Originally published March 1, 2005 at 12:00 AM | Page modified March 1, 2005 at 11:09 AM

Mariners

M's seeking Spanish station

Mere weeks away from their home opener, the Mariners do not have a local radio station to carry their home games in Spanish.

By José Miguel Romero

Seattle Times staff reporter

Mere weeks away from their home opener, the Mariners do not have a local radio station to carry their home games in Spanish.

KKMO-AM (1360), known as Radio Sol, has decided to stop carrying the games in the Seattle area because of a dispute with the Spokane-based KXLY Radio Group, the company that holds the rights to carry Mariners games in Spanish.

Radio Sol's parent company, Salem Communications of Southern California, still could strike a deal to put all 81 Mariners home games on another of its Seattle Spanish-language stations, KTFH-AM (1680).

"I would think somebody would take it, if we don't," said KKMO general manager David Fitts.

Fitts said it took the KXLY group too long to ask KKMO to carry the games in 2005, and that he was uncertain about a commitment from KXLY as late as last month.

"It was too late to be selling commercials," Fitts said. "We weren't sure we were even going to be the carrying station until the last minute. Finally, they said we could, but we made other plans."

Currently, the Mariners air only home games in Spanish. The team has a contract with the KXLY group, and KXLY had a five-station Mariners Spanish-language network last season that included KKMO. Other 2004 network stations were in Yakima, Tri-Cities, Wenatchee and Moses Lake.

"KXLY Radio Group and the Mariners are hopeful that Radio Sol will remain our Seattle-area station," Randy Adamack, the Mariners' vice president of communications, said in an e-mail. "If not, other stations are being approached. Hopefully, we are able to find a partner."

The consensus is that the Mariners' Spanish-language radio network is losing money, but it still is in its infancy and there is potential based on positive feedback from listeners.

"It's disappointing if they (another station) don't pick us up," said Amaury Pi-Gonzalez, the team's Spanish-language play-by-play announcer. "You have to cultivate the market. You're not going to make a profit right away."

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