Mariners' Radio Broadcast Rights May Be Switching Stations

Mariners Likely To Switch Radio Flagship Stations After Season

Fisher Communications, the parent company of KOMO-AM, "has dropped out of the bidding for the Mariners' radio broadcast rights, possibly leaving KIRO-AM as the lone remaining pursuer," according to a source cited by Bob Condotta of the SEATTLE TIMES. KOMO's rights to broadcast games expire after this season. Fisher agreed to pay $10M a year before the '03 season to "lure the Mariners away from KIRO." Changing stations "does not typically result in changes among the game announcing crew, which is hired by the team." KJR-AM, which holds the rights to the Univ. of Washington, is "not thought to be involved" in the bidding (SEATTLE TIMES, 6/7).  Sources indicated that the Mariners "lowered their original asking price when talks with Fisher were moving slowly, but even at the reduced figure Fisher was not willing to commit." Employees at KOMO Thursday were told that it "was highly unlikely a deal to bring the Mariners back to the station would happen." When asked if talks with KOMO and Fisher were dead, Mariners VP/Communications Randy Adamack said, "They're not dead, dead, dead, dead, dead. There's still a chance" (SEATTLE POST-INTELLIGENCER, 6/7).