20 years of WDFN

As marked by Rob Parker:

http://www.clickondetroit.com/sport...-detroits-original-sport-talk/26942542?item=0

It has lasted 20 years, albeit, now as a throwaway station.

It was a throwaway 20 years ago, as well. I remember when this happened. They hired Lorna formerly of WFAN fame to put the format together. She came in like a bull in a china shop. I'm from NYC and you'll do it my way. None of the four major teams bit and she couldn't even get the Ambassadors hockey team off of my station to theirs. The college teams wouldn't budge, either. JR and J had a stranglehold on all of that business. In fact, they had such a desire to stay away from the Fan that JR and J would pay me to handle their conflict games. DFN failed at launching and, to this day, is still suffering for it.

They had some solid ratings from inception to the early 2000s, really until WXYT flipped and picked up all the teams with it, and even beyond that until WXYT found its footing with talk. When XYT went to FM it was all over.

Where did you clear the conflict games, on AM 1500?

Yes, on 1500. Back then we bought the Birch ratings. I guess "solid ratings" is a relative term. I don't remember them having anything to write home about. If you don't have the major play by play action, you're an "also ran". Look at Cincinnati. LW does gangbusters, 1530 and 1380 (or whatever that is) sucks wind.

I have to agree. The games drew people to WJR and that's what draws people to 97.1.The constant 'Sports Talk' blather is a sideshow. I thought DFN did pull cumes of above 3 when they were the only station with this format. I could be wrong. You would know far better than me.