Buffalo Bills Radio Network

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The Buffalo Bills Radio Network is a broadcast radio network based in Buffalo, New York. Its primary programming is broadcasts of Buffalo Bills home and away games to a network of 23 stations in upstate New York, northwestern Pennsylvania and Ontario, Canada.

Previously, the broadcasts originated from WBEN through much of the team's history except for a period from 1971 to 1977 when WKBW was team flagship. WGR briefly carried games in the early 1990s.[1] From 1998 through 2011, the Bills were flagshipped at WGRF, as well as other stations owned by Citadel Broadcasting. When Cumulus Media purchased Citadel in late 2011, it dropped Bills games from all of its stations at the end of the season.[2] Cumulus never fully paid off the money Citadel owed for Bills games, instead eventually seeking to nullify the debt in January 2018 when the company went into bankruptcy.[3] Entercom Communications and Galaxy Communications picked up the rights, restoring broadcasts to WGR for the 2012 season.[4][5]

John Murphy, formerly a sports anchor at WKBW-TV and WIVB-TV in Buffalo, is the current play-by-play announcer, with former Bills offensive lineman Eric Wood as color commentator and WGR employee Sal Capaccio as sideline reporter.

The network is an autonomous organization from the team, and is unique in that it, and not the team itself, was the main sponsor of the Bills' cheerleaders, the Buffalo Jills, until that squad was disbanded due to legal disputes.

Van Miller was the voice of the Buffalo Bills from the team's inception until 2003, with the exception of 1972 to 1978, when WKBW controlled radio rights and Miller's TV employer, WBEN-TV (now WIVB), would not permit him to appear on WKBW broadcasts. Miller was succeeded by Murphy, his longtime color commentator, when he retired from the booth after the 2003 season.

Stations[]

Map of radio affiliates.
City Call sign Frequency
Buffalo, New York (Flagship station) WGR 550 AM
Buffalo, New York (home games only) WWKB 1520 AM
Rochester, New York WCMF-FM 96.5 FM
WROC 950 AM
Ithaca, New York WYXL 98.7 FM
Amsterdam, New York WKAJ 1120 AM
Bath, New York WABH 1380 AM
Glens Falls, New York WMML 1230 AM
Bradford, Pennsylvania WBRR 100.1 FM
Dunkirk, New York WDOE 1410 AM (translator on FM 94.9)
Elmira, New York WCIM 93.1 FM
Jamestown, New York WWSE 93.3 FM
WJTN 1240 AM
Newark, New York WACK 1420 AM
Olean, New York WPIG 95.7 FM
Syracuse, New York K-ROCK 100.9 FM
Oswego, New York 106.5 FM
Utica-Rome, New York 94.9 FM
Dansville, Livingston County, New York WDNY-FM 93.9 FM
Corry, Pennsylvania WWCB 1370 AM
Ogdensburg, New York WQTK 92.7 FM
Watertown, New York WOTT 94.1 FM
Toronto, Ontario CJCL 590 AM
Hamilton, Ontario CHML 900 AM

The WGR and network broadcast incorporates a broadcast delay; the WWKB broadcast is live, and is intended for listeners inside Highmark Stadium. If the Bills ever reach the Super Bowl, the Bills' home-team broadcast would air on WWKB. Since WWKB is a clear channel signal, it would allow the Bills' broadcast to be heard across the East Coast.

Announcers[]

Play-by-play[]

  • Van Miller (1960–1971, 1978–2003)
  • Al Meltzer and Rick Azar (1972–1977)
  • John Murphy (2004–present)

Color analysts[]

  • Ralph Hubbell and Dick Rifenburg (1960–?)
  • Ed Rutkowski (1973–1977, 1990)
  • Don Gilbert (1978–79)
  • Stan Barron and Jefferson Kaye (1978–1983)
  • John Murphy (1984–1989, 1994–2003)
  • Greg Brown (1991–1993)
  • Alex Van Pelt (2004)
  • Mark Kelso (2006–2018)
  • Steve Tasker (2020)[6]
  • Eric Wood (2019, 2021–present)[7]

Sideline reporters[]

  • Jeff Burris (2006)
  • Paul Peck (2005, 2007–2008)
  • Rich Gaenzler (2009–11)
  • Joe Buscaglia (2012–2014)
  • Sal Capaccio (2014–present)

Studio hosts[]

  • Rich Gaenzler (2004–2008)
  • Brent Axe (2009–2011)
  • Howard Simon (2004, 2012–present)
  • Sal Capaccio (2012–present)

References[]

  1. ^ Connors, Greg (January 3, 2012). "WGR lands Bills games; will add player and management shows". The Buffalo News. Archived from the original on January 10, 2012. Retrieved September 8, 2016.
  2. ^ 97 Rock, The Edge will no longer carry Bills games. WGRZ (2012). Retrieved September 2012.
  3. ^ “Cumulus Seeks To Cancel WLUP/WKQX LMA Purchase; And Chicago PBP Deals” from Radio Insight (January 19, 2018)
  4. ^ Major, Andy (January 4, 2012). "Bills announce new broadcast agreement with Entercom". Buffalo Bills. Archived from the original on September 16, 2016. Retrieved September 8, 2016.
  5. ^ "Buffalo Bills Moving to TK99 and WOUR". CNYRadio.com. June 21, 2012. Archived from the original on June 23, 2012. Retrieved September 8, 2016.
  6. ^ "Eric Wood returns to Buffalo Bills radio booth this season".
  7. ^ "Eric Wood joins Bills radio broadcast booth". 21 May 2019.

External links[]

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