CBS Radio plans to move Chicago Cubs baseball broadcasts to sports/talk WSCR AM 670 next year, sources said.
For the past season, the Cubs aired on all-news WBBM AM 780. Under a seven-year agreement signed in 2014, CBS Radio has a one-time opportunity to move the team to The Score in 2016.
Rod Zimmerman, senior vice president and market manager of CBS Radio Chicago, would not confirm the move Thursday but said a final decision would be announced “probably in the next 30 to 45 days.”
The shift would coincide with the departure of Chicago White Sox baseball broadcasts from The Score after 10 years, and that team’s move to Cumulus Media news/talk WLS AM 890 effective this spring.
Although the Cubs season ended short of a National League Championship Series victory Wednesday, the popularity of the club proved a ratings bonanza to WBBM Newsradio, which is expected to widen its first-place lead in the market when Nielsen Audio figures for October are released.
CBS Radio acquired the radio rights after Tribune Media news/talk WGN AM 720 cut its historic ties to the Cubs dating back to 1925.
Credit to Robert Feder who originally published this article
Jason Barrett is the President and Founder of Barrett Media since the company was created in September 2015. Prior to its arrival, JB served as a sports radio programmer, launching brands such as 95.7 The Game in San Francisco, and 101 ESPN in St. Louis. He also spent time programming SportsTalk 950 in Philadelphia, 590 The Fan KFNS in St. Louis, and ESPN 1340/1390 in Poughkeepsie, NY. Jason also worked on-air and behind the scenes in local radio at 101.5 WPDH, WTBQ 1110AM, and WPYX 106.5. He also spent two years on the national stage, producing radio shows for ESPN Radio in Bristol, CT. Among them included the Dan Patrick Show, and GameNight.
You can find JB on Twitter @SportsRadioPD. He’s also reachable by email at Jason@BarrettMedia.com.
