Fox Sports Pensacola is Florida Gators new radio affiliate

The Florida Gators have a new radio home in Pensacola.

Fox Sports Pensacola, which is available on 101.1 FM and 1450 AM, as well as online and mobile apps, is now part of the statewide affiliate radio stations with the Florida Gators Radio Network.

Beginning with football, listeners will be able to hear a one-hour pregame show prior to Gators football game broadcasts, a post-game locker room show, the weekly coach’s show, plus a 30-minute “Gator Report” airing each Monday, beginning Aug. 29 at 5 p.m.

“We’re very excited to provide full coverage of Gator sports,” said Chris Bryan, director of programming, marketing and news operations for Miracle Radio Inc, which owns Fox Sports Pensacola “The Fan 101.1.”

“This is going to be more than just airing the game right before kickoff and signing off,” said Bryan, who grew up a Florida Gators fan. “We will have full blown coverage of Gator sports talk, football broadcasts, football reports and other elements that we will deliver at a higher level to area Florida Gators fans.

“It’s something I feel (Florida Gators) have been left out of in our area in terms of full coverage.”

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Bryan said first content available will be Aug. 22 from 6:30 p.m.-8 p.m. with the first Billy Napier Show, featuring the Gators new Florida football coach discussing the team before his UF coaching debut Sept. 3 when No. 7-ranked Utah visits Florida in the 2022 season-opener for both teams.

That game will also be the football broadcast debut for the Gators’ new radio voice, Sean Kelley. He has been ESPN’s play-by-play voice for college football and basketball since joining the network in 2019. Kelley was also play-by-play voice of the New Orleans Pelicans.

Now with UF, Kelley is replacing iconic Florida Gators announcer Mick Hubert, who retired in May after 33 years and calling more than 2,500 Florida Gators events during his illuminated career.

Once Bryan learned the Fox Sports Pensacola had the chance to become the local affiliate for the Gators, he met with Learfield, the broadcast company for collegiate networks, and finalized an agreement.

“They wanted to make sure that a local provider would actually deliver the total package,” Bryan said. “Not just a situation where, okay, we’re going to flip on the game say, at 7 o’clock, right before kickoff and there it is.

“They were looking for an affiliate that would promote the product, exercise a total interest. I showed a blueprint on how we approach our partnerships with our other teams and presented a game plan.”

Miracle Radio, operated by company owner Scott Schroeder, also owns WPNN 103.7 FM and 790 AM, which broadcasts Alabama Crimson Tide football, the New Orleans Saints, the New Orleans Pelicans, the Tampa Bay Buccaneers, Tampa Bay Lightning and Orlando Magic. On its local lineup, WPNN broadcasts the Pensacola Ice Flyers home games as well as Pensacola Catholic High football.

In addition, WPNN is the home for long-time, local radio voice Paul Chestnutt, and his daily “Sports Roundtable Show” which airs Monday through Friday from 11 a.m. to 12 p.m. and discusses local sports topics, as well as Chestnutt’s coverage of the New Orleans Saints.

“I think we’re able to show this station isn’t just distributing game coverage,” Bryan said. “We feel we have a great lineup.”

Fox Sports Pensacola will be at the Northwest Florida Gator Club kickoff event, the Fall Gator Gathering, on Thursday at Seville Quarter from 5:30 p.m. to 8 p.m. It is open to all area Florida Gators fans with free admission and food. Guest speaker will be Pat Dooley, former long-time sports columnist at the Gainesville Sun.

Bill Vilona is a retired Pensacola News Journal sports columnist and now senior writer for Pensacola Blue Wahoos. He can be reached at bvilona@bluewahoos.com.

This article originally appeared on Pensacola News Journal: Fox Sports Pensacola is Florida Gators new radio affiliate