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What happened to the "Mountain" in Knoxville?

S

soundsandsports

The last time myself and my family made the yearly exodus to Pigeon Forge/Gatlinburg, WPFT 106.3 "The Mountain" had just signed on with Classic Hits (the best classic hits station I'd ever heard, BTW) and aired some Atlanta Braves games. Then I look on RI a few months later and they're running ESPN Radio or so I read. Now 1180 is ESPN Radio and 1120 is ESPN Deportes (I know I heard Deportes a couple of years back, and I think it was 1120).

So with that info:

A. Can someone tell me what 106.3 is up to (hopefully not simulcasting that lame AM tourist station)
B. Who has the Braves games
C. Who has the Smokies games
D. Are there any other format flips or minor changes in Knoxville

When my family goes on vacation next month up there, I'll be able to tell them what and what not to listen to.

Thanks in advance.
 
Last I heard (because i can't pick it up very good) 106.3 "The Zone" was running all national ESPN programming except for some afternoon show with Chip Kain. I have heard 106.3 broadcast HS games, but I haven't heard any Braves games thus far.

730 WLIL in Lenior City carries the Braves along with WLIK 1270 in Newport

As for the Smokies you can hear them on WNML 990, 99.1 & 99.3
 
106.3 Has ESPN Radio full-time except in afternoon drive and is doing all of the Braves games live. That's very helpful, especially for those of us with newer cars with largely useless AM receivers.
 
I'm surprised the brass at 1180 didn't ask "The Zone" flip to Fox or Sporting News if The Sports Animal doesn't have one of those already. I guess they think a Pigeon Forge station doesn't count as a "Knoxville" station unless there blaring out at least 5 to 10 kw.

Also, if I owned 1180/1120, I would have bought 106.3 by now instead of waiting to see if ESPN would survive there. Between 1180/106.3 the whole market is covered (1180--Knoxville west/suburbs, 106.3--Pigeon Forge/Gatlinburg)

It would also set up one heck of a battle against The Sports Animal unlike the war of attrition going on in where I live in Nashville between 104.5 "The Zone" and 560 WNSR after 106.7 "The Fan" bit the dust in favor of a mainstream CHR with just music, commercials, and Billy Bush doing his Seacrest type show on weeknights and his countdown on Sundays (I like his chart better than Seacrest, probably because I can stand him better than I can Seacrest)
 
I'm surprised the brass at 1180 didn't ask "The Zone" flip to Fox or Sporting News if The Sports Animal doesn't have one of those already. I guess they think a Pigeon Forge station doesn't count as a "Knoxville" station unless there blaring out at least 5 to 10 kw.
Click to expand...

The Sports Animal is an FSR affiliate. When i did hear some of 106.3 awhile ago they were calling themselves "Knoxville's Sports Leader" or something like that. I have trouble picking them up anywhere other then PF/Gburg area.


Also, if I owned 1180/1120, I would have bought 106.3 by now instead of waiting to see if ESPN would survive there. Between 1180/106.3 the whole market is covered (1180--Knoxville west/suburbs, 106.3--Pigeon Forge/Gatlinburg)
It would also set up one heck of a battle against The Sports Animal unlike the war of attrition going on in where I live in Nashville between 104.5 "The Zone" and 560 WNSR after 106.7 "The Fan"
Click to expand...

I've heard that the new owner wants to be on FM down the road but i don't know where on the dial that would be. Unfortunately, Until then i don't see much of a battle with the resources and FM/night power that the "Mammal" has. Don't get me wrong i would love for 1180 to shake things up alot in Knoxville sports radio, but i just don't see that happening.

1180 has made some serious strides lately in becoming a true sports station, IMHO.
 
soundsandsports said:
I'm surprised the brass at 1180 didn't ask "The Zone" flip to Fox or Sporting News if The Sports Animal doesn't have one of those already. I guess they think a Pigeon Forge station doesn't count as a "Knoxville" station unless there blaring out at least 5 to 10 kw.

Also, if I owned 1180/1120, I would have bought 106.3 by now instead of waiting to see if ESPN would survive there. Between 1180/106.3 the whole market is covered (1180--Knoxville west/suburbs, 106.3--Pigeon Forge/Gatlinburg)

It would also set up one heck of a battle against The Sports Animal unlike the war of attrition going on in where I live in Nashville between 104.5 "The Zone" and 560 WNSR after 106.7 "The Fan" bit the dust in favor of a mainstream CHR with just music, commercials, and Billy Bush doing his Seacrest type show on weeknights and his countdown on Sundays (I like his chart better than Seacrest, probably because I can stand him better than I can Seacrest)
Click to expand...

There isn't really "brass" at 1180 AM. It's one young guy that just recently purchased the station. They sell all of the non-ESPN time, none of the on-air talent are station employees.

ESPN Radio will allow an AM and FM in the same market. At the time 106.3 flipped to ESPN, 1180 went off the air at 6 pm. I'm not talking reduced power. I'm talking pulled the plug mid-sentence. ESPN wanted a "real" home. The Sports Animal couldn't take ESPN programming because ESPN has a must-carry tag on Mike&Mike and the Sports Animal's morning show is the second-highest billing timeslot.

1180 and 106.3 both have their niche markets, but there's not going to be any sort of battle. The Sports Animal has all of the UT programming and has it locked down going forward. Combine that with the longtime staffers, and you can see where it would be a very short competition. They each have their markets to go after.
 
Explain then why...Please....The Extreme Sports Monster..WXSM in the Tri-Cities(and also owned by Sports Animal owners-Citadel Broadcasting) gets by without having to air Mike and Mike in the morningand still carries a mjority of ESPN programming and is considered an ESPN affiliate.....Seems to be a double Stnadard
 
TennStud said:
Explain then why...Please....The Extreme Sports Monster..WXSM in the Tri-Cities(and also owned by Sports Animal owners-Citadel Broadcasting) gets by without having to air Mike and Mike in the morningand still carries a mjority of ESPN programming and is considered an ESPN affiliate.....Seems to be a double Stnadard
Click to expand...

That, I can't explain. Citadel started moving all their sports stations to ESPN Radio away from Fox after completing the ABC purchase. The explanation given to staff in Knoxville as to why the change was not made in Knoxville was that Mike & Mike was "must-carry" and they weren't willing to give up that daypart.
 
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