The partnership between the NFL’s Baltimore Ravens and Hearst’s News/Talk 1090 WBAL/101.5 W268BA and “98 Rock” WIYY Baltimore will extend past the two decade mark as the groups have reached a contract extension through the 2026 season.
WBAL and WIYY have carried Ravens games since 2006 after spending their first decade on then CBS Radio’s 1300 WJFK and 101.9 WLIF. The extension also includes Hearst’s WBAL-TV Baltimore and WGAL Lancaster PA, which will televise all Ravens preseason games and air ancillary programming during the season.
The Baltimore Ravens have extended their current television and radio agreements with Hearst Television-owned WBAL-TV, WBAL NewsRadio 1090 AM/101.5 FM and 98 Rock (WIYY 97.9 and 97.9 HD 2). The television and radio properties will continue as the official broadcast partners of the Baltimore Ravens through the 2026 season.
WBAL-TV will continue to televise preseason games and weekly in-season programing created by the team’s broadcasting group, Ravens Productions. The preseason games will simulcast live on the Hearst-owned radio stations in the Baltimore market and reair on MeTV Baltimore the following day. 98 Rock and WBAL NewsRadio 1090/101.5 will continue to air the regular season games, as well as the postseason contests.
The new deal marks the third contract extension between the Ravens and the broadcast organizations, following an initial agreement in 2006.
“WBAL-TV, 98 Rock and WBAL NewsRadio 1090/101.5 are honored to continue as the Official Television and Radio Broadcast Partners of the Baltimore Ravens,” Dan Joerres, President and General Manager of WBAL-TV, and Cary Pahigian, President and General Manager of 98 Rock and WBAL Radio, said in a joint statement. “We are delivering audiences new content and an even deeper viewer and listener experience as part of this extension of our long-standing partnership with one of the NFL’s premier teams, which has one of the League’s most loyal fan bases.”
This renewed partnership will focus on an array of community-based initiatives between the Ravens and Hearst Television. New “Ravens 365” segments will air on both television and radio broadcasts throughout the year, providing not only football storylines and insight, but also highlighting the Ravens’ charitable work, commitment to the Baltimore community and DE&I efforts.
“For the past 16 seasons, our partnership with Hearst, WBAL-TV, 98 Rock and WBAL NewsRadio 1090/101.5 has helped us connect with Ravens fans in high-quality, consistent and special ways,” Ravens Chief Sales Officer Kevin Rochlitz stated. “We take great pride in extending this partnership, because it strengthens the bond we share with our fans by delivering the programming they desire.”
In addition to WBAL NewsRadio 1090/101.5 and 98 Rock, the Ravens’ radio broadcast is streamed to www.baltimoreravens.com and in the Ravens mobile app. This broadcast transmits to 32 regional affiliates spanning five states – Maryland, Delaware, Kentucky, Pennsylvania and West Virginia – and Washington, D.C.
This partnership extension also includes WBAL-TV’s sister station, WGAL-TV, which services the Pennsylvania television markets of York, Lancaster and Harrisburg. WGAL-TV has been a partner of the Ravens since 2017.
This story first appeared on radioinsight.com