Army West Point Athletics
Army on the Air
June 30, 2006 | General
Army Sports Network Set For 2006 Football Season
Already possessing one of the country’s most comprehensive television packages, Army strengthened its extensive reach over the radio airwaves considerably this summer with the announcement that Army Sports Properties, in association with the Army Athletic Association, entered into a new agreement with WABC (770-AM), New York, N.Y., to return as the flagship station of the Army Sports Network.
And for the second season, the Army Sports Network will broadcast in Spanish all five of Army’s games played at West Point this fall, as well as the annual Army-Navy Classic. The games will air in the tri-state region on WKDM (1380-AM, New York, N.Y.), the Spanish broadcast home of the New York Yankees.
WABC, whose 50,000-watt clear channel signal can be heard in 38 states and Canada, served as the flagship station for the Army Sports Network in 2000. It has aired several Black Knight football games each of the last several years while Army called 1050 ESPN Radio (1050-AM) its broadcast home. Widely regarded as the pre-eminent and widest-reaching AM radio station in the country, WABC is also recognized as the most-listened-to talk radio station in the country.
In addition to its agreement with WABC, Army retains longtime Hudson Valley affiliates WBNR (1260-AM), Beacon, N.Y., and WLNA (1420-AM), Peekskill, N.Y., as vital components of the Army Sports Network. Both local affiliates will air the weekly “Inside Army Football with Bobby Ross” coach’s show, which originates from West Point’s Thayer Hotel, throughout the season, as well as the popular “Army Football Tailgate Show,” which returns following a five-year absence. The fast-paced “Army Football Tailgate Show” originates from “Black Knights Alley” in front of Michie Stadium on game days, beginning two hours prior to kickoff, replete with visits from the Cadet Band and Rabble Rousers. The 90-minute show will also be heard from Army road venues before each Black Knights away contest.
For the seventh consecutive season, John Minko, the highly respected lead sports anchor at WFAN (660-AM), New York, N.Y., will head Army’s broadcast team, handling the Black Knights’ play-by-play duties. A veteran New York City radiocaster and one of WFAN’s four original on-air personalities, Minko has called college basketball games on Westwood One’s national broadcasts and New York Knicks games on WFAN in the past. Joining Minko in the booth on game day will be veteran color analyst Dean Darling, whose ties to the Army football program span four decades.
One of the region’s most talented and versatile radio and television personalities, Darling boasts nearly 30 years experience as one of the region’s most respected sports broadcasters. He was honored for radio play-by-play excellence by the New York State Broadcasting Association in 1996 and has called regional basketball games for Madison Square Garden Network, among others.
Army’s Director of Broadcasting, Rich DeMarco, returns to his dual role of producer and sideline reporter on the Black Knight game calls. In addition to his sideline reporting and producing duties, the Leonia, N.J., native also serves as host for both “Inside Army Football with Bobby Ross” and the “Army Football Tailgate Show.” Additionally, he remains the play-by-play voice for Army’s men’s and women’s basketball, baseball and lacrosse programs, and was behind the microphone for the Black Knights’ first appearance in the NCAA Women’s Basketball Tournament in March.
Venerable sportscaster Bob Outer rounds out the broadcast team, continuing his four-decade alliance with the Army football program. Outer will once again fill the role of program host for the 30-minute pregame, halftime and postgame shows.
Clemson Smith Muiz, a veteran Spanish-language sports broadcaster who helped launch the New York Knicks and St. John’s University men’s basketball Spanish-language broadcasts in 1994, will handle play-by-play duties for the Army Sports Network’s Spanish broadcasts once again this season. Still the voice of the Knicks, he has broadcast the New York Jets in Spanish since 2000 and “Monday Night Football en Espaol” since 2002. Smith Muiz also served as host of the New York Mets’ Spanish-language broadcasts on Fox Sports Net for four years (2002-05). For the second straight season, he will be joined in the broadcast booth by respected color analyst Roberto Abramowitz, who served in a similar capacity on Army’s Spanish-language broadcasts last season.
Army’s Spanish-language broadcasts will commence with the Black Knights’ home opener against Kent State on Sept. 9 at Michie Stadium. Other broadcasts on WKDM include Army’s contests against Rice (Sept. 30), VMI (Oct. 7), TCU (Oct. 21), Air Force (Nov. 3), and Navy (Dec. 2 in Philadelphia).
Complementing its local affiliate lineup, the Army Sports Network will return to Sirius Satellite Radio for a second season this fall, and for the ninth consecutive year, Army’s radiocast can also be heard live via the Internet. All ASN game calls, as well as the “Inside Army Football with Bobby Ross,” “Army Football Tailgate,” pregame and postgame shows, can be heard online at www.goARMYsports.com (via a subscription-based audio streaming plan).
Army Sports Network Spanish Broadcast Schedule on WKDM
Sept. 9 Kent State
Sept. 30 Rice
Oct. 7 VMI
Oct. 21 TCU
Nov. 3 Air Force
Dec. 2 Navy
