KJR Adds the Kraken

A handful of weeks after announcing a partnership with ROOT Sports for TV coverage, the Kraken moved forward on the radio side, teaming with 950 KJR. The agreement includes Climate Pledge Arena, which is relevant to the FM cluster of iHeartMedia stations for concert promotion opportunities. This deal comes a year after KJR brought UW athletics back to the station after a brief hiatus. And it follows three years after the station became the Sounders flagship. Rival 710 ESPN Seattle carries the Mariners, Seahawks and WSU athletics.

These moves gave KJR live, local games and shoulder programming after quite a few years of having none. This was significant for a station that always has played up its live and local aspect, to say nothing of having a rival now in town with big time local rights. While the agreement with KJR is not a surprise, the outwardly apparent ease with which it happened was.

Over the past couple of years, KJR has had regular segments of hockey content, including those with Kraken employees. Kraken radio play by play announcer Everett Fitzhugh is a regular guest, for instance. Across town, 710 ESPN has had nothing similar. And that seemed to matter to the team. The actions of both stations indicated to the Kraken that they mattered more to KJR. That could be. 710 ESPN might be comfortable with their current stable of partners.

What’s notable is how this sets up if the NBA returns, which seems more and more likely. If Kraken ownership is involved, KJR likely is in a better spot as a current partner. Alternatively, 710 ESPN would have more available airtime during the winter. And if the ownership group wanted official relationships with both stations, that’d also put 710 in a better spot. But if the decision is based on which station has played more of a role in keeping the Sonics front and center over the years, that again leans to KJR. This may shake out sooner than anybody imagined, though for now, KJR can bask in the glow of teaming up with the new team in town.