Ever try to listen to the game AT the game these days?

[RichJohnson]

So I'm 5 rows from the top at Byrd Stadium Saturday at the Maryland-Georgia Tech game, with a commanding view to the south. Without the haze I might have seen the Capitol or the Washington Monument. But Maryland's DC flagship station is WJFK, an FM licensed to Manassas, Virginia. With my Sony walkman on 'local,' I got a decent signal so long as I stayed absolutely still. On 'DX,' I got interferance and splatter.
But all that was moot because good ol' WJFK, a 'hot talk' station that's home to Don and Mike, WAS IN DELAY!!! The play-by-play on the radio was exactly one play behind real life.
But all was not lost. The Georgia Tech radio guys were doing the same sort of 'cheating' that many cheaper networks do: using a very illegal 1 or 2 watt FM transmitter on a bit of spare space on the commercial FM band to provide 'air' to their sideline reporter. So l listened to real-time pbp in College Park courtesy of the Ramblin' Wrecks.
I know it's not a huge thing when it comes to your cume, but it just seems like something you'd want to do for your fans: make sure they can hear the damn game inside the damn stadium.
But that's just me, I guess....

PS: I actually could still hear the Georgia Tech broadcast in my car radio until just before I drove off campus - nearly a mile from the stadium! And WJFK was still spotty in College Park, so I switched over the XM, and listened to the great Johnny Holiday all the way home clear as a bell.

 

[Del_B_Vista]

But all was not lost. The Georgia Tech radio guys were doing the same sort of 'cheating' that many cheaper networks do: using a very illegal 1 or 2 watt FM transmitter on a bit of spare space on the commercial FM band to provide 'air' to their sideline reporter. So l listened to real-time pbp in College Park courtesy of the Ramblin' Wrecks.

Not to take away from your point, I actually don't think that's "cheating." Those low-power transmitters don't require an FCC license. A lot of team broadcasters do that on the road so their fans can listen to the good guy broadcast in the stadium.

Your point in a supremely valid one, however.

 

[donaugust]

But all was not lost. The Georgia Tech radio guys were doing the same sort of 'cheating' that many cheaper networks do: using a very illegal 1 or 2 watt FM transmitter on a bit of spare space on the commercial FM band to provide 'air' to their sideline reporter. So l listened to real-time pbp in College Park courtesy of the Ramblin' Wrecks.

Not to take away from your point, I actually don't think that's "cheating." Those low-power transmitters don't require an FCC license. A lot of team broadcasters do that on the road so their fans can listen to the good guy broadcast in the stadium.

Your point in a supremely valid one, however.

They aren't if they are within guidelines for low-power transmission, but the reception that Rich describes sounds like it exceeds those guidelines.

 

[Evil ... Thy name is Orville Redenbacher!!]

I have the same problem when I watch the Steelers (cue reverent music) on TV and listen to the radio broadcast. One is usually several seconds behind the other.

Now that the local AM station no longer carries the Steelers radio network, I get to listen to the TV hacks feed me the same retreaded info week after week.

 

[ondeadline]

No way around the delay if you're at the game, but I get around it all the time at home by pausing my DVR.

 

[Brooklyn Bridge]

Its because JFK is a CBS station and they (CBS stations) are all 15 seconds behind in real life. 7-and a half seconds for indecency and another 7-and a half seconds to put the station through processing so it can be heard on HD radio.

 

[Flying Headbutt]

It doesn't help that all of a sudden the school's two flagship stations are completely on the other side of the major cities it sits in between. WJFK is based out of Fairfax, a good half hour to 45 minutes away from College Park, while WHFS is on the north side of Baltimore, at least 45 minutes in the other direction. Both have shirt-ass signals, but the school sold out for more money in exchange for the pish ass coverage at the fan's expense. But I guess that's why Debbie Yow is one of the top 10 most powerful people in college sports, according to one list.

 

[spup1122]

There would have been a delay with their previous network, too. Sports networks almost always run on a 7 second delay for indecency. Believe me...as someone who has been screwed by not having the delay running, I know how important that delay is.

 

[GB-Hack]

I know that there are colleges who will buy a local am wavelength for the day so travelling fans can hear pre, game and post while tailgating on the road down here in the southern states.

 

[Armchair_QB]

I know that there are colleges who will buy a local am wavelength for the day so travelling fans can hear pre, game and post while tailgating on the road down here in the southern states.

Actually, in-stadium broadcasting may be the next big "revenue stream" for college athletic departments. There's a company out there that sells the hardware for this kind of service that allows you to broadcast in the stadium but you can only pick up the game on the receivers that go along with the transmitter.

Schools can either sell the receivers or give them to donors as part of a season ticket package. Plus, they can sell ads that air only on the in-house feed or fill the break time with anything they want.

 

[finishthehat]

Thank God college football is going to get another revenue stream.

Things looked shaky for a while there, money-wise.

 

[Clerk Typist]

I know that there are colleges who will buy a local am wavelength for the day so travelling fans can hear pre, game and post while tailgating on the road down here in the southern states.

Actually, in-stadium broadcasting may be the next big "revenue stream" for college athletic departments. There's a company out there that sells the hardware for this kind of service that allows you to broadcast in the stadium but you can only pick up the game on the receivers that go along with the transmitter.

Schools can either sell the receivers or give them to donors as part of a season ticket package. Plus, they can sell ads that air only on the in-house feed or fill the break time with anything they want.

Michigan does this, advertising it as the live feed, both home and away. The "Earadio" also picks up FM. I think they were selling them for $20, but one of the two Michigan Network stations in the Detroit area is live, no 7-second delay. That's CKLW (800), which, being Canadian, doesn't have to worry about FCC rules. So anyone smart brings a regular AM radio and listens on the 50,000-watt blowtorch.