Dolphins move back to WQAM

[Faraway]

I repeat that I have never heard of a team president doing a radio show on the competitor to the flagship station, that to me is a hard slap to the face.

Actually there is some precedence. Just prior to WIOD's last year of its contract with the Dolphins, WQAM outbid IOD for rights to the "The Jimmy Johnson show." At the time, it was considered very daring and it turned out to be QAM's entree to a relationship with Wayne H and the Fins. These days, as the rights fees go down, and the teams needing as much help as possible from as many broadcast outlets as they can muster, there is less exclusivity. Of course, I am not aware of 790 paying Sampson anything for his appearance. I think he and LeBatard are friends, plus, as sports fans know, he's kind of...um....quirky.

 

[CapeFish]

Guess it all depends what side of the fence you play between who is more right, Marlins or QAM. Slamming David Samson, to me, is totally appropriate given what he has done. Fat Hank, hate to admit it, is mostly right. I repeat that I have never heard of a team president doing a radio show on the competitor to the flagship station, that to me is a hard slap to the face.
It's gonna be interesting, the next few months as the Marlins negotiations start to take fold. Will 790 over-spend like they did with the Dolphins just to have a team on their station roster?

It just seems to many fans like myself, that WQAM has no interest in promoting the Marlins at all. WQAM could have Samson on if they wanted. They used to...what happened to make it stop?

BTW, I'm not against WQAM keeping the rights....but they need to do better. 2006 and 2007 have seen WQAM kick it up a notch. I appreciate Marlins Extra on Sundays, Eddie K. doing shows on the weekends too, and the new Marlins section on WQAM with video and audio clips.

But the Marlins Network needs more stations. Hopefully WQAM under Joe Bell can turn it around with the Dolphins coming and they can package them as a duo again. WORL-AM in Orlando and WMEL-AM in Melbourne both used to carry the Fish, but WORL-AM used to also carry the Fins.

 

[CapeFish]

http://capefish.blogspot.com/2007/04/wqam-to-dump-marlins.html

Fins ask WQAM to dump the Fish and they do. WQAM will have no ratings once everything is said and done in 2009.

Where will the Fish end up now?

MAkes me dislike Wayne even more.

 

[Faraway]

If a rights fee is expected, I don't think you'll be catching the Fish on a CC station. Plus, the HEAT are exclusive to WIOD and WINZ's night signal is a problem. The wild card could be James-Crystal. Those guys LOVE sports and WMEN <?> will soon have a signal that will pretty much blankets everything but the deepest south parts of Dade county. But count on the Marlins management to play everyone against each other to raise the ante. Reminds me of the first Marlins contract - they had WQAM bidding against itself, inferring that Bud Paxson, who was in the process of bying WINZ and WZTA, was very interested in the contract. There were even some articles quoting inside sources that the deal was done, WINZ had the rights, when no such conversation had taken place. The source of those rumors? I'm told it was the Marlins.

 

[CapeFish]

If a rights fee is expected, I don't think you'll be catching the Fish on a CC station. Plus, the HEAT are exclusive to WIOD and WINZ's night signal is a problem. The wild card could be James-Crystal. Those guys LOVE sports and WMEN <?> will soon have a signal that will pretty much blankets everything but the deepest south parts of Dade county. But count on the Marlins management to play everyone against each other to raise the ante. Reminds me of the first Marlins contract - they had WQAM bidding against itself, inferring that Bud Paxson, who was in the process of bying WINZ and WZTA, was very interested in the contract. There were even some articles quoting inside sources that the deal was done, WINZ had the rights, when no such conversation had taken place. The source of those rumors? I'm told it was the Marlins.

The Marlins ownership in 1993 was Wayne Huizenga. Right now, it is Loria & Crew.

But your talking of James Crystal is interesting an idea. I think the Fish could bring the rights in-house and that may be how CC gets the contract. The Marlins, HEAT, and the Panthers all are very close in their operations. Don't they now shares ticket package and ad sales for certain larger clients?

The idea is if they have WINZ, they would have an FM co-flagship ala Braves to get that night coverage.

 

[bgwilde1]

I would not look to the Braves as a template. Part of that whole thing was a prior management team at CC Atlanta that was allowed to go after it at the time, partly because CC considered it a coup to get it away from the Cox flagship in their hometown.

The first time CC had it in the early 90s, it only lasted for the one contract, then WSB got it back. Given CC's past Atlanta behavior and current stance to cust costs, I do not see them bidding on the Braves when it comes up again.

 

[CapeFish]

Looks like the Fish want a HEAT-style radio deal with them selling their ads themselves: http://capefish.blogspot.com/2007/04/marlins-radio-search-begins.html

 

[CapeFish]

So, the dust settles and so far we have the following....

WQAM: Dolphins & Hurricanes
WIOD: Heat
WAXY: ------

Marlins & Panthers are homeless and it appears both teams will take their radio operations in-house and do time buys on a South Florida station. Looks like in-house is where it is. Heat are in-house with a time buy on WIOD. Dolphins have the aforementioned partnership with WQAM that limits the rights fee and increases revenue sharing between WQAM and the Fins. Now the Fish and Cats need to find a home, likely on 790, and that should bring peace to all.

The Fish and Cats have 790 for their fans to talk on, 560 becomes Fins Radio 24/7, and 610 continues happily along with its Heat package. Would this finally get Fat Hank and Mandich off the Marlins' case? Would this finally get the 790-Fins bickering to stop?