UK Sports Network

UK Sports Network
Type Radio network
Television network
Country United States
Headquarters Lexington, Kentucky
Broadcast area
Kentucky
Indiana (limited)
Ohio (limited)
West Virginia (limited)
Owner JMI Sports (UK Sports & Campus Marketing)
Affiliation Kentucky Wildcats
Affiliates 44 (Radio)
7 (Television)
Official website
Radio affiliates
Television affiliates

The UK Sports Network, historically known as the Big Blue Sports Network (BBSN) and also formerly known as the UK IMG Sports Network, is the radio and television network of the University of Kentucky Wildcats men's and women's sports teams. It consists of seven over-the-air television affiliates, two regional sports networks, and 44 radio stations in Kentucky and neighboring states.[1]

Except for the Blue/White game, beginning in the 2012-2013 season, all men's basketball broadcasts on Fox Sports South began to be produced by Fox Sports, using their graphics and music.

History

In 2007, HOST Communications, a college sports marketing company based in the university's home city of Lexington that had operated the Big Blue Sports Network, was purchased by the entertainment management company IMG. However, the name of the network did not change until the 2010–11 academic year.

Sale of media rights to JMI Sports

On June 23, 2014, University of Kentucky Athletic Director Mitch Barnhart announced that JMI Sports, owned by former San Diego Padres owner John Moores, had been awarded the multimedia rights to all University of Kentucky sports teams. UK's contract with JMI Sports was to initially begin upon the expiration of the university's contract with IMG College in April 2015. The university's contract with JMI include:

On October 27, 2014, it was announced that JMI Sports had bought out the final year of IMG's contract with the University of Kentucky. As part of that agreement with IMG, JMI immediately took over management of the entire University of Kentucky's Sports Marketing program, including the UK Sports Network.[3]

On-air personalities

Current

Former[4]

Over-the air television affiliates

Current

Market Station Notes
Lexington WKYT Flagship TV affiliate of the network
Louisville WDRB
WMYO
Paducah WDKA
Bowling Green WBKO
Hazard WYMT
Huntington, WV WSAZ
Evansville, IN WTVW

Former

City of license/Market Station Notes
Hopkinsville WKAG-CA This station went defunct in 2011.

Regional sports networks

Network Area Served
Fox Sports South Alabama, Georgia, Kentucky, Mississippi, North Carolina, South Carolina, Tennessee
Fox Sports Ohio Ohio, Indiana, Kentucky, Northwest Pennsylvania, West Virginia, southwest New York

Radio

All cities listed are in Kentucky unless otherwise indicated.[5]

City Station Notes
Lexington WLAP-AM Flagship radio affiliate for the network
WBUL-FM
Louisville WHAS-AM Any night-time games broadcast can be heard in much of the eastern U.S. and southeastern Canada due to 50,000 watt clear-channel status.
WKJK Women’s Basketball only
Ashland/Huntington, WV WCMI-AM
Ashland/Catlettsburg (KY) WCMI-FM Also serves Huntington, West Virginia
Benton WCBL-AM
WCBL-FM
Berea WLFX-FM
Brandenburg WMMG-AM Men's basketball coverage only
WMMG-FM
Bowling Green WGGC-FM Can also serve parts of northern Middle Tennessee, including Nashville
Cadiz WKDZ-AM Broadcasts Football and Men’s and Women’s Basketball
WKDZ-FM Also serves Clarksville (TN)
Campbellsville WCKQ-FM
Cincinnati, OH WSAI Previously on WCKY-AM until 2014
Columbia WAIN-AM
WAIN-FM
Corbin WCTT-AM
WCTT-FM
Dry Ridge WNKR-FM Football and Men’s and Women’s Basketball
Elizabethtown/Radcliff WAKY-FM
Flemingsburg WFLE-AM
WFLE-FM
Frankfort WSTV-FM
Grayson WUGO-FM
Greenup WLGC-AM
WLGC-FM
Greenville WKYA-FM Men's basketball coverage only
Hardinsburg WXBC-FM
Harlan WFSR-AM
WTUK-FM Football and Men’s and Women’s Basketball
Hazard WSGS-FM
Henderson WSON-AM
Hopkinsville WHOP-AM Football and Men’s and Women’s Basketball
W237BV FM translator of WHOP-AM
WHOP-FM Also serves the Clarksville (TN) area
Huntington, WVA WRVC-FM [6] Football only
Jamestown WJRS-FM
Lancaster/Danville WRNZ-FM
Leitchfield WKHG-FM
London WFTG-AM
WWEL-FM
Madisonville WKTG-FM
Manchester WKLB
W283AH FM translator of WKLB
Mayfield WLLE-FM
Maysville WFTM-AM
WFTM-FM
Monticello WKYM-FM Football and Men’s and Women’s Basketball
Morehead WIVY-FM
Morganfield/Sturgis WMSK-AM Football and Men’s and Women’s Basketball
WMSK-FM
Owensboro WOMI-AM
WBKR-FM Also serves the Henderson (KY) and Evansville (IN) area
WVJS-AM
Owingsville WKYN-FM
Paducah WKYX-FM
Paintsville WSIP-AM
WSIP-FM
Pikeville WPKE-FM
WDHR-FM
Pound, VA WDXC-FM
Prestonsburg WDOC-AM
WQHY-FM
Princeton WPKY-AM
WAVJ-FM
Providence WWKY-FM
Somerset WSFC-AM
WSEK-FM
Whitesburg WXKQ-FM
Wickliffe WGKY-FM
Williamsburg/Jellico, TN WCWC-AM
Williamsburg WEZJ-FM
Jellico, TN WEKX

Notable former radio affiliates

See also

References

  1. "UK Sports Network Radio Affiliates". UKAthletics.com. Retrieved 2015-02-23.
  2. UK Athletics Awards Multimedia Rights to JMI Sports
  3. JMI Buys Out Contract at UK
  4. 1 2 3 2015-16 Kentucky Basketball Media Guide, page 5
  5. 2014-15 Kentucky Men's Basketball Media Guide, page 8.
  6. 2015 Kentucky Football Media Guide, page 199.
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