Cavaliers AudioVerse

Last updated

Cavaliers AudioVerse
Type Radio network
Country
Headquarters Cleveland, Ohio
Broadcast area
Owner Cleveland Cavaliers
Affiliation(s) NBA
Affiliates 20 (including 2 flagships)
Official website
www.nba.com/cavaliers/broadcast

The Cavaliers AudioVerse is an American radio network composed of 20 radio stations which carry English-language coverage of the Cleveland Cavaliers, a professional basketball team in the National Basketball Association (NBA). Cleveland sister stations WTAM (1100 AM ) and WMMS (100.7 FM ) serve as the network's two flagships; WTAM also relays its signal over a low-power FM translator. The network also includes eighteen affiliates in the U.S. states of Ohio, Pennsylvania and West Virginia: thirteen AM stations, ten of which supplement their signals with low-power FM translators; and five full-power FM stations.

Contents

Tim Alcorn is the current play-by-play announcer, while Jim Chones serves as color analyst. [1] [2] In addition to traditional over-the-air AM and FM broadcasts, network programming airs on SiriusXM satellite radio; and streams online via SiriusXM Internet Radio, TuneIn Premium, and NBA League Pass Audio. [3]

History

In 2008, longtime flagship WTAM signed a five-year contract extension with the Cavaliers through the 2013–14 season; in 2011, a Cavs spokesman stated there were "multiple years" remaining on the team's contract with WTAM, without specifying an end date. In 2014, WTAM owner iHeartMedia (formerly Clear Channel) announced a new "multi-year" contract with the team; this new arrangement also established simulcasts on WTAM sister station WMMS. [4] [5] Additional affiliates were added in the Columbus, Dayton and Cincinnati markets, coinciding with LeBron James' heavily publicized return to the team. [6] [7]

John Michael took over as the team's lead play-by-play announcer starting in the 2011–12 season following the retirement of longtime radio voice Joe Tait. [8] After the death of lead TV play-by-play announcer Fred McLeod prior to the start of the 2019–20 season, Michael was reassigned to that position, with Tim Alcorn—lead sports announcer and station manager at Cavaliers radio affiliate WEOL in Elyria—being hired as Michael's successor. [1] [2]

The radio network was rebranded as the "Cavaliers AudioVerse" beginning with the 2022–23 season. [9]

Announcers

Play-by-playCommentaryPregame/Postgame
Tim Alcorn Jim Chones Mike Snyder, Brad Sellers

Station list

Network stations as of the 2024–25 Cavaliers season
CallsignFrequencyBandCityStateNetwork status
WTAM 1100AM Cleveland OhioFlagship
WMMS 100.7FM Cleveland OhioFlagship
W295DE 106.9FM Cleveland OhioWTAM relay
WAKR 1590AM Akron OhioAffiliate
W228EL 93.5FM Akron OhioWAKR relay
WZOO-FM 102.5FM Ashtabula OhioAffiliate
WHBC 1480AM Canton OhioAffiliate
WCSM 1350AM Celina OhioAffiliate
W262DC 100.3FM Celina OhioWCSM relay
WCSM-FM 96.7FM Celina OhioAffiliate
WJYD 107.1FM CirclevilleColumbus OhioAffiliate
WJER 1450AM DoverNew Phila. OhioAffiliate
W265DL 100.9FM DoverNew Phila. OhioWJER relay
WEOL 930AM ElyriaLorain OhioAffiliate
W262DM 100.3FM ElyriaLorain OhioWEOL relay
WFOB 1430AM Fostoria OhioAffiliate
W289CP 105.7FM Fostoria OhioWFOB relay
WIMA 1150AM Lima OhioAffiliate
WRGM 1440AM Mansfield OhioAffiliate
W294CK 106.7FM Mansfield OhioWRGM relay
WMOA 1490AM Marietta OhioAffiliate
W267CQ 101.3FM Marietta OhioWMOA relay
WLKR-FM 95.3FM Norwalk OhioAffiliate
WABQ 1460AM Painesville OhioAffiliate
W234DO 94.7FM Painesville OhioWABQ relay
W225CW 92.9FM Parkersburg West VirginiaWJAW relay
WLEC 1450AM Sandusky OhioAffiliate
W228EN 93.5FM Sandusky OhioWLEC relay
WJAW 630AM St. Marys West VirginiaAffiliate
WWIZ 103.9FM West Middlesex PennsylvaniaAffiliate
WBBW 1240AM Youngstown OhioAffiliate

Network map

USA Ohio location map.svg
Location dot black.svg
Cleveland
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Columbus
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Cincinnati
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Toledo
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Mansfield
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Akron
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Canton
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Sandusky
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Coshocton
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Dayton
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Ashtabula
Location dot black.svg
Huntington, WV
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Lima
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Marietta
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Youngstown
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Wheeling, WV
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Detroit, MI
  • Network stations in Ohio.
  • Location dot blue.svg Flagship stations
  • Location dot red.svg Affiliates (not including translators)

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References

  1. 1 2 Fedor, Chris (September 23, 2019). "Cleveland Cavaliers, Fox Sports Ohio tab John Michael as play-by-play announcer; Tim Alcorn named team's radio broadcaster". The Plain Dealer. Cleveland, Ohio. Archived from the original on October 18, 2019. Retrieved October 17, 2019.
  2. 1 2 Schudel, Jeff (September 23, 2019). "Tim Alcorn from WEOL in Lorain named Cavs new radio play-by-play announcer". The News-Herald. Painesville, Ohio. Archived from the original on October 18, 2019. Retrieved October 17, 2019.
  3. "Cleveland Cavaliers Games To Be Simulcast On WMMS, WTAM". AllAccess.com. All Access Media Group. October 8, 2014. Archived from the original on October 9, 2014. Retrieved October 9, 2014.
  4. "WTAM, Cavaliers Ink New Deal". AllAccess.com. All Access Media Group. May 12, 2008. Archived from the original on October 7, 2014. Retrieved October 7, 2011.
  5. Kleps, Kevin (September 28, 2014). "Full court press: How local media is preparing for a Cavs season like no other". Crain's Cleveland Business. Cleveland, Ohio. Archived from the original on September 16, 2018. Retrieved October 7, 2014.
  6. Reed, Tom (December 24, 2011). "Cleveland Cavaliers' new radio voice made right decision to leave law career, judging from results". The Plain Dealer. Cleveland, Ohio. Archived from the original on January 14, 2012. Retrieved October 7, 2014.
  7. "WJYD 107.1 FM Joins Cleveland Cavaliers AudioVerse as Columbus Affiliate for 2022-23 Season" (Press release). Cleveland, Ohio: Cleveland Cavaliers. October 5, 2022. Retrieved October 23, 2022.