January 31, 2007

RIVER RATS WILL BROADCAST FULL SCHEDULE
ON WWNB ESPN RADIO 1490 AM

NEW BERN, NC—The New Bern River Rats will broadcast all 57 of the team’s games this summer on the new ESPN Radio 1490 AM, General Manager Michael Weisbart announced today.  “The Meineke Car Care Center Broadcast of River Rats Baseball” will begin with the team’s opening game on May 30^th and include every game of the 2007 season.

“The River Rats organization is excited to be able to bring our fans every pitch of the upcoming season on the radio,” said Weisbart.  “To be able to do so on ESPN Radio, which is a perfect home for us, is that much better.”

Last season, the team broadcast 37 games on WNOS 1450 AM.  When the owners of WNOS changed the format of sister station WWNB to an ESPN Radio sport format in December, it was only natural that the River Rats begin discussions to become the centerpiece of the station’s summer broadcasts.

“Once the decision to switch formats was made,” said WWNB General Manager Mike Afflerbach, “we immediately contacted the River Rats.  We know that our success depends on concentrating on local sports-- so we knew we needed to add them to our radio coverage.  With our broadcast lineup of New Bern High School sports, local college sports, professional sports like the Carolina Hurricanes and NFL football, and the weekday ESPN sports talk shows, featuring the River Rats was a complete no-brainer.”

“Sports fans in New Bern will benefit all year from WWNB’s new format,” said Weisbart, “and we want them to know that the sports station in town will be the place for River Rat games and news.  Together with Meineke Car Care Center and WWNB we can work toward building a great sports atmosphere in New Bern and the surrounding area.”

“Meineke Car Care Center is proud to continue to support the River Rats,” said owner Drew D’Angelo.  “As sports fans, we are also very happy to have ESPN Radio in New Bern.  This opportunity to support both is a win-win for Meineke.”

The broadcasts will again featured All-Star broadcaster Tom Dunton, Weisbart said, noting that Dunton’s talents were a driving force behind getting the team on the radio in 2006.

About the River Rats:

The New Bern River Rats baseball club is a member of the Coastal Plain League, a high-profile wood-bat collegiate summer baseball league.  The team will open the 2007 season on Wednesday, May 30 against the Wilmington Sharks at New Bern High School’s Boykin Field.  All 57 games can be heard on the Meinke Car Care Center Broadcasts on ESPN Radio 1490 AM. The team’s official website is www.NewBernRiverRats.com.

About the Coastal Plain League:

The Coastal Plain League is the nation’s hottest summer collegiate baseball league. Celebrating its 10th anniversary season, the CPL is the largest summer league in the country, featuring 15 teams playing in North Carolina, South Carolina and Virginia. The CPL is certified by Major League Baseball, and gives college players the chance to refine their skills with wooden bats during the summer months. Players are housed with local host families for the summer and past experiences have been very positive for both players and hosts. For more information on the Coastal Plain League, please visit the league website at www.coastalplain.com.