Black Bear Sports Network is the radio and television name for University of Maine sports. The radio affiliates broadcast football, men's and women's basketball, men's ice hockey and select baseball and softball games. The current network formed in the summer of 2007 when Learfield Sports took over the marketing for the Maine Black Bears. Previous to this the radio network was known as The Sports Zone Black Bear Network and was heard on Bangor, Maine ESPN Radio affiliate WZON, at times including WLOB and WEGP.
WABI-TV, Bangor's CBS affiliate was the long-time television home for Black Bear sports, including most home football games and men's and women's basketball games (also carried on Portland CW affiliate WPXT); WABI's relationship with UMaine, which dated to the station's founding in 1953 (outside of a period from 1989 through 1997 in which rival WLBZ-TV held the rights) ended in 2013, after the station was unable to reach a renewal deal with Learfield Sports.[1] In July 2013, Learfield reached a deal to make WVII-TV and WFVX-LD, Bangor's ABC and Fox affiliates, the new flagship television stations for the Black Bear Sports Network. As part of the deal, Black Bear sports telecasts will also be seen on Fox College Sports, and production will be handled by Pack Network (WABI had produced its telecasts in-house).[2] Select basketball games are carried on ESPN Plus and America East TV and picked up by NESN or carried locally on other Bangor-based television stations.
In 2013 new 5-year deals were announced, Blueberry Broadcasting's WVOM-FM/WVOM/WVQM will be the flagship for men's ice hockey and football, Waterfront Communications' WGUY will be the flagship for basketball and baseball.
Current radio affiliates
| Station | Frequency | City | Format | Sports carried | Notes |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| WVOM-FM | 103.9 | Howland/Bangor | News/Talk | Ice Hockey (2007, 2013–) & Football (2007–08, 2013–) | |
| WVQM | 101.3 | Augusta | News/Talk | Ice Hockey (2013-) & Football (2013-) | |
| WLOB | 1310 | Portland | News/Talk | Football, Select Men's basketball | |
| WTOS | 910 | Bangor | Fox Sports Radio | Basketball (2011-2013) & Baseball (2012-2013), Overflow football and hockey (2014-) | Co-flagship with WAEI-FM from 2008-2011) |
| WGUY | 1230 | Veazie/Bangor | Oldies | Basketball, Baseball, Softball (2013-) | |
| WBAN | 1340 | News/Talk | Overflow basketball and baseball games (2013-) | ||
| WHZP | 1400 | News/Talk | Overflow basketball and baseball games (2013-) |
Past affiliates
| Station | Frequency | City | Format | Sports carried | Notes |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| WBCQ-FM | 94.7 | Monticello | Classic Country | Hockey | Affiliated ended after 2012-2013 season |
| WGUY | 102.1 | Dexter | Oldies | Basketball (2007), Baseball/Softball (2008) | Later sold with sports moving to WAEI for 2008-2009 season |
| Fox Sports Maine | 97.5/1450/1280 | Madison/Rockland, Gardiner | Fox Sports Radio | Basketball, Baseball, Select hockey & football games. Affiliation ended at the end of the 2012-2013 academic year. | |
| WKSQ | 94.5 | Ellsworth | Hot AC | Football (2011-2012) & Hockey (2011-2013) | |
| WAEI-FM | 97.1 | Bangor | Sports Talk | Football (2009-2010), Hockey (2008-2011), Basketball (2008-2011), Baseball (2009–11) | Co-flagship with WAEI 910 |
| WVOM | 1450 | Rockland/Bangor | News/Talk | Basketball (until 2012-13 season), Baseball (until 2013 season), Ice Hockey (2013-2022) & Football (2013-2022) | Carried University of Maine sports when it was part of trimulcast of Fox Sports Maine |
References
- ↑ Mahoney, Larry (May 30, 2013). "WABI TV5 and UMaine part ways; Bangor station to televise high school football". Bangor Daily News. Retrieved May 31, 2013.
- ↑ Mahoney, Larry (July 15, 2013). "UMaine signs deal to broadcast sports on ABC, FOX". Bangor Daily News. Retrieved July 16, 2013.
Initial press release on movement of radio affiliates
UM Network adds WLOB
2010 Black Bear radio guide
Black Bear Sports Properties SecuresNew 5 Year Relationship with Blueberry Broadcasting & Waterfront Communications