Georgia Southern Radio Network Expands Radio Partners and Coverage
8/9/2007 4:26:00 AM | Football
STATESBORO, Ga. - The Georgia Southern Radio Network, a division of Georgia Eagle Broadcasting, Inc., the exclusive multi-media rights holder for Georgia Southern Athletics, is excited to announce the expanded radio coverage areas across the state of Georgia for the Eagle football program led by first-year head coach Chris Hatcher.
“There is a palpable buzz across the state with excitement and anticipation of Coach Hatcher's arrival here at Georgia Southern. It certainly reflects on our ability to reach new markets with radio coverage for the upcoming football season,” said Chris Blair, GSRN's Director of Network Operations. “In addition to securing our relationships with last year's radio partners, we are pleased to announce the additions of Augusta, Brunswick and Fitzgerald to the media markets that will air Georgia Southern Football.”
The new radio affiliates include 1630 WRDW-AM in Augusta, 96.9 WRDO-FM in Fitzgerald and 1490 WMOG-AM in Brunswick. Eagle Football will also continue to be heard in Atlanta, Macon and Savannah - three of the largest media markets in the state.
“Just like our affiliates from last season, these new partner stations represent very important areas that allow for listeners to follow Georgia Southern University through the exciting vehicle of Eagle Football,” said Blair. “We truly have a great group of radio partners, some of which have been a part of the Georgia Southern family since the early 1980s. Without great station owners and managers believing in and supporting Georgia Southern Football, there is no network, and we try to remember that every time we take to the microphones and send a product out to them on Saturdays in the fall.”
Blair will take to the microphone again this fall for his second season as the play-by-play voice for Georgia Southern Football teaming again with former Eagle Terry Harvin, who will provide color commentary, and Ryan Chambers reporting from the sidelines.
“We are excited about the upcoming football season and appreciative of the efforts of Chris Blair and the Georgia Southern Radio Network to expand the coverage area,” said Georgia Southern Director of Athletics Sam Baker. “We look forward to fans tuning into the Georgia Southern Radio Network to follow the Eagles' broadcast, and hopefully tuning into the radio broadcast from their seats at Paulson Stadium.”
Network programming will begin two hours prior to each game's kickoff with Georgia Southern Game-Day. The pre-game show, hosted by Chambers, will feature segments and interviews with Eagle coaches, players and administration, along with scores from around the nation, a weekly Southern Conference update and fan driven call-in show. Thirty minutes prior to kickoff, fans can tune into the State Farm Insurance Countdown to Kickoff, featuring an in-depth interview with Coach Hatcher, starting lineups and offensive/defensive scouting reports.
In addition, Blair will host ?Inside Georgia Southern Football with Chris Hatcher' each Thursday night at 7 pm, live from Loco's Grill and Pub in Statesboro. The show will feature comments from Coach Hatcher, along with e-mail and telephone questions from fans. The show will air on Eagle 102.9 WPMX-FM in Statesboro and online at www.GeorgiaSouthernEagles.com.
The Georgia Southern Radio Network will also partner with XOS Technologies, Inc. in providing live streaming audio feeds for Georgia Southern Football, Men's and Women's Basketball and Baseball at the official Georgia Southern athletic website, www.GeorgiaSouthernEagles.com.
The Georgia Southern Radio Network, is a division of Georgia Eagle Broadcasting, Inc that owns and operates 12 commercial broadcast radio stations in the state of Georgia.
2007 EAGLE FOOTBALL RADIO AFFILIATES
102.9 WPMX-FM Statesboro (Flagship)
106.5 WZBX-FM Sylvania
1160 WCFO-AM Atlanta (Day Games)
1690 WMLB-AM Atlanta (Night Games)
1290 WTKS-AM Savannah
1240 WNRR-AM Augusta
1490 WMOG-AM Brunswick
105.5 WIFO-FM Jesup
96.9 WRDO-FM Fitzgerald
1350 WNNG-AM Warner Robins/Macon
98.3 WQXZ-FM Cordele/Hawkinsville
101.3 WQIL-FM Dublin
1490 WSNT-AM Sandersville
100.9 WLYU-FM Lyons/Vidalia
93.5 WVOH-FM Hazlehurst
1330 WGTJ-AM Gainesville/Murrayville
FOOTBALL ENJOYS FIRST PRACTICE TOGETHER: For the first time this season the entire 90-man camp roster practiced together. Thursday morning's session lasted nearly two and a half hours.
During the first three days of camp head coach Chris Hatcher had split the team up into a morning and afternoon practice session. The first-year head coach said he noticed the team achieving the goal of getting a little better each day out.
“Well, we did some good things and some bad things. It was the first day that we all came together,” said Hatcher. “Of course the first group looked a little sharper than everyone else, but I think we're continuing to get better. We'll know a little bit more about this team when we're able to do a little tackling either tomorrow afternoon or Saturday morning.”
Friday morning's 9:15-11:30 session will be the first in full pads. The Eagles will go from 8:15-10:15 a.m. then 2:15-4:15 and 7-8 p.m. on Saturday. Sunday's practice is slated for 2:45-5 p.m. and the team is scheduled to have Monday (the first day of classes) off.
GUS ON PATROL IN SAVANNAH: GUS, Eagle Sports Marketing and the Georgia Southern University Cheerleaders will make an appearance in Savannah this Saturday. The whole crew will be located in the food court of the Savannah Mall as part of a live radio remote for Lucky Dog 106.9 FM. All fans are encouraged to stop by between noon and 1 p.m. to pick up all kinds of GSU gear and prizes. Eagle Sports Marketing will be handing out visors, pom-poms, mini footballs and schedule cards. Also, the first 10 fans to show up will receive a pair of tickets to the Georgia Southern-Chattanooga football game on September 22. All Eagles fans are welcome to attend and show your support for Georgia Southern... and a special thanks to Lucky Dog 106.9 FM.
INJURY UPDATE: Junior defensive end Brandon Lee Williams (knee/bone bruise) is expected to miss 3-4 weeks... Freshman offensive lineman James Boger is sidelined with a lower back injury.
