FOOTBALL Is Another Wave of Realignment Brewing?

[MidTennMtneer]

There isn't a radio station that is better than WMOT.

In light of this, I find it inconceivable that the administration could be so incompetent as to unknowingly hire a marketing firm that has to replace WMOT with far lesser stations.

This is corruption. Subversion. Sabotage.

While I see where you are coming from, I just don't think it is that simple.

Learfield is the college marketing firm. Period. Want to be part of the Bowl Season program? That program is owned by Learfield in partnership with ESPN. Huge social media presence that gives us great exposure.

Want to be part of the Varsity app? The largest college sports broadcast app? Have your own school app too? Learfield owns them. We need to be even with our peers on these things. Not a good look if every CUSA school except us is found on it.

A sacrifice had to be made. The benefits Learfield provides; radio broadcasts, apps, NIL, sponsorship, licensing, ticket management, etc, were deemed greater than not having just in order to keep games on WMOT.

There is a chance games could be heard on there if the WGNS contract runs out. But the fact is fewer people are listening to radio. Shoot, I only use SXM. And if I'm listening to Chip if our feed isn't on there, I'm using the Varsity app and Bluetooth in my truck. And I know I'm not the only one. This absolutely was a get on board or be left behind even further choice.

 

[JohnDavidBlue]

The WMOT thing is strange to me. I don't think terrestrial radio is the wave of the future though. Get the broadcasts on a one button push or an alexa smart device. "Alexa, play MTSU football..." etc.

I don't want to go through multiple links to get things to play. go to this link, keep that open. blah blah.....

 

[Raiderclyde]

Learfield I'm betting. WMOT isn't a contract station.

Granted that is on the owners of the station, MT itself, but it wouldn't surprise me if there are some contract things there preventing the station from becoming a Learfield affiliate. And they are literally the only college firm and handle more than just the radio broadcasts.

One other possibility about WMOT and sports affiliations is the fact the station is a non-commercial public radio station which would hinder placement of paid advertising that Learfield or another media company would arrange as a part of their customary media agreements. There are FCC regulations that govern what is a donor/underwriting announcement vs a full-fledged commercial. Nevertheless, I do feel that WMOT should be a part of the Blue Raider Network affiliates. The problem with our local media is WGNS is not a Class A or B station which severly limits over the air range at night. They had to go to FM transmission of their signal (100.5) to reach Smyrna at night and 101.9 to reach the edges of Murfreesboro now that the city corporate limits encompass 63 square miles (slightly larger than Washington DC in land area!). Where I'm located in "suburban" Murfreesboro, I need my GE Super Radio to hear WGNS on AM 1450 crystal clear at night--other radios have interference from power lines or atmospheric conditions from far away bleed over stations. My car radio's clear reception range for WGNS-1450 AM after sunset is Buchannan Road (Exit 89), three miles out on Bradyville Road, Floration Road on the old Woodbury Pike, Lascassas, Walter Hill, Nissan Plant in Smyrna, just south of Tiger Hill, Rockvale School, and two miles west of Veterans Parkway or generally a 5–6-mile radius by line of sight. The Murfreesboro FM signal covers a majority of Rutherford County and marginally covers Western Cannon Co./Woodbury; Smyrna FM frequency can cover western and northern Rutherford Co. into Antioch pretty well. Conversely, WMOT strength helped with places like Lebanon, Shelbyville, Tullahoma, McMinnville, Smithville, and all of Davidson Co and it was even possible to be 75-80 miles from Murfreesboro and get a decent signal.