Cavaliers AudioVerse
TypeRadio network
Country
United States
HeadquartersCleveland, Ohio
Broadcast area
Ohio
OwnerCleveland Cavaliers
Affiliation(s)NBA
Affiliates19 (including 2 flagships)
Official website
www.nba.com/cavaliers/broadcast

The Cavaliers AudioVerse is an American radio network composed of 19 radio stations which carry English-language coverage of the Cleveland Cavaliers, a professional basketball team in the National Basketball Association (NBA). Cleveland sister stations WTAM (1100 AM) and WMMS (100.7 FM) serve as the network's two flagships; WTAM also relays its signal over a low-power FM translator. The network also includes seventeen affiliates in the U.S. state of Ohio: twelve AM stations, nine of which supplement their signals with low-power FM translators and one with an HD Radio subchannel; and six full-power FM stations.

Tim Alcorn is the current play-by-play announcer, while Jim Chones serves as color analyst.[1][2] In addition to traditional over-the-air AM and FM broadcasts, network programming airs on SiriusXM satellite radio; and streams online via SiriusXM Internet Radio, TuneIn Premium, and NBA League Pass Audio.[3]

History

In 2008, longtime flagship WTAM signed a five-year contract extension with the Cavaliers through the 2013–14 season; in 2011, a Cavs spokesman stated there were "multiple years" remaining on the team's contract with WTAM, without specifying an end date. In 2014, WTAM owner iHeartMedia (formerly Clear Channel) announced a new "multi-year" contract with the team; this new arrangement also established simulcasts on WTAM sister station WMMS.[4][5] Additional affiliates were added in the Columbus, Dayton and Cincinnati markets, coinciding with LeBron James' heavily publicized return to the team.[6][7]

John Michael took over as the team's lead play-by-play announcer starting in the 2011–12 season following the retirement of longtime radio voice Joe Tait.[8] After the death of lead TV play-by-play announcer Fred McLeod prior to the start of the 2019–20 season, Michael was reassigned to that position, with Tim Alcorn—lead sports announcer and station manager at Cavaliers radio affiliate WEOL in Elyria—being hired as Michael's successor.[1][2]

The radio network was rebranded as the "Cavaliers AudioVerse" beginning with the 2022–23 season.[9]

Announcers

Play-by-play Commentary Pregame/Postgame
Tim Alcorn Jim Chones Mike Snyder, Brad Sellers

Station list

Network stations as of the 2022–23 Cavaliers season
Callsign Frequency Band City State Network status
WTAM 1100 AM Cleveland Ohio Flagship
WMMS 100.7 FM Cleveland Ohio Flagship
W295DE 106.9 FM Cleveland Ohio WTAM relay
WAKR 1590 AM Akron Ohio Affiliate
W228EL 93.5 FM Akron Ohio WAKR relay
WZOO-FM 102.5 FM Ashtabula Ohio Affiliate
WHBC 1480 AM Canton Ohio Affiliate
WCSM 1350 AM Celina Ohio Affiliate
W262DC 100.3 FM Celina Ohio WCSM relay
WCSM-FM 96.7 FM Celina Ohio Affiliate
WJYD 107.1 FM Circleville–Columbus Ohio Affiliate
WJER 1450 AM Dover–New Phila. Ohio Affiliate
W265DL 100.9 FM Dover–New Phila. Ohio WJER relay
WEOL 930 AM Elyria–Lorain Ohio Affiliate
W262DM 100.3 FM Elyria–Lorain Ohio WEOL relay
WFOB 1430 AM Fostoria Ohio Affiliate
W289CP 105.7 FM Fostoria Ohio WFOB relay
WCHD-HD3* 99.9-3 FM Kettering Ohio WIZE relay
WRGM 1440 AM Mansfield Ohio Affiliate
W294CK 106.7 FM Mansfield Ohio WRGM relay
WMOA 1490 AM Marietta Ohio Affiliate
W267CQ 101.3 FM Marietta Ohio WMOA relay
WJAW-FM 100.9 FM McConnelsville Ohio Affiliate
WLKR-FM 95.3 FM Norwalk Ohio Affiliate
WABQ 1460 AM Painesville Ohio Affiliate
W234DO 94.7 FM Painesville Ohio WABQ relay
WLEC 1450 AM Sandusky Ohio Affiliate
W228EN 93.5 FM Sandusky Ohio WLEC relay
WIZE 1340 AM Springfield Ohio Affiliate
WQKT 104.5 FM Wooster Ohio Affiliate
WNIO 1390 AM Youngstown Ohio Affiliate

Network map

Cavaliers AudioVerse is located in Ohio
Cleveland
Cleveland
Columbus
Columbus
Cincinnati
Cincinnati
Toledo
Toledo
Mansfield
Mansfield
Akron
Akron
Canton
Canton
Sandusky
Sandusky
Coshocton
Coshocton
Dayton
Dayton
Ashtabula
Ashtabula
Huntington, WV
Huntington, WV
Lima
Lima
Marietta
Marietta
Youngstown
Youngstown
Wheeling, WV
Wheeling, WV
Detroit, MI
Detroit, MI
WTAM
WMMS
WABQ
WAKR
WCSM
WCSM-FM
WEOL
WFOB
WHBC
WIZE
WJAW-FM
WJER
WLEC
WLKR-FM
WMOA
WNIO
WQKT
WRGM
WZOO-FM
WJYD
  • Network stations in Ohio.
  • Flagship stations
  • Affiliates (not including translators)

References

  1. ^ a b Fedor, Chris (September 23, 2019). "Cleveland Cavaliers, Fox Sports Ohio tab John Michael as play-by-play announcer; Tim Alcorn named team's radio broadcaster". The Plain Dealer. Cleveland, Ohio. Archived from the original on October 18, 2019. Retrieved October 17, 2019.
  2. ^ a b Schudel, Jeff (September 23, 2019). "Tim Alcorn from WEOL in Lorain named Cavs new radio play-by-play announcer". The News-Herald. Painesville, Ohio. Archived from the original on October 18, 2019. Retrieved October 17, 2019.
  3. ^
  4. ^ "Cleveland Cavaliers Games To Be Simulcast On WMMS, WTAM". AllAccess.com. All Access Media Group. October 8, 2014. Archived from the original on October 9, 2014. Retrieved October 9, 2014.
  5. ^ "WTAM, Cavaliers Ink New Deal". AllAccess.com. All Access Media Group. May 12, 2008. Archived from the original on October 7, 2014. Retrieved October 7, 2011.
  6. ^ Kleps, Kevin (September 28, 2014). "Full court press: How local media is preparing for a Cavs season like no other". Crain's Cleveland Business. Cleveland, Ohio. Archived from the original on September 16, 2018. Retrieved October 7, 2014.
  7. ^
  8. ^ Reed, Tom (December 24, 2011). "Cleveland Cavaliers' new radio voice made right decision to leave law career, judging from results". The Plain Dealer. Cleveland, Ohio. Archived from the original on January 14, 2012. Retrieved October 7, 2014.
  9. ^ "WJYD 107.1 FM Joins Cleveland Cavaliers AudioVerse as Columbus Affiliate for 2022-23 Season" (Press release). Cleveland, Ohio: Cleveland Cavaliers. October 5, 2022. Retrieved October 23, 2022.

External links

Cleveland Cavaliers
National Basketball Association on the radio
Sports broadcast radio networks in the United States
Categories