Calgary Flames left scrambling after Rogers shuts down Sportsnet 960 radio station
The Flames organization was blindsided by the closure of the city's only all-sports radio station on Tuesday, which also broadcast the Wranglers and Hitmen.
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The Calgary Flames organization is scrambling to find a new home for radio broadcasts after Rogers Sports & Media unexpectedly shut down Sportsnet 960 on Tuesday, the city's only all-sports radio station.
The Flames were "blindsided" by the closure, according to Sean Kelso, the team's vice-president of communications. In a statement, Kelso said the organization just received the news and will update fans once they figure out a plan. "We will formulate a plan for our broadcast and share that when we have more information," he wrote.
Sportsnet 960 also carried broadcasts for the Calgary Wranglers, Calgary Hitmen, and Toronto Blue Jays games, leaving a major hole in the city's sports media landscape. Rogers also confirmed it will no longer produce Flames radio broadcasts.
Potential options for future broadcasts include 770 CHQR, which is owned by Corus Entertainment but has been struggling in recent years, and 1010 CBR, another AM station in Calgary. Another possibility is the Flames creating their own streaming service — a model used by the Anaheim Ducks with their free Ducks Stream platform, which broadcasts live games, podcasts, and news.
The shutdown affected 80 employees in Calgary and 230 across Rogers Sports & Media overall.
