Ramar...wow!

[jjones596]

Just had breakfast with a friend at Tech who informed me that Ramar had picked up the Tech radio rights starting next season. The rights are now owned by Learfield Communications and they chose Ramar. Apparently Ramar is starting an all sports station on the FM side and they will also have ESPN programming.

Anyone else heard this? What does this do to KKAM?

 

[cspotrun]

Just had breakfast with a friend at Tech who informed me that Ramar had picked up the Tech radio rights starting next season. The rights are now owned by Learfield Communications and they chose Ramar. Apparently Ramar is starting an all sports station on the FM side and they will also have ESPN programming.

Anyone else heard this? What does this do to KKAM?

KKAM, if this is true, they're SCREWED! i wonder, is Ramar flipping an existing FM over there to sports, or are they buying a signal?

 

[cspotrun]

Just had breakfast with a friend at Tech who informed me that Ramar had picked up the Tech radio rights starting next season. The rights are now owned by Learfield Communications and they chose Ramar. Apparently Ramar is starting an all sports station on the FM side and they will also have ESPN programming.

Anyone else heard this? What does this do to KKAM?

KKAM, if this is true, they're SCREWED! i wonder, is Ramar flipping an existing FM over there to sports, or are they buying a signal?

i wonder how much gap will lose in revenue :'( and how much ramar will gain with this deal?

 

[Old Nick]

Tech sports (I assume like all sports) aren't that profitable...so much has to go back to the network or the university. Having Tech sports is a "pride" thing if you like Tech and a huge pain in the ass if you don't. I'm betting Gap wishes they had Tech, but isn't crying over losing them.

 

[Garrett]

Does this mean I no longer have to suffer through Kool 98 being nterrupted by women's basketball anymore?
(Does this also mean BVG now get's less days off?, LOL)

 

[BigVoiceGuy]

Old Nick hit the nail on the head.

 

[cspotrun]

Tech sports (I assume like all sports) aren't that profitable...so much has to go back to the network or the university. Having Tech sports is a "pride" thing if you like Tech and a huge pain in the ass if you don't. I'm betting Gap wishes they had Tech, but isn't crying over losing them.

or they're putting a happy face on over losing TT, and will very much miss that "extra dollar" to make these days, whatever it is, my guess would be both are true. get real dog! after all these years they fully expected to get another TT contract, add to that an FM sports station on top of it from Ramar, gap Lubbock will be hurt on at least one of their stations, and as shaky as things are, financial ramifications from this will be felt in some way throughout the operation. don't kid yourself.

 

[crow]

The way things are with the economy and the state of radio... I would have thought they would have done what was needed to keep TT sports at least for a few more years. However, maybe, and I stress MAYBE, it won't effect the bottom line that much and thats why it was a non issue. I do know that TT sports shouldn't have been on FMX. I know why they were... but from a music stand point... to give up that much air time on game day... how many people were turning the station off because of the game and how many were turning on because of the game. If it would have been JUST the game... it might not have been so bad. However, then you add in the pre-game and the post game.... your looking at close to 6 hours.

 

[Garrett]

Yeah, when I worked at KKAM and KFYO, the TT sports was always a pain in the you know what. I remember (and I think a few of you can back me up on this), whenever there was a Tech football game, all the energy in the building went to that game. I remember, I'd be in the KFYO control room, and couldn't touch the button bars on the computer server, because those were being used as over flow spots for the game on KKAM. I mean the whole building would be running around for it. Even worse was when there were multiple games for different sports. One day we had to juggle Rangers, Red Raider Football and Red Raider Basketball. OY, WHAT A PAIN!!!!!

I also never understood why we had to have 2 radio stations running the same games at the same time, and why was one always an FM? It's true that many Rock stations around the country also run NFL football, and Red Raiders are similar. But Baasketball? Women's Basketball? Hockey? I mean, it wasn't like the FM stations covered any listening area that KKAM or KFYO couldn't cover.

Now, that said, I have to really wonder what the future holds for KKAM. One thing that I knew is that the GM at the time (now departed) was the whole force behind KKAM. That was his baby and everything in the station group centered around KKAM and KFMX, I guess because those were his original stations before the Gulfstar merger. He would often brag about how everyone said a sports station wouldn't work and he proved them wrong. So all these Red Raider sports seemed as some way to appease Texas Tech and keep KKAM on the air. Meanwhile, KFYO and Z102 were getting second banana, exiled to a darkly lit end of the floor that nobody went to. Now, it is pretty obvious that the priority has changed. Still, without Red Raider sports, or Cowboys football (or Rangers, not that they would want them) what's the whole point of KKAM now? The "lets talk about sports" station?

I am also wondering exactly where this Sports station of RAMAR's will be. If its on 104.3, I don't see that because of the rimshot signal they have. 97.3 has a GREAT city grade signal now, but fades just as you get north of Texas Tech. Fox Talk 950 has significant pattern issues after sunset because they have to protect WWJ AM 950 in Detroilt. Majic is their baby. Maybe they will move Majic to 104.3? Maybe 97.3 and 104.3 will simulcast? But then is Hot really doing that bad? I have a lot of questions as to any of this is fact or just baseless rumor.

 

[BigVoiceGuy]

GAP could make sooo much more money on high school sports. Seriously! The company whom is handling the broadcasts of Tech sports now wants, in my opinion, way to much control over the revenue. I wonder how much Ramar laid out to get it? Best of luck to them. I am just really glad that I don't have to deal with it any more. I bet they lay it on their 104.3 stick. Musically, 104.3 may be more "popular"; but 97.3 is easier to sell.

 

[jjones596]

They announced today on Tech Talk that they will start all sports on 104.3 and also have ESPN programming. It's going to be called KTTU, Double T 104.3

But get this, they'll carry football on 93.7, 104.3 and 950. Three stations! That may be overkill.

 

[Old Nick]

Tech sports (I assume like all sports) aren't that profitable...so much has to go back to the network or the university. Having Tech sports is a "pride" thing if you like Tech and a huge pain in the ass if you don't. I'm betting Gap wishes they had Tech, but isn't crying over losing them.

or they're putting a happy face on over losing TT, and will very much miss that "extra dollar" to make these days, whatever it is, my guess would be both are true. get real dog! after all these years they fully expected to get another TT contract, add to that an FM sports station on top of it from Ramar, gap Lubbock will be hurt on at least one of their stations, and as shaky as things are, financial ramifications from this will be felt in some way throughout the operation. don't kid yourself.

Did you not read the quote you put up? If Tech is taking all the inventory, there isn't a "buck" to be made. Do you honestly think that the few spots Tech gives a local station can logically be priced at a level that would make up for missing 12-16 spots an hour? I realize this is a "radio board" and not a "math board" but c'mon!

On a different variation on the topic. Imagine how those Tech exes (and coaches) are going to feel when they have to tune into Magic 93 for sports! Yes it will happen. If Tech men and womens basketball play at the same time, one will be forced over to the Tejano station. I know Tech had to get excited about a station called "TTU" or whatever, but they didn't look at this thoroughly.

 

[DG]

KTTU? They must have paid some big bucks to the Tuscon TV station for use of those call letters:

http://www.kttu.com/

 

[Garrett]

Unless they improve 1043s signal, there are going to be some very unhappy people.

 

[Garrett]

[quote a/uthor=DG link=topic=125492.msg1024827#msg1024827 date=1241147259]
KTTU? They must have paid some big bucks to the Tuscon TV station for use of those call letters:

http://www.kttu.com/


[/quote]

I didn't think that TV and radio calls were connected?

btw, good job with tornado chasing yesterday!

(i can't believe they are keeping that canned STARS format instead of CHR, but whatever):

Here's the breakdown of stations
football
KTTU
Magic 93.7 KXTQ-FM
FOX Talk 950 KJTV-AM

Tech Women's Basketball
Stars 97-3 KLZK-FM
FOX Talk 950 KJTV-AM

Tech Baseball
Double T 104-3 KTTU-FM

Double T 104-3 will also be the place to listen for the coaches' shows for all four teams.

 

[cspotrun]

Tech sports (I assume like all sports) aren't that profitable...so much has to go back to the network or the university. Having Tech sports is a "pride" thing if you like Tech and a huge pain in the ass if you don't. I'm betting Gap wishes they had Tech, but isn't crying over losing them.

or they're putting a happy face on over losing TT, and will very much miss that "extra dollar" to make these days, whatever it is, my guess would be both are true. get real dog! after all these years they fully expected to get another TT contract, add to that an FM sports station on top of it from Ramar, gap Lubbock will be hurt on at least one of their stations, and as shaky as things are, financial ramifications from this will be felt in some way throughout the operation. don't kid yourself.

Did you not read the quote you put up? If Tech is taking all the inventory, there isn't a "buck" to be made. Do you honestly think that the few spots Tech gives a local station can logically be priced at a level that would make up for missing 12-16 spots an hour? I realize this is a "radio board" and not a "math board" but c'mon!

the fact remains, IF TT sports are NOT worth having WHY did gap bid for it? knowing your deep insights?

 

[Old Nick]

Tech sports (I assume like all sports) aren't that profitable...so much has to go back to the network or the university. Having Tech sports is a "pride" thing if you like Tech and a huge pain in the ass if you don't. I'm betting Gap wishes they had Tech, but isn't crying over losing them.

or they're putting a happy face on over losing TT, and will very much miss that "extra dollar" to make these days, whatever it is, my guess would be both are true. get real dog! after all these years they fully expected to get another TT contract, add to that an FM sports station on top of it from Ramar, gap Lubbock will be hurt on at least one of their stations, and as shaky as things are, financial ramifications from this will be felt in some way throughout the operation. don't kid yourself.

Did you not read the quote you put up? If Tech is taking all the inventory, there isn't a "buck" to be made. Do you honestly think that the few spots Tech gives a local station can logically be priced at a level that would make up for missing 12-16 spots an hour? I realize this is a "radio board" and not a "math board" but c'mon!

the fact remains, IF TT sports are NOT worth having WHY did gap bid for it? knowing your deep insights?

Once again, if you read the quotes you keep putting up, it's a "pride" thing. It can bring new business and it opens doors. But when you have stations that are performing at a decent level already the result would be a wash. Ramar is putting Tech sports on signals that are underperforming and hard to sell, thus they can afford to give away their signals. It's simple economics.

 

[cspotrun]

[/quote]

the fact remains, IF TT sports are NOT worth having WHY did gap bid for it? knowing your deep insights?
[/quote]
Once again, if you read the quotes you keep putting up, it's a "pride" thing. It can bring new business and it opens doors. But when you have stations that are performing at a decent level already the result would be a wash. Ramar is putting Tech sports on signals that are underperforming and hard to sell, thus they can afford to give away their signals. It's simple economics.
[/quote]

i get the Ramar thing, it makes sense for them or anybody. so, let me get this straight, although they once again bid for TT gap, doesn't need "New Business" and they don't need to open doors. i'm glad gap is so solvant.

 

[DG]

I didn't think that TV and radio calls were connected?

btw, good job with tornado chasing yesterday!

Thanks! It got interesting there at the end.

Others can chime in here, but I understand that once you have a callsign, you also by default own the callsigns for the others too.

For example, KJTV: KJTV-TV, KJTV-AM and they also have KJTV-FM if they wanted it.

It is not uncommon for one group to sell the unused call-letters to someone else, thus my remark that they must have paid SOMETHING to Belo for the KTTU call letters.

KTTU was also used by Tennessee Tech for awhile...

 

[crow]

Here's my question... what does 950 fill with when the TechTalk Boys move over to the other gig?