Go Friday Night

Free Speech?

By Lew
September 7, 2005

Dear Mustangs,

Guess what I found out today? Sweetwater's long-time radio station, KXOX broadcasts the Mustang games over the internet! Here is the link to it:
http://www.kxox.net/sportslive.html

There is only one small detail I forgot to mention. It costs 4.99 per game to listen to it. If you want to save some money, you can get the season pass for 33.99.

I'm feeling a little confused about now. I'm not sure how I feel about it. Last week, I listened to the Mustangs on the internet when they were in San Angelo playing the Chiefs. I listened to the game from a link on the San Angelo newspaper. In some manner, the radio station and newspaper joined forces and got the game on the internet, and it didn't cost me anything. I listen to lots of sports on the internet. I think it's the neatest thing to listen to sports that are available to broadcast on the internet for free. Some of my favorite links to radio stations are,
www.theticket.com
www.kzps.com
www.kvil.com

I guess I shouldn't question KXOX for wanting to charge Mustang fans to listen to games on the internet. I guess it's pretty expensive to set all that technology up to do that. But here is my question: Why doesn't a company sponsor that so fans don't have to pay for it?

For example, what about all those windmills producing electricity out there south of town? Can't they come up with some sponsor money? I mean gee, they are dotting the landscape pretty regularly now right? And isn't part of their payment to Sweetwater supposed to go to the school district? I mean, can we have an agreement with them to build just one more windmill to sponsor the games on the internet?

Heck, look at this GoFridayNight.com website? They can get sponsorships to do play-by-play updates for all three high schools in Abilene. Why is Sweetwater behind the eight ball on this? And I certainly don't intend to be mean about it, but have you read the sports page of the Sweetwater Reporter on-line? I don't know why they use so many dashes in their description of Mustang games. And usually, the Mustangs have to share the space with the other schools in the county and how their teams did on Friday night. I guess I shouldn't complain about the paper, at least it's free to read. If you try to read about the Snyder Tigers in their paper, you have to purchase a membership.

I guess the ultimate question I have is, why can't a newspaper or radio station get sufficient sponsors to pay for a program instead of charging the very people that buy the paper or frequent the radio buying parties?

Just an observation here, but the way things are going Colorado City is going to win the 2A state Championship this year and in my opinion will move up to 3A next year. You get the sense there are alot of good things happening in Colorado City. Business is humming over there. Snyder has alot of good things going on there too, and they aren't even next to an interstate. Maybe the good folks of Sweetwtaer can come up with a good idea to get some new business in Sweetwater, so there will be some growth, so that perhaps more sponsorship money will become available, so I won't have to pay to listen to any Sweetwater games on the internet.

Whew, I had to think a long time to come up with an answer to my question.

Lew

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