MANHATTAN, Kan. – Radio broadcasts of K-State athletics events will return to their roots next fall as 580 WIBW will be the Topeka home of Wildcat broadcasts for the next five years, officials of K-State Athletics, Learfield Sports’ K-State Sports Properties and Alpha Media announced today. 580WIBW

“From the moment I arrived at K-State in 2009 I heard repeatedly from K-Staters in the Topeka area and across the state how the important the relationship with WIBW was to our fans,” Athletics Director John Currie said. “I appreciate K-State Sports Properties GM Ben Boyle working diligently for many years to re-establish this historic partnership with K-State Athletics and WIBW which not only dates back half a century but also provides our teams a tremendous platform on Topeka’s top sports station and AM 580’s powerful signal.”

WIBW first originated K-State football and basketball broadcasts in the 1950s and launched the original Wildcat Sports Network from 1980-2002.

“It feels great to have K-State back on 580 WIBW,” said Larry Riggins, Market Manager for Alpha Media Topeka. “We enjoyed a tremendous partnership for many years, and I couldn’t be more pleased to bring our two great institutions back together. The tradition of K-State sports and 580 WIBW lives again, in the state of Kansas, and we look forward to celebrating many winning seasons with our K-State fans!”

As K-State’s Topeka affiliate on a statewide network that boasts 34 stations, 580 WIBW will carry complete coverage of the Wildcats from Learfield’s K-State Sports Network. The lineup includes broadcasts of live football, men’s and women’s basketball, plus selected K-State baseball games. WIBW will also carry weekly call-in shows for Bill Snyder, Bruce Weber and Jeff Mittie, along with the Daily Show reports produced by Voice of the Wildcats Wyatt Thompson. In the event of conflicts with the Kansas City Royals and concurrent men’s and women’s basketball games, selected broadcasts will be moved to 94.5 Country, Alpha Media’s top rated, 100,000-watt Country FM station in the Topeka market.

“Many collegiate programs can trace their long-time traditions and their passionate fan base to radio,” said Learfield Sports General Manager Ben Boyle. “At K-State, that link between the teams and the fans for so many decades was 580 WIBW. K-State and 580 WIBW have always been a great fit and we’re thrilled to have WIBW back in the family.”

In addition to Kansas State University, Learfield Sports manages the multimedia rights and sponsorships for more than 120 collegiate institutions and associations, and titles the prestigious Learfield Sports Directors’ Cup. Learfield represents collegiate institutions, conferences and arenas for their respective multimedia rights and sponsorship initiatives, and offers these partners with professional concessions and ticket sales, licensing and trademark consulting, digital platform expertise and venue and technology systems through its owned companies. To learn more about its history, businesses and job opportunities, visit www.learfieldsports.com.