Yankees Radio: Shakeup?

[Ontarioguy]

With the Current five-year $51 Million WCBS Radio contract set to expire at the end of this season, Boss George is wondering what to do next. He's considered walking away from WCBS and buying a smaller station. If this were to happen, the new station would no doubt have a much less powerful transmitter. This would be terrible news for somone like e who picks up WCBS at night crystal clear.

Also, with the expiration of the contract, goes the duo of Sterling and Waldman. The Daily news speculates that the 2 would join the Yankees at their new home (should they accquire one) because they developed a following (myself included) and Yankee management, who have a big say in the matter, likes them too.

Here's the link to the story:

http://www.nydailynews.com/sports/baseball/yankees/story/392576p-332944c.html

[DoubleX]

You pick up 880 in Ontario? Wow! When I used to live in Boston, on cold and clear nights, I would occassionally be able to get 880, and was once able to get a Yankee game around Manchester, New Hampshiere.

[Chisox73]

I've picked up 880 on a couple of occasions here in the Chicago area.

[Ontarioguy]

You pick up 880 in Ontario? Wow! When I used to live in Boston, on cold and clear nights, I would occassionally be able to get 880, and was once able to get a Yankee game around Manchester, New Hampshiere.
It comes in crystal clear at night. I can hear everything perfectly, from the crack of the bat to the buzz of the crowd.

I remember listening to game 7 of the 2003 ALCS in bed late at night. I had to be up very early the next morning so I wanted to get to sleep early but game 7 was calling. As it went into the late innings I left the TV and got into bed and turned on my radio. As I listened Grady came out and left Pedro in the game and the the Red Sox collapsed in the 8th. I listened right on through until the 11th,when Boone hit his shot into left field. I've never heared John Sterling's voice so high. The usual booming baratone sounded like the lead singer of the Sufari's in 'Wipe Out!'.

[DoubleX]

It comes in crystal clear at night. I can hear everything perfectly, from the crack of the bat to the buzz of the crowd.

I remember listening to game 7 of the 2003 ALCS in bed late at night. I had to be up very early the next morning so I wanted to get to sleep early but game 7 was calling. As it went into the late innings I left the TV and got into bed and turned on my radio. As I listened Grady came out and left Pedro in the game and the the Red Sox collapsed in the 8th. I listened right on through until the 11th,when Boone hit his shot into left field. I've never heared John Sterling's voice so high. The usual booming baratone sounded like the lead singer of the Sufari's in 'Wipe Out!'.

Wow, that's really amazing (also reaching Chicago like Chisox said). Maybe there was a deliberate reason for preventing the signal from reaching Boston so clearly?

[Spiritboxer]

Whatever happens, I hope Sterling and Waldman are kept on. I truly enjoy them as a broadcasting duo. S&W, yeah!:radio :radio :clapping

[sandlot]

AM radio waves bounce off the ionosphere and under the right conditions can carry enormous distances. This is especially so for so-called "clear channel" stations with powerful transmitters. I once worked at a radio station in Hong Kong and after we went on the air, we we got letters from people who'd picked us up in Kazakhstan and Sweden. As a kid, I used to stay up late -- especially in winter, when the waves travel well -- and listen to WWVA from Wheeling, West Va., and another station out of New Orleans (I forget the call letters, maybe WLA?). Back to baseball: A lot of peope are listening on the Internet, not regular radios, and digital broadcasting and podcasting are also changing things. Big charges to pay for big transmitters to reach big audiences, etc., might no longer be the way.

[AVA8]

I've gotten WCBS in Maine at night.

[Coal Cracker]

I've been able to pull in Indians and White Sox games on clear Summer nights so I wouldn't be surprised if WCBS could reach to upper New England and Canada.

[Ontarioguy]

I've been able to pull in Indians and White Sox games on clear Summer nights so I wouldn't be surprised if WCBS could reach to upper New England and Canada.
I've pulled in the Chisox on 1000Am and The Tribe on 1100AM out in rural Ontario.

[Dasperp]

880 gets crappy reception in my apartment in Manhattan, how are people getting it in Chicago?

[Mattingly]

If the Yanks did this, I'm thinking this would require lots of time being filled on the 20 other hours of a day in which Yankee games aren't being played. Also, there are 365 days in a year, not 162, so this definitely requires the filling of various time slots.

Since from 1pm-6:30pm ET, YES plays live, the popular "Mike and Mad Dog" from WFAN, then once you add in your own radio station, that could conflict. With YES TV and WFAN, they were two separate things, one being TV, the other being radio. Now I'm not too sure if they could still cover WFAN's Mike/Mad Dog show on YES.

Now how in the world will they fill in endless hours on their own radio show?

Previously, they'd had 770AM, I think, and since WCBS880AM is an otherwise all-news station, it's got a good broadcast antenna. As mentioned upthread, I doubt that George could do anything like this.

I'd just suggest re-signing with WCBS880AM. Setting up an entire radio station may take some time. Nice for the back burner, but could be very pricey in the end.

[Mattingly]

880 gets crappy reception in my apartment in Manhattan, how are people getting it in Chicago?
It doesn't have as good reception as all-news 1010WINS, which, being near the top of the dial, has about the best radio AM reception. You've gotta remember, there are countless cell phones, satellite antennas, satellite radio and other things eating up the microwave wavelength in Manhattan. Compare that to a barren farm and you've got excellent reception.

In NJ, I can get many more stations as soon as I cross the Lincoln Tunnel.

[Chisox73]

880 gets crappy reception in my apartment in Manhattan, how are people getting it in Chicago?
On those rare occasions,the sky has to be totally clear,and you have to tune your radio just right.It's very hard from here since 50,000 watt WLS sits at 890 on the dial.

[Chisox73]

AM radio waves bounce off the ionosphere and under the right can carry enormous distances. This is especially so for so-called "clear channel" stations with powerful transmitters. I once worked at a radio station in Hong Kong and after we went on the air, we we got letters from people who'd picked us up in Kazakhstan and Sweden. As a kid, I used to stay up late -- especially in winter, when the waves travel well -- and listen to WWVA from Wheeling, West Va., and another station out of New Orleans (I forget the call letters, maybe WLA?). Back to baseball: A lot of peope are listening on the Internet, not regular radios, and digital broadcasting and podcasting are also changing things. Big charges to pay for big transmitters to reach big audiences, etc. might no longer be the way.

Great explanation there sandlot.Even in the age of computers,satellite TV and whatnot,I still find joy in listening to an out of town broadcast the old fashioned way.:radio

Whether I get a signal from Cleveland,Pittsburgh,Cincinnati,Texas,Milwaukee(du ring the daytime),or some other locale,I still find it very satisfying.

I will however miss trying to get Cardinals games now since the Cards are no longer on KMOX.:(

BTW sandlot,the New Orleans station you were thinking of is WWL.

[SD Bomber Fan]

My two cents worth, but I would love to see the Yanks get a better announcing duo. Sterling and Waldman don't seem to have any chemistry, they constantly step on each other, and Sterling comes across as pompous. When I first got the MLB internet broadcast (880 doesn't make it to San Diego, regardless of the weather), I was disappointed at how poor the Yanks broadcast team was. A while back, there was a newspaper article that compared all of the MLB broadcast teams (I seem to recall seeing it in USA Today, but I'm not sure). The crews were ranked based on things like knowledge, entertainment (stories told during rain delays), etc. Waldman and Sterling were ranked very low, which is surprising since the Yanks should be able to get top level talent in the booth.

[Ontarioguy]

My two cents worth, but I would love to see the Yanks get a better announcing duo. Sterling and Waldman don't seem to have any chemistry, they constantly step on each other, and Sterling comes across as pompous. When I first got the MLB internet broadcast (880 doesn't make it to San Diego, regardless of the weather), I was disappointed at how poor the Yanks broadcast team was. A while back, there was a newspaper article that compared all of the MLB broadcast teams (I seem to recall seeing it in USA Today, but I'm not sure). The crews were ranked based on things like knowledge, entertainment (stories told during rain delays), etc. Waldman and Sterling were ranked very low, which is surprising since the Yanks should be able to get top level talent in the booth.

Alot of people seem to complain about Sterling, and I guess I could see how he comes off as Pompous. I just love Waldman though. I think it's great that she's a woman. It shows progressiveness and reflects well on the entire Yankee organization. I also think her high voice contrasts nicely to to Sterlings. I remember a few years ago, tuning into WCBS and I couldn't tell Sterling and Charlie Steiner apart. Walman has had a major role in attracting me to the Yankees. I think she does great work.

But to each his own:)

[sandlot]

Setting up an entire radio station may take some time. Nice for the back burner, but could be very pricey in the end.Not necessarily, and I speak as someone who's actually done it. There are many ways to skin this particular cat (animal lovers please forgive the image). New technologies are offering a lot of possibilities, as suggested above. These posts, in sum, already outline some of the major reasons that broadcasting needs to change, and why market forces are driving it. For example, if a local labor union wants to reach its members in the greater NYC area, it's going to pay high-end ad rates for audience reach and penetration -- but what use is it to lay out all that dough if the pipefitter in Manhattan who lives behind a wall of highrise buildings, or the family in Brooklyn that has a host of dimmer switches around the house (a major source of radio frequency, or RF, interference), can't pick up the signal, but the amazed listener in Ottawa can? How many listeners have found themselves p.o.'d after driving into a tunnel when there were two outs, two on in the bottom of the ninth, only to emerge just in time to hear Susan Waldman's clubhouse interview? (I like her work, but dump the dude.) Most AM stations built transmitters back when there were many less tall buildings, no mobile phones, fewer dimer switches, incandescent rather than fluorescent lights, etc., and over the years their response to changing cityscapes and migration to the suburbs has been to beef up the power of the signal, which in the end has been a terrific benefit to many people in mukluks as they search for entertainment during those dark Arctic nights. So if the Steinbrenners of this world want to reach an audience that is broad in size, but focused in interest, another way must be found. Having your own channel is one way, and advertisers know that the people who are tuning in are doing so selectively because they have high interest in what they hear or watch. In short, the listeners are actively listening, not just turning on the radio for a little aural wallpaper. Of course, this not incidentally gives the owners control over the corporate image and cuts down on the chance of embarrassing questions, as in-house interviewers who like their jobs will tend to clip their claws. If you own your channel and can use new media creatively (convergence), the thinking is that you can leverage your product and improve the return on your investment. If anyone at the Yankees or other teams would like to hire a consultant, I could suggest a name or two. ;)