Hofstra University can soon add “NHL radio reporter” to its list of extracurricular activities.
The Hempstead, NY school and the New York Islanders are close to a deal to broadcast the Isles’ games on the school’s radio station, WRHU-FM (88.7), reports the New York Times. The 470-watt station will be letting students do sideline interviews, serve as intermission hosts and even provide color commentary during some of the games, along with doing much of the production and engineering work.
Students will likely be working with long-time Islanders broadcaster Chris King. The Islanders were previously being broadcast on the music stations WMJC-FM (94.3) and WHLI-AM (1100).
This new deal would provide the Islanders with cheaper radio operations and a larger broadcast area, reaching most of Long Island and into Queens and Brooklyn.
In comparison, the New York Rangers are broadcast on ESPN Radio’s WEPN-AM and the New Jersey Devils can be heard on WFAN — both of which are 50,000-watt sports stations.
The deal must first be approved by the Madison Square Garden Network, which owns the rights to the Islanders’ broadcasts. The Islanders are hoping to complete the deal before their season opener against the Dallas Stars on Saturday.
