It's been awhile since I've posted a rant, but I'm ready to raise a ruckus. So here goes:
Just in case you haven't heard the news, the St. Louis Cardinals baseball games will not be on KMOX-1120 AM next year. Yep, you heard right. The Cardinal ownership bought a 50% share of KTRS-550 AM in St. Louis and the games will be carried on that station. CBS/Infinity broadcasting, the KMOX owner, reportedly walked away from the bargaining table when the rights fees got too high and obviously they were not going to let go of 50% of KMOX to some baseball team owner. This marks a sad day for many Cardinal fans in the midwest and south who have listened to the Cardinal games on KMOX for many years, myself included. In fact, I was listening to one just this past weekend. KTRS, while considered the 2nd best AM signal in the market, simply cannot match the mighty 50,000 watt clear-channel KMOX. KMOX has been THE number 1 station in St. Louis for as long as I can remember, many times having twice or even 3 times the ratings of it's nearest FM competitor. The reason? KMOX has a tie with that community that is probably not duplicated I dare say anywhere else in the country. When people say St. Louis, usually one of these three things come to mind: 1. The Cardinals 2. The arch 3. KMOX Radio
What this all boils down to is money. KMOX senior management I'm sure just could not justify the huge amounts of money that the Cardinals were demanding. I think the new ownership there doesn't quite realize the magnatude of the decision they've made. While some on the Missouri board have been popping off about getting the Cards on satellite radio next year and to get over it, I say buzz off. The Cardinals would not be as strong an orgainzation as they are today without the coverage provided by KMOX over the years. THAT STATION has provided the team with a fan base and loyalty that spread far away from St. Louis and across the middle part of the country. Just think of how many people have listened to the Cardinals at night on KMOX over the years. Sitting on the back porch, walking the dog or while trying to go to bed. The team should have been paying the station money not the other way around!!! This will weaken team support over the long haul I predict. While some will blame CBS/Infinity for this, I understand that it was a business decision and I don't blame them. Mr. DeWitt and the ownership are the ones to blame. Greed - plain and simple!! If the orgainzation was on the brink of bankruptcy, I'd be a little more understanding. But the Cardinals are making plently of money right now.
Many people fuss about the costs of cable t.v. and satellite steadily on the rise. Having once worked in the cable t.v. business, I can say that the main reason for this is programming costs and especially costs for ESPN and other sports networks, who each year pass down large rate increases to operators, who in turn, have no choice but to pass those costs on to consumers. The reason ESPN has gotten so pricey is that baseball (and other professional sports) carraige rights/fees have gotten so high because of outlandish player salaries. See, it's all going into the players/owners hip pockets. They care nothing about us peion fans.
I'll end by saying that I'm pretty much thru with watching/supporting professional sports. My interest has been waning in recent years anyway. While this move won't be the nail in the coffin for the Cards, it definately will hurt and support from outside the St. Louis area will drop off quite a bit.
Just in case you haven't heard the news, the St. Louis Cardinals baseball games will not be on KMOX-1120 AM next year. Yep, you heard right. The Cardinal ownership bought a 50% share of KTRS-550 AM in St. Louis and the games will be carried on that station. CBS/Infinity broadcasting, the KMOX owner, reportedly walked away from the bargaining table when the rights fees got too high and obviously they were not going to let go of 50% of KMOX to some baseball team owner. This marks a sad day for many Cardinal fans in the midwest and south who have listened to the Cardinal games on KMOX for many years, myself included. In fact, I was listening to one just this past weekend. KTRS, while considered the 2nd best AM signal in the market, simply cannot match the mighty 50,000 watt clear-channel KMOX. KMOX has been THE number 1 station in St. Louis for as long as I can remember, many times having twice or even 3 times the ratings of it's nearest FM competitor. The reason? KMOX has a tie with that community that is probably not duplicated I dare say anywhere else in the country. When people say St. Louis, usually one of these three things come to mind: 1. The Cardinals 2. The arch 3. KMOX Radio
What this all boils down to is money. KMOX senior management I'm sure just could not justify the huge amounts of money that the Cardinals were demanding. I think the new ownership there doesn't quite realize the magnatude of the decision they've made. While some on the Missouri board have been popping off about getting the Cards on satellite radio next year and to get over it, I say buzz off. The Cardinals would not be as strong an orgainzation as they are today without the coverage provided by KMOX over the years. THAT STATION has provided the team with a fan base and loyalty that spread far away from St. Louis and across the middle part of the country. Just think of how many people have listened to the Cardinals at night on KMOX over the years. Sitting on the back porch, walking the dog or while trying to go to bed. The team should have been paying the station money not the other way around!!! This will weaken team support over the long haul I predict. While some will blame CBS/Infinity for this, I understand that it was a business decision and I don't blame them. Mr. DeWitt and the ownership are the ones to blame. Greed - plain and simple!! If the orgainzation was on the brink of bankruptcy, I'd be a little more understanding. But the Cardinals are making plently of money right now.
Many people fuss about the costs of cable t.v. and satellite steadily on the rise. Having once worked in the cable t.v. business, I can say that the main reason for this is programming costs and especially costs for ESPN and other sports networks, who each year pass down large rate increases to operators, who in turn, have no choice but to pass those costs on to consumers. The reason ESPN has gotten so pricey is that baseball (and other professional sports) carraige rights/fees have gotten so high because of outlandish player salaries. See, it's all going into the players/owners hip pockets. They care nothing about us peion fans.
I'll end by saying that I'm pretty much thru with watching/supporting professional sports. My interest has been waning in recent years anyway. While this move won't be the nail in the coffin for the Cards, it definately will hurt and support from outside the St. Louis area will drop off quite a bit.