(via USF Communications) - USF Athletics and IHeartMedia & Entertainment, Inc. will start a new partnership beginning in the 2019-20 season that will make WDAE (95.3 & 96.7 FM/620 AM), the highest rated sports station in the Tampa Bay region, the home of USF football radio broadcasts and expand USF’s popular “Bulls Unlimited” digital radio offering to two channels on iHeart Radio.
“We are very excited to be partnering with one of the most widely listened to sports stations in the state to bring USF football games to our fans and expand our groundbreaking digital platform,” Vice President of Athletics Michael Kelly said. “WDAE is synonymous with sports in the Bay area and we look forward to a tremendous partnership that will continue to expand the USF brand and help connect more fans with the excitement of our Bulls sports teams.”
The three-year agreement will begin this fall with WDAE airing USF football games live on three stations that simulcast the WDAE signal – 95.3 FM, 96.7 FM and 620 AM. All Bulls football games will be carried on the WDAE stations except when conflicts arise with Tampa Bay Rays baseball games. When Rays game conflicts exist, USF football games will air on WHNZ 1250 AM over the air and continue to be carried on the “Bulls Unlimited” iHeart Radio channel.
“We are thrilled to welcome USF to the iHeartMedia family,” Market President Chris Soechtig said. “Having a partnership with Tampa Bay’s home team on 95.3 WDAE further solidifies our commitment to deliver exceptional local sports coverage to our listeners. We are counting down the days to kick off!”
As part of the new iHeartMedia agreement, USF will expand its popular digital radio outlet to two “Bulls Unlimited” channels, allowing much greater bandwidth and flexibility in carrying game broadcasts and other programming surrounding USF’s 19 sports teams. The “Bulls Unlimited” digital channel on iHeart Radio, which launched in 2017 as just the second digital radio channel in college athletics, will continue to carry all football games and will become the primary home of USF men’s and women’s basketball and baseball broadcasts. WDAE will carry broadcasts of some postseason contests involving USF basketball and baseball over the air.
WDAE will also broadcast the USF Football Radio Show on a weekly basis throughout the season as well as the last hour of the pregame show and a 30-minute postgame show during football game broadcasts. The first hour of the Bulls’ traditional two-hour football pregame show will air exclusively on “Bulls Unlimited.”
The two “Bulls Unlimited” stations on iHeart Radio will continue to carry 24/7 digital streaming of USF Athletics content, including live game broadcasts across several sports and coaches shows. Programing on “Bulls Unlimited” also includes the Bulls Beat daily show, original programming such as Archive Room, Around The American and Upon Further Review, and replays of current season contests and classic games.
To Access Bulls Unlimited, download the iHeart Radio app and search "USF." A desktop link is also available HERE. Be sure to follow @BullsUnlimited on Twitter for the daily schedule and any big Bulls news.
USF opens the season on Fri., Aug. 30 with an ESPN primetime clash with Wisconsin at 7 p.m. in Raymond James Stadium. Season, single-game and ticket packages are available by calling 1-800-GoBulls or visiting USFBullstix.com or Ticketmaster.
About USF Athletics
USF Athletics sponsors 19 varsity men's and women's teams that compete in 11 different sports, 18 at the NCAA Division I level in the American Athletic Conference. The Bulls' athletic program began in 1965 and is in its 53rd season in 2018-19. Nearly 500 student-athletes train and compete in the athletic district located on the east end of the campus in Tampa, Fla. The Bulls have claimed 18 American Athletic Conference team titles since joining the conference in 2013, and own 119 conference titles overall. Nine USF programs reached national post-season competition in the 2017-18 season and six were ranked in the Top 25 nationally. The Bulls posted a combined annual grade-point average over 3.0 for the fourth straight year in 2018-19 and have posted a program record nine straight semesters with a combined GPA over 3.0. USF has had more than 250 student-athletes earn their degree in the last three years.
About iHeartMedia Tampa Bay
iHeartMedia Tampa Bay owns and operates WXTB-FM, WFLZ-FM, WFUS-FM, WMTX-FM, WBTP-FM, WDAE-AM, WFLA-AM, WHNZ-AM, WRUB-FM and WMTX-HD2 and is part of iHeartMedia. iHeartMedia is the #1 audio company in the United States, reaching nine out of 10 Americans every month – and with its quarter of a billion monthly listeners, has a greater reach than any other media company in the U.S. The company’s leadership position in audio extends across multiple platforms including 848 live broadcast stations; its iHeartRadio digital service available across more than 250 platforms and 2,000 devices including smart speakers, smartphones, TVs and gaming consoles; through its influencers; social; branded iconic live music events; and podcasts as the #1 commercial podcast publisher. iHeartMedia also leads the audio industry in analytics and attribution technology for its marketing partners, using data from its massive consumer base. iHeartMedia is a division of iHeartMedia, Inc. (PINK:IHRTQ). Visit iHeartMedia.com for more company information.