UK Sports Network
The UK Sports Network, historically known as the Big Blue Sports Network and also formerly known as the UK IMG Sports Network, is the radio and television network of the University of Kentucky Wildcats men's and women's sports teams. It consists of seven over-the-air television affiliates, two regional sports networks, and 44 radio stations in Kentucky and neighboring states.
Except for the Blue/White game, beginning in the 2012-2013 season, all men's basketball broadcasts on Fox Sports South began to be produced by Fox Sports, using their graphics and music.
History
In 2007, HOST Communications, a college sports marketing company based in the university's home city of Lexington that had operated the Big Blue Sports Network, was purchased by the entertainment management company IMG. However, the name of the network did not change until the 2010–11 academic year.Sale of media rights to JMI Sports
On June 23, 2014, University of Kentucky Athletic Director Mitch Barnhart announced that JMI Sports, owned by former San Diego Padres owner John Moores, had been awarded the multimedia rights to all University of Kentucky sports teams. UK's contract with JMI Sports was to initially begin upon the expiration of the university's contract with IMG College in April 2015. The university's contract with JMI include:- Radio rights to UK's football, men's and women's basketball and baseball games ;
- Stadium and arena corporate signage and game programs for all home UK events, other than those hosted at Rupp Arena ;
- Naming rights to university athletics facilities and premium areas;
- Sponsorship on UKathletics.com;
- Game sponsorships and game promotions;
- Coaches' endorsements;
- Pre and postgame television shows and specials and postseason highlight DVDs;
- Video features on video boards, other than at Rupp Arena ;
- Opportunities to develop UK Athletics Corporate Partnership Program; and
- The potential, at the university's discretion, to market campus multimedia rights, creating the potential for an integrated approach to multimedia rights and marketing.
On January 27, 2020, it was announced that Lexington Center's overall naming rights were sold to Central Bank, a local community bank, by the Lexington Center Corporation and JMI Sports. The Rupp name will continue to receive primacy in the fourteen-year agreement for the arena portion of the complex, and be known as "Rupp Arena at Central Bank Center".
On-air personalities
Current
- Tom Leach - play-by-play commentator
- Mike Pratt - color analyst
Former
- Claude Sullivan, play-by-play commentator
- Cawood Ledford, play-by-play commentator
- Ralph Hacker - color analyst, play-by-play commentator
- JB Faulconer, play by play commentator men’s basketball Men’s football
- Neil Price - play-by-play commentator
Over-the air television affiliates
Current
Former
Regional sports networks
Radio
All listed radio stations are sorted by city of license. Areas served by these stations will vary. Most affiliates air coverage of football and men's basketball, unless otherwise specified.Callsign | Frequency | Band | City | State | Network status |
WLAP | 630 | AM | Lexington | Kentucky | Flagship |
WBUL-FM | 98.1 | FM | Lexington | Kentucky | Flagship |
WCMI | 1340 | AM | Ashland | Kentucky | Affiliate |
WCBL | 1290 | AM | Benton | Kentucky | Affiliate |
WLFX | 106.7 | FM | Berea | Kentucky | Affiliate |
WMMG | 1140 | AM | Brandenburg | Kentucky | Affiliate |
WMMG-FM | 93.5 | FM | Brandenburg | Kentucky | Affiliate |
WGGC | 95.1 | FM | Bowling Green | Kentucky | Affiliate |
WSEK-FM | 93.9 | FM | Burnside-Somerset | Kentucky | Affiliate |
WKDZ | 1110 | AM | Cadiz | Kentucky | Affiliate |
WKDZ-FM | 106.5 | FM | Cadiz | Kentucky | Affiliate |
WCKQ | 104.1 | FM | Campbellsville | Kentucky | Affiliate |
WAIN | 1270 | AM | Columbia | Kentucky | Affiliate |
WAIN-FM | 93.5 | FM | Columbia | Kentucky | Affiliate |
WCTT | 680 | AM | Corbin | Kentucky | Affiliate |
WCTT-FM | 107.3 | FM | Corbin | Kentucky | Affiliate |
WCMI-FM | 92.7 | FM | Catlettsburg-Ashland-Huntington | Kentucky | Affiliate |
WFLE | 1060 | AM | Flemingsburg | Kentucky | Affiliate |
WFLE-FM | 95.1 | FM | Flemingsburg | Kentucky | Affiliate |
WFRT | 103.7 | FM | Frankfort | Kentucky | Affiliate |
WUGO | 99.7 | FM | Grayson | Kentucky | Affiliate |
WCBL-FM | 99.1 | FM | Grand Rivers-Benton-Calvert City | Kentucky | Affiliate |
WLGC-FM | 105.7 | FM | Greenup | Kentucky | Affiliate |
WKYA | 105.5 | FM | Greenville | Kentucky | Men's basketball |
WXBC | 104.3 | FM | Hardinsburg | Kentucky | Affiliate |
WFSR | 970 | AM | Harlan | Kentucky | Affiliate |
WTUK | 105.1 | FM | Harlan | Kentucky | Affiliate |
WSGS | 101.1 | FM | Hazard | Kentucky | Affiliate |
WSON | 860 | AM | Henderson | Kentucky | Affiliate |
WHOP | 1230 | AM | Hopkinsville | Kentucky | Affiliate |
W237BV | 95.3 | FM | Hopkinsville | Kentucky | n/a |
WHOP-FM | 98.7 | FM | Hopkinsville | Kentucky | Affiliate |
WJRS | 104.9 | FM | Jamestown-Russell Springs | Kentucky | Affiliate |
WIFX-FM | 94.3 | FM | Jenkins-Pikeville-Hazard | Kentucky | Affiliate |
WRNZ | 105.1 | FM | Lancaster-Danville | Kentucky | Affiliate |
WKHG | 104.9 | FM | Leitchfield | Kentucky | Affiliate |
WFTG | 1400 | AM | London | Kentucky | Affiliate |
WWEL | 103.9 | FM | London | Kentucky | Affiliate |
WHAS | 840 | AM | Louisville | Kentucky | Football/men's basketball |
WKJK | 1080 | AM | Louisville | Kentucky | Women's basketball |
WKTG | 93.9 | FM | Madisonville | Kentucky | Affiliate |
WKLB | 1200 | AM | Manchester | Kentucky | Affiliate |
W283AH | 104.5 | FM | Manchester | Kentucky | n/a |
WLLE | 102.1 | FM | Mayfield | Kentucky | Affiliate |
WNGO | 1320 | AM | Mayfield | Kentucky | Affiliate |
W238AN | 95.5 | FM | Mayfield | Kentucky | n/a |
WFTM | 1240 | AM | Maysville | Kentucky | Affiliate |
WFTM-FM | 95.9 | FM | Maysville | Kentucky | Affiliate |
WFTM | 101.7 | FM | Monticello | Kentucky | Affiliate |
WIVY | 96.3 | FM | Morehead | Kentucky | Affiliate |
WMSK | 1550 | AM | Morganfield | Kentucky | Affiliate |
WBKR | 92.5 | FM | Owensboro | Kentucky | Affiliate |
WOMI | 1490 | AM | Owensboro | Kentucky | Affiliate |
WKYX | 570 | AM | Paducah | Kentucky | Affiliate |
WSIP | 1490 | AM | Paintsville | Kentucky | Affiliate |
WSIP-FM | 98.9 | FM | Paintsville | Kentucky | Affiliate |
WPKE | 1240 | AM | Pikeville | Kentucky | Affiliate |
WDHR | 93.1 | FM | Pikeville | Kentucky | Affiliate |
WDOC | 1310 | AM | Prestonsburg | Kentucky | Affiliate |
WQHY | 95.5 | FM | Prestonsburg | Kentucky | Affiliate |
WWKY-FM | 104.9 | FM | Princeton | Kentucky | Affiliate |
WPKY | 1580 | AM | Princeton | Kentucky | Affiliate |
WREF | 97.7 | FM | Sebree-Madisonville | Kentucky | Affiliate |
WAKY-FM | 103.5 | FM | Radcliff-Elizabethtown-Fort Knox | Kentucky | Football/men's basketball |
W243CU | 96.5 | FM | Sebree-Henderson | Kentucky | n/a |
WSFC | 1240 | AM | Somerset | Kentucky | Affiliate |
WMSK-FM | 101.3 | FM | Sturgis-Morganfield | Kentucky | Affiliate |
WXKQ-FM | 103.9 | FM | Whitesburg | Kentucky | Affiliate |
WTCW | 920 | AM | Whitesburg | Kentucky | Affiliate |
WEZJ-FM | 104.3 | FM | Williamsburg | Kentucky | Affiliate |
WNKR | 106.7 | FM | Williamstown-Dry Ridge | Kentucky | Affiliate |
WCKY | 1530 | AM | Cincinnati | Ohio | Affiliate |
WKYX-FM | 94.3 | FM | Golconda | Illinois | Affiliate |
WRVC | 930 | AM | Huntington | West Virginia | Football |
WEKX | 102.7 | FM | Jellico-Williamsburg | Tennessee | Affiliate |
WDXC | 102.3 | FM | Pound, Virginia | Virginia | Affiliate |