Mile High Sports Radio has officially, unofficially announced that they will be re-launching on 1340 AM on Monday July 27th. It will have been 10.5 weeks since they were last on the radio dial. To get their hosts back in the swing of things and to get people to reconnect with the station, Mile High Sports has been doing 1-hour streaming on their website and phone app at 10 am and 2 pm. We have got to see some changes in the line-up as the station has let their on-air talent take time at the mike since last Monday. There is no official word of what exactly is going on, but this is what I believe listeners should expect:
7-9 AM: Morning Mayhem with Danny Williams and Cello Romano
9-11 AM: BSN Show with Josh Dover and Adam Kinney
11 AM-1 PM: Whiteley on Sports
1-2 PM: Irv and Joe
2-4 PM: The Big Show with Benny Bash, Benjamin Allbright and Kent Erickson
4-6 PM: Afternoon Drive with Eric Goodman and Zach Fogg w/ talented producer Dan Fellman
6-7 PM: Tom Helmer and Renaud Notaro
7-8 PM: CU on Sports with Don Brenner (maybe???)
Unknown but Yahoo syndication otherwise
The line-up is actually very strong with Allbright joining the Big Show and Helmer joining long-time Denver sports junkie Renaud Notaro. I am a huge CU fan, but I would rather Notaro and Helmer get two hours and am rooting for that to happen. The station does lose the talents of Joe Morgan and I am unsure if his spot will be filled but he is another talent that leaves Mile High Sports and gives a different take that I enjoyed during his short late night stint with Allbright.
I have listened to 1340 AM and done some research on it. It was launched by Fred Meyer (yes, that King Soopers/Kroger/Fred Meyer grocery guy) in 1940 and is one of Colorado's oldest signals and is strong across the Front Range with the signal not having issues depending on location. The coverage is solid, but AM radio is antiquated and after listening to satellite radio and the strong FM signals the other sports stations use in town, 105.5 and 104.3, Mile High Sports is going to be fighting just another battle to bring listeners back. They do have visions of a FM signal but they had to ensure they could even get on-air.
So how come it has taken so long to get back on-air? Well, after the sale of 94.1 FM/1550 AM was streamlined and pushed to May 21st, Mile High Sports Radio was forced to go off-air but with the belief they would be on-air by June 1st. Things stalled completion of a deal and ramblings could be found online from some believing the station was going to acquire and replace 104.3 FM The Fan to the station was gone altogether. There was a lot going on from FCC approval to completion of a traded FM radio signal in Fort Collins to 1340 AM's Colorado Public Radio. Either way, whatever was going on behind closed doors, not necessarily MHSR alone but all parties involved, trying to work out the deal and from the FCC it was a mess that really hurt the guys lower on the totem pole, the on-air guys and the listeners. I am sure it hurt the financials of Mile High Sports Radio for the time they were off-air and unable to collect the rent money from the hosts that fill the airwaves and having to work deals with sponsors and other businesses until the could get on-air. Ultimately, MHSR can operate as long as they have people willing to pay to be on-air and sponsors supporting it. It is a formula that allows a smaller company without deep pocket books behind it (ESPN behind 1550 AM and most likely Kroenke soon behind 104.3 The Fan) to operate and still make enough money to keep the business going. The model is quite interesting and allows guys to get their foot in the door/cut their chops and get real on-air radio time instead of some stupid podcast someone does from their basement. (Note: Podcasts are something that has no credibility since you can cuss and act like a jacks ass and have no real material and yes that was a pot shot at certain Denver Sports Podcasts). The problem is even the most talented guys that are on-air at Mile High Sports Radio don't have all day to do show prep and are often spending their time trying to get (or keep, like the last two months have caused) advertisers/sponsors of their show and not being able to prep enough for their show. The good thing is a guy that sells the crap out of their show/brand can make more than a guy that is on-air at one of the bigger stations since they can keep the money their advertisers spill into the show. So, keep in mind when you listen to guys like Scott Hastings and Big Al making $300,000 a year and presenting no facts and incorrect information and just winging it, he doesn't have to sell anything and has all day to prepare for his show. The guys at Mile High Sports have limited show prep, are selling their brand all day and most of them are better than at least 60% of what you are getting on the other stations.
Ultimately, Mile High Sports Radio still operates and can come back on-air because sponsors and on-air talent are not just good salesmen, but good at talking sports, getting listeners involved and not toeing the company line. Denver Sports Radio and TV are constantly having to watch what it says about the local teams because they don't want press credentials removed, but I often find the best criticism comes from Mile High Sports Radio because they aren't in bed with the teams. Heck, MHSR President openly criticizes all teams in town and most of the shows follow suit. It's refreshing to not have to hear a scripted show and let things roll with the day and whatever is going on. Mile High Sports Radio is not just sports but entertainment driven.
105.5 FM ESPN is corporate crap and Lou from Littleton sold the local sports radio vision brilliantly until he sold out and then cut his staff to bare bones minimum. The funny thing is they have some of the most talented guys in the business with NFL fantasy/talent evaluation guru Cecil Lammey and the guy that belongs national like his old co-host Joel Klatt is in Nate Kreckman. Drew Spevak, Raj Sharan and others along with the two aforementioned hosts are the only reason I tune into 105.5 FM.
On the other side, the old 104.3 FM The Fan has stuck behind old blowhards in Mike Evans, Sandy Clough, Scott Hasting and Big Al. The problem is Evans should only be an update guy and sidekick to Clough on a 9-12 show instead of being one of the focal points like he is on their morning show. For whatever reason, Nate Lundy remains in studio and takes quality air time away from others from Vic Lombardi or others he could put in it's place. I see Oren Lomena, Brandon Krisztal, some guys at MHSR as better options. Scott Hastings and Big Al are former athletes that rest solely on that. They have gone downhill not just in age but in the quality of the show they are part of. The only reason I will ever turn on The Fan on my drive home is to hear Chad Brown when he has his spots or is filling in. Former Alien actor of Mac and Me star, D-Mac is as bad. I haven't even turned on after 6 PM to see if they still think it is a good idea to replay 2 hours of that shitty 3 hour show. Let me clarify, I try to catch The Fan Late Night after 8 pm with Shawn Drotar, Ryan Edwards and James Gomez what I can. But I am married with a kid so I only get so much time to listen to their show. These guys have started from the bottom and worked their way up. They could definitely fill that Dan Patrick time from 9 AM-Noon.
Denver Sports Radio has became lazy and that's why I and others went to Mile High Sports when it came on-air. Corporate radio is a wheel that spins and doesn't care what it produces too often, not always, while the guys at Mile High Sports have visions of turning their on-air time into something bigger whether that is more financial backing or a shot at a bigger show that more people listen to just because where it is at on the dial. Unfortunately, Mile High Sports Radio has a lot of making up to do to make up for just leaving us waiting for word of what is going on. In fact, as I have complained about numerous times, their radio page still has the same message from that May 21st date. That is the number one problem that I have heard, they have kept us in the dark. So, I write this blog to provide my opinion and to keep people enlightened of what is going on out there and there are options besides what you get from The Fan). Either way, I look forward to the re-launch. It comes just in time for Broncos training camp and I urge you to give Mile High Sports Radio another chance when they come back. In fact, both 104.3 and 105.5 dropped the ball by not ridding themselves of tape delayed national syndicated shows and filling the 3 hours there was no local sports radio on-air these past 10 weeks. I am hoping this gives one of the most talented young sports guys in Denver his full break and people tune into BSN Show with Joshua Dover. He has made shows become great by being a phenomenal producer but has shown great talent as a host as well. Give him and Mile High Sports Radio your ears starting next Monday, July 27th!
Preview: The group of Under 40 talent in Denver Sports Radio is huge and my next Radio related article will most likely center around that. Here is a quick preview:
1. Nate Kreckman (He's on Top)
Others to be ranked: Benjamin Allbright, Danny Williams, Joshua Dover, Cecil Lammey, Benny Bash, Zach Fogg, Cello Romano, Dan Fellman, Adam Kinney, Drew Spevak, Raj Sharan, etc.
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