Radio Contract

[bincitysioux]

It will be interesting on way they look at the new radio contract is it going to be all about the money our is it going to be about taking care of our small town supporters.

Speaking of the radio contract, I think Clear Channel sucks. Tim and Swyg are a joke. The university hires a new basketball coach for the first time in 18 years on Friday, and this morning they devote 6 minutes to the topic by reading the UND press release, and that's it. And one of them is the voice of Sioux basketball! We are blessed with the some great play-by-play guys in Hennessey, Hammer, even Swygman (sp?), but it really bums me out that there is really no talk of UND in the offseason (or during the season for that matter) on GF radio. As NDSU's flagship station, WDAY in fact does alot better job of covering and discussing UND athletics than do the stations that hold the rights to UND sports, and I think that is sad. I'm sure Leighton Broadcasting would never be able to pony up like Clear Channel when the contract comes up, but it would be nice if they got a shot at it because I really think that they'd do a better job of covering UND athletics just because they are local to GF and they might just give a hoot.

[The Sicatoka]

Clear Channel has a lot of warts that come with it (programming requirements from the national office that have little or no clue about "local flavor" comes to mind).

However, it does give the power of the two biggest AM "sticks" in ND (KFGO, KFYR) and a 100kW FM in Grand Forks.

[82SiouxGuy]

That's the real power of Clear Channel. They can put together a great network throughout North Dakota and Western Minnesota. Leighton basically has stations in Grand Forks and St. Cloud. They would have to pull together other companies like Forum Communications to get decent coverage across the state.

[bincitysioux]

That's the real power of Clear Channel. They can put together a great network throughout North Dakota and Western Minnesota. Leighton basically has stations in Grand Forks and St. Cloud. They would have to pull together other companies like Forum Communications to get decent coverage across the state.

That really shouldn't be so hard. It's pretty easy to hear NDSU football in the western part of the state. The Fan 710 in Bismarck is Clear Channel and airs both Sioux and Bison football & Sioux hockey. KNOX can be heard west of Devils Lake and Jamestown. If they were the flagship, I'm sure arrangements could be made to get games on out west, just like WDAY/Forum Comm does.

[The Sicatoka]

KNOX can be heard west of Devils Lake and Jamestown.

I believe that sentence should end with the words " ... in the daylight hours."

Love 'em, hate 'em, Clear Channel has the majority of good licenses (powerful AMs and 100kW FMs) in the region.

[82SiouxGuy]

It is possible to put together the network. I believe that Leighton had something put together for their last bid. But tSic is right, Clear Channel has more of the big stations. The only possibility I see is if Leighton and Forum can work together because I think you would need WDAY in Fargo if you don't have the Mighty 790. The other factor is money. Clear Channel is not going to want to lose UND sports and let the competition have both UND and NDSU so they will probably put in a very competitive bid.

[The Sicatoka]

The only possibility I see is if Leighton and Forum can work together ...

And do you really want The Forum/ForumComm controlling what goes out about UND Athletics? They're the official mouthpiece, er, home of the Bison and I expect that wouldn't change one iota.

Clear Channel is not going to want to lose UND sports and let the competition have both ...

That's how I hope Clear Channel ND sees it.

[pirate]

I do not see Clear Channel, as the owners of broacast rights for UND sports, as the problem. I agree with BinCity, the ancillary programs that highlight or inform us about UND Athletics, as being deficient. This morning, the boys, Tim and Swyg, gave an almost obligatory mention of the hiring of the head basketball coach. Then, they went off on the usuall dialogue about Golf and weekend household projects. I, like BinCity, enjoy the WDAY sports program Prime Time Sports, and seem to get as much information about UND athletics from their programs as I get from Clear Channel. Pathetic, to say the least. Clear Channel used to have Derek Hanson do some sports talk programming, but, that would usually end up "Vikings Talk" all day every day. There used to be a Monday night show, when Bruce Telleman(sp) was alive, that was enlightening and provacative. I beleive a guy like Greg Lotys could handle that type of program very well. And it wouldn't have to be all hockey as well. Currently, the Wednesday night coaches show is pretty "fluffy", with alot of adoration and softball questions. In other words. alot like the Bison coaches show. I know I would like to hear a decent call in program on Clear Channell.

[bincitysioux]

The only possibility I see is if Leighton and Forum can work together because I think you would need WDAY in Fargo if you don't have the Mighty 790. The other factor is money.

KNOX is easily heard in Fargo. That shouldn't be a problem. I live 100 miles from both Fargo and Grand Forks, and can clearly receive KFGO, KNOX, and WDAY all the time. I agree that money will be the deciding factor, and unfortunately Clear Channel will win. I just wish Tim and Swyg would actually put a little effort into their on-air non-play-by-play radio time. I'm so sick of hearing about Swyg's yard. Last week they spent 10 minutes debating about how many teams were in the Big Sky, and 20 minutes discussing Swygman's new patio. I think it is pathetic. I wish Dan Hammer was on a talk show, he is very good. I enjoyed listening to him when 1280 (then known as "The Ticket") in Fargo tried to do an all local sports radio station.

[DI IN FARGO]

With WDAY being the flagship for NDSU don't hold your breath on UND moving over there. It's bad enough with Hennen flappin his yap about UND as it is. He's been told to knock it off or so I hear regarding being a cheerleader for UND on WDAY. He has definetly toned it down from when he started at WDAY. Personally if I were a fan of UND I wouldn't want my teams broadcasts to be on the flagship of another school.

[tnt]

Tim and Swygg are the only station that even talk about Sioux sports with any regularity at all. We have the Coaches show and they talk about Sioux sports quite a bit, as well as having a contest every week during the season and ticket giveaways on a frequent basis. If you want to ruin coverage of Sioux sports, give it to another station and have to deal with a Dan Terhaar as an announcer again. He was certainly an adequate announcer, but nowhere near Hennessey in knowledge of Sioux hockey. I laugh when I see Terhaar doing the Wild games, because that is truly a "who you know" situation.

[Driveforshow]

Speaking of the radio contract, I think Clear Channel sucks. Tim and Swyg are a joke. The university hires a new basketball coach for the first time in 18 years on Friday, and this morning they devote 6 minutes to the topic by reading the UND press release, and that's it. And one of them is the voice of Sioux basketball! We are blessed with the some great play-by-play guys in Hennessey, Hammer, even Swygman (sp?), but it really bums me out that there is really no talk of UND in the offseason (or during the season for that matter) on GF radio. As NDSU's flagship station, WDAY in fact does alot better job of covering and discussing UND athletics than do the stations that hold the rights to UND sports, and I think that is sad. I'm sure Leighton Broadcasting would never be able to pony up like Clear Channel when the contract comes up, but it would be nice if they got a shot at it because I really think that they'd do a better job of covering UND athletics just because they are local to GF and they might just give a hoot.

Tim and Swig may not be the best when it comes down to putting a program together, but I feel they do great job on play by play.You listen to the guys that do gopher and wild hockey thats a joke we are lucky to have Tim doing UND hockey he does a great job.And Swig does a great job on basketball. When it comes to the new contract you don't know what Buning may do it's been all about money and I know last time Leighton came in with a higher bid, but they do not cover the state like clear channel can.It was a big deal to DALE L that clear channel hit all the small towns in ND.I am sure within the next few weeks they will have the new coach come in and talk more about the program.

[bincitysioux]

I am sure within the next few weeks they will have the new coach come in and talk more about the program.

I wouldn't hold my breath on that one, I'm sure Swygman is going to mow and bag his lawn this week, so that will take up 2/3 of their program.

[andtheHomeoftheSIOUX!!]

I am not from Grand Forks so I only hear UND sports games, not the local coverage. I will say though that the anouncers for the Sioux hockey games are very good. And also, I would not like it if I couldn't hear UND games in the North-Central part of the state (ND) because a local station in GF got the contract. But I can see why locals wish the coverage was better.

[4siouxnow]

My big hope is that with the new contract they can make sure that there is some sort of upgrade to the internet broadcast's. It was very disturbing trying to listen many times this winter only to have it fade out, or be completely not on, and have to go to the opponents site and pick up their broadcast that is horrible.

[teamsioux]

Jones will be on the radio with Tim and Swyg at 7:10 Thursday morning.

[The Sicatoka]

My big hope is that with the new contract they can make sure that there is some sort of upgrade to the internet broadcast's.

That would be good.

Question:

Are schools working deals with providers like Sirius or XM? Are conferences? Or are just networks (for example, Westwood One) working with providers and then going to get schools/conferences for broadcast?

[joelbird]

That would be good.

Question:

Are schools working deals with providers like Sirius or XM? Are conferences? Or are just networks (for example, Westwood One) working with providers and then going to get schools/conferences for broadcast?

XM has 3 channels each I believe for the ACC, Big Ten, and Pac Ten. For football and men's basketball.

[bincitysioux]

XM has 3 channels each I believe for the ACC, Big Ten, and Pac Ten. For football and men's basketball.

I doubt we'll be seeing any DII schools joining satellite radio. However, could it be possible for UND and other hockey powers to work on a deal to get a XM or Sirius station that covered college hockey?

[WYOBISONMAN]

Not even the Mountain West Conference is on satellite radio.......it is pretty much limited to BSC conferences right now.......

[siouxforeverbaby]

I am not from Grand Forks so I only hear UND sports games, not the local coverage. I will say though that the anouncers for the Sioux hockey games are very good. And also, I would not like it if I couldn't hear UND games in the North-Central part of the state (ND) because a local station in GF got the contract. But I can see why locals wish the coverage was better.

What channel do you listen to? I am in the middle of the state when I come home and I can't find a channel that has them on.

[bincitysioux]

What channel do you listen to? I am in the middle of the state when I come home and I can't find a channel that has them on.

You should be able to get 710 KXMR (hockey), or 550 KFYR (football). I'm in east central ND, and alot closer to GF & Fargo than I am to Bismarck. I get both those stations loud & clear.

[choyt3]

Here's another monkey wrench.

[The Sicatoka]

I wondered if the

- Bison football PA announcer being half of the KFGO morning team, and

- the former PA announcer for Sioux hockey being the prime local host for WDAY-AM

would come into play sooner or later.

I would suspect if (somehow, I don't expect it) Clear Channel got NDSU and Leighton got UND that Leighton would enter into an agreement with Forum Communications to put UND games on WDAY.

I say that because I expect either no changes from current or Clear Channel to end up with both.

[The Sicatoka]

I just re-read the Forum article (link)

Forum Communications, whose cash bid in previous years exceeded $100,000, bid $55,000 for each of the next two years.