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Where BOTH sports radio stations drop the ball...

N

nate81

Guest
Well, the NBA All-Star Game was on tonight. In fact, one of the starters - LeBron James - is a Cleveland Cavalier. Lots of attention are focused on LeBron, and many here fear that he will bolt in a year or two for bigger and better sights. That's understandable.

Good luck, however, if you WANTED to actually hear the game on the radio. That's because BOTH WTAM/1100 and WKNR/850 - both of which, I am led to believe, are predominantly sports-programmed (sarcasm heavily induced) - didn't carry the game. Instead...

** WTAM had its' usual fare on tonight: golf talk with Gary Trivisonno, "Black on Black" and Art McCoy, and Matt Drudge. Ho-hum.

** WKNR just carried ESPN Radio's "Gamenight", except for both the 9PM hour (a horrid financhial show) and the 11PM hour (the City Club Forum), both of which are directly piped in from sister station WHK/1420. (As an aside, shouldn't WHK's slogan be: We Hardly Kare? It would fit ;)

That's not to say you COULDN'T hear the game, which was an ESPN Radio product. ESPN O&O WMVP/1000 in Chicago had it, and their night signal comes in nicely to Cleveland. But it's inexcusable - and damn shameful - when both WTAM and WKNR fail to carry an all-star game that A CLEVELANDER is STARRING IN!

And we plebeians are chastised by Triv, et al. about having an negativity and inferiority complex?

- Nathan Obral<P ID="signature">______________
WTAM/1100: An Abuse of Radio Power!</P>
 
For a station that touts themselves as the station with "ALL THE BALLS" it sure lacked them sunday night. I was surprised that neither carried the game. I am anxious to hear what excuses they tell "roger" why the game wasn't carried. Oh by the way LeBron was named game mvp.
 
What's so special about the NBA All-Star game??? Sorry fellas, but I think you are in the minority just looking to spew some crap at programmers. It's doubtful that 1/4 of the population even gives a rats patoot about it. Where was all the complaints when the Pro Bowl went on? Regardless, even if any Browns weren't in it. I think too many "experts" are reaching for straws now.

However, I do agree that KNR should've tried to get the rights - but doubt they had them.

> For a station that touts themselves as the station with "ALL
> THE BALLS" it sure lacked them sunday night. I was
> surprised that neither carried the game. I am anxious to
> hear what excuses they tell "roger" why the game wasn't
> carried. Oh by the way LeBron was named game mvp.
>
 
Here is something which nobody has brought up yet...
(ABC Information Network & ESPN Rights vs. FOX NEWS Radio)

When WTAM 1100 was an affiliate of the ABC Information Network News and ABC Radio Programming - They also had the ABC Radio product of some ESPN itmes (ESPN'S NBA Coverage) that WKNR either didn't want to or refused to carry probably a Salem order so they coulc carry infomercials with $$$$$.

Now that WNIR-FM 100.1 now has ABC Information Radio Networks and WTAM-1100 AM has FOX NEWS Radio... I wonder if WNIR now also have those rights to 'other' ESPN programming that the main ESPN affiliate (WKNR AM 850)is not carrying. Please note the ESPN Radio College Bowl games aired on WNIR-FM 100.1 this past football season -- interesting! I didn't listen, so I don't know if WNIR carried ESPN Radio's Coverage of the NBA All-Star Game.

BTW: CBS Radio Network News still runs on WNIR's AM counter part 1520 WJMP at the top of the hour... either they are sticking with both networks or the CBS contract still has time left on it...

-Just my opinion...


>>> Good luck, however, if you WANTED to actually hear the game on the radio. That's because BOTH WTAM/1100 and WKNR/850 - both of which, I am led to believe, are predominantly sports-programmed (sarcasm heavily induced) - didn't carry the game. Instead...

** WTAM had its' usual fare on tonight: golf talk with Gary Trivisonno, "Black on Black" and Art McCoy, and Matt Drudge. Ho-hum.

** WKNR just carried ESPN Radio's "Gamenight", except for both the 9PM hour (a horrid financhial show) and the 11PM hour (the City Club Forum), both of which are directly piped in from sister station WHK/1420. (As an aside, shouldn't WHK's slogan be: We Hardly Kare? It would fit ;)

That's not to say you COULDN'T hear the game, which was an ESPN Radio product. ESPN O&O WMVP/1000 in Chicago had it, and their night signal comes in nicely to Cleveland. But it's inexcusable - and damn shameful - when both WTAM and WKNR fail to carry an all-star game that A CLEVELANDER is STARRING IN! <<<
 
> What's so special about the NBA All-Star game??? Sorry
> fellas, but I think you are in the minority just looking to
> spew some crap at programmers. It's doubtful that 1/4 of the
> population even gives a rats patoot about it. Where was all
> the complaints when the Pro Bowl went on? Regardless, even
> if any Browns weren't in it. I think too many "experts" are
> reaching for straws now.

Here's the thing: while WTAM isn't all-sports, they are the flagship of the Cavaliers, and carry all the games. They ARE a de-facto all-sports station, and often try to beat WKNR in this behalf (though at WKNR, they make such a job real easy).

If it weren't for that, I wouldn't have cared. In fact, an All-Star game in either league wouldn't matter to me, unless if 1) it's IN Cleveland, or 2) the majority of the starting lineup is made of Cleveland athletes.

But just think: a Cleveland Cavalier was A STARTER in the game, and has been hyped as such. You would've thought that either station would have cared to think about airing the game, no? For them not to is laughable.

(BTW, the Browns suck, and will for a long, long time. And so does the Pro Bowl, but any such discussion on both - even on a sports board - would be redundant. ;)

> However, I do agree that KNR should've tried to get the
> rights - but doubt they had them.

My guess: WKNR did get the ESPN basketball package in 1998, during Jacor ownership. Those rights lapsed in 2001 per Salem's move of WKNR to 850, saturating the weekends with brokered crap instead.

The same thing happened with ESPN's baseball package and WW1's NFL PBP, though WKNR has only managed to regain the ESPN baseball rights.

- Nathan Obral<P ID="signature">______________
WTAM/1100: An Abuse of Radio Power!</P>
 
> It's doubtful that 1/4 of the
> population even gives a rats patoot about it.

Not that this is directed toward you, MrKelly, but what does the population care about or want to hear?

I ask this because last Wednesday I was looking for something to listen to on the AM band. I found two News / Talk stations (WCCO and WJR) broadcasting the same college game. That makes me think that the populations of Minneapolis-metro and Detroit-metro want to hear local sports, be they professional or scholastic.

The only local, non-professional sports I've heard on Cleveland stations are Ohio State games. If I recall correctly, there was a time when CSU games were broadcast locally.
 
What You're Not Getting

> What's so special about the NBA All-Star game???

And the exact same thing can be said about every single Monday Night Football game that doesn't involve Cleveland. Oh wait, the All-Star Game DID involve a Clevelander.

Next point I can smackdown please?

> Sorry
> fellas, but I think you are in the minority just looking to
> spew some crap at programmers.

Nice to see you don't get it. Next...

> It's doubtful that 1/4 of the
> population even gives a rats patoot about it.

I refer you to my first response. Add to that other sporting events that don't involve Cleveland. If 1/4 of the population didn't give a rats' ass about it, then that would reflect on TV ratings as well.

It's the NBA All-Star Game. You must be thinking of the Miss America Pageant.

> Where was all
> the complaints when the Pro Bowl went on?

Well there you go. Of ALL things aired, the FREAKING PRO BOWL??!!!! Who REALLY gives a rats' ass about THAT?! Hold on, I am getting earplugs as the sound of crickets is deafening.

> Regardless, even
> if any Browns weren't in it. I think too many "experts" are
> reaching for straws now.

Nope, you're STILL missing the point.

> However, I do agree that KNR should've tried to get the
> rights - but doubt they had them.

The point is, the stations carry every other sporting event (like the...yawn...Pro Bowl), but yet you don't carry the NBA All-Star Game that has:

1) a hometown guy who's ALSO playing in Cleveland
2) one of the best NBA players out there and in a long time

...makes absolutely no programming sense.

Way to go Cleveland radio.
 
> The same thing happened with ESPN's baseball package

In Boston, the playoffs and world series were on two weak ESPN-owned stations
rather than powerhouse WEEI. Yes, you could clearly hear baseball playoffs
during the first round (Red Sox-White Sox) via WEEI Red Sox network but after
that, forget it. I work nights and had to struggle to pick up _WBAL's_ signal
(or WEPN NYC if WBAL faded) to hear those games.

WEEI used to be an ESPN affiliate but when ESPN landed on the two weaker
stations (890/1400) it pulled its affiliation away. (WEEI does have Fox Sports
Network and runs it overnight, but no ESPN= no world series to be aired on
a powerful and highly rated station)
 
Re: What You're Not Getting

What is this the Amateur School of Comprehension and Interpretation?

Enjoy your basketball game.

> > What's so special about the NBA All-Star game???
>
> And the exact same thing can be said about every single
> Monday Night Football game that doesn't involve Cleveland.
> Oh wait, the All-Star Game DID involve a Clevelander.
>
> Next point I can smackdown please?
>
> > Sorry
> > fellas, but I think you are in the minority just looking
> to
> > spew some crap at programmers.
>
> Nice to see you don't get it. Next...
>
> > It's doubtful that 1/4 of the
> > population even gives a rats patoot about it.
>
> I refer you to my first response. Add to that other
> sporting events that don't involve Cleveland. If 1/4 of the
> population didn't give a rats' ass about it, then that would
> reflect on TV ratings as well.
>
> It's the NBA All-Star Game. You must be thinking of the
> Miss America Pageant.
>
> > Where was all
> > the complaints when the Pro Bowl went on?
>
> Well there you go. Of ALL things aired, the FREAKING PRO
> BOWL??!!!! Who REALLY gives a rats' ass about THAT?! Hold
> on, I am getting earplugs as the sound of crickets is
> deafening.
>
> > Regardless, even
> > if any Browns weren't in it. I think too many "experts"
> are
> > reaching for straws now.
>
> Nope, you're STILL missing the point.
>
> > However, I do agree that KNR should've tried to get the
> > rights - but doubt they had them.
>
> The point is, the stations carry every other sporting event
> (like the...yawn...Pro Bowl), but yet you don't carry the
> NBA All-Star Game that has:
>
> 1) a hometown guy who's ALSO playing in Cleveland
> 2) one of the best NBA players out there and in a long time
>
> ...makes absolutely no programming sense.
>
> Way to go Cleveland radio.
>
 
Local is always a good option, but a Catch 22 (depending on your format). For WTAM... I think it would have to have broad appeal considering the market coverage. For KNR, better than most of the syndicated stuff and I'd actually like to see it. The city colleges would be a great choice.

The significance of the NBA All Star game is more interesting for an MTV format these days. The entertainment is more a marketing point than the game. Nothing is really being contested. It's more a party now.

> > It's doubtful that 1/4 of the
> > population even gives a rats patoot about it.
>
> Not that this is directed toward you, MrKelly, but what does
> the population care about or want to hear?
>
> I ask this because last Wednesday I was looking for
> something to listen to on the AM band. I found two News /
> Talk stations (WCCO and WJR) broadcasting the same college
> game. That makes me think that the populations of
> Minneapolis-metro and Detroit-metro want to hear local
> sports, be they professional or scholastic.
>
> The only local, non-professional sports I've heard on
> Cleveland stations are Ohio State games. If I recall
> correctly, there was a time when CSU games were broadcast
> locally.
>
 
Re: What You're Not Getting

> What is this the Amateur School of Comprehension and
> Interpretation?
>
> Enjoy your basketball game.

Yep! And you just got schooled by a pro. Your degree's in the mail.
 
> The significance of the NBA All Star game is more
> interesting for an MTV format these days. The entertainment
> is more a marketing point than the game. Nothing is really
> being contested. It's more a party now.

Oh, and the Super Bowl isn't? You have yet to make any valid points. But your bias for the NBA so bright, I gotta wear shades.
 
Re: What You're Not Getting

That's the biggest load I've heard in a long time. You even misconstrued what I said in the first place. If you were that smart other people would be patting you on the back, not yourself.

> > What is this the Amateur School of Comprehension and
> > Interpretation?
> >
> > Enjoy your basketball game.
>
> Yep! And you just got schooled by a pro. Your degree's in
> the mail.
>
 
> The only local, non-professional sports I've heard on
> Cleveland stations are Ohio State games. If I recall
> correctly, there was a time when CSU games were broadcast
> locally.
>

CSU still has games on WKNR, and also CWRU basketball games are on WHK-1420.
 
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