2 New All Sports Radio Stations in South Florida

"South Florida is about to get two new all-sports stations, and one intends to bring in broadcasts of New York Yankees games on weekends.

• The station that is now AM-640 (ManTalk) will switch formats Monday and become a full-time outlet for Fox Sports Network as well as the part-time home of the Yankees. AM-1400, now a brokered station, will carry programs from ESPN Radio, also starting Monday.

They join sports talk incumbents WQAM (AM-560) and WAXY (AM-790) in Miami-Fort Lauderdale and WEFL (AM-760) in Palm Beach County.

• In spite of each new sports station offering distinct programming, they will share call letters, WFTL, which also will continue to be the signature of the news/talk station at AM-850.

The importation of the Yankees signal might become a point of contention. A spokesman in Major League Baseball's office in New York said WFTL needs permission from MLB to bring the Yankees into the home area of the Marlins. He said he knew of no such arrangement. Ken Pauli, operations manager of WFTL, said, "The Yankees have looked into it and have told us we are abiding by the rules."***

• P.J. Loyello, Marlins senior vice president of communications and broadcasting, said he is unaware of the Yankees deal but WFTL might be able to bring in the Yankees on AM-640 because it is licensed to Palm Beach County."...

From article in Sun-Sentinel.com by Tom Jicha, "Two New All Sports Radio Stations to Hit Air," 2/29/08

• ***P.S. Bud Selig sold all teams' radio broadcasts to XM a few years ago without asking permission of teams and their advertisers who had paid money for exclusive sponsorship of local baseball broadcasts. Any sponsor, station or team could have sued for a variety of injuries. Why does everyone allow Bud Selig and Bob DuPuy to treat them like dirt? (sm)

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