Go to the mobile version of this Web site.

Login | Contact Us | Site Map | Paid archives | Electronic edition | Subscription Questions | Extras

SAUNDERS: 1510 AM isn't in clear just yet

By Dusty Saunders, Special to the Rocky

Published August 3, 2008 at 10:52 p.m.

Text size  

More Sports Columns & Blogs

More stories »

Mile High Sports Radio is getting a higher profile.

Now the station needs a more professional sound to go along with its upcoming Nuggets and Avalanche coverage.

Kroenke Sports Enterprises has left The Fan (104.3 FM) and signed on with the 1510 AM frequency.

The move should be a major boost for 1510 AM, which has lived in the giant shadow of The Fan since premiering a year ago.

But problems exist.

The station too often has a "tinny" sound while its local on-air product (think commercials) is mostly second rate.

And 1510 AM does not have an audience reach across Colorado, particularly in the game-time evening hours.

Mile High Sports Radio goes south to Castle Rock and Longmont to the north. And the nighttime signal has occasional problems in the Boulder area.

That's hardly blanket coverage for two professional teams with fans outside the Denver area. (Ironically, The Fan, now on 104.3 FM, doesn't circulate as well out of the Denver area as it did on 950 AM.)

"We plan to solve coverage problems by setting up affiliate stations around the state," said Kevin Medina, CEO of Mile High Sports.

"And we'll improve any sound problems," Medina added.

He noted the occasional broadcasting conflicts with University of Denver hockey and basketball "will have to be resolved."

Kroenke Sports, as it did on The Fan, will supply the production and the on-air talent for 1510 AM. Look for Jerry Schemmel (Nuggets) and Norm Jones (Avalanche) to return in their play-by-play roles.

The length of the deal between Kroenke and Mile High Sports was not announced, giving credence to ongoing reports that Kroenke eventually will buy the station.

Meanwhile, The Fan will have gaping holes to fill.

The obvious filler: More local talk in the evening hours.

Meanwhile, the station owner, Lincoln Financial Sports Group, has yet to announce a logical move of KPEN-AM (1600), the ESPN outlet, to 950 AM, which continues to air noise many consider music.

TV STARDOM? Fans will get a regular up-close and personal look at Jay Cutler this season when he co-hosts a live weekly half-hour Broncos show on KCNC-Channel 4.

Cutler replaces the departed John Lynch on the 6:30 p.m. series that debuts Tuesday, Sept. 9, then moves to its regular Monday night spot on Sept. 15.

FOOTBALL ON SHOWTIME: The much-honored Inside the NFL, a 31-year staple on pay-cable HBO, has found a new home on Showtime, beginning Sept. 10.

At first glance, such a move might not make sense to sports fans familiar with HBO Sports' stable of excellent programming.

Showtime's only regular sports contribution is professional boxing.

But the pay-cable outlet is under the same corporate umbrella as CBS Sports, which will produce the series along with Steve Sabol and his prestigious NFL Films crew.

Working weekly will be James Brown, Phil Simms and Cris Collinsworth, a veteran with the series since 1989.

Gone are Bob Costas, Cris Carter and Dan Marino.

A fourth host will join the trio. One idea: a rotating guest, possibly a current player on a bye week.

"The Showtime production will offer the best part of the HBO series, with some new twists," said Sean McManus, president of CBS News and Sports.

"We won't try to reinvent the wheel."

HBO dropped the series in February, citing "changes in the sports marketing arena."

IGNORED AGAIN: Randy Gradishar remains the Rodney Dangerfield of the NFL.

He never gets any respect.

Shunned for years in Hall of Fame balloting, the former Broncos linebacker didn't even make NFL Network's top 10 list of neglected players who should be in the Hall.

The list, announced recently during a TV special before the weekend induction, included Carter, Jerry Kramer, Derrick Thomas, Jim Marshall, Bob Hayes, Ken Stabler, Ricky Watters, Alex Karras, Steve Tasker and Ken Anderson.

Dusty Saunders writes periodically about sports broadcasting. Contact him at tvtime@comcast.net.

Comments

  • August 4, 2008

    7:13 a.m.

    Suggest removal

    CoLoradoCitizen writes:

    They got the Avalanche broadcast? That REALLY surprises me. I was initially glad to have a choice in sports radio. But their shows are mediocre, at Best. Every guy/sports fan probably thinks he could easily do a sports talk show. I know I did. The local shows on this station are living proof that, if not done well, it can be horrendously boring. Back when 560a.m. was espn, then sporting news, they had Tim & Jim. That was an excellent radio show well worth listening to. In the afternoon, they had dave benz. Again, excellent, fast paced but not chaotic sports radio. Certainly never dull. The guys (and gal) on 1510 are slow paced and dull.

  • August 4, 2008

    1:43 p.m.

    Suggest removal

    Finn writes:

    I think you mean Norm Jones, not Peter McNabb. At least I hope so. It would be a MAJOR mistake to take McNabb's skills from TV and make him a radio play by play guy.

  • August 4, 2008

    1:59 p.m.

    Suggest removal

    benn writes:

    Better than the numbnuts on 950...er 104.3 or whatever they are now.

  • August 4, 2008

    5:27 p.m.

    Suggest removal

    vernveron writes:

    104.3 The Fan is ran by a bunch of idiots. Since they left the AM side, they have lost over a whole point on their Arbitron rating, spent 300,000 dollars in advertising for the switch, lost the Nugs and Avs. All their programing is the same. The only good show on that station is the Night Guys. Down with the fan up with 1510. Who listens to talk radio on FM anyways? Isn't that for music.

  • August 4, 2008

    11:22 p.m.

    Suggest removal

    anugsfan writes:

    Schemmel better be back - he and Drew Goodman are the best play-by-play guys this state has ever had - at least since I've been alive.

  • August 13, 2008

    4:32 p.m.

    Suggest removal

    forsbored21 writes:

    I can't believe The FAN got dropped!! They have done a great job of promoting the Avs since they came.

    When I found out what the other station was (1510 AM) I turned my radio in my car to it and could barely hear it. OK so I have a 10 year old jeep but when I would hit the brakes the signal would get even worse. I tried 104.3 and it sounds great. Even other AM like 630 760 850 etc sound fine even when I hit the brakes.

    I live in Aurora and rent a basement and once again 104.3, 630, 760, 850 all sound just fine but 1510 sounds like a table saw in the distance!!! :angry:

    What is Kronke thinking??????

  • August 20, 2008

    10:26 p.m.

    Suggest removal

    taloeppke writes:

    It is very difficult to believe AM 1510 was selected - the stations area of coverage is worse than what some colleges and high schools have.

    I live in Littleton/Lakewood area - at best, the station comes in like a Texas radio station coming through on skip at night, at worst it is non-existent.

    I have found there to be NO coverage behind the Hogback in Littleton, no coverage on CO-93 all the way up to Boulder and hit/miss coverage in Longmont.....either Kroenke Sports wants enough complaints to get the station at a bargain basement price...or they have no interest in the fan base that must listen on the radio at times....