MSG Networks and ESPN have netted a multiyear renewal that will keep New York Knicks and New York Rangers games on its radio affiliate in New York.

Under the agreement, financial terms of which were not disclosed, ESPN New York 98.7 FM will remain the exclusive radio home to the NBA and NHL teams.

ESPN Radio 98.7NY has broadcast Knicks and Rangers games to sports fans since 2004.

The agreement includes full pre- and post-game coverage for both teams, and a continuation of a multitiered cross-promotional effort between The Madison Square Garden Co., including the Knicks, Rangers and MSG Networks, and ESPN New York 98.7FM. 

All Knicks and Rangers audio content will also continue to be streamed live on www.ESPNNewYork.com.

“MSG Networks is proud to continue our decade-long partnership with ESPN New York 98.7FM,” said Andrea Greenberg, executive vice president, MSG Media. “The marriage between two of the most iconic brands in sports – MSG and ESPN – means that New York area fans will continue to receive top quality radio coverage of the Knicks and Rangers.”

“We are thrilled to continue our long-term association with MSG Networks,” said Tim McCarthy, general manager of  ESPN New York 98.7FM. “We are proud to have already broadcast Knicks and Rangers action for 11 consecutive years, and are glad this extension will provide consistency when listeners want coverage of two of New York’s most iconic teams. Our relationship with MSG Networks will continue to grow as we work together to promote the broadcasts.”

Longtime ESPN executive vice president, John Walsh, the man who helped build the worldwide's news operation, will retire next month, ending a 26-year run with the company.

Walsh, who joined ESPN in 1988. He helped oversee the launch of ESPN The Magazine and ESPN Radio and has served as executive editor since late 1990.

The veteran was instrumental in developing the many news and information elements within ESPN, including networks and is various new shows. He also helped shape the editorial direction of ESPN.com and its myriad properties.

Walsh was first hired by ESPN as a managing editor, where he was responsible for editorial content of all news and informational programming, most notably SportsCenter.

Tim Baysinger

With a little more than month to go until kickoff in Brazil, ESPN Radio has put a host of advertisers in the back of its World Cup net.

Officials at the worldwide leader indicate sales are outpacing where it stood prior to the 2010 World Cup from South Africa, with little inventory remaining.

Following its run four years ago, ESPN Radio will once again provide complete coverage of all 64 matches of FIFA’s famed soccer tourney, which begins with the host nation playing Croatia on June 12 in Sao Paulo through the final on July 13 in Rio de Janiero.

ESPN Radio plans to again team veteran FIFA World Cup soccer commentators JP Dellacamera on play-by-play with analyst Tommy Smyth. Dellacamera has called the last seven FIFA World Cups for a variety of networks and has served as NBC’s lead soccer commentator at the Summer Olympics.  Smyth, who has called thousands of international matches from leagues all over the world, including the UEFA Champions League for ESPN, ESPN2 and ESPN International, served as a game and studio analyst during ESPN’s UEFA European Football Championship (2008 and 2012) coverage and has worked on a quintet of FIFA World Cups (1994, ’98, 2002, ’06 and ‘10).

Mark Donaldson and Ross Dyer will also call matches, while Paul Mariner, Shep Messing, Shaka Hislop and Janusz Michallik are slated to provide analysis of the pitch action.

In addition to its own affiliate base, ESPN Radio’s coverage will be streamed on ESPNRadio.com and is also available via the ESPN Radio App. Moreover, the radiocasts will also be featured on SiriusXM, with 56 of the matches airing on SiriusXM Channel 84.  In cases where two matches are airing simultaneously, one will air on SiriusXM 84, with the other playing out on SiriusXM 85.

Traug Keller, ESPN senior vice president of production, business divisions, believes there is definitely a place for radio in the programmer’s multiplatform presentation of World Cup 2014.

“We were pleasantly surprised by the results from the 2010 World Cup,” he said. “Many people at work listened to the matches on the radio or computers, or while they were driving their cars.”

Keller added that ESPN Radio App scored a 40% lift during the 2010 World Cup.

Matches aside, ESPN Radio will roll out an array of news and support programming with SportsCenter Expresses and World Cup Expresses during evening and weekend programming, as well as special one-hour FIFA World Cup Today shows at select times during the tournament. ESPN Radio will also produce a 30-minute ESPN FC program, which will air multiple times each night of the World Cup, and be accessible as podcasts on ESPNRadio.com and through the ESPN Radio App.

Keller believes the broadcasts will benefit from the promotion that is coming in the form of vignettes ESPN Radio already has put in play. “There are great goals from past World Cups, information on rivalries and previews of upcoming matches,”  he said, noting that Geico is among the sponsors of this content.

ESPN Radio officials report major positions have been scored by FIFA advertisers. Kia is the presenting pre-match sponsor, while Hyundai serves in that capacity for halftime show. Adidas is the group round presenting sponsor.