Minnesota Timberwolves end radio partnership with WCCO; team’s broadcast future unclear
September 14, 2023
Minnesota Timberwolves end radio partnership with WCCO; team’s broadcast future unclear
4 comments
The Minnesota Timberwolves games won’t be broadcast on their long-time flagship WCCO Radio this season, and it wasn’t immediately clear where the games will be heard.
“We appreciated our partnership with WCCO and the radio broadcast opportunities we were able to accomplish with them,” team spokeswoman Sara Perez wrote in a statement. “However, we are looking forward to announcing a new radio broadcast partnership in the weeks to come.”
In a letter to radio staff, WCCO market manager and senior vice president Jeff Gonsales wrote the station worked hard to keep the NBA team and “offered more than what we delivered from our previous contract.”
He said Timberwolves Chief Operating Officer Ryan Tanke told WCCO that the team is going to use a “super non-traditional” route for its broadcast partnership in a “one-year trial.” The Timberwolves did not respond to multiple requests for comment Thursday morning.
They gonna try to get on KFAN? Would be nice to get better quality. AM radio is just not a relevant technology anymore.
“Super non-traditional” is exciting for me. I really hope they make it available as a free stream, or through a partnership with Spotify. I doubt they make much from radio ads so it’s be cool to see if they garner an audience online. It would be the modern equivalent to how the Cubs were broadcast nationwide in early cable days through their partnership with WGN.
This tracks with the doogie scoop podcast from today that talked about new school vs old school conflicts on the business side
4 comments
The Minnesota Timberwolves games won’t be broadcast on their long-time flagship WCCO Radio this season, and it wasn’t immediately clear where the games will be heard.
“We appreciated our partnership with WCCO and the radio broadcast opportunities we were able to accomplish with them,” team spokeswoman Sara Perez wrote in a statement. “However, we are looking forward to announcing a new radio broadcast partnership in the weeks to come.”
In a letter to radio staff, WCCO market manager and senior vice president Jeff Gonsales wrote the station worked hard to keep the NBA team and “offered more than what we delivered from our previous contract.”
He said Timberwolves Chief Operating Officer Ryan Tanke told WCCO that the team is going to use a “super non-traditional” route for its broadcast partnership in a “one-year trial.” The Timberwolves did not respond to multiple requests for comment Thursday morning.
They gonna try to get on KFAN? Would be nice to get better quality. AM radio is just not a relevant technology anymore.
“Super non-traditional” is exciting for me. I really hope they make it available as a free stream, or through a partnership with Spotify. I doubt they make much from radio ads so it’s be cool to see if they garner an audience online. It would be the modern equivalent to how the Cubs were broadcast nationwide in early cable days through their partnership with WGN.
This tracks with the doogie scoop podcast from today that talked about new school vs old school conflicts on the business side