Sports Radio Changes/KJR & KHHO's futures

[Scoobyfan1]

With 710 KIRO going all-sports in April with ESPN Radio it was expected that KJR and KHHO would go through some changes in their programming lineups, well those rumored changes are happening starting tomorrow, paraphrasing from a brief article in today's Tacoma News Tribune sports section here are the changes that will happen with KJR and KHHO:

KJR: Will pick up Fox Sports for their weekend, overnight and holiday programming
KHHO: this is interesting, first they will rebrand as South Sound Sports 850, not really the name I would have picked out but oh well; they are also making some additions and changes to their weekday schedule, according to the TNT they are adding simulcasts of KJR's morning and afternoon drive shows, they are also adding Dan Patrick and Tony Bruno's shows from the Chicago-based Content Factory, they already carry Jim Rome's show from 9a-12p weekdays so this should be interesting.

 

[AuxRSS]

The changes are now reflected on KJR and KHHO's websites. KJR is live and local tonight covering a HS basketball tournament, so it should segue right into FSR if the News-Tribune is right.

In Phoenix, three AM sports radio stations (in order of strength - Bonneville, CCU, Sandusky) have more or less coexisted for a decade. I am wondering if the same dynamic will hold in Seattle/Tacoma with KIRO, KJR, Tacoma-coverage KHHO, and KRKO w/ Snohomish County PBP.

 

[CorporateSuit]

I noticed as of Monday, KHHO is simulcasting KJR AM with the exception of Rome's show.

 

[Scoobyfan1]

I noticed as of Monday, KHHO is simulcasting KJR AM with the exception of Rome's show.

Kinda sorta, KHHO is simulcasting KJR from 6a-9a and 3p-7p weekdays, other than that they have Rome at 9a, Dan Patrick is now on at 12p and Tony Bruno is on at 7p. I dare say that 850 has actually become a really good station, you now have three fairly big names is sports talk on the same station plus FSR and the Rainiers and Cougars makes 850 a heck of a lot better than it used to be when they just had FSR 24/7 only breaking to air Rome and Rainier/Cougar coverage. Imagine that CC actually did something right, who knew? Of course they did pretty much blow up FSR with the exception of 3 shows so that still sucks.

 

[Scoobyfan1]

The changes are now reflected on KJR and KHHO's websites. KJR is live and local tonight covering a HS basketball tournament, so it should segue right into FSR if the News-Tribune is right.

In Phoenix, three AM sports radio stations (in order of strength - Bonneville, CCU, Sandusky) have more or less coexisted for a decade. I am wondering if the same dynamic will hold in Seattle/Tacoma with KIRO, KJR, Tacoma-coverage KHHO, and KRKO w/ Snohomish County PBP.

It's interesting that you mention Phoenix AuxRSS, last summer my family and I flew from Sea-Tac to Phoenix so I got to check out Phoenix's sports radio for a while, btw we flew into Phoenix and then rented a car and drove to Sedona in northern arizona where we have a condo. From the brief time that I was in Phoenix and got to listen to their sports stations, they were pretty good; I listened to 620 for a little bit, I think they either had on a local show or ESPN I forget, I listened to 1060 which had on Tim Brando and then a local show, both decent, and I listened to 910 which had on Jim Rome at the time we arrived there. As for Seattle-Tacoma, KJR, KHHO and KRKO have co-existed pretty nicely for a while now so 4 sports stations would preobably co-exist well also.

 

[shlem]

I don't see the point of KHHO doing the simultaneous simulcast of KJR programming. Doesn't KJR's signal cover the KHHO area? What's the point of having Mitch in the Morning and Groz with Gas on two stations? Other than the commercials and traffic, it's identical.

Does KHHO have something else up their sleeve for the future?

 

[Bongwater]

I don't see the point of KHHO doing the simultaneous simulcast of KJR programming. Doesn't KJR's signal cover the KHHO area? What's the point of having Mitch in the Morning and Groz with Gas on two stations? Other than the commercials and traffic, it's identical.

Does KHHO have something else up their sleeve for the future?

I would hope so. Four all-sports stations in one market (KIRO, KHHO, KJR-AM, KRKO) is just ridiculous.

Maybe a switch to rock? Or something good? Yes, it's just 10,000 watts on AM, but there's gotta be hope SOMEWHERE.......

 

[AuxRSS]

It's interesting that you mention Phoenix AuxRSS, last summer my family and I flew from Sea-Tac to Phoenix so I got to check out Phoenix's sports radio for a while, btw we flew into Phoenix and then rented a car and drove to Sedona in northern arizona where we have a condo. From the brief time that I was in Phoenix and got to listen to their sports stations, they were pretty good; I listened to 620 for a little bit, I think they either had on a local show or ESPN I forget, I listened to 1060 which had on Tim Brando and then a local show, both decent, and I listened to 910 which had on Jim Rome at the time we arrived there. As for Seattle-Tacoma, KJR, KHHO and KRKO have co-existed pretty nicely for a while now so 4 sports stations would preobably co-exist well also.

I remember reading an Arizona Republic article complaining about the three different sports radio frequencies in town (620, 1360, 1060), noting that there were probably too many sports-radio stations to survive in the market, and that one would surely go under.

That article was written in 1999. The 1360 station (KGME) moved to 910 by the time you were down in Phoenix . Otherwise, everything else is still the same in 2009.

The configuration here circa April 2009 will be very similar to that of the Phx market:

• One heritage station, nominally news/talk/sports but historically identified by sports and reliant on the big-name local sports franchises, and runs ESPN programming (KIRO/KTAR).
• One heritage sports-talk station, which owns independent discussion of sports, smaller-name local sports franchises, and runs national alternatives to ESPN programming (KJR/KGME).
• One also-ran that runs satellite feeds and serves as slopover for other sports programming (KHHO&KKNW&KRKO/KDUS).

Bottom line - four sports-radio stations on the AM dial here in Seattle is probably survivable for all stations involved as long as they control costs.

 

[LITTLEBOYBLUE]

I would hope so. Four all-sports stations in one market (KIRO, KHHO, KJR-AM, KRKO) is just ridiculous.

Wonder if anyone has ever considered a mini-network (even though not same ownership) where KHHO covers south sound, KJR metro, KRKO north sound. Could share some programming...and split into local sports when appropriate (Rainiers, Aquasox, etc.). Even something like carrying the STORM on that network would be a huge step forward....

 

[Scoobyfan1]

I would hope so. Four all-sports stations in one market (KIRO, KHHO, KJR-AM, KRKO) is just ridiculous.

Wonder if anyone has ever considered a mini-network (even though not same ownership) where KHHO covers south sound, KJR metro, KRKO north sound. Could share some programming...and split into local sports when appropriate (Rainiers, Aquasox, etc.). Even something like carrying the STORM on that network would be a huge step forward....

I'm surprised nobody has brought that up here before, that sounds like a terrific idea. If this did happen I could see KJR/KHHO/KRKO all carrying local high school sports as well. Carrying the Storm would be a great idea for thse stations, currently they're on KKNW 1150 which depending on which radio I use I can barely hear the station or not hear it at all. That might be the reason why the Thunderbirds moved their games this year to 104.9 FM, their signal is fantastic where I live; although it is an FM station and FM's signals are usually stronger, well that and the fact that the T-Birds moved into their new arena in Kent.