Calgary Flames fans now know the two familiar voices leading the team’s new radio home on QR 770.
A little more than a month after Sportsnet 960 shut down in July, QR 770 reached a five-year agreement with the Calgary Flames to carry the club’s radio broadcasts. That deal also comes with a daily Flames show, and on Thursday morning the station filled in two of the biggest pieces.
Derek Wills will stay on as the Flames’ radio play-by-play voice. Pat Steinberg, who spent years hosting Flames Talk at Sportsnet 960 before the station closed, will host Flames Now every day from 4 to 6 p.m. with Jock Wilson.
“We’re excited to share this news with our fans and, most importantly, to let them know we heard them loud and clear as we now have a new home for the future of Calgary Flames radio broadcasts,” said Calgary Sports and Entertainment Corporation president and CEO Robert Hayes.
Steinberg said the new time slot gives the show a chance to keep things both lively and useful for the fan base.
“To say in that time slot and be able to bring stories and awesome hockey guests… we want to make sure that it’s a home for all hardcore Flames fans, and we also want to make sure that it’s a really accessible, high-energy show for everybody listening. I’m really excited,” Steinberg said.
Wills also welcomed the move and pointed to the people behind the scenes who helped make it happen.
“Just a tip of the cap to everybody at Corus [Entertainment], QR, the Flames, for getting this deal done,” Wills said. “Because what we’ve learned, even though it’s the Flames’ offseason right now, people have missed Pat.
People have missed that content. There’s been a huge hole.”
One detail still wasn’t announced: who will join Wills as the colour commentator during Flames games. Meaghan Mikkelson held that role at Sportsnet 960, but the next voice alongside Wills has not been revealed.
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