Minnesota Twins announce new radio partnership with FM 96.3 K-TWIN

MINNEAPOLIS-ST. PAUL, Minn. – The Minnesota Twins, in conjunction with Northern Lights Broadcasting, today announced that FM 96.3 K-TWIN will be the team's new Twin Cities metropolitan area radio affiliate beginning in 2013. The move to FM marks the first time in franchise history that Twins games will be broadcast on the FM spectrum in the metro area. The Twins-Northern Lights Broadcasting agreement calls for FM 96.3 K-TWIN to broadcast all regular and post-season games and at least 25 Spring Training games.

"The Minnesota Twins are thrilled to have this opportunity to partner with our locally-owned sister company, Northern Lights Broadcasting," Twins President Dave St. Peter said. "Twins radio broadcasts have been an important part of the Upper Midwest landscape dating back to 1961. By partnering with 96.3 K-TWIN, the Twins not only gain a stellar broadcasting partner with a dynamic FM signal, but we get a chance to be an integral part of an emerging radio format that will be unique across the nation."

As part of the Twins-Northern Lights Broadcasting partnership, the Twins will continue to produce the game broadcasts including pre-game and post-game shows. On the programming front, FM 96.3 K-TWIN is committed to an impressive year-round lineup of baseball-themed shows featuring Twins players, coaches and broadcasters. During the season, FM 96.3 K-TWIN will feature comprehensive Twins coverage including game day shows often originating on-location from various places in and around Target Field and Northern Lights Broadcasting’s new studios at the Ford Center (which is across the street from Target Field on 5th street in downtown Minneapolis).

“In teaming up to offer Twins play-by-play, K-TWIN will be providing the very best local programming available to listeners in the Twin Cities,” Northern Lights Broadcasting Senior Vice President Sam Elliot Gagliardi said. “As we are building our brand new radio station, it is extremely exciting to be able to partner with such a highly regarded and well-respected organization in the Minnesota Twins. We want the listeners of the Twin Cities to be able to wake up with great personalities like Eric Perkins in the morning, hear the very best music and information all day long, and be able to catch an exciting ball game in the evening all on the same station --- all on 96.3 K-TWIN.”

Twins games will remain on AM 1500 ESPN for the balance of the 2012 season, the final year of the team's contract with the radio station that has served as the Twins' metro affiliate since 2007.

Meanwhile, in 2013 1500 ESPN and the stations of the Treasure Island Baseball Network will continue to air a variety of Twins-related year-round programming including the "Ron Gardenhire Show," “Inside Twins" and an off-season Twins "Hot Stove League" program.

“While the team is excited about the new partnership with K-TWIN 96.3 FM, the Twins are equally thrilled to have this opportunity to maintain our successful relationship with Hubbard Broadcasting and 1500 ESPN,” Twins President Dave St. Peter said. “In short we are pleased that 1500 ESPN will serve as the ball club’s “Official Talk Station” and will continue to be the exclusive home of signature Twins ancillary programs.”

“We have truly enjoyed our play-by-play partnership with the Minnesota Twins for the past six seasons,” said Dan Seeman, Market Manager, Hubbard Radio – Mineapolis –St. Paul. “During the past year the Twins have been clear about their intentions to move play-by-play to the FM radio station that they own. Knowing that K-TWIN will also play music throughout the day, we are pleased to continue the partnership as “Official Talk Station” of the Minnesota Twins. Twins fans will continue to hear the most comprehensive and best Twins coverage they have become accustomed to hearing on 1500 ESPN.”

In 2007 the Twins, in partnership with the Minnesota News Network, assumed control and development of the Twins Radio Network with Treasure Island Resort & Casino becoming the first-ever naming rights partner for the network in 2010. Historically, the Twins Radio Network has been one of the largest in all of Major League Baseball with hometown radio partners bringing Twins baseball to fans across five states. In 2012, the Treasure Island Baseball Network has grown to include 86 stations throughout Twins Territory.

"The Twins organization is committed to ensuring our games remain highly accessible to radio listeners across the region," St. Peter said. "We are quite proud of our existing relationships with current Treasure Island Baseball Network affiliates and look forward to building on those relationships while growing the network for 2013 and beyond."

About Northern Light Broadcasting and FM 96.3 K-TWIN

Northern Light Broadcasting is based in Minneapolis, Minnesota and owns KTWN FM in the Twin Cities as well as KTWN AM in Glencoe, Minnesota. The company is locally owned and operated as part of the Pohlad Family of Companies. The 2013 radio home of the Minnesota Twins, 96.3 K-TWIN FM is a lifestyle station for the Twin Cities that blends up-tempo, mass-appeal adult hit music, intelligent and entertaining content, with sports and news that are important, weather and traffic information when needed, appealing to an adult audience that wants to feel connected to its community.

About Hubbard Broadcasting and 1500 ESPN

Started in 1923, Hubbard Broadcasting Corporation is an American television and radio broadcasting corporation based in St. Paul, Minnesota that was started by Stanley E. Hubbard. Hubbard Broadcasting and Hubbard Radio now operates radio stations as well as television stations in Minnesota, New York, New Mexico, Washington DC, Chicago, St. Louis and Cincinnati.

Aside from radio and television broadcast stations, other Hubbard Broadcasting companies include the cable network ReelzChannel (launched in 2006), arts network Ovation TV, and the Hubbard Radio Network, which is used to distribute KSTP-AM's local talk shows to subscribing radio stations in Minnesota and Wisconsin.