Sixty Sixers Announce New Radio Deal

The Inland Empire 66ers, the single-A California League affiliate of the Los Angeles Dodgers, will have a new radio home in 2008 after reaching an agreement with KCAA 1050 AM, which will broadcast all 140 games per season over the next three years.

The new radio deal ends the team's broadcast relationship with 91.9 FM KVCR, which had been the radio home of team for the past five years. It also marks the first time in a decade that every 66ers game will be carried over the airwaves.

Under terms of the deal, KCAA will air all 66ers games live except for a handful of Sunday day games and few midweek day games, which will be tape delayed. "What it really came down to was the opportunity to have every game on radio, even if a few are tape delayed," said 66ers broadcaster Mike Saeger. "We had a good relationship with KVCR. It's nothing they did or didn't do. We appreciate the opportunity that we had with them," Saeger added, noting that the team closely monitored KCAA's nighttime signal to ensure that it would cover the area from which the team draws the majority of its fanbase.

Prior to last year, KCAA operated only during daylight hours but was granted a license by the FCC to begin broadcasting at night, which opened the door to discussions with the 66ers to start airing the games.

The deal is also somewhat unique because it marks the first time that the team has been able secure a multi-year radio deal. Each game will be preceded by a 10-minute pregame show. The first 66ers broadcast on KCAA 1050 AM will be April 3 when they open their season at home against the Visalia Oaks.