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WEEI >> This Just In >> WEEI, ESPN Radio to partner up
Wed, 10/07/2009 - 3:45pm

WEEI, ESPN Radio to partner up



The WEEI Sports Radio Network and ESPN Radio, the nation’s largest sports radio network, will join forces to bring ESPN’s national programming and personalities to New England’s top-rated sports radio station. 

The Boston- and Bristol-based broadcasters announced an affiliation agreement that will bring ESPN weekend and overnight programming to WEEI 850 AM. It also will bring a variety of play-by-play programming, including the Major League Baseball playoffs, the NBA and NBA playoffs, and the college football Bowl Championship Series, highlighted by the 2010 BCS national championship game in January. MLB playoff programming will begin this week.

Staring Nov. 2, 2009, WEEI will syndicate ESPN’s overnight programming, including AllNight with Jason Smith (1-5 a.m. Monday through Friday), as well as select weekend programming in and around its local coverage.

As part of the agreement, Adam Schefter, ESPN’s NFL insider, will join Dennis & Callahan every Friday during the NFL season beginning this week, and Peter Gammons, ESPN’s veteran Major League Baseball insider, will join The Big Show with Glenn Ordway every week during the baseball playoffs and once a week next season. A slew of ESPN personalities also will be joining WEEI shows on a regular basis, throughout the week and the weekend.

"This partnership is a win for everyone, especially our listeners,” said Julie Kahn, Entercom New England vice president and market manager. “As WEEI’s footprint grows across New England on the airwaves and across the nation online, ESPN brings invaluable national content and insight.


Added Traug Keller, ESPN's Sr. VP, production, business divisions: “The recent success of the Red Sox, Patriots, Celtics and Bruins make this an exciting time to be entering the Boston market on one of the nation’s premier sports stations. Combining ESPN Radio’s content and personalities with WEEI’s local reputation is a win-win for both parties, as well as for the area’s passionate fans.”

Said Jason Wolfe, Entercom New England’s VP of AM programming: “This newly formed partnership will continue to solidify WEEI as the region’s foremost authority for sports coverage. Adding Peter and Adam, who we’ve enjoyed regular relationships with in the past, in addition to the many incredibly talented hosts and commentators that ESPN has in its stable, creates must-listen radio for our audience."




Audio & Video on Demand

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    Peter joined the guys to recap Super Bowl XLIV and discussed Sean Payton's decision to start the second half with an onside kick, the evolution of Payton as a coach over the years, what the loss does for the legacy of Peyton Manning, how Bill Polian was taking the Colts loss, what the win means for the city of New Orleans and the state of Louisiana, and the results for the Pro Football Hall of Fame

    Patriots linebacker Adaluis Thomas joins Mustard and Johnson to clarify he's still a Patriot and discusses his relationship with Belichick.

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    Jackie talked about the struggles of the Celtics in the second half of games, that both Paul Pierce and Kevin Garnett would be better off skipping the All-Star Game, if Ray Allen will be a member of the Celtics at the end of the season, if signing Rasheed Wallace was a mistake, how Rondo has become the most important member of the team in many respects, and dropped a great rap to pay off her Super Bowl bet with Michael

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    Mike talked about how the Bruins need some help, that they may have overachieved last year but they are better than how they are playing right now, the trade of Ilya Kovalchuk to the New Jersey Devils and who got the best of the deal, what he would have done different in the past offseason, if he is seeing players tuning out Claude Julien, how the Bruins don't have a dynamic player, and why Milan Lucic looks like a different player this year

    Peter talked about the Bruins coming off a disappointing month of January, his thoughts on the Leafs making two big trades over the weekend, if anyone has approached him in making a move, how he is unwilling to trade their first round pick from Toronto, how the team doesn't seem confident right now, if Thomas is still the number 1 goalie, and that he has looked at trade possibilities over the last month but nothing has made sense yet

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Weei Writers