Time for the Nats to change channels

It would be nice to talk Hot Stove baseball with the bright and talented Byron Kerr who did such a great job of handling the pre and post broadcasts during the season on 1500AM. The problem is that the management at WFED is not interested in doing an off season show. They like doing the games but fall short serving the fans of the area in the all important off season.

Back when the Nationals moved to the area WJFK-FM 106.7 had the best deal on the table but pervious management made what they thought was a shrewd deal – putting the games on 104.1. It was bonehead deal making sure that no one in Washington could hear the games and, in the process selling more XM radio’s then any other market in the country. The team then moved to 1500AM with its great signal but the lack of a consistent format hurt the Nationals.

Bonneville the local radio powerhouse promoted the team on the ratings leader WTOP-FM but fans did not flock to 1500AM. There was a great signal but no consistent station promotion and more importantly no programs that could showcase the Nationals.

What we have learned over the years is that a baseball team really needs a partner that can promote them. Airing the games game’s is simply not enough! A station really has to be willing to become a promotion machine for the team with shows that showcase the team, their players and the management year around. As good a radio company as Bonneville is – and they are good – they simply do not serve the Nationals and their fans.

The Pirates have moved from KDKA, the Tigers from WJR, the O’s from WBAL and a number of other teams have left stations they have been with for years because they no longer fit the demographics of their fans base.

It is time for the Nationals to move to WJFK-FM 106.7 and make them their flagship station. The CBS radio outlet could serve the team with plenty of promotion on all of their shows during the day. Players and management could appear on the programs and the marketing of the team could be front and center. The station has been good for the University of Maryland as well as Virginia sports. It certainly would be an upgrade from WFED.

WJFK-FM can make a great partner for the Nats. They have the demographics – men 12 to 34 – which is just the audience the team is looking for in a Flagship station.

Meanwhile WJFK-FM could use the Nationals to really re-establish the station as a ratings machine like it was in the glory days of Howard Stern and Don and Mike. They could do a combo mix that had strong male oriented programming with heavy sports talk featuring the Nationals.

They did that with the Orioles in Baltimore with their sister station WHFS. Now it is WJZ-FM and is known as the Fan 105.7FM all sports and is the perfect fit for the O’s and their fans.

The Nats and their fans need a radio partner that will pay attention to baseball seven days a week, 365 days a year and I think that station could well be WJFK-FM. So let’s see what happens over the next year as the radio deal becomes a big move for the team.

Charlie Slowes and Dave Jagler are becoming one of baseball best radio teams and the duo could really be helped by a strong partner like WJFK-FM. If the station took advantage of the using the team like their Baltimore outlet did with the Orioles.

I know the guys at WJFK can be creative lets see how bad you want the Nationals?

So where is the best place to get Nationals news and to call in and make your voice heard?

Allow me to recommend The Tom Davis Show seen Saturday’s on MASN from 11am till 1pm. The show is the best local baseball program in the country with Davis being joined by former O’s pitcher Dave Johnson and the Examiner/MASN baseball guru Phil Wood.

Davis welcomes Nats fans and while he is known for his Orioles knowledge he can talk Washington baseball plus there is our own Mr. Wood who can talk baseball with the best of them.

Also every Friday night at 7pm (plus replays) MASN has the Hot Stove Show with Jim Hunter, Roch Kubatko, and Phil Wood. It is another place to follow Nationals news and to call in and comment on the team.