Jump to content

Tar Heel Sports Network

Add links
From Wikipedia, the free encyclopedia
Tar Heel Sports Network
TypeRadio network
Country
United States
AvailabilityAM/FM through network affiliates
Sirius XM
Internet streaming
Broadcast area
North Carolina, South Carolina, Virginia
OwnerLearfield Communications, Inc.
Official website
List of affiliates

The Tar Heel Sports Network is a radio network in the United States dedicated to broadcasting live events and programming relating to North Carolina Tar Heels athletics. It is operated by Tar Heel Sports Properties, a property of LEARFIELD, which manages the multimedia rights for the University of North Carolina at Chapel Hill. The network's flagship station is WPTF in Raleigh, North Carolina.

The network consists mainly of local radio affiliates within North Carolina, southern Virginia, and northern South Carolina, and also includes Sirius XM satellite radio, and streaming platforms including GoHeels.com, The Varsity Network and TuneIn.

The network began in the early 1960s when WSOC in Charlotte made the first attempt to create a radio network for Tar Heel men's basketball outside the Triangle.

In 1965, WSOC owner Cox Broadcasting sold the network to Village Broadcasting, owner of WCHL in Chapel Hill, North Carolina. WCHL became the flagship station. Village Broadcasting gradually evolved into VilCom, and sold the network in the late 1990s.

Bill Currie, known as "The Mouth of the South" was instrumental in developing the original statewide network in the 1960s and was the network's first play-by-play announcer until departing to KDKA-TV in 1971.[1][2]

The network's long-time "Voice of the Tar Heels" for football and men's basketball games was Woody Durham from 1971 until his retirement in 2011.[3]

Mick Mixon partnered with Durham as the color analyst from 1989-2005 for both football and basketball before departing to take the job as the play-by-play announcer for the Carolina Panthers.[4]

Jones Angell succeeded Durham in the booth as "the Voice of the Tar Heels" for both football and basketball beginning with the 2011 football season after working with the network in various roles for the previous 11 years, including baseball play-by-play from 2004-2011.[5]

Brian Simmons performed football analyst duties through the 2023 season before joining the UNC football staff as a Senior Advisor to the Head Coach/Pro Liaison.[6] Analyst duties during the 2024 season are shared between Bryn Renner and Joe Jauch, both former Tar Heel players.[7] Lee Pace handles football sideline reporting.

Eric Montross was the basketball analyst starting in 2005[8] through the 2022-23 season. Shortly after the season, it was announced that he had recently been diagnosed with cancer.[9] After announcing that he would sit out the 2023-24 season to focus on his health, Montross died on December 17 at age 52.[10] Game analysis duties during the 2023-24 season were handled by a rotation of former players including Pete Chilcutt, Marcus Ginyard, Tyler Hansbrough and Zeller.

Adam Lucas contributes basketball pregame commentary and conducts postgame interviews. Dave Nathan anchors pregame, halftime and postgame coverage for football and basketball, and also handles the basketball play-by-play when late season football schedule conflicts prevent Angell from being available. Nathan also calls play-by-play for the Diamond Heels in baseball, sharing the booth with Kyle Straub. Matt Krause calls the action for women's basketball.

Angell and Lucas also co-host a twice-weekly podcast, Carolina Insider, that is a production of the network and LEARFIELD.

UNC head coaches Mack Brown (football), Hubert Davis (men's basketball), Courtney Banghart (women's basketball) and Scott Forbes (baseball) host programs on the network during their respective team's season.

Other notable on-air color analysts and contributors over the history of the network include Phil Ford, Stephen Gates, Jerod Haase, Jim Heavner, Henry Hinton, Bob Holliday, Charlie "Choo Choo" Justice, Freddie Kiger, Lee Kinard, Ken Mack, Draggan Mihailovich, Bob Quincy and Rick Steinbacher.[11]

The state's most powerful AM station, WBT in Charlotte, has been an affiliate of the network since 1971, except for 1991 to 1995 and 2006 to 2012. WBT is a 50,000-watt clear-channel station that reaches parts of 22 states at night, bringing the Tar Heels' broadcasts to most of the eastern half of North America. According to longtime WBT station manager Cullie Tarleton, putting the Tar Heels on WBT was largely the idea of longtime coach Dean Smith, who wanted to tell recruits from New England that their parents would be able to listen to the games.[12] Beginning in 2006, WFNZ served as the network's Charlotte outlet.[13] However, its weaker nighttime signal forced the Tar Heels to contract first with WRFX (2006-2011) and WNOW-FM (2011-2012) to simulcast football games that kicked off after 5 p.m., as well as all basketball games. The Tar Heels returned to WBT beginning with the 2012 football season.

North Carolina's second-most-powerful AM station, WPTF, joined the network in 2021.[14] As part of the deal, WPTF became the network's new flagship, though WCHL remains as an affiliate station.[15] WPTF had long been the flagship of rival NC State for more than 40 years until 2007.[16][17]

List of affiliates

[edit]

Current network stations

[edit]
Station Frequency City Format Sports in addition to Football & Men's Basketball Notes
WSPC AM 1010 Albemarle, North Carolina News/talk Relayed on FM via translator W297CE on 107.3MHz
WZJS FM 100.7 Boone, North Carolina Classic Hits Simulcast on W256CV on 99.1 MHz
WBHN AM 1590 Bryson City, North Carolina Classic country Relayed on FM via translator W231DQ on 94.1MHz
WBAG AM 1150 Burlington, North Carolina Full service Baseball Relayed on FM via translator W290CX on 105.9 MHz.
WCHL AM 1360 Chapel Hill, North Carolina News/talk/sports/Adult Album Alternative Women's Basketball, Baseball Relayed on FM via translator W250BP on 97.9 MHz.
WBT AM 1110 Charlotte, North Carolina News/Talk/Sports Class A clear channel
WBT-FM FM 99.3 Chester, South Carolina News/talk/sports Similcasts WBT (AM)
WPTI FM 94.5 Eden, North Carolina News/talk/sports Listed as the affiliate for Greensboro, High Point, & Winston-Salem, North Carolina.
WPEK AM 880 Fairview, North Carolina Sports Listed as affiliate of record for Asheville, NC.

Daytime-only signal. Relayed on FM via translator W225CJ on 92.9 MHz at Asheville.

WFAY AM 1230 Fayetteville, North Carolina Country Relayed on FM via translator W261CX on 100.1 MHz
WGBR AM 1150 Goldsboro, North Carolina Classic hits Relayed on FM via translator W252CL on 98.3 MHz
WIZS AM 1450 Henderson, North Carolina Variety Relayed on FM via translator W261DK 100.1 MHz
WHKP AM 1450 Hendersonville, North Carolina Country/conservative talk Relayed on FM via translator W299BZ 107.7 MHz
WWMC AM 1010 Kinston, North Carolina Urban gospel Relayed on FM via translator W225CD 92.9 MHz
WEWO AM 1460 Laurinburg, North Carolina Gospel
WLON AM 1050 Lincolnton, North Carolina Oldies Relayed on FM via translator W298CK 107.5 MHz
WHEE AM 1370 Martinsville, Virginia Full service
WMNC FM 92.1 Morganton, North Carolina New country
WSYD AM 1300 Mount Airy, North Carolina Oldies Relayed on FM via translator W286DM 105.1
WNBU FM 94.1 Oriental, North Carolina Rhythmic oldies Listed as the affiliate of record for New Bern, Jacksonville and Morehead City, NC.

Also simulcast on 94.3 WRHD-HD2 (Farmville, NC) and translator W274CK on 102.7 MHz (Winterville, NC).

WPTF AM 680 Raleigh, North Carolina News/talk Official flagship station.

Listed as the affiliate of record for Apex, Cary, Durham, & Wake Forest, North Carolina.

Relayed on FM via translators W255DF 92.9 MHz (Raleigh), W254AS 98.7 MHz (Rolesville), W298DB 107.5 MHz (Smithfield)

WRXO AM 1430 Roxboro, North Carolina Classic country Daytime-only station
WKRX FM 96.7 Bluegrass, Carolina Beach Music
WCAB AM 590 Rutherfordton, North Carolina Country Relayed on FM via translator W265DW 100.9 MHz
WFJA FM 105.5 Sanford, North Carolina Classic hits
WOHS AM 1390 Shelby, North Carolina Oldies, Beach Music Women's Basketball, Baseball
WMXF AM 1400 Waynesville, North Carolina Sports
WKSK AM 580 West Jefferson, North Carolina Sports Simulcast of WPEK.

Relayed on FM via translator W228CW 93.5 MHz

WIAM AM 900 Williamston, North Carolina Classic country Relayed on FM via translator W221ES 92.1 MHz
WMFD AM 630 Wilmington, North Carolina Sports Relayed on FM via translator W269DF on 101.7 MHz. Also relayed on HD radio over WKXB-HD3.
[edit]

References

[edit]
  1. ^ "Mouth of the South Called Them As Only He Could See Them". Carolina Alumni Review. February 19, 2008. Retrieved March 6, 2024.
  2. ^ "Mouth Of The South Dominated The Radio". GoHeels.com. February 28, 2008. Retrieved March 6, 2024.
  3. ^ "Woody Durham To Retire As Voice Of The Tar Heels". GoHeels.com. April 19, 2011. Retrieved March 6, 2024.
  4. ^ "What's New in 2005". GoHeels.com. August 25, 2005. Retrieved March 6, 2024.
  5. ^ "Jones Angell To Call Play-By-Play For Football And Men's Basketball". GoHeels.com. June 27, 2011. Retrieved March 21, 2017.
  6. ^ "UNC Legend Brian Simmons Joins Football Staff". GoHeels.com. January 30, 2024. Retrieved September 14, 2024.
  7. ^ "Tar Heel Sports Network Announces Broadcast Team for 2024 Football Season". GoHeels.com. August 26, 2024. Retrieved September 14, 2024.
  8. ^ "Montross, Steinbacher Lead Analysts for Tar Heel Network". GoHeels.com. July 12, 2005. Retrieved March 6, 2024.
  9. ^ "Former Boston Celtics center Eric Montross reveals cancer diagnosis". Yahoo Sports. Retrieved December 18, 2023.
  10. ^ "Tar Heel Eric Montross Succumbs To Cancer At Age 52". GoHeels.com. December 18, 2023. Retrieved March 6, 2024.
  11. ^ "Durham steps away after 40 years at UNC mic". WRALSportsfan.com. April 19, 2011. Retrieved March 6, 2024.
  12. ^ "Live, Local, & Legendary: WBT Radio In Charlotte". Radio Ink. October 5, 2016. Retrieved February 2, 2022.
  13. ^ Betts, Jack (November 30, 2006). "They miss WBT up in Maryland". This Old State. CharlotteObserver.com. Retrieved February 1, 2022.
  14. ^ "Tar Heels Tap WPTF". Radio Ink. 2021-07-28. Retrieved 2021-08-29.
  15. ^ "WPTF 98.5 FM/680 AM New Flagship Station For Football, Men's Basketball". GoHeels.com. University of North Carolina at Chapel Hill. July 27, 2021. Retrieved March 10, 2022.
  16. ^ "WRAL-FM to Broadcast N.C. State Games". WRALSportsFan.com. April 25, 2007. Retrieved March 6, 2024.
  17. ^ "Tar Heel Sports Network changes flagship stations". Tar Heel Tribune. July 27, 2021. Retrieved March 6, 2024.
Retrieved from "https://en.wikipedia.org/w/index.php?title=Tar_Heel_Sports_Network&oldid=1260791910"