Will the White Sox anchor a new sports radio station in Chicago

[knightni]

I can get them 300 miles away in Iowa (although just barely). I'd hate to lose that. Although, I'd find a different way to listen to the broadcasts.

They have affiliates in Burlington and Cedar Rapids.

[joeynach]

You make a good point here, but there are other factors as well. The first is the inherently superior FM signal (as long as it's within range). The second is that the AM signal is there, but is often spotty hundreds of miles away. You can get the game down in Lafayette, IN, but the signal sounds like crap. And for this reason, there are often local AM affiliates that carry the game (hence, the White Sox Radio Network). Thirdly, anybody anywhere in the country can get a season's worth of internet/iPhone radio casts for $15 via MLB.com. Because of these factors, I imagine that the powers-that-be are more interested in improving local signal quality, as the out-of-area people are already taken care of.

 

 

 

The Sox have only been on The Score since 2006. They were on AM 1000 (WMVP) for much longer than that and it's not like they didn't promote the Sox at all. IIRC, one of the rumored reasons that Rooney left was because The Score couldn't (or wouldn't) pay him what he wanted.

 

I remember went I went to Purdue I couldn't get AM-1000 down there, as soon as they switched to 670 it came in fine. Driving around the Midwest 670 is much much stronger of a signal and thats not just for people living out of town, its for Chicagoans that find themselves in and around the regional area quite frequently. Lots of us find ourselves driving to places like South Bend, New Buffalo, Lafayette, Madison, Milwaukee, Lake Geneva, Quad Cities, Champaign, Peoria etc and only with 670 can we receive white sox broadcasts. There are even locations where atmospheric bounce can rely the signal to hundreds of miles away such as the example of finding the station in Nashville, TN.

 

 

Its the same thing, im saying the aspect of the intangible revenue and interest drawn to the sox from their affiliation with major sports stations in this city should not be overlooked, either 670 or AM 1000, it doesn't matter.

[WCSox]

I remember went I went to Purdue I couldn't get AM-1000 down there, as soon as they switched to 670 it came in fine. Driving around the Midwest 670 is much much stronger of a signal and thats not just for people living out of town, its for Chicagoans that find themselves in and around the regional area quite frequently. Lots of us find ourselves driving to places like South Bend, New Buffalo, Lafayette, Madison, Milwaukee, Lake Geneva, Quad Cities, Champaign, Peoria etc and only with 670 can we receive white sox broadcasts. There are even locations where atmospheric bounce can rely the signal to hundreds of miles away such as the example of finding the station in Nashville, TN.

 

And a lot of that long-range signal is dependent on the time of day and the weather, which makes it incredibly unreliable at times. Not to mention that much of Illinois, Northern Indiana, and Eastern Iowa have their own local Sox affiliates.

 

Its the same thing, im saying the aspect of the intangible revenue and interest drawn to the sox from their affiliation with major sports stations in this city should not be overlooked, either 670 or AM 1000, it doesn't matter.

 

I suppose that they could simulcast the signals on AM and FM (like the ESPN affiliate in my city). But, especially now in the age of internet streaming and out-of-market cable/satellite sports packages, AM radio in general is on its way out. It's an inferior format with inferior sound quality, and I'm not surprised that the Sox are considering a switch.

 

[caulfield12]

They have affiliates in Burlington and Cedar Rapids.

 

 

I grew up in the Quad Cities and the 670 signal was the one I listened to.

 

The local affiliates mentioned didn't come in very well...I think there was one in Geneseo as well, but I always preferred the mother station.

 

And yes, AM1000 doesn't come in very well at all there. Spotty would be stretching it as a description.

 

 

 

[joeynach]

And a lot of that long-range signal is dependent on the time of day and the weather, which makes it incredibly unreliable at times. Not to mention that much of Illinois, Northern Indiana, and Eastern Iowa have their own local Sox affiliates.

 

 

 

I suppose that they could simulcast the signals on AM and FM (like the ESPN affiliate in my city). But, especially now in the age of internet streaming and out-of-market cable/satellite sports packages, AM radio in general is on its way out. It's an inferior format with inferior sound quality, and I'm not surprised that the Sox are considering a switch.

 

Yea but you are speaking to our generation, we utilize these things and in fact depond on them at this point. Do you really think your parents would prefer to use streaming media on phones, blackberry's, PDA's, and computers vs just turning on the radio. NO WAY!!

[Sockin]

s

Edited February 17, 2010 by Sockin

[WCSox]

Yea but you are speaking to our generation, we utilize these things and in fact depond on them at this point. Do you really think your parents would prefer to use streaming media on phones, blackberry's, PDA's, and computers vs just turning on the radio. NO WAY!!

 

My 60-something parents know how to order a sports package from their cable company and how to operate a satellite radio receiver. And they're just as technologically-illiterate as their peers.

 

I'm not advocating dumping the AM broadcast, but pointing out that its time is limited.

 

[thedoctor]

I can get them 300 miles away in Iowa (although just barely). I'd hate to lose that. Although, I'd find a different way to listen to the broadcasts.

 

i've had the mlb internet radio broadcast for a few years now and have always enjoyed it. you pretty much get all games in the league for a very affordable price.

[Pants Rowland]

So they switch to FM and spin it as better sound quality, etc. It limits the number of people that can get a broadcast for free so instead they have to pay to get broadcasts via some other medium such as internet or whatever. Sounds like the early days of Sportsvision to me.

[BlackSox]

There is a reason the sox draw 122,000 people to their radio station and its becuase they are on a powerful 50,000 Watt AM station that can be heard hundreds of miles away. Why on earth would the team limit its broadcasts to the immediate 75 miles of the city, they would be reducing their listening audience.

 

 

 

I'm pretty sure that 122,000 number only includes people in the Chicago DMA, which is roughly the area that TV & FM radio stations reach. I don't think people outside the Chicago DMA are included in the ratings or cumulative audience figures.

[joeynach]

I'm pretty sure that 122,000 number only includes people in the Chicago DMA, which is roughly the area that TV & FM radio stations reach. I don't think people outside the Chicago DMA are included in the ratings or cumulative audience figures.

 

Right so its even higher, espeically given all the Chicagoans (and students) transplanted to regional cities; champaign , South Bend, Lafayette, Rockford, Quad Cities, etc.

[103 mph screwball]

I hope not! I doubt it will reach me in Rockford. MLB audio on the internet is making it less important. It would suck for the car. I've listened to the Sox on the Score on a long drive to St. Louis from Rockford and was able to keep the station well past Springfield IL. It would be short sighted. Even if they get more cash from the station, they would lose the long reach that AM radio provides long distance fans. I still remember when I was a kid listening to WMAQ on a transistor radio under my pillow (no headphones yet) well past my bedtime to hear the Sox play on the west coast. The more people you can get the games to, the more game attending, jersey buying fans you can get. NO to FM.

[joeynach]

I hope not! I doubt it will reach me in Rockford. MLB audio on the internet is making it less important. It would suck for the car. I've listened to the Sox on the Score on a long drive to St. Louis from Rockford and was able to keep the station well past Springfield IL. It would be short sighted. Even if they get more cash from the station, they would lose the long reach thell past my bedtime to hear the Sox play on the west coast. The more people you can get the games to, the more game attending, jersey buying fans you canat AM radio provides long distance fans. I still remember when I was a kid listening to WMAQ on a transistor radio under my pillow (no headphones yet) w get. NO to FM.

 

I agree the last thing I want is to lose my ability to listen to sox games when Im driving to Purdue to visit friend or Champaign to visit my sister. That would suck.

 

[ScottyDo]

I'd love to hear Ranger's take on this...

[tonyho7476]

I'm all for it if it involves Steve Dahl. Talk radio is so lame now. I dislike the sports stations because, well all they talk about is sports and I hate hearing about how bad my team is all the time. Dahl would mix in a few other topics plus he's really funny IMO. I miss the Steve Dahl/Ed Farmer exchanges. Mike North - yuck.

 

You and about 5 other people are interested in listening to Dahl. He sucks.

[southsider2k5]

I'd love to hear Ranger's take on this...

 

If he is a smart man, he isn't going to say a whole lot

[The Critic]

You and about 5 other people are interested in listening to Dahl. He sucks.

He is so boring. Nothing interesting or funny about him at all.

[ScottyDo]

If he is a smart man, he isn't going to say a whole lot

Yeah, I figured. But I'd still LIKE to hear it! Maybe he can project it to me psychically...

 

Edited February 18, 2010 by ScottyDo

[Rex Kickass]

Moving to FM is not a bad idea for a team like the Sox. This gives them the ability to build more of a regional radio network that other teams enjoy, like the Yankees, for example.

 

There are plenty of regional AM and FM stations that are looking for programming to fill blocks of summer time that they may not otherwise be able to sell, and not having to compete with the flagship signal is definitely a big help.