I noticed today coming home from work that Throwback 105.3/1230 is airing Ohio U Bobcat basketball games... I wonder if iHeart's being paid for this? Seems odd to air sports on a classic Hiphop/RHY station.
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Ohio U sports on Throwback 105.3/1230
- Thread starter xmusicmatt
- Start date
it is kinda weird but according to the Ohio IMG Sports Network it has that station listed for both football and basketball
http://www.ohiobobcats.com/multimedia/radio-network
When it comes to carrying sports play-by-play, it seems stations with various formats can and are used. In the greater Cincinnati area, WDJO/Oldies 1480 picks up Ohio State football & basketball games.
Throwback 105.3/1230 also carries Reds games, but only the ones played at night. They dropped all day games, including those played on weekends, before the 2017 season. We're still covered around here thanks to WLW and even WQTT out of Marysville, but it's the first time I can remember since I've paid attention to sports that not every Reds game is airing on a Columbus station.
105.3/1230 also dropped Steelers games this season. First time in probably a decade that the Steelers are not airing in this market, although not a huge loss since they're not really a local team anyway. Bengals and Browns will always be safe in this market.
With 610 no longer airing any sports at all and iHeart's sports station, 105.7 The Zone, clearing the full Indians schedule (they also air the Bengals), something had to give. Unfortunately, it's the Reds.
105.3/1230 also dropped Steelers games this season. First time in probably a decade that the Steelers are not airing in this market, although not a huge loss since they're not really a local team anyway. Bengals and Browns will always be safe in this market.
With 610 no longer airing any sports at all and iHeart's sports station, 105.7 The Zone, clearing the full Indians schedule (they also air the Bengals), something had to give. Unfortunately, it's the Reds.
Interesting that 105.3/1230 does not have the Reds on weekends. You wonder what they deem more important and also easiest to air during that period? I wonder if the Reds' record improves that they would start airing them on days and weekends again?
Great question.
I have interacted with iHeart sports director Matt McCoy on several occasions but never had a chance to ask him about this arrangement. A friend tweeted at him on Opening Day 2017 when the Reds game was not airing and he answered with something to the effect of "this is the best deal we could make." What exactly that means, I have no idea but it has to have something to do with the format. When 105.3/1230 carried Fox Sports Radio, every Reds game was cleared, even some from spring training.
Any sports on that signal is a bad fit with that format, but especially baseball games IMO. And next to no one around here cares about OU football or basketball.
I have interacted with iHeart sports director Matt McCoy on several occasions but never had a chance to ask him about this arrangement. A friend tweeted at him on Opening Day 2017 when the Reds game was not airing and he answered with something to the effect of "this is the best deal we could make." What exactly that means, I have no idea but it has to have something to do with the format. When 105.3/1230 carried Fox Sports Radio, every Reds game was cleared, even some from spring training.
Any sports on that signal is a bad fit with that format, but especially baseball games IMO. And next to no one around here cares about OU football or basketball.
Just wondering if Ohio U. football & basketball games can be picked up in the Columbus area from other stations toward the southeast (Lancaster, Athens, etc.)? Although I respect what you wrote about no one around there carrying about O.U. games, I would think there would be a nice alumni base in that area. My guess is someone at 105.3/1230 has a contact with Ohio University and/or its athletic department and an agreement was worked out for airing their games on that station (which I assume is a part of a network that originates at the school).
There is a big alumni base around here, yes. There probably is more demand for OU games than I gave credit for, given that 1230/105.3 has carried them for several years, and I am sure that given that Columbus is such a large market right up the road from Athens, OU really wants its games on in this market.
As far as catching those games on stations from other markets, offhand I can't think of any affiliates that are receivable here. The flagship station, 105.5 from Athens, isn't listenable until you get south and east of Lancaster.
I want to say back in the 90s, when Columbus proper did not have an OU radio affiliate, 103.5 - now Rewind but then oldies WSWZ from Lancaster - carried games. OU's longtime radio announcer, Dick Schorr, was part-owner of WSWZ until the late 90s.
As far as catching those games on stations from other markets, offhand I can't think of any affiliates that are receivable here. The flagship station, 105.5 from Athens, isn't listenable until you get south and east of Lancaster.
I want to say back in the 90s, when Columbus proper did not have an OU radio affiliate, 103.5 - now Rewind but then oldies WSWZ from Lancaster - carried games. OU's longtime radio announcer, Dick Schorr, was part-owner of WSWZ until the late 90s.
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