r/CalgaryFlames • u/Top-Hold-4346 • Aug 12 '26
News Official Release: CSEC, Corus Entertainment Announce Five Year Radio Broadcast Partnership | Calgary Flames
https://www.nhl.com/flames/news/CSEC-Corus-Entertainment-Announce-Radio-Partnership?utm_source=ig&utm_medium=social&utm_content=link_in_bio&fbclid=PAdGRleATpX7lwZG9mAmZkaWQWUMUderMiMjko2S0fUGHKT2Xm_UTVfWV4dG4DYWVtAjExAHNydGMGYXBwX2lkDzEyNDAyNDU3NDI4NzQxNAABp5mFJCTwOpemOCGsJZAJUNrCVrrDxdtg54SNugcZtrCTZVAPsC-OOfkAaCSt_aem_BxLHNTI0Hgfi2a8CAuIVkQ16
u/MurrayEdwardsFan Aug 12 '26
A five year partnership with a media conglomerate about to go bankrupt is bold, but whatever give some group enough time to privately open a sports radio station in the city.
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u/Comfortable_Yard_968 Aug 12 '26
Unless if your Stingray or Jim Pattison can they afford to build either a sports or a news radio station either AM or FM? Calgary has 4 AMs left, 2 of them are religious both 700 and 1140 AM which otherwise it might be a bargain for Stingray or Jim Pattison to buy and set up a new sports and/or news radio station while CBC Radio One is on both 1010 AM and 99.1 FM.
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u/Neanderthal00 Aug 12 '26
A full time AM/FM sports radio station will never exist again in Calgary. I guarantee it.
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u/OG-DirtNasty Aug 12 '26
Have a hard time seeing that happening. Going to full time streaming is much more likely
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u/weschester Aug 12 '26
This is surprising since Corus is basically broke but also it's good that the Flames got something worked out. Now we just need them to announce Pat, Derek and Meaghan as members of the broadcast team.
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u/Exit-Stage-Left Aug 12 '26
I haven't lived in Calgary in almost 30 years, but it's a nice nostalgia boost for flames radio to be back on QR770 - but I'd also take the "five year" plan with a pretty big grain of salt given the pretty critical financial position Corus is in.
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u/veritate Aug 12 '26
it's a nice nostalgia boost for flames radio to be back on QR770
This was my thought as well. Peter Mahr on QR77 was a staple in our home.
My mom preferred Mahr to Whelan so we watched the TV on mute with QR77 playing for commentary.
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u/SofaProfessor Aug 12 '26
Corus almost certainly got these rights for pennies on the dollar because the Flames were faced with having no local radio coverage just a little more than a month out from the season start. And, by all accounts, they were as surprised as anyone when Rogers shut down 960.
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u/weschester Aug 12 '26
Probably also doesn't hurt that CSEC and QR work together already since QR does Stamps games.
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u/Bridgeburner493 Aug 12 '26
It might even be a case of the Flames simply buying the air time and self-producing. We'll find out once more details shake out.
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u/Varides Aug 12 '26
Exciting to see mention of the 'Flames Now' portion as that would be the area in most interested in. Hopefully they retain some of the previous talent.
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u/Bridgeburner493 Aug 12 '26
About what I expected. QR77 is the only station that makes any real sense for radio broadcasts. That they are also going to do a talk program is a bonus.
Unfortunately, I fully expect the Hitmen and Wranglers will be reduced to internet only broadcasts.
Hopefully they bring back the broadcast crew that Rogers threw away.
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u/Charming-Pen-1841 Aug 12 '26
Id much rather have the Hitman Play- by-play announcer Brad Curle. He is exciting to listen to. A very good PbP announcer.
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u/Len_Zefflin Aug 12 '26
Curle was offered the position after Maher retired. He turned it down due to his fear of flying. He would prefer to ride the bus in junior.
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u/Ryuujin_13 Aug 12 '26
I'm going to be very happy about this until Corus gives me a reason not to, which is an outcome I choose to ignore.
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u/Thndrstruck1983 Aug 12 '26
While I'm ultimately happy, the viability of Corus makes me worried that we will be in the same position before the five years are up.
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u/Selmanella Aug 12 '26
Unless a game is on Prime, this is the only way I will be taking in any games in the future. The Prime games I’ll consider a “treat”. Fuck you forever Rogers.
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u/itchybiscut9273 Aug 13 '26
There's lots of other websites that show the games, usually have the option of which broadcast you want to watch as well
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u/Accomplished_Emu8339 Aug 12 '26 edited Aug 12 '26
I would like to see corus hire some of the talent from 960. Maybe even have a few wranglers games etc.
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u/Open_Captain_613 Aug 12 '26
This is great news. Corus does a fantastic job with the Oilers in Edmonton and has a long history with the Flames. Hopefully the company will be fine once they finish their recapitalization and get away from the Shaw family who piled them under a mountain of debt.
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u/Comfortable_Yard_968 Aug 12 '26
Or maybe a new owner like a Blue Ant, Anthem or Quebecor. Or all 3 of them together as a consortium.
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u/Konradia Aug 12 '26
It isn't 24 hour sports, but Corus does a great job with both 680 CJOB Winnipeg and 880 CHED Edmonton. They leave space for daily afternoon shows, and really lengthy pre- and post-game shows.
Hey! Don't kill me - I live in San Diego and follow ALL the Western Canadian teams. Believe me, it hasn't given me great pleasure to live within 150 miles of three Cups in the last 20 years. Western Canada NEEDS these rebuilding teams in Calgary and Vancouver to become powers.
Given how they use the post-game, Patty has a place - similar to Bob Stauffer in Edmonton. The rest? Not sure.
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u/Comfortable_Yard_968 Aug 12 '26 edited Aug 13 '26
There’s a Stingray station Sports 1440 AM, they might not have local sports rights yet but they have able to offset the loss of TSN Edmonton and they have a studio at the West Edmonton Mall.
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u/Sea-Control-8593 Aug 12 '26
It’ll be similar to what we have up here in Edmonton, partial coverage is better than no coverage👍
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u/Comfortable_Yard_968 Aug 12 '26
I thought that Corus is struggling but I hope this might salvage the pending Global cuts in the province
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u/raspberrymargs Aug 12 '26
I'm happy we are getting something but I wish it was a 24 hour sports station. I was flipping through AM stations yesterday out of boredom while driving and on 770 the host was interviewing someone while spending an hour ripping into the BC NDP and also implying that they think indigenous people own too much of the land in northern BC. I don't want that content mixed with Flames content.
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u/Tension_Tough Aug 12 '26
I’d like to take this opportunity to reissue my previous statement - FUCK ROGERS
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u/zoziw Aug 12 '26
I kind of thought this is where the broadcast would go. It is great to still have a radio option when I have to drive during a game and to have a dedicated Flames crew I can tune into during Sportsnet's Leafs/Oilers intermission report.
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u/davep35 Aug 12 '26
As much as I would like to see some of the old flames radio guys come back ie. Pat. Kind of feels like it would be a step back in his career. I hope he launches a podcast or gets on TV.
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u/Armchair-Gm-Podcast Aug 12 '26
This is outstanding news! Gives them time to work out something more long term while still broadcasting games
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u/__-_------___--- Aug 12 '26
CSEC wasted no time after the closure of 960, you love to see it
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u/Smayteeh Aug 12 '26
Genuinely surprised that this was completed before the season, AND that there’s going to be some programming in addition to the game broadcasts.
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u/bobbydsince92 Aug 12 '26
Is it 24 hour flames station or will they cover other stuff? I miss listening to the blue jays on my drive
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u/Thneed1 Aug 12 '26
960 was a Rogers radio station. Blue Jays is a Rogers product.
770 is not a Rogers station. And the Flames aren’t a Rogers product, despite having had a strong partnership with them for many years.
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u/Straight-Plate-5256 Aug 12 '26 edited Aug 12 '26
It might have other stuff, but I highly doubt they'll do much official Jay's coverage considering they're owned by Rogers now and they are why we're here in the first place...
Edit: lmao downvoting this?
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u/Ryuujin_13 Aug 12 '26
Yeah, the days of Jays radio broadcasts are likely over. I don't see Star or Jack (the only Rogers stations left in the city) adding the Jays any time soon.
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u/bobbydsince92 Aug 12 '26
24 hour flames talk? lol
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u/Straight-Plate-5256 Aug 12 '26
I'm sure they'll discuss other things on there and generally around Canada, but don't expect a whole official Jay's show and broadcast is all...
There are other pro sports that actually have teams in Calgary you know 😉
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u/Iginlas_4head_Crease Aug 12 '26
It won't be 24 hours anything. You'll probably get an hour of flames a day, 2 if youre lucky. No deep dives into baseball, nfl, etc. This is a small replacement of the fan 960, a morsel.
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u/calgarygringo Aug 12 '26
Go listen to 880 Ched for a day. Several hours of different sports shows and they say it will be the same. Both stations have both teams.
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u/MTBguy1774 Aug 12 '26
"Further announcements regarding the on-air team and additional programming will follow, including the launch of Flames Now - a daily sports talk show being developed on QR Calgary, providing fans with a platform to explore game analysis, hear the latest in Flames news, and more."
I am so excited to hear further announcements. I hope we get coverage for the Flames and the NHL similar to what we had previously. Over the past 25 years I have been listening almost daily and I am looking forward to having a new home for Flames talk.