Conference USA announced Wednesday that a new television partner, Sinclair Broadcast Group, will produce and distribute more than 100 events during the next two years. Those games will be part of the newly launched American Sports Network (ASN). A pair of UNC Charlotte home games will be among those aired on ASN – the Sept. 6 contest against Johnson C. Smith and the Nov. 15 one versus Wesley College. Both games kick off at noon.
WCCB Charlotte, which is the local television partner of the 49ers and media rights holder IMG College, will air the two ASN games in the Charlotte market. In addition, WCCB will produce and broadcast the remaining four games on the 49ers home schedule. The WCCB production crew for the home games will include Sam Smith, who will provide play-by-play; Brett Basanez and Jeff Zell, who will share color commentary duties; and WCCB sports anchor Brandon Davidow who will be a sideline reporter.
This is the second straight season that WCCB will broadcast each of the 49ers home football games.
In addition, Sports Radio 610AM WFNZ The Fan is preparing for its first season as the Charlotte IMG Sport Network’s flagship home for 49ers football. The broadcast crew remains intact with longtime Voice of the 49ers Matt Swierad to handle the play-by-play, Kevin Donnalley will return for color commentary and Bobby Rosinski will be sideline reporter.
On home Saturdays, WFNZ will air a college football pre-game show from the 49ers tailgate village from 10 to 11:30 a.m. with hosts Chris Kroeger and Richard Walker. For road games, WFNZ will keep to a similar format with the pregame show beginning one hour prior to kickoff.
WFNZ’s sister station, CBS Sports Radio 1660, will air the 49ers Coaches Show, Monday evenings from 7 to 8 p.m. from its new location, BlackFinn American Saloon in Uptown Charlotte’s Epicentre. The 49ers Coaches Show will begin, Monday, Aug. 25, with head coach Brad Lambert.
Sinclair Broadcast Group owns, operates, programs and provides sales services to 162 television stations in 78 markets, reaching approximately 40 percent of U.S. television households. It includes FOX, ABC, CBS, MyTV, CW, NBC, Univision and Azteca affiliates. The agreement encompasses an extensive slate of live, local sporting events, including football, basketball, soccer and other sports with the opening of this year’s college football season. Thirty C-USA football games will be televised on Sinclair stations.
The Charlotte 49ers 2014 home game schedule is:
- Sept. 6 against Johnson C. Smith
- Sept. 27 against Charleston Southern
- Oct. 15 against James Madison
- Nov. 8 against Coastal Carolina
- Nov. 15 against Wesley College
- Nov. 22 against Morehead State
All home games begin at noon.