June 15, 2011
by Chadd Scott
(By Chad Scott) Last week, I told you about Mitch Evans who lost his job at 680 the Fan due to the relocation of the NHL's Atlanta Thrashers. This week, I had hoped to update you on the future of the team's play-by-play voice Dan Kamal. I reached out to Kamal who politely declined comment on his situation until he was provided more clarity on it by the team. To put a bow on this story, I sought out the opinions of 680's John Kincade (pictured), co-host of the station's afternoon drive show, "Buck and Kincade," occasional Thrashers pre-game show host, and Atlanta's most visible - and audible - hockey advocate. Here's that interview.
What, if anything, do you think 680 the Fan or the sports media in Atlanta in general might have been able to do differently over the years to keep the Thrashers in town?
John Kincade: I had this debate many times with folks in the Thrashers fan base. The sports media, especially sports radio, is about covering the teams and stories that the largest groupings of people care about! We have a job that requires us to get listeners to tune in and it is not to ?create? a buzz or ?educate? people to a particular sport. When the Thrashers were a viable contender in 2007, Atlanta fans and the media flocked to them. We traveled with the team and did shows and devoted a little more time every day to the team. In the last few years Dan Kamal had the 3:50pm time slot every day to bring us the latest in Thrashers news. I am the biggest NHL fan there is in the local media, but I am a bigger fan of doing my job and getting ratings and advertisers which keeps me employed.
As a huge hockey fan yourself and the face of hockey in the Atlanta media, how personally disappointing is it for you that the team is leaving?
Kincade: I am heartbroken that the team will not be here any longer. I believe that the main culprit was the mismanagement of the franchise by the ASG and their inability to put money into the product the last few years. I enjoyed being a part of the radio and TV broadcasts out of my love for the game. I always wished that Atlanta would become a hockey crazy town like other Southeast markets have become when presented with a winning product. That never happened and it is a huge disappointment for me.
Strictly from a radio programming perspective, how would you characterize the partnership between the Thrashers and 680 the Fan.
Kincade: 680 The Fan constantly got attacked from the hockey zealots for us not spending more time on the product on a daily basis. In fact, 680 gave MORE prime time programming minutes to hockey than other markets. On the flagship stations in markets like Boston, NY and Philly they did not clear a spot every weekday in afternoon drive for team interviews and information. That was a collaborative effort between 680 and the Thrashers. It was appointment radio and was quality content for the hockey fans. 680 tried various promotions over the partnership and I was a part of most of them. The attendance was lukewarm at many and very successful at others. Unfortunately, the fans have to step up when presented with these events or management will believe they are not worthy and advertisers won?t support them. The station sets the stage and it is up to the fans to support them.
As a talk host, how do you personally balance your coverage and comments when discussing a team for which your station serves as the flagship?
Kincade: I can say that I was never told what I could or could not say in my role as the pre and post game host or on ?Buck and Kincade?.I had many strong opinions against actions of the ASG. What I will always do is be mindful of the fact that the station is a ?Dickey Broadcasting Company? station and does not have the name Kincade on it. I voice my opinions to management and was always allowed to speak my mind but was told to be professional and fair so both sides were presented. I respected that and exercised that opportunity.
One final note I'd like to share in this week's blog surrounds outgoing 680 the Fan production ace Josh Kluchka. I had the great pleasure of working with Kluchka during my tenure at 680 the Fan and found him at all times cooperative, attentive and passionate about his work. He's exactly the sort of production guy we all wish we had access to. Kluchka recently accepted a position with Turner Broadcasting and I wish him all the luck in the world. Josh's situation on a small scale speaks to an enormous problem in the industry. Radio is losing an astounding amount of talent to other media, or other professions all together, and has been for a decade. I know dozens of great radio people who are no longer in radio for one reason or another and until the entire industry does a better job retaining its top people, our future is not as bright as it should be.
Chadd Scott is a blogger for Radio Ink from Atlanta. Follow him on Twitter @ChaddScott
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(6/15/2011 2:40:08 PM)
Good stuff and nice comment on Josh...
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