MURFREESBORO, Tenn. – Middle Tennessee State University Athletics announced today contract extensions with WGNS Radio and Cromwell Media to broadcast Blue Raider football, men’s and women’s basketball and baseball. These relationships are facilitated by LEARFIELD’s Blue Raider Sports Properties, MTSU’s multimedia rights partner.
WGNS, a partner of MTSU’s for the past 76 years, will carry all football games, serve as the exclusive home of women’s basketball, while also airing men’s basketball games when there are no conflicts with the women’s program. WGNS, who will air coaches shows as well, will also broadcast conference and select non-conference baseball games.
Outside of the agreement, WGNS also provides a daily report for All Sports Talk that is done by Voice of the Blue Raiders, Chip Walters.
The MTSU-WGNS partnership has been special. There are not many businesses that can say they have worked with a client or customer for 76 years.
“The official 80-year anniversary for WGNS to air their first MTSU Football game will take place on September 19, 2027, which is within the 5-year contract we signed today to continue airing MTSU games,” said WGNS President Scott Walker. “On September 19, 1947, the Middle Tennessee State College Raiders played Southeast Missouri State in the Houck Stadium, located in Cape Girardeau, Missouri. During that Friday night game, the Blue Raiders beat the Redhawks 12 to 0.”
The Blue Raiders and WGNS have been synonymous during the unparalleled growth of MTSU athletics over the past 25 years.
“Middle Tennessee is proud to strengthen our partnership with WGNS,” said Director of Athletics Chris Massaro. “It means a lot to be on a station that is committed to us and wants to have our games. This is the type of support our fans in Murfreesboro and Rutherford County deserve.”
For the Nashville market, MTSU games will air exclusively on WQZQ 93.3 Classic Hits. Classic Hits will also be heard on 95.1 in Murfreesboro later this summer. Additional MTSU programming content, such as coach’s shows and daily MTSU sports updates, will be featured on Cromwell Media’s two sports/talk stations, 102.5/106.3 The Game and 94.9 The Fan. In addition, all five Cromwell Media Nashville stations will promote MTSU athletics.
“I’m very excited about this major step forward for us and our friends at MTSU,” said Chase McCabe, Director of Operations and Sports Programming and MTSU alumnus. “Our 12-year working relationship with Athletic Director Chris Massaro and his team is extremely important to us and we’re excited about ramping up the amount of support we can provide them.”
“We are elated to renew our longstanding relationship with Cromwell Media,” said Massaro. “Bringing all of our football and men’s basketball to one station in the Nashville market is extremely important as we have a large alumni base in the mid-state area. We are pleased to continue our partnership and look forward to all the exciting opportunities it presents.”
“We are proud to continue our partnership with MTSU Athletics and give their fans one destination to hear their football and men’s basketball games on local radio,” said Shawn Fort, Cromwell Media’s General Manager.
Cromwell Media President Bud Walters added, “It is an honor that MTSU has chosen to work with us again. MTSU is Tennessee’s largest university with an enthusiastic fan base. We’re pleased to continue the relationship.”
