Ettore: Deal with KSEK about more than radio, football

FORT SCOTT, Kan. -- Fort Scott Community College Athletic Director J.D. Ettore stated Friday afternoon that the college's new rights deal with KSEK Radio in Pittsburg is about more than just football and more than just radio.

Indeed, the future of FSCC athletics doesn't lie just in radio but in many other platforms. And KSEK will work with the college to exploit those platforms.

"Tim (McKenney, Fort Scott Broadcasting owner) put forth a great proposal," Ettore said. "But he understands the decision (to go with KSEK) is a business decision.

"KOMB is still a valued partner of the college. When the offers came back to us and we let him know, Tim said he completely understood."

Ettore pointed out that KOMB will be at the college today for Community Appreciation Day broadcasting a two-hour remote.

Ettore explained that when he was hired by the college, he was challenged to raise the profile of the colllege. He looked at what other Jayhawk Conference schools were doing, not just with radio but with other platforms such as the Internet and social networking.

Some other colleges, he pointed out, have full-time sports information directors and people dedicated to updating the school's presence on sites such as Facebook and Twitter. This is where KSEK felt it can help the Greyhound programs.

"This was for all Greyhound athletics," Ettore said. "Basketball, volleyball, baseball, softball. KSEK can stream all these events (online). They have offered us a Greyhound athletics page on their Web site. We can have coaches shows every week, not just for football, but for men's and women's basketball."

Ettore said that KSEK plans to work to develop an iPhone application for FSCC athletics and, in the future, develop one for Blackberry phones as well.

Although the signal for KSEK-AM (1340) is not especially strong in Fort Scott and may not be available at night, gaps in coverage will be made up by also putting the games on KSEK-FM (99.1), which has a better signal into Fort Scott -- the FM station is licensed to Girard -- and doesn't have to be cut down at night as the AM station's signal must be under FCC regulations.

The Internet coverage is also intended to help not just in the area but also nationwide. Ettore cited examples.

"There are many members of the 1970 National Champion football team in the Kansas City and they can't find us on the Internet," Ettore said. "We have one of our basketball hall of famers who lives in Minnesota and would like to listen. Now she'll be able to hear our games."

Many athletes coming to FSCC, especially ones from out of state, are getting better coverage on the Internet provided by their high schools than they can currently get at the college, Ettore said. This may put the college at a disadvantage in recruiting in the future.

"We just want to stay competitive in the Jayhawk Conference," Ettore said. "This deal doesn't give us an advantage over any of the schools. It just keeps us competitive."

(Readers who do not receive the Fort Scott Tribune and wish to see McKenney's comments, which were presented in its Friday edition, can view the article online at this Web addresss: http://www.fstribune.com/story/1625048.html)