CLARKSVILLE – Austin Peay State University athletics and 5 Star Media Group will join forces to present the Governors Sports Network, powered by Gateway Medical Center, beginning in 2015-16 on ESPN Clarksville 100.7 FM/540AM.
Every preseason, regular-season and postseason contest for Austin Peay football, men’s basketball, women’s basketball and baseball along with the weekly coaches show will be available under the terms of the new five-year contract. 5 Star Media, based in Clarksville, is the area’s largest media company, employing 42 people and operating six radio stations and the news website Clarksvillenow.com.
“Scott Chase, who now leads the network, brings more than 25 years of programming experience to the table,” said 5 Star Media President Katie Gambill. “He’s a major market talent and has put together a promotion plan that includes all six stations in our company, which expands Govs sports coverage all over Tennessee and Kentucky.”
In addition, JWL Communications has agreed to return to the Governors Sports Network as an affiliate, meaning Governors fans throughout Middle and West Tennessee also will be able to listen to contests on WVRY 105.1 FM.
This season Brian Rives will debut as the play-by-play voice of Governors football while Van Stokes will return for his 16th season handling color for the 11-game football slate. Those games will be preceded by a one-hour pregame and followed by a 30-minute postgame show.
Meanwhile, Chase and David Loos will combine to cover Austin Peay basketball contests in the upcoming season. During the baseball campaign, Van Stokes and Brian Rives will share play-by-play duties.
“We are excited to bolster the exposure of Austin Peay athletics throughout our growing community,” said Austin Peay marketing coordinator Alaric Klinghard. “This is a great opportunity to better showcase our student-athletes and coaches across a variety of markets that are important to our success.”