K-State expects to have new KC sports radio home before football season starts

Kansas State remains without a radio home in Kansas City, but the Wildcats expect that to change in the near future.

“Learfield has heard from several affiliates who have shown a strong interest in partnering with K-State athletics,” said K-State senior associate athletic director for communications Kenny Lannou. “Those discussions will continue, and we expect to have a new Kansas City radio home well in time for the start of the sports season.”

K-State has tasked Learfield, its multimedia rights holder, to seek out a new Kansas City radio affiliate to broadcast its football and men’s basketball games after spending the previous 18 years with WHB (810 AM). Sports Radio 810 recently signed a three-year agreement to begin airing KU games.

The Wildcats have 33 other radio partners across the region, and also offer a digital broadcast of their games online.

Several Kansas City stations are considered candidates to join that group. KCSP (610 AM) is an obvious possibility, as it has room for college games after losing the Jayhawks. But 610 Sports also airs Kansas City Royals games, which occasionally overlap with college football and push them to sister stations.

Dave Alpert, vice president and general manager of Entercom Kansas City, did not return a call seeking comment. Entercom owns 610 Sports and KMBZ (980 AM and 98.1 FM), which airs Mizzou games.

K-State could also move its games to a radio station that doesn’t focus all of its programming on sports, favoring a news station or music station with a strong signal or name recognition.

The Wildcats open their football season on Sept. 2 when Central Arkansas visits Bill Snyder Family Stadium.

This story was originally published August 7, 2017 at 2:06 PM with the headline "K-State expects to have new KC sports radio home before football season starts."