Not long after losing a couple of Florida affiliates, ESPN has gained one back: WRUF Sportsradio 850, Gainesville, FL’s top rated sports station, and ESPN Radio will join forces to broadcast local sports talk, ESPN programming, and Gator and high school sports to north central Florida. In addition, WRUF announces a new partnership with SportsTalk LLC in Ocala that creates a single ESPN affiliate for the Gainesville-Ocala market. The affiliation and partnership begin Friday, 6/29.
The new station, which will be known as ESPN 850/900, will originate from broadcast facilities at the University of Florida College of Journalism and Communications and air on WRUF-AM 850, WMOP-AM 900 and WMOP-100.1 FM.
WRUF-AM 850 is a part of the division of multimedia properties at the UF College of Journalism and Communications, which includes seven broadcast facilities across North Central Florida.
The partnership will allow listeners in the Ocala/Marion County area to hear talk shows from Gainesville sports personalities Steve Russell and Larry Vettel, in addition to host Adam Reardon who has been on the air in both Gainesville and Ocala for several years.
The new programming schedule moves “Sportscene with Steve Russell” from its morning drive slot to 12 p.m.-2 p.m.; Vettel’s show remains from 4-6 p.m. “The Cheap Seats”, an hour-long sports talk program hosted by UF College of Journalism and Communications students, will air weeknights from 6-7 p.m. WMOP’s Adam Reardon will host the 10 a.m.-12 p.m. slot.
The weekday program schedule:
6 – 10 a.m. – “Mike and Mike in the Morning” (ESPN)
10 a.m. – noon – “Adam Reardon”
Noon – 2 p.m. – “Sportscene with Steve Russell”
2 – 4 p.m. – “The Scott Van Pelt Show” (ESPN)
4 – 6 p.m. – “The Larry Vettel Show”
6 – 7 p.m. – “The Cheap Seats”
7 – 10 p.m. – “Hill & Schlereth” (ESPN)
10 – 11 p.m. – “SportsCenter” (ESPN)
11 p.m. – 6 a.m. – ESPN Radio programming
