The NHL’s Los Angeles Kings are moving their game broadcasts to the new “LA Kings Audio Network” on the iHeartRadio app.
Kings games had been heard on Cumulus Talk 790 KABC the past four years. Some games including the first two preseason games this week will also air on iHeart Conservative Talk “1150 The Patriot” KEIB. The LA Kings Audio Network will also include a 30 minute long pregame show, the postgame Kings Talk, additional online Kings content and game replays. Longtime Kings announcers Nick Nickson and Daryl Evans will continue to call the games.
The Los Angeles Kings and iHeartMedia Los Angeles announced today that as part of a new and innovative digital partnership, all Kings games – including preseason, regular season and postseason contests – will now stream live on the new official LA Kings Audio Network, a custom station available on iHeartRadio, iHeartMedia’s all-in-one digital music, podcast, on demand and live streaming radio service.
Beginning with tonight’s Kings-Arizona Coyotes preseason game at STAPLES Center, the coverage on iHeartRadio will also include the broadcast’s 30-minute pregame show. Additionally, iHeartRadio will feature Kings Talk, the club’s popular call-in radio show, which will stream live after most regular season and postseason home games inside the Impact Sports Bar & Grill inside STAPLES Center.
Tonight’s game, which begins at 7:30 p.m., and the Kings-Vegas preseason game on Thursday, September 20, will feature a special simultaneous broadcast on the LA Kings Audio Network as well as on The Patriot AM 1150.
The LA Kings Audio Network will also be the only place to hear the additional online Kings content plus replays of each game, and as part of the agreement, iHeartRadio will feature exclusive Kings audio content for listeners.
Said Kings President and Hockey Hall of Famer Luc Robitaille: “Our streams will continue to not only serve our fans in a traditional sense but the LA Kings Audio Network will also feature additional content that our fans will enjoy listening to. With iHeartRadio’s incredible audience reach, this is indeed a special day in the broadcast history of our hockey club. We are looking forward to all the new opportunities iHeartMedia helps to provide and we look forward to working closely with our new partners who not only share our vision but will play a key role in implementing our vision.”
“We are also very excited to get back in to the audio game with the LA Kings and establishing the LA Kings Audio Network on iHeartRadio is the first step,” said Don Martin, Senior Vice President of Sports for iHeartMedia Los Angeles. “Kings fans will now be able to get content including the live game stream, repeats of the games, interviews, podcasts and other exclusive content on iHeartRadio. It’s as easy as downloading the free iHeartRadio app today!”
Calling the action for Kings games on the LA Kings Audio Network will be Kings Radio Play-by-Play Announcer Nick Nickson, who this year is in his 38th season calling Kings games, and Kings Radio Analyst Daryl Evans, now in his 20th season in that role.
The station can be accessed, free of charge, by downloading the iHeartRadio app available across more than 250 device platforms including in-car, in-home, on wearables, across gaming consoles and more. Visit iHeart.com/apps to download and listen to iHeartRadio on your favorite device now. To locate the channel in the search bar users can type in keywords: LA Kings Audio Network, LA Kings or Los Angeles Kings.
The Kings are one of five professional sports teams to partner with iHeartMedia Los Angeles to exclusively broadcast and stream games. The new agreement also includes other joint promotional activations, including over-the-air and in-arena, between the Kings and iHeartMedia.
Kings games on the radio have been broadcast on KABC Radio since 2014.
In addition to today’s announcement with iHeartMedia, the Kings have extended their relationship with Skyview Networks to remain the official audio solutions partner of the Kings. The Kings will utilize Skyview Networks’ popular AdView software to manage and control all advertising as part of each club broadcast. AdView is a powerful application developed specifically for play-by-play sports inventory management.
“Whether broadcast or streaming, AdView provides a franchise the tailored tools to maximize inventory and provide an organization’s front office the insight they need to analyze inventory and make the best revenue decisions,” said Matt Stys, Vice President, Business Development for Skyview Networks. “The Kings produce an incredible broadcast and we are thrilled to partner with this championed franchise.”
