The End of Play by Play on Radio?

[TigerVols]

Larry broke every radio rule, particularly in the use of "we" and "they." But knowing that, you knew when the Dawgs were winning or losing, just by the tone and tempo of his voice. I still remember "Lindsay Scott!", the "hob-nailed boot" game and another time, his gravely voice intoning, "We need three yards. We pitch it out and ... we're not gonna make it. We're not gonna make it."

Larry Munson would never have been succesful in many other places. But if you grew up a Georgia fan, he was your eyes and ears, in addition to your heart and soul.

**** Larry Munson and the hob-nailed boot he rode in on. I like my announcers to be classy, have a handful of iconic phrases, and know when to deliver the goods. Nat'rell gasssss.

 

[dixiehack]

**** Larry Munson and the hob-nailed boot he rode in on. I like my announcers to be classy, have a handful of iconic phrases, and know when to deliver the goods. Nat'rell gasssss.

In 1997, I was back home in CookeVegas after washing out of school the first time and in the very beginning stages of trying to get my life together. Part of that was a job at a local audio/video production company.

One day I got handed a Manila envelope and am told to use the recording inside for a client’s commercial, I think maybe the local Farm Bureau agent. Inside was the CD and a letter from John Ward on his personal stationary, complete with his home address in Fox Den. He explained what was usable at what time and added (and I’m paraphrasing)

“The first 10-20 takes ... FLUBS.”

I sat in the booth for nearly a half-hour and just started howling as the man I respected (and everyone else in the state treated as the voice of Jehovah) tripped over his syntax, lost his train of thought and occasionally let a couple of mild profanities in frustration, all in that famous clipped dictation. It was like sneaking a peak of the Pope taking a drag on a cigarette back behind the dumpsters. I still kick myself that I didn’t make an extra copy.

 

[Liut]

Watched NFL Network's "The Timeline" today on the 1991 Atlanta Falcons.

Larry Munson was the radio voice of ATL. Don't think he did the Falcons for very long, but it was "we" and "us" just like the UGA Bulldogs.

Was Jeff Van Note doing analysis back in those days? I remember Van Note as WSB's morning sports guy with the late Bobby Harper.

 

[goalmouth]

Blue Jays, blaming pandemic, ax radio, to simulcast TV feed. B-b-but George $pringer!

Great idea for Yankees and get rid of Sterling and Waldman...

 

[Huggy]

I am not at all surprised by this, Rogers has been gutting its media properties and given the issues with the pandemic, travel restrictions, a team playing in the US for the foreseeable future due to the border closure this seems to be them trying to make the best of a bad situation (and saving some money, obviously). Few fans are commuting, driving around at night or taking weekend road trips. The Jays' radio crew has not been good in recent years, certainly since Jerry Howarth retired, and I suspect all those getting screechy about this on social media rarely listen to the games, choosing to stream, them or watch on Sportsnet. They are remembering a time when most games were not on TV and radio was the only option. That was a long time ago.

 

[LanceyHoward]

I am not at all surprised by this, Rogers has been gutting its media properties and given the issues with the pandemic, travel restrictions, a team playing in the US for the foreseeable future due to the border closure this seems to be them trying to make the best of a bad situation (and saving some money, obviously). Few fans are commuting, driving around at night or taking weekend road trips. The Jays' radio crew has not been good in recent years, certainly since Jerry Howarth retired, and I suspect all those getting screechy about this on social media rarely listen to the games, choosing to stream, them or watch on Sportsnet. They are remembering a time when most games were not on TV and radio was the only option. That was a long time ago.

What kind of ratings do Major League baseball get on radio. I remember when the local MLB team would dominate local ratings receiving 20-25% of the audience. My impression is that they have declined a lot much I don't know the scale.

 

[Huggy]

What kind of ratings do Major League baseball get on radio. I remember when the local MLB team would dominate local ratings receiving 20-25% of the audience. My impression is that they have declined a lot much I don't know the scale.

Good question. Rogers owns the team and the the radio station. All Jays games are on TV and I suspect those who get romantic about listening to the games while lazing in the backyard on a summer weekend afternoon or sitting on the dock at the cottage with a beer are a small part of whatever audience they have. The Jays used to have a large cross-country radio network, no idea if they still do or even one that covers the province of Ontario.

 

[2muchcoffeeman]

Good question. Rogers owns the team and the the radio station. All Jays games are on TV and I suspect those who get romantic about listening to the games while lazing in the backyard on a summer weekend afternoon or sitting on the dock at the cottage with a beer are a small part of whatever audience they have. The Jays used to have a large cross-country radio network, no idea if they still do or even one that covers the province of Ontario.

You could try your favorite search engine.

Blue Jays Radio Network

 

[Huggy]

Well there you go, I believe there were more affiliates during the playoff seasons a few years ago but this is more than I might have thought. Baseball is huge in the west, not surprised there are four stations in Sasky. Three is southwestern Ontario which has a large Tigers fan base

 

[I Should Coco]

Well there you go, I believe there were more affiliates during the playoff seasons a few years ago but this is more than I might have thought. Baseball is huge in the west, not surprised there are four stations in Sasky. Three is southwestern Ontario which has a large Tigers fan base

Not surprised to see a few stations in B.C.

Way back when the Mariners allowed fans at games, the Toronto series always brought a bunch of Canadian fans into Safeco, to root for the Blue Jays.

 

[Huggy]

The Jays trip to Seattle is always a big deal for fans from BC, definitely the kind of place I would like to see the Jays play on the road

 

[dixiehack]

Are the Maritimes considered Jays territory, or are there more Red Sox fans there?

 

[LanceyHoward]

Well there you go, I believe there were more affiliates during the playoff seasons a few years ago but this is more than I might have thought. Baseball is huge in the west, not surprised there are four stations in Sasky. Three is southwestern Ontario which has a large Tigers fan base

I know nothing about the Canadian radio industry. But in the United States AM radio is on it's deathbed. And I do know that the higher up the AM dial you go the worse the signal is. When I see an AM station on a frequency above 1000 I would guess that it is a station that has a basically non-existent audience that picks up the satellite feed on the cheap. And I counted 18 AM stations and three FM stations in the Blue Jays network.

Can anyone with a knowledge of the Canadian radio industry tell me if my assumption is correct?

 

[wicked]

A lot of big Canadian stations moved over to FM (not as crowded there as in the states) about 20 years ago. Stations like Toronto’s CBL, which was on a clear channel, totally abandoned AM. The CRTC did issue new licenses for some of those frequencies.

 

[justgladtobehere]

Are the Maritimes considered Jays territory, or are there more Red Sox fans there?

The Bruins are popular in the Maritimes because the team's radio station was 50,000 watts clear channel and crossed the Atlantic into Canada.

 

[Dan Omlor]

AM Radio is certainly not dead here in Kentucky. Sports shows keep it alive in the morning and early evening. Political call in shows keep it alive during the afternoons and late evenings. Fans listen to their favorite announcers call University of Kentucky, University of Louisville, Western Kentucky University and Murray University football, basketball and baseball games. They watch the away games on TV but turn down the sound and listen to the radio announcers. They even have special radios that allow them to synch the radio sound to the TV image, since often there's a delay. Fans go to the games and wear headsets or earbuds so they can watch the game in person but hear the background statistics and analysis by their favorite announcers. The pregame shows begin two and a half hours before the games and the postgame shows go on for two hours after the games. The hosts of these sports call in shows are local celebrities, earning extra income endorsing products and appearing at promotional events. Advertising rates for these shows are quite steep and there's a waiting list to grab any spots that open.

 

[Tighthead]

Are the Maritimes considered Jays territory, or are there more Red Sox fans there?

I’m sure it’s split more evenly now, but i. The 80s it was way more Sox. Expos might have been more popular than Jays then

When I was young the Ottawa station broadcast the Expos, and then late 80s they switched to Jays.

 

[dixiehack]

Larry Munson’s finest hour on the radio had nothing to do with sports.

 

[crimsonace]

The two areas where radio PXP will survive and thrive - NFL and college sports. The reasons why are simple - the NFL has a national TV contract, while college teams (outside of Notre Dame and Texas) have their TV rights negotiated through their conferences. Radio is the *only* place where the team/school can control and make money off its media rights, sell/cater to local sponsors and have the "homer" announcer build a direct connection with the fanbase.

I know the Orlando Magic and Toronto Blue Jays have axed their radio broadcasts for TV. Several NHL teams have (Dallas, Buffalo, Carolina off the top of my head. Dallas and Buffalo have *always* simulcast. Carolina did so recently after new ownership bought the team, lowballed Chuck Kaiton and then eliminated the dedicated radio broadcast when he declined their offer).

Hockey is a bit easier to do because the fast pace almost demands a "radio call" even on TV (Doc Emrick made a career out of "radio calling" hockey on TV), but baseball and basketball are very different animals on TV and radio. If you try to radio call on TV you wear out your audience with too much description. If you try to TV call on radio, your audience has zero clue what's going on. Radio is about painting a picture. The problem with today's simulcasts is, the announcers TV call it. In the old days, it would be a primary radio call sent to TV.

But the reality of professional sports is similar to newspapers - both have ownership who will be looking to trim any "unnecessary" or "extra" expense. The radio broadcast is a pretty easy expense to cut as it doesn't generate a ton of revenue and a typical bean counter will say "why am I paying two broadcast crews to do the same game?" The next frontier before things being permanently cut will be that remote road broadcasts - especially for radio - will likely be permanent. The dropoff in quality is there, but it's fairly marginal. Meanwhile, the cost savings are enormous when you're looking at cutting out flights/hotel rooms for your talent for 41+ road games a year.

 

[LanceyHoward]

But the reality of professional sports is similar to newspapers - both have ownership who will be looking to trim any "unnecessary" or "extra" expense. The radio broadcast is a pretty easy expense to cut as it doesn't generate a ton of revenue and a typical bean counter will say "why am I paying two broadcast crews to do the same game?" The next frontier before things being permanently cut will be that remote road broadcasts - especially for radio - will likely be permanent. The dropoff in quality is there, but it's fairly marginal. Meanwhile, the cost savings are enormous when you're looking at cutting out flights/hotel rooms for your talent for 41+ road games a year.

I think you omit one big cost savings. If someone is an NBA or NHL PBP announcer it seems to be a full time job. Those guys don't seem to have many other broadcast jobs.

I read once NBA radio announcers make about 200K a year. But if the travel component is eliminated then it can be treated like the position of PA announcer as a gig job. A team could hire some guy for $250 a night plus whatever the fee is for commercial reads to sit in front of a screen during the games.