Rock 99 moves to all-sports format

Rock 'n' roll may never die, but Springfield will have one less rock n' roll station on the air as of Jan. 15 when 98.7 FM, Rock 99, becomes Jock 98.7 FM, an all-sports channel. The station had been broadcasting a rock 'n' roll format since 1970, according to Ken Meyer, who owns 98.7 FM and four other stations under the umbrella of Meyer Communications Inc.

Meyer said all of the station's employees except one, a telephone salesperson, will remain with 98.7 FM in its new format, which will include local and national sports coverage 24 hours a day, seven days a week. Meyer Communications employs 75 people among its five stations.

Meyer said Jock 98.7 will be home to Drury Panthers and Lady Panthers basketball games and University of Missouri Tigers football and basketball games.

"There are a lot of rock 'n' roll stations in town. We just sense more of a need for a prime station to devote time to sports and sports talk than there is just being one of a large number of stations playing rock music," Meyer said.

Dan Cashel, director of Drury University's sports information department, said Drury's games already were broadcast on 98.7 FM prior to the change to an all-sports broadcast.

He said when there is a scheduling conflict between Mizzou games and Drury games, the Drury games are moved to KBFL 99.9 FM or 1340 AM, which also are owned by Meyer Communications.

"To have your games broadcast is just another of a multitude of ways that your constituency, your fans ... can access Drury games," Cashel said.

He said Meyer Communications also broadcasts Drury games on the Internet, and he knows of a former Drury player in Australia who keeps track of the games online.

Also, "there is just an unbelievable amount of interest in sports, both nationally and locally and professionally and in the amateur ranks, the college ranks," he said.

Meyer said KTXR-FM 101.3 will continue to be the on-air home of Southwest Missouri State University Bears and Lady Bears games, but Jock 98.7, in addition to Drury and Mizzou games, also will feature coverage of NASCAR events.

Meyer said Rock 99's rock n' roll format was generally male-oriented, and he thinks the new all-sports format will increase the station's male listenership and attract a female audience, as well.

The station's broadcast lineup will include "Imus in the Morning," talk shows with local coaches and a morning call-in show, "The Sports Reporters," featuring Ned Reynolds of KY-3, an area veteran sportswriter, and producer Kenny Stroud.