Patriots back on AM in Hartford

[CTListener]

Kind of surprised to hear the Pats on 1410 WPOP this afternoon. Can't make the Kraft family very happy to have their team back on the "old folks radio" band and on a stick with definite signal issues rather that the blowtorch on 106.9. Wonder why Clear Channel didn't just break format on one of its music FMs, as WAQY does and WCCC used to do.

Does WAQY fill in the coverage gaps, which will be significant for prime time games and even late afternoon games in December?

I also noticed that WPOP's audio was running about 7 seconds ahead of WAQY's. Is 'POP ignoring the 7-second delay and hoping nothing offensive will slip past?

 

[reelyreal]

WAQY has an additional 7.5-8 second HD conversion delay.

The killer WAQY signal blankets Hartford with an incredible signal, so there's no problem there. The southwest portion of the state is Giants/Jets country and they don't care. The northeast portion of the state gets the game on WINY and WPRO on AM and WWFX Southbridge, MA and WEAN-FM Wakefield-Peacedale, RI on FM. The rest of the eastern/southeastern portion of the state gets the game on WMOS Stonington, no problem.

I can't think of any real FM coverage gaps left by the exit of WCCC from the network.

 

[raccoonradio]

Speaking of sports in Hartford: as you've prob heard the new Celtics flagship is The Sports Hub WBZ-FM 98.5 in Boston. It had been Entercom's WEEI, and the C's were on Entercom stations in Easthampton MA, Worc., and Westerly RI. For all we know they may still air there. Or...I note that WTIC 1080 is owned by CBS; hmm...(heck, since they're running them on a CBS owned flagship in Boston...?)
Other possibilities if Ent. doesn't want to keep running the C's on 105.5: Clr Chnl's WPOP 1410 or WUCS 97.9...

 

[Joseph_Gallant]

I could see WTIC picking-up not only the Celtics, but also the Bruins.

Even with a heavy schedule of University of Connecticut sports, I suspect 'TIC can accommodate about fifty games of each team if:

(1) 'TIC carries all Bruins' home games not in conflict with U/Conn sports;

(2) WTIC broadcasts all Celtics; home games not in conflict with U/Conn games;

(3) WTIC carries Bruins' away games not in conflict with either Celtics' home games or U/Conn games, and finally,

(4) WTIC broadcasts Celtics away games not in conflict with either Bruins' home games of U/Conn games.

Even with a full U/Conn football/men's basketball/women's basketball schedule, I think 'TIC could squeeze-in about 50 games each of the Bruins and Celtics.

I don't know how long it's been since the Celtics have had a radio affiliate in Hartford; I don't think the Bruins have had an affiliate in Hartford since the Hartford Whalers got absorbed into the NHL in 1979 (I thought 'TIC was in fact an affiliate of both the Bruins and Celtics in the early seventies; but I believe from the mid-1970's until the 1979 NHL/WHA merger, I believe a small station just outside of Hartford carried the B's).

 

[raccoonradio]

Wait, a post on boston-radio-interest says WUCS 97.9 (ESPN) Windsor Locks is a Pats affiliate-- and from this on their site,
they are carrying tomorrow night's game. It says coverage starts at 5:30 pm so I'm led to believe that's the Pats network
and not Westwood one, since the coverage starts so early

http://www.979espn.com/pages/gamedayschedule.html

Wikipedia lists WPOP as an affiliate but not WUCS.
HOWEVER this page lists WUCS but not WPOP --and it's the Pats Network page from 98.5 the sports hub
http://boston.cbslocal.com/patriots-radio-network/

 

[Ozman]

wow! kind of sad to just CCC Die. I just saw the ratings too. I stopped listening when the Active Rock left. I cant stand listening to Old Burt to a crisp rock. I had enough of that music with WAXQ,WRKI,WPLR,WBAB.WFOX.WXRK (WPDH for a few years) growing up the last 20 years. way too much classic rock/Rock and roll.