AUBURN HILLS, Mich. – The Detroit Pistons announced today that the club has agreed to a multi-year broadcast agreement with 97.1 FM The Ticket (WXYT) starting with the 2009-10 NBA season. Dan Hauser, Executive Vice President of the Detroit Pistons, and Debbie Kenyon, Senior Vice President/Market Manager of 97.1 FM The Ticket made the joint announcement. The club’s radio station network throughout the state of Michigan will remain unchanged.
“We are extremely excited about our new radio partnership with 97.1 FM The Ticket starting with the 2009-10 season,” said Hauser. “Their leadership position in the sports radio market as well as their strong FM signal will make Pistons basketball easily accessible for all Pistons fans in the metro Detroit area. At the same time we want to extend our appreciation to WDFN and their employees for their support of the Pistons over the past six years.”
Under the agreement, 97.1 FM The Ticket will broadcast regular-season games, as well as preseason and postseason playoff contests. Additionally, Pistons fans and 97.1 FM The Ticket listeners will receive exclusive pre- and postgame coverage, special weekly interviews with coaches and players and expanded Pistons coverage throughout each week of the NBA season on-air and online at www.971theticket.com. Pistons game broadcasts that conflict with scheduled Red Wings and Tigers broadcasts on 97.1 FM The Ticket during the fall and spring seasons will be carried on WWJ 950 AM. George Blaha and Mark Champion will remain as the voices of the Pistons under the new agreement.
“97.1 FM The Ticket is thrilled about our new partnership with the Pistons and Palace Sports and Entertainment,” said Kenyon. “We’ve built a powerful radio station with first-class personalities and the biggest live and local sports programming. Adding Pistons games and the ancillary programming that we will broadcast to our lineup that already includes exclusive coverage of the Red Wings, Lions and Tigers, fans will need to look no further than The Ticket for all their sports information, entertainment and breaking news.”
The Pistons will continue the broadcast production and sale of advertising time for all games under the agreement. Promotions for the Pistons and the other entities of Palace Sports and Entertainment will air on all CBS RADIO stations throughout the Detroit Metro area.