Washington State is widening its radio footprint in a big way.
On Thursday, WSU and Bonneville Seattle Media Group announced a new multi-year partnership that will put all Cougar football and men’s basketball games on 710 ESPN Seattle, so long as there isn’t a conflict with the Mariners or Seahawks. When those clashes come up, the broadcast will move to 770 KTTH-AM.
The deal gives Washington State a stronger channel into the Puget Sound area, which the school described as a key part of its fan base. All Cougar football and men’s basketball games will also stream live on the Seattle Sports app.
The schedule already points to a couple of football dates that could be affected if the Mariners create a conflict: the Apple Cup opener on Sept. 6 and the Arizona home game on Sept. 26. Mariner playoff games could also force changes.
“Seattle Sports gives us an incredible opportunity to connect with Cougs across Washington and throughout the Pacific Northwest,” WSU Vice President and Director of Athletics Jon Haarlow said in a release. “As the region's premier sports media brand, Seattle Sports provides a tremendous platform to share the stories of our programs, student-athletes and coaches.
“Reaching all Cougs wherever they are is critical to our outreach, and we're excited about what this partnership means for the future of Washington State Athletics.”
The partnership also adds a weekly football presence for offensive coordinator Kirby Moore. He’ll appear every Tuesday at 12:30 p.m. in a video interview with Coug legend Michael Bumpus and co-host Stacy Jo Rost.
“We're thrilled to partner with Washington State University Athletics at such an exciting time, as the new Pac-12 takes shape and the Kirby Moore era begins,” said Seattle Sports Program Director Kyle Brown. “At Seattle Sports, our goal is to be more than just a radio station. This renewed and expanded partnership allows us to deliver even more coverage for Cougar fans through enhanced on-air programming, original video content, and the Seattle Sports app - connecting fans across Western Washington and around the world.”
WSU women’s basketball will also be available on the Seattle Sports app for the first time, according to the release.
And there’s another wrinkle for Cougar fans: one Washington State baseball game will air on 710 as well. The Cougars reached the NCAA Tournament this past season.
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