Altoona renews radio broadcast deal

CURVE, Pa. - For the third straight season, every Altoona Curve game will be heard on ESPN Radio 1430 (WVAM-AM, Altoona) as the station will serve as the flagship of the Curve Radio Network, the team and Forever Broadcasting announced today. ESPN Radio 1430 will serve as the head of the seven-station network, which covers much of Central and Western Pennsylvania and parts of Maryland and West Virginia.

As in 2010, most Altoona Curve games will be preceded by "Sports Central with Cory Giger" hosted by long-time Altoona Curve beat writer Cory Giger of the Altoona Mirror. Giger's show, which runs from 4 to 6 p.m. on WVAM and is also simulcast on WQWK-AM 1450 in State College, will preview the night's upcoming Curve game and also provide in-depth interviews with Curve players and coaches throughout the upcoming season.

"We're extremely pleased to return to our flagship home - ESPN Radio 1430," said Curve General Manager Rob Egan. "It's the station sports fans in Blair County and the surrounding counties tune into for their favorite teams and great sports talk. It's a natural fit."

In addition to the flagship in Altoona, select Curve games can be heard on the following stations in the surrounding areas: WKGE The Edge 850 AM in Johnstown, WWGE The Edge 1400 AM in Loretto, 970 ESPN in Pittsburgh, WTRN-AM 1430/FM 100.7 in Tyrone, WCPA 900 AM in Clearfield and, new for 2011, WCBC-AM 1270 in Cumberland, Md.

"We've always been fortunate to have a strong group of affiliates and all of them are returning from last season," said Egan of the network. "Then, to be able to add WCBC in Cumberland, means we will be able to provide a great service to our growing group of fans in Western Maryland and the eastern edge of West Virginia."

Off the field, the Curve and Forever broadcasting will continue their cross-promotional and marketing relationship as the ballclub will have a season-long presence on the network of Forever's six stations in the Altoona area: Froggy98, Rocky 104.9, WALY 103.9, Hot 100, The Big 1290 WFBG and ESPN Radio 1430 WVAM. Several members of the Curve staff will be on-air with different personalities across the Forever network of stations throughout the 2011 season to keep fans in the loop with all the happenings of Curve, PA.

The Forever Broadcasting team will also make their way to Curve, PA throughout the 2011 campaign for different promotional events and contests that will highlight their stations popular on-air personalities.

For fans that live out of the area, all 142 games will be streamed live online at AltoonaCurve.com.

Mike Passanisi and Josh Ellis will provide all the play-by-play action in 2011 as the Curve look to defend their Eastern League Championship crown. Passanisi enters his second season with the ballclub after joining the team in 2010 as a broadcaster and studio host. Ellis will be in his first season with the ballclub after spending 2010 as the voice of the Kannapolis Intimidators (Chicago White Sox) of the South Atlantic League. Prior to his work with Kannapolis, Ellis worked for the Lakewood BlueClaws (Philadelphia Phillies) of the South Atlantic League in 2009.