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WINSTON-SALEM, N.C. and PALO ALTO, Calif. (August 26, 2014) – IMG, which operates the nation’s largest independent college sports radio network, and TuneIn, the world’s largest audio network, today announced a groundbreaking broadcast partnership in which TuneIn will carry every play-by-play broadcast and additional college football content from more than 60 IMG College teams. This extended partnership further bolsters the distribution of IMG radio content, and brings hundreds of additional college football games to the ears of TuneIn’s more than 50 million monthly active users worldwide.
Last season, nearly one million unique listeners used TuneIn to listen to live broadcasts of every Pac-12 game. This year, IMG and TuneIn are extending the content partnership beyond the Pac-12, adding 57 new schools to TuneIn, including defending national champion and number-one ranked Florida State, as well as powerhouse programs including Auburn, Florida, Georgia, Michigan, Kansas, Texas, Virginia Tech, Ohio State, South Carolina, Ole Miss, and Nebraska.
Each of the IMG College teams will have its own branded 24/7 channel on TuneIn, giving fans international access team specific live play-by-play, pre-game and post-game shows, live weekly coaches shows, and in-season game replays. Fans can search broadcast network names on TuneIn to find 24/7 team channels like Oregon IMG Sports Network, the Mountaineer IMG Sports Network, and the Seminole IMG Sports Network.
“A large percentage of the college fan base lives outside the markets of their favorite school. For each of these teams and their fans, TuneIn is essentially a flagship station covering the entire planet,” said Rick Barakat, Vice President of Sales Strategy and Operations for IMG College. “This partnership is great for fans, alumni, and our school partners. It’s a huge advancement in distributing IMG audio content, and a strong complement to the existing streaming platforms of each school. We are thrilled to add this service to our existing portfolio.”
In addition to football content, TuneIn will also carry basketball coverage for each of the participating IMG schools, when the season begins in November. Basketball fans will be able to hear play by play games from college hoops programs including defending national champion UConn Huskies, pre-season number one ranked Duke, Kentucky, Kanas, Gonzaga, and Pittsburgh.
“Our goal is to bring the best and most comprehensive sports coverage to fans all over the world,” said Kevin Straley, VP of Programming at TuneIn. “By having more than 60 IMG College schools on TuneIn, each with their own 24/7 channel, we make it easy for fans to connect with their favorite teams and hometown announcers, and provide listeners with free, team specific programming from wherever they may be in the world.”
IMG operates the nation’s largest independent college sports radio network, producing and distributing 35,000 hours of college sports programming each year. TuneIn provides IMG with an entirely new international digital network, and will increase total reach and access to IMG programming via their free, mobile distribution channels.
TuneIn has the most comprehensive free college football coverage in the industry with hundreds of live games from every major conference, including the ACC, Big Ten, Big 12, Pac-12, SEC, AAC, MAC and WAC. In addition to the 60+ IMG College schools, TuneIn will carry full coverage of USC, Colorado, Oregon State and Stanford, and more fan favorites. Fans can simply search “college football” on the free TuneIn Radio app or visit TuneIn.com/collegefootball for a complete list of teams. TuneIn is available on more than 200 platforms, including smartphones, tablets, vehicles and gaming consoles.
IMG is a global leader in sports, fashion and media operating in more than 30 countries around the world. IMG’s businesses include Events & Media, College, Golf, Tennis, Performance and IMG Academy, Fashion, Models, Clients, Consulting, Licensing, Joint Ventures, and creative management agency Art + Commerce. In 2014, IMG was acquired by WME, the world’s leading entertainment and media agency. Together, the companies offer an unparalleled client roster; world-class partnerships with sponsors, brands and broadcasters; and marquee assets across entertainment, events and fashion.
TuneIn is the most popular way to listen to real radio from around the world. With over 50 million monthly active users, TuneIn lets people listen to the world’s sports, news, talk, and music from wherever they are. TuneIn has over 100,000 radio stations and more than four million on-demand programs streaming from every continent, and is available across 200+ connected devices. TuneIn has venture funding from IVP, Sequoia Capital, Google Ventures, General Catalyst Partners, and Jafco Ventures, and is headquartered in Palo Alto, California.
