by Rev
Bonneville announced Thursday that they will be broadcasting the newly upgraded Sounders' soccer games on KIRO-FM, with Kevin Calabro simulcasting his play-by-play on both radio and TV.
Yes, that's KIRO-FM, the talk station, and not the new all-sports AM station.
This is a big deal because it represents a huge breach of faith, both with KIRO's news-talk audience, who had previously been assured that they would no longer be plagued with pre-emptions of their favorite talk shows for baseball games, and the sports audience, who will be subjected to play-by-play done on the cheap.
It's now clear that Bonneville/Seattle has no loyalty to either KIRO's long-established audience, or to the new sports audience they hope to attract -- they're in the Seahawks' pocket, and when another of Paul Allen's properties asks them to jump, they ask, "how high?"
The message to the talk-show listeners is "Screw you. News talk is our lowest priority. Any time we have a chance to pre-empt regular programming for a quick dollar, we'll do it."
And it's a disservice to soccer fans, because they've told them that they will be doing the radio broadcast without a dedicated play-by-play guy, and with somebody already on the payroll rather than hiring somebody with experience calling soccer. This all but guarantees that the radio coverage of Sounders games will be mediocre at best.
Calabro is among the best basketball announcers in the business; but handing him a soccer slot is just wrong. There's a reason that the US networks and broadcasters in countries where soccer football is a mainstream sport give play-by-play assignments to specialists. Just as baseball announcers learn their chops calling minor league games before moving to the majors, a Premier League play-by-play announcer in England has polished his skills at the game's lower levels.
If the Sounders and Major League Soccer claim to be "world class," they owe their fans truly professional radio broadcasts with experienced commentators.
And radio and TV play-by-play have very different requirements; when you try to combine them, both will suffer. Either the announcer will describe things that are obvious to the TV viewers, or he will fail to mention things that the radio audience can't see. It's simply not possible to serve both audiences with the same commentary, especially from an announcer who's engaging in on-the-job training.
Overall, it's a lose-lose proposition for listeners, and a big disappointment. And most likely, one more nail in the coffin of "Too Beautiful to Live," which will suffer from most of the soccer pre-emptions.
Thanks, Bonneville, for showing us your true colors.
[the pseudonymous Rev is a long-time observer of Seattle radio, and in a previous life, a Charter Member of the Professional Soccer Writers of America]
Ask yourself this: who will fill in for Keven when he's off doing TNT games?
Posted by: Rich Johnson | January 16, 2009 at 05:13 AM
Nothing like giving him the benefit of the doubt before he even broadcasts his first game.
This is absolute rubbish. KIRO (& Bonneville) ROCK! Critics need to step aside and get out of the way.
Posted by: Duffman | January 16, 2009 at 05:25 AM
'Ask yourself this: who will fill in for Keven when he's off doing TNT games?'
May be they could persuade 'Rev' [he, of '..Professional Soccer Writers of America' fame].
Posted by: Duffman | January 16, 2009 at 05:33 AM
Watching soccer on tv is bad enuff. Listening to soccer on the radio. Just shoot me.
What little experience I had watching soccer on tv many years ago was that there would always be at least one goal scored during a commercial break. Time outs did not exist so the network would cut to commercial in the middle of play. Perhaps that has changed. Don't know. Don't care. Its boring.
Anyone remember when Mariner games used to be reguarly tape-delayed so as not to interfere with basketball or football?
Oh well....Me---I like rabbits. And Joanie....sometimes.
Posted by: Ryder | January 16, 2009 at 07:08 AM
There's a market for all sports and I think that's great. But if I wanted to listen to sports, I'd turn the dial to a sports station.
And between the games, the before-game talk, after-game talk, and next-day/later-in-the-week analysis, that's a lotta sports!
It is a loyalty issue with me. But, then, I don't listen to KIRO anymore for that very reason. Too many changes too often.
Posted by: joanie | January 16, 2009 at 07:29 AM
Understandable, but goal-scoring does not a futbol match make.
You'd have to understand the nuances of the game to appreciate it. Obviously 18,000+ understand it enough to fork out for season tickets. So, revert to baseball and watch those 'athletes' spit and scratch their private parts.
SOCCER (futbol) RULES!
Posted by: Duffman | January 16, 2009 at 07:32 AM
Time outs did not exist so the network would cut to commercial in the middle of play.
I've never watched a soccer match, whether it be on ESPN, FSC or Setanta, in which a commercial was shown during play, commercials are only shown during halftime. In fact, one of the things that originally attracted me to watching the sport was the lack of ads every 3 minutes...something the NBA and NFL seem to excel in.
Many Americans seem to think their enjoyment of a sport should begin and end at the US borders...if it's not American, it must be no good, or "boring"..right?
There's a reason why soccer is known as "the beautiful game" and is the most popular sport in the world. It's GREAT!
Posted by: Upton | January 16, 2009 at 08:16 AM
The big problem here is that it does nothing to improve the overall health of the new FM property.
One of the major benefits of having the Mariners on KIRO was that it brought new listeners to the station, who would generally leave their radios on KIRO after an evening game. This boosted the ratings of the key morning news block.
The Sounders will never garner an audience anywhere near as large as the Mariners, so KIRO FM will lose that audience to the new sports station. When the ratings tank for the morning news product, look for KIRO to announce an exciting new AM/FM simulcast of the sports station.
Posted by: Grizz | January 16, 2009 at 10:03 AM
I want radio bowling!
Posted by: marsbar | January 16, 2009 at 10:56 AM
"When the ratings tank for the morning news product..."
Excellent point. Can Gregg and Jane survive on FM?
Posted by: marsbar | January 16, 2009 at 10:59 AM
Why are you getting your panties in a bunch over soccer? Maybe the reason they will be on FM is that the M's will be on AM. Do you expect KIRO to preempt Mariner games? I seem to recall Calabro simulcasting Sonics games too. If I am going to be tortured listening to soccer, I'd rather hear it from him rather than some hack.
Posted by: PRS | January 16, 2009 at 12:00 PM
From a soccer fan's perspective, this post only makes sense if Calabro is obviously worse than other soccer broadcasters.
Isn't it too early to render that verdict, though? The guy's a Seattle broadcasting legend, and an amazing play-by-play man. Give him a chance.
As somebody regularly tortured by FSC's Max Bretos, and the other awful American soccers commentators, I believe Calabro could easily become one of the best American soccer play-by-play guys out there.
Posted by: chris | January 16, 2009 at 02:57 PM
aren't the games played on Saturday night?
what news program or talk show does KIRO play on saturday night (I don't know, I don't listen to the radio then).
I imagine they would get better numbers running a soccer game rather than the "best of" TBTL or something else.
Posted by: asdfasd | January 16, 2009 at 03:28 PM
When I heard the announcement they said the games were Saturday nights.
I can do without TBTL reruns.
Posted by: Drool | January 16, 2009 at 04:36 PM
"Ask yourself this: who will fill in for Keven when he's off doing TNT games? "
I have asked Kevin this, and he's quite clear, he will not be ignoring Seattle for National gigs. They offered and he has said no.
Posted by: Dave Clark | January 17, 2009 at 11:03 AM
Soccer fans are once again proving to be Americas most annoying sports fans. Wahhhh, look at us, lots of kids play and it's the most popular sport in the world". Problem is, Nascar is the second most popular sport in this country and you don't hear anything about it on the radio. Please show me all the major market stations that pre-empt regular programming on a non-sports station for soccer? Please, show me. Hockey, Nascar, Soccer and UFC are all popular but get over it soccer fans, most the soccer fans in this country aren't listening to KIRO or any english speaking stations.
Posted by: Thought I Saw A Bum | January 17, 2009 at 02:06 PM
A virus alert from my school district which seems worth passing on:
"There are new viruses circulating by email that trade on interest in the inauguration of President Barack Obama. One of these arrives in an email with the subject line ”Obama Acceptance Speech.” There are likely to be many others, all with some reference to President Obama as a temptation to open the email.
If you receive an email with any reference to President Obama or the inauguration, do not open it unless you are absolutely sure that it comes from someone you know. If it appears to be a message that was forwarded, you should not open it no matter who sent it, as it’s possible that the sender opened a virus-containing email which is now forwarding itself.
The email with subject line “Obama Acceptance Speech” contains malware known as a Trojan Horse that will steal all passwords and user IDs on your computer, which will expose you to identity theft as well as causing deep harm to District systems."
Posted by: joanie | January 17, 2009 at 03:08 PM
'..most the soccer fans in this country aren't listening to KIRO or any english speaking stations'
...WILL BE SOON! haha
Posted by: Duffman | January 17, 2009 at 03:25 PM
Thanks for the virus warning joanie...that's always helpful to know.
Posted by: Duffman | January 17, 2009 at 03:26 PM
"Soccer fans are once again proving to be Americas most annoying sports fans. Wahhhh, look at us, lots of kids play and it's the most popular sport in the world".
Soccer haters are using the station swtiching to sports and carrying soccer as an excuse to make snarky and elitist comments toward a sport the most of the world loves.
They don't get the game never took the time to get the game and yet verbally crap all over it and then wonder why soccer fans come out of the wood work to call BS on them.
Posted by: Greg | January 17, 2009 at 10:03 PM
Soccer fans are once again proving to be Americas most annoying sports fans. Wahhhh, look at us, lots of kids play and it's the most popular sport in the world".
And socccer haters are once again using the excuse of KIRO switching to sports and adding soccer to their broadcast to make snarky comments toward soccer fans and bash a sport they know nothing about and never took the time to find out.
I guess in your view soccer fans, kids that play it are a bunch of jackasses and you and the other haters are better and more evolved than all of us.
As they say in England, Sod Off Wanker!
Posted by: Greg | January 17, 2009 at 10:11 PM
NASCAR is on Sirius ch 138, and is carried on stations in Phoenix, Miami, Vancouver BC, San Fransisco, Atlanta, Chicago, Indianapolis, New Orleans, Baltimore, Detroit, Charlotte, Las Vegas, Cinci, Cleveland, C-Bus, Pittsburg, Nashville, Dallas, etc.
Oh, and on KRKO here in the Puget Sound.
It is on stations both AM and FM, on news/talk and sports stations.
Basically you were just posting out your ass, and are woefully and pathetically wrong.
Posted by: Dave Clark | January 18, 2009 at 08:14 PM
This makes me SOOOOO glad I purchased a Wi-Fi radio. Now I listen to KGO from SF. Great talk radio like it used to be. Now I can hear moneytalk uninterrupted. It's really too bad the Seattle market is in the toilet
Posted by: markdog | January 20, 2009 at 11:20 AM