A couple of times this year I was out and about for away matches. It would have been great to have them on Radio. Next yeat this will be fantatic. I may even go the route of watching the away match on TV but listen to it on the radio. My only fear is that with the DVR, the timing will be a little off. We will see. This team is doing so many things right. Will this be on 610 AM and 94.1 FM? Do they always have the same broadcast or do they sometimes split it. I also saw that it is only 17 matches. I hope those are the away ones and not the home ones.
Oustanding. According to the Don, Philly has some of the highest TV ratings for local games in the league, so this makes some sense.
It'll only be half of the matches next season, which will hopefully increase after 2012. Definitely a great media-centric announcement in a long line of them coming from the team and league ... MLS on NBC, Union off LiveWell and onto Comcast SportsNet, now the Union on WIP. The sport is being broadcast to the masses. It only mentions 610 as carrying the broadcasts, and clearly states it would be home and away games.
Funny since I mentioned in another thread that Barkann actually was discussing the Union today, and they even let a caller through to talk about them!
#1 I didn't want Philadelphia 2010 to be named the Athletics, the Fury Atoms or any other lame 'old school' names that were on a lot of peoples wish list (check) #2 I wanted the Union to sign Carlos Ruiz (check) and or Freddy Adu (check) #3 I was hoping that the Union got a radio deal (check) #4 I.... But seriously I am glad to hear that the Union now have a radio home, IMHO next to baseball I don't think any other spor translates as well to radio as soccer. I can't wait to hear a game or two or three or more on the radio. Good job Union. I would have preferred the station to have been the Fanatic, but radio is radio, I can't complain.
Big surprise for me. The way 610 has belittled soccer over the years made me go to 97.5 as soon as they started. They had pregame shows for world cup games, while WIP wouldn't even talk about Landons last second goal. Glad its on the radio, but wish it was a station other than WIP, they don't deserve us.
Re: Philadelphia Union in the Media Anyone else notice the snippet in yesterday's Inky stating that next season WIP-AM will broadcast a one-hour soccer show? Yes, THAT WIP, erstwhile soccer-bashers. With our luck, the moderator will be Glenn Macnow and not Marc Narducci or John Smallwood. Hey, maybe I should just be enjoying the great news. Also, WIP will air 17 games next season.
Re: Philadelphia Union in the Media Macnow and Gargano had Union VP Dave Rowan on for a nice little segment the other day: http://philadelphia.cbslocal.com/?p...acnow&station_id=60&tag=pages&dcid=CBS.PHILLY
Re: Philadelphia Union in the Media Mac must have been grinding his teeth the whole time. "I hardaly endorse this product"
Dave Rowan's interview on WIP last Friday afternoon left me with a luke-warm feeling. I know it'll take time to have the team/sport fully embraced, but they make a big deal out of the announcement, and as soon as the 10-15 minutes are up it's back to their "regular" programming ... what-if's on the Phillies season, whether to re-sign Rollins or sign Reyes, etc.
At least at first I'm guessing the only time you will hear about the U is during the union show and during the games. Thats it.
How well the Union do in the playoffs could have a huge impact as well. If they make it to the semis WIP will have no choice but to spend sometime discussing it. Also, I kinda like the idea of WIP Mgmt telling these reluctant hosts they have to talk about it. The ratings must be really great for them to be pushing it now.
I was OK with the interview, felt like Rowan came off a little apologetic about representing "soccer" and "the MLS", but whatever, not a big deal. Then came the Carlos Ruiz question, which was flat out embarassing and just showed that nobody there gives two craps, including Gargano. I always felt like he was kind of a fake anyway with his "yeah, that's cool" schtick. That just proved it to me. Ruiz didn't leave last week, he left THREE MONTHS ago. Can't you do three seconds of interview prep, Cuz? Really? Say what you want about Macnow (and I've said a ton), but he lets you know upfront where he stands. It's annoying and frustrating but at least it's honest.
The best was that he asked about Ruiz and about Adu. Uhhh... one implies the other if you have even a passing familiarity with the team, I would think. If Ruiz, then NOT Adu. If Adu, then NOT Ruiz. When Freddy Adu was signed, I remember that actually getting a little talk on WIP, but I guess nobody put the pieces together that he was taking the place and money created by Ruiz' departure. Whatever. It's a start.
Yeah, that was where I got the lukewarm feeling from ... AND he made sure to talk about his time with the Phillies, Eagles, and Jaguars (or whomever), almost to give him "sports cred". He even said a couple times that he isn't/wasn't a "soccer guy".