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A Question About Sports On Rock Stations/Chicago

Posted by Hunter <iframe src='https://members.boardhost.com/chicagomediachat/info/user=Hunter' width='330' height='300' border=0 style='border:none;'> on February 28, 2024, 1:08 pm

I read the radio trades daily. In New York, the Jets will begin broadcasting their games on iHeartMedia's Classic Rock Q-104.3/WAXQ-FM.

I'm seeking a clarification going back to the 1990s. The regular posters on this board may confirm what I think was the case.

Chicago's then Rock 103-5/WRCX-FM, an Active Rock station, carried sports on a weekend afternoon, either Saturday or Sunday. My girlfriend was a huge fan of that station and I let her control the dial. Men, do you want to win the battle or lose the war? You know where I'm coming from. I was in the WXRT-FM camp, but I digress.

I don't think sports programming was a regular fixture on Rock 103-5. I wish I could recall more detail. As always, thank you for your input.

Re: A Question About Sports On Rock Stations/Chicago

Posted by Jeremy Andrews <iframe src='https://members.boardhost.com/chicagomediachat/info/user=Jeremy+Andrews' width='330' height='300' border=0 style='border:none;'> on February 28, 2024, 1:22 pm, in reply to "A Question About Sports On Rock Stations/Chicago"

They might have. They were co-owned with WLUP and WMVP for a period of time. Might have been overflow

Re: A Question About Sports On Rock Stations/Chicago

Posted by WYTZZ95FM <iframe src='https://members.boardhost.com/chicagomediachat/info/user=WYTZZ95FM' width='330' height='300' border=0 style='border:none;'> on February 28, 2024, 3:50 pm, in reply to "Re: A Question About Sports On Rock Stations/Chicago"

I do not remember much sports on there. I believe Jeremy is correct, it was overflow.

This type of action is common but becoming more common. 104.3 WOMC-FM Detroit the Classic Hits station for many years now would carry U OF M Football games from Ann Arbor. Granted Detroit loves sports, especially U OF M, but hearing a top hour ID into the National Anthem and a College Sports event on a major market FM station is interesting, at the least!

Also, it is another footnote of the AM Band dying and being less relevant as time marches on.

Z

Re: A Question About Sports On Rock Stations/Chicago

Posted by ABRockNJock <iframe src='https://members.boardhost.com/chicagomediachat/info/user=ABRockNJock' width='330' height='300' border=0 style='border:none;'> on March 1, 2024, 1:21 pm, in reply to "Re: A Question About Sports On Rock Stations/Chicago"

It came at a time when iHeart Media, then known as Chancellor Media, had the radio rights to the White Sox, Bulls & Blackhawks. That was about 30 years ago, believe it or not.

If I remember correctly, WMVP-AM 1000, long before they became ESPN Radio 1000, had the radio rights to the Sox, Bulls & Hawks in the early '90s. When there was a conflict, I remember the Bulls would air on AM 1000, while the Sox would shift over to the long since defunct WLUP-FM 97.9 and the Hawks would end up on the also defunct WRCX-FM 103.5. WMVP, WLUP & WRCX were also owned by the same Chancellor Media back then.

It used to be that the station that aired the Sox also aired the Bulls on the radio, and it was that way until 2006. The Sox moved their radio broadcasts back then to WSCR-AM 670 where they'd remain until 2015. The Bulls, on the other side, moved their radio broadcasts to the old WCKG-FM 105.9. A format change and low ratings at 'CKG prompted the Bulls to return to WMVP in 2007 where they'd remain until 2015 as well.

WLS-AM 890, also a non-sports station, raised some eyebrows when they acquired Bulls & Sox radio play-by-play under a 5 year deal with the Cumulus Media-owned talk station. Cumulus' bankruptcy prompted the deals to be voided. The Bulls found a new home at WSCR midway through the 2017-18 NBA season, while the Sox moved to WGN-AM 720 for 3 seasons. The Sox moved back to WMVP starting in 2022.

Got all that?

Re: A Question About Sports On Rock Stations/Chicago

Posted by ABRockNJock <iframe src='https://members.boardhost.com/chicagomediachat/info/user=ABRockNJock' width='330' height='300' border=0 style='border:none;'> on March 1, 2024, 1:32 pm, in reply to "Re: A Question About Sports On Rock Stations/Chicago"

It was an overflow with scheduling conflicts involving the Bulls, White Sox & Blackhawks at the time.

It's actually more common that you think for a sports team to have their radio broadcasts on a non-sports station. Here's a case in point.

In Boston, WBZ-FM 98.5 is known there as The Sports Hub. That station, which is owned by Beasley, has the radio rights to the Patriots, Celtics, Bruins & the MLS Revolution. That's a lot of play-by-play for 1 sports station there.

As a result, WBOS-FM is doing some of the heavy lifting when there are conflicts involving the above pro teams in Boston. WBOS, which is an active/classic rock station branded there as ROCK 92.9, is airing a fraction of Celtics & Bruins' games when they conflict.

When the Celtics were at the United Center last week to face the Bulls, you could've heard the hometown call on 670 AM The SCORE, of course. Because of a Bruins' game on The Hub in Boston, ROCK 92.9 aired the Celtics' game for their fans.

Re: A Question About Sports On Rock Stations/Chicago

Posted by Media Reader <iframe src='https://members.boardhost.com/chicagomediachat/info/user=Media+Reader' width='330' height='300' border=0 style='border:none;'> on March 1, 2024, 2:10 pm, in reply to "Re: A Question About Sports On Rock Stations/Chicago"

As best as I recall:
White Sox were on WMAQ-AM from 1966-1996.
Bulls also on WMAQ-AM from? until 1996.
Hawks in 80s/90s on WBBM-AM then WMAQ WSCR until?
I'm at work so I can't dig right now, but you got me curious to dig later.

Re: A Question About Sports On Rock Stations/Chicago

Posted by ABRockNJock <iframe src='https://members.boardhost.com/chicagomediachat/info/user=ABRockNJock' width='330' height='300' border=0 style='border:none;'> on March 1, 2024, 3:12 pm, in reply to "Re: A Question About Sports On Rock Stations/Chicago"

This much I do know. The Blackhawks were on WBBM-AM 780 dating back to the 1970s, followed by a stint on WMAQ-AM (before WSCR-AM) 670 in the late '80s before going to WMVP-AM during its identity as Sports Radio 1000 in the early 1990s, pre ESPN Radio.

The Hawks have been heard on WGN-AM 720 since 2008, with a fraction of conflicts airing on WIND-AM 560 & even the defunct WLUP-FM 97.9 when WGN also aired Cubs' baseball back then. WGN ended its long affiliation with the Cubs in 2014.

The current Hawks/WGN Radio deal expires at the end of this season. The question is...Could WMVP add the Hawks in addition to the White Sox & Bears' play-by-play they now have or will WGN extend their deal that's been in place the last 15 years with the Hawks? Stay tuned.

Re: A Question About Sports On Rock Stations/Chicago

Posted by WYTZZ95FM <iframe src='https://members.boardhost.com/chicagomediachat/info/user=WYTZZ95FM' width='330' height='300' border=0 style='border:none;'> on March 1, 2024, 3:22 pm, in reply to "Re: A Question About Sports On Rock Stations/Chicago"

The bigger question to beg..... when are they going to start signing FM outlets to air sports games? AM is declining. They are no longer looking to beam signals across the country and one half of the continent.

Z

Re: A Question About Sports On Rock Stations/Chicago

Posted by ABRockNJock <iframe src='https://members.boardhost.com/chicagomediachat/info/user=ABRockNJock' width='330' height='300' border=0 style='border:none;'> on March 1, 2024, 3:42 pm, in reply to "Re: A Question About Sports On Rock Stations/Chicago"

I think Chicago is one of the few sports cities that still broadcasts their play-by-play on the AM band, regardless of which team you cheer for.

A lot of other teams across America are indeed broadcasting on FM as well as in crystal clear stereo sound. FM is more than just music these days. Sports talk radio stations are also broadcasting in this frequency.

...But not Chicago. Will that change in due time?

Re: A Question About Sports On Rock Stations/Chicago

Posted by ChiTownGal <iframe src='https://members.boardhost.com/chicagomediachat/info/user=ChiTownGal' width='330' height='300' border=0 style='border:none;'> on March 1, 2024, 6:42 pm, in reply to "Re: A Question About Sports On Rock Stations/Chicago"

Of course, WLS was home to Notre Dame football on Saturday afternoons during its rock station heyday in the 60s-90s.

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