AntDog152 said:
As much as people talk badly about WKNR, they do have an established audience which IMO is impressive considering they don't have any of the pro sports teams, an they are on the AM side of the dial. This is not like earlier in the year when CC turned 106.5 into The Lake. An FM All-Sports format will not work for CBS unless they can get the Indians, Cavs, or the Browns especially with WKNR still around.
By the same token, WKNR is the only all-sports outlet in town. Yes, I know KNR2 is a station as well, but same operation, same branding, etc. They and WTAM are the only two relevant AM stations in the market. Plus Craig's M.O. since day one has been to run WKNR as a sports marketing platform - not as a traditional sports talk station - i.e., heavily downplaying the WKNR call letters as much as possible in favor of "ESPN Cleveland."
That's good in theory, but the content on WKNR has always been severely lacking. In other words, Craig is the direct opposite of his father: Mel's belief always had been "content first."
Take tRBS for an example. That show gets ratings in part because their primary competition is Rover (first two hours), Lanigan (the first hour), Glenn Beck and Rush Limbaugh (final hour). Let's be honest, the latter two are conservative talk shows with viewpoints that don't connect with the majority of the existing listener base in town. As a result, tRBS gets their good ratings mostly by default. Take from that what you will. IMO, if there was a true sports show in that slot - without the kayfabe format, teeny-bopper bumper music, or highly unlikeable characters - tRBS gets creamed.
CC was and always will be unlikely to establish a sports format on any of their FM sticks so as not to encroach on WTAM. Technically, WMMS with the "man cave" format already fills that void. If anything, WTAM will eventually be relayed on the FM dial... if they can ever get the 99.1 translator CP worked out.
CBS may also be operating under the belief that they can make a serious play for any of the big three teams - the Browns most likely to come up - and may feel it's worth it to take this gamble. Remember that when WKNR had their soft launch in 1990-91, they gambled similarly with the Indians PBP rights, and won when WWWE gave them up in 1992 (KNR's then-GM, Jim Glass, held a similar position at WWWE prior).
And CBS would have the massive advantage - if they feel the Browns rights are attainable - at having the FM signal in their position. For nearly two decades, NFL teams, by rule, favor having FM flagships for their teams. WKNR doesn't have that advantage unless they buy an FM to move WKNR onto. And we haven't even gone into KNR's horrid 1959-era night pattern, which makes that station a virtual non-starter for Indians and Cavaliers PBP rights, even if they wanted to get those.
At its' start, 92.3 can also make plays for the OSU rights, Cleveland State PBP, and the Monsters. And, I guess, go for that PBP gamble against CC.
