March 29, 2024
Sports

UMaine adjusts its radio network

ORONO – The Black Bear Sports Network is moving to radio stations WAEI (97.1 FM) and WABI (910 AM) in Bangor, the University of Maine’s Black Bear Sports Properties and Blueberry Broadcasting announced Monday.

The UMaine games were being broadcast on Howland-licensed WVOM (103.9 FM).

The move to WAEI and WABI is concurrent with UMaine’s first men’s hockey game on Oct. 17 and enables Maine football to continue to be broadcast on WVOM for the remainder of the season. Men’s hockey and men’s and women’s basketball will be broadcast on WAEI and WABI.

WVOM, WAEI and WABI are all owned by Blueberry Broadcasting, which recently switched WAEI and WABI to all-sports programming as affiliates of Boston sports radio giant WEEI (850 AM).

The switch of UMaine games will allow listeners dual AM/FM coverage of the games and also provides a solid fit demographically and enables an alignment with WEEI, according to Missouri-based Learfield Sports, which serves as the UMaine athletic department’s multimedia rights consulting arm.

Learfield also announced that its subsidiary, Black Bear Sports Properties, now has 10 affiliates with the addition of WBCQ (94.7 FM) of Houlton.

The switch of UMaine sports to WABI and WAEI, formerly WWBX, was a logical one to provide Black Bear sports fans with the best radio coverage possible, Maine athletic director Blake James said in a press release from Learfield Sports.

“I am thrilled that we have expanded the network to 10 affiliates and will continue our efforts to provide coverage of Maine athletics throughout the state,” James said. “The amount of progress we have made in radio and television coverage in the last year is remarkable, and I want to commend all involved, including WABI, Blueberry Broadcasting and WPXT-TV.”

Black Bear Sports Properties has also obtained a new television partner in WPXT of Portland, according to Learfield, which added that the CW affiliate has agreed to air all UMaine broadcasts that are produced and aired by WABI-TV of Bangor this athletic season.


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