AHL Grand Rapids Griffins

Griffins' new three-year pact with Newsradio WOOD 1300 AM begins tonight

Published on October 15, 2004 under American Hockey League (AHL)
Grand Rapids Griffins News Release


Grand Rapids, Mich. – A long-standing relationship between the Grand Rapids Griffins and flagship Newsradio WOOD 1300 AM begins an unprecedented chapter tonight, as the entities commence a new three-year agreement with the broadcast of the team's season opener against the Cleveland Barons at Van Andel Arena.

The three-year contract, the longest ever cemented between the Griffins and Clear Channel Radio, continues a relationship that dates to the team's inaugural 1996-97 season and will now extend through the 2006-07 campaign. In addition, Bob Kaser starts his fifth season as the voice of the Griffins, and Labatt USA embarks on a new two-year extension of its title sponsorship of "Labatt Griffins Hockey" on WOOD.

As part of the agreement with Clear Channel, WOOD will be more intimately involved in promoting several of the Griffins' unique community programs, including The Great Skate and Tip-A-Griffin. Also, following a three-year hiatus, live streaming of Griffins games over the internet returns to woodradio.com, with the station's re-launch of its service earlier today. The internet broadcasts, which last season were provided by sportjuice.com, will be accessible through a link at griffinshockey.com.

"This is a major accomplishment for us to get the stream at woodradio.com back online," said Phil Tower, director of programming & operations for WOOD. "I am especially happy that fans from Zeeland to New Zealand can now hear the excitement of Griffins Hockey."

WHTC 1450 AM in Holland will serve as a Griffins affiliate station for the fifth consecutive season, broadcasting a minimum of 18 games for hockey fans throughout Ottawa County and areas along the lakeshore.

Each of the last three years, broadcasts of Griffins hockey on WOOD have won the Broadcast Excellence Award from the Michigan Association of Broadcasters for "best locally originated, regularly scheduled sportscast, play-by-play or live sports coverage" in the markets of Grand Rapids, Kalamazoo, Ann Arbor, Flint, Lansing and the Saginaw tri-cities area. Criteria include presentation, production values and interest of stories presented.

In addition to the Griffins, Newsradio WOOD 1300 serves as West Michigan's home for the Detroit Lions and University of Michigan football and basketball.

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American Hockey League Stories from October 15, 2004


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