Farewell to The FAN

[dgwphotography]

Zvon wrote: John Cougar Lunchbucket wrote: To me this is another signal of the steady deterioration of the franchise under the Wilpons that has also manifested itself in stuff like carelessly neglecting to build CitiField with any regard for personality; becoming the least desirable team in baseball for a minor-league city to align with; the team whose illegally earned money was wasted on making a show of competitiveness rather than invested in the effort competitiveness actually required etc etc etc down the line. I hate them. You are far from alone on that.

yup ©

[G-Fafif]

This sort of thing can't help but be taken personally. If you live in 'x' and the signal of WT(o)B(e)A(nnounced) doesn't come in, then it's a kick in to the Mets fan solar plexus.

On a grander scale, I'd say it sucks from a branding standpoint, though it's no like the Mets were really benefiting from association by being on the FAN. When the Mets were great (which was just before WFAN came along, actually -- maybe the curse will be lifted!), they were a great radio property. The rest of the time, they're there for us. It's just easier when they're where we can grab them with the least hassle and the clearest signal.

Per Zvon's question, Mets over-the-air TV moved to Channel 11 in 1999. Mets made the playoffs that season and the next. I still instinctively think they're on Channel 9, but in the long run, it only impeded my enjoyment nostalgically. (And at least once a year, I tune to 1050 thinking the game will be on there.)

[ashie62]

Edgy MD wrote: i just like the notion of Lonn F. Trost saying "I am close with some entity."

Close Encounters of the creepy kind....

I will not miss WFAN...

[G-Fafif]

BTW, for all the 'FAN-bashing -- much of it deserved -- you may soon find yourself finding the Mets on WOR, which will be the New York home of Rush Limbaugh come 2014, or WEPN, where Michael Kay holds sway.

Suddenly crappy WFAN sounds pretty good.

[Frayed Knot]

That they are leaving WFAN isn't, by itself, a sign of doom or really much of anything except that the radio market is fluid and that this change is coming after only 26 years or so on the same outlet is more a sign of stability than not. When FAN was the first and only all-sports station in the country there was a certain prestige to having the Mets linked to them but that's not as much the case anymore. 'The FAN' is more like a 310 lb gorilla in the room, slimmed down from its former 800.

But there are a couple of conditions on that.
- Yes, as mentioned already above, it's like the wandering AAA affiliate in that it's another indicator that companies prefer NOT to cast their lot with the Mets if a decent alternative is available. Part of that is just symbolism but symbolism, to an extent at least, does count for something.

- I think it IS really important to wind up with another strong-signal AM partner. The days are gone when radio stations in smaller cities, like say Albany, Poughkeepsie, or in various NJ & Conn towns towns, were happy to fill out their programming day with whatever was available from big city stations. There used to be a dozen or more outlets listed in the NYM Yearbooks where you could catch the games across the northeast but that was before nationally syndicated radio programs and cable TV and NetFlix and whatever were available in all corners of the country. Now the one station has got to reach as many folks as possible and FM doesn't provide that.


The logical choice is ESPN's outlet. I never had a problem getting the signal but I know others have although they've supposedly fixed that from their early days. That that means Michael Kay as the lead-in isn't any different to me than having Francesa or anyone else for that matter (some of the NYM fans on that station bug me at least as much as those two). What does worry me about that choice is that ,.. well, that it's ESPN. When they go with local hosts during daytime hours it should be no big deal. But it's the nights and weekends when they tend to get their programming from 'The Mother Ship'* where I'm afraid that they'll tend to revert to a host and a attitude that reflects ESPN's overall philosophy which is along the lines of; 'well now that we've got that baseball shit we're contractually required to carry out of the way we can go back to talking college football in July'. IOW, it's not the actual game telecast or even pre & post game shows that'll change much if at all, but in that time slot after all that is over when you're still interested (assuming you even were) in hearing and talking about the ballgame or about baseball in general where the fan (as opposed to 'The FAN') may lose out.



* former ESPN'er Dan Patrick's somewhat biting moniker for ESPN's corporate headquarters

Edited September 10, 2013 by Guest

[Zvon]

G-Fafif wrote: Per Zvon's question, Mets over-the-air TV moved to Channel 11 in 1999. Mets made the playoffs that season and the next. I still instinctively think they're on Channel 9, but in the long run, it only impeded my enjoyment nostalgically. (And at least once a year, I tune to 1050 thinking the game will be on there.)

1999. I thought it was more recent than that. Those were a few good Met years they had coming in. Its funny, the things that can irk a fan.

[Edgy MD]

To me, WMCA-570 was the station I first tuned them in on and the frequency whose association with the team I therefore most cherish.

[Zvon]

Edgy MD wrote: To me, WMCA-570 was the station I first tuned them in on and the frequency whose association with the team I therefore most cherish.

What year was that?

[Edgy MD]

From 1978 to 1983, most of the Torre and Bamberger eras. It surprises me how few remember they were ever there. I almost got drummed off the MOFo in my first year there referencing WMCA and getting tagged as a confused Yankee fan.

[Zvon]

Edgy MD wrote: From 1978 to 1983, most of the Torre and Bamberger eras. It surprises me how few remember they were ever there. I almost got drummed off the MOFo in my first year there referencing WMCA and getting tagged as a confused Yankee fan.

Tuff years. How on earth did you stay a Met fan? I was lucky that I came aboard on the wave that was 1969 that reverberated thru 73 and I was in for life. It must have been nice though, to go through those years leading up to the mid 80's dominance.

[Edgy MD]

Those were the best years of my life.

[Guest LeiterWagnerFasterStrongr]

Somers might have some real fun with this, in terms of tweaking.

Outside of that, though... unmitigated-- if perhaps eventually minor-- disaster in terms of brand/goodwill erosion.

[Frayed Knot]

LeiterWagnerFasterStrongr wrote: Somers might have some real fun with this, in terms of tweaking.

I really don't want to see Somers twerking.

Oh wait, you wrote ... oh never mind.

[Guest Mets � Willets Point]

Zvon wrote: This sucks. I hate change. I'm still reeling over the TV move. What year was that, when we went from WOR to WPIX? To me, this was blasphemy. Thats was the Skanks channel my whole life!

You won't even admit to yourself that they changed the call letters to WWOR sometime in the 80s.

[Zvon]

Mets � Willets Point wrote: Zvon wrote: This sucks. I hate change. I'm still reeling over the TV move. What year was that, when we went from WOR to WPIX? To me, this was blasphemy. Thats was the Skanks channel my whole life! You won't even admit to yourself that they changed the call letters to WWOR sometime in the 80s.

Is that the wrong 9 logo for the time (1969)? I do want to get that stuff right.

[Theoldmole]

Channel 9 had the Brooklyn Dodgers too.

[Benjamin Grimm]

And Romper Room!

[Zvon]

Saw my first cardboard car watching Romper Room. Or were they horses? I made me one that same day and drove my folks crazy. I also used to think Captain Kangeroo could see me when I was watching him on TV. Id always make sure I was properly dressed.

Edited September 10, 2013 by Guest

[metsmarathon]

the one thing i'll miss most is always knowing how close and how serious the thunderstorms are. you can't get that kind of info on the FM dial.

[G-Fafif]

Edgy MD wrote: From 1978 to 1983, most of the Torre and Bamberger eras. It surprises me how few remember they were ever there. I almost got drummed off the MOFo in my first year there referencing WMCA and getting tagged as a confused Yankee fan.

Mets moved back to WHN in 1983, having been there from '64 to '66 and again from '72 to '74, so 'MCA era was '78-'82. Prior to that, 'MCA had the MFYs; they moved to WINS in 1978 en route to WABC (original home of the Mets, '62-'63) in 1981, where they stayed through 2001.

Mets were on 'NEW from '75 to '77 -- with allowances for midweek day games on WRVR-FM in 1975 and WNYC-AM in 1976. And of course WHN became WFAN in 1987, WFAN moved to WNBC's frequency in 1988 and that's been that, save for a few spillover/conflict games on WEVD (pre-ESPN Radio) and later WBBR.

In 2014, WFAN can rot in hell.

[G-Fafif]

Also, WCBS can return to the Fafif household's good graces after a dozen-year absence.

[batmagadanleadoff]

John Cougar Lunchbucket wrote: To me this is another signal of the steady deterioration of the franchise under the Wilpons that has also manifested itself in stuff like carelessly neglecting to build CitiField with any regard for personality; becoming the least desirable team in baseball for a minor-league city to align with; the team whose illegally earned money was wasted on making a show of competitiveness rather than invested in the effort competitiveness actually required etc etc etc down the line. I hate them.

Tonight, a Faith and Fear reader referred to Jeff Wilpon as "Fredo" in the comments section.



2X9E9n6GHC8

[MFS62]

HahnSolo wrote: There was something nice about being a few hundred miles outside NY and still being able to pick up the Mets in the car that I will miss. Little Solo will be unhappy as well...he often listens to games on a radio after lights-out, and FAN is the easiest station to pick up. (I live 50 miles north of the city, FYI, and reception on 98.7 FM is touch and go).

I live about 55 miles North East of New York.
I only listen to either of them when commuting in my car.
When I'm near home, WFAN-FM is sometimes overpowered by some teen pop station on Cape Cod. (Didn't realize FM signals can "skip", too.)
ESPN-FM sometimes fades out.

I hope they stay on a clear channel AM station.

Later

[Ceetar]

Frayed Knot wrote: IOW, it's not the actual game telecast or even pre & post game shows that'll change much if at all, but in that time slot after all that is over when you're still interested (assuming you even were) in hearing and talking about the ballgame or about baseball in general where the fan (as opposed to 'The FAN') may lose out.

well, that's the only thing that actually concerns me here, that there will be some..oversight as to the pre and post agendas. Or that ESPN or someone will decide a corporate crony should interview the players afterwards, or Zeus forbid, decide they don't like Howie Rose and Josh Lewin.

[Guest d'Kong76]

Just one annoying thing after another with this fucking lot.
I don't get NYC FM well here, just past some magical line so no
radio for me if they go FM only.

Jeez, I've listed to games on 660 in like seven states. Guess
we don't matter.

[Guest d'Kong76]

What they could do is make some kind of SNY AM radio
station adding to thier web, mobile, television, etc.

I'm not a visionary type ... doubt the Thrillpons are either.

[Guest d'Kong76]

WSNY AM doesn't seem to be in use .. there is an FM station
in Ohio using it right now.

[Lefty Specialist]

MFS62 wrote: When I'm near home, WFAN-FM is sometimes overpowered by some teen pop station on Cape Cod.

Do you twerk in your car when that happens?

[Edgy MD]

Ceetar wrote: Frayed Knot wrote: IOW, it's not the actual game telecast or even pre & post game shows that'll change much if at all, but in that time slot after all that is over when you're still interested (assuming you even were) in hearing and talking about the ballgame or about baseball in general where the fan (as opposed to 'The FAN') may lose out. well, that's the only thing that actually concerns me here, that there will be some..oversight as to the pre and post agendas. Or that ESPN or someone will decide a corporate crony should interview the players afterwards, or Zeus forbid, decide they don't like Howie Rose and Josh Lewin.

Zeus is a freaking anti-Semite.

[Zvon]

G-Fafif wrote: Edgy MD wrote: From 1978 to 1983, most of the Torre and Bamberger eras. It surprises me how few remember they were ever there. I almost got drummed off the MOFo in my first year there referencing WMCA and getting tagged as a confused Yankee fan. Mets moved back to WHN in 1983, having been there from '64 to '66 and again from '72 to '74, so 'MCA era was '78-'82. Prior to that, 'MCA had the MFYs; they moved to WINS in 1978 en route to WABC (original home of the Mets, '62-'63) in 1981, where they stayed through 2001. Mets were on 'NEW from '75 to '77 -- with allowances for midweek day games on WRVR-FM in 1975 and WNYC-AM in 1976. And of course WHN became WFAN in 1987, WFAN moved to WNBC's frequency in 1988 and that's been that, save for a few spillover/conflict games on WEVD (pre-ESPN Radio) and later WBBR. In 2014, WFAN can rot in hell.

That's interesting. I recall WHN and the Fan but that's about it.