Is a Vancouver FM station considering moving to all sports?

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Is a Vancouver FM station considering moving to all sports?

Postby radiofan » Fri Mar 19, 2021 8:23 am

Next steps for ex-TSN 1040 broadcasters, FM station considers all-sports
Tyler Green Mar 18 2021, 1:25 pm


When Don Taylor and Rick Dhaliwal announced their return to the airwaves with CHEK TV earlier this week, many were wondering where Taylor’s longtime co-host would end up.

Bob ‘The Moj’ Marjanovich, former co-host of TSN 1040’s ‘Donnie and The Moj’ show, isn’t following Taylor to television. Instead, I’m told that Marjanovich is keeping his options open.

At this point, Marjanovich is in a holding pattern, awaiting news on where the BC Lions radio rights might land. ‘Moj’ has spent the last few years calling play-by-play for the Leos on radio and is will most likely remain in the role when the Lions do find a new home. Signing on to another station at this point could put him in an awkward position by accepting a role at a competing station in the market before the Lions broadcast deal is settled.

Lions and Whitecaps radio rights in limbo

The BC Lions and TSN 1040 had a broadcast deal that ran through the conclusion of 2022 season, which could delay any new deals or announcements from the Lions on their broadcast future. There was no update to that agreement at time of publishing from either side.

The Vancouver Whitecaps are still looking for their 2021 radio partner, if the club moves in that direction.

“We’re still working on it,” a club spokesperson told Daily Hive.

The Whitecaps weren’t tied to any radio deals in 2021 and are free to go wherever they please. One source told me that “if TSN 1040 was still on-air, it would not be attempting to retain the rights as it wasn’t a ratings driver.” Both 1040 and sister station 1410 had cut back on their Whitecaps programming over the years, after starting the team’s inaugural MLS season in 2011 with a two-hour pre- and post-game show, along with the Whitecaps FC Daily show.

The Lions aren’t the only team that was tied to TSN 1040, as the station had broadcast rights to the Seattle Seahawks, Seattle Mariners, and Westwood One, which broadcasts NFL games, NCAA March Madness, and the Masters.

“At this point, we cannot provide a comment as we are looking at how we can legally opt out of the deal,” said one American executive who wished to remain anonymous.

The Seattle Mariners are in a tough position as opening night is April 1 versus the San Francisco Giants.

“Our fans in Vancouver and the BC area are very important to us, and I know that ESPN 710 (Mariners home rights-holders) in Seattle is working hard to identify a solution,” said Tim Hevly, Mariners VP of Communications.

A new all-sports FM station?

One Vancouver FM station is rumoured to be considering flipping formats to all-sports, and could be interested in some of the properties mentioned above. The station is said to be in discussions with the CRTC on how that would work. The ownership group has also had discussions with many former 1040 employees, including Marjanovich, gauging their interest if a flip happens.

Other names mentioned to me as having had at least a discussion with the station include Taylor, David Pratt, Matt Sekeres, Iain McLetchie, and Dave Sheldon. The CRTC would need likely need to approve the new format before the station could make any big offers to anyone.

Read the full story here: https://dailyhive.com/vancouver/next-st ... all-sports

Thanks to Dan Sys at Canadian Radio News for sharing this item!
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Re: Is a Vancouver FM station considering moving to all spor

Postby Aaron » Fri Mar 19, 2021 9:27 am

I mean, who wouldn't want to hire all those expensive hosts and start a sports radio station without the city's biggest play-by-play rights and without the ability to market and leverage content with one of the country's two TV sports networks, only to achieve the same ratings they had as a music station? Sign me up!
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Re: Is a Vancouver FM station considering moving to all spor

Postby beddows » Fri Mar 19, 2021 10:13 am

which 104 will it be? 104.3 or 104.9?
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Re: Is a Vancouver FM station considering moving to all spor

Postby Aaron » Fri Mar 19, 2021 10:15 am

104.9 is the only possibility.

But this article is just fill of rumour and heresy.
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Re: Is a Vancouver FM station considering moving to all spor

Postby Marathon » Fri Mar 19, 2021 3:49 pm

I don't see any of the major players doing something like that. Maybe the Roundhouse license.
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Re: Is a Vancouver FM station considering moving to all spor

Postby Aaron » Fri Mar 19, 2021 4:04 pm

Marathon wrote:I don't see any of the major players doing something like that. Maybe the Roundhouse license.


Now THAT would be suicide.

Simulcasting SN650 on 104.9 is really the only feasible option, however unlikely. Rogers has precedence for this in Ottawa, where they added the 101.1 signal for 1310News. Very similar circumstances too, where the FM signal is technically licensed to a smaller adjacent market.
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Re: Is a Vancouver FM station considering moving to all spor

Postby Marathon » Fri Mar 19, 2021 4:45 pm

Yeah sure, dump a 3.4 FM to rebroadcast a 0.4 AM
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Re: Is a Vancouver FM station considering moving to all spor

Postby Dan Sys » Fri Mar 19, 2021 4:52 pm

I doubt it will be the old Roundhouse licence (CIRH) unless they find a new frequency and up the power as their signal only basically covers the Vancouver city limits. Most hard core sports fans live in the suburbs where co-channel CKSR 98.3 in Chilliwack dominates.
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Re: Is a Vancouver FM station considering moving to all spor

Postby Aaron » Fri Mar 19, 2021 4:59 pm

Marathon wrote:Yeah sure, dump a 3.4 FM to rebroadcast a 0.4 AM


I mean you're using useless 2+ numbers (from when there were two stations in the format), but for what it's worth that's what the situation looked like in Ottawa too. I'm not arguing that it's a great idea, but rather pointing out that Rogers has already done it.
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Re: Is a Vancouver FM station considering moving to all spor

Postby Marathon » Fri Mar 19, 2021 5:02 pm

Dan Sys wrote:I doubt it will be the old Roundhouse licence (CIRH) unless they find a new frequency and up the power as their signal only basically covers the Vancouver city limits. Most hard core sports fans live in the suburbs where co-channel CKSR 98.3 in Chilliwack dominates.


I'm inclined to agree, but as was demonstrated by the original Roundhouse format just because something is a bad idea with no chance of making any money doesn't mean that someone won't give it a try and fail.

Why would they need to find a new frequency?
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Re: Is a Vancouver FM station considering moving to all spor

Postby Broadcast Babe » Fri Mar 19, 2021 5:07 pm

I'm confused. Why would anyone attempt a 2nd sports station. If Bell couldn't make it with all their money and resources, it would be financial suicide to attempt it. I know the sports talk fraternity is vocal, but it's too small. Thems the facts.
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Re: Is a Vancouver FM station considering moving to all spor

Postby Aaron » Fri Mar 19, 2021 5:09 pm

Broadcast Babe wrote:I'm confused. Why would anyone attempt a 2nd sports station. If Bell couldn't make it with all their money and resources, it would be financial suicide to attempt it. I know the sports talk fraternity is vocal, but it's too small. Thems the facts.


Absolutely, as Rogers found out when the put their resources and a Canucks deal behind it. With the unexpected exit of 1040, there's an opportunity for them to go all-in....and 650 alone won't be enough.
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Re: Is a Vancouver FM station considering moving to all spor

Postby Dan Sys » Fri Mar 19, 2021 5:12 pm

Why would they need to find a new frequency?


So the power could be increased from its existing 1,700 watts. It couldn't happen on 98.3 as Chilliwack shares the same frequency.
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Re: Is a Vancouver FM station considering moving to all spor

Postby Marathon » Fri Mar 19, 2021 5:24 pm

Aaron wrote:
Marathon wrote:Yeah sure, dump a 3.4 FM to rebroadcast a 0.4 AM


I mean you're using useless 2+ numbers (from when there were two stations in the format), but for what it's worth that's what the situation looked like in Ottawa too. I'm not arguing that it's a great idea, but rather pointing out that Rogers has already done it.


Fair enough.....
Yeah sure, dump a 3.9 FM to rebroadcast a 1.1 AM

Anyhow, I don't see it happening for a couple of reasons.

First off I don't think the move with the Smiths Falls station is a good comparison as all news is a very different animal from all sports and the impression that I always had was that those stations were kind of an afterthought.

Second, from what I understand Julie Adam the SVP of radio for Rogers is very much an advocate for the KISS brand and CHR as a format, so unless it's a forced on her from the higher ups I don't see it happening.

Also, wouldn't Bell's move on 1040 indicate that it's a money losing venture?

I think this rumour was started by the displaced 1040 hosts, but it's fun to speculate.
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Re: Is a Vancouver FM station considering moving to all spor

Postby Marathon » Fri Mar 19, 2021 5:25 pm

Dan Sys wrote:
Why would they need to find a new frequency?


So the power could be increased from its existing 1,700 watts. It couldn't happen on 98.3 as Chilliwack shares the same frequency.


Understood, thanks for the info
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