After two decades on iHeartMedia Sports “1300 The Zone” KVET and Country 98.1 KVET-FM Austin, the University of Texas is moving its sports broadcasts to Austin Radio Network’s cluster of stations.
The entire cluster will air UT Football games including pre and post-game coverage. That includes Progressive Country 99.3 KOKE-FM Thorndale/98.5 K253AN Sunset Valley/1490 KTAE Austin, Sports “104.9 The Horn” KTXX Bee Cave, Classic Hits “Classic 105.3” K287FG Austin/KTXX-HD4, and “Comedy 1260” KLGO Elgin. KOKE-FM/KTAE will also carry Men’s Basketball, while “The Horn” will air Men’s and Women’s Basketball, Baseball, Softball, and featured games from other sports. Texas Football will air in Spanish on Regional Mexican “Fiesta 97.1” K246BD Sunset Valley/KTXX-HD2 and 1530 KZNX Creedmoor.
Texas Athletics and IMG-College/Longhorn Sports Marketing announced Tuesday that the Austin Radio Network will become the new radio home for Texas Athletics.
The multi-year partnership between ARN and IMG will bring fans more live Longhorns athletics events and shoulder programming while adding a Spanish-language football broadcast flagship, beginning with the 2015 football season.
IMG, a global sports and media leader which manages Texas Athletics’ multi-media rights, negotiated the deal on behalf of the university.
ARN will simulcast across its platform of four FM radio stations and two AM stations live Longhorns sports events including football, men’s and women’s basketball, baseball, softball, and Longhorn Weekly coaches’ shows. ARN’s 104.9 FM “The Horn” will become the new flagship station.
The new broadcast rights partnership includes promotion across all of ARN’s six Austin stations and will bring fans more live game broadcasts, including the addition of softball, and new Longhorns news and talk programs.
Through a co-venture with Fiesta 97.1 FM and KXNZ 1530 AM, ARN will broadcast all Longhorns football games in Spanish.
“Our new partnership with ARN will bring more Longhorn events and coverage to fans in Austin,” said Scott Willingham, General Manager of Longhorns IMG Sports Marketing. “We’re particularly excited about an abundance of programming in addition to football, including more exposure for Longhorns’ Olympic sports. The university’s student-athletes, teams, fans, and corporate supporters will all benefit.”
No changes are anticipated for the Longhorn IMG Radio Network talent or crew for the 2015 football season.
“I want to thank IMG for their hard work and commitment in bringing a valuable broadcast partner into the Longhorns family. I’m impressed with ARN’s commitment to aggressively promoting all Longhorns sports in new and innovative ways,” said Steve Patterson, Texas Men’s Athletics Director. “Games will be heard by more fans, in more places, than ever before. ARN is a creative, home-grown commodity that has a genuine passion for The University of Texas and our community.”
Longhorn IMG Radio Network broadcasts for football, men’s basketball and coaches shows are available statewide on more than 30 radio stations. Texas games also will be streamed live world-wide (without cost) to Longhorns fans on TexasSports.com and on a separate digital streaming platform that is being developed in collaboration with ARN. The platform will feature live and archived content.
“Since 1893, The University of Texas Longhorns Athletics programs have been the absolute definition of hometown sports in Austin, Texas,” said Bob Cole, ARN’s Chief Executive Officer. “In 2012, we formed the Austin Radio Network, dedicated to the return of ‘hometown radio’ – both in ownership and programming. ARN is founded on the basic principle of being ‘hyper-local.’ We don’t hesitate or apologize for going over-the-top in exhibiting any and all of the unique assets that embody the heart and soul of Austin’s proud culture. Being locally owned is just the beginning. Being entrusted with the responsibility of broadcasting from UT’s biggest stage is truly prime-time! We are abundantly grateful for the confidence placed in us by IMG. Our staff is as enthused, as we are humbled.”
TEXAS ATHLETICS SPORTS BROADCAST STATIONS:
KOKE-FM 99.3 FM
Texas Football
Texas Basketball-MenKOKE-FM 98.5 FM
Texas Football
Texas Basketball-MenKTAE-AM 1490
Texas Football
Texas Basketball-MenKTXX-FM 104.9 FM
Texas Football
Texas Basketball-Men
Texas Basketball-Women
Texas Baseball
Texas Softball
“Featured Game” coverage for any or all of the other UT sports.KTXX-HD4 – 105.3 FM
Texas FootballKLGO-AM 1260
Texas FootballFIESTA 97.1 FM (KTXX-HD2)
Spanish language Longhorn FootballKZNX-AM 1530
Spanish language Longhorn FootballPLEASE NOTE: Texas Football, and its related pre- and postgame programming will simulcast on all stations in the Austin Radio Network.
The flagship sports station of The Longhorn Radio Network, 104.9 FM – The Horn, will be the primary home for all Texas Athletics sports contests and events.
When there is a “same-time” conflict with other Longhorn sports, selected station(s) from ARN’s family of stations will serve to ensure the availability of the broadcast.