By Mike Kinosian
Managing Editor
TALKERS

LOS ANGELES — Entering the batter’s box … is this year’s first check on Major League Baseball radio flagships.

Unlike most of our other ratings overviews, this particular one comes with some unique ground rules and fine-print.

Leading off, the following scoreboards are for an MLB team’s English-language, Nielsen Audio subscribing key station during the April 2019 sweep.

Some MLB teams have an AM and FM flagship and/or an emergency alternative (backup); however, we only show one “designated hitter” per team.

Mirroring the one-station-per-team model, MLB flagships listed here have ratings data from one Nielsen Audio metro.

For example, information is limited for the flagships of the Mets (WCBS-AM taking over from WOR) and Yankees (WFAN) to their home market of New York City, even though they may appear in Nassau-Suffolk (Long Island) and/or Middlesex-Somerset-Union.

The primary flagship for the Los Angeles Angels, KLAA, is unlisted (April 2019) in both the Los Angeles and Riverside-San Bernardino-Ontario reports. Therefore, we are using the team’s secondary outlet, KSPN, throughout this entire overview.

No ratings information is available/shown for the flagships of the American League East’s Toronto Blue Jays (CJCL) and the American League West’s Oakland Athletics (KTRB, which has succeeded KGMZ).

Data cited here is not limited to any specific day-part. All stats are full-week, Monday – Sunday, 6:00 am – 12:00 midnight (6+).

Finally, it’s important to note that Major League Baseball’s 2019 regular season schedule began with the Oakland Athletics hosting the Seattle Mariners at the Tokyo Dome on March 20 – 21.

Traditional opening day, featuring all 30 MLB clubs, took place on March 28, fortuitously coinciding with the start of Nielsen Audio’s April 2019 sweep (March 28 – April 24).

With that out of the way, it’s time to throw out the first pitch and play ball.

Up next: An April 2019 look at classic hits-oldies, followed by the extensive news/talk overview; email managing editor Mike Kinosian at Kinosian@TALKERS.com 

Tags: April 2019 PPM Analysis: Major League Baseball Flagships, MikeKinosian, Nielsen Audio, TALKERS

Category: Analysis