WECK Sports Presense

[x13thfloorrand]

Other outlets, including Business First, reports that WECK will start carrying UB Sports this upcoming school year. They signed a two year deal, along with WLVL. Brad Riter will do some pre-game work for most events.
From Business First:

http://buffalo.bizjournals.com/buffalo/stories/2008/05/19/daily44.html?jst=b_ln_hl

The University at Buffalo will have its football and men's basketball games on one radio outlet for the first time since the Bulls moved to Division I-A.

UB announced it has a two-year deal with WECK (1230 AM) as well as WLVL (1340 AM) to air Bulls' athletic events. Terms of the deal were not disclosed.

Bulls football and men's basketball will begin airing later this year on WECK, one of the few locally owned radio operators in the Buffalo area


[ LInk provided by Radio-Info. In the future, please provide a URL to the originating source as courtesy][color]

 

[Bob1370]

Interesting that WGR let the UB football coverage rights get away. I wonder how they'll fill the fall Saturday middays...live local sports talk? Late season and postseason major league baseball from Westwood One? ESPN?

 

[lchase]

Nice get. And don't overlook this part: All UB games will be webstreamed for free on WECK and WLVL's online sites in addition to the Bulls' home at www.buffalobulls.com.

Lot of out-of-town Bills fans are VERY pleased at the thought of having an alternate choice for Buffalo sports talk.

 

[Philip_Airtime]

This is great for WECK. Less so for UB's football and basketball programs. Perhaps Andy Roth, who responded to a previous post on this board, can enlighten us on why WGR would let go of UB football at a time when the program could be competing for a post-season bowl game. This makes no sense. You'd think a sports station would want the region's top college football program on its station. And I would think UB would want its program showcased on the radio sports leader in Buffalo. Plus, I would suggest airing basketball games on 50,000 watt WWKB is preferable to having them on WECK. Was Entercom raising the price for UB's Athletic Department? Again, having UB football will provide a boost to WECK's sports image. And it will bring an audience, especially if the team, as expected, is competitive this year. But having WECK as your radio home is a step back for UB after being on the Entercom properties for the past few years.

 

[therealjm12]

This is probably related in one way or another. Entercom in Rochester let the Buffalo Bills go from WCMF to C. C.'s WHAM and probably Wease will be at the practice sessions at Fisher's on the FOX 95.1 For some reason Entercom is getting out of sports (in some degree) in WNY. One thing for sure, it all about the money$$$$.

 

[alw]

Regardless of whether or not WECK has a chance at making a dent into WBEN's audience, I think we must comment favorably on Dick Green's aggressive moves.

He's clearly trying to program against 'BEN.

As far as WECK claiming supremacy as a news choice (as commented on on the other WECK board).....what else are they going to claim....."Not really anyones favorite choice for news, but we're getting there"?


Maybe they can get Charlie Tuna to read that one for them.

A big attitude can perk up a lot of ears.

 

[Kal]

And I would think UB would want its program showcased on the radio sports leader in Buffalo.

Phil ...

Don't you mean on the ONLY sports station in town, rather than the 'radio sports leader'? Just because 'GR does sports, doesn't mean they lead in anything. Frankly, the coverage has never been worse for the Sabres... the actual broadcast by Rick and Harry is fine, the surround (pre and post) sucks! And other than the Sabres, what does 'GR have? NOT MUCH!

UB made the right decision!

Kal

 

[Element9]

I hate to play Merriam-Webster or Funk & Wagnalls here, but every time I look at the title of this thread I wanna shout, "it's presence... with a 'c.'" Oy vay!

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Most definitely a good catch for WECK and WLVL. UB sports is on the brink of breaking through as the University appears to be making a substantial commitment to improve the entire athletic program.

As to why Entercom would give up UB sports and why UB would go to two stations that do not cover the entire two county Metro, a very good question.

It might be that UB sports was a logistical burden for Entercom and conflicted with the Sabres on WGR. It's quite possible the Sabres wanted to have the sole attention of WGR and Entercom during the Fall sports calendar, although not bothered that the Bisons were on KB because there's very little overlap with baseball... ahem, especially when the Sabres tank and miss the playoffs.

Or, it could be that UB wanted to have the undivided attention of their radio affiliate and not share the spotlight with the Sabres and the Bisons.

BTW, who's going to handle the PBP and color?

_________________________________________________

Hope I spelled everything correctly here, because I know somebody will be gunning for Mr. Spelling Bee.

 

[Steven21]

I hate to play Merriam-Webster or Funk & Wagnalls here, but every time I look at the title of this thread I wanna shout, "it's presence... with a 'c.'" Oy vay!

Consider it a *gift* that he didn't spell it "presents".

By the way, I would find it very odd if Entercom cleared out an up-and-coming entity (UB Football) just to give a bit more attention to a volatile one (Sabres). I realize the Sabres are a more valuable commodity, to say the least, but having little actual info on why this is happening, I can only speculate that.....

If Entercom is letting WECK get the rights to UB games, it's because Entercom has no fear of WECK having the rights to UB games.

 

[jrjaj]

I think it's a good move for WECK. The UB sports program has been up and coming. Perhaps the way to make it viable is to have the univeristy and WECK start a small network of stations, just around the Western New York area, in cities that can't pick up WECK's signal. Obiviously, WLVL, is a good start. How about Dunkirk, Batavia, Jamestown, Olean, etc. Especially with local recruiting of players, there may be an interest to fans who followed the players during their high school days.
Too bad, Jim Rosenhaus isn't around the area. He sounded good doing UB basketball play-by-play. He probably would be just as smooth with UB football.
If, or when, the Bills leave. UB will have the football market to itself. It is a good pro-active(I hate that phrase)move on Dick Greene's part.

 

[x13thfloorrand]

right click...spell check this word....WECK Sports Presence

So Noted, members of the board... was going to delete & start a new one, but didnt bother w/that pesky preview choice....
Hope for forgiveness during this memorial day weekend.....

 

[Paul_Warren]

Or, it could be that UB wanted to have the undivided attention of their radio affiliate and not share the spotlight with the Sabres and the Bisons...

Perhaps it's even more basic than that. Maybe UB feels its improving sports program needs a flagship station that will commit to carry every game live, not delayed, website-only, or produced in background for feeding closed-circuit to small-market affiliates.

As for signal disadvantage, some minor league sports teams are deciding to walk from radio and do it all on the web. Negotiators from radio need to understand their new compeititive environment, especially as delivery of content to wireless mobile devices prepares to threaten the exclusive turf of car radios.