The name of the game is sports More stations are finding a market for listeners, advertisers with sports programing By Donna Petrozzello edge—tongue in cheek—and it has to XETRA(AM) Tijuana, Mexico, which alk about sports is talk radio's be entertaining," says Bob Agnew, covers the San Diego market. "Just rising star, with some major mar- operations and program like the fun of sports is not just in Tkets supporting two sports talk director at San Francisco's sports talk going to the game, but in the tailgate stations and a growing of KNBR(AM). "We're a strong personality parties and the Buffalo wings. It's the ex-professional athletes hosting station with sports as the emphasis." lifestyle of sports fans on the air that shows. KNBR featured a top 40 format with really makes this format work." Station managers contend that it is isolated coverage of local sports five Since most hard-core sports fans are not the name behind the mike, but the years ago. Now, says Agnew, the sta- men, the content of these sports talk tone of the show and the air personal- tion airs 14 hours of sports on week- shows has a decidedly male perspec- ities that sells the format. Successful days, more on weekends, and 10 hours tive and is geared at attracting a wide sports talk stations feature programs of non-sports talk, including a double range of male listeners, not just sports that offer not only scores, stats and segment of Rush Limbaugh. fans. Sports talk goes hand in hand game coverage, but also entertaining "It's not necessarily the sports, it's with talk about sex and politics, two talk with its main focus on sports and the talk that goes along with it," says other subjects known to attract a large- a sports fan's lifestyle. Howard Freedman, vice president of ly male audience, broadcasters say. "Sports talk has to be done with an programing and operations at Sports talk WFAN(AM) New York, the takes a crack at radio Although few professional base- network is dedicated exclusively to ball players have taken up talk providing sports-oriented program- radio upon retirement, the task ing, unlike Katz, where Rose's came easy to legendary hitter show was the group's only syndi- Pete Rose, whose syndicated cated program. sports talk show is broadcast to "Because of the programing nearly 100 affiliates nationwide. they have at SportsFan, they'll be "I don't know of too many ath- able to put me in a lot of nice mar- letes who've had more experience kets. And that's what you're in it with the media than I [have]," Rose for, to grow," Rose says. "It's just says. "I don't know of too many as easy to talk to 200 stations as it athletes who have had more is to one." microphones in front of them, so Rose hosts his show with part- the microphone business is not Pete Rose on radio: "I might as well try to be ner Michelle Oakes. Each show the Rush Limbaugh of sports talk." something new to me." centers on a controversial sports- Rose, who was suspended from in 1989 after related topic, such as players' salaries or the lingering being convicted of tax evasion and gambling on sporting baseball strike, which the two debate and invite callers to events, is no stranger to radio. As manager of the Cincin- discuss with them. "It's like going to the ballpark every nati Reds in the mid-, Rose did a pregame show night and talking to the fans," says Rose. for WLW(AM) there with Reds announcer Marty Brenne- Rose steers away from conducting the show like a triv- man. Rose also did five-minute, weekday morning sports ia game and does not focus on players' records or team updates for the station with former Cincinnati Bengal Bob statistics. On game days, however, Rose and Oakes pro- Trumpy. vide score updates, pre- and post-game talk, and com- After serving time in prison, Rose retired to Boca ment on coaches. Raton, Fla. In March 1992 he launched The Pete Rose As he did while a player with the Reds and the Sfawover the Florida Radio Network from his Pete Rose Phillies, Rose has set high goals for his Ballpark Cafe. Katz Radio Syndication, a division of Katz radio show. He wants to get the show into as many mar- Media Corp., picked up Rose's show a year later and kets as possible and make a name for himself as a pre- began to syndicate it nationally to 90 affiliates. mier sports talk host. Last month the SportsFan Radio Network took over the "Not that I ever will be, but I might as well try to be the show from Katz. With the switch, the affiliate list for Rose's Rush Limbaugh of sports talk—he's everywhere," says show has changed, with some SportsFan affiliates picking Rose. "If it's there for you to accomplish, go ahead and up the show and some Katz affiliates dropping it. Rose try to accomplish it. You're only here once and if you do it expects his show to flourish with SportsFan because the right, once is enough." —DP