THIS JUST IN: Fox Sports, ESPN Swapping Affiliations

ADDENDUM: We just noted Lance McAlister's blog on 700wlw.com, and he says this will be 1530's new lineup on Monday:

Mike and Mike in the Morning, 6-10am
Colin Cowherd, 10am-2pm
Scott Van Pelt, 2-3pm
Mo Egger, 3-6pm
ESPN radio, 6pm-midnight

McAlister also notes that, when the Reds season begins, he'll slide back over to 1530 to do afternoon drive there (except if the Reds are off) and continue to do "SportsTalk" and "Reds Inside Pitch" on WLW-AM 700.

By the way, we got the Fox Sports Ohio Reds TV schedule for Spring Training, and we'll cover that in a separate item...

Our original posting follows....

-----------------------------------------

We just got word of a major affiliation swap that will happen on Monday, February 15.

ESPN Radio programming, including "Mike and Mike in the Morning", will move to WCKY-AM 1530/Cincinnati on Monday morning. That displaces Fox Sports Radio - which will be moved to WSAI-AM 1360/Cincinnati. There will be a simulcast of "Mike and Mike" on Monday 6-10 AM, then the final flip will take place.

Here's the Clear Channel release which we just obtained:

On Monday, February 15 Cincinnati sports radio brands will be realigned both on air and online. All ESPN radio programming will be moved to WCKY-AM (1530), teaming the Mike and Mike Morning Show, which features Mike Greenberg and Mike Golic, with Mo Egger and local sports talk each afternoon. With this move, Cincinnati sports fans will enjoy popular drive time programming in one place on the 50,000 watt signal of “ESPN1530” and online at espn1530.com.

Along with the move of ESPN programming to the more powerful signal, the station will also broadcast Major League Baseball games, the MLB play-offs and World Series, NBA games and play-offs. It will continue to be the Cincinnati radio home to the University of Kentucky and the University of Louisville football and basketball broadcasts. ESPN1530 will also continue as the Home of the Cincinnati Bengals, carrying all Bengals’ broadcasts, pre-season, regular season and post-season.

Fox Sports Radio programming will now be heard fulltime on WSAI-AM (1360). Popular personalities, including Ohio native Dan Patrick, Jim Rome and Tony Bruno will all be heard on WSAI-AM (1360) as the station is rebranded as “Fox Sports1360.”

Online, one of the most visited websites in Cincinnati media, 1530homer.com will be rebranded as homer247.com. The new site will continue to be the go to website for all things sports and the lifestyle of a young male consumer. The very popular blogs of Lance McAlister, Mo Egger and Nick Brunker will continue on this rebranded website, along with breaking sports and lifestyle news.

“The most powerful brand in sports, ESPN, is now combined with the most popular afternoon drive sports talk show in the Cincinnati market,” said ESPN1530 program director Tony Bender. “Plus, some of the biggest events in sports will be combined in one place, on ESPN1530! New ratings research has shown the Mike and Mike Morning Show to be one of the top shows in the market each morning for male consumers. This move gives the sports’ fan access to Mike and Mike on a much more powerful signal,” concluded Bender.

The moves of the Fox Sports Radio and ESPN programming will take place beginning at 6am Monday, February 15, as the Mike and Mike Morning Show will be simulcast on both ESPN1530 and Fox Sports1360. At 10am the final switch of programming will take place.

--------------------------------

Our take: This looks good for ESPN Radio, and not as good for Fox Sports Radio. ESPN 1530 looks really good lineup wise, while keeping the PM drive tandem of Lance McAlister and Mo Egger, all the Bengals games plus University of Kentucky and University of Louisville broadcasts. A good lineup in a sports town like Cincinnati.

Fox Sports 1360 gives FSR a fulltime home. But other than that, it doesn't gain much from the weaker signal. Here's hoping longtime Dan Patrick fans can find him on the new home...