Sports radio stations changing their formats

Mark your radio-dial scorecards, sports fans, because Lotus Broadcasting -- owners of AM stations KBAD (920), KWWN (1100) and KENO (1460) -- has shuffled its programming lineup.

While not changing call letters or frequencies, the stations have swapped ESPN and Fox Sports formats, and added programming for Spanish-speaking listeners.

Starting today, the ESPN programming on KBAD-AM, 920, which had been simulcast on KWWN-AM, 1100, moves to KWWN exclusively. KBAD, meanwhile, adopts the Fox Sports format that had been on KENO-AM, 1460, which will now host ESPN Deportes Radio.

"We created the 1100 signal to bring Deportes onboard," says Lotus program director Mitch Moss about KWWN, which has been testing its transmitter while simulcasting KBAD. "It's been in the works for quite some time, we just had to work things according to the FCC."

For fans of local sports, that means that Las Vegas 51s games will be broadcast on KBAD, and University of Nevada, Las Vegas sports will be broadcast only on KWWN.

Deportes Radio, while carrying a full range of football, baseball and boxing coverage, has a special focus on soccer. Its on-air personalities include Jorge Ramos, Armando Talavera, Hernan Pereira, Jairo Moncado, Armando Aguayo and Rolando "El Veloz" Gonzales.

"For English-speaking listeners, it's an upgrade for listeners to the ESPN programming and the Fox programming, because 1100 is a better signal than 920, and 920 is a better signal than 1460," Moss says. "And there was no Spanish sports (on local radio), so we're finally bringing that to Las Vegas, too."

Contact reporter Steve Bornfeld at sbornfeld@reviewjournal.com or (702) 383-0256.