New Britain Rockcats Minor Leage Baseball Ends 9 year marriage to Buckley

[MarcB]

The New Britain Rockcats and Buckley Radio have gotten a divorce. After 9 years on The Talk of Connecticut the games will move to CBS's 96.5 HD-2 and WTIC.COM. A select number of games will also air on WTIC AM 1080 when there are no conflicts with the Redsox. For those of you who do not have an HD Radio (or don't want to buy one) WMRD 1150 AM in Middletown and its simulcast partner WLIS 1420 AM in Old Saybrook will also be carrying the games.

http://newbritainherald.com/articles/2009/01/28/sports/doc4980fe7fd08f1047358814.txt

 

[KML0224]

Although it's not perfect, I can get a decent night time signal of WMRD-AM 1150 here in New Britain's south end. I don't exactly feel like splurging on an HD radio right now, especially with it being so close to the digital TV conversion date.

 

[videokilledtheradiostar]

The New Britain Rockcats and Buckley Radio have gotten a divorce. After 9 years on The Talk of Connecticut the games will move to CBS's 96.5 HD-2 and WTIC.COM. A select number of games will also air on WTIC AM 1080 when there are no conflicts with the Redsox. For those of you who do not have an HD Radio (or don't want to buy one) WMRD 1150 AM in Middletown and its simulcast partner WLIS 1420 AM in Old Saybrook will also be carrying the games.

http://newbritainherald.com/articles/2009/01/28/sports/doc4980fe7fd08f1047358814.txt

They split because DRC management wanted more money to air the games. Rockcats said F that I'm a cat and found a new home. But 96.5 is going to air some games???? On a music intensive station????? Nuts!
People actually listen to 1150 and 1420?????? There is enough snap, crackle and pop static to start a migraine. I find it offensive to my ear drums. People actually listen to local AM radio????????????

 

[radiolives]

So Clear Channel didn't want in on this so they could air the games on WPOP 1410 ESPN Radio.

 

[CTListener]

So Clear Channel didn't want in on this so they could air the games on WPOP 1410 ESPN Radio.

WPOP dumped the AHL Hartford Wolf Pack, who wound up with the same deal with WTIC that the Rock Cats will now get. Apparently, either minor league sports play-by-play is not on CC's radar, or there's serious doubt that in the current near-Depression that there'll be enough viable businesses still willing to advertise in coming seasons to pay the freight.

 

[radiolives]

It seems to me that News Talk 1080 needs to become News Talk Sports 1080. They go from having Red Sox and UCONN sports to add Wolf Pack hockey and the Rock Cats. Did I miss any other sports they carry? Who airs the WNBA Connecticut Sun, thats if they do have a radio deal.

 

[KML0224]

I've heard them on 1290 AM of West Hartford in the past. Granted, how can they reach an audience with their "massive" 490 watt signal?

 

[Bill-in-CT]

It seems to me that News Talk 1080 needs to become News Talk Sports 1080.

I don't know how other listeners feel, but I rather hear local sports instead of Dr. Dean and Clark Howard.

 

[radiolives]

I think adding more local sports is a good thing. Sure more people watch the UCONN baseketball and football games on TV but its good to have when your driving around same goes with the Red Sox.

 

[kms575]

But 96.5 is going to air some games???? On a music intensive station????? Nuts!

[/quote]

No, it's going on 96.5 HD-2.

 

[videokilledtheradiostar]

But 96.5 is going to air some games???? On a music intensive station????? Nuts!

No, it's going on 96.5 HD-2.
[/quote]
Realistically, how many people listen to 96.5 HD-2???

 

[kms575]

But 96.5 is going to air some games???? On a music intensive station????? Nuts!

No, it's going on 96.5 HD-2.

Realistically, how many people listen to 96.5 HD-2???
[/quote]

How many people listen to a Rock Cats game on the radio period?

 

[videokilledtheradiostar]

But 96.5 is going to air some games???? On a music intensive station????? Nuts!

No, it's going on 96.5 HD-2.

Realistically, how many people listen to 96.5 HD-2???

How many people listen to a Rock Cats game on the radio period?
[/quote]
It's like airing New Haven AA minor league baseball on a Middletown station???? Oh wait a minute, there was a moron owner who did that a few years ago. : : ;D ;D

 

[KML0224]

What irritated me with WDRC and the Rock Cats was how they would never air a weekday day game, only choosing to air it on WMMW-AM 1470 of Meriden. Their 1,000 watt signal wasn't really listenable at New Britain Stadium. WWCO-AM 1240 of Waterbury would often give priority to the Yankees if they were playing at the same time. It sure would've been nice to have them on WPOP-AM 1410 if at all possible!

 

[bigjake]

The New Britain Rockcats and Buckley Radio have gotten a divorce. After 9 years on The Talk of Connecticut the games will move to CBS's 96.5 HD-2 and WTIC.COM. A select number of games will also air on WTIC AM 1080 when there are no conflicts with the Redsox. For those of you who do not have an HD Radio (or don't want to buy one) WMRD 1150 AM in Middletown and its simulcast partner WLIS 1420 AM in Old Saybrook will also be carrying the games.

http://newbritainherald.com/articles/2009/01/28/sports/doc4980fe7fd08f1047358814.txt

They split because DRC management wanted more money to air the games. Rockcats said F that I'm a cat and found a new home. But 96.5 is going to air some games???? On a music intensive station????? Nuts!
People actually listen to 1150 and 1420?????? There is enough snap, crackle and pop static to start a migraine. I find it offensive to my ear drums. People actually listen to local AM radio????????????

Who listens to the Rock Cats on the radio? Word is that the numbers didn't add up and Buckley asked for a lousy 25 grand.

 

[videokilledtheradiostar]

The New Britain Rockcats and Buckley Radio have gotten a divorce. After 9 years on The Talk of Connecticut the games will move to CBS's 96.5 HD-2 and WTIC.COM. A select number of games will also air on WTIC AM 1080 when there are no conflicts with the Redsox. For those of you who do not have an HD Radio (or don't want to buy one) WMRD 1150 AM in Middletown and its simulcast partner WLIS 1420 AM in Old Saybrook will also be carrying the games.

http://newbritainherald.com/articles/2009/01/28/sports/doc4980fe7fd08f1047358814.txt

They split because DRC management wanted more money to air the games. Rockcats said F that I'm a cat and found a new home. But 96.5 is going to air some games???? On a music intensive station????? Nuts!
People actually listen to 1150 and 1420?????? There is enough snap, crackle and pop static to start a migraine. I find it offensive to my ear drums. People actually listen to local AM radio????????????

Who listens to the Rock Cats on the radio? Word is that the numbers didn't add up and Buckley asked for a lousy 25 grand.

Buckley wouldn't cough up 25 grand for the rights to air Rock Cats baseball on their AM network of award winning stations???? Now what up wit dat? So instead of Rock Cats more boring talk radio????? How about the Best of Brad Davis. ROTFLMFBO! ;D ;D :

 

[CTListener]

The New Britain Rockcats and Buckley Radio have gotten a divorce. After 9 years on The Talk of Connecticut the games will move to CBS's 96.5 HD-2 and WTIC.COM. A select number of games will also air on WTIC AM 1080 when there are no conflicts with the Redsox. For those of you who do not have an HD Radio (or don't want to buy one) WMRD 1150 AM in Middletown and its simulcast partner WLIS 1420 AM in Old Saybrook will also be carrying the games.

http://newbritainherald.com/articles/2009/01/28/sports/doc4980fe7fd08f1047358814.txt

They split because DRC management wanted more money to air the games. Rockcats said F that I'm a cat and found a new home. But 96.5 is going to air some games???? On a music intensive station????? Nuts!
People actually listen to 1150 and 1420?????? There is enough snap, crackle and pop static to start a migraine. I find it offensive to my ear drums. People actually listen to local AM radio????????????

Who listens to the Rock Cats on the radio? Word is that the numbers didn't add up and Buckley asked for a lousy 25 grand.

Buckley wouldn't cough up 25 grand for the rights to air Rock Cats baseball on their AM network of award winning stations???? Now what up wit dat? So instead of Rock Cats more boring talk radio????? How about the Best of Brad Davis. ROTFLMFBO! ;D ;D :

Weren't the Rock Cats paying Buckley, not the other way around, and trying to recover the cost of the airtime by selling ads? Scraping up advertising for any medium is a real challenge these days; the Rock Cats probably didn't think they had a prayer of selling 25 grand's worth from businesses that are just hanging on. I'd imagine Rock Cat fans will be seeing a thinner program and fewer signs on the outfield walls this season.

 

[videokilledtheradiostar]

The Rockcats do a great job promoting the organization. For a AA baseball team they are still hanging around.
Not many Minnisota Twins fans in CT
The New Haven Ravens who were an affliate of a few MLB teams and they couldn't make it. Then The New Haven County Cutters didn't make it. It's tough to promote local basebal in CT.

 

[CTListener]

The Rockcats do a great job promoting the organization. For a AA baseball team they are still hanging around.
Not many Minnisota Twins fans in CT
The New Haven Ravens who were an affliate of a few MLB teams and they couldn't make it. Then The New Haven County Cutters didn't make it. It's tough to promote local basebal in CT.

The Rock Cats promote themselves more as a great night out for the family, especially the kids, than as minor league baseball. You're right, the Twins don't have many fans in Connecticut, and the fact that a two-time batting champion (Joe Mauer) and an MVP (Justin Morneau) both played in New Britain a few years ago doesn't really work as a selling point to kids who don't think they're watching real baseball unless A-Rod or Big Papi is playing.

I don't know what the numbers look like for Rock Cats on radio, but I can't imagine they come close to the numbers put up by the talk programming that airs from 7 to 10 p.m. outside of baseball season. Sad to say, but I can't see the Buckley folks missing the games too much.

 

[radiolives]

Maybe the Rock Cats should be a affilate for the Red Sox or Yankees as their more local then the Twins. Who ever picked to have a Twins affilate be the Rock Cats was foolish.