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THE AIR ESPN Radio coming on strong in Bucks County ESPN Radio, now in its 10th year on the air around the country, is finally attempting to make a name for itself in the Philadelphia market on WPHY 920-AM in Princeton. By LAURA NACHMAN ESPN Radio, now in its 10th year on the air around the country, is finally attempting to make a name for itself in the Philadelphia market on WPHY 920-AM in Princeton. Calling itself "Philadelphia's Real Sports Station," a jab at WIP 610-AM, it should really be called "Bucks and Mercer County, and some parts of Philadelphia's Real Sports Station," because the 5,000-watt station only carries to those areas. (The transmitter is in Yardley). But that doesn't daunt WPHY program director Tripp Rogers who said: "There seems to be a need and a want for this type of station." However Rogers acknowledged that he has a difficult task ahead. "WIP is strong," he said. "We don't expect to beat them, but we want to be an alternative for the area sports fans." Philadelphia listeners can hear the entire ESPN radio weekday lineup, which includes former Eagle Mike Golic and Mike Greenberg from 6-10 a.m., Tony Kornheiser from 10 a.m.-noon, Jim Rome from noon-2 p.m., and Dan Patrick from 2-4 p.m. A local afternoon drive show with Tripp Rogers and a host yet to be determined will debut in a few weeks. Don't expect anybody from Comcast SportsNet to appear on the station because it is part of competitor ESPN. Though many hard-core sports fans who don't like WIP's "guy talk" probably will switch to the new station, WIP morning man Angelo Cataldi doesn't seem threatened by the competition. "Philadelphia's real sports-radio station. Hmmmmm. Let's test that's label," Cataldi said. "WIP has been a sports station for 14 years. We have among the best ratings ever recorded for a sports station in the whole country. We talk more Philadelphia sports than any other outlet in the city by a component of maybe 10 to 1. ESPN Radio does mostly interviews with athletes and coaches from outside the area, and they are not designed to take calls from Philadelphia sports fans at all. ... Well, I can certainly see where they came up with that catch-phrase. I wish them the best of luck." Cataldi has reason to be confident. Seven years ago, 1210-AM attempted to compete with an all-sports format that lasted as long as a Flyers head coach (around one year).
Pennsbury High graduate Blaine Applegate ('82) has
capably filled in as the weekend sports anchor on WPHL since Jenna Wolfe
vacated the position in April, but management sources at the station
said he is not being considered for the slot. It's puzzling, because if
he was good enough for the last six months, then why not reward him with
a permanent job? Applegate will likely return to third string when
somebody is finally hired.
Though Donovan McNabb may have been sick, the ratings
for the Eagles-Jaguars game were healthy with a 26.8 rating/47 share for
Fox. However the numbers for the local "Game Day Live" were
enough to make management gag with a paltry 2.0 rating/5 share. Each
rating point equals 28,010 households.
If Comcast SportsNet wants to hire a boring ex-athlete
for "Eagles Game Day Live," why can't it at least be a former
Eagle instead of former Giant Dave Brown? |