U-M signs long term deal with CBS radio, 97.1 to air select games, Hockey on 1270

Submitted by Wolverine Devotee on
This came out a few minutes ago. Michigan had signed a long term deal to stay with CBS radio WWJ. Select games will air on 97.1 (Ed: via simulcast) per the release.

Michigan Hockey will air on 1270 am, too. No word on how long term the deal is. Harbaugh will also be interviewed once a week during the season.

http://www.mgoblue.com/sports/m-footbl/spec-rel/071316aaa.html

Sommy

July 13th, 2016 at 10:45 AM ^

97.1?  Really?  Can't wait for our play-by-play and color commentary to be delivered with a Spartan slant.

lilpenny1316

July 13th, 2016 at 11:00 AM ^

...all I can say is that 105.1 had more Michigan fans/alumni on that station and now they're playing 80's rap.  If 105.1 was smart, they would've branded themselves as the UM alternative to Sparty nation over at 97.1.

We need our own Kirk Herbstreit on the airwaves.  If Desmond or Jalen were on the radio, I'd listen.  There have been guys who had radio gigs out of town, but never had to leave their house to do a show.

uferblue

July 13th, 2016 at 11:27 AM ^

Marcus Ray actually does a great job on the radio. He should have a full-time gig on 97.1 with Valenti. They actually did a show together once and it was awesome. Valenti can be good if he's paired with the right partner, but when he's on with Foster(basically his lap dog) it's brutal to listen. He even did a show with Wojo last year and that was some great college football talk. 

lilpenny1316

July 13th, 2016 at 10:50 AM ^

When I lived in DC in the pre-BTN days, I could listen to the all the night basketball games and any football games that stretched past 6pm.  Thanks to a crappy ACC game (featuring Maryland), I had to listen in my driveway to Braylonfest until the second OT.

Part of the reason Sirius/XM gets my money is so I can listen to the games when I'm on the road on Saturdays.  

Harbaugh is already on 97.1 weekly, so I wonder what the difference will be going forward.

Mich_Faithful

July 13th, 2016 at 10:51 AM ^

Makes sense after 97.1 is no longer the flagship station for the Lions, had to do something. Highly doubt Valenti will be doing any commentary for the games, people need to settle down a little bit.

rainingmaize

July 13th, 2016 at 11:45 AM ^

I think the only people who don't like this are people who are looking for reasons to hate on Manuel. There isn't a reason to not like this. The station has really high ratings, you get hockey and basketball thrown in. Quality shouldn't be effected as Play by Play Commentary will be done by Michigan's own guys, not Valenti (although I would like to see his head explode trying to act excited when something big happens). Plus the majority of 97.1 personalities are Michigan guys anyway. 

antidaily

July 13th, 2016 at 10:59 AM ^

I simultaneously love and hate 97.1. Most of the programming is brainless and embarrassing but I still listen. Mostly because my Sirius trial ran out.

rwilb

July 13th, 2016 at 11:03 AM ^

Even though there's a huge Spartan lean on this station, this is a very good thing for Michigan. 97.1 is the only Detroit sports show that people listen to so it will be great for building M interest in the area again via radio. It's also a huge upgrade with the FM quality

LSAClassOf2000

July 13th, 2016 at 12:54 PM ^

That's kind of what I was thinking, that it seems like 97.1 is now the only sports radio in Metro Detroit with an audience worth the effort to make this sort of deal, so this would probably work out quite well for Michigan in that regard. Airing the broadcasts I can definitely dig, as others have said, whereas having their on-air talent do games would, well, yeah....let's not theorize.

Alumnus93

July 13th, 2016 at 11:38 AM ^

I want nothing more than to see a renewal of MichigN Replay, with Harbaugh and coaches going over the plays... my gosh, I cannot stand Inside Michigan Football especially with that obnoxious music

Tuebor

July 13th, 2016 at 11:47 AM ^

Bummer.  I was really hoping we'd get WJR back since the lions dropped 97.1.  Michigan football should be on the only Class A clear-channel station in the State.

Roy G. Biv

July 13th, 2016 at 12:23 PM ^

Haven't listened to WJR since the change. They don't want me, I don't want them. Plus, I like the regularity of WWJ traffic updates, a big helper driving from the Flint area to Detroit area or Windsor every day.

Bando Calrissian

July 13th, 2016 at 1:04 PM ^

Hockey simulcasts on 1270 are a good thing, considering once you get about 20 minutes from A2 on a Friday or Saturday night, that 1050 signal fades straight to static.

gordify

July 13th, 2016 at 1:53 PM ^

I look forward to the days when MI football is on a FM station in Grand Rapids. I work downtown in a building with a lot of steel and concrete and no internet and can't get WOOD am or 106.9 from Muskegon. LAV dropped the tigers so I haven't been able to listen to a game all year