The BC Lions’ radio broadcast rights have been picked up for the next two years by Corus Entertainment, and games this season will be available on AM730, the team announced this morning.
The Lions had been without a radio broadcast partner since the previous rights holder, TSN 1040, changed formats to comedy in February and released its full slate of on-air talent – including the Lions play-by-play team of Bob “The Moj” Marjanovich and former Lions quarterback Giulio Caravatta.
The Lions announced that Marjanovich and Caravatta will both return on game broadcasts on AM730, starting with the season opener in Saskatchewan on Aug. 6 and continue through the 14-game regular season (as well as playoff games if needed). The Lions also have TV broadcast deals through the Canadian Football League nationally with TSN.
Lions club VP of Business George Chayka said the Corus partnership will ensure the Lions brand will be able “to extend across the province on multiple platforms.”
The Corus broadcast package will include the return of Lions Radio Network through stations like CFAX 1070 in Victoria and AM 1150 in Kelowna – as well as “player and coach interviews” on CKNW 980 and “extensive” TV coverage on Global BC and BC1.
CKNW was the previous rights holder to Lions games between 1988 and 2003.
The CFL club follows Vancouver Whitecaps FC in inking two-year broadcast deals with Corus after its original partner (TSN 1040) folded. Whitecaps FC announced its own Corus deal in April with play-by-play also on AM730 – as well as weekly programming on Global News Radio 980 CKNW and a local TV deal on Global BC and BC1.
The announcement also wraps up the fate of on-air talents left from TSN 1040’s closure, as Marjanovich was the only daily host to not have announced major projects until today. TSN 1040’s former morning show hosts, Mike Halford and Jason Brough, were picked up by Sportsnet 650, while another pair of veteran broadcasters (Don Taylor/Rich Dhaliwal and Matt Sekeres/Blake Price) started respective shows in a variety of formats (Donnie and Dhali on CHEK TV, The Sekeres & Price Show online).
Late night host Rob Fai, formerly with the Vancouver Canadians, launched The Naton with Rob Fai for the remainder of the Canucks season that lasted until May.
