We have some media news to report from the summer collegiate Northwoods League, including radio broadcast deals and digital programs.
The Madison Mallards will have all 72 games aired live on Sports Station, The Zone (WOZN 106.7FM/1670AM). This comes as the result of a two-year pact between the Mallards and Mid-West Family Broadcasting.
“As a locally owned and operated radio broadcasting organization, we are thrilled to be able to partner with another locally owned, well known and fun entity, like the Mallards,” said Randy Hawke, Program Operations Manager for the Zone. “Anyone who has ever attended a Mallards game knows what great baseball is played and how much family fun there is at the ball park as well. We are extremely happy to be their radio home.”
The team has also announced that Max Baker will be the play-by-play announcer for the 2016 season. “It’s an incredible honor to be the voice of the Mallards, the premier organization in summer collegiate league baseball. I’m excited to help such a passionate group of fans connect with their favorite team,” said Baker. Baker comes to the Mallards after working last season with the St. Cloud Rox, where he was voted the 2015 Northwoods League Announcer of the Year.
“The Zone will be a great home for our fans to listen to Mallards baseball all summer long,” said Mallards General Manager Tyler Isham. “We are excited to start a great relationship with The Zone, and are thrilled to have Max calling games. His experience in the Northwoods League will help bring a great product to our broadcast.”
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Madison will also be one of four markets in which digital programs are distributed, as ownership group Big Top Baseball has announced free digital platforms for all four of its teams. Along with the Mallards, that list of clubs includes the Green Bay Bullfrogs, Kenosha Kingfish, and Wisconsin Rapids Rafters.
Gone are the days of paying for a paper program that gets left behind after the final out. This digital format will change the way teams represent their sponsors, how fans interact with information, and how much content they can display. All programs will now include interactive content including photo galleries, highlight videos from recent games, and links to more information about each player.
Content will be updated throughout the season to ensure all fans have the most up-to-date rosters and can read unique feature stories.
This year’s digital program will also allow fans to access the publication even if they didn’t make the game. Furthermore, it is readily available to read 24 hours a day on all devices.
Not connected? No worries. Teams will also offer tablets to be checked out for fans that don’t have smartphones or tablets of their own, so that viewing the program is easy for everyone. All teams will also continue to offer a printed daily insert with scorecard.
To view the program, visit each respective team’s website, listed below: