Are you suggesting 24/7 Tradio? I'd listen...at least 2 hours a day! If you enjoy Tradio, you must take a look at this minor-market Indiana station's Tradio website: http://www.wflq.com/tradio.htm It's almost too funny to be true, but I'm pretty darn sure it is legit!
I like what 'The Game' is trying to do, but they've got a limited budget, and unfortunately, they're never going to make a huge dent in the ratings because they don't have the Giants or the Niners.
On top of that, KNBR has been an all-sports station for over 20 years and has a 50 thousand watt clear channel signal.
But the 'Game' gets good guests, they have interesting topics, I really like their reporter John Dickenson, and when Greg Papa is on the in the afternoons...it's good radio!
Do not be surprised if Entercom does a signal swap with 102.9 and 95.7.
95.7 signal is not as strong, and the fact that Entercom has much more invested in that format than KBLX, I see them making that switch to improve the reach of the sports station. Where KBLX sits now with all the changes, it won't really change much if at all with moving down the dial.
But that does not cover up for the need for improved content from the Game. They are not bad, but like someone else noted, they are more caught up in "style over substance"...they'd be better off "bringing the knowledge" then trying to be cute with slogans and pithy liners railing against its competition...right now the "Game" is just a gnat on the ass of an elephant that is KNBR. But they now are beating the overflow 1050, so progress is being made.
One does not need PBP to be successful, or callers either (nice to have, but not crucial)....if you have good hosts who are smart, but not smart alecs, who do understand fans want good topics and not "breaking down games" stats are for losers, and you lose listeners getting too deep into them... then you can have success. BUT, it takes time, especially when tackling a heritage sport station which also carries 2 of the most beloved sports franchises and top of mind awareness.
Will Entercom be patient...or will they be like most radio operators today, and suffer from ADD and a 5 year old's patience level?
I don't see the investment as being that easily dropped. And they have only one station to compete with..they aren't like a MOR rock station with dozens of competitors. A signal switch would be a huge help..and adding the Raiders,Sharks...Warriors?..whoever to add gravitas. What they need is a PD who can think outside the box..get hosts who have personalitys..not fit "Morning" "afternoon" "Evening" slots. Knbr might not be taken down..but they could get a bloody nose.
KFOX broadcasts Sharks games, which is a sister station of The Game (both are owned by Entercom). The Game was supposed to broadcast Sharks games this past season but backed out. The Sharks get even worse ratings than the A's. The Raiders would be a really good fit for The Game.
How the got the Westwood one NFL package away from Knbr along with other sports was hard to believe. Surpirsed Knbr did not want to retain them. Did 95.7 make a better offer for it?
Station is just as bad as KNBR, the afternoon show with Eric Davis who reminds me of Phil Simms and he talks down at you and Tearney is just bad, his entire New York schnick is all about him and we don't care. I'm done with both stations.
I'm a sports fan but I really do not like sports talk radio especially in this market. There is no meaningful conversation or substance. I actually feel dumber after listening.
Carmichael Dave...a Sacramento sports talk veteran, is now available...CBS Sacramento (KHTK) let him go last week...he's not bad, and, really, as a Sacramento broadcaster he also covered a lot of Bay Area teams...
I guess we're definately in the minority, but our house listens to The Game every day. One radio is on 95.7, and the other is on 910. Too bad we don't have one of those PPM's.
I'm amazed that The Game has set the bar LOWER. I swear, listening to either KNBR or The Game is like comparing Budweiser to Coors. Both are low quality for unintelligent, lower class folk. You'd think we'd be a little more educated and have higher standards in the Bay Area....guess not!
Building your sports talk station around a team no one cares about isn't a bright idea. Entercom should go out and get the rights to the 49ers or Raiders. That will give them something people actually care about.
In Boston, the WBZ-FM(CBS) has the Pats and Bruins while WEEI (Entercom) has the Sox and C's. WBZ-FM actually has better ratings even with hockey on their station instead of basketball and they were the newcomer to the sports talk genre that WEEI has established in Boston in the 1990's.
I was a little surprised to see that the Game got absolutely zero boost in ratings since the baseball season started. I didn't expect them to get the large increase that KNBR got from the Giants broadcasts but...no increase at all? That's kind of sad. And the Game already had low ratings to begin with.
Totally agree - hitching your success to a team nobody cares about (the A's) is not a good way to get off the ground.
It's not like suddenly appearing on the FM dial would make more fans tune in (or watch) A's games. It is what it is. 95.7 is taking the same limited audience that countless other stations have had when broadcasting the A's over the past 20 years.
Plus, that morning show may be even worse than KNBR's! It's like listening to a bunch of stupid 18-year olds who are the only ones who think they are funny and entertaining.
I caught a lot of Urban, and Wright/Teirney (sp) last week and weekend (in a rental car with no satellite), and I did not think it bad at all...give the station time to find itself, and maybe land team play by play, and we all might be surprised!
I agree. Give them time. Many bitch about KNBR and how often they go off from talking sports so here is The Game trying to talk sports all the time. They could have really gone full on Athletics and nothing but A's but even they are wise enough to not hitch their wagon to just one pony. They talk Giants, Niners, Raiders, and all.
And as a Giants fan, yes, I am listening to more A's games on the station so that is one more listener, right? And no, my name isn't Jared and I didn't hear this in a Jamba Juice (inside joke from another thread/story on this site).
Give them time. Give them a chance. And don't be so quick to crap on everything that is out there, folks!
Um, it was Country music before The Game, so I wouldn't mind if it went back to that. Kinda silly to live in the only part of the nation that doesn't have a decent country music station. I couldn't care less about sports radio. Boring. All I listen to is talk radio, otherwise, but sports, ugh. Pointless. I'd love it if they brought back country music! Shame I have to tune in to a Stockton station to get it.
I would be sad to see them go after such a short time. I already listen to it FAR more than KNBR. Their hosts actually sound excited to be on the air - how about that!
I find it interesting/curious that they just unveiled a new slogan. Instead of touting themselves as THE only FM sports station (yawn), they're now saying they're the "Bay Area's new sound for sports" (double-yawn).
The Bay Area could use a good Polka station...
ReplyDeleteYou're right - Wild 94.9 is terrible at that.
DeleteHOW BOUT AN ENDLESS SPIN OF "STAIRWAY TO HEAVEN" 24/7? BET THEY WOULD ACTUALLY GAIN A POINT,LOL!
ReplyDeleteRadio Disney!
ReplyDelete95.7 is actually getting more interesting - would be a shame to lose the format even though their slogan "only FM sports station" is stupid.
ReplyDeleteRadio-tradio.
ReplyDeleteAre you suggesting 24/7 Tradio? I'd listen...at least 2 hours a day! If you enjoy Tradio, you must take a look at this minor-market Indiana station's Tradio website: http://www.wflq.com/tradio.htm
DeleteIt's almost too funny to be true, but I'm pretty darn sure it is legit!
I like what 'The Game' is trying to do, but they've got a limited budget, and unfortunately, they're never going to make a huge dent in the ratings because they don't have the Giants or the Niners.
ReplyDeleteOn top of that, KNBR has been an all-sports station for over 20 years and has a 50 thousand watt clear channel signal.
But the 'Game' gets good guests, they have interesting topics, I really like their reporter John Dickenson, and when Greg Papa is on the in the afternoons...it's good radio!
Do not be surprised if Entercom does a signal swap with 102.9 and 95.7.
ReplyDelete95.7 signal is not as strong, and the fact that Entercom has much more invested in that format than KBLX, I see them making that switch to improve the reach of the sports station. Where KBLX sits now with all the changes, it won't really change much if at all with moving down the dial.
But that does not cover up for the need for improved content from the Game. They are not bad, but like someone else noted, they are more caught up in "style over substance"...they'd be better off "bringing the knowledge" then trying to be cute with slogans and pithy liners railing against its competition...right now the "Game" is just a gnat on the ass of an elephant that is KNBR. But they now are beating the overflow 1050, so progress is being made.
One does not need PBP to be successful, or callers either (nice to have, but not crucial)....if you have good hosts who are smart, but not smart alecs, who do understand fans want good topics and not "breaking down games" stats are for losers, and you lose listeners getting too deep into them... then you can have success. BUT, it takes time, especially when tackling a heritage sport station which also carries 2 of the most beloved sports franchises and top of mind awareness.
Will Entercom be patient...or will they be like most radio operators today, and suffer from ADD and a 5 year old's patience level?
That is the $64,000 question.
I don't see the investment as being that easily dropped. And they have only one station to compete with..they aren't like a MOR rock station with dozens of competitors.
ReplyDeleteA signal switch would be a huge help..and adding the Raiders,Sharks...Warriors?..whoever to add gravitas.
What they need is a PD who can think outside the box..get hosts who have personalitys..not fit "Morning" "afternoon" "Evening" slots.
Knbr might not be taken down..but they could get a bloody nose.
KFOX broadcasts Sharks games, which is a sister station of The Game (both are owned by Entercom). The Game was supposed to broadcast Sharks games this past season but backed out. The Sharks get even worse ratings than the A's. The Raiders would be a really good fit for The Game.
DeleteHow the got the Westwood one NFL package away from Knbr along with other sports was hard to believe. Surpirsed Knbr did not want to retain them. Did 95.7 make a better offer for it?
DeleteStation is just as bad as KNBR, the afternoon show with Eric Davis who reminds me of Phil Simms and he talks down at you and Tearney is just bad, his entire New York schnick is all about him and we don't care. I'm done with both stations.
ReplyDeleteI'm a sports fan but I really do not like sports talk radio especially in this market. There is no meaningful conversation or substance. I actually feel dumber after listening.
ReplyDeleteCarmichael Dave...a Sacramento sports talk veteran, is now available...CBS Sacramento (KHTK) let him go last week...he's not bad, and, really, as a Sacramento broadcaster he also covered a lot of Bay Area teams...
ReplyDeleteI guess we're definately in the minority, but our house listens to The Game every day. One radio is on 95.7, and the other is on 910. Too bad we don't have one of those PPM's.
ReplyDeleteI'm amazed that The Game has set the bar LOWER. I swear, listening to either KNBR or The Game is like comparing Budweiser to Coors. Both are low quality for unintelligent, lower class folk. You'd think we'd be a little more educated and have higher standards in the Bay Area....guess not!
ReplyDeleteBuilding your sports talk station around a team no one cares about isn't a bright idea. Entercom should go out and get the rights to the 49ers or Raiders. That will give them something people actually care about.
ReplyDeleteIn Boston, the WBZ-FM(CBS) has the Pats and Bruins while WEEI (Entercom) has the Sox and C's. WBZ-FM actually has better ratings even with hockey on their station instead of basketball and they were the newcomer to the sports talk genre that WEEI has established in Boston in the 1990's.
I was a little surprised to see that the Game got absolutely zero boost in ratings since the baseball season started. I didn't expect them to get the large increase that KNBR got from the Giants broadcasts but...no increase at all? That's kind of sad. And the Game already had low ratings to begin with.
ReplyDeleteTotally agree - hitching your success to a team nobody cares about (the A's) is not a good way to get off the ground.
ReplyDeleteIt's not like suddenly appearing on the FM dial would make more fans tune in (or watch) A's games. It is what it is. 95.7 is taking the same limited audience that countless other stations have had when broadcasting the A's over the past 20 years.
Plus, that morning show may be even worse than KNBR's! It's like listening to a bunch of stupid 18-year olds who are the only ones who think they are funny and entertaining.
Two thumbs up for that last comment!
DeleteI caught a lot of Urban, and Wright/Teirney (sp) last week and weekend (in a rental car with no satellite), and I did not think it bad at all...give the station time to find itself, and maybe land team play by play, and we all might be surprised!
ReplyDeleteI agree. Give them time. Many bitch about KNBR and how often they go off from talking sports so here is The Game trying to talk sports all the time. They could have really gone full on Athletics and nothing but A's but even they are wise enough to not hitch their wagon to just one pony. They talk Giants, Niners, Raiders, and all.
DeleteAnd as a Giants fan, yes, I am listening to more A's games on the station so that is one more listener, right? And no, my name isn't Jared and I didn't hear this in a Jamba Juice (inside joke from another thread/story on this site).
Give them time. Give them a chance. And don't be so quick to crap on everything that is out there, folks!
The snooze guys with the dibby. It is FM 95.7, the bay areas only.... well no one cares.
ReplyDeleteUm, it was Country music before The Game, so I wouldn't mind if it went back to that. Kinda silly to live in the only part of the nation that doesn't have a decent country music station. I couldn't care less about sports radio. Boring. All I listen to is talk radio, otherwise, but sports, ugh. Pointless. I'd love it if they brought back country music! Shame I have to tune in to a Stockton station to get it.
ReplyDeleteI would be sad to see them go after such a short time. I already listen to it FAR more than KNBR. Their hosts actually sound excited to be on the air - how about that!
ReplyDeleteI find it interesting/curious that they just unveiled a new slogan. Instead of touting themselves as THE only FM sports station (yawn), they're now saying they're the "Bay Area's new sound for sports" (double-yawn).
ReplyDelete