Update 11/17: Entercom has officially announced its new deal with the Twins to bring the franchise back to News/Talk 830 WCCO.
WCCO carried the team’s broadcasts from its move to Minnesota in 1961 through the end of the 2006 season will resume that role for the upcoming season. The Twins have been on team owned Alternative “Go 96.3” KQGO Edina since 2013 and also spent six seasons on Hubbard Sports “ESPN 1500” KSTP. WCCO will lead a network that stretches across Minnesota, Iowa, North Dakota, South Dakota, and Wisconsin with additional ancillary programming and features on Variety Hits “104.1 Jack-FM” KZJK and Country “Buz’n 102.9” KMNB.
Entercom Communications (NYSE: ETM) today announced a fully-integrated radio partnership with The Minnesota Twins. Highlights of the partnership include the team’s return to its original radio broadcast partner, WCCO-AM 830, which aired games for the club’s first 46 seasons through 2006. The station will broadcast all Twins regular and postseason games as well as cover its metropolitan area Spring Training, beginning with the 2018 season. Entercom Minnesota stations 104.1 Jack-FM and BUZ’N @102.9 will also cover Twins’ players, coaches and broadcasters year-round.
“We are thrilled to welcome the Twins back to their iconic home on WCCO,” said Mike Dee, Entercom’s President of Sports. “As the unrivaled leader in local audio sports rights across the nation, Entercom is committed to growing our play-by-play roster where it makes smart, strategic sense. Clearly the Twins are a blue chip franchise on the rise. As a newcomer to the Minneapolis-Saint Paul market, we are especially grateful to the Pohlad family and Dave St. Peter for their confidence in us. With the addition of the Twins, we are proud to be the flagship home for 45 professional teams across the four major sports, including 14 in Major League Baseball.”
“The Minnesota Twins are ecstatic to be in partnership with Entercom and eager to play a role in helping the company implement a new vision for their radio properties across our marketplace,” Twins President and CEO Dave St. Peter said. “The Twins are beyond thrilled to have this opportunity to return our radio broadcasts to WCCO-AM 830. Twins baseball on WCCO Radio was an Upper Midwest tradition for more than four decades. We look forward to building on that tradition with a new era of Twins baseball starting in 2018.”
As part of the partnership, all Entercom properties will feature comprehensive Twins coverage including special promotions and game day shows, spring training from Fort Myers, FL. and at community events across Minnesota. The Twins will continue to produce the game broadcasts including 30-minute pre-game and post-game shows.
Original Report 11/16: In its first major agreement after closing on the merger with CBS Radio, Entercom will announce on Friday that Minnesota Twins baseball will return to News/Talk 830 WCCO for the 2018 season.
Entercom hired former San Diego Padres and Miami Dolphins CEO Mike Dee as President/CEO of Entercom Sports earlier this year. The agreement with the Twins is the first new addition to come from that group.
Eric Jon Magnuson 
Mark W.
Taking this at least a few steps further, today’s Tom Taylor Now (at https://us6.campaign-archive.com/?u=78b390ff9f5b002e3f050238c&id=0c53b4a826) mentions a rumor that Entercom may be interested in buying the Pohlads’ stations as well.
You beat me to it.
I would take this as a clear indication that 95.3 and 96.3 will soon be sold. Both stations are losers from a ratings & revenue perspective.
A new owner could make both properties far more productive than they are presently. Entercom is the obvious suitor. I am sure they are not content owning only three stations in the Twin Cities. They could acquire both without having to divest a single thing.