Well, something has changed since I last heard a rain delay on the Orioles radio network years ago when I rode the board at WNRK for Baltimore baseball when my show was pre-empted. Back then the flagship WBAL did not send it back to the local station as the Phillies did and still do. You were under contract to air wherever they were airing as they'd go back to WBAL's programming, spots, etc, and take callers, on a Saturday night when I worked, that meant drunk callers, or they went to a bar to discuss the game, I don't remember which way it was, but I remember thinking that no one was still listening to WNRK, other than me as I was working there and had no choice, who in Delaware would want to listen to that dreck.
Today, I was listening to start up of the Orioles game on WWTX and they were having a rain delay in Cleveland, and they did throw it back to the local station. So things do change. Makes me wonder if the affiliates complained loudly enough or the Orioles started losing affiliates over it, etc, that at some point WBAL or the Orioles, etc, finally figured out they were hurting their affiliates by that crazy practice. They still promote the heck out of WBAL which seems wrong too, as the local station wants their listeners to remember their calls and not tune away to WBAL if it is close enough to be received. Sort of like, if WYSP was promoting itself so to pull WDEL listeners away during the Phillies games.
Today, I was listening to start up of the Orioles game on WWTX and they were having a rain delay in Cleveland, and they did throw it back to the local station. So things do change. Makes me wonder if the affiliates complained loudly enough or the Orioles started losing affiliates over it, etc, that at some point WBAL or the Orioles, etc, finally figured out they were hurting their affiliates by that crazy practice. They still promote the heck out of WBAL which seems wrong too, as the local station wants their listeners to remember their calls and not tune away to WBAL if it is close enough to be received. Sort of like, if WYSP was promoting itself so to pull WDEL listeners away during the Phillies games.