A letter I sent to the Cleveland Indians about broadcasting on a Rush and Beck station...

[WCGreen]

I have been a faithful, loyal fan of the Cleveland Indians now for over 45 years. I sat in splendid delusion throughout most of that time, hoping that there was still a chance even if the Tribe was out by 15-20 games come July. We always seemed to have great pitching, no hitting or great hitting, and no pitching. Well, at least that is what the years at Municipal Stadium seemed to me.

Then came Jacobs Field and with it all the heightened expectation of a winning team. I split season tickets for the first 8 years, attended over 100 games, and tried not to miss even one inning on the radio. And through all those years, I stayed loyal to the Tribe even when Sandy Alomar dissed President Clinton when he came to throw out the first pitch for the 1994 season. You see I’m a loyal democrat and it pained me that the man who owned the team and was getting free room and board at the ball park on East Ninth and Carnegie was bankrolling dozens of Republican Candidates that were out to challenge all that I believe in. I still remained loyal to the team.

But now, your associations with 1100 WWWE, the station that airs the likes of Rush Limbaugh and Glenn Beck and Mike Trivasanno who make their living by insulting our president and, by extension me, is too much. It is now personal. You support, by your relationship with that station, shows me that you truly do not care what the majority of the people in Cleveland think. After all, this area voted over 65% for president Obama. Well, I am through with baseball. It is not just a game. It’s a business like any other business. Your product is delivered to me via a radio station I cannot support. Therefore, I cannot support your team.

I know one person does not really make all that much difference and you obviously could care less about fans that support the people that vote differently than you. I know I am a small minority but just thought you should know how disappointed I am that your organization supports programming such as what passes for entertainment on 1100 WWWE.

It has been a long and bumpy ride. I cannot say I wish you all the luck because, frankly, I could now care less. It is time, as the bible says, that I put away childish things. And, especially after eight years of your guy in the oval office, I can’t really think of anything more childish right at this moment than baseball.

A fan no more

WCGreen

[firedupdem]

1. Good for you! If more people like you stood up and spoke out

maybe more things will change. Thank You!

I moved here to Nebraska this past July because my husband landed a job here and we were desperate since we both lost our jobs in Michigan. I have been absolutely miserable. I have absolutely nothing in common with most of the people I have met here. My husband was just sharing with me how some rush limbaugh loving idiot he works with was almost gleefully thinking that our President will be assassinated. I was sick to my stomach. My husband said he told him that he should really pray that doesn't happen if he loves this country as much as he says he does. Of course the guy denied he would really want that to happen but somehow we doubt that he meant that.

The hateful garbage these people are allowed to spew is really horrible for this country. As much as I despised bush from the beginning, I never wanted him to fail. How do they not understand that President Obama failing means we all fail?

Thanks again for taking a stand.

[brooklynite]

2. I suspect they're committed to a long-term contract and couldn't change stations if they wanted to

[WCGreen]

3. That is true, but still, they have been with them for years and I have

had it...

[SoxFan]

4. I can't blame the Indians for this

If this is the flagship station, then the station and the ballclub negotiated the terms of the deal. If this is a non-flagship station in Akron or Youngstown, then the ballclub probably had no role in the process.

Here in Manchester, the Red Sox shifted stations last year. They moved from WGIR, a talk station, to WGAM, which had gone to a sports format. The change had to do with both fees and with other sports programming options (Fisher Cats, Monarchs, Patriots, BC Eagles, UNH Wildcats) that were in the process of arranging deals.

I can guarantee you that the last thing anybody in the tribe's front office thinks about is whether or not beck and Limbaugh are on a given station.

[WCGreen]

6. It's the Flagship Station

[CitizenLeft]

5. great letter

I remember when WTAM was 3WE, and Pete Franklin ruled the airways. While he wasn't a liberal, he was at least tolerable most of the time. When Trivisanno took over, I couldn't stomach it any more. We were Cavs season ticket holders from '72-'98, and after the games, the radio went off. Very sad what's happened to that station.

Good for you.

[eeyore]

7. We had the same situation in Portland, OR with the Blazers

Want to listen to a Blazer game? Then tune into 750 KXL, the home of O'Rielly, Savage, Michael Reagan, Laura Flanders, and local asshat Lars Larson. It made me sick every time they went to a timeout and I had to listen to ads for the hate talk that filled the majority of their day.

I was nearly pushed to the brink last year, and planned on taking a stand this year, even though the Blazers have a fun, young team that I really love to keep up with. The Blazers are owned by Paul Allen, former Microsoft principal turned billionaire, and I kept trying to figure out what could possibly get through to him He loves the Blazers, and I'm confident that he has no affinity for hate talk radio. He's a reasonable guy, and often goes against what would be considered better business sense to fuel his passions.

Well, this year came and the Blazers fixed it. They took over the prominent sports talk station, got a spot on FM, and now I don't have to listen to that crap anymore. See, what got to Paul Allen was that he didn't have a stake in KXL. Or maybe he listened to it when he was here from Seattle. Who knows? All I know is that I don't have to listen to those assholes, even accidentally, for any reason.

I hope they shout themselves into obscurity.


:)

[bunkerbuster1]

8. Wow. That's rough.

I have a lot of respect for your decision, but I don't know that I could do that, myself.

Of course I so love hearing games on the radio that I will listen to them just about anywhere, on any station, when time permits. I'm a Mets fan, but will listen to local Braves broadcasts, even if they come in clearer on a local wingnut station.

But good for you to take the time to write the station. And thanks for posting it here.

[Johonny]

9. I'd think you'd be happy

Nothing makes me less happy than tuning in for progressive talk and getting a crappy hockey game or worse college Basketball game instead. Let them pre-empt something I don't want to hear.

[baldguy]

10. They not only insult Obama & you, they insult all of America.

[CaliforniaPeggy]

11. Wow, most excellent letter!

You really are a man of your convictions, and I know this could not have been easy for you.

K&R