Suns Announce 2004-05 TV and Radio Broadcast Plans

The Phoenix Suns have set their broadcast plans for the 2004-05 season, as announced today by Suns President and Chief Operating Officer Rick Welts.

“The Voice of the Phoenix Suns”, Al McCoy, returns for his 33rd season as the club’s radio play-by-play announcer, with NewsRadio 620 KTAR serving as flagship for the franchise’s radio network for the 34th year. Taking turns as McCoy’s analyst will be former Suns players Vinny Del Negro and Tim Kempton.

For the 17th consecutive year, UPN 45 will broadcast Suns games, which will include 39 road and two home contests. Tom Leander returns for his second season as UPN 45’s play-by-play announcer and will have former Suns Dan Majerle and Eddie Johnson alternating as his analyst.

Each UPN 45 telecast will be preceded by Suns Gametime, a half-hour pre-game show hosted by KTAR’s Kevin Ray and Suns Ring of Honor member Tom Chambers.

FSN Arizona is in its second year as the Suns cable broadcaster. FSN’s schedule includes 37 home games and two road games. Gary Bender returns for his 12th season as the play-by-play announcer for these games, again with Majerle and Johnson taking turns as the analyst.

New to the FSN Arizona game broadcasts this year will be a 30-minute pre-game show, to be broadcast live from the Bud Light Paseo at America West Arena and hosted by Leander and Chambers.

“The FSN Arizona pre-game show will give fans attending our games a chance to be a part of the ‘studio audience’,” said Welts. “Viewers will be able to enjoy the Bud Light Paseo as well as the other attractions at the new America West Arena.

“We’re very excited about what we are offering viewers and listeners to Suns broadcasts. Our analysts bring a wide variety of perspectives from their years of experience, and our play-by-play announcers are top-notch professionals, led by the best in the business, Al McCoy.”

In addition, all 41 home games will once again be broadcast in Spanish, with KSUN (Radio Fiesta 1400 AM) beginning its first full season as the Suns Spanish radio home. Arturo Ochoa begins his first season as play-by-play announcer, with Gerardo Romo returning as analyst.

The Suns will appear on TNT’s exclusive Thursday night package twice, February 17th versus the Dallas Mavericks, and March 3rd against defending NBA Champion Detroit Pistons.

All eight preseason games will be broadcast by McCoy on KTAR, beginning with the Wednesday, October 13th preseason opener against the Los Angeles Clippers at America West Arena. The regular season opener against the Atlanta Hawks at AWA on Wednesday, November 3rd will be televised by FSN Arizona, with UPN 45’s first telecast set for Friday, November 5th at Philadelphia.