KJR-AM still leading the soccer battle

Totally agree. Groz (a season ticket holder) spent nearly 20 minutes talking soccer and Sounders with Matt Johnson this morning (Groz sat in for Mitch). I encourage folks to dial up the KJR podcasts – seems like all the hosts sans Mitch are in on the action – they are taking to Sounders players and FO folks quite often. Not to mention the First 90 pre-game show. I wish they’d do a post game show as well – soccer’s best post game, why not?

KIRO has the SFC broadcast rights but is apparently clueless that 50+K folks have been to a Sounders game this year and loved every minute of it…

Dave look forward to hearing you tomorrow, tell them we want it on pod as well!!!

Couldn’t agree more. Groz and Gas have been great, and I called his show this morning to tell him that.

Speaking of tv ratings, what are they? Are they holding their own?

Here’s a question – do they actually spend much time talking about the Sounders, MLS and int’l soccer? That is, actual talk about line-ups, strategy, the standings, etc? Or is the same old tired, “So tell us about this soccer thing”, “What will it take for Americans to like soccer?”, “Wouldn’t it be more popular with more scoring and no ties?” I think I’d rather they ignore it than pump out the same old nonsense.

wendellgee has a question that I find very important personally. I get bored of most mainstream coverage of the Sounders because most of it is about “so whats a corner kick” or “are there ‘plays’ in soccer” or “Will the Sounders win the World Cup?” I’m all for bringing in all the new fans to soccer, but when will someone like me actually be entertained (and I don’t mean this in a rude, or mean fashion. I honestly want to know)?

There has been talk about Sounders as deep as they talk Mariners or used to the Sonics. Not to the depth of the NFL. No one is breaking down the triangle play like Hugh Millen breaks down the 2-deep zone. Well, not yet.

But there is talk about how to deal with the injuries and cards, who is playing well, how to address certain opponents. Soccer-talk is evolving in America, too often in the past it has only focused on chants and stadium atmosphere.

But I will guaruntee you get more depth of conversation later today.

Last week i heard a half hour show on 710 called sounders fc weekly. It was right before the John Clayton show. It’s the only time i’ve heard it but then again i don’t listen to too much radio saturday mornings. It sounded like a weekly show though. It was pretty good I think the hosts were greg vanney and one of the guys from the Seahawks post game show. I’m probably wrong about both those guesses though! :)

Having the KJR guys talking about soccer, even if it is not so in-depth, is the start to bringing in the mainstream sports fan. When people hear them talking about the game, then it makes it alright to check out what this (New) sport is all about. These are the sports guys that everyone listens to and if they think it is a quality sport, then that makes it ok. I have to wonder why 710 does not give the Sounders more credibility. The intro says ESPN Seattle. Home of the Seahawks and Mariners. Would it hurt to add the Sounders in that statement? With 30,000 plus a game, I think that qualifies as a major sport in this area.

Darth, the weekly show is 8:30 to 9AM on Sats and the usual hosts are Matt Johnson and Pete Fewing and is the BEST program for hardcore Sounders talk on either station. I actually listen each week.

thanks for the info. I thought i recognized the voices and took a stab at identifying them… haha From what i heard the show seemed really well put together. I’ll have to try to check it out more often. Thanks. I just wish they would have advertised it more so i didn’t have to find by chance, due to the UHaul i rented having the radio tuned to 710 when i turned it on.

I really enjoy the coverage on KJR. They started with the classic soccer questions: will this last? How can we make it bett? ect. But you can tell the hosts that have given it chance have really started to get into the sport more

from what I can gather 710 espn isn’t the flagship of the sounders, 97.3 fm is. The games are broadcast on the fm dial, every so often I have heard players on during the week.
97.3 I heard T. Marshall be interviewed half fluff half interesting.
107.7 the End- has a Kasey Keller blog.

Stadium signage refers to 710 ESPN as “your official place to talk about Seattle Sounders FC soccer”

I have not said they are the flagship (as of yet there isn’t one, as they aren’t on an English language radio network)