The A's new flagship radio station, KBWF-FM, "switched Friday to an all-sports format, which assures the team better radio exposure than in past seasons," according to Joe Stiglich of the OAKLAND TRIBUNE. KBWF rebranded itself SportsRadio 95.7, a notable change from a "country music station that was basically shoehorning A's broadcasts into its music programming." KBWF also is the broadcast partner of the Sharks, and station owner Entercom Marketing Dir & VP Dwight Walker said that "programming will include substantial A's and Sharks talk but also discussion of the Bay Area's other teams." The station "hasn't hired on-air hosts yet or revealed its daily schedule." But the A's pregame show "has been expanded from 45 minutes to an hour, and Chris Townsend's postgame call-in show will last one hour, running longer some days." Stiglich noted "linking with an all-sports station is a score for the A's after years of being on stations either with weak signals or shaky financial situations" (OAKLAND TRIBUNE, 4/16). In S.F., Al Saracevic noted by "snagging the A's and Sharks game broadcasts, and retaining the current announcers," KBWF hopes to "draw listeners who feel those teams have been underserved by KNBR, which leans heavily in the direction of the 49ers and Giants." Walker said, "We love those teams and we feel they are underappreciated in this market." Asked if KBWF may be interested in acquiring rights to Stanford football, Walker said, "Pac-12 football is huge in the Bay Area. Stanford and Cal, absolutely" (S.F. CHRONICLE, 4/16).
