Report: KGO Will Flip To Sports Betting Format As ‘The Spread.’ – insideradio.com

Based on song choices and teasers airing on KGO San Francisco (810), Cumulus Media is setting the stage for a flip to a sports gambling format at the once legendary station. KGO, which ruled Bay Area radio for decades, ditched its long-running news/talk format on Thursday. Online publication The Desk says KGOs new moniker will be The Spread 810AM and the new format will carry a mix of locally produced and syndicated sports betting and sports talk shows such as Bet MGM Tonight and Bet QL Daily.

KGO is currently airing a loop of snippets of songs about money and betting. Among them: Lady Gaga, Poker Face; Pet Shop Boys, Opportunities (Lets Make Lots Of Money); Hot Chocolate, Every 1s A Winner: Santana, Winning, Kenny Rogers, The Gambler; AC/DC Money Talks; and Pink Floyd, Money.

The biggest gamble in Bay Area radio history says one promo. Others say, Our new handle is coming, Its a safe bet, Book it, and Some serious action is coming Monday.

If rumors become reality, KGO will become the second sports betting launch for Cumulus in as many months. In Providence, the company flipped talk WPRV to 790 The Score in early August, utilizing programming from the BetQL Network and CBS Sports Radio, along with a local two-hour program with Kevin McNamara, from talk sister station WPRO (630).

Californians will vote on whether to legalize online gambling on Nov. 8. Proposition 27, which is funded by sports betting giants DraftKings, FanDuel and BetMGM, would open the door to legal online sports betting for the states 40 million residents. The Spread would give the Bay Area its first radio outlet to cater to the markets sports bettors.

End Of An Era

With its 50,000-watt signal and the care and feeding of manager Mickey Luckoff, KGO (810) used to be where the action was on the Bay Area dial. The station was consistently perched atop the ratings for nearly 30 years.

But that historic streak was over by 2010. By then KCBS had added an FM signal, more listeners were leaving the AM dial and audience measurement had changed from diaries that favored legacy stations to the more exacting PPM. That was also the year of the high-profile exit of Luckoff after 35 years as general manager.

KGO was still a five-share station in 2010 but its ratings, stature and billings were slowly disintegrating. It posted a 1.7 share (6+) in Nielsens September survey released Tuesday, up from 1.5 in August and 1.2 in July.

Today we say goodbye to the legendary KGO, a message posted Thursday to the stations website said. Over the last 80 years, KGO has been here for Bay area listeners covering and discussing all the news that has impacted our world and local communities. We thank you for your loyalty and for trusting KGO to be your source for information. We also want to sincerely thank all the talented men and women that worked so hard over the years to produce award-winning programming on KGO. On Monday, 810 am begins a new era. We hope you will tune in.

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Report: KGO Will Flip To Sports Betting Format As 'The Spread.' - insideradio.com