OKLAHOMA CITY, Wednesday, September 17, 2008 – The Oklahoma City Thunder radio network continues to grow after the team announced the addition of 97.1 The Sports Animal (KYAL) as its Tulsa affiliate. The Sports Animal Tulsa is one of the strongest radio signals in Oklahoma and can be heard all over eastern Oklahoma and the western edge of Arkansas.
The Thunder radio network will continue to grow in the coming weeks prior to the start of the 2008-09 NBA season. Thunder games are currently scheduled to be broadcast on two stations in Oklahoma City (WWLS 97.9 FM and AM 640) and now The Sports Animal in Tulsa (KYAL 97.1 FM). The team is currently in discussions with several stations across Oklahoma to build the Thunder Radio Network.
“We’re thrilled to have The Sports Animal in Tulsa join our radio network,” said Ken Adelson, the Thunder’s Senior Vice President & Executive Producer of Broadcasting and Programming. “We look forward to a long relationship with The Sports Animal in Tulsa. Tulsa has proven to be a strong supporter of the NBA in Oklahoma City, and we’re proud to be on such a leader in the marketplace.”
Last month, Sports Animal Tulsa constructed a new tower in the area which will provide a clear listening signal from Arkansas to the east and to the west of Tulsa. The 100,000-watt station will reach many Thunder fans throughout Oklahoma and Arkansas.
“We’re extremely excited to carry the Thunder this year,” said The Sports Animal Program Director Kevin Ward. “An association with the NBA is something that most radio stations aspire to have. Now that there is a team in Oklahoma, we hope to bridge the gap for the people who are outside of the Oklahoma City area. We want fans all over Oklahoma to fall in love with this team, and we hope we can be part of that.”
In other Thunder broadcast news, the team announced today that Matt Pinto will return as the radio voice for his second season with the franchise. Prior to joining the franchise in 2006-07, Pinto spent two seasons as the radio voice of the NBA’s Los Angeles Clippers. From 1997-2005, Pinto was on the Dallas Mavericks’ broadcast team, serving as the radio play-by-play voice from 1997-2001 and the television voice from 2001-2005. From 1990-1997, Pinto was the radio play-by-play voice of the NBA’s Charlotte Hornets. Before joining the NBA ranks, Pinto worked in the sports broadcasting field in Honolulu, Boston, Los Angeles and Amarillo, Texas.