WDAE-AM 620 Slashes Training Camp Broadcasts
July 22nd, 2018
Smooth-talking Ronnie Lane
Last year, the Buccaneers moved their football games off Tampa Bay’s major sports radio station.
This year, live-on-air programming from the practice fields of training camp has been slashed.
WDAE-AM 620 announced it will air just six shows from camp this summer, down from 13 last year.
Only three will be for the weekday, prime-time audience, via special airings of the Ronnie & TKras show from 9 a.m. to noon. That time slot is typically reserved for nationally syndicated programming, aka Cowboys, Yankees, Red Sox, LeBron and Tiger Woods chatter.
Local hardcore Bucs fans sure are losing their share of love this season, starting with the Bucs raising ticket prices and significantly cutting training camp dates open to the public.
July 22nd, 2018 at 2:19 pm
Joe wrote: “Local hardcore Bucs fans sure are losing their share of love this season, starting with the Bucs raising ticket prices and significantly cutting training camp dates open to the public.”
The Uber suspension brought about by Jameis Winston, the face of the franchise…keeping all in limbo since November, and a pervasive lie, doesn’t help either. Indeed, raising ticket prices coupled by increased controversy, the face-of-the-franchise being in the news again for all the wrong reasons…and the renewal of the Anthem protest BS with Mike Evans injecting himself into the center of it (again)…means the NFC South Cellar Champs for years running make it hard to support them.
So my tickets are all paid up for this year, but I’m not going to start paying for next year’s tickets until March of next year when I make a decision to show up at all for the 2019 season. Thank goodness there are no contracts any more. So myself, and other Bucs season ticket holders, can opt out of their payment plans and pay it all four to six months next year without losing their seats. While my $19K six-seat ticket package won’t matter to the Bucs’ bottom line, it’s the principle of the thing. Also, I do sense a lot of fans are fed up with off-field drama yet again before season start.
What do I want to be back next year? First, let’s win. Next, lets also have players act like Americans and professionals, not hooligans, and let’s have them avoid [Have you ever taken a civics class? No one to Joe’s knowledge has ever been charged much less prosecuted for a felony. Joe’s in a good mood today or you would have been bounced. Joe’s sick of typing over and over again with warnings. You do this again, consider it your final post. And it may be already your final post if Joe gets hacked off later. Do not even try to argue this point with Joe or he will hit the “goodbye button.” — Joe]. And if Winston doesn’t straighten up off the field AND on with results in 2018, draft a QB next year. We should have a good idea by January on his future. I can still be a Bucs fan and not pay about $1600 per month to do it.
July 22nd, 2018 at 2:29 pm
Maybe you could start a live podcast Joe? Is Rock Riley going to be back?
July 22nd, 2018 at 2:50 pm
Last year, we were spoiled with wall-to-wall Bucs coverage on Hard Knocks, the rise of the Stick Carriers, and WDAE’s 16 broadcasts from training camp. Many fans were wondering if it was just too much exposure and hype for the team. With a losing season and the JW situation, the organization has been embarrassed and is hunkering down with low expectations. This could be a rallying point for the team, an “us against the world” mentality, but it could also be a sign that big changes are coming…yet again.
July 22nd, 2018 at 2:54 pm
Joe assumes one would have to pay for the rights, which is NOT cheap at all.
July 22nd, 2018 at 3:25 pm
@Joe
(please refrain from speaking for Joe, making assumptions about Joe or ascribing motives to Joe. Thank you. — Joe_) … what I do not understand is why the Bucs don’t realize the value of more pub…seems like they should charge something that would still encourage coverage.
Of course I do not know how much stuff…games and pre game obviously are sold exclusive….is already tied up in another client’s portfolio.
July 22nd, 2018 at 3:48 pm
Roy T. Im disappointed as i have enjoyed your writing !…:>) {also long time season tkt holder)
July 22nd, 2018 at 4:04 pm
honestly, I could not tell if 620 is a sports talk or a game show radio station????? Anyway, one gets more info from one day of the siriusxm NFL radio training camp spot then all day with the local station!!!!!!
July 22nd, 2018 at 5:06 pm
stpetebucsfan:
Just a hunch 620 could not find a sponsor(s) to pay the freight of more live coverage from training camp. That’s just a hunch.
It also very likely could be the team didn’t want more live coverage from 620. Remember, the Bucs are in the media business too and they also have live coverage of training camp (sort of).
July 22nd, 2018 at 5:08 pm
So is Joe. Cannot count how many times Joe has had to warn people not to accuse Bucs players of committing felonies (unless they actually have been in a courtroom charged with said felony). Sadly, it takes a sledgehammer for some folks to take a hint.
July 22nd, 2018 at 5:09 pm
I thought Roy’s comments were always spot on, but apparently I was mistaken…
July 22nd, 2018 at 5:17 pm
I always paid for my tickets in 4 payments. I told them after 2011 that I wanted time to see what they did in free agency and the draft before I committed. This year they started a very high pressure campaign early that you had to renew by March 15’th. I told my rep was tired of all the bs and losing. I asked him to give me some time to see how the draft goes. He said he couldn’t guarantee that and gave me to the end of March. This to me is s big problem with having the Draft moved back to late April. It sucks and it’s a money game. I don’t take ultimatums from anyone who isn’t a LEO. So we decided to give our money to the Lightning, a team with a fantastic owner and a team deserving of fan support. The Bucs used to offer us all kinds of perks which stopped 2 years ago. We’re not high rollers, so I get it. I also had a great rep for years who took a job at MOSI and the rep that replaced him wasn’t good. He didn’t care about us and now I get to enjoy the AC and couch or a good Lightning game. He called me again the other day to ask if I wanted back in. I said you gave my seats away so it’s no as in never.
July 22nd, 2018 at 5:28 pm
The Bucs need a makeover in the media department. The same old faces get old after years and years. They could also use all the coverage they can get. I liked hearing them on 620 because the station has a long range like here in SRQ. Many of us suggested years ago that they cover the stadium sides much like Seattle has. I think it would help a lot. Their supposed Tampa heat advantage hasn’t worked in their favor since McNabb puked. I just feel that the organization has gotten to full of themselves and their egos. I’ve seen a change over the years with how they treat fans. If they think they are better than we are then that’s on them, but they’ve really gone cheap when it comes to giveaways and doing things for the fans. And prices for everything goes up and up and up. Guess what G boys, you’re team hasn’t earned it and you don’t deserve it. Kneelers Suck.
July 22nd, 2018 at 5:39 pm
@Roy: Just think of it as CNN , Criminole News Network.
July 22nd, 2018 at 5:45 pm
JameISNOT:
No dummy, Joe has a business to run. Joe gets sued or loses a sponsor because folks type slanderous lies about players or loses credentials with the Bucs or the NFL, Joe is SOL. But a-holes who hide behind internet handles and play tough guy or two-bit Jerry Seinfeld don’t have anything to lose.
Don’t want to follow very simple rules, then go somewhere else.
July 22nd, 2018 at 5:49 pm
Like Bucboi. ????
July 22nd, 2018 at 5:55 pm
SNAP!!! Looks like I am not the only one tired of the self righteous “I will have to wait and see if I can support this team” hollier than though bloviators. Joe is tired of people putting words in his mouth as well.
July 22nd, 2018 at 7:22 pm
I think that was a stupid move, if the bucs have the type of season we all expect they should have with this talent, they’ll be an oops but someone will take their place to give the news we want. Not sure why the Joe’s won’t do live coverage and stream it. I suspect they’ve already been replaced anyway
July 22nd, 2018 at 7:28 pm
Buc believer- there are only a hand full of those fools who pounce on JW3 after every JBF article. There are hundreds of reasonably fans like us who have said out piece and ready to move on. They’re the same ones who didn’t never liked Jameis and couldn’t wait for something to justify their prejudice.
July 22nd, 2018 at 7:32 pm
How come nothing ever goes down in price?
Actually, many, many things do, such as good televisions, cell service, airline flights, long-distance calling, home computers, Bucs even lowered ticket prices significantly before jacking them up again, etc.–Joe
July 22nd, 2018 at 9:04 pm
They lowered the tickets a little bit for a short time. Then jacked them and jacked them again. I’m ok with ticket increases if your team doesn’t suck. Their record says they still suck. Beer prices are too high for the size of beer they serve. But I guess it makes sense because having a team that continually makes mistakes causes you to drink more and spend more. Anyone want to guess how many Steeler fans will be at work hat game. I put the over at 35,000.
July 22nd, 2018 at 9:51 pm
I haven’t listened to 620 for years. Last I did was when joes would do an hour with big dogg pure gold hope you doing well big dogg
July 22nd, 2018 at 10:52 pm
I used to never change the station from 620 in my vehicle. Now I never listen to it. You have the ESPN morning which is exactly what joe said it is. Loved Ron and Ian because Ian would talk football and keep Ron on sports subjects. But now since Ian left he just talks about paddle boarding and his delicious balls. It was funny 5 years ago when you first said it. After 1 million times hearing about them it is annoying. And is Roy booted I was sick of him hijacking every article to cry about jameis. I don’t know who was worse tmax about McCoy or Roy about Winston. And for all you jameis is garbage haters. I just googled some highlights. Do your self a favor and google us versus Atlanta last year week 15 Monday night football jameis highlights. And you guys just want to release him.
July 22nd, 2018 at 11:04 pm
Joe may relent when the regular season starts only because he is a long-time poster. Joe has warned commenters dozens of times not to accuse players of felonies. For too many, warnings are not heeded so Joe has to pull out the sledgehammer. Some people only learn the hard way.
July 22nd, 2018 at 11:05 pm
If this is another down year with a team with players and ownership that is not worthy of support…my 3K a year will go elsewhere. After being a season ticket holder since 1979, I am beginning to feel like an enabler. This just is not fun anymore.
July 22nd, 2018 at 11:05 pm
My Poor Bucs. No love will be given to them until they start Winning. If they could just shock the football world and win 2 out of their 1st 3 games…….
July 22nd, 2018 at 11:06 pm
…and 620 is garbage. Makes my XM membership that much more valuable.
July 23rd, 2018 at 8:24 am
Lack of wins= lack of love. Who would put their name to sponsor this ish-show?!
Win some games and they will all return. Look at how many band-wagon fans jumped back aboard when Dungy started winning games. There were times in that stadium (The Sombrero) where there were 50,000 fans, and 30,000 of them were Bears fans or Packers fans, because we were a losing team.
Once the wins started piling up, I couldn’t count how many “long-time” fans came out of the wood-works.
Winning is the cure! Just freakin’ win!
July 23rd, 2018 at 12:35 pm
Seems to me the Bucs are simply removing the fans from the equation. No where to get out of the brutal Fl. sun ( which to me is criminal, especially if you bring young children), less open dates for fans to come to camp, less coverage.
Either Joe is right about sponsorship or FO doesn’t want there to be a whole lot of chance for embarrassing questions, or fans to chant/demonstrate anything anti Buc…
Let’s face it, if zero fans showed up on gameday, the Glazers still get rich. $250mil in TV rev goes a long way.
July 23rd, 2018 at 2:10 pm
well said jmarkbuc…As the organization and especially the Glazers have shown, the fans are the least important part of the equation
July 24th, 2018 at 12:16 am
I barely know that 620 exists anymore. Now I RARELY go there. They have lost their way badly and is been in motion for a long time now. The have 0 cache. 0… ESPN radio is not the way to go.. I don’t need or want to hear about the freakin Cowboys, LeBron, the Yankees, or the Red Sox. Hell I live in Tampa.. I don’t know, I kind of would like to hear about Tampa teams.
July 24th, 2018 at 5:20 am
Boy I am sure gonna miss Roy telling the whole world how much coin he has invested in luxury box seats as well as his pure hatred of J Winston and do not get me started about how the bragged about unloading his seats last year for the Giant game to make a point about the national anthem protests. Yeah I am gonna miss all that bellyaching along with Tmax, the flu, a broken leg, hangovers, certain hosts at BSPN, Philly or Yankee fans etc……