had grown stale, while KDWB suddenly became the hip new CHR station. KDWB and its morning show host, Steve Cochran, jumped ahead of a slumping WLOL and would, from that point on, be the dominant CHR station in the market. Playing catch-up, WLOL started tweaking the programming and air staff, shook up its longtime morning show, and finally, on May 11, 1990, moved to a Rhythmic Top 40 format. Labeling itself as "Today's Best Music", the new 99.5 WLOL hired a new airstaff and rejuvenated itself in the minds of listeners, managing a ratings improvement. KSJN and KNOW relocation In 1989, Smulyan bought the Seattle Mariners baseball team. As early as September 1989, rumors were swirling that WLOL might be up for sale to raise funds for the acquisition; it later emerged that Emmis had indeed placed the station on the market at that time. On December 26, 1990—realizing an ambition held for over a decade—Minnesota Public Radio announced the purchase of the WLOL facility for $12 million, to give it two FM frequencies. MPR had been operating two stations since it had bought 1330 kHz—the former WLOL AM—in 1981. It would sell that station, by that time known as KNOW, to raise some of the funds for the FM purchase. For Emmis, it was a discount on the original asking price of $20 million, which a slowing economy had put out of reach. MPR announced that it would move its classical programming to the 99.5 frequency, which had a stronger signal than its existing station at 91.1. That frequency would become the new home of KNOW, the MPR news station. While Emmis made some steps toward enabling another station to pick up WLOL wholesale, going as far as to provide such a blueprint to other FM stations in the Twin Cities market, 1330 AM had been challenged by a poor signal in the western suburbs that were home to many MPR members, as well as in office buildings. Pop music fans in the Twin Cities were furious as WLOL slowly counted down to its last day, February 26, 1991. WLOL's final day culminated with a day-long farewell, playing music and jingles from the station's nearly 10 year-long Top 40/CHR era, as well as current and former airstaff offering farewell messages, and advertisements from 92 KQRS, K102 (where morning host John Hines later landed) and even KDWB redirecting listeners to