a post by “Craig” on the NYC Radio Messageboard:
>>I suppose CBS had TWO reasons to bid high to keep the Yankees:
The principal reason is because the Yankees really contribute to WCBS’s revenues. A couple of years ago, WCBS had the highest revenue of any radio station in NYC. It’s always one of the top earners. Yankee fans get recycled into the station’s All-News format.
>>But the second reason is to stop 98.7 WEPN from getting the Yankees. If the Yankees stay on WCBS and the Mets stay on WFAN, it keeps WEPN from getting an MLB franchise. And when it comes to successful Sports stations, nearly all of them have an MLB franchise.
>>I’m surprised the Yankees didn’t ask for an AM-FM simulcast, using WCBS-FM. CBS gives AM-FM simulcasts to the Phillies and the Tigers. I wonder if WEPN ending its own 1050-98.7 simulcast hurt them in the competition? We know there are plenty of Yankee fans who live beyond a 45 mile radius of the Empire State Building. They can’t get a good signal from 98.7 but have no problem getting 50,000 watt 880.