XL 950: Cubs Out, Reds In

[KeithE4]

It seems to me that in recent years, there have been less and less radio stations in Indiana on the Reds Network as compared with the 1960's & 1970's. I recall in the mid-1960's, for example, WTTV (now WTTS) at 92.3 on the FM band was on the Reds Network and provided a powerful signal across central Indiana and into Ohio. When I was in Brown County, Indiana a few years back, I searched the AM & FM dials, but the only place I could pick up the Reds was on WLW.

You have to remember that back in the late '60s & early '70s, the Reds' AAA farm team was the Indianapolis Indians, and they claimed Indy as part of their territory. I don't remember any other MLB team with a local station in Indy, and I forget which station in Indy proper carried the Reds if there was one (We got them on WTTV-FM - maybe that was the only station). The closest was the Cardinals on WBIW Bedford, which didn't make it that far north.

Of course, in the days before cable TV there was plenty of MLB on the radio at night, with WGN (Cubs), WCFL & later WMAQ (White Sox), WLW (Reds), KMOX (Cards), KDKA (Pirates), WCCO & WHO (Twins), and WJR (Tigers) all heard very well in Indiana.

 

[PTBoardOp94]

The list seems about right. I was a little surprised at the southwest Indiana and especially the Illinois affiliate; I thought that had all become Cardinals country. Still, in the Reds peak 70s years it seemed like you could tune up and down the AM and FM dials and hear the Reds everywhere. Even close in stations like WPTW-FM in Piqua and even WPFB in Middletwon.

Mt Carmel (IL) (WYNG), Terre Haute, and Washington (WQTY) have Cards affiliates as well.

A representative of the Reds was quoted saying they wanted an Evansville radio affiliate this past winter.

No takers.

 

[jughead]

See I think Indiana is divided up into thirds when it comes to loyalty in baseball - Southeastern is Reds; Southwestern is Cardinals and the rest is a mixture of Cubs, White Sox, Tigers, Indians, and all other MLB teams.

Evansville has been in the Cardinals stable for as long as I can remember. Up and down the dial in SW Indiana it's Cardinals baseball and pretty much nothing else if you're looking for baseball pbp.

 

[radioman148]

Hi...
Just heard that XL950 will carry some Reds' games for the '09 season instead of the Cubs.

Why...?

How much would the Reds pay...and why would they? It's easier to listen to the Reds on WLW, especially at night.
What's in it for the Reds? Can't be money--what could 950 pay them?

I would assume that WNDE chose not to renew relations with the Reds, since I can't think of a reason the Reds would prefer WXLW to WNDE. WNDE must have figured out that the Reds are just as easy--if not easier--to hear on WLW.

It isn't clear to me whether the Cubs will stay on the FM (WFDM) or the Reds will move there as well.
I can get WGN on my SuperRadio or on my Hammarlunds, but not on a regular AM radio.
It made much more sense for XL950 to carry the Cubs, didn't it?

Perhaps someone can explain the dynamics of this relationship--where's the win-win? Who's paying whom what, and why?
Seeking enlightenment...
Snorlax.

Isn't WGN receivable in XL950s coverage area?

 

[snorlax]

Isn't WGN receivable in XL950s coverage area?

Not very well during the day during baseball season, at least not this far south of Indy. I can get WGN on my SuperRadio or on my Hammarlunds (using an outside longwire). Nighttime, of course, is a different story.
Having said that, I'd listen to the stronger local signal from WNDE day or night.

But WLW is an entirely different story; it's strong 24/7, so there's no real need to have local broadcast of Reds' games.

 

[PTBoardOp94]

Evansville has been in the Cardinals stable for as long as I can remember. Up and down the dial in SW Indiana it's Cardinals baseball and pretty much nothing else if you're looking for baseball pbp.

I may be nuts, but I think I remember one of the AM stations in Evansville carrying the Cubs a few years back (late 90s). Maybe WVHI before they went religion?

 

[KyDXIn]

From a Louisville view, when the minor league baseball team was formed in 1984, the Redbirds were affilated with the St. Louis cardinals. I think that partnership lasted about 15 years, then they teamed with the Milwaukee Brewers (of all teams). Then during the last 10 years or so, they have been teamed with the Reds. Personally I think the Reds have always been popular with the community here due to the ease of receiving WLW here.

 

[Cincinnati Kid]

Personally I think the Reds have always been popular with the community here due to the ease of receiving WLW here.

Do you find that listeners to Reds games in the Louisville area (and that certainly includes the section of Indiana across the Ohio River as this is an Indiana radio thread) listen to WLW or to the Reds Network affiliate there? I realize there have been several stations in the Louisville area that have carried the Reds broadcasts in recent seasons.

 

[snorlax]

Personally I think the Reds have always been popular with the community here due to the ease of receiving WLW here.

Do you find that listeners to Reds games in the Louisville area (and that certainly includes the section of Indiana across the Ohio River as this is an Indiana radio thread) listen to WLW or to the Reds Network affiliate there? I realize there have been several stations in the Louisville area that have carried the Reds broadcasts in recent seasons.

This was a point I was wondering about earlier...why would anyone in Indianapolis listen to a Reds game on nighttime peanut-whistle 950 (I had ham transmitters with much greater power) when WLW is perfectly listenable? That's even more true down here in MudLickFlatCreek (Franklin). Since we are on the very fringe of WGN's coverage, it makes sense for me to listen to the Cubs on 1260 unless I am downstairs where I can fire up one of my mighty Hammarlunds, or an NC 98, or a surprisingly sensitive S-38, and tap into a longwire. ;D

 

[KyDXIn]

Personally I think the Reds have always been popular with the community here due to the ease of receiving WLW here.

Do you find that listeners to Reds games in the Louisville area (and that certainly includes the section of Indiana across the Ohio River as this is an Indiana radio thread) listen to WLW or to the Reds Network affiliate there? I realize there have been several stations in the Louisville area that have carried the Reds broadcasts in recent seasons.

The following links can better explain the recent history of the Reds broadcasts here in the Louisville area:

http://crosleyfieldterrace.wordpress.com/2008/04/11/wkrd-and-the-reds-on-radio/

http://crosleyfieldterrace.wordpres...o-affiliate-in-louisville-brings-new-problem/

http://cincinnati.reds.mlb.com/news...ent_id=2742580&vkey=pr_cin&fext=.jsp&c_id=cin

Now the current problem is WQKC 93.9 which was a sports radio outlet with ESPN has flipped to an oldies format. Their AM outlet 1450 had at one time broadcast the Reds prior to Clearchannel getting the games, where CC would put them on either WKRD 790 or WKJK 1080. In summary, I believe most Reds fans in Louisville haven't known where the games were, or would be broadcast and have turned to WLW for their primary source of the games. I'm not sure which station has the Reds games for 2009. One site I saw still has the weak WKRD 101.7 as the most recent outlet, which is actually located in Shelbyville, KY.

 

[MikeStandardsFromIndiana]

According to the radio affilliate list on the reds website lists WQKC am 1450 as the affilliate in louisville This year. and im sure the list is current since it list WXLW 950 as the Indy Affilliate for the reds which is the new local reds station for Indy this year after several Decades on WNDE 1260