Should the 49ers land free-agent supreme, Peyton Manning, (and all indications point to a deal), their fortunes on the field will not only be dramatically altered, but off the field as well.
Start with their broadcast operations and key in their radio deal with KNBR. Although the franchise recently re-upped with the Cumulus all-sports SF outlet, the 49ers have never been thrilled with being second fiddle to the SF Giants.
During late baseball season, the 49ers broadcasts are placed on KNBR's sister station, 1050 AM, (with an assist from FM's 107.7 The Bone). The Giants dominant presence in the Bay Area sports domain is well established, but it's the 49ers, like the NFL in general, that rule the town.
As we've said in the past, a Niners' exhibition game that doesn't count, routinely draws significantly more viewers and ratings than a for-real MLB game, including Giants games. You don't think the 49ers really rule the Bay Area?
Add a major superstar of Manning's cachet and you have the makings of a grandiose ratings bonanza for Jed York and company. And a sold-out new Santa Clara stadium to boot two years before its scheduled debut.
The 49ers media alliances and rights designation could go off the chart. I immediately envisioned the future of a possible shift of their radio package to KGO, (a Cumulus property), down the road. That would provide a home away from 1050, (terrible signal), and give the team their own 50,000-watt powerhouse. Parenthetically, it could boost a sagging and frequently lifeless KGO on the weekend. Keep in mind, KGO is now KNBR without sports content and owned by the same company. Conflicts? Of course, but that's down the road.
We can't wait for the fun to begin.
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I wouldn't worry about it. Football play-by-play is bad radio and ratings are poor. It doesn't matter the station. Football is a TV sport. For football it's all about viewers.
ReplyDeleteFootball on the radio has never been as popular as baseball on the radio, and that's one of the many reasons the Giants games are always carried on KNBR. The Giants also pay about 40 percent of KNBR's freight.
ReplyDeleteA possible move to KGO would make some sense in the future, especially given that the Niners aren't thrilled with being shunted over to 1050 during the early part of the NFL season when baseball's stretch drive and October playoff derby is being held.
But to say that thte Niners are more popular than the Giants and that the NFL rules in the bay area I think is perhaps a bit misinformed my good friend Rich.
The Giants have been the toast of the town for more than a few years, as it's only been this past season that the Niners came out of a near decade of futility. Niners fans stayed away in droves until this year, and even with all of the sellouts they had, there were still a fair number of empty seats at Candlestick tyhis year until late in the season.
Baseball on the radio is just plain better to listen to....the game moves at a more languid pace, the announcers get a chance to show more personality and tell stories, and there are games every day, so the fans get to really know the players and the broadcasters.
Football is a TV sport....not a radio sport..the same as basketball. How many people does poor Tim Roye have listening on KNBR or KNBR 1050 to him when the Warriors are playing? And if you think the Niners are upset at being moved off the '50,000 watt blowtorch' from time to time, how do you think the Warriors feel when KNBR opts to carry Ralph and Tom instead of their games when they're playing in the midwest or east?
But you can't blame the powers that be at KNBR...the Warriors generate almost zero interest on the radio. More people would rather call the talk shows and talk about them than listen to their games on the radio!
Speaking of 1050,D.Bruce had a writer on hwo had written a Barry Zito article..a article Zito tried to get him to kill. Something about Zito being raised by parents who were part of a liberal church that helped the poor..and then after talking about those days Zito got a little weird said the writer, and blurted "I'm not like that anymore"..his fame and wealth make him a conflicted Republican who wondered how he could support a war that sent men his age to die,while he himself supported George Bush.
ReplyDeleteAnd the writer described Zito as a morose person..balancing philosophy of life while knowing he's wealthy beyond imagination to the poor.
Zito even said after being married to the beauty queen "I feel the same,it didn't change my life"..That can't be good for a marriage.
I missed the name of the writer..maybe its on Google someplace.
Rich has no inside sources except the voice in his head that tells him it would make a better story if this were true.
ReplyDeleteNo way the 49ers sellout that new stadium in boring suburbia. $80,000 for PSL's? Plus the price of the tickets? What a joke.
ReplyDeleteYou should qualify your comment on 1050. The daytime signal is perfectly fine and covers the bay area quite well. The nighttime signal is barely adequate and is too directional to be of much value. Agreed that baseball is the best radio sport. And, yes the Warriors suck on the court and the radio (as it should be). The only time basketball on radio was compelling to listen to was when Bill King did the Warriors and Chick Hearn anchored the Lakers. Those two, in their own way, created "must listen" radio in their day. No one comes close today, esp. Tim Roy or Ray or whatever....
ReplyDeleteNon-story
ReplyDeleteThe Niners don't have anything locked up. Even if, one wrong hit & the guy Manning is a cripple.
You silly girls Baseball is spread out over 8-9 months, day in day out. It's the work horse of KNBR's ratings, revenue, & image.
Football is great, but it happens once a week for 4 months. The Niners are already on FM, get real this isn't 1963, AM radio doesn't mean shit. Rich, go find some broads, pasta & a bag of
weed. Take a day off.
Ha ha ha ha! So right with Football on radio. I mean you really have to be so desparate for football on radio that you're only "listening" to it during the distance of the drive from your home to your neighbors'/family/restaurant (aka Hooters) which is, on average, 5 miles. 4-10 minutes.
DeleteManning probably signing w/ Tennessee, they setting up a press conference for Wednesday. That and Smith returning from Miami without a contract = Smith returning.
ReplyDeleteI bet KGO will simulcast along with 1050 and 'The Bone'. Since they're all Cumulus properties, why not? Plus it makes it easier on their scheduling
ReplyDelete