KEARNEY – University of Nebraska at Kearney’s Athletic Department announced today a partnership with the Nebraska Rural Radio Association to broadcast Loper games for the next five years.
Through stations 93.1 FM (The River) and 880 AM (KRVN), UNK Athletics will have a live footprint throughout the state. Loper events have been broadcast by NRG Media on stations 1340 AM (KGFW) and 102.3 FM (KRNY).
“We are now excited to begin a new chapter of broadcasting UNK Athletics with KRVN,” said Paul Plinske, UNK athletic director. “They are highly respected in our region and offer us the ability to extend our demographic reach and create new revenue opportunities. We are pleased to have them as our broadcast partner and look forward to an outstanding future together.”
Under the partnership, all UNK football games will be broadcast live as will the majority of men’s and women’s basketball games. A select number of other sports and postseason events will be covered as well, including the Lopers‘ national-caliber volleyball program.
“We are looking forward to this partnership. A lot of our employees are alumni and boosters of UNK and we understand how important it is provide great broadcasts of Loper Athletics,” said Tim Marshall, KRVN Station Manager. “The Nebraska Rural Radio Association consists of nine radio stations across Nebraska, with KRVN AM and KRVN FM being the flagship for Loper Athletics.”
Founded in 1951, KRVN is the flagship station of the Rural Radio Association and one of two 50,000-watt stations in Nebraska. The second-most powerful station in the state, KRVN’s 880 signal covers most of Nebraska during the day as well as more than half of Kansas and Northeastern Colorado. At night, its signal covers the western half of the United States. Within the last two years, KRVN AM added an FM translator in Kearney (106.9) to provide that listening area with a 24-hour signal.
The River (KRVN FM) is a 100,000-watt station that can be heard from Grand Island to North Platte and from Broken Bow into Northern Kansas.
UNK games will primarily be on The River with a select number carried on KRVN AM. Both stations have free audio live-streaming options for Loper fans outside the listening area.
“We’re excited about this new partnership. This goes beyond play-by-play of UNK Athletics,” said Craig Larson, General Manager of the Nebraska Rural Radio Association. “Through our network of stations, we’ll be able to highlight and promote the entire UNK campus.”
?Award-winning radio personality Jayson Jorgensen will be the new play-by play announcer and the “Voice of the Lopers.” The Minden native has served as KRVN AM/FM Sports Director since 1997 and handled play-by-play duties for a variety of high school sports in Nebraska.
In 2015 and 2016, he was the play-by-play voice for the Concordia University (Neb.) Sports Network and previously called for the Tri-City Storm (hockey) and Minneapolis Loons (baseball). Jorgensen has won 30 awards for his sports coverage including the 2010 Nebraska Broadcasters Association Award for Best Play by Play.
“I’m very excited about this opportunity to be a part of Loper sports. I have wanted to be the voice of an NCAA Division II program for quite some time. I grew up listening to Loper games on the radio and can still remember the Bart Kofoed (NBA player) days,” said Jorgensen. “Getting a chance now to tell the UNK story on the radio is a big responsibility that I’m very much looking forward to.”
Known for its agricultural news, information and weather reports, KRVN is one of the few stations in the state that is still staffed 24-7 for that purpose. KRVN sports annually produces over 80 local high school sports broadcasts along with producing a statewide broadcast of the Nebraska Shrine Bowl each summer.
“NRG Media has been a valued long-time radio partner of Loper Athletics for many great years,” Plinske said. “General Manager Dallas Nau and play-by-play announcer Dave Jenner have been outstanding supporters and we appreciate all they have done for us.”
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