CHAMPAIGN, Ill. – Fighting Illini fans living in the greater St. Louis area will have every opportunity to catch Illini men’s basketball action on WQQX-AM 1490 “The Champ” via an agreement with Fighting Illini Sports Properties, the multimedia rights holder for University of Illinois Athletics. The local Learfield Sports’ property oversees all aspects of the Illini Sports Network as part of the school rights relationship.
As an Illini Sports Network affiliate, the FOX Sports Radio station will air every men’s basketball game and coach’s weekly call-in show throughout the 2013-14 season. Fans can hear the John Groce Show every Monday, from 7-8 p.m. CST hosted by Illini play-by-play announcer Brian Barnhart.
“’The Champ’ has a loyal listener base and a broad reach, so we know it was a prime affiliate to add for Illini fans in the St. Louis metro area and surrounding communities,” said Chris Andrews, general manager for Fighting Illini Sports Properties. “We’re always seeking out the best possible scenarios for our fans to catch games through broadcast partners, and we feel confident this will be a welcome addition for Illini hoops fans.”
In addition to Illinois, Learfield Sports manages the multimedia rights for more than 50 collegiate institutions and associations and titles the Learfield Sports Directors’ Cup with NACDA and USA Today. Its exclusive sports programming reaches more than 56 million television households nationally and delivers nearly 17,000 hours of radio programming on more than 1,000 radio stations. To learn more about the company’s 40-year history and comprehensive collegiate portfolio, visit www.learfieldsports.com.