The Oakland A’s are parting ways with flagship radio station 95.7 FM The Game, a decision that comes with the expiration of a multiyear contract.
It was known that the A’s were in the last year of their agreement with 97.5 FM The Game. While there were reportedly discussions at one point about a potential new agreement, the two sides decided before the end of the 2018 season that they would not continue their partnership.
A video posted to Twitter by the A’s on Friday seemed to indicate a split, and the A’s have confirmed that they and 97.5 FM The Game are parting ways. An apparent source of frustration for the club was a lack of coverage aside from game broadcasts, and being placed on alternate channels during a playoff run for the NBA’s Golden State Warriors. More from The San Francisco Chronicle:
After months of hinting that they’ve parted ways with their flagship radio station, the A’s made it official, tweeting, “It’s not us, it’s you,” when their four-year contract with 95.7 FM The Game expired.
Chris Giles, the A’s chief operating officer, said Monday that the team had held conversations with The Game during the season about exploring a new deal if it was mutually beneficial for both parties, but the sides had decided well before the end of the season that there was no solution that worked for the team and the station. The team had partnered with the station for seven years.
The A’s were frustrated throughout the season about what they felt was a lack of promotion or interest from the station beyond just the game broadcasts, and they were especially unhappy about being relegated to several different alternate channels during the Warriors’ playoff run.
Team President Dave Kaval made it clear tthe team might look elsewhere in April when he tweeted, “We are in the last year of a multiple year deal with @957thegame. Do you think we should renew or not? Would love your thoughts.”
The A’s will now explore their options for next season. A change in radio partnership is not expected to affect the A’s broadcast team, as the Chronicle reported that “Giles said there are no changes planned with the longtime broadcast crew of Ken Korach and Vince Cotroneo.”
This split comes on the heels of a surprisingly strong season for the A’s. The club exceeded expectations by finishing with a 97-65 record, a run that ended with its loss to the New York Yankees in the American League Wild Card Game. That marked the first time since 2014 that the A’s appeared in the postseason.