From Joe Stiglich:
Chris Townsend to host show on 95.7 Mon-Fri from 1-4 p.m. Don’t know rest of the station’s lineup yet. #Athletics
and Susan Slusser:
Chris Townsend will be starting a 1-4 p.m. daily show on SportsRadio 95.7 FM tomorrow. #Athletics
That leaves the morning open and puts Townsend in a very competitive slot. More local programming coming? We’ll see.
First, a couple of select quotes from around the industry. From the legendary Ben Fong-Torres:
“The A’s deserve a terrific radio signal to be on,” said Dwight Walker, VP and market manager for Entercom/SF. Weak reception “has diminished their exposure in the past.” He said “The Wolf” and baseball broadcasts are a good fit. “Baseball is the national pastime, and there’s no better place to put that than with America’s original music form, country.”
Before the A’s finalized their deal with KBWF, they needed a local station to air the Giants series and called on KFRC. “They needed the favor and we were happy to do it,” said Doug Harvill, Senior VP/market manager at CBS Radio.
KTRB is carrying on with a barebones staff and, now, without the A’s and Dito’s “Press Box,” which ended Friday. “We’re still programming the station,” said Barr, whose syndicated Sports Byline stable of talk shows fills many hours each day. “The station’s still in play. The A’s could still buy it. Maybe Entercom (which also owns KUFX, “KFOX,” which carries San Jose Sharks games) buys KTRB and puts the Sharks and the A’s on it.”
Next up, Inside Radio suggests that some of the programming could be provided by Sporting News Radio.
(Entercom) is looking to leverage a lot of the lessons it’s learned in Boston where sports WEEI (850) has been a dominant station for many years. WEEI VP of programming Jason Wolfe is working with consultant Rick Scott to develop the new San Francisco station’s line-up. They’ll also use network shows from Sporting News Radio.
My guess is that SNR will be used for the late night/overnight hours and weekends. It’s relatively cheap and a step up professionally from Sports Byline.
As mentioned as an update to the previous post, Sacramento’s Rob, Arnie and Sports Show will fill the 4-6 PM block. That’s important, because a lot of the time that programming will be preempted by A’s pre and postgame, plus games on the East Coast. This applies for the Sharks too. It’s a big deal because there won’t be a local host whose ego could be bruised by constant preemption, a la Damon Bruce.
The rest of the regular weekday lineup is up in the air. Surely some of the talent from Sports Byline wants in, especially Roxy Bernstein. Former KNBR host Larry Krueger, who is currently on Sirius satellite radio, might want a shot. I’m curious to see what Chris Townsend’s regular slot will be.
One thing we might see: one of the current local sports anchors on with a regular co-hosting gig. Here’s a list of current anchors on OTA and cable (CSN):
There’s also the possibility that some KNBR guys could jump ship such as Gary Radnich, who I believe is under contract at the moment. AN regulars have been calling into the Townsend’s show today. I could see AN radio as a weekly hour if it’s be done right. One thing you probably won’t hear: new A’s ballpark radio. I’m pretty sure that would be the most boring thing ever to disgrace the airwaves.
One side benefit of moving to FM is the availability of HD radio. Until now, the HD1 channel has carried the regular analog signal while HD2 had a Classic Country format. HD1 retains the normal FM feed. Anyone out there with a HD radio who can tell me what’s happening with the HD2 channel? Entercom could keep this as is or deploy different programming if they choose.
I’m geeking out right now. And on tax day, no less!
.
The new KBWF homepage
So, how do you like ‘dem apples?
Entercom switched KBWF‘s format from country to sports radio today, though the station is only playing loops of clips and sports-related rock right now. The Sharks will come along for the ride, though it is unknown if the Sharks broadcasts will switch over from sister station KUFX starting tomorrow, or if there will be a simulcast for the time being. Either way, this is FANTASTIC news for the A’s and anyone who wants an alternative to KNBR. It’s pretty horrible for the country programming folks with the old format, though that’s the way the business works. This will also allow KUFX to hone on expanding its excellent ratings in the South Bay to the Greater Bay Area. It’d be a good idea for Entercom to figure out a way to strengthen signal south of San Jose, as that’s a weak spot for KBWF right now.
Update: Relevant links:
It’ll be interesting to see what other content is brought in. Entercom’s biggest sports property is WEEI in Boston, which like KNBR is an ESPN-affiliated (but not operated) station. I would not be surprised if some of the WEEI talent came to SF as part of the transition. Unlike former KTRB parent Pappas, Entercom has the resources and reach to take Cumulus’s KNBR head on. They also have the enough inherent corporate bureaucracy to make running a station serious drudgery if they want. I’m looking forward to it.
More from Susan Slusser at The Drumbeat:
If this station picks up Stanford and if the A’s ever get permission to move to San Jose, Entercom might have positioned itself well as a South Bay alternative to KNBR. In addition, the A’s and Sharks have fan bases that feel particularly under-served by KNBR, so that gives 95.7 FM some hungry listeners from the get-go.
Walker tells me that listener studies show that 80 percent of those who listen to the radio stay on the FM side and never switch over to AM at all. He and Entercom believe there are plenty of sports fans in general who are listening to FM radio and who are currently under-served. SportsRadio 95.7 FM is calling itself the biggest large-market all-sports station in the country.
“We’ll be talking A’s and Sharks, two winning franchises that aren’t getting as much attention as they could,” he said. “But we’ll also be talking Warriors, Giants, Earthquakes, SaberCats.”
One other observation. To Ken Pries, Ken Korach and Lew Wolff: This is a damned good Plan B. Stations that switch to sports radio tend to be stable there as the content is cheap and limitless. Well played.
Update 2:10 PM – The first programming announcement is the addition of KCTC-AM afternoon drivetime show “The Rob, Arnie & Sports Show” to the 4-6 PM weekday block. KCTC, an ESPN affiliate, is owned by Entercom.
Cal Baseball is safe for at least the next 7-10 years, thanks to relentless fundraising efforts.
Tonight marks the last NBA game to ever be played in Sacramento, at least for the foreseeable future.
As part of the new federal budget pact reached over the weekend, Congress is looking at numerous transit projects as low-hanging fruit for cuts including California’s High Speed Rail project and BART-to-Silicon Valley. It’s not enough to kill those projects, but it could stretch out planning while the projects try again for scarce federal funding in the future. BART-to-SV faces a lawsuit from a Milpitas industrial park owner whose access may be severely affected by construction of the line next to the property. The property owner wants an injunction against any further work until the issue is addressed.
Oakland Mayor Jean Quan is getting creative in figuring out ways to overcome the City’s $58 million budget deficit, which is $12 million more than when she came into office. In addition to a $80/year parcel tax, Quan is looking at short-term financing of the City’s retired police and firefighters’ pension plan. The Contra Costa Times’ Daniel Borenstein has a scathing critique of the pension refinancing plan and the City’s previous (largely failed) attempts to rein in the costs. The more you read about the plan, the more it looks like the Raiders’ Coliseum deal, full of overly optimistic projections and heavy on risk to the City. The current budget shortfall doesn’t have any material impact on any Oakland ballpark efforts, but decisions made now that could adversely impact fiscal feasibility down the road could have a huge impact.
OnMilwaukee.com has the first in a series of articles remembering the efforts needed and political battles waged to build Miller Park.
A study by the University of Toronto claims that the NHL is subsidizing numerous US-based teams and that Canada could support as many as 12 franchises (double the current number) thanks to high demand north of the border. I’d like to read this study before passing judgment.
A bill to authorize a new stadium for the Minnesota Vikings has been introduced. However, it will not be heard until after April 26 and will have only a month to get through the legislature. Pundits are not giving the bill much of a chance of passing.
Two, count ’em, two ballparks are opening in Omaha over the next week. Werner Park, 9,000-capacity new suburban home of the Omaha Storm Chasers (AAA-Royals), seemed to be built in record time. TD Ameritrade Park in downtown Omaha, which is the new home of the College World Series, will host its first game next Tuesday when Creighton University hosts Nebraska (TV: CBS Sports Network/CBS College Sports). The 24,000-seat ballpark can expand to 35,000 for the CWS, though officials are quick to point out that even with the size, the ballpark is not a major league park.
A word on the Giants-Dodgers-Bryan Stow situation. As much as it’s heartwarming to see the outpouring of support for Stow, who remains in a coma following his beating following an Opening Day game two weeks ago, it’s important to remember that wasn’t the first incident, and sadly it won’t be the last. Two months ago, 20-year-old San Carlos resident Taylor Buckley pleaded guilty to one count of involuntary manslaughter three years after the 2008 “sucker punch” killing of Anthony Giraudo outside a Giants game at AT&T Park. If anything, I’m surprised these incidents don’t happen more often. I look back at all of the A’s-Yankees games at the Coliseum, the Giants-Dodgers games at both AT&T and the ‘Stick, and I remember multiple fistfights and fans tumbling down the steps. More often than not, security gets there in time to stop the truly tragic from happening. Unfortunately, all it takes is for someone to hit his head on the edge of a concrete step, or for some thug to wait until he’s out in the parking lot to be an idiot, and then it’s a tragedy. It’s brutal and senseless, yet the line between a small no-harm skirmish and a tragedy can be so small. I want to believe in the better angels of our nature. Sometimes it’s not easy.
Lastly, and on a bittersweet note, the baseball season in Japan is starting, three weeks late and a month after the earthquake, tsunami and Fukushima Daichi nuclear plant ordeal began.
Forbes’ Mike Ozanian mused about contraction yesterday:
From what I am hearing, I doubt there will be any baseball at Tropicana Field after 2014 even though the team’s lease runs to 2027.
The funny part is that in the comments, someone pointed out to him that a second team would have to be contracted to make it work, which he casually acknowledged and then pointed the finger at the A’s.
Today the blowback has begun, from Craig Calcaterra’s brief and annoyed response to a much lengthier one from Maury Brown. That follows what Ken Rosenthal wrote six weeks ago, which I deconstructed in short order. None of the sensible arguments against contraction have changed. They’re just not noisy or loud enough.
Consensus appears to be that MLB is doing this to win concessions against MLBPA, which I find barely plausible at best. Instead, I think it’s more appropriate to look at the more hidden agenda. The endgame for the A’s and Rays would involve having New Yorker Stuart Sternberg own Mets and Los Angeles resident Lew Wolff own the Dodgers. Nevermind that Wolff owns less than 10% of the A’s, he could conceivably bring on big money partners to take on the rest of the Dodgers, a team with a $800 million franchise value.
It’s far more likely that interests in the two largest markets in the country want in on some kind of ownership piece and are on the outside looking in. They see Sternberg and Wolff as ways to get in The Lodge, and the greater the FUD spread about Fred Wilpon and Frank McCourt, the better their chances are. MLB is happy to entertain the notions for now, since they ultimately have the power to act on them – or not act on them, which is most likely. That’s a great strategy, as long as you’re only looking at things through a very narrow scope. Big picture, none of this makes any sense. As I argued in February, MLB has to get its own house in order before confronting MLBPA on any major issues. To get the Mets and Dodgers healthy and properly functioning again, it makes more sense to get new, non-crony blood owning those teams. There will be willing buyers, it’s just a matter of whether prospective buyers will balk when they look at those teams’ debt positions.
The debt and revenue problems for the Mets and Dodgers have far greater implications leaguewide than the A’s and Rays getting a combined $50 million in revenue sharing every year. When the Mets and Dodgers have large revenue and attendance drops, it hurts the league much more than changes to the A’s and Rays’ revenue profiles. While MLB could deal with all four teams in one fell swoop, a deeper look reveals that it’s not nearly as convenient as it appears. Wilpon and McCourt continue to be wrapped up in nasty litigation battles, and while McCourt’s divorce proceedings could end soon, the Wilpon-Madoff mess could stretch throughout the rest of the baseball season, if not longer. And if Bud Selig is as paralyzed by the Dodgers’ situation as he is by the A’s-Giants T-rights ordeal, nothing improves. Would that lack of progress and decisive action surprise anyone out there?
Two home games remain for the Sacramento Kings, before they presumably fire up the moving vans and head south for Anaheim, whose city fathers welcome to soon-to-be Royals with open arms, a much more updated arena, and a much richer and larger fanbase. One real hangup remains: the Maloofs owe the City of Sacramento $67 million of a loan they inherited from former owner Jim Thomas, plus a $9 million prepayment penalty on that loan.
Sacramento has gone so far as to write Anaheim a letter informing them of the Maloofs’ current debt obligations in an effort to influence Anaheim away from the franchise. So far, that letter has ony drawn scorn from the Maloofs, who don’t want Sacramento interfering in “business matters.” Anaheim approved $75 million in relocation costs and improvements plus a practice facility for the team, which just about seals the deal. On the Kings website there are no efforts to sell season tickets for the 2011-12 season, and the only promotional item is Fan Appreciation Night on the 13th, the final game in Sacramento Kings history against the hated Los Angeles Lakers. Thomas was seen last Friday in one of the Maloof brothers’ courtside seats, probably to see the team he brought to Cowtown play for the last time.
That leaves the matter of outstanding debt, which the cash-strapped Maloofs have promised to pay but haven’t said how they would do it. If they default, they will lose the arena and the 183 acres that surround it, plus Sacramento would get a $25 million stake in the Anaheim Royals. Chances are that the Maloofs don’t want Sacramento to have any stake in the team, so it could offer up the arena, land and a smaller cash payment to settle up. Two weeks ago, San Jose and Santa Clara County settled an ongoing debt issue in part by transferring real estate from the City to the County. It’s not hard to see the Maloofs offering the same kind of deal, since a) they won’t need the arena after they leave, and b) It’s a good asset the City could get for a song, warts and all.
Assessed value of the entire property comes to $61.7 million, with $45 million of that in the arena and practice facility. The assessed value of the arena may be overinflated due to the state of distress that the arena is in and the renovations it needs going forward. The assessed land value is a mere $16.7 million, or $91,000 per acre. Right now, even with that pittance of a land value, for a revenue-needy city such as Sacramento it may as well be worth nothing. There will undoubtedly be some in city government who feel that way. Then again, there are serious long-term strategic opportunities should Sacramento move to acquire the arena.
The uncertain future of redevelopment makes acquiring the land a risky proposition. To fund any improvements to the land, the City would have to create a redevelopment district from which they could collect tax increment after the land was flipped to a developer. (In short, this is the practice of landbanking.) As attractive as the land may have been 10 years ago, it’s not the least bit attractive right now – unless someone is dying to build right now. Given Sacramento’s horrendous housing market, that seems highly unlikely – though that hasn’t stopped recent Sacramento arena proposals from including a large infill housing development component. In any case, should redevelopment agencies cease to exist after this summer the City would have to rush to approve the deal and the creation of the redevelopment district.
The point of accruing tax increment would be to fund improvements for the arena, whose leaky roof and outdated, cramped quarters are pushing the Kings to vacate their premises. If Sacramento is to have any hope to attract a future NBA franchise, at least $250 million in improvements would have to be in order. That would include the following items:
If Sacramento were not to worry about getting a replacement team, it could opt for a more modest ($50-100 million) spiffing up of the arena, which would focus on must-fix items such as the roof and the back-of-the-house. The City could immediately turn management of the venue over to a dedicated operator like SMG, AEG, Global Spectrum, or SVSE. The purpose of the arena would be to continue to attract concerts, ice shows, and other non-team entertainment to the region. The arena could have enough improvements to be once again included in the NCAA basketball tournament rotation. All of this has some significance, as the closest large indoor venues to the City are the 8,000-seat UC Davis Pavilion and 11,000-seat Stockton Arena. Those venues are 20 and 50 miles away from Sacramento, respectively. The outdoor Sleep Train Amphitheatre is 30 miles north in Wheatland and ony operates in the summer. Those distances would leave an entertainment black hole in the capital city if the arena were not to continue operating. Even with the mistrust of Maloofs and the need for cash, it may be an offer that Mayor Kevin Johnson and the City Council can’t refuse.
The future of basketball in Sacramento looks bleak, to put it mildly. Even if it were to get a brand new arena deal done in the next six months, there’s no guarantee they’d ever get a NBA franchise anytime soon. That’s Mayor Johnson’s strategy at this point, and it may be the only sound one if you hold out any hope for major pro sports in Sacramento. Johnson could turnaround and pitch the ARCO site to the A’s, but the gloomy market there makes funding a $400 million ballpark extremely difficult, let alone an arena renovation. There are forces who want to forego ARCO and build an arena downtown, as expensive and complicated as it sounds. It’s going to be tough to get a good deal in place, and I don’t envy the decision makers up there one bit.
On Tuesday, Santa Clara’s City Council/Stadium Authority is expected to approve a small procedural change in the financing for the 49ers stadium. The change is fairly simple: Allow the 49ers to sell the naming rights to the stadium instead of the Stadium Authority. Doing so could reduce overhead for the Authority, which is important since it has no money of its own with which to operate.
Under the terms of the agreement (PDF), the 49ers – er, Stadco – would have 2 years to get the naming rights deal done before the task reverts back to the Authority. If a broker is used and is successful in getting the deal, it would get 5% of the top. The top of what, you ask? Well, the City isn’t willing to say. But they and the team have had a number in mind going back to when the stadium concept was hatched. Remember this?
$7 million a year for 40 years. That’s $280 million, or 40% of the $700 million naming rights deal announced two months ago between AEG and Farmers. The 49ers could be gunning for a higher figure because of what the Farmers Field deal represents. Then again, TBA Stadium won’t be domed so it won’t be flexible enough to hold nearly as many events, so perhaps a 40% deal is in order. If the 49ers have an on-the-DL Raiders agreement in their back pocket, it could provide impetus towards a higher number. Any increase over that $7 million per year figure could reduce pressure to sell Seat Builder Licenses (PSLs), which could in turn make financing the whole thing much more feasible.
The article mentions Yahoo! as a neighbor, though not as a naming rights partner. In 2007 I heard that Yahoo! was the likely candidate, though the company has since been knocked down several pegs and is still in a state of recovery. At this point they may not be the best choice, though they are certainly no fly-by-night operation. Intel may be a better partner, as would – you guessed it – Cisco. Both Intel and Cisco advertise heavily on ESPN and on other national sports broadcasts, so this would be right up their alley. However, you have to wonder about what Cisco’s possible deal with the A’s represents. Is Cisco’s naming rights worth more if the ballpark is in San Jose, not Fremont, and not tied to a land deal? Possibly. Would Intel or Cisco pay more than twice as much for naming rights to a NFL stadium than a MLB ballpark? That’s unclear. As much as I thought that the days of throwing funny money at stadia were over, the Farmers deal went and reset the playing field – even if it never gets built. We’ll find out over the next couple of years if it’s merely an outlier or the start of a trend.
On a tangentially related note, the Florida Marlins are looking to get a naming rights deal for its domed ballpark done sometime within the next month.
The A’s press release is available now.
For some part of the next four years, A’s games will be broadcast on 95.7, KBWF-FM, a.k.a. “The Wolf.” It’s a country station, broadcasting with a Class B license atop San Bruno Mountain at 6,900 watts. The coverage map from radio-locator looks like this:
While 6,900 watts is not the most powerful of signals, KBWF is augmented by a 186 W (that’s right) repeater near Mt. Diablo, which is meant to help the station’s coverage in Contra Costa County. The FCC’s service contour map can be found here, though it should be pointed out that the single line in that map reflects the same coverage as the red line in the map above.
Perhaps the biggest and most unknown takeaway of all of this is the fact that the deal was with Entercom, the radio giant that owns Sharks broadcaster KUFX. Entercom isn’t looking to sell individual stations, so the chance that it might unload one of its properties to a non-radio entity like the A’s is slim. It’s unclear what this means for KTRB. The A’s press release makes no mention of Comerica Bank-owned station. If this was yet another hardball tactic in ongoing negotiations, it may push the bank to take a less hard line stance. As for KTRB, the A’s pursuit of the station is over according to Susan Slusser. Via SuSlu’s Twitter feed:
The #Athletics pursuit of 860 AM is at an end. They offered more than double what it was worth and had signed letter of intent to buy.
#Athletics VP Ken Pries on the receiver’s motives for terminating team broadcasts: “You can speculate. Leverage? Up the offer? Hardball?”
If the receiver for 860 AM was trying to play hardball, she lost big-time. Only the #Athletics had incentive to overpay for troubled station
Pries says the team will now try to find affiliate in Monterey area with demise of 860 AM. #athletics
That last tweet is for Bleacher Dave. If the A’s simply thought the price was too high, it’s possible that KTRB’s existence as the other sports radio station in the Bay Area will be short-lived, as whomever buys the station will surely go with a different format.
We can’t end this without a joke, this one from Ken Arneson:
So I’m assuming that the A’s new radio station “95.7 The Wolf” will soon change its name to “The Wolff”?
It’s a sad day for the many of us who wanted an alternative to the KNBR hegemony. At least the A’s have a broadcast deal going forward. How long this one lasts… well, we wouldn’t be A’s fans if we knew.
P.S. – Wherever you are in the Bay Area, please turn on KBWF and let us know how the coverage sounds. The signal is constant day and night, so it should not be affected by the transmission power rules that plagued previous stations.
P.P.S. – Pre and postgame coverage will remain as is with Chris Townsend doing the honors (he is employed by the A’s). Over the last couple of months, KBWF has garnered a 1.1 rating, good for 26th in the San Francisco market (#4 nationwide) and just above rival country station KRTY, which pulled in a 1.0. In the San Jose market (#34), KRTY gets a 3.1 while KBWF (13th) pulls in 0.7 (30th).
The weekend came and went with no movement on the KTRB front. Strangely, the Bay Bridge Series will be broadcast on former flagship KFRC-1550 AM. Why? I don’t know, but I guess it doesn’t hurt to have a Plan B. Still holding out for a final resolution, which Rick Tittle suggests could be coming today. Time for a poll.
The Chronicle’s Ron Kroichick wrote what amounts to a eulogy for the Sacramento Kings on Saturday. Worth reading.
In related news, details are emerging about the deal that will bring the Kings to Anaheim. Not included in the $75 million relocation cost are the payment terms of existing debt the Maloofs have with the Kings.
The Maloofs inherited the terms of a $70 million loan from the previous Kings owner when they bought the team, and there’s a reported $67 million left on the loan, which also stipulates a prepayment penalty of $9 million.
That $76 million would have to be paid in full if the Kings relocate or else the Maloofs would lose their arena and the City of Sacramento would acquire a $25 million stake in the team.
Wondering how the 2022 World Cup in Qatar can occur in the hot desert with no domed stadia? Try artificial clouds.
That thing hovering over the stadium? That's a cloud.
Attendance at the Cactus League is down, leading me to believe that it’s oversaturated. From USA Today’s Bob Nightengale:
The Cactus League has essentially been divided into the haves and have-nots, with nine of the 15 teams located on the economically troubled west side of Phoenix. Instead, fans in Arizona are choosing to watch games on the Valley’s east side, where the San Francisco Giants, Rockies, Diamondbacks and Cubs are responsible for more than one-third of the Cactus League’s draw.
AEG chose Gensler to be the lead architect on the downtown LA football stadium, if it happens.
gojohn10 is promoting a worthwhile fundraiser event.
Please join me in supporting Children’s Hospital Oakland by attending an A’s game. I am organizing a fundraiser for the Aug 13th game vs Texas. This is Ray Fosse Bobblehead day and will likely be an important game that will propel the A’s toward the AL West Crown. Tickets are in the Plaza level and are $20 (regularly $24). $8 from every sale gets donated toward the hospital.
If you are unable to attend the game, please consider purchasing a ticket or two anyhow, and donating them. We will be working with various departments in the hospital to identify patient families in need and we will donate as many tickets as possible so that the kids and their families can be present at the game too!
Tickets sales have to go through us and are on sale at the hospital. Since this is inconvenient for most of you, I can purchase the tickets for you if you paypal me. For more information contact me at the email I’ve set up for the event: ballgame@mail.cho.org.
P.S.
I want to sell as many tickets as possible so I am willing to split up the seating so pro-Oaklanders and pro-SJers can enjoy the game in peace 😉Thanks,
John
More on the radio situation as it happens.
Update 4:00 PM – Rich Lieberman has the latest. Have the A’s walked away from the table? Is it like going to a car dealership and getting up to leave as a negotiating tactic? We’ll see.
Apparently, playing hardball extends to the board room when you’re the A’s. They started the offseason haggling with Hisashi Iwakuma, now they end it haggling over a radio station. BANG’s Joe Stiglich reports tonight that the A’s and Comerica Bank are still duking it out over the final price to buy KTRB. The bank, which owns the station as part of bankruptcy and receivership proceedings, may be pulling A’s broadcasts off the air as a negotiating tactic.
According to the source, the receiver is looking for a higher bid than the A’s are willing to offer, and might be threatening to pull games off the air as leverage.
But it’s also possible that one of the sides budges and a compromise is struck to continue airing games before next Friday’s opener.
I was afraid that this would hold up the sale. Lew Wolff and Ken Pries have a week to prevent this from being a disaster. Do the right thing. Git er done.
newballpark.org 