Ho hum.
This is really much ado about nothing. For all parties. To wit:
1. Unless you're the Lakers, the Knicks, the Bulls, and a few others, the NBA on radio is not a ratings grabber. Maybe in the old days, but pro basketball is not like baseball. It doesn't work well on the dial. When the Warriors were winning and Bill King was alive, that was another story. Ditto Chick Hearn. But that was then and this is now.
2. 'The Game', despite its chest-bumping and high fives still have a major problem with their signal. Or lack thereof. Until Entercom either pumps up the power at 95.7 or, (as a story makes the rounds), they move up to 102. 9, (the old 'Quiet Storm, which has a significantly stronger signal), they'll always be the little sister of the poor.
3. The Warriors, in the end, bit their tongue and stayed with KNBR. Really, they had no choice. And under an in-house arrangement they're lucky they got even that choice. As for being peeved at being the third team behind the Giants and 49ers, well, sorry, they really had no leverage. (I'd love to be in the lunch room at The Game today and hear all the sniveling.)
KNBR has, if nothing else, dial position and signal strength. 50,000 watts and a clear signal with massive in-house slapping and promo propping never hurts. And its that entity that KNBR and, more to the point, Cumulus, makes it bread on. As I've said a few times, outside of the afternoon show, KNBR makes it moolah with its sports clients. Period, end of story. Without them, they're mush. And everyone knows it outside the booster club.
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Yep,radio is a different animal. Ratings are influenced by signal. We get used to TV and all cable channels are equal. Fitz and Brooks on any other station would have been axed years ago.
ReplyDeleteIts getting to where THEGAME is a mirror of KNBR now..Teirney with Billy Beane is the same as Fitz talking to Lacob..all white noise.
I still have no idea which radio station carries A's game. All sports related program should run on KNBR or it's affliates. Even if it is on KGO(49ers), atleast I know because I will hear enough about it on KNBR.
ReplyDeleteIt also means that the Warriors will continue to pay Rudy's salary for the noon-to-3PM show so that he can carry on as their PR lackey. Just another reason to never tune in to KNBR.
ReplyDeleteThere was no mention of Bob Fitzgerald at all. Only that Tim Roye would stay on as PBP guy.
DeleteFitzgerald's association with the W's is through Comcast, where he is the PBP person.
Fitzgerald and Barnett are employees of the Warriors. The pre and post-game people are employees of Comcast (Steimetz, Greg Papa, etc.).
DeleteThe poster above was trying to make the point that Fitzgerald's salary as a host on KNBR is underwritten by the Warriors -- they pay for him to be on the air and host his show from noon 'til three. This was uncovered a few years back.
Delete"Fitzgerald's salary as a host on KNBR is underwritten by the Warriors -- they pay for him to be on the air and host his show from noon 'til three. This was uncovered a few years back."
DeleteCould you please provide any evidence that's true. It's sounds unlikely and simply saying that it was uncovered a few years back doesn't make it any more believable.
Thanks
That bit about Fitz's salary coming from the W's is only a rumor. Repeated so often without anything tangible (the Rovian way!)that folks start accepting it as the truth. Probably to explain Fitzgerald's lack of criticism of team play and the organization on his talk show.
DeleteDidn't Cohen re-up Fitzgerald only a few weeks before selling the team?
More a 'thanks for being a team guy plus new owners now saddled with your salary for a few years'
@9:13am
DeleteUnderstand. Thanks. It just doesn't sound plausible.
I can't say how disappointed I am with The Game.
ReplyDeleteWho the fuck comes up with the business plan to challenge the big boys with "insiders" "special announcements" "new line up changes" all the time yet the most important component, distribution aka the SIGNAL is so piss poor.
I can't even applaud the effort because this is seemingly a byproduct of poor effort and execution. I desperately want an alternative to KNBR. Except the morning show, I like The Games lineup. But it does me no good because I can't get a damn signal. Idiots!
What exactly is the "Inside Story" here?
ReplyDeleteSeems more like simply the story.
No offense Rich, but where/what is the "Inside Story" as you say?
ReplyDeleteActually, 95.7 has 6.9 kw of ERP vs 6.6 kw of ERP for 102.9, and they both transmit from the same location at the same height above the average terrain. And if you look at the two stations' service contour maps on the FCC website you will see that they are virtually identical. So I'm not sure where you get that 102.9 has a stronger signal than 95.7.
ReplyDeleteDaniel, you really think Lund and/or Tierney are strong competitors to Bruce and/or Tolbert??
ReplyDeleteI completely agree with you about the so-called "insiders" who have yet to break a story, "special announcements", etc... Just shitcan all the gimmick segments, end all the repetition, and get on with the show. I'm also not a big fan of this stupid show names... "The Pulse", "The Wheelhouse", and "The Drive".
It sounds stupid to hear them say "you're listening to the Pulse on the Game". That's like saying "Bill Walsh Field at Monster Park on Candlestick Point". Just call it the Game and be done with it.
"The Game' is a joke anyway. They have these braying young announcers on their promos who scream during breaks: "THE BAY AREA'S ONLY FM SPORTS RADIO STATION!" SO F.....ING WHAT! NO ONE CAN HEAR YOUR SIGNAL!
ReplyDeletePlus their little putz of a program director keeps bringing in mediocre talent from out of town. None of these guys (their 'insiders,' or their regular hosts,) have any credibility with anyone who closely follows sports in the area.
They are trying to take on the Sports Leader, and KNBR has fallen off big time in quality over the last ten years, but
outside of a few hardcore A's fans, who even bothers listening to the 'Game' and it's daily tripe? And if they had been fortunate enough to get the Warriors, dp you think that would have given their ratings a boost? NOT!
Rich is right...virtually no one listens to the Game, again, because a.) They have a lousy signal b.) The only team they carry (the A's) no one cares about *11,000 fans last night for a big game with the Angels, pathetic!) c.) they have mediocre and unknown hosts who like to regress into juvenile frat-boy chatter all too often and finally e.) Their management doesn't seem to have a clue as to how to program a radio station.
LOL 'the Game!'
'Nuff said?
Wow! If I didn't know any better, I'd thihk I'd been hypnotized and had written that post myself! Couldn't have said it better, except to mention that KNBR has been tired and done for a LONG TIME! I was hoping The Game would be the alternate I'd been dreaming of....but it's not! Liked Eric Davis (GONE...got a REAL JOB!), like Papa (But hate him during Raider telecasts...go figure), and screw the rest of them!
Delete95.7 should switch to NBC sports radio or CBS or Fox which ever one KBNR does not airor have the rights to. Yahoo Sports Radio is a joke . The nightime guy at 12am weekdays has a justin bieber intro how minor league that one is.
ReplyDeleteWhat happened Townsend show is now only 2 hours 10am-12pm thats one sure short day of work for him.
I think most of you missed the point, they stayed withKNBR because their signal reaches the Sac Valley. Kings pack up and move the Dubs already have radio and TV in place to cover the market.
ReplyDeleteAs for the previous post, KNBR will be CBS sports radio 1/1/13. Not sure which station will switch and if ESPN will still be around. Rumor is Ton Bruno may pop up on CBS. Also,the question is where Dan Patrick goes....we know not to ESPN. As for NBC they started this week, but only have a few hrs of programming....not much that would move the dial here.
THEGAMES Kreidler was dropping hints they wont be around another year on yesterday's show. Nobody forced him..I guess the doubt has set in.
ReplyDeleteWhat did he actually say?
DeleteAs many others have said here. Until the Game fixes that mickey mouse signal of their's they will always remain second fiddle to KNBR.
ReplyDeleteI too want to hear an alternative to the high school bunch, but who the hell is able to hear TheGame?
You are lucky if the signal reaches Burlingame.
Now, our next caller, from the Sunset District . . . . you are on the air.
Warriors stay with KNBR: Why?
ReplyDeleteTo answer your queston Rich, the reason is simple.
Joe Lacob and the rest of the Warrior ownership group are desperate.
Lacob lost all credibility with his fans. Weak!
They know damn well they are at the mercy of KNBR's programing.
Want a Warrior game? You will have to wait, we are running ESPN's fine programing.
Good luck Lacob keep cowtowing to KNBR's every wish and whim.