Mercer Athletics Renews Radio Contract with Clear Channel

MACON, Ga. - Mercer University Athletics has announced that it has renewed its contract with Clear Channel Broadcasting Inc. to serve as the flagship radio network for the University’s men’s basketball games in 2010-11. The broadcaster’s sister FM stations of Peach 96.5 & 102.5 (WPCH and WZCH ) will serve as the flagship stations for all broadcasts this season.

MU will also broadcast selected Bears’ women’s basketball, baseball and softball games. Plans for the expanded coverage to include those sports are currently being formulated, but have not yet been finalized.

“We appreciate Clear Channel’s willingness to again partner with Mercer Athletics to broadcast our games for the upcoming year,” said Jim Cole, MU director of athletics. “Radio coverage is a vital part of our efforts to bring Mercer’s NCAA Division I athletics programs to Middle Georgia.”

In addition, all broadcast games will also be available on the World Wide Web on the  Peach 96.5 & 102.5 website at www.peach965.com and the Mercer web site at www.mercerbears.com. A new feature will allow fans to listen to the broadcasts on their smart phones – whether an iPhone or Blackberry – by downloading the free application, “iheartradio.”  (To obtain the application, visit www.peach965.com and enter keyword: iheartradio).

Mercer’s Atlantic Sun Conference games will be among the broadcasts, including the 2011 A-Sun Basketball Championships, to be played once again this year on the Mercer campus at the University Center. Last season, the MU men’s team lost in the A-Sun tournament’s final game and narrowly missed an automatic bid to the NCAA championships.

Rick Cameron, “Voice of the Bears” for the past four seasons, will continue to call the play-by-play. Mercer’s senior assistant vice president for marketing communications returned to the broadcast booth in 2006 after originally doing radio play-by- play in the late 1970s.

“Clear Channel Macon is excited about the opportunity to partner with Mercer University another year,” said Thomas Bacote, Market Manager for Clear Channel. “Not only will we focus on promoting Mercer’s outstanding athletics program to Middle Georgia via our terrestrial broadcast, but also to its alumni all over the world via internet stream.

“Clear Channel’s exclusive iheart Radio application will also make it easier for alumni, family and friends to enjoy the games and support Mercer via iphone, Blackberry and soon the Droid.”

Other Clear Channel radio stations in the Macon market include Fox Sports Radio 1670 AM, V101.7, Q 106.3, 97.9 WIBB-FM and 1280 WIBB-AM.