Now that all the main cable and satellite providers in the Columbia area other than Mediacom are officially on board with the SEC Network, it’s time to move on to a different medium.
When fall rolls around, it’s not only the television outlets that see their sports schedules burst at the seams. Radio stations also roll out a full slate of programming. In Mid-Missouri, that means Zimmer and Cumulus stations are ready to hit us with more than just afternoon sports talk and Major League Baseball.
Zimmer’s KTGR again will be home to the area’s University of Missouri coverage. Matt Michaels has taken over for the departed Will Palaszczuk on almost all fronts for KTGR. In addition to sharing duties on “The Big Show” from 4 to 6 p.m. weekdays with new producer Brandon Kiley, Michaels will host “Tiger GameDay,” airing three hours before the kickoff of each Missouri football game on all KTGR frequencies. “GameDay” will be moved back into the studio from the set outside Memorial Stadium this year, “allowing us to take calls,” Michaels said.
That leads into programming from Learfield Sports’ Mizzou Sports Properties, with Zimmer’s KCMQ/96.7 FM added to KTGR’s 103.1 FM and 1580 AM as the flagship station for “Tiger Tailgate” two hours before kickoff, “Tiger Pregame” an hour before kickoff, the game itself and then “The Wrap-Up Show” postgame. KTGR’s 100.5 FM will provide regular ESPN programming during both MU football and basketball games this year.
Once again, Brad Tregnago will handle “Tiger Tailgate” duties, with analyst Mike Kelly and color man Howard Richards joined by sideline reporter Chris Gervino during the “Tiger Pregame” and game broadcasts and Gary Link and Kurtis Gregory taking over for “The Wrap-Up Show.”
On Mondays during football season, Michaels will break down the previous Saturday’s game and hit on any other MU news from 8 to 9 a.m. on KTGR on “Mizzou Mondays.”
“The exception is Week 1, where we’ll do it on Tuesday, Sept. 2, because of Labor Day,” Michaels added.
And on Monday nights, starting Aug. 25, Mike Kelly will again host MSP’s “Tiger Talk” at 7 on KCMQ and KTGR alongside Coach Gary Pinkel and/or assistants and players live from Buffalo Wild Wings in Columbia.
MSP General Manager Bob Welch added that there’s the possibility of an SEC preview show being added as conference play approaches.
“Once we get through the early part of the schedule, we’ll start eyeballing what the SEC looks like,” Welch said. “Nothing’s confirmed, but it’s something a lot of fans have asked us to do. It’s just a matter of putting it to paper.”
KTGR also will again be bringing Mid-Missouri the Rams — though not in the preseason — and a weekly high school game featuring Rock Bridge, Hickman and/or Battle, beginning with the Bruins’ contest with Rockhurst at 7:30 p.m. on Aug. 22.
And Jon Ingram continues to host “The Sports Wire” from 8 to 10 a.m. every Saturday.
Cumulus, meanwhile will deliver plenty of NFL football. In addition to the Chiefs airing on KBBM/100.1 FM, Cumulus will offer games on Sunday afternoons and Sunday, Monday and Thursday nights through Westwood One.
Sunday afternoon doubleheaders will air on KZJF/104.1 FM, while Sunday and Thursday night games will be on 104.1 FM and KFRU/1400 AM. Monday night games will air on 1400 AM and KLIK/1240 AM, and the “Chiefs Kingdom” recap show lands on 104.1 FM at 7:06 p.m. Mondays.
The first broadcast is Packers at Seahawks on Thursday, Sept. 4.
Chris Kellogg, operations manager for Cumulus in Columbia and Jefferson City, added that Cumulus also will feature a national college football game of the week on 104.1 FM and 1400 AM each Saturday during the season. The schedule includes the following games featuring SEC teams: Georgia at South Carolina, Sept. 13; LSU at Auburn, Oct. 4; Texas A&M at Alabama, Oct. 18; and Florida at Florida State, Nov. 29.
Missouri State football games with air on KJMO/97.5 FM in Jefferson City. And on the high school front, Jeff City’s games again will be on 1240 AM.
George Young and Bryan Fulcher continue to co-host “The Closers” weekdays from 4 to 6 p.m. on 104.1 FM and 1400 AM — MU football media days also will be covered on both stations on Mondays — and NASCAR Sprint Cup races are on 1240 AM whenever they are run.
There of course will be much shuffling in the coming months, with Zimmer carrying the Cardinals and Cumulus the Royals, creating a need to shift programming to different stations under each company’s umbrella.
“We’ll move things around as best we can,” Kellogg said. “We’re fully committed to NFL stuff. That takes priority. But it’s a good problem to have.”
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