FOR IMMEDIATE RELEASE
CUMULUS MEDIA, CHICAGO BULLS AND CHICAGO WHITE SOX
ANNOUNCE LONG-TERM BROADCAST RIGHTS AGREEMENT
White Sox Games Broadcast On WLS AM 890 Beginning In 2016;
Bulls Contests Move To WLS AM 890 Beginning With 2016-17 Season
CHICAGO, July 16, 2015 – Cumulus Media, Inc., the Chicago Bulls and the Chicago White Sox jointly announced today that WLS AM 890 has been named the teams’ new flagship radio station in a multiyear agreement. White Sox games will air on WLS AM 890 beginning in 2016, while Bulls games will move to the station beginning with the 2016-17 NBA season.
The agreement, which runs through 2021 with both teams, includes all Bulls preseason, regular and postseason games and all White Sox regular and postseason games, select spring training and exhibition games, as well as weekly original programming.
“Our new partnership with Cumulus Media and WLS AM 890 will provide the Bulls and White Sox with an extensive radio platform to reach our fans,” said Michael Reinsdorf, Bulls President and COO. “This relationship combines our shared interest in innovation and our shared commitment to bringing our fans the highest quality game broadcasts and other team radio programming.”
“Cumulus Media and WLS AM 890 are honored to become the radio home of the Bulls and White Sox, two of Chicago’s very best sports brands,” said Peter Bowen, Vice President and Market Manager of Cumulus Media’s Chicago operations. “Adding both teams to our programming schedule allows us to continue to capitalize on the strong growth and success Cumulus is enjoying in the Chicago market. We cannot wait to bring year-round sports to some of the world’s greatest fans.”
In addition to WLS AM 890, Chicago stations in the Cumulus family include WLS FM 94.7, WLUP FM 97.9 and WKQX FM 101.1.
“We are excited to partner with Cumulus Media and WLS AM 890 to broadcast White Sox baseball to our fans across Chicago and throughout the Midwest,” said Brooks Boyer, White Sox senior vice president of sales and marketing. “We look forward to joining the Bulls and Notre Dame football and basketball to bring the passion and interest in Chicago-area sports to WLS AM 890 and its listeners.”
In addition to live game broadcasts, spring training, preseason and exhibition broadcasts, the agreement includes pre- and postgame programming and a weekly year-round show for each team that features highlights, a preview of the week ahead, as well as interviews with players, coaches and the White Sox and Bulls front office.
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About WLS AM 890:
Long renowned as a station of larger-than-life personalities, WLS AM 890 continues its tradition in a new and exciting direction that has seen WLS re-asserting itself as one of Chicago’s most important radio outlets. The on-air lineup is anchored by “Big” John Howell in the morning followed by Jonathon Brandmeier. Rush Limbaugh anchors the mid-day then Steve Dahl is back in afternoons on The Big 89. For more information, visit www.wlsam.com.
About Cumulus Media:
Cumulus Media (NASDAQ: CMLS) combines high-quality local programming with iconic, nationally syndicated media, sports and entertainment brands in order to deliver premium choices for listeners, provide substantial reach for advertisers and create opportunities for shareholders. As the largest pure-play radio broadcaster in the United States, Cumulus provides exclusive content that is fully distributed through approximately 460 owned-and operated stations in 90 U.S. media markets (including eight of the top 10), approximately 8,500 broadcast radio affiliates and numerous digital channels. For more information, visit www.cumulus.com.
