The Gophers Need Another Flagship Station

[Iceland12]

The move to KFAN was a calculated risk by Learfield Sports and the U. Much better demos, FM signal in the Metro and no Dave Lee in the booth. They even have a presence on the station during the week. The coverage during the game itself is good and so is the Jerry Kill Show. Gaard and Rosen are fine. That's about all of the positives.

A team's flagship station has to be the place to go to for your team's news. Most fans also feel that the flagship station will also expect take least a semi-positive take on their team. Heck, in a college town they'd burn the place down if they didn't get it. Unless of course they want the Head Coach fired. Then they'd expect the Coach to be hammered for the team's "good". Either way, the listeners would expect a LOT of coverage for their team.

Anybody who's listened to KFAN knows that very little of any of that is happening.

No reason to go into the "whys", or the "they're being objective" arguments. We all know the "why's" and the objective part, this year at least, is clear unadulterated bull-shat or beyond the scope of the problem.

The thing is as long as they keep the Vikings contract it's never going to change and from a business standpoint for KFAN,it shouldn't. The Vikings are a much, MUCH bigger story in this town than the Gophers; with all the "foreigners' in town from other states and countries, the Vikings always will be a better story. They get more viewers to the TV, more hits to the website and more ears to the radio. They also play mainly on Sundays, not Saturdays, so the Monday Morning talk regardless of who won and who lost, will be the Vikings.

Even after the Gophers beat Nebraska for the first time in 50 years and the Vikings got absolutely destroyed by Green Bay, Monday's talk on KFAN was virtually all about the Vikings, and it made sense. The Gopher's past has shown success like fan support can be very fleeting. The Vikings win or lose, are mainstays.

They're more important to the area and to KFAN. Business decisions demand that KFAN be a Vikings station first, second and third. Now throw-in the Gophers recent history of futility against "name" teams and people under 40's demand and enjoyment for snark, and the mockery thrown at the Gophers and the unrelenting discussion of all things Vikings, and everything that station is doing is perfectly understandable.

Which is why those ____s at Learfield Sports have to find another station. If that station has a Twins, T-Wolves or Wild contract, okay fine. The Twins are a April to October 1 story, maybe even September 1. The Wolves even when they are good don't get much attention until March or April. The Wild? Even in a good year don't bring any eyes to TV or ears to a radio. Don't know the status of any of those contracts, but it shouldn't matter to the Gophers.

Just get them away from the Vikings.

The frustrating thing around here is the near constant complaining about the Gopher's Marketing.

People complain about ticket deals, uniform choices, TWEETS eek, fan towels, the COLOR of fan towels, the lack of places for students to booze it up etc. Here we complain about every little facet of Gopher Marketing. Heck we've even got a writer who posts on here who's got a major sideline going skewering the U for every possible Marketing mistake. Major or minor, questionable or not, the U gets hammered for every marketing move they make but you know what? Next to winning itself you know what the major marketing source is for a team?

The flagship station, and the contract with KFAN gets little or no scrutiny from the Marketing Mavens around here.

KFAN gets hammered sure. Followed by the complainers being hammered for whining. Followed by THOSE complainers whining about the whiners. Nobody, unless they just hate the Vikings, mentions the fact that marketing-wise, there's something inherently wrong when your major pipeline to the public ignores your product or ridicules it more than presents or praises it.

For the Marketing Mavens around here, until this situation is addressed or changed please spare us all the complaints about colors, ticket prices or tweets. They don't mean a g-damn thing when your team constantly takes hits from it's "voice".

 

[BleedGopher]

Iceland, that's all fine and good, but you didn't say what station they should go to. Back to WCCO? NO WAY! At least on KFAN, a non- or casual Gopher fan under the age of 55 may stumble onto the game while flipping through the station or since they left it 100.3 when they last were in the car. That's not happening on WCCO. Not to mention, KFAN's pre- and post-game coverage is miles ahead of where WCCO had it. They couldn't wait to get off the air after a game.

1500? Their signal is so weak, there are spots throughout the Twin Cities that the station doesn't even come in clear. And it's not like Judd/Dubay are going to talk more Gopher football the morning after a Vikes game than they do now. Just as the Vikes drives KFAN's ratings, the Vikes also drive 1500, WCCO's, etc. call-in ratings as well.

1005 The Ticket? They have to have three spots on the dial (105.1, 105.3 and 105.5) just to attempt to have a clear signal in the Twin Cities.

A non-sports or talk station like the Lynx on Bob FM? No way.

So, outside of you wanting a new station, I'm not sure what the alternatives are. With the three year contract up after this year, no doubt WCCO will make a major push to get them back, but if we want a younger demographic, going to WCCO is not going to provide that.

Go Gophers!!

 

[Gopherprof]

How many people under the age of 50 still listen to radio anyway?

 

[Iceland12]

Iceland, that's all fine and good, but you didn't say what station they should go to.
Go Gophers!!

"Do you want nobody listening or do you want the team constantly ridiculed" should not be the question.

I don't know Bleed but going back to WCCO isn't the answer and making the question WCCO or KFAN is the wrong thing. KQRS and KSTP tired to get the broadcasts in the past. KTWN has lots of programming time to fill. KSTP and KTWN could/would make changes to get the contract.

Oh and for getting the signal? Try getting KFAN outside of the Metro. That's all "Gopher Radio Network" now anyway.

To keep listening to the Gophers get "kicked in the groin" on a daily basis by KFAN because WCCO is a worse is a Sophie's Choice that shouldn't be made.

 

[Iceland12]

How many people under the age of 50 still listen to radio anyway?

Hey Prof, were you aware that you can get "radio" on the internet now?

 

[JMWZ]

Justin Gaard does a very good job. And Fargo Flash is on Thursday mornings. There are no real alternatives to KFAN so I suggest you make the best of it.

The Gophers will get more coverage as they improve and become more relevant in this market. They haven't much success in ten years. The Vikings have been to two conference championship games in that span. The Twins won six or so division titles. The Wild and Wolves even had more success and intrigue for short periods. It all comes down to long term relevancy. If the Gophers sustain success they'll receive more attention.

 

[Iceland12]

Justin Gaard does a very good job. And Fargo Flash is on Thursday mornings. IF they win a lot , for a long time things will be fine.

All that is true.

Covered the rest in the O.P.

The thing is as long as they keep the Vikings contract it's never going to change and from a business standpoint for KFAN,it shouldn't. The Vikings are a much, MUCH bigger story in this town than the Gophers; with all the "foreigners' in town from other states and countries, the Vikings always will be a better story. They get more viewers to the TV, more hits to the website and more ears to the radio. They also play mainly on Sundays, not Saturdays, so the Monday Morning talk regardless of who won and who lost, will be the Vikings.

Even after the Gophers beat Nebraska for the first time in 50 years and the Vikings got absolutely destroyed by Green Bay, Monday's talk on KFAN was virtually all about the Vikings, and it made sense. The Gopher's past has shown success like fan support can be very fleeting. The Vikings win or lose, are mainstays.

They're more important to the area and to KFAN. Business decisions demand that KFAN be a Vikings station first, second and third. Now throw-in the Gophers recent history of futility against "name" teams and people under 40's demand and enjoyment for snark, and the mockery thrown at the Gophers and the unrelenting discussion of all things Vikings, and everything that station is doing is perfectly understandable..

The Twins are a April to October 1 story, maybe even September 1. The Wolves even when they are good don't get much attention until March or April. The Wild? Even in a good year don't bring any eyes to TV or ears to a radio. Don't know the status of any of those contracts, but it shouldn't matter to the Gophers.

 

[Gopherprof]

Hey Prof, were you aware that you can get "radio" on the internet now?

No I get that, it's just an honest question. I'm 30, and the only people I know my age who listen to the radio are liberals who listen to NPR and a few people who have XM.

Sports radio and talk radio seems to be an almost exclusively older, white, male thing.

 

[Iceland12]

No I get that, it's just an honest question. I'm 30, and the only people I know my age who listen to the radio are liberals who listen to NPR and a few people who have XM.

Sports radio and talk radio seems to be an almost exclusively older, white, male thing.

Even "sports fans" never listen to sports broadcasts or radio? If so there is no good reason to stay with KFAN because they provide the right "demo". That's another good argument for dumping them. That's probably why KTWN is sticking to being mainly a "music" station that carries the Twins.

 

[Gold Vision]

How many people under the age of 50 still listen to radio anyway?

I'm 32, and listen to almost exclusively talk radio while in the car or working in the garage, etc... I would say the majority of my friends do the same.

 

[Rodney's Open]

What about doing something like the Twins did with 96.3?

 

[Iceland12]

What about doing something like the Twins did with 96.3?

Good possibility.

 

[Gopherprof]

Even "sports fans" never listen to sports broadcasts or radio?

I have no idea. Maybe it's just my circle of eccentric friends and colleagues. That's why I asked.

 

[Ski U Master]

I'm 32, and listen to almost exclusively talk radio while in the car or working in the garage, etc... I would say the majority of my friends do the same.

I'm 28 and do the same. Actually, this year I don't have cable at home so I listen to most of the games on the radio. KFAN has its downsides, but it is the best choice if we want to grow the fanbase and capture more of the under 50 market.

 

[tjgopher]

Much better demos, FM signal in the Metro and no Dave Lee in the booth. They even have a presence on the station during the week. The coverage during the game itself is good and so is the Jerry Kill Show. Gaard and Rosen are fine. [/U][/B][/I]

Better demos? Check.
FM signal? Check.
No Dave Lee? Check.
Coverage during the week? Check.
Coaches show in a prime listening time? Check.

If I'm the guy in charge at KFAN I take this to Norwood and say - see, this is exactly what we told you we'd bring you.

All that other stuff? Doesn't matter. No other station can provide the five things you've mentioned better than KFAN. Simple as that. You are over thinking and over sensitive.

And, just because they're the flagship doesn't mean they have to be all positive. My goodness, have you heard Barreiro and Common talk about the Vikings? Way more viscous than anything they say about the Gophers, in my opinion.

Move to 1500 for positive Gopher news? Criminy, have you listened to Judd Zulgad destroy the Gophers, including Norwood and Kill on a personal level? Mackey and Reusse? They hammer away at the Gophers, too. 1500 already carries the Gophers in hoops and hockey, which hasn't stopped the on-air people from ripping away at times.

Look big picture, KFAN is the dominant sports talk voice in the market and it isn't all that close. That is where you want your team's broadcasts if you are the Gophers. Frankly, the Gophers should move hard to get basketball and hockey over there, too.

 

[tjgopher]

What about doing something like the Twins did with 96.3?

Good possibility.

Until you see the ratings. Then realize no one is listening to the station at any point during the day and not many are listening for Twins games, either.

Terrible model to follow and I'd guess that setup changes in the next couple years.

 

[Iceland12]

Better demos? Check.
FM signal? Check.
No Dave Lee? Check.
Coverage during the week? Check.
Coaches show in a prime listening time? Check.

If I'm the guy in charge at KFAN I take this to Norwood and say - see, this is exactly what we told you we'd bring you.

All that other stuff? Doesn't matter. No other station can provide the five things you've mentioned better than KFAN. Simple as that. You are over thinking and over sensitive.

And, just because they're the flagship doesn't mean they have to be all positive. My goodness, have you heard Barreiro and Common talk about the Vikings? Way more viscous than anything they say about the Gophers, in my opinion.

Move to 1500 for positive Gopher news? Criminy, have you listened to Judd Zulgad destroy the Gophers, including Norwood and Kill on a personal level? Mackey and Reusse? They hammer away at the Gophers, too. 1500 already carries the Gophers in hoops and hockey, which hasn't stopped the on-air people from ripping away at times.

Look big picture, KFAN is the dominant sports talk voice in the market and it isn't all that close. That is where you want your team's broadcasts if you are the Gophers. Frankly, the Gophers should move hard to get basketball and hockey over there, too.

Didn't realize that you were so overly 'sensitive" about any criticism of KFAN.

 

[tjgopher]

Didn't realize that you were so overly 'sensitive" about any criticism of KFAN.

I really don't care either way. Just want what's best for Gophers and in this marketplace at this time, for the Gophers, KFAN is clearly the best option. Not a close 2nd choice right now. When selecting a flagship, think macro, not micro.

And, if that's the best comeback you've got to the points that were made, well: /thread.

 

[Iceland12]

Until you see the ratings. Then realize no one is listening to the station at any point during the day and not many are listening for Twins games, either.

Terrible model to follow and I'd guess that setup changes in the next couple years.

Very good points, which is why it's a possibilty.

Sorry if you were offended by the "Good".

 

[tjgopher]

Very good points, which is why it's a possibilty.

Sorry if you were offended by the "Good".

Not offended. Don't think it will be a possibility. But, you must know something. Tell us, what will KTWIN become in a couple of years that will make them more attractive to the Gophers?

 

[jll62]

If you're on KFAN and getting airtime during the day, you're reaching a demo that probably isn't made up of hardcore Gopher fans. If you start winning, you begin to turn those listeners into casual fans. If you start winning consistently and contending for division and B1G titles year over year, then you turn those listeners from casual fans into legitimate followers of the program. This is why you're on KFAN; to reach these people and get them hooked. But it takes time. If you want positive touchy-feely news, then go get them on another station, but the only people listening will be the people who are already die hard fans. That won't do any good. Being on KFAN actually provides some legitimacy to the program in the eyes of the rubes who listen there.

The problem we hardcore fans have is that we want instant gratification and respect. Here's the common refrain that happens every time the Gophers put together a nice stretch of games and have a respectable season going: "Look we won a few games in a row and beat a team like Nebraska! We're relevant! What are people saying about us? Are we ranked? Why aren't they talking nice about us?" Etc.

SLOW DOWN. We're talking about a program that has a 50 year history of futility save for a few stretches of mediocre to decent FB. Winning 3 in a row when it looked like we might not win a B1G game all year is a great start, but if you want to change the perception of this team in the eyes of the public, you need to become a consistent winner over a number of years and you need to contend for a title once in a while. For now, just sit back and enjoy the ride and quit worrying about what everyone else is saying about the team.

 

[Iceland12]

I really don't care either way. Just want what's best for Gophers and in this marketplace at this time, for the Gophers, KFAN is clearly the best option. Not a close 2nd choice right now.

And, if that's the best comeback you've got to the points that were made, well: /thread.

If you insist.

- You said nobody can provide the "five points". Well, you maybe were right once.
"Better demos? Check.
FM signal? Check. - KFAN certainly doesn't have the only FM station.
No Dave Lee? Check. - Really? Lee is everywhere?
Coverage during the week? Check.- Didn't think you were being serious here.
Coaches show in a prime listening time?" Check - Okay, guess you were.

-"And, just because they're the flagship doesn't mean they have to be all positive" Neither did the O.P.

We disagree on whether KFAN is the best place for them. We also disagree on who's being to"sensitive" or ha a sense of humor.

 

[tjgopher]

If you insist.

You said nobody can provide the "five points". Well, you maybe were right once.
"Better demos? Check.
FM signal? Check. - KFAN isn't the only FM station.
No Dave Lee? Check. - ReallY/
Coverage during the week? Check.- Didn't think you were being serious here.
Coaches show in a prime listening time?" Check - Okay, guess you were.
"And, just because they're the flagship doesn't mean they have to be all positive" Neither did the O.P.

I'm talking about providing ALL five points. KFAN is it.

Sure there are other FM stations, but what other FM stations in town are going to commit to a coaches show, auxiliary programming, Gopher guests during the week, and provide the coveted demos that KFAN provides? None. Heck, WCCO didn't even provide those things as the long-time voice and they aren't even an FM. That's all I'm saying. Look macro, not micro. Look big picture. Don't fret the little stuff. A host belittles the coach, it is okay in the grand scheme of things. You're in the conversation.

Your alternative is moving to KTWN, a music station that has about 8-percent (yes, 8-percent) of the listenership of KFAN? Will a music station give you all that time during the week to talk Gophers? Nope. They won't even do it for the Twins. They farm all of that extra programming to an AM signal, which defeats the entire purpose.

Which, again, is why, in this marketplace at this time, KFAN is easily the best choice for the Gophers.

 

[Iceland12]

If you're on KFAN and getting airtime during the day, you're reaching a demo that probably isn't made up of hardcore Gopher fans. If you start winning, you begin to turn those listeners into casual fans..

Didn't read the O.P. huh? Just went into the "we need to be pleased" response? Okay, it's the hazard of the internet.

So you think from a "Marketing" standpoint, staying on KFAN is the best choice? Okay, that's a reasonable argument. It's just that with all the scrutiny of ticket deals, towels, getting drunken students interested, getting ANY students interested etc. you don't see the possible negative effect of the tone and coverage on KFAN?

If you don't ok, we just disagree and to use your term " For now, just sit back and enjoy the ride and quit worrying about what everyone else is saying about KFAN."

 

[Iceland12]

I'm talking about providing ALL five points. KFAN is it.

Sure there are other FM stations, but what other FM stations in town are going to commit to a coaches show, auxiliary programming, Gopher guests during the week, and provide the coveted demos that KFAN provides? None. Heck, WCCO didn't even provide those things as the long-time voice and they aren't even an FM. That's all I'm saying. Look macro, not micro. Look big picture. Don't fret the little stuff. A host belittles the coach, it is okay in the grand scheme of things. You're in the conversation.

Your alternative is moving to KTWN, a music station that has about 8-percent (yes, 8-percent) of the listenership of KFAN? Will a music station give you all that time during the week to talk Gophers? Nope.

Like I said in response to Bleed don't have an answer to where they should go now. Don't know what those stations will be/do in the future. Much like you have no idea what they may or may not do in the future.

But if I were you I'd want to frame the argument between KTWN or KFAN also. It doesn't exist of course, but you don't seem to be worried much about what been written, just in your response.

So you want the Gophers to only be discussed on KFAN, to have their players and coaches to be barred from appearing on any other station or to giving interviews to newspapers, ESPN, TV stations etc.? That's just insane!

You're right, it's a lot easier that way.

 

[jll62]

Didn't read the O.P. huh? Just went into the "we need to be pleased" response? Okay, it's the hazard of the internet.

I read the entire thread prior to posting, but thanks for playing.

 

[tjgopher]

Like I said in response to Bleed don't have an answer to where they should go now. Don't know what those stations will be/do in the future. Much like you have no idea what they may or may not do in the future.

But if I were you I'd want to frame the argument between KTWN or KFAN also. It doesn't exist of course, but you don't seem to be worried much about what been written, just in your response.

So you want the Gophers to only be discussed on KFAN, to have their players and coaches to be barred from appearing on any other station or to giving interviews to newspapers, ESPN, TV stations etc.? That's just insane!

You're right, it's a lot easier that way.

No, no, no. My god, I'm not sure how much more clear I can be.

Talking about radio....no other station can provide what KFAN can provide. Do I want players and coaches barred from appearing on other stations? Of course not. The more the merrier and WCCO and 1500 have Gopher guests on a lot. But, in the context of wanting the flagship to be on an FM station, then KFAN is the only one willing to give you programming during the week (along with WCCO and 1500). I don't think you'll be hearing Jerry Kill on KDWB or Cities 97 or KS-95.

That's all.

I'm done here. You are either too stubborn or too silly to figure it out. I'm done trying to explain. I figure if I go any further you'll have some other crazy argument or put some other words in my mouth. Twilight zone, man. Twilight zone.

 

[CentralGopher]

As far as coverage goes, KFAN is not as good as some think. Where I live I barely get AM in somedays and not at all others and the FM comes in almost never. Luckily there is a local affiliate that usually picks up the game but the rest of the stuff like the Jerry Kill show and anything else is filled with mostly static for me depending on the day. You'd think that not being very far from st. cloud I'd be able to get 1390 pretty well but apparently not and I almost never get 100.1 in. WCCO had much better coverage but had some Dave Lee issues so not a terrible move. I take most of what they say on KFAN with a grain of salt and find most of it laughable. I listen but I don't live and die with it. For now I think it would be best to just live with it.

 

[Iceland12]

As far as coverage goes, KFAN is not as good as some think. Where I live I barely get AM in somedays and not at all others and the FM comes in almost never. Luckily there is a local affiliate that usually picks up the game but the rest of the stuff like the Jerry Kill show and anything else is filled with mostly static for me depending on the day. You'd think that not being very far from st. cloud I'd be able to get 1390 pretty well but apparently not and I almost never get 100.1 in. WCCO had much better coverage but had some Dave Lee issues so not a terrible move. I take most of what they say on KFAN with a grain of salt and find most of it laughable. I listen but I don't live and die with it. For now I think it would be best to just live with it.

Those are all very reasonable points.

 

[wait!what?]

KFAN is much much much much better than CCO for the gophs