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Son of Sports Parkinglot 8~Sixty
- Thread starter DrAkbar
- Start date
Imo, putting this football game on 860 AM was an insult to ASU and ASU football fans. The way Bonneville treats ASU football, arguably the second most popular sporting event in the Valley behind Arizona Cardinals football games, is shameful. 860 AM has a pitiful signal across the valley (out here on the East Side, KOA and the Denver Broncos / Arizona Cardinals game on 850 AM was coming in stronger at times than KMVP). Add to that the IBOC that makes the signal sound awful on a normal radio and you have the recipe for a disaster. Also, for many people in the Valley, radio was the only way to listen to the game tonight as the PAC 12 network is only available to COX subscribers and not anyone with Directv or Dish Network. I understand why Bonneville dumped the ASU game on 860 AM with the Cardinals and D-bags on at the same time, but that doesn't excuse Bonneville actions. They should have bumped normal programming on 98.7 the Peak and put ASU football on there (the game was, after all, airing at 7:30 P.M. and after any substantial measurable time for PPM). But no, instead we got treated to ASU football on lousy Sports Parkinglot 860.
Where should ASU football be? Perhaps on a station that cares more about ASU football. KDUS talks a lot more about ASU football and ASU sports than any other local sports station so perhaps that would be a good home. Now KDUS has similar signal limitations as KMVP, but perhaps KDUS could put games on KDKB like they used to do with Coyotes games back in the day. Whatever the solution, Bonneville's monopolization of local sports play-by-play stinks as it results in horrible situations like today where three major sports teams are playing at once and Bonneville has no real solution for when there's a triple conflict. KMVP? Please, let 860 AM stick to the gospel music and let someone else air our beloved Sun Devil football.
Where should ASU football be? Perhaps on a station that cares more about ASU football. KDUS talks a lot more about ASU football and ASU sports than any other local sports station so perhaps that would be a good home. Now KDUS has similar signal limitations as KMVP, but perhaps KDUS could put games on KDKB like they used to do with Coyotes games back in the day. Whatever the solution, Bonneville's monopolization of local sports play-by-play stinks as it results in horrible situations like today where three major sports teams are playing at once and Bonneville has no real solution for when there's a triple conflict. KMVP? Please, let 860 AM stick to the gospel music and let someone else air our beloved Sun Devil football.
KDUS's night signal is so crappy, when I lived at Baseline & McClintock while attending ASU I could null out 1060 and pull in KNX 1070 without any effort.
Reality: the metro has outgrown most AM stations in Phoenix, and the decades of Sun Devil mediocrity mean they're not in a position to demand better carriage than what they've got. Rebuild the Kush legacy, sell out the stadium, and then you have a room to negotiate.
If you're a Sun Devil fan and you live in the valley, you belong in Sun Devil Stadium and not listening on the radio, anyway. Come watch coach Graham before he gets another offer. This could be a fun year.
Reality: the metro has outgrown most AM stations in Phoenix, and the decades of Sun Devil mediocrity mean they're not in a position to demand better carriage than what they've got. Rebuild the Kush legacy, sell out the stadium, and then you have a room to negotiate.
If you're a Sun Devil fan and you live in the valley, you belong in Sun Devil Stadium and not listening on the radio, anyway. Come watch coach Graham before he gets another offer. This could be a fun year.
johndavis said:
KNX is clearly audible in the I-10/Elliot Rd. area - about one mile south/southwest of the KDUS transmitter. I don't think there's any way to fix that, short of moving the transmitter into central or near-north Phoenix (highly unlikely). I think they have to protect 1050 in Monterey and 1070 in LA, so they can't run more than 500 watts at night.
There are only two AM stations that have even close to full-metro coverage at night: KFYI and KTAR Arizona Sports 620, and both have problems in east Mesa and Gilbert.
In any case, my guess is that TMISU were contractually obligated to carry the Cardinals game that didn't count, and the almost-done D'backs, before a minor ASU game. None of those games was particularly appetizing.
They were playing the Division 1-AA FBS Lumberjokes. Let's wait until they beat Washington, Oregon, or USC.
KeithE4 said:
That contract must be more confusing than the aerodynamic design of an AMC Pacer!
D'backs are toast and should have been kept on 6~Twenty. Cards are toast in the making, but right now there's more interest in their season and should have been on 92~Three. Sun Devils have a lot more to prove than last night's blowout game against NAU. Unless TMISU go on a spending spree and pick up another FM or two, then Sports Parkinglot 8~Sixty is about the best ASU can expect when there's a conflict with the D'backs and Cards.
I agree with the original poster. From a marketing and broadcasting standpoint, 860 was realistically the only option for the ASU game, but that option stinks. There was a time when KFYI carried ASU sports albeit briefly. Their signal is far better than 860. If I were Steve Patterson, I would look around for another home as soon as I contractually was able. Clear Channel, Sandusky and perhaps CBS could offer something.
Anyone remember ASU games on KOOL AM / FM with Bob Davies doing P x P? Yeah, that was eons ago. But SPORTS was on 94.5 FM (a little bit).
Anyone remember ASU games on KOOL AM / FM with Bob Davies doing P x P? Yeah, that was eons ago. But SPORTS was on 94.5 FM (a little bit).
johndavis said:
Therein lies the problem. Phoenix has grown exponentially over the past three decades or so. Phoenix never got the big AM allocations that went to markets like LA, SF, Chicago or NY. The population of Phoenix didn't justify it. No one could've known The Valley of the Sun would grow into the desert metropolis it is today.
The problem with Phoenix sports radio IMHO is that the three stations are all on AM. KTAR (Arizona Sports 620) has the best signal and even it has its issues. KDUS and KGME are at least questionable in parts of the Phoenix metro. Sports on FM would be a game changer in the Valley.
860 AM also now airs a Friday night high school wrap up show produced by the AIA, but the Games of the Week are on 1060 AM still. Add in the weekly Saturday show the AIA airs on 620 AM and they're on almost every Sports Parking Lot in town!
Here's a thought! Las Vegas has two fairly big AM signals on 720 (KDWN) and 840 (KXNT). Both of these stations went on air in the 70s and 80s respectively. Las Vegas has never been bigger than Phoenix. Why did LV get these two big AMs and not Phoenix? ???
radioguy39nj said:
Paging the Old Gringo!
One of the old stories I've heard was that KOY had the opportunity to broadcast at 550 with 5kW at night, but the station owners in the late-'40s/early-'50s (Jack Williams?) did not want to put up more than one tower.
Phoenix was known for its NIMBYness (a recent thread mentioned the original plans for the Papago Freeway, which were killed by opposition from the Pulliams at the Arizona Republic).
Phoenix was known for its NIMBYness (a recent thread mentioned the original plans for the Papago Freeway, which were killed by opposition from the Pulliams at the Arizona Republic).
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