VANCOUVER, BC – Vancouver Whitecaps FC will kick off the club’s second decade in Major League Soccer (MLS) with an expansive two-year broadcast partnership with Corus Entertainment. The partnership will include regular programming, match coverage, and content on a multitude of Metro Vancouver stations.
Whitecaps FC & Corus Entertainment partnership
- Live play-by-play on AM730 including one-hour pre and post-match shows
- Regular weekly programming and coaches show on Global News Radio 980 CKNW
- Fresh content and promotional support throughout the year on CFOX 99.3 FM and Rock 101 FM
- Ongoing television coverage on Global BC and BC1
“This is a fantastic partnership for our club and for our fans,” said Tom Plasteras, Whitecaps FC chief communications officer. “Corus Entertainment brings a tremendous reach to inform and engage our loyal supporters, and also to introduce new fans to the club. We are excited to have an expansive partnership that includes programming and promotional support on each of their iconic radio and TV stations.”
CKNW, the top-rated radio station in Vancouver, will host weekly programming, including a coaches show on Mornings with Simi featuring team talk, news, and insights. Matchday play-by-play will be broadcast live on sister station AM 730 and streamed online with commentators Corey Basso and Colin Miller, starting with a one-hour pre-match show. All four Corus radio stations will have regular promotional initiatives throughout the year, including The World Famous CFOX 99.3 and Rock 101.
Whitecaps FC will also continue to be brought to homes throughout the province with ongoing television coverage on Global BC and BC1, providing interviews and updates from training, matches, and in-depth stories from every part of the club.
“Corus Entertainment is proud to be the new home for Whitecaps FC,” said Larry Gifford, national director of talk radio, Corus Entertainment. “This partnership uniquely features a strong collective of heritage brands – each with passionate fans, a genuine love of Vancouver, a desire to be great community partners and a shared eagerness to entertain audiences with top tier talent.”
Whitecaps FC players and staff have begun training in Utah ahead of the club’s season opener on Sunday, April 18 against Cascadia rivals Portland Timbers.
For more team news and schedule information, visit whitecapsfc.com.
Perhaps we’ll eventually see CKNW rebrand back to News-Talk-Sports.
Not sure this is the best for either party, when you look at it from a demographics perspective. The Whitecaps want a younger crowd. They’re not getting it from Corus save for the Fox in terms of the free promo inventory. The Whitecaps have also lost all momentum from 10 years ago because of inept leadership, so they’re not bringing new people to the cluster. If anything, there’s a risk Corus will be irritating some of their audience with the interruption. At least the coach will get soft balls lobbed his way from Simi. The sports radio scene is dour in this market, but that’s partially a function of Vancouver sports teams having poor leadership/ownership. There really weren’t a lot of options for Tom Plasteras so not surprising he approached his former employer.
No doubt the Lions are also looking for a new broadcast associate since the demise of TSN 1040, and Corus is certainly a good option, besides they have history
You’re not going to find a younger audience for soccer on the radio regardless of which station it’s on.
I like this partnership. Anything to generate some interest in AM 730 is good, and CKNW has the nostalgia factor. As far as not getting a younger audience, Don is right on here; pretty much the only thing that would create a younger audience is playoff success.
One can only hope that Covid doesn’t derail the season and radio’s efforts.
NW bailed out of sports years ago, but with ad dollars dwindling, more layoffs pending, syndicated shows abounding, this partnership can be nothing more then a desperate attempt to grab a couple of bucks. It may prove to NW to not be worth their time, which is why the 2-year contract as a prelim. Desperate times bring desperate measures.
How much did the Whitecaps pay for this? With the purchase of Shaw by Rogers what happens to Corus and the Bell sponsorship of the Whitecaps.