 620...

Fixed. ;D

... is more concerned with promoting national ESPN shows like Mike and Mike in the Morning (we get it Mike Golic, you started your radio career in Phoenix) than covering the local sports teams like the Diamondbacks. Disappointing indeed. At least Fox Sports Arizona has wonderful post-game coverage going on!

They're doing this for the same reason they let Mark Asher go. Apparently (at least this is my guess), The Mickey Mouse Outfit was able to grab The Men In Secret Underwear by their...uh...Secret Underwear, and is mandating that ESPN Radio programming be given priority, existing team contracts and a few hours of local programming (which even their own O&Os run during some dayparts) excepted.

I wonder what'll happen when the existing team contracts are up? I could see some of them moving elsewhere, unless TMISU move local sports programming to 98.7 (or buy another station) and keep ESPN on 620, and use it strictly as an overflow station.

Has anyone else noticed this from Arizona Sports 620? Or, an even better question, do Phoenix sports fans really care about radio coverage of Diamondbacks baseball?

I certainly do, since Schulte/Munn & Candiotti/Fetters are far better than Dumberer and Dumberest on Fox Sports Net. But should the D'backs make it to the WS, will KTAR be allowed to run its own broadcast or will they be forced to use ESPN Radio's?

P.S. Go Diamondbacks! ;D

Absolutely! ;D

 

[Sammi Brie]

In re: high school sports:

That said, the AIA can show glimmers of farsightedness once in a while. For instance, their streaming site, aia365.com — they produce several games a week (one of these is the KDUS radio game, same audio), plus schools can broadcast their own events.

As for playoffs, they need to be streamed somewhere. The answer to why is location:

-Divisions I and II, the largest schools, will likely be held at one of the big Valley venues.
-But divisions III, IV, and V (the latter two of which are spread out more across the state) are being held this year at the newly-renovated Walkup Skydome in Flagstaff. Not many people can make a drive up north on Thanksgiving weekend.
-Division VI (eight-man football) is at Bradshaw Mountain HS in Prescott. This is also a division with some real spread.

 

[johndavis]

In re: high school sports:

That said, the AIA can show glimmers of farsightedness once in a while. For instance, their streaming site, aia365.com — they produce several games a week (one of these is the KDUS radio game, same audio), plus schools can broadcast their own events.

In my part of Texas, you'll find a game of the week on the radio with other games streamed on the web. The regional Fox Sports network carries a Saturday game of the week on their website. There's money in high school sports, but not enough dollars to put it on broadcast TV. We have high school games on Friday and Saturday nights here. The school districts will only build a couple of stadiums (which are on par with college facilities) and the schools share them.

But nobody can top Shine All Nine Radio in Liberty, TX and its Split Channel Sports. Yes, you can hear one team in the left channel and their cross-town rival in the right. They've been doing it for years. http://www.kshn.com/to_split_the_channel_while_liste.htm

 

[rockjock420]

The Cox7 games are nothing to do with the AIA. That relationship fizzled several years ago. The games on Fox Sports AZ are somewhat of a partnership, but not sure to what extent. The schools (if anyone) own the rights to regular season games, so anyone could (in theory and with school permission) broadcast games if they felt there was money to be made.

 

[pjc1961]

But should the D'backs make it to the WS, will KTAR be allowed to run its own broadcast or will they be forced to use ESPN Radio's?

Should the D-Backs make the World Series, the local broadcast would still be heard - but only on the team's flagship station. The other affiliates on the Diamondbacks radio network would then have first dibs on taking the ESPN national feed of the Series, should they choose to carry the games.

The Division Series and League Championship Series still allow the local broadcast to be heard across the entire network.

 

[SCV_Ears]

I'm always happy to hear that any of our local teams (high school, college and professional) are doing good although the idea of listening to a beisbol game would put me right to sleep. And, other than the LLWS (which REALLY is a world series) watching a game is no guarantee of continued consciousness either.

High school sports are a moot point in Arizona. I blame it on the AIA's short-sightedness and continuing their deal with Cox cable for "game of the week" coverage instead of finding an over-the-air broadcast outlet (AZ-TV, are you listening?) or making a deal with Fox Sports Arizona. Sure, 3 and 12 have half-hour shows every Friday night, but that's just highlights AFTER the game.

What someone ought to look at is something that started last year at the CW affiliate in Fresno, and was copied from elsewhere: A Thursday night "Game of the Week" on TV. Pep rally day before the game, gets talked up on their sister station's morning show the next day, nice production (as much as they can do with the woeful lights at some high school fields), a chance for principals to talk about their schools at halftime and a trophy presentation afterward. Kind of sets the table for Friday night games.