After being away for five seasons, the St. Louis Cardinals have announced that they will return to their home of 51 years, KMOX. In 2006, the Cardinals made the move to KTRS and bought half of the radio station. While the move made money for the Cardinals, the move was unpopular among fans across the Midwest who were used to listening to KMOX which has a strong 50,000 watt signal. KTRS’ signal strength has been a major issue.
This year, the Cardinals put their rights up for bid and KTRS, KMOX and FM station WXOS all expressed interest. Today, the Cards decided to return to KMOX and the move has already made fans quite happy.
Dan Caesar of the St. Louis Post-Dispatch writes that the Cardinals decided to listen to their fans and return to KMOX.
Matthew Leach from MLB.com says the team will be on KMOX for five seasons starting in 2011.
KMOX can be heard in 38 states and into Canada and has one of the largest radio networks in baseball.
We have the joint press release from the Cardinals and KMOX.
KMOX ANNOUNCES RADIO PARTNERSHIP WITH THE ST. LOUIS CARDINALSKMOX Secures Local Flagship Radio Rights for Cardinals Broadcasts Starting in 2011The St. Louis Cardinals and CBS RADIO’s KMOX announced today that they have reached a multi-year rights agreement in principle for KMOX to become the flagship station for Cardinals Radio Broadcasts, starting with the 2011 baseball season. The team returns to longtime partner KMOX and its booming 50,000-watt signal, which at night reaches more than 40 states and parts of Canada.
Under the terms of the agreement, the Cardinals will continue to produce the game broadcasts and veteran announcers Mike Shannon and John Rooney will continue to handle the play-by-play coverage. The Cardinals will also continue selling the advertising during the broadcast as part of the agreement. KMOX will carry all 162 regular-season games, approximately 18 spring training games, all post-season broadcasts and a variety of other Cardinals-related programming throughout the year. Listeners can also hear the games on FM through HD Radio receivers in the St. Louis area on CBS RADIO’s KEZK-HD3.
“We are very pleased that starting in 2011, Cardinals baseball will be back on KMOX, which was home to Cardinals baseball for 52 years,” said Bill DeWitt Jr., Chairman and General Partner of the St. Louis Cardinals, “KMOX is a market leader, with a rich tradition of covering the Cardinals and the ability to reach the largest number of fans in the St. Louis region and beyond.”
Cardinals President Bill DeWitt III added, “KTRS has been a great partner and we are grateful for everything they have done over the last five years. While we explored our options, the case for going back to KMOX was very compelling,” DeWitt III said.
“The Cardinals are among the best organizations in all of sports and we are thrilled to be able to partner again and bring the Cardinals home to KMOX for fans everywhere to hear,” said John Sheehan, Senior Vice President-Market Manager, CBS RADIO St. Louis, “While the radio business has evolved, there is something special and enduring about the tradition of Cardinals baseball on KMOX – that relationship is important to the fans. As America’s Sports Voice, KMOX remains committed to expanding the fan base of St. Louis’ sports franchises.”
The vast majority of the Cardinals Radio Network will also stay the same under the new arrangement. The network consists of 117 stations in nine states (Arkansas, Illinois, Indiana, Iowa, Oklahoma, Kentucky, Missouri, Mississippi and Tennessee) and has the potential to reach 21.3 million people in 11 states.
The Cardinals are expected to sell their stake in KTRS.
