The Tampa Bay Rays Radio Network is a radio network in the southeastern United States that broadcasts baseball games and related programming for the Tampa Bay Rays of Major League Baseball. Additionally, there is a 2-station Spanish language network. Since 2009, WDAE/620 in St. Petersburg, Florida, has served as the flagship station for the network.[1]
In addition, WGES/680 in St. Petersburg, Florida airs games in Spanish but is not part of the network.[2]
Announcers
editPaul Olden and Charlie Slowes were the Devil Rays' original radio team, broadcasting games from the teams' first season in 1998 through the 2004 season.
Andy Freed and Dave Wills formed a new radio team beginning in 2005. Freed had worked in sports broadcasting covering many sports, most recently for the Pawsox Radio Network and Trenton Thunder, while Wills had spent 11 years as a pre and post-game host on the Chicago White Sox radio network after having previously been the radio voice of the Kane County Cougars. The two worked together for 18 season and were voted the best radio team in the American League in a 2020 poll.[3] However, the partnership ended suddenly when Wills died just before the start of the 2023 season.[4]
Neil Solondz joined the Rays Radio Network in 2012 as a pregame and postgame show host after having spent the previous eight years as the radio voice of the Durham Bulls, the Rays' Triple-A affiliate. Following the death of Dave Wills, Solondz was promoted to join Andy Freed in the radio booth.[5]
On the Spanish broadcasts, Ricardo Tavaras does play-by-play and Enrique Oliu provides color commentary.
Stations
edit
Stations are current as of the 2021 season.[6]
| City | Callsign | Frequency |
|---|---|---|
| St. Petersburg | WDAE | 620 AM |
| Arcadia | WCXS | 1480 AM |
| Bradenton | WWPR | 1490 AM |
| Brooksville | WWJB | 1450 AM |
| Dade City | WDCF | 1350 AM |
| Ormond Beach | WELE | 1380 AM |
| Englewood | WENG | 1530 AM |
| North Fort Myers | WBCN | 770 AM |
| Gainesville | WRUF | 850 AM |
| Homosassa | WWJB | 99.9 FM |
| Fernandina Beach | WYKB | 105.3 FM |
| Orlando | WYGM | 740 AM |
| Pascagoula, Mississippi | WPMO | 1580 AM |
| Pensacola, Florida/Mobile, Alabama | WJNZ | 1000 AM |
| Port Charlotte | W251CU | 98.1 FM |
| Spring Hill | W280DK | 103.9 FM |
| St. Petersburg | WGES | 680 AM (Spanish) |
| Zephyrhills | WZHR | 1400 AM |
Former affiliates
edit- WFLA (AM)/970: Tampa (Original flagship station)
- WORL/660: Altamonte Springs/Orlando (–2019)
- WFLN/1480: Arcadia, Florida (?-2012)
- WHOO/1080: Kissimmee, Florida (?-2012)
- WGMW/99.5: LaCrosse, Florida/Gainesville (?-2009)
- WJBX/770: North Fort Myers, Florida (?-2012)
- WHOO/1080: Orlando (?-2012)
- WJUA/1200: Pine Island Center/Ft. Myers (2013)
- WSTU/1450: Stuart, Florida (?-2012)
- WIXC/1060: Titusville, Florida (~2008)
- KLRG/880: Little Rock (2013-)
- WIQR/1410: Prattville, Alabama (?-2016)
- WWCN/99.3: Fort Myers, Florida
See also
editReferences
edit- ^ tbnweekly.com January 20, 2009 Rays move radio broadcasts to WDAE
- ^ Tampa Bay Rays Official Site - Rays Radio Network Affiliates with coverage map
- ^ Brock, Corey; Lin, Dennis (July 27, 2020). "The Athletic's 2020 MLB radio survey results: Readers' favorite voices of summer". The Athletic.
- ^ "Rays' longtime radio voice Dave Wills passes away". MLB.com.
- ^ Topkin, Marc (March 16, 2023). "Rays promote Neil Solondz to join Andy Freed in radio booth". Tampa Bay Times.
- ^ "Rays Radio - Tampa Bay Rays". RaysBaseball.com. MLB Advanced Meida. Archived from the original on 2021-09-04. Retrieved 2021-10-04.