[IRCA] STLtoday article: Media Views: Cards' move from KMOX would ruffle fans' feathers from evharben@msn.com

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This STLtoday.com article -- "Media Views: Cards' move from KMOX would
ruffle fans' feathers"--  has been sent to you by: "evharben@xxxxxxx"

Here is a local article about the Cardinals changing radio stations. Still
not a done deal. Maybe the wave of the future??

Best Terry

Media Views: Cards' move from KMOX would ruffle fans' feathers
By Dan Caesar
Of the Post-Dispatch


Below is the link to the story.
http://www.stltoday.com/stltoday/sports/stories.nsf/cardinals/story/C2C43A18E7CCA9C186257024001C7396?OpenDocument

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Here is the story.

KMOX or KTRS? That is the question Cardinals officials continue to ponder
regarding where they will place their radio broadcasts next season.

Sources say that Infinity Broadcasting, KMOX's owner, has upped its offer
several times and a key point now involves more than money, that it comes
down to the question: "Do the Cardinals want to get into the business of
owning a radio station?" And, according to multiple sources, the answer
more and more is looking like "yes."

The main differences: If they move to KTRS (550 AM), they would be buying
into the station. If they remain at KMOX (1120 AM), they would continue to
merely be paid a rights fee from the station.

"This is a very important decision and we consider all factors relating to
it," said Cardinals president Mark Lamping, who met with KTRS officials
this week. "Financial considerations are certainly prominent. But it goes
beyond that. Our flagship radio station serves purposes beyond just the
financial aspect of it. You've got a lot of things to consider."

Let's examine some of the big issues, including pros and cons, of the
Cardinals leaving after 52 consecutive seasons at KMOX:

[<B>]The pros:[</B>] With KTRS, they could sell their own advertising and
gear much of the programming around the team. This could be a key marketing
tool.

"If there is one thing that is an important consideration, (it's that)
we're a different franchise today than we were 10 years ago," Lamping said.
"It's tougher year in and year out to put a (competitive) team on the
field. We've been working hard to expand the reach of the Cardinals. We
took a huge step with the building of the new ballpark.

"We've expanded our presence in one of our most important markets,
southwest Missouri, through the purchase of a minor-league team. We've got
Ballpark Village (coming). ... As we evaluate every business opportunity,
we really try to evaluate, 'Does it help us reach our objective of
strengthening the franchise?' That's what's at the core."

[<B>]The cons:[</B>] KTRS' signal at night, when most of the games are
played, is much weaker than KMOX's - which booms out from the East Coast to
the Rockies, from Canada to the Gulf of Mexico, helping cultivate and
maintain fans. KTRS, although stronger than KMOX in the daytime, can't even
be heard in all parts of the market at night. For example, the signal fades
rapidly driving east from Collinsville.

"We have 105 radio stations on our network, and it's important that our
broadcasts are available throughout the Midwest, as they are now," Lamping
said.

But it's hardly ideal to have to have network affiliates in the St. Louis
suburbs - including as close as Edwardsville, as KTRS does with the Blues -
because the flagship station's nighttime signal is so weak.

"No matter where we go with our flagship station, having our broadcasts
available is of critical importance to us," Lamping said.

[<B>]Perception vs. reality:[</B>] It has been pointed out that virtually
all games are televised now, giving fans access that way. But only about 79
percent of homes in the market purchase cable or satellite TV - where the
majority of the telecasts appear. That's one of the lowest rates in the
country.

In the bigger picture, the number of games on TV should have nothing to do
with the decision about radio. People who follow the team via radio usually
do so because they [<I>]are not[</I>] in front of a TV - they're in the
car, on a picnic, at work, at the lake, etc.

There also is the argument that the radio calls can be picked up over the
Internet, via satellite and even through cellphones. But these all are pay
services, and the number of subscribers is small. In a decade, these
devices might be in wide use. In a decade, it might make sense for the
Cardinals to go elsewhere. But today, that simply isn't the case if the
club wants to be all-inclusive.

"Our objectives haven't changed since the beginning," Lamping said. "We
have a commitment to our fans to put the best possible team on the field
and we weigh that very heavily with any decision we make, whether it's
something relative to radio or any other business aspect. We make our
decisions based on what supports the best long-term stability and
competitive position for the team."

[<B>]The bottom line: [</B>]There is a lot of blubbering about how a move
would buck tradition. That's true, but really is a moot point. Let's just
concentrate on the present, and the reality is that a move would figure to
anger many fans who will lose the broadcasts. Although there are more than
100 stations on the Cardinals radio network, anyone who has driven around
outstate Missouri and Illinois while trying to listen to the Cards knows
significant geographical gaps exist between stations, many of which cover
just a small area.

In the broader picture, the same can be said about Arkansas, Oklahoma,
Tennessee and Mississippi - all strong Cardinals territory. The only access
in many places there to free broadcasts is via KMOX. Quite simply, if the
Cardinals leave KMOX, they figure to alienate many fans.

"The conversations are continuing," said new KMOX general manager Dave
Ervin, who has worked in the market for about 5 1/2 years. "KMOX is still
extremely hopeful that we will be broadcasting Cardinals games in 2006 and
beyond."

Ervin also addressed the fact that the bulk of KMOX's negotiations are
being handled by Les Hollander, a New York-based Infinity executive. That
has led to speculation that the Cardinals are perceived by that company to
be just one of the many teams it broadcasts, nothing special.

"KMOX and Infinity Broadcasting have a profound dedication to keeping the
Cardinal-KMOX marriage together, and we're working diligently toward that
effort," Ervin said.

He points out that Infinity's WSCR in Chicago has gained the rights to the
White Sox, beginning next season, from a non-Infinity station that had
aired them for the last decade.

"(Hollander) has a deep appreciation for the value of major league baseball
in the Midwest, specifically the Cardinals," Ervin said, adding, "I've
appreciated my meetings and conversations with the ballpark front office.
I've got a general sense that they are listening closely to the fans
regarding this issue."


[<b>]Joel's job[</b>]

Joel Meyers, who filled in on Cardinals broadcasts for Jack Buck when Buck
was unable to work in 2002 because of illness, has a new job - television
voice of the Los Angeles Lakers.

Meyers, 50, had been the club's radio voice the past two years but will
switch roles. He replaces Paul Sunderland, who wasn't rehired.


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