With the talk of the future of Providence radio below, some posters brought up the Red Sox. As we know, they will be heard on FM radio next year (on 103.7 WEEI-FM). Given that WPRO will lose the ratings-rich Red Sox, does anyone believe that there's a chance that WPRO will pick up Yankees broadcasts, especially if 99.7 is flipped to some sort of music format? Picking up the Yankees might be a way for WPRO to staunch the inevitable loss of listeners that will result from the loss of Red Sox broadcasts.
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The Future of the Red Sox (and Yankees) on Providence Radio
- Thread starter ScottBurns
- Start date
I always find this talk of WSKO switching formats intersting. Good ratings are not the be all and end all in radio... good sales is (that seems horribly grammatically incorrect). The Score has a few things EEI does not have; local coverage, Pawtucket Red Sox Baseball, Patriots (for now)... and in listening to the station now and then.. it doesn't seem they've experienced a huge drop off in advertisers. And.. their ratings were never good before anyway. I think there's actually room for two sports stations in town... if they're doing somewhat different things.
A
alancohen88
Guest
> With the talk of the future of Providence radio below, some
> posters brought up the Red Sox. As we know, they will be
> heard on FM radio next year (on 103.7 WEEI-FM). Given that
> WPRO will lose the ratings-rich Red Sox, does anyone believe
> that there's a chance that WPRO will pick up Yankees
> broadcasts, especially if 99.7 is flipped to some sort of
> music format? Picking up the Yankees might be a way for
> WPRO to staunch the inevitable loss of listeners that will
> result from the loss of Red Sox broadcasts.
>>>>
>>> Scott,
I think WPRO is gonna give it a go without any Baseball. Over the last few years, you wouldn`t believe the amount of complaints about Savage and others being interupted. I am always shocked that anyone would listen to a game on radio, when you can WATCH it on tv, but they DO! Go figure. WABC in N.Y. is clear of sports and they have some of the HIGHEST ratings in the country. Lets wait and see.
Alan
> posters brought up the Red Sox. As we know, they will be
> heard on FM radio next year (on 103.7 WEEI-FM). Given that
> WPRO will lose the ratings-rich Red Sox, does anyone believe
> that there's a chance that WPRO will pick up Yankees
> broadcasts, especially if 99.7 is flipped to some sort of
> music format? Picking up the Yankees might be a way for
> WPRO to staunch the inevitable loss of listeners that will
> result from the loss of Red Sox broadcasts.
>>>>
>>> Scott,
I think WPRO is gonna give it a go without any Baseball. Over the last few years, you wouldn`t believe the amount of complaints about Savage and others being interupted. I am always shocked that anyone would listen to a game on radio, when you can WATCH it on tv, but they DO! Go figure. WABC in N.Y. is clear of sports and they have some of the HIGHEST ratings in the country. Lets wait and see.
Alan
Alan,
Baseball always translated very nicely to the radio. And it does, in many "baseball" markets, draw good ratings on the radio. For starters, many people of the "Greatest Generation" prefer listening to games on the radio, as the radio is still a throwback to the days when baseball was accessible only on the radio (prior to the advent of TV). Secondly, the radio is still more convenient to people in offices, in cars, and at outdoor picnics. As I have posted before, there are few things I love more than a Sunday afternoon at the beach, and being one of the many with a transistor radio listening to Joe and Jerry broadcast the Red Sox.
Finally, if the ratings are examined closely, WPRO usually sees a bump in their numbers during baseball season, especially during the playoffs if the Red Sox are in contention. They are going to miss the Red Sox next year. There is a sizeable Yankees fan base in the area; that leads me to think that Citadel might be tempted to move the Bronx Bombers to WPRO.
Baseball always translated very nicely to the radio. And it does, in many "baseball" markets, draw good ratings on the radio. For starters, many people of the "Greatest Generation" prefer listening to games on the radio, as the radio is still a throwback to the days when baseball was accessible only on the radio (prior to the advent of TV). Secondly, the radio is still more convenient to people in offices, in cars, and at outdoor picnics. As I have posted before, there are few things I love more than a Sunday afternoon at the beach, and being one of the many with a transistor radio listening to Joe and Jerry broadcast the Red Sox.
Finally, if the ratings are examined closely, WPRO usually sees a bump in their numbers during baseball season, especially during the playoffs if the Red Sox are in contention. They are going to miss the Red Sox next year. There is a sizeable Yankees fan base in the area; that leads me to think that Citadel might be tempted to move the Bronx Bombers to WPRO.
> I always find this talk of WSKO switching formats
> intersting. Good ratings are not the be all and end all in
> radio... good sales is (that seems horribly grammatically
> incorrect). The Score has a few things EEI does not have;
> local coverage, Pawtucket Red Sox Baseball, Patriots (for
> now)... and in listening to the station now and then.. it
> doesn't seem they've experienced a huge drop off in
> advertisers. And.. their ratings were never good before
> anyway. I think there's actually room for two sports
> stations in town... if they're doing somewhat different
> things.
>
While WSKO is more local, the station sounds like amateur hour next to WEEI. I do not know how they compete. I agree with your premise - that low ratings does not equal lack of profitability - but there are three good signals in the Providence area with sports programming. WEEI will only grow ratings, especially with the addition of the Red Sox. I still think that Citadel might find a more profitable use for 99.7 or 790. Perhaps they will keep 99.7 as sports and switch 790 back to its Standards/WLKW-ish roots? Finally, Entercom can certainly put some local programming on 103.7. Only time will tell...
> intersting. Good ratings are not the be all and end all in
> radio... good sales is (that seems horribly grammatically
> incorrect). The Score has a few things EEI does not have;
> local coverage, Pawtucket Red Sox Baseball, Patriots (for
> now)... and in listening to the station now and then.. it
> doesn't seem they've experienced a huge drop off in
> advertisers. And.. their ratings were never good before
> anyway. I think there's actually room for two sports
> stations in town... if they're doing somewhat different
> things.
>
While WSKO is more local, the station sounds like amateur hour next to WEEI. I do not know how they compete. I agree with your premise - that low ratings does not equal lack of profitability - but there are three good signals in the Providence area with sports programming. WEEI will only grow ratings, especially with the addition of the Red Sox. I still think that Citadel might find a more profitable use for 99.7 or 790. Perhaps they will keep 99.7 as sports and switch 790 back to its Standards/WLKW-ish roots? Finally, Entercom can certainly put some local programming on 103.7. Only time will tell...
B
BOSRADIOGUY
Guest
> With the talk of the future of Providence radio below, some
> posters brought up the Red Sox. As we know, they will be
> heard on FM radio next year (on 103.7 WEEI-FM). Given that
> WPRO will lose the ratings-rich Red Sox, does anyone believe
> that there's a chance that WPRO will pick up Yankees
> broadcasts, especially if 99.7 is flipped to some sort of
> music format? Picking up the Yankees might be a way for
> WPRO to staunch the inevitable loss of listeners that will
> result from the loss of Red Sox broadcasts.
>
The loss or gain of listeners when broadcast rights change can be marginal at best. Look at WSB in Atlanta after losing the Braves and KIRO in Seattle after losing the Mariners. Both are still the number one AM in their markets. My guess is that PRO will do what it does - TALK and its ratings, (nights and weekends)will probably change then. Of course, PRO could bank on EEI losing the rights after next season and regain affiliation.
> posters brought up the Red Sox. As we know, they will be
> heard on FM radio next year (on 103.7 WEEI-FM). Given that
> WPRO will lose the ratings-rich Red Sox, does anyone believe
> that there's a chance that WPRO will pick up Yankees
> broadcasts, especially if 99.7 is flipped to some sort of
> music format? Picking up the Yankees might be a way for
> WPRO to staunch the inevitable loss of listeners that will
> result from the loss of Red Sox broadcasts.
>
The loss or gain of listeners when broadcast rights change can be marginal at best. Look at WSB in Atlanta after losing the Braves and KIRO in Seattle after losing the Mariners. Both are still the number one AM in their markets. My guess is that PRO will do what it does - TALK and its ratings, (nights and weekends)will probably change then. Of course, PRO could bank on EEI losing the rights after next season and regain affiliation.
Re: Its a Talk Station!
> > Oh Please!
Joe and Jerry ( Will and Grace) make me sick. " Hey Jerry , Mannys hair looks nice today, Think he s on steriods" ? They are the 2 most boring people on the planet! I hope the Sox and Yanks hold a Press conference-- "Hello , just wanted to thank all you morons who go to our games, buy our shirts, and think we would give you the TIME OF DAY; MORONS, MORONS, MORONS"!!!!
WPRO may become a LITTLE less boring...
> > Oh Please!
Joe and Jerry ( Will and Grace) make me sick. " Hey Jerry , Mannys hair looks nice today, Think he s on steriods" ? They are the 2 most boring people on the planet! I hope the Sox and Yanks hold a Press conference-- "Hello , just wanted to thank all you morons who go to our games, buy our shirts, and think we would give you the TIME OF DAY; MORONS, MORONS, MORONS"!!!!
WPRO may become a LITTLE less boring...
K
KML0224
Guest
Future in Connecticut?
WTIC-AM 1080 of Hartford has carried the Red Sox since the 1950s. I seriously doubt they'll change what isn't broken. The Yankees air on WPOP-AM 1410 of Hartford. There was a season or two in the 1990s when their games aired on WDRC-AM 1360 of Hartford. (WDRC currently carries most of the AA-Eastern League New Britain Rock Cats games.) WPOP-AM 1410 aired the Yankees for many years before that break in the 1990s. As for the New York Mets, nobody in greater Hartford airs them since most people can listen to them on WFAN-AM 660 from New York City. The last time I heard the Mets around here was on the old WNTY-AM 990 of Southington (early 90s or so).
WTIC-AM 1080 of Hartford has carried the Red Sox since the 1950s. I seriously doubt they'll change what isn't broken. The Yankees air on WPOP-AM 1410 of Hartford. There was a season or two in the 1990s when their games aired on WDRC-AM 1360 of Hartford. (WDRC currently carries most of the AA-Eastern League New Britain Rock Cats games.) WPOP-AM 1410 aired the Yankees for many years before that break in the 1990s. As for the New York Mets, nobody in greater Hartford airs them since most people can listen to them on WFAN-AM 660 from New York City. The last time I heard the Mets around here was on the old WNTY-AM 990 of Southington (early 90s or so).
> > >I am always shocked that anyone would listen to a game on
> radio,
> > when you can WATCH it on tv, but they DO!
>
>
> Those of us who can't afford cable TV tend to listen to a
> lot of baseball on the radio.....
Yes! If my wife allowed for the $48 per month cable bill, I'd likely watch the games. Alas, I listen. Though the radio is also for those who can't watch tv; in the car, in a boat, outdoors etc.
> radio,
> > when you can WATCH it on tv, but they DO!
>
>
> Those of us who can't afford cable TV tend to listen to a
> lot of baseball on the radio.....
Yes! If my wife allowed for the $48 per month cable bill, I'd likely watch the games. Alas, I listen. Though the radio is also for those who can't watch tv; in the car, in a boat, outdoors etc.
W
wxctintern
Guest
Re: Future in Connecticut?
I don't know if they still do, but some of the Weekend Games for the Mets were on WMRD 1150 and its simulcast partner WLIS 1420.<P ID="signature">______________
~Jay Clark~
</P>
I don't know if they still do, but some of the Weekend Games for the Mets were on WMRD 1150 and its simulcast partner WLIS 1420.<P ID="signature">______________
~Jay Clark~
</P>
F
FMRadio1
Guest
Re: Future in Connecticut?
WTIC may be the only station in Connecticut not affected by the games moving to WEEI-FM. 103.7 has a huge signal that blankets nearly all of Eastern Connecticut. I would assume that 102.3 in New London (WXLM or whatever the calls are this week) will lose the Sox next year. With WEEI-FM having city grade coverage in that market, I doubt Entercom would allow 102.3 to run the games as well.
The other stations that could be affected would be WILI-AM in Willimantic and WINY in Putnam. 103.7's signal is not as strong in the northeast corner so chances are those stations will get to keep the games. However, I'd bet most listeners in those areas will probably try to pull in 103.7 rather than the local AM's, especially for night games.
--Mike Thomas
> WTIC-AM 1080 of Hartford has carried the Red Sox since the
> 1950s. I seriously doubt they'll change what isn't broken.
WTIC may be the only station in Connecticut not affected by the games moving to WEEI-FM. 103.7 has a huge signal that blankets nearly all of Eastern Connecticut. I would assume that 102.3 in New London (WXLM or whatever the calls are this week) will lose the Sox next year. With WEEI-FM having city grade coverage in that market, I doubt Entercom would allow 102.3 to run the games as well.
The other stations that could be affected would be WILI-AM in Willimantic and WINY in Putnam. 103.7's signal is not as strong in the northeast corner so chances are those stations will get to keep the games. However, I'd bet most listeners in those areas will probably try to pull in 103.7 rather than the local AM's, especially for night games.
--Mike Thomas
> WTIC-AM 1080 of Hartford has carried the Red Sox since the
> 1950s. I seriously doubt they'll change what isn't broken.
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