Link: http://www.imgcollege.com/news/2015/img-to-launch-audio-platform-offering-live-cut-in
IMG to Launch Audio Platform Offering Live Cut-In Coverage to Top College Football Games
www.imgcollege.com
IMG today announced the launch of IMG College Football Blitz -- a live and on-demand audio platform providing live "cut-in" coverage to top college football games all day Saturday.
Beginning September 5 and running each Saturday through the end of the season, College Football Blitz, produced and distributed by IMG Audio, will broadcast ten hours of play-by-play cut-ins, highlights, exclusive coaches' interviews, and analysis of the most meaningful college football broadcasts. Insider voices on the local IMG broadcast teams will contribute coverage in a whip-around format for nearly three quarters of Power 5 college football games on Saturdays from 2 p.m. to midnight.
IMG College Football Blitz will be available in a special game-day only channel on TuneIn Radio, as well as on SiriusXM (app, webstream, and on satellite channels as scheduling allows), CBS Interactive's "College Sports Live" and on IMGCollege.com.
“Fans anywhere in the world will be able to hear hometown voices like Dan Dierdorf at Michigan, Gene Deckerhoff at Florida State, and Don Criqui at Notre Dame as well as other legendary broadcasters calling the day’s most exciting plays, mixed with highlights, interviews, and in-depth analysis,” said Chris Ferris, VP of Broadcasting for IMG Audio.
During college football season, IMG handles the audio broadcasts for more than 70 major NCAA Division 1 schools. In the 2015 season, on the nation’s largest independent sports radio network, IMG Audio will broadcast 70 percent of the NCAA Division 1 college football matchups.
“It’s very difficult to aggregate live college football game rights for multiple universities across the Power Five Conferences. Combining IMG’s broad audio rights with the digital distribution of TuneIn, SiriusXM and CBS Interactive, we’ve created a unique college football product for millennials who are increasingly consuming sports on their smart phones,” said Stewart Marlborough, head of digital for IMG College.
Eighty percent of 18-24 year olds listen to Internet Radio on a weekly basis, according to Edison Research. In July 2015, overall online listening within the U.S. grew 38.1% to 4.1 million sessions during the Monday-Friday, 6am-8pm day part and 41% to 3.5 million sessions during the Monday-Sunday, 6am-12 midnight time span, according to Triton Research.
"IMG College Football Blitz is 'can't miss programming' because it engages fans in the major games all over the country," said Don Criqui, voice of the Fighting Irish on the Notre Dame IMG Sports Network. "Listeners now have full access to the college game all over America."
IMG College Football Blitz’s roster of on-air talent includes some of the most respected broadcasters in sports as well as former NFL and College greats. A list of some of the participating broadcasters and analysts includes:
Play-by-Play
Don Criqui, Notre Dame
Bill Hillgrove, Pittsburgh
Gene Deckerhoff, Florida State
Rod Bramblett, Auburn
Bill Roth, UCLA
Paul Keels, Ohio State
Dan Hoard, Cincinnati
Joe Starkey, California
Analysts
Dan Dierdorf, Michigan
Eric LeGrand, Rutgers
Allen Pinkett, Notre Dame
Eric Zeier, Georgia
William Floyd, Florida State
Pat Bostick, Pittsburgh
Damon Huard, Washington
Ray Lucas, Rutgers
Matt Stevens, UCLA
Ted Pardee, Houston
IMG to Launch Audio Platform Offering Live Cut-In Coverage to Top College Football Games
www.imgcollege.com
IMG today announced the launch of IMG College Football Blitz -- a live and on-demand audio platform providing live "cut-in" coverage to top college football games all day Saturday.
Beginning September 5 and running each Saturday through the end of the season, College Football Blitz, produced and distributed by IMG Audio, will broadcast ten hours of play-by-play cut-ins, highlights, exclusive coaches' interviews, and analysis of the most meaningful college football broadcasts. Insider voices on the local IMG broadcast teams will contribute coverage in a whip-around format for nearly three quarters of Power 5 college football games on Saturdays from 2 p.m. to midnight.
IMG College Football Blitz will be available in a special game-day only channel on TuneIn Radio, as well as on SiriusXM (app, webstream, and on satellite channels as scheduling allows), CBS Interactive's "College Sports Live" and on IMGCollege.com.
“Fans anywhere in the world will be able to hear hometown voices like Dan Dierdorf at Michigan, Gene Deckerhoff at Florida State, and Don Criqui at Notre Dame as well as other legendary broadcasters calling the day’s most exciting plays, mixed with highlights, interviews, and in-depth analysis,” said Chris Ferris, VP of Broadcasting for IMG Audio.
During college football season, IMG handles the audio broadcasts for more than 70 major NCAA Division 1 schools. In the 2015 season, on the nation’s largest independent sports radio network, IMG Audio will broadcast 70 percent of the NCAA Division 1 college football matchups.
“It’s very difficult to aggregate live college football game rights for multiple universities across the Power Five Conferences. Combining IMG’s broad audio rights with the digital distribution of TuneIn, SiriusXM and CBS Interactive, we’ve created a unique college football product for millennials who are increasingly consuming sports on their smart phones,” said Stewart Marlborough, head of digital for IMG College.
Eighty percent of 18-24 year olds listen to Internet Radio on a weekly basis, according to Edison Research. In July 2015, overall online listening within the U.S. grew 38.1% to 4.1 million sessions during the Monday-Friday, 6am-8pm day part and 41% to 3.5 million sessions during the Monday-Sunday, 6am-12 midnight time span, according to Triton Research.
"IMG College Football Blitz is 'can't miss programming' because it engages fans in the major games all over the country," said Don Criqui, voice of the Fighting Irish on the Notre Dame IMG Sports Network. "Listeners now have full access to the college game all over America."
IMG College Football Blitz’s roster of on-air talent includes some of the most respected broadcasters in sports as well as former NFL and College greats. A list of some of the participating broadcasters and analysts includes:
Play-by-Play
Don Criqui, Notre Dame
Bill Hillgrove, Pittsburgh
Gene Deckerhoff, Florida State
Rod Bramblett, Auburn
Bill Roth, UCLA
Paul Keels, Ohio State
Dan Hoard, Cincinnati
Joe Starkey, California
Analysts
Dan Dierdorf, Michigan
Eric LeGrand, Rutgers
Allen Pinkett, Notre Dame
Eric Zeier, Georgia
William Floyd, Florida State
Pat Bostick, Pittsburgh
Damon Huard, Washington
Ray Lucas, Rutgers
Matt Stevens, UCLA
Ted Pardee, Houston