Rams Radio Broadcast Rights

St. Louis Business Journal

The St. Louis Rams have at least two broadcast groups vying for rights to carry their football games on radio next year. Both groups want to pay the Rams less than the $2 million a season that the rights currently generate for the team, according to broadcast sources.

Rams games currently are broadcast on Clear Channel Communications' KLOU-FM and on independent station KTRS-AM, which also is the radio voice of the St. Louis Cardinals and St. Louis Blues. Clear Channel has made the Rams an offer, and CBS Inc.'s KMOX-AM also is considering a possible Rams package, according to broadcast sources.

The current radio package for the Rams rights expires at the end of the football season. KMOX's interest in the broadcasts comes after the station's loss last year of the radio rights for the Cardinals. The Cardinals ownership switched those broadcasts to KTRS after acquiring a half interest in that station.

"It's important to leave the door open to any professional sports franchise," said KMOX General Manager Dave Irvin, who declined to discuss any negotiations.

Dennis Lamme, market manager for Clear Channel, said he could not comment because of the negotiations, but Tim Dorsey, general manager of KTRS, said he is anxious to continue his station's partnership with Clear Channel. Dorsey negotiated a three-year deal in 2001 that allowed KTRS to join the Rams Radio Network as an affiliate station to Clear Channel's KLOU in the St. Louis market. The Business Journal reported the value of that deal as between $300,000 and $500,000 a year.

Bob Reif, President of Endeavor Entertainment Properties in Los Angeles, which is handling the negotiations for the Rams, confirmed the Rams are in discussions on the rights but declined to elaborate on the talks. He acknowledged the market for NFL radio packages has changed since the Rams last put the radio rights out for bid in 2001. Since then the NFL negotiated a $220 million, seven-year contract with Sirius Satellite Radio, which paid teams for the rights in Sirius stock. Fans also can see and hear the games over the Internet. Those and other factors are diluting the value of radio rights, said Tom Taylor, editor of Inside Radio, a newsletter based in New Jersey.

Clear Channel's rights fees with the Rams peaked at roughly $4 million a season in the 1990s.

All-sports station, KFNS-AM is hoping to be asked to the negotiations but so far is not part of any talks, said Evan Crocker, general manager of station.

rdesloge@bizjournals.com