In Charlotte, Rick Bonnell reports Chris Kroeger is out as Hornets' radio play-by-play announcer "less than a season" into the job. Steve Martin, who "retired from the radio play-by-play job at the end of last season, will fill in the rest of this season." A Hornets spokesperson "declined to discuss why Kroeger is no longer with the team." Kroeger in June left his position as an afternoon host at WFNZ-AM, the Hornets’ flagship station, to succeed Martin. Kroeger "grew up in the Charlotte area as a lifelong Hornets fan" (CHARLOTTE OBSERVER, 3/29).
NEW YEAR, NEW SOUND: In Milwaukee, Rich Kirchen reported the Bucks will "become attractive free agents for a local radio broadcast partner after this season." The Bucks' one-year extension with WTMJ-AM is "scheduled to end after the playoffs." It is likely the Bucks could "seek better terms with WTMJ while entertaining possible bids from competing stations." WTMJ has the "built-in advantages of a strong AM signal that reaches far into the state and a heritage of carrying sports broadcasts." Additionally, the station’s lead owner, Good Karma CEO Craig Karmazin, is "close to the Bucks organization and a minority owner" of the team (BIZJOURNALS.com, 3/28).
ONE FOR ALL? In Hartford, Kelli Stacy notes UConn women's basketball coach Geno Auriemma is "trying to remain positive" about the AAC's new deal with ESPN, though it "could mean ending the program’s relationship with SNY." Auriemma said, “I know that it’s probably a great deal for the league as a whole. I’m sure that was the intent -- to get a great deal for the entire league. I think any deal that keeps us off of the kind of television that we’ve come to understand and our fans have come to appreciate -- specifically SNY. Anything that keeps us from being able to do that is not such a great deal for UConn. Hopefully they can work something out” (HARTFORD COURANT, 3/29).
