Astral Radio Media Hamilton Launches Talk 820
September 2, 2008 - American Hockey League (AHL)
Hamilton Bulldogs News Release
HAMILTON, ON - Astral Media Radio Hamilton Vice President and General Manager Tom Cooke announced today that AM 820 CHAM, the flagship radio station of the Hamilton Bulldogs Hockey Network, has changed formats and will now be known as TALK 820. TALK 820 replaces 'Hamilton's Country Legend 820 CHAM', a station that was a country music pioneer for decades and home to all regular season and post-season Hamilton Bulldogs games since 2002. TALK 820 is contracted to continue serving as the home of 'Dogs hockey through the 2009-2010 American Hockey League season.
"820 CHAM has a very successful history, however it was time to make the switch to a more interactive format that truly reflects the thoughts, opinions and attitudes of Hamilton listeners," says Cooke.
Hamilton Bulldogs President and Governor Glenn Stanford along with Director of Broadcasting and Communications/ Play-By-Play Announcer Derek Wills joined the morning show team of Jason Farr and Jodi Gaskell as guests on the inaugural broadcast this morning.
TALK 820 will provide stimulating, informative talk radio that focuses on local issues and how Hamiltonians are affected by the world around them. Programming will also include a blend of traffic, weather and sports programming including exclusive right to all NFL game broadcasts.
Wills, the AHL's James H. Ellery Memorial Award winner in the radio category in 2004-2005, will return for his eighth season as the 'Voice of the Hamilton Bulldogs' and will call all 80 regular season contests and all Calder Cup Playoff games. Since joining the organization in 2001-2002, Wills has called 634 consecutive regular and post-season 'Dogs games, including the AHL's conference finals three times and the Calder Cup Finals twice. Popular Hamilton sportscaster Al Craig, who was the Bulldogs' Play-By-Play Announcer during their first two seasons in Hamilton, will return for his seventh full season as Colour Commentator for all home games and select road games.
The AHL will return to TALK 820's airwaves with coverage of the Hamilton Bulldogs / Manitoba Moose / Toronto Marlies pre-season tournament at Mile One Centre in St. John's, Newfoundland. The 'Dogs are scheduled to take-on the Toronto Marlies on Wednesday, October 1st, 2008 at 8:30 p.m. Eastern Time before battling the Manitoba Moose on Saturday, October 4th, 2008 at 8:30 p.m. Eastern Time. TALK 820 will also have live coverage of all 80 Hamilton Bulldogs regular season games including the team's 13th season opener versus the Moose at MTS Centre in Winnipeg, Manitoba on Friday, October 10th, 2008 at 8:30 p.m. Eastern Time. All 'Dogs regular season and post-season broadcasts will begin with a pre-game show 30 minutes prior to puck drop.
In operation since 1936, the American Hockey League continues to serve as the top development league for all 30 National Hockey League teams. More than 84 percent of today's NHL players are AHL graduates, and for the seventh year in a row, more than six million fans attended AHL games across North America in 2007-2008.
2008-2009 Hamilton Bulldogs single-game and season tickets are now available! For more information, call 905-529-8500 or visit www.hamiltonbulldogs.com.
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American Hockey League Stories from September 2, 2008
- Senators Acquire Ryan Shannon From Vancouver For Lawrence Nycholat - Binghamton Senators
- Monarchs Individual Tickets Go On Sale September 15 - Manchester Monarchs
- Astral Radio Media Hamilton Launches Talk 820 - Hamilton Bulldogs
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- Canucks acquire Nycholat from Ottawa - Manitoba Moose
- Aeros.com Is Re-Vamped For The 2008-09 Season - Houston Aeros
- Copy Of Individual Game Tickets Go On Sale Thursday, September 4 - Rockford IceHogs
- River Rats Individual Game Tickets Go On Sale Saturday - Albany River Rats
- Admirals Team Up with Verve Energy Drink - Milwaukee Admirals
- Moose announce Anthem Idol - Manitoba Moose
- Wolf Pack Sign Defenseman Chris Murray - Connecticut Whale
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