Contract Extension Announced With WFIR-Radio

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May 24, 2001

By JACK BOGACZYK,
THE ROANOKE TIMES

ROANOKE, VA.– WFIR (960 AM) will continue as the radio broadcast home ofVirginia football and men’s basketball in the Roanoke Valley, thanksto a three-year contract extension announced today.

The deal is between Wheeler Broadcasting and Cavalier Sports Marketing.It extends a WFIR relationship with UVa that began in 1997. The extensionwas to be announced Thursday night at the Virginia Student Aid Foundationspring social in Roanoke.

WFIR is contracted to carry all UVa football and men’s basketballbroadcasts live, as well as the eight ACC tournament games. WFIR, ina barter arrangement, pays no rights fee, and will have 21 minutes ineach game broadcast for local sales.

The deal also includes the weekly UVa coaches’ shows that willresume with football coach Al Groh’s first show in the days prior toVirginia’s Eddie Robinson Classic opener at Wisconsin on Aug. 25.

Cavaliers’ voice Mac McDonald will be the host of both coaches’shows this season. Chuck Noe, the Richmond-based former college coachwho worked those shows for years, has retired from the UVa network,McDonald said.

“We have high enthusiasm for our relationship with Virginia and thequality of the broadcasts,” said WFIR owner Leonard Wheeler. “We hopeto continue with all of our sports franchises on WFIR.”

McDonald echoed Wheeler. “The relationship with WFIR has beenoutstanding since 1997,” McDonald said. “The station is an importantcog in our network wheel.”