JMI Sports Inks 15-Year Deal For Univ. Of Kentucky, Local iHeart Media Stations

JMI Sports and iHeart Media agreed to "a 15-year deal" to broadcast Univ. of Kentucky basketball and football games on six radio stations, including the Lexington-based flagship WLAP-AM, according to Linda Blackford of the LEXINGTON HERALD-LEADER. Also part of the deal are Louisville-based WHAS-AM and WKJK-AM, Lexington's WWTF-AM and WBUL-FM, and Cincinnati-based WCKY-AM. JMI, which last year signed a $210M multimedia rights deal with UK, said that men's basketball and football games, pre- and post-game programs, and coaches shows "will continue to air on WHAS-AM in the state's largest market and will be simulcast on both AM and FM stations in UK's home market.” The new deal will “extend pregame shows for football and men's basketball from 60 minutes to 90 minutes.” iHeartMedia stations also “will air promotional messages” for UK Athletics and UK throughout the year. Women's basketball and baseball games “also will air in the Lexington and Louisville markets" (LEXINGTON HERALD-LEADER, 3/10).