Radio Beat: KRKO-AM inks deal to broadcast all AquaSox games

For seven seasons, the Everett AquaSox minor league baseball team has had one of the more unusual arrangements for radio broadcasts of its games: Instead of airing on a commercial station, AquaSox games were heard on a community non-profit station.

No more. KRKO-AM (1380), a commercial station, has signed a one-year deal with renewal options to carry all 76 home and away AquaSox games next year. Pat Dillon will continue to do the play-by-play.

Tony Stevens, KRKO's program director, said he has been trying to get the AquaSox on the air for years. (His station carried the team's games back when it was known as the Giants).

KRKO already carries the Everett Silvertips hockey games and Stevens says the two seasons dovetail perfectly.

"It's important for us to have the Everett teams," he adds. "If the Silvertips have shown us anything, there's an audience for the local teams."

The games had been carried on KSER-FM (90.7). Station manager Ed Bremer said he's disappointed to lose the games.

"It worked out very well," he said. "We were pleased, the AquaSox were pleased. It was tremendous publicity for us. It was a great opportunity to get out (and meet people)."

While KSER did run underwriting announcements for sponsors, it couldn't sell conventional advertising. Under the KRKO contract, the team buys the airtime and sells advertising itself (which allows it to offer package deals with stadium signage, Stevens said).

What impact the loss of the AquaSox will have on KSER won't be clear until next June, but, in the meantime, the station starts its fall fund drive Saturday, looking to raise $20,000 in 10 days.

In other radio notes:

Speaking of baseball and radio, satellite radio service XM has signed a deal with Major League Baseball to carry all teams' games next year. XM says it plans to use local radio feeds, which would mean Dave Niehaus and company will be going nationwide.

The Associated Press reported that Dick Carlson, former manager of three Entercom stations in Seattle, including KIRO-AM, and most recently manager of three Infinity stations in Minneapolis, died recently following heart surgery. He was 60.

Jim Wilke's "Jazz Northwest" at 4 p.m. Sunday on KPLU-FM (88.5) includes a recent performance by a trio led by pianist and composer Geoffrey Keezer.

Kate Daniels interviews Anita Allen, author of "The New Ethics: A Guided Tour of the 21st Century Moral Landscape," on "Sunday Morning Magazine" at 5:30 a.m. on KRWM-FM (106.9).

Lizz Sommars' guests on "Conversations" at 6 a.m. Sunday on KBSG-FM (97.3) and KISW-FM (99.9) include Maryn McKenna, author of a book on the Centers for Disease Control called "Beating Back the Devil."

"Rock and Roll Time Machine" at 7 a.m. and 8 p.m. Sunday on KBSG-FM features TV host Bob Eubanks.

Don Riggs' guests on "Introspect Northwest" at 7 a.m. Sunday on KMPS-FM (94.1) and KYCW-AM (1090) include Liza Ward, author of "Outside Valentine," a book on killer Charles Starkweather.

A jazz quartet featuring Jason Mears, Kris Tiner, Paul Kikuchi and Ivan Johnson performs on "Sonarchy" at midnight Saturday on KEXP-FM (90.3).

"Music With Moskowitz" at 7 p.m. Sunday on KYCW-AM features songs and comedy about football.

More headlines and info from Everett.