Rockets Broadcasts Moving to KILT

That gives KILT the Rockets, Comets AND Texans. Ouch for KTRH.

<i>Comets, Rockets moving leftward on radio dial with KILT deal
By DAVID BARRON
Copyright 2002 Houston Chronicle

The Rockets and Infinity Broadcasting Houston agreed Friday on a two-year contract that will move Rockets and Comets games to KILT (610 AM), beginning with the Comets' first preseason game Monday.

"We're going to work together to promote the stations and promote the teams, and we're excited about this agreement," said Rockets president George Postolos. "KILT is where sports fans go in this market, and we think it is the natural place to be for the Rockets and Comets."

Neither party would offer details, but KILT general manager Laura Morris said the deal was "consistent with the business model that the Rockets have employed for the last 16 years."

"What was important for both of us was forming a partnership and working with a partner who understood the marketing power of sports and radio and our listeners," Morris said. "I get it, and the Infinity team gets it, and I think that impressed George.

"We'll be putting together pre-game and postgame shows, working on features and coaches shows and trying to develop other things that make sense for us."

In the final year of their agreement with Clear Channel's KPRC (950 AM), the Rockets received a rights fee in the mid-six figures plus control of all advertising inventory during Rockets games and one-half of the ad inventory for Comets games, according to an industry source.

The Rockets' deal with KPRC, which Clear Channel inherited when it purchased the station, expired after the 2001-2002 season. As they have in past negotiations, the Rockets flirted with the deadline to reach a new deal and ensure that all of the team's games -- in this case, the Comets' exhibition opener in Detroit on Monday -- get on the air.

Postolos said WNBA commissioner Val Ackerman was eager to ensure a radio deal would be done in time.

"We want our Comets fans to be able to hear the games, and we were impressed with KILT's ability to move quickly on this," he said.

Postolos also was negotiating with Ken Charles, director of AM programming for Clear Channel, on a deal that would have moved the Rockets from KPRC to KTRH (740 AM).

Charles said the Rockets' defection "will have no impact whatsoever" on whether Clear Channel will convert Clear Channel's KBME (790 AM) to all-sports programming.

Morris, meanwhile, said KILT will shuffle programming to air the Comets, who play exhibition games Monday and Wednesday night. KILT also broadcasts Aeros games, meaning it will have to move the hockey team's playoff game Wednesday at Chicago to another of Infinity's AM or FM stations.</i>

 

Clear Channel has considered changing KBME to all sports since they bought it last year. Most believe that they would end up with CBS Sports radio or something of that nature.

I have to believe that the thrust by KILT to really beef up its lineup to include not only the Texans and Rockets but Dan Patrick and ESPN feeds to go along with a lineup that already has Jim Rome was to make Clear Channel think twice about going sports. After all, they'd have the Astros and they could get some sports feeds, but without decent local sports, it's an uphill battle. They could try guy talk but every ounce of research and even on-air testing at KILT proved that the format just doesn't work in Houston, thank GOD!

Of course, this all started with KILT raiding KTRH's sports stable grabbing Rich and Charlie for the afternoons and David Dalati for news. Even guys like producer Chris Jones was in that move. Then, they landed the Texans and exclusive rights to the Longhorns. They had Rome all along and have now added Dan Patrick giving them the two most popular sports radio personalities in the country.

Laura Morris is the former head of KTRH and she is TOUGH as nails. I have a friend who worked for her and he said that she can sometimes be tough to get along with but she knows how to make a radio station successful. She's proving she's worth the money KILT is paying her.

 

I was trying to be polite but you are absolutely correct. She is COLD and TOUGH, however, wherever she goes, the ratings go up and that is the name of the ballgame in that busines, which is why I avoid it like the plague!