Yankees Radio: Decision 2012

[nd2023]

The big problem with the Yankees being on FM is the coverage area will be much smaller.

This is one of those things that are bad in some ways, and good in another, depending on who you are.

Right now, Major League Baseball is promoting it's online radio service where you can hear WCBS anywhere in the world for $9.95 a season. Shrink the free coverage area, and then they might consider buying the MLB deal. Same with XM. As these sports teams focus more on monetizing their own platforms, the old traditional free radio with a huge multi-state signal becomes more of a hinderance than an advantage.

The "free" coverage area of WCBS is smaller for the day games, and the first half of the night games in the summer. The Yankees have fans all over the country, and WCBS's huge nighttime signal reaches half the country at night.

You can't hear the online radio service while driving around unless you have a phone with Internet access or Sirius XM, but the AM station is always reliable in the car.

 

[oldiesfan6479]

My "...where 1010 WINS" remark to Scott was meant only as a play on a slogan,
not a suggestion for another NYY flagship station.

 

[OhioMediaWatch]

I don't think 1010 AM would be much better than 1050 AM. Just as Toronto's 1050 messes with WEPN-AM here at night in central Connecticut, I can almost never get WINS-AM due to interference from CFRB-AM 1050.

Er, CFRB IS 1010.

Though considering that they have relegated 1050 to simulcasting a TV news feed, maybe giving CFRB a second frequency wouldn't be a worse idea...

 

[stationless listener]

From where I'm sitting, it would be tough to improve on a blowtorch like WCBS 880AM. FM might be an acceptable option, if they don't care about listeners outside of their immediate coverage area. But going to 1050 may not be a good move. The Mets going to 1050 would not be a good move.

How about WBBR 1130 AM? If the Yankees can be on an all-news station, why not an all-business station? With a clear-channel signal? Then, many of their listeners would be the Yankees' targeted customers. So they might make a good fit.

 

[DToTheJ]

... I can almost never get WINS-AM due to interference from CFRB-AM 1050.

And I can never get WINS on my walkman due to sister station WCBS-AM - then again, because of them, I also can't pull in WABC, WOR, WEPN, WQEW... but I digress... ;D

WBBR - the home of the Yankees. There's an interesting partnership, if it ever comes into fruition. Though, realistically, while it could see an uptick in ratings/audience, it probably wouldn't be as much as the more established WCBS-AM. So it looks like WBBR will continue to be an overflow sports play-by-play station.

 

[ansky212]

WBBR - the home of the Yankees. There's an interesting partnership, if it ever comes into fruition. Though, realistically, while it could see an uptick in ratings/audience, it probably wouldn't be as much as the more established WCBS-AM. So it looks like WBBR will continue to be an overflow sports play-by-play station.

WBBR also happens to be an affiliate of Notre Dame football (which I never knew until this season).

 

[spunker88]

I guess Im in one of the few areas where 1560 gets a lot better signal than 1010 or 1050, because I am about the same distance from NYC as I am from Toronto so both 1010 and 1050 are a mix of Toronto and NYC stations and I can't really null out one or another.

The strongest NYC signals for me are 1130, 880, 660, 770, and 1560 in order from strongest to weakest. I think 1560 would sound better if they got rid of the IBOC and returned to a full bandwidth analog signal. It used to sound a lot better where I was.

I still think baseball pulls in skywave listeners especially since its often the only place to find the game if its not on TV since websites block streaming. Many smaller markets like mine in Upstate NY do have their own AM stations playing the Yankees, but often these are weaker signals or daytimers, and the distant skywave signals sound much better at night.

 

[KeithE4]

I still think baseball pulls in skywave listeners especially since its often the only place to find the game if its not on TV since websites block streaming. Many smaller markets like mine in Upstate NY do have their own AM stations playing the Yankees, but often these are weaker signals or daytimers, and the distant skywave signals sound much better at night.

At $15 a year, MLB Gameday Audio isn't a bad deal, and no game is ever blacked out. Extra Innings (both online and cable) is blacked out in a team's designated market (which I think is all of NY, NJ, and CT in the case of the Yankees and Mets - depends on ZIP code block), ESPN Sunday and Fox Saturday games, and the post-season, which is $10 extra.

MLB commissioner Kennesaw Molehill Selig tried to discourage teams from using 50,000 watt stations a few years ago - mainly so that folks out-of-market would be forced to buy the MLB audio package. It didn't work.

 

[disney fanatic]

That would be terrible, 1050 has a horrible signal here in Upstate NY because of CHUM out of Toronto. My local sports stations reduce power at night so I have found myself catching the game on 880 when I can't find it on TV (since online streaming is disabled), or when Im traveling anywhere in the northeast at night.

What I dont get about ESPN/ABC/Disney is why they dont put Radio Disney on 1050 and put ESPN on 1560. Its not like anybody is listening to the skywave signal of Radio Disney. And if you are going to say they don't care about skywave signals, well then what have they got to lose. Chances are sports are one of the few things on radio that people still tune in via skywave since sometimes its the only free way to get the game. And both 1050 and 1560 must cover NYC about the same (they are both 50kw), so it shouldn't affect listening audiences in the city.

Have you ever listened to "The Wolf", they have good country music and Yankees baseball all season long. If you are in the Hudson Valley listening area, WCBS at 880 had a crappy signal at night, but Yankees fans tuned in to FM at 94.3 for the best game. I guess that "The Wolf" at 94.3 & 97.3 did simulcast Yankees baseball from WCBS-AM during the rest of the season and it's on FM. Now that the Yankee season is over, back to country music and Cody Allen's "CMT Radio Live". It's still November, October has passed, the Yankees season is over and the Yanks lost. I remember last year when "The Wolf" carried the "2009 World Series" from ESPN Radio when the Yanks played the Phillies. I guess that WEPN never carried the "World Series" at the time while the Knicks and Rangers played instead of carrying the "World Series" coverage.

Now you can have two ways about this station, country music and Yankees baseball all rolled into one station, thanks to "The Wolf" at 94.3 and 97.3 for doing a great job carrying the flagship of Yankees baseball on FM.

 

[disney fanatic]

Yankees are on WLAD 800 Danbury, WICC 600 Bridgeport, WAVZ 1300 New Haven, WPRV 790 Providence, WPOP 1410 Hartford (crappy signal), and WHLL 1450 in Springfield.

Or if you're in the Hudson Valley listening area, WKXP 94.3 in Kingston, WZAD 97.3 in Wurtzboro and 106.1 WPDA in Jeffersonville. All three of these stations in the Hudson Valley are still carrying Yankees baseball.

 

[radioguy39nj]

After shopping their radio rights around Chicago, the White Sox re-upped with CBS' 670 The Score, a 50 kW blaster. I could see the same scenario playing out in NY.

Another possibility is that CBS might not renew both the Mets and Yankees. The wild card in this is will ESPN get to FM by 2012? If that happens, it could impact the negotiations.

 

[OhioMediaWatch]

MLB commissioner Kennesaw Molehill Selig tried to discourage teams from using 50,000 watt stations a few years ago - mainly so that folks out-of-market would be forced to buy the MLB audio package. It didn't work.

This sounds like one of those online forum "it must be true!" statements. I haven't seen any evidence that MLB has discouraged the use of 50kW AM flamethrowers, and WCBS is far from alone in that status across MLB...among them, the Cleveland Indians have renewed many times with WTAM, the strongest station here.

This reminds me of another "it must be true!" online statement - that CBS-TV mandates no subchannels on its affiliates.

 

[TheBigA]

I haven't seen any evidence that MLB has discouraged the use of 50kW AM flamethrowers, and WCBS is far from alone in that status across MLB...

Exactly. KMOX recently won the rights to the Cardinals, and will start next season.

 

[ansky212]

This reminds me of another "it must be true!" online statement - that CBS-TV mandates no subchannels on its affiliates.

I've only heard that's true for CBS O&O's. WCBS in NY has no subchannels, but WFSB in Hartford (which is not an O&O) has subchannels.

 

[KeithE4]

MLB commissioner Kennesaw Molehill Selig tried to discourage teams from using 50,000 watt stations a few years ago - mainly so that folks out-of-market would be forced to buy the MLB audio package. It didn't work.

This sounds like one of those online forum "it must be true!" statements. I haven't seen any evidence that MLB has discouraged the use of 50kW AM flamethrowers, and WCBS is far from alone in that status across MLB...among them, the Cleveland Indians have renewed many times with WTAM, the strongest station here.

No, I did read an article (in a legit sports site, not a message board) several years ago citing Selig's desire to not have baseball on 50 kW stations. It was back when the Cardinals left KMOX for a smaller station that they bought an interest in, after the 2005 season. Can't locate it now, though, so you can believe me or not.

Again, it's an irrelevant statement (what can one expect from Bud Lite? ;D ) since many teams are on blowtorches and will probably remain on them for many more years, with or without an FM presence. Ironically, the Cardinals are returning to KMOX next season.

Here is an article from the Wall Street Journal from 2006 talking about the Cardinals' move to KTRS. Selig isn't mentioned, but the purported demise of the 50 kW flagship and a subscription business model is discussed. But this was 4 years ago, and since then, the demise of the 50 kW flagship has been greatly exaggerated.

This reminds me of another "it must be true!" online statement - that CBS-TV mandates no subchannels on its affiliates.

CBS O&Os don't have subchannels AFAIK, but I don't think they can dictate to affiliates what they can and cannot do. Many CBS affiliates use their subchannel(s) for multiple NCAA Tournament games in March, so that must bring in some extra revenue to the network and its affiliates.

 

[DToTheJ]

Here's an idea for what CBS can do with their TV subchannels, at least in New York: install a camera into the studio of WFAN - it can be a 24/7 TV feed of the radio station (and why not, they've already farmed out two of their dayparts to two local RSN's).

KMOX recently won the rights to the Cardinals...

I believe the correct phrasing should be, "KMOX recently won back the rights..." :

 

[radiolives]

Here's an idea for what CBS can do with their TV subchannels, at least in New York: install a camera into the studio of WFAN - it can be a 24/7 TV feed of the radio station (and why not, they've already farmed out two of their dayparts to two local RSN's).

Why? Both MSG and YES have that covered with MSG mornings and YES 1:00pm to 6:30pm.

 

[bub]

WBBR - the home of the Yankees. There's an interesting partnership, if it ever comes into fruition. Though, realistically, while it could see an uptick in ratings/audience, it probably wouldn't be as much as the more established WCBS-AM. So it looks like WBBR will continue to be an overflow sports play-by-play station.

WBBR also happens to be an affiliate of Notre Dame football (which I never knew until this season).

ND Football has been an on-again/off-again affiliate of 1130 going back to the old WNEW days in the early '90's. The Fan had them as well.

 

[OhioMediaWatch]

the Wall Street Journal from 2006[/url] talking about the Cardinals' move to KTRS. Selig isn't mentioned, but the purported demise of the 50 kW flagship and a subscription business model is discussed. But this was 4 years ago, and since then, the demise of the 50 kW flagship has been greatly exaggerated.

I don't think the driving factor is turning off the 50 kW signals to drive people to online/pay services. I think the driving factor is that teams like the Cardinals felt that they COULD sign up with a "lesser station", where they may not have thought so in the past, due to the alternatives (the Cardinals exec basically says that in the old article).

Of course, as mentioned, the Cardinals are heading back to KMOX. I think the business deal rules the day here, and not any purported desire by MLB/Selig to get off of 50 kW flamethrowers. My gut feeling is that the Cardinals lost more than just signal with KTRS, and CBS decided it wanted to get back in the baseball "game". (There's another "online truism" that says CBS wanted to back off on sports rights, remember? )

So, I am not doubting you read something, but I think many others here did not, and are just repeating what you say because it fits in with their own take on the situation.

CBS O&Os don't have subchannels AFAIK, but I don't think they can dictate to affiliates what they can and cannot do. Many CBS affiliates use their subchannel(s) for multiple NCAA Tournament games in March, so that must bring in some extra revenue to the network and its affiliates.

You are correct, and CBS non-O&O affiliates in very big college basketball areas (NC/VA, etc.) have done this every year that I remember.

But there are folks going around saying that CBS has a "no subchannel mandate" that extends to their affiliate, and solely because the O&O's don't have subchannels. Perhaps CBS just hasn't come up with a business plan...perhaps they don't have subchannels not (as the "mandate" people say) because they want better HD quality. Perhaps they don't have subchannels because they don't have a business reason to do so, or haven't developed one yet (i.e. ABC's "Live Well", NBC's "Nonstop", etc.).

 

[radioguy39nj]

KMOX recently won the rights to the Cardinals...

I believe the correct phrasing should be, "KMOX recently won back the rights..." :

KMOX won back the Cardinals' rights, but Bonneville's WXOS (101 ESPN), an FM sports station, made a strong bid as well. The Cards choice to go with KMOX was motivated by tradition as well as business.