United States Football League on the radio

Local coverage

edit

1983

edit
Team Play-by-play Analyst(s) Flagship station
Arizona Ray Scott John Moynihan KOY-AM[1]
Birmingham Jim Fyffe Herb Winches and Dick James WAPI[2]
Boston Gil Santos Gino Cappelletti WBZ-AM[3]
Chicago Bill Berg Doug Buffone WCFL[4]
Denver Mike Nolan Irv Brown and Ben Martin KLZ-AM
Los Angeles Tom Kelly[5] Rich Marotta KNX-AM[6]
Michigan Bob Sherman Dan Follis WXYZ-AM
New Jersey Charley Steiner Dave Herman and Robert Casciola WOR-AM[7]
Oakland Joe Starkey Lee Grosscup and Bob Murphy KGO-AM[8]
Philadelphia Harry Donahue Vince Papale WFIL-AM[9]
Tampa Bay Gene Deckerhoff[10] Vic Prinzi WFLA-AM[11]
Washington Johnny Holliday WMAL

1984

edit
Team Play-by-play Analyst(s) Flagship station
Arizona Ray Scott Bob Buck KOY
Birmingham Jim Fyffe Herb Winches and Dick James WAPI
Chicago Duane Dow Jim Grabowski WAIT
Denver Mike Nolan Ben Martin KLZ
Houston John Greer Ed Biles and Bob Fiscella KRBE-FM
Jacksonville Larry Munson Glenn Fisher WIVY-FM
Los Angeles Tom Kelly Kermit Alexander KLAC
Memphis Rick Weaver
John Ward
Gary Wyant and Mike Lawhead WHBQ
Michigan Bob Sherman Dan Follis WXYZ
New Jersey Charley Steiner Dave Herman and Robert Casciola WOR
New Orleans WNOE-FM
Oakland Joe Starkey Bob Lee and Bob Murphy KGO
Oklahoma Jerry Webber Jack Nixon KRMG
Philadelphia Harry Donahue Vince Papale WSNI
Pittsburgh Sam Nover Jack Ham WAMO-FM
San Antonio Jay Howard Bill Mercer WOAI
Tampa Bay Gene Deckerhoff Vic Prinzi WFLA
Washington Johnny Holliday WMAL

1985

edit
Team Play-by-play Analyst(s) Flagship station
Arizona Gary Bender John Moynihan KJJJ-FM
Baltimore Scott Garceau Tom Matte and Bob Bartel WCAO
Birmingham Jim Fyffe Herb Winches and Dick James WAPI
Denver Mike Nolan Irv Brown KLZ
Houston John Greer Ed Biles and Bob Fiscella KRBE-FM
Jacksonville Larry Munson Mel Arthur WIVY
Los Angeles Tom Kelly Rich Marotta KNX
Memphis Rick Weaver
John Ward
Dave Woloshin
Paul Hartlage
WHBQ
New Jersey Charley Steiner Dave Herman and Robert Casciola WMCA
Oakland Joe Starkey Lee Grosscup KGO
Orlando David Steele Tom Korun and Sam Behr WKIS
Portland Ray Scott Greg Barton KEX
San Antonio Jay Howard Bill Mercer WOAI
Tampa Bay Gene Deckerhoff Vic Prinzi WFLA

National coverage

edit

On December 9, 1982, the USFL and ABC Radio Networks[12][13] jointly announced that ABC would do 39 national broadcasts of USFL games, including two playoff games and the league's championship game. ABC agreed to cover two games per week during regular season.

For the Saturday night package in 1983, Shelby Whitefield, Ron Menchine and Steve Grad for the commentators. Other announcers for ABC Radio's USFL coverage included:

For the playoff semi finals in 1984, Johnny Holliday and Paul Hornung called Los Angeles/Arizona game on Saturday while Fred Manfra and Dan Lovett called the Birmingham/Philadelphia game. Meanwhile, the championship game[19] the following week (Philadelphia/Arizona) was called by Fred Manfra and Paul Hornung.

References

edit
  1. ^ The Wranglers could be heard on KOY-AM 570 in the Phoenix area.
  2. ^ The Stallions could be heard in Birmingham on WAPI-AM
  3. ^ In Boston, Breakers games were aired on WBZ radio, with Gil Santos doing play by play and Gino Cappelletti doing color commentary.
  4. ^ NewspaperARCHIVE.com – Search old newspaper articles online
  5. ^ Aug 13, 1983 – Did the fact that Tom Kelly did play-by-play on United States Football League games this year cost him his job as the radio play-by-play man for the Chargers? Kelly says yes. I think the Charger ownership took umbrage", Kelly said, " although no one in the Charger organization told me ...
  6. ^ Express games could be heard locally on KNX-AM 1070, Los Angeles
  7. ^ The Generals could be heard locally on WOR-AM 710 in New York, with Charley Steiner (later of ESPN and YES fame) doing play by play, and Dave Herman and Robert Casciola teaming up on color commentary.
  8. ^ The Oakland Invaders could be heard locally in the Oakland area on KGO radio. Joe Starkey, Lee Grosscup and Bob Murphy provided the action via the "Invaders Radio Network", which included KFBK in Sacramento and KJOY in Stockton, California.
  9. ^ Jul 1, 1983 – The Stars and radio station WFIL-AM, which carried their games this season, are near a divorce because of a disagreement over broadcasting of the USFL playoff games. The station has decided to carry the feed from ABC, which has a contract with the USFL, of the two playoff games and the ...
  10. ^ Deckerhoff even handled play-by-play for the Tampa Bay Bandits of the USFL in the mid-80s and is a former sports director at WCTV-TV in Tallahassee.
  11. ^ The Bandits could be heard locally on WFLA-AM 970, and pre-season games were broadcast on WTOG, Channel 44.
  12. ^ December 9, 1982: USFL and ABC Radio Networks jointly announce that ABC will do 39 national broadcasts of USFL games, including two playoff games and the league's championship game. ABC agrees to cover two games per week during regular season.
  13. ^ ABC held the exclusive network radio rights for the USFL's first two years of play at a cost of $1.25 million ("Riding Gain", Dec. 13, 1982). ABC still remains the most interested in USFL, said Simmons.
  14. ^ Jun 4, 1983 – States Football league games for ABC radio says It may take about three years to deter mine If the league will make It The onetime great for Illinois and the Chicago Bears recently said of the USFL it's not bad I dont think It's the national Football League right yet But I dont ...
  15. ^ Feb 25, 1983 - Former National Football League stars Paul Hornung Dick Butkus and Craig Morton have joined ABC Radio Sports as color commentators for US Football League games. The National Hockey League reportedly is prepared to slap a stiff transfer fee on a Canadian firm if it buys the financially ...
  16. ^ Feb 27, 1983 - 3 JOIN RADIO NETWORK. Miami Herald TheFL February 27 1983. Author ASSOCIATED PRESS. Former NFL stars Paul Hornung Dick Butkus and Craig Morton have joined ABC Radio Sports network as color commentators for United States Football League games. Edition FIRST Section SPORTS Page 10C ...
  17. ^ May 20, 1983 – He has private business Interests, is doing color commentary for USFL games on ABC radio, and has offered to couch the Denver Broncos' quarterbacks on a part- time busts. Blanding said on Sunday that is "still our No. 1 man." .
  18. ^ May 24, 1983 – Craig Morton, who retired after the 1982 National Football League season quarterback of the Denver Broncos, said last night he has been offered the job as head coach of the United States Football League's Denver Gold. Morton, a commentator on ABC Radio's coverage of last night's ...
  19. ^ Jul 13, 1984 – 19 against the Los Angeles Raiders. also has the ABC Radio feed for Sunday's USFL championship game. That's one thing that can't be black ed out . Upcoming highlights and announcers, subject to change, are supplied by stations and networks. Events are rated for the casual viewer who ...

Sources

edit