Major League Baseball’s Oakland As franchise was seeking to solve its radio broadcast problems once and for all – by buying its own 50 kW AM station. But according to reports, a possible deal is hung up and broadcast of opening pitches of the 2011 season draw near are in doubt.
The station is KTRB, which blasts its 50,000 Watts of power in and around the Bay area on 860 kHz. The signal uses a single tower during the day, but goes directional at night, limiting its range to the east. However, it still covers most of what counts in the area, with its primary signal reaching Santa Rosa to the North and San Jose to the south.
The As have been seeking to buy the team from Comerica Bank, which received it in a bankruptcy court decision made in September 2010. The former owner was Pappas Radio of California.
Susan L. Uecker was appointed receiver. According to local reports, she is currently holding out for a higher price for the station than the team is willing to pay.
Broadcasts of the games – the As season starts Friday 4/1/11 – may be pulled from the stadium as a bargaining chip, according to the local reports.
According to an Oakland As blog, games played in a locally-popular exhibition series against the San Francisco Giants will be heard on CBS’s KFRC-AM 1550. That station may wind up being the choice for the entire season if there is no progress with KTRB.
