KCSP (AM)

Infobox Radio station
name = KCSP


city = Kansas City, Missouri
area = Iowa, Kansas, Missouri, and Nebraska
branding = "610 Sports"
slogan = "The Football Channel"
airdate = 1922
frequency = 610 kHz
format = Sports
power = 5000 watts
class = B
facility_id = 11270
coordinates = 38° 59' 03" N, 94° 37' 42" W
callsign_meaning = Kansas City Sports
former_callsigns = WDAF (1922-2003)
owner = Entercom
licensee =
sister_stations =
webcast = http://wmc1.liquidviewer.net/kcsp
website = http://www.61sports.com/
affiliations =

KCSP (610 AM, "610 Sports") is a sports/talk radio station located in Kansas City, Missouri. The Entercom-owned station broadcasts on 610 kHz.

Although the station has had the slogan "The Football Channel," it is actually the flagship station of a baseball team, the Kansas City Royals, whose rights it reacquired in 2008. The Kansas Jayhawks sports programs also appear on KCSP.

History

While KCSP debuted in 2002, the 610 has been a well-known frequency in Kansas City. WDAF, Kansas City's fourth radio station, debuted in late 1922, and adopted a country music format in 1977. In 2002, it began simulcasting on the 106.5 FM frequency under the WDAF callsign. When the station adopted a permanent sports format, its callsign was changed to KCSP. Often considered one of Kansas City's most popular stations, some listeners were originally dismayed to see its move to FM in favor of the new sports format. Since then, KCSP has consistently trailed rival WHB, which entered the marketplace seven years earlier. Based on the most recent ratings reports, 610 Sports experienced some of the quickest growth ever by a sports radio station, but the gap widened as WHB carried the Super Bowl, and NCAA Men's Final Four.

Programming

The station has a regular broadcast schedule and is always on the air. Some of these shows include:

*A morning program co-hosted by veteran national sportscaster Roger Twibell (ESPN, Big Ten Network).

*"The Jim Rome Show", a syndicated talk radio show out of the Premiere Radio Networks in Los Angeles.

*"The Kansas City Chiefs Post-Game Show" — Occurs 30 minutes after a Chiefs game, the show usually opens with a game recap, then the host (a different one each time) takes calls from listeners.

*"The High School Game Of The Week": — Live coverage of Kansas and Missouri high school football.

Former shows

*The DA Show — Hosted by Damon "D.A." Amendolara, this morning show combined sports commentary with pop culture nuggets. Weather and traffic is provided for morning commuters. The weather was formerly done by "Stormbot 610," the weather robot until station management disassembled him. The show's website offered bonus content and archived audio. This show aired from August 2004 until January 2008.

Personnel

Danni Boatwright, the winner of "", is another personality at KCSP. Despite her million-dollar first prize, she decided to return to the station once she was able to do so. Boatwright, now engaged to former Chiefs center Casey Wiegmann, was also a contributor to ESPN2's "Fantasy Football Weekly", which only lasted one season, 2006.

Jason Whitlock was a former personality on KCSP. Having been courted away from WHB in 2003, when KCSP began, he ran a show for a few years. But in March 2005, he quit due to not being able to both do the show and run a sports column for the "Kansas City Star" and also be a contributor on ESPN, which he was doing back then. Jason was also allegedly upset over the stations refusal to pay him overtime pay, which he saw he was owed. The station announced that Jason was a salaried employee and not an hourly employee and therefore was not owed any overtime. Jason opened his radio show on a tuesday afternoon, at which time he talked about his frustrations, then walked out on the show.

External links

* [http://www.61sports.com 610 Sports KCSP official website]
*AMQ|KCSP
*AML|KCSP
*AMARB|KCSP