The Phillies contract with WPHT will end after the 2011 season. I think the right move for them would be the AM/FM combo. They could have it on WYSP-FM and WPHT-AM, but during Eagles games, it would air on WPHT only. They already have a lot of listeners and they should be heard on FM. Plus, WYSP & WPHT have massive signals.
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FUTURE OF PHILLIES RADIO IN PHILADELPHIA
- Thread starter phils07
- Start date
I
imhomerjay
Guest
Not exactly a logical move for CBS.
Couple things about baseball: A lot more games than football, so it's a bigger commitment for a music-formatted station like WYSP. Most games are at night, so you benefit from AM's skywave. The lifestyle and approach isn't as aggressive as football, so it doesn't fit with a rock station. Flyers might be a better match, but still way too many games.
CBS is not putting the Phillies on WYSP if WYSP is still a rock station. If they move the sports format over there as has been endlessly speculated, then I'd imagine the Phillies would go over there with it.
But there's already an AM/FM simulcast that's just begging to have the Phillies. That's the one on 950/97.5.
But there's already an AM/FM simulcast that's just begging to have the Phillies. That's the one on 950/97.5.
aindik said:CBS is not putting the Phillies on WYSP if WYSP is still a rock station. If they move the sports format over there as has been endlessly speculated, then I'd imagine the Phillies would go over there with it.
But there's already an AM/FM simulcast that's just begging to have the Phillies. That's the one on 950/97.5.
I think they should go to WPEN-FM/AM in 2012. They might not want that because of the weaker signal of 97.5, and 950 AM is not much better than that.
phils07 said:aindik said:CBS is not putting the Phillies on WYSP if WYSP is still a rock station. If they move the sports format over there as has been endlessly speculated, then I'd imagine the Phillies would go over there with it.
But there's already an AM/FM simulcast that's just begging to have the Phillies. That's the one on 950/97.5.
I think they should go to WPEN-FM/AM in 2012. They might not want that because of the weaker signal of 97.5, and 950 AM is not much better than that.
WPEN AM-FM hasn't made big inroads against WIP because they don't have the rights to any pro teams. WPEN wanted the Phillies for the 2011 season. They might have another chance in 2012, since WPHT only re-upped for the '11 season. How come WPHT re-upped for only one season? ???
In a June 2010 article about 97.5 in Philly Magazine, there was this blurb that shows there is interest from both sides:
If The Fanatic is going to prevail, it will have to lure a broadcast deal away from WIP. A few years ago, the crown jewel would have been the Eagles. But today, stealing the Phillies from WIP and sister station The Big Talker 1210 AM is The Fanatic’s top priority. Prior to this season, the station made a pitch to Phils broadcast reps that one source called “an offer they couldn’t refuse,” but the Phillies got cold feet, and renewed with WIP and The Big Talker — albeit for this season only. “They gave us a lot to think about,” Phillies broadcasting manager Rob Brooks says of The Fanatic’s efforts — and what 2011 may bring. “There’s a new energy, a new commitment there. The fact that they [now] have an FM station, that has a great impact."
So the Phils re-upped with 1210 for that one season (2010), but now for 2011 they only did another 1210 one-year deal. I would love to see 97.5 get the Phils broadcasts.
If The Fanatic is going to prevail, it will have to lure a broadcast deal away from WIP. A few years ago, the crown jewel would have been the Eagles. But today, stealing the Phillies from WIP and sister station The Big Talker 1210 AM is The Fanatic’s top priority. Prior to this season, the station made a pitch to Phils broadcast reps that one source called “an offer they couldn’t refuse,” but the Phillies got cold feet, and renewed with WIP and The Big Talker — albeit for this season only. “They gave us a lot to think about,” Phillies broadcasting manager Rob Brooks says of The Fanatic’s efforts — and what 2011 may bring. “There’s a new energy, a new commitment there. The fact that they [now] have an FM station, that has a great impact."
So the Phils re-upped with 1210 for that one season (2010), but now for 2011 they only did another 1210 one-year deal. I would love to see 97.5 get the Phils broadcasts.
J
Jul
Guest
I really doubt that 97.5/950 will get the Phillies. I think that CBS radio wants to keep the Phillies.
I
imhomerjay
Guest
There's a tipping point where "wanting" becomes financially unworkable.
Other factors to consider:
- What are CBS' plans for 1210 in the post-Beck, Hannity and (maybe) Rush world? It's a bit curious that CBS kept the Phillies on 1210 rather than on 610 (which would have been the logical place for them).
- Do the Phillies bring an audience to 1210 that stays for the rest of the line-up?
- Do the Phillies bring listeners in the money demos or add to the graying of the station?
- Did CBS really want the Phillies for this year or did they just not want somebody else to get them (this happens a lot in broadcasting)? Or maybe they just want to keep a non-competitor from establishing a beachhead.
A lot of sports fans don't want to listen to every Phils games, so I think it makes good sense for CBS not to break format on WIP when they have another signal available. That said, as a talk fan and not a big sports fan, preempting shows on 1210 always sends me elsewhere. But since 1210 is the only major talker in Philly, CBS has the luxury of getting their talk audience back after the game - where else is a terrestrial radio-only listener going to go for mainstream talk if they don't prefere what's on WNTP?
WPEN could easily put the Phillies on the AM while sticking with ESPN or whatever else they're doing on the FM. The PEN(AM) signal isn't nearly as good as 1210 of course, but it's serviceable as the flagship Phillies network outlet. If there are holes where 1210 went that 950 doesn't, suburban affiliates can fill them.
WPEN could easily put the Phillies on the AM while sticking with ESPN or whatever else they're doing on the FM. The PEN(AM) signal isn't nearly as good as 1210 of course, but it's serviceable as the flagship Phillies network outlet. If there are holes where 1210 went that 950 doesn't, suburban affiliates can fill them.
musichead1029 said:A lot of sports fans don't want to listen to every Phils games, so I think it makes good sense for CBS not to break format on WIP when they have another signal available. That said, as a talk fan and not a big sports fan, preempting shows on 1210 always sends me elsewhere. But since 1210 is the only major talker in Philly, CBS has the luxury of getting their talk audience back after the game - where else is a terrestrial radio-only listener going to go for mainstream talk if they don't prefere what's on WNTP?
WPEN could easily put the Phillies on the AM while sticking with ESPN or whatever else they're doing on the FM. The PEN(AM) signal isn't nearly as good as 1210 of course, but it's serviceable as the flagship Phillies network outlet. If there are holes where 1210 went that 950 doesn't, suburban affiliates can fill them.
Putting the Phillies on FM, better yet on both AM and FM, may be how GM can clinch the deal.
TheBigA said:The Phillies don't care if it's AM, FM, or PM. As long as the check is good.
Phillies broadcasting manager Rob Brooks on The Fanatic’s efforts — and what 2011 may bring. said:“There’s a new energy, a new commitment there. The fact that they [now] have an FM station, that has a great impact."
If you've been checking the boards for some of the neighboring markets, you may have noticed a lot of movement in baseball - radio hook-ups.
In DC, the Nats have added a CBS FM sports talk station but the games also stay on WFED (the former WTOP) at 1500 AM.
In Baltimore, the O's have gone back to WBAL AM 1090, their long-time home, after a brief fling with another CBS FM station in Charm City.
The St. Louis Cardinals are going back to CBS' AM blow-torch, KMOX from a lower power AM station. In going to KMOX, the Cards reportedly passed on an offer from an FM sports talk station.
Other teams' radio deals are still undecided. But it does seem for all the appeal of FM, better sound and younger demos, the MLB powers that be like getting their teams on class A AM stations with a wide geographic reach at night. Even in DC, the Nats went with FM but kept their AM signal (the two stations have different owners). This raises the possibility that the Phils could go with Greater Media on FM and stay with CBS on AM.
In DC, the Nats have added a CBS FM sports talk station but the games also stay on WFED (the former WTOP) at 1500 AM.
In Baltimore, the O's have gone back to WBAL AM 1090, their long-time home, after a brief fling with another CBS FM station in Charm City.
The St. Louis Cardinals are going back to CBS' AM blow-torch, KMOX from a lower power AM station. In going to KMOX, the Cards reportedly passed on an offer from an FM sports talk station.
Other teams' radio deals are still undecided. But it does seem for all the appeal of FM, better sound and younger demos, the MLB powers that be like getting their teams on class A AM stations with a wide geographic reach at night. Even in DC, the Nats went with FM but kept their AM signal (the two stations have different owners). This raises the possibility that the Phils could go with Greater Media on FM and stay with CBS on AM.
It's the broadcasters I care about. Future of Phillies' radio rests with who's in the booth, at my end of the radio.
For years, the Phillies broadcast teams have been at the top of the broadcast heap.
If you've traveled and heard other cities' broadcasters, you know just how good we've had it.
Didn't know if it would stay that way after Richie and Harry, but these past two seasons sounded solid.
So I don't care if it's on AM or FM, it's the 'talent' that makes it for me.
Just because something's on FM, doesn't mean it's better. The chemistry in the booth, the way a game is called and colored, the way our pastime is talked about on the air, that's what makes or breaks a broadcast. Whether it's crystal clear in stereo or not... I could care less.
For years, the Phillies broadcast teams have been at the top of the broadcast heap.
If you've traveled and heard other cities' broadcasters, you know just how good we've had it.
Didn't know if it would stay that way after Richie and Harry, but these past two seasons sounded solid.
So I don't care if it's on AM or FM, it's the 'talent' that makes it for me.
Just because something's on FM, doesn't mean it's better. The chemistry in the booth, the way a game is called and colored, the way our pastime is talked about on the air, that's what makes or breaks a broadcast. Whether it's crystal clear in stereo or not... I could care less.
MattParker said:Even in DC, the Nats went with FM but kept their AM signal (the two stations have different owners). This raises the possibility that the Phils could go with Greater Media on FM and stay with CBS on AM.
Doubtful. DC is a special case because their metro area has outgrown the geographical reach of any single AM station in the market (and because it's too new a city to have any 50,000 watt clear channel stations). There are significant portions of the DC Metro area where only 106.7 or 1500 is listenable (i.e., not both). There's a fair amount of overlap, but choosing one or the other one leaves some in-market listeners without an affiliate they can hear. That's not true about 97.5 and 1210 in Philly. 1210 gets everywhere. 1500 AM in DC doesn't.
aindik said:MattParker said:Even in DC, the Nats went with FM but kept their AM signal (the two stations have different owners). This raises the possibility that the Phils could go with Greater Media on FM and stay with CBS on AM.
Doubtful. DC is a special case because their metro area has outgrown the geographical reach of any single AM station in the market (and because it's too new a city to have any 50,000 watt clear channel stations). There are significant portions of the DC Metro area where only 106.7 or 1500 is listenable (i.e., not both). There's a fair amount of overlap, but choosing one or the other one leaves some in-market listeners without an affiliate they can hear. That's not true about 97.5 and 1210 in Philly. 1210 gets everywhere. 1500 AM in DC doesn't.
The FCC says 1500 AM is a Class A (clear channel - small "c") I-B station. Whether it stays that way is open to conjecture. The new owner, Hubbard Broadcasting, also owns the St Paul, Minnesota station with which it shares the frequency. It is not impossible that they could cut WFED's power and/or change its pattern to improve KSTP's coverage. It wouldn't be the first time.
And 1210's nighttime ground wave does not get "everywhere." There are some holes in the 'burbs, which is why the Phillies have had the games on suburban stations in Lansdale and previously in Coatesville.
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