KGMZ

KGMZ

City of license	San Francisco
Broadcast area	San Francisco/Oakland/San Jose, California
Branding	95.7 The Game
Slogan	The Bay Area's New Sound For Sports
Frequency	95.7 MHz (also on HD Radio)
First air date	June 1, 1960 (as KQBY-FM)
Format	Sports Talk HD2: Country "Wolf Country"
ERP	6,900 watts
HAAT	393 meters
Class	B
Facility ID	25446
Callsign meaning	GaMeZ
Former callsigns	KQBY-FM (1960-1962) KKHI-FM (1962–1994) KPIX-FM (1994–1997) KOYT (1997) KZQZ (1997–2002) KKDV (2002–2003) KZBR (2003–2006) KMAX-FM (2006–2007) KBWF (2007–2011)
Affiliations	Oakland Athletics
Owner	Entercom Communications
Sister stations	KOIT, KUFX, KUZX, KBLX
Webcast	KGMZ Webstream
Website	957thegame.com

KGMZ (95.7 FM, "95.7 The Game") is a United States radio station located in San Francisco, broadcasting to the San Francisco Bay Area. KGMZ airs a sports format.

The station is owned and operated by Entercom Communications, and broadcasts from studios at 3rd and Howard in San Francisco, with transmitter on San Bruno Mountain. KGMZ serves as the flagship station for the Oakland Athletics.

History

KKHI

The 95.7 FM frequency debuted June 1, 1960 as KQBY-FM, companion to co-owned KQBY 1550, with 10,500 watts from Mount Beacon above Sausalito, California. It was the last commercial FM application available in the San Francisco market. KQBY had been the original Top 40 music station in the Bay Area, garnering a huge market share for owner Dave Siegel. After competition eroded listeners, the station was sold to former child actor Sherwood R. Gordon, who changed the format to "beautiful music".

When Gordon ran out of money, both stations were sold to Frank Atlass, who financed the purchase from an inheritance. He changed the callsigns to KKHI and KKHI-FM and tried a middle of the road music format. When he ran low on money, the staff was cut to a bare minimum and the format was changed once again, this time to classical music.

Debt problems forced Atlass to sell the station to Buckley Broadcasting, which retained the classical format and much of the staff from 1962 through 1994.

95.7 KPIX-FM

Labor disputes and declining advertising support eventually brought an end to the classical music programming. The station was sold in 1994 to Westinghouse Broadcasting, owners of KPIX-TV, and its format was dramatically changed. The station became KPIX-FM, and changed to a news/talk format, simulcast with its AM sister station. Hosts included Dr. Laura Schlessinger. During this time, the station briefly attained an all-time ratings high by airing non-stop coverage of the O.J. Simpson murder trial.

Z95.7

The AM/FM KPIX simulcast ended on June 2, 1997, when Westinghouse, now a part of CBS Radio, sold KPIX-FM to Bonneville International. After simulcasting new sister station WTMX in Chicago for about a month, the station then flipped to an upbeat contemporary hit radio (CHR) format as "Z95.7" on July 11, with the call letters KOYT and later KZQZ (which were adopted on July 21). The first song on the "Z" was "Get Ready For This" by 2 Unlimited. The slogan was "Today's Hit Music". The format lasted until May 5, 2002, when the station changed its format to classic hits as KKDV ("95.7 The Drive"), inspired by the success of its Chicago sister station WDRV.

95.7 Max FM

WDRV's success did not translate to the Bay Area, and a year later (May 2003), the station turned to a country music format as KZBR ("95.7 The Bear"). On May 11, 2005, at Noon, the station adopted a classic hits format, but transitioned into adult hits as "MAX-FM" on April 13, 2006 with the KMAX call sign. KZBR started with a full complement of announcers, but moved to a more-music, DJ-free approach in mid-April 2006. The familiar voice of "Station 'owner' J J Maxwell" or “Max” was actor John O'Hurley, perhaps best known for his work on Seinfeld as catalog king J. Peterman. “It’s unexpected and a bit irreverent,” said Bonneville's Senior Regional Vice President and General Manager Chuck Tweedle. “And very much in the eclectic spirit of Max 95.7 FM.” [1]

In January 2007, Bonneville announced that it would be swapping all three of its San Francisco FM stations, including KMAX, plus $1 million, to Entercom Communications for three of Entercom's radio stations in Seattle, Washington, plus Entercom's entire radio cluster in Cincinnati, Ohio. [2] Entercom took over the station through a local marketing agreement on February 26, 2007.

95.7 The Wolf

On March 1, 2007, at 7:50 am, KMAX flipped formats once again, returning to country as "95.7 The Wolf", and began playing 10,000 country songs in a row, commercial-free, with the first song being "Save A Horse (Ride A Cowboy)" by Big & Rich. The launch of "The Wolf", and most of the initial imaging production was created by Krash Creative Solutions. The launch of "The Wolf" was also simulcast live from the main stage at the Country Radio Seminar in Nashville and heard by hundreds of radio and record executives. On March 19, 2007, KMAX changed their call letters to KBWF to go with the "Wolf" branding.

After playing 10,000 songs in a row, they continued with an additional 15,000 songs still commercial-free. On April 2, 2007, The Wolf began adding jocks, with Nikki Landry doing mid-days, JoJo Kincaid on afternoons and Tic Tak on nights. On April 16, 2007, The Wolf brought in The Y'all Turnative Morning Show with Gill Alexander, LeBaron Meyers, Marcus Osborne, Sue Hall and Eddie King.

KBWF became the Oakland Athletics flagship station, replacing KTRB, on March 31, 2011. The first game broadcast was on April 1, 2011.

Sports Radio 95.7/The Game

On April 15, 2011 at 10 am, after four years as a country station, KBWF flipped formats to sports talk as "SportsRadio 95.7" with the last song on "The Wolf" being "Heads Carolina, Tails California" by Jo Dee Messina. This was followed by stunting that included a montage of various San Francisco sports highlights of the last few decades.

At 4 pm, the stunting ended with the Oakland A's pre-game show with Chris Townsend and the game following. After the game, the station resumed its stunting, which lasted until the following Monday morning at 6 am, when the station made its official debut.

On August 1, 2011, at 6 am, the station relaunched as "95.7 The Game", completing the flip to sports with a new official on-air lineup. The station also changed their calls to KGMZ to go with the "Game" moniker.

The change to all-sports has once again left San Francisco as the second largest radio market (behind New York City) without a full power country station. However, the format remains on the stations HD2 channel as "Wolf Country 95.7." Before the changeover, it aired classic country as "The Deuce".

On-air staff

Weekday lineup

The lineup (as of February, 2013) is as follows

• Morning Show (6 am – 10 am): The Rise Guys – Whitey Gleason, Mark Kriedler & Dan Dibley
• Mid-days (10 am – 12 pm): The Pulse - Sean O'Connell & Matt Steinmentz
• Early afternoons (12 pm - 3 pm): The Wheelhouse – John Lund & Greg Papa
• Afternoon Drive (3 pm – 7pm): Bucher & Towny – Chris Townsend & Rick Bucher
• Evenings (7 pm – 11 pm): The Guy Haberman Show – Guy Haberman

• Weekends/fill-ins: Jeramiah, Mike McGlaughlin, Roxy Bernstein, Brodie Brazil, and Henry Wofford
• Program Director: Jason Barrett
• Imaging Director: Jeff Schmidt
• Station Voice: Steve Stone

ESPN Programming

• Late Nights (11 pm – 3 am): SportsCenter Overnight - various
• Overnights (3 am – 6 am): Mike & Mike in the Morning - Mike Golic and Mike Greenberg

Insiders

• San Francisco Giants: Shawn Estes
• San Francisco 49ers: Matt Maiocco
• Golden State Warriors: Matt Steinmetz
• San Jose Sharks: Brodie Brazil
• Oakland Raiders: John "JD" Dickinson
• Oakland Athletics: Casey Pratt, Chris Townsend
• Major League Baseball: Bip Roberts
• 30/30 Sports Fix announcer Gianna Franco

Former hosts

KKHI era 1980–1994

• Laura Brodian (1994)
• John Hawkins (1968)
• Jeff Riggenbach (1993–1994)

95.7 KPIX era 1994–1997

• John Evans (1994)
• Don Imus (Morning Host "Imus In The Morning" 1994–1997)
• Dr. Tara Fields (Midday Host 1997)
• Gil Gross (Nighttime Host, syndicated, now locally with KGO)
• Tom Leykis (Afternoon Host "The Tom Leykis Show" 1994–1997)
• Dr. Laura Schlessinger (Midday Host 1994–1997)
• Tom Snyder (Overnight Host "The Late, Late Show" 1995–1997)
• Dr. Nancy Snyderman (Late Morning Host 1997)
• Pat Thurston (Evening Host, now with KGO)

Z95.7 era 1997–2002

• Woody (Morning Host "The Woody Show" 1999–2001) – Now mornings at 94.1 KTFM in San Antonio, Texas
• Danny Wright (Morning co-host "The Woody Show" 1999–2001) – Now Afternoons/PD KMHX in Santa Rosa, CA
• Jamie (Morning co-host "The Woody Show" 1999–2001)
• Carson Daly (Evening Host "Most Requested" 2001–2002)
• Gene Gates (Morning Host "Gene & Julie" 2001–2002) – Now mornings at 103.7 lite FM KVIL in Dallas, Texas
• Julie Gates (Morning Co-host "Gene & Julie" 2001–2002) – Now mornings at 103.7 lite FM KVIL in Dallas, Texas
• Michael Mann (Late Night/Nighttime Host 2000–2002)
• Katie Mason (Midday Host 1997–2002, later returned when the station became "The Bear".)
• Crystal McKenzie (Morning Co-host 1997–2000)
• Marcus D. Nejaro (Afternoon Host 1997–2000)
• Human Numan (Morning Host 1997)
• Matthew Reid (Afternoon Host 2000–2001)
• Lara Scott (Evening Host 1997–1999)
• Kevin Scott (Late Night Host 1997–1998)
• Stick (Evening Host 2000–2001)
• Steve Taylor (2001)
• Diana Steele (Afternoon Host 2001–2002) – Now afternoons at 103.1 Jack FM in Salt Lake City, Utah
• Fernando Ventura (Evenings/Morning Host "Fernando In The Morning 1997–1999) – Now morning host at 99–7 Now

95.7 The Drive era 2002–2003

• Roger Coryell (Nighttime Host 2002–2003)
• John Grappone (Morning Host 2002–2003)
• Bill Keffruy (Morning Host 2002)
• Stephen Page (Midday Host 2002–2003)
• Jon Russell (Afternoon Host 2002–2003)

95.7 The Bear 2003–2005

• Forrest Kelly (Nighttime/Midday Host 2003–2004)
• Katie Mason (Midday/Nighttime Host 2003–2005)
• Mel Mays (Overnight Host 2003–2005)
• Billy Michaels (Nighttime Host 2004–2005) – Now afternoons at 102.5 KNIX in Phoenix, Arizona
• Robin Owen (Morning co-host 2004–2005)
• Rick Taylor (Morning Host "The Bear Morning Show" 2003–2005)

95.7 MAX-FM era 2005–2007

• Mike Dawson (Midday Host/Production Work 2005–2007)
• Web Fingers (Morning Host 2005–2006)
• Sue Hall (Morning News 2006–2007; stayed after flip to country)
• Teri King (Midday/Afternoon Host/APD/Music Director 2005–2007) - Now mid-days at 96.5 KOIT
• Janelle Marie (Morning Traffic/Production Work 2005–2007)
• Rex McNeill (Afternoon Traffic 2005–2006)

95.7 The Wolf era 2007–2011

• Mark "Tic Tak" Allen (Nighttime Host "Nite Wolf" 2007) – Now afternoons at New Country 98.7 KUPL in Portland, Oregon
• Gill Alexander (Morning Host "The Y'all Turnative Morning Show" 2007–2008)
• Ken Anderson (Morning Host "Ken & Corey" 2008–2010)
• Orphan Andrew (Weekends 2010–2011) – Now program director at Star 106.5
• Liza Battallones (Afternoon Traffic/Weekends 2007–2009) – Now at CBS5
• Jeff "JD" Dean (Weekends 2007–2011)
• Doughboy (Weekends 2007)
• Corey Foley (Morning Co-Host "Ken & Corey" 2008–2010) – Now mornings at 100.3 KILT in Houston.
• Cory "Fitz" Fitzner (Morning Host "Fitz In The Morning" 2010–2011) – Now mornings on 100.7 The Wolf
• Micki Gamez (Mid-Day Host 2009–2011) – Now afternoons at 92-3 Now in New York City
• Sue Hall (Morning Co-Host "The Y'All Turnative Morning Show" 2007/Weekends 2009–2011) - Now weekends at 96.5 KOIT
• Alan Kabel (Night Host "The 2nd Shift 2008–2011)
• JoJo Kincaid (Afternoon Host 2007–2008) – Now afternoons at Q105 in Tampa Bay, Florida
• Eddie King (Morning Host 2007–2011)
• Nikki Landry (Mid-Day Host 2007–2009) – Now afternoons on Voodo 104 in New Orleans
• Tim "Goose" Lock (Nighttime Co-host "Nite Wolf"/Producer/Overnight Host 2007–2008) – Now weekends at Channel 9–5–5 in Detroit, Michigan.
• Keola Lui-Kwan (Nighttime Host "Nite Wolf"/Overnights/Afternoon Host 2007–2009) – Now afternoons at 98.5 KYGO in Denver, Colorado
• Lebaron "LB" Meyers (Morning co-host 2007–2008)
• Lola Montgomery (Weekends/Morning co-host 2007–2008) – Now mid-days at New Country 98.7 KUPL in Portland, Oregon
• Marcus Osborne (Morning co-host/producer 2007)
• Jeff Perry (Weekends 2007)
• Steve Rockwell (Morning co-host 2007) - Now weekends at 104.5 KFOG
• Tony Russell (Morning Co-Host "Fitz In The Morning" 2010–2011) – Now mornings on 100.7 The Wolf
• Randy "The Biscuit" Stein (Morning Co-Host "Fitz In The Morning" 2010–2011) – Now mornings on 100.7 The Wolf
• Joey "Joey V." Vlazny (Afternoon Host 2010–2011) – Now afternoons at The New 103-7
• Mike Vincent (Weekends 2007–2011)
• Joey Way (Weekends 2007–2008)
• Greg West (Weekends 2008–2010)
• Mary White (Morning Co-Host "Fitz In The Morning" 2010–2011)
• Ali Wilder (Weekends/Nighttime Host 2009–2011)
• Pacey Williams (Weekends/Overnight Host 2008–2009)
• Wingnut (Weekends 2007) – Now afternoons at 100.7 The Wolf in Seattle, Washington

Sportsradio 95.7 era April – August 2011

• Scott Jackson (Mid-Day Host 2011) – Now anchor at 106.7 The Fan in Washington DC
• Tim "Monty" Montymeyer (Morning Host "The Monty Show" 2011)
• Isaac Roop (Mid-Day Host "Isaac & Big Suke" 2011) – Now afternoons at ESPN Radio 1080 The Fan in Portland, Oregon
• Jason “Suke” Scukanec (Mid-Day Co-Host "Isaac & Big Suke" 2011) – Now afternoons at ESPN Radio 1080 The Fan in Portland, Oregon
• Arnie States (Afternoon/Early Afternoon Host "Rob, Arnie & Sports Show" 2011) – Now afternoons at ESPN 1320 in Sacramento, still with FM syndicated "Rob, Arnie and Dawn" morning show (Sacramento/Reno)
• Rob Williams (Afternoon/Early Afternoon Host "Rob, Arnie & Sports Show" 2011) – Now afternoons at ESPN 1320 in Sacramento, still with FM syndicated "Rob, Arnie and Dawn" morning show (Sacramento/Reno)

95.7 The Game era August 1, 2011 – present

• Eric Davis (Afternoons "The Drive" host 2011-2012) - Now host of NFL AM at NFL Network
• Drew Hoffa ("30/30 Sports Fix announcer" 2011-2012)-Now at CBS Sports 1140 KHTK
• Brandon Tierney ("The Drive" host 2011-2012, now on the CBS Sports Network)

External links

• 95.7 The Game website
• Query the FCC's FM station database for KGMZ
• Radio-Locator information on KGMZ
• Query Arbitron's FM station database for KGMZ
• Web Archives
• San Francisco DJ List
• Hear The Launch Of The Wolf
• KPIX website in 1996
• Z 95.7 Website in 2000
• 95.7 The Drive Website in 2002
• 95.7 The Bear website in 2004
• 95.7 Max FM Website in 2006