I had a chance to talk to Todd Walker during the spring game. I didn't get the impression that the network would be adding any affiliates this year. If I remember right, he asked if MajorFalcon and I wanted to plunk down some money buying air time here in Columbus.
(And that isn't going to help Major Falcon, who may be better served by a Baghdad affiliate at this point).
I'd love to see BGSU add a Columbus affiliate. But competition for dial space is actually pretty intense here.
Here are the main stations:
610 WTVN - The big daddy. 50,000 watts. Clear Channel-owned. Devoted to Buckeye talk on Saturdays. Carries the Bengals on Sundays.
820 WOSU -- Ohio State's public radio news station. Carries OSU hockey/baseball/women's basketball, but obviously isn't going to carry anything else.
880 WRFD -- Christian talk station owned by Salem Communications, which also owns BGSU's Northeast Ohio affiliate. This station has a huge signal that hits much of Ohio and carries no sports. Problem is, they shut down at night.
920 WMNI -- Notre Dame's football affiliate.
1230 WTPG -- Progressive talk, owned by Clear Channel. Carries the Reds and the Cavaliers.
1460 WBNS -- Sports talk, owned by the Columbus Dispatch empire (ONN/WBNS-TV 10, etc.). Carries Ohio State football/men's basketball/Indians/Blue Jackets.
1580 WVKO -- Scrappy full service African-American station. Carries RedHawk football and the Columbus Clippers.
I just don't see an opening for us here.
Maybe there is an FM here in town bleeding money and willing to try sports on Saturdays (e.g., WVKO owns an FM with a lousy signal and some times bumps Clippers games there). Ohio University has hooked up with WAZU-FM 107.1, which doesn't have great coverage (I think the station is in Circleville).