The Syracuse Chiefs are believed to be the only team in Triple-A baseball taking its entire schedule off of broadcast radio in favor of the Internet.
Syracuse Chiefs GM John Simone told the Post-Standard the team’s been considering the change for three years.
The team’s games had been aired on Cumulus-owned WSKO(AM) on 1260 kHz, but he said the team and Cumulus couldn’t come to an agreement on a radio deal and that led to the decision to go online at Syracusechiefs.com. Simone says the team will use the $25,000 a year they paid the station to air its 144 games to build a mobile app and advertise across different media outlets.
The free smartphone app is expected to be ready in time for the Chief’s season opener on April 4.
“It is a difficult decision. But you have to embrace technology today,” Simone told the Post-Standard.
One fan reacting to the news suggested the change will make it difficult for someone who wants to listen to the game using their phone in the car when they’ve exceeded their wireless data caps.
