Congratulations to the 2017 World Champion Houston Astros!!!

Houston, it finally happened!!! The Astros won a World Series!!!

This meant a lot to me, as I followed the Astros on the radio on Beaumont's KLVI 560AM in the 90s, and when I was in Houston, KPRC 950AM in the early 90s, KILT 610AM in the mid-90s, KTRH 740AM from 1999-2012, and KBME from 2013 to now.

With the exclusive postseason coverage of the Houston Astros, including pre and postgame, how did KBME do ratings wise against KILT and KFNC?

How did Josh Innes and Matt Thomas stack up against competitors from KILT and KFNC?

It was radio gold hearing Steve Sparks do locker room interviews, here's a sample: https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=j-Hupj7c5M8

How long does Clear Channel Houston have the rights to broadcast the Astros? They've been the flagship station of the Astros Radio Network since 1999, is there contract almost up and will CBS Radio or ESPN 97-5 make a move to become the Flag?

Also, I would love to hear stories from those who worked in Houston Radio and have Astros stories from seasons past.

I would also like to hear from those who have followed the Astros on the radio and have great memories to share from listening to Gene Elston, Loel Passe, Milo Hamilton, Larry Dierker, Jim Deshaies, Bill Brown (who used to do the middle innings when Milo would swap to TV), Dave Raymond, Bill Dolan, Robert Ford and Steve Sparks, or just Astros memories in general.

GO 'STROS!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!

Are any of you from Houston or just Houston transplants?

Yes. ��

The Rimshot said:

Are any of you from Houston or just Houston transplants?

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Born and raised!!

The Rimshot said:

Are any of you from Houston or just Houston transplants?

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I left the state for a few years, but came back home.

But what I can say with confidence is that our city has a ton fairweather baseball fans. I think the entire city only started paying attention until after the ALDS. It wasn't long ago when you could go into an Astros game and have an entire section to yourself. Today, everyone has an Astros shirt and hat.

I'd wish the city would support baseball more consistently and stop being such bandwagoning joyriders. The fans are there through wins and losses for the Texans and Rockets. Not so much for the Cougars, Dynamo, and Astros.

BamaTX said:

I left the state for a few years, but came back home.

But what I can say with confidence is that our city has a ton fairweather baseball fans. I think the entire city only started paying attention until after the ALDS. It wasn't long ago when you could go into an Astros game and have an entire section to yourself. Today, everyone has an Astros shirt and hat.

I'd wish the city would support baseball more consistently and stop being such bandwagoning joyriders. The fans are there through wins and losses for the Texans and Rockets. Not so much for the Cougars, Dynamo, and Astros.

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Amen!!! That’s why I didn’t buy any Astros Gear. Didn’t want to be a bandwagon fan like many houstonians.

Just like on Football many houstonians don’t even watch football the only player they know is JJ Watt because he is on the Papa John’s commercials LOL. Other than that they don’t have any idea who else you plays with the Texans.

It's trendy to bash bandwagon fans, why not welcome them instead of playing Holier than Thou? Examine how you became a fan in the first place -- somewhere along the way, you made a decision to jump on the bandwagon.

It's not a "World Series" unless the competition is open world-wide (ala Little League, the true world series). Should be renamed in this era of PC to something like "MLB Championship".

ThatVoice22 said:

It's trendy to bash bandwagon fans, why not welcome them instead of playing Holier than Thou? Examine how you became a fan in the first place -- somewhere along the way, you made a decision to jump on the bandwagon.

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I never jumped on the bandwagon. I'm not an Astros fan. All I'm saying is Houston is not a baseball city. Most of the "fans" wearing Astros gear today probably can't tell you what an RBI or an ERA is.

It is what it is.

The Rimshot said:

How long does Clear Channel Houston have the rights to broadcast the Astros? They've been the flagship station of the Astros Radio Network since 1999, is there contract almost up and will CBS Radio or ESPN 97-5 make a move to become the Flag?

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ESPN Radio had the national feed and KFNC cleared the broadcast, even though KBME was carrying the Astros too. If I remember correctly, ESPN and CBS (via KILT) both carry the Super Bowl, so this is similar.

But Hell did freeze over recently! First the Cubs (broke the Billy Goat curse) and now the Astros. Nobody would believe you if you time traveled back to the past and the Cubs and Astros would win the World Series in 2016 and 2017. Now it's just up to the Texans to win the city's first Super Bowl (the Oilers never did) and the Rockets to grad another NBA Championship.

BamaTX said:

I never jumped on the bandwagon. I'm not an Astros fan. All I'm saying is Houston is not a baseball city. Most of the "fans" wearing Astros gear today probably can't tell you what an RBI or an ERA is. It is what it is.

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This is known as supposition without facts on a non-radio topic. Even if true, why buck human nature - you jumped on the bandwagon of your team at some point - so what? = "Much ado about nothing."

And for landtuna's comment about the World Series not representing the World, try coming up with something that hasn't been said a Billion times already.

Everyone: try to stick to radio commentary on this site, please! Criticizing sports fans and the World Series is a thorough waste of time and space.

ThatVoice22 said:

This is known as supposition without facts on a non-radio topic. Even if true, why buck human nature - you jumped on the bandwagon of your team at some point - so what? = "Much ado about nothing."

And for landtuna's comment about the World Series not representing the World, try coming up with something that hasn't been said a Billion times already.

Everyone: try to stick to radio commentary on this site, please! Criticizing sports fans and the World Series is a thorough waste of time and space.

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By your logic, your response is also a waste of time and space. Stop trying to be self righteous. This board is dead and a little off topic talk doesn't hurt anyone. Besides, why get so bent out of shape about my observations?

Entercom seems to place an emphasis on their SportsTalkers also having play-by-play rights. Would not surprise me if 610 tries to get the Astros and/or Rockets, which they have carried in the past.

BamaTX said:

I never jumped on the bandwagon. I'm not an Astros fan. All I'm saying is Houston is not a baseball city. Most of the "fans" wearing Astros gear today probably can't tell you what an RBI or an ERA is.

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I was fortunate enough to be among the 43,000-plus inside Minute Maid Park for Game 5 of the 2017 World Series, and I can tell you that with the decibel level that crowd produced inside the "Juice Box" when Alex Bregman hit the game winner in the tenth (as well as about five other moments in that five hour and 17 minute time span), Houston is most certainly a baseball city.

I was also among the 1.3 million in the Greater Houston area that watched Game 7, and I can further tell you that Houston, based on that number, most certainly qualifies as a baseball city.

I don't have the KBME ratings for the World Series, but I'm certain they were the highest in that radio station's history.

Given your username, I'm guessing you are a bitter Braves fan.

The Rimshot said:

Houston is most certainly a baseball city.

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No it's not. It's a city full of fair weather baseball fans. Where were all those people in 2014? That season, you could have gone to a game and had an entire section to yourself on select days. Their tv ratings managed to draw a double zero on a few occasions. It got to the point that out of market WNBA games had more viewers than an Astros game! And before you say "but availability", it was still embarrassing as CSN Houston was available to almost half of Houston. It wasn't some obscure channel that was impossible to find.

Houston is a football town. NFL is king here. After that, people just don't care. For Houston, cheering for the Astros, Rockets, Dynamo, or UofH depends on the flavor of the month. If the rockets are winning, the city will watch. If the Astros are winning, they'll watch. If the Cougars are winning, they'll watch. If they're losers, forget it!

We are a fair weathered sports city who only cares about football. The data supports it.

Your post was full of opinions, but here are facts:

1.3 million people watched Game 7 in Houston.

KBME was the highest rated sports radio station in Houston, despite its terrible nighttime signal.

An estimated 750,000 to 1,000,000 showed up to the Astros Championship Parade, which equals the largest parade in Houston history.

CSN Houston was available to less than 40 percent of Houstonians. I lived at I-10 and Antoine Dr, and did not have access to the channel. In 2015, Root Sports was born, and I was able to view it on a DirecTV basis. Even the most die-hard Astros fans had to listen on the radio. Not really fair to bring up the ratings game during 2013 and 2014.

Not many Astros fans on this website per se so I won't have many reinforcements, but if you lived in Houston in the months of September, October and November 2017 and turned on local radio or television, the Astros were the Zeitgeist, no question about it.

The NFL is certainly not king here, at least not at the moment. I agree with your opinion of Houston being fair-weather to a certain extent, and I also agree with your opinion that the flavor of the month depends on which team is winning, and by that rationale, the Astros are king at the moment.

Your post was full of opinions

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The Astros drawing a double zero and being outwatched by a WNBA game not long ago is not an opinion. Spare me the "availability" excuse. Almost half of Houston had access to the network so a double zero is not excusable for any city that wants to call itself a "baseball" city. We are just a bandwagon city.

but if you lived in Houston in the months of September, October and November 2017 and turned on local radio or television, the Astros were the Zeitgeist, no question about it.

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Well no sh*t. The Super Bowl+playoffs, NBA finals+playoffs, Stanley Cup, and the World Series+wildcard+playoffs are national events. Do you really think the local media will skip out on a national attraction being watched by the entire country?

BamaTX said:

The Astros drawing a double zero and being outwatched by a WNBA game not long ago is not an opinion. Spare me the "availability" excuse. Almost half of Houston had access to the network so a double zero is not excusable for any city that wants to call itself a "baseball" city. We are just a bandwagon city.

Well no sh*t. The Super Bowl+playoffs, NBA finals+playoffs, Stanley Cup, and the World Series+wildcard+playoffs are national events. Do you really think the local media will skip out on a national attraction being watched by the entire country?

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I agree with everything you said, Houston is a bandwagon city.

BamaTX said:

Almost half of Houston had access to the network so a double zero is not excusable for any city that wants to call itself a "baseball" city.

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"Almost half" is like using the word "virtually." What's your definition of "almost half?" I heard reports that 40 percent of the city had access to CSN Houston, but when I dug further, it appeared to be more like 30 percent. I was actively looking to find an apartment complex in 2014 that offered Comcast as a cable service provider, and areas that appeared to offer it did not. I had to live on the westside of Houston, and was SOL. So yeah, the availability is most certainly a valid excuse.

BamaTX said:

Do you really think the local media will skip out on a national attraction being watched by the entire country?

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You have to give credit where it is due, you can't just use ratings numbers when it is convenient for you. If a double zero when availability was scarce is valid in your mind, you still have to recognize the accomplishments garnered when the Astros made their championship run. On the radio side, KBME beat KILT for the first time in years (while it was airing Texans games, pre and postgames, as well as coach's shows) in the month of October. On the television side, Game 7 of the 2017 World Series received a 51 share, which meant 1.3 million of a possible 2.4 million watched the Astros. What a feat! The Texans never put up numbers like this.

You are not an Astros fan, that's fine, but you can't ignore the accomplishments that were achieved during their run. An estimated 1 million attended the parade in their honor on November 3. When 1 million attend a baseball celebration, that makes you a baseball city.

You just described a bandwagon fanbase.