Owls reach five-year radio agreement with 640-AM

Florida Atlantic University announced a broadcast relationship with Hubbard Radio on Wednesday, making 640-AM (WMEN) the Owls’ new flagship station.

Beginning with the start of the 2019 football season, the sports radio station — also known as “The Hurricane Sports Radio” — will air all FAU football and men’s basketball games through 2023-24. It also will carry a one-hour show with football coach Lane Kiffin and men’s basketball coach Dusty May during their respective seasons.

The new agreement ends FAU’s run with ESPN West Palm as its flagship radio station. Based in Royal Palm Beach, 640 The Hurricane increases the Owls’ coverage to the south through Broward County and into Miami. ESPN West Palm’s range did not extend past north Broward.

“We are extremely excited to enter into a new partnership with Hubbard Radio,” said FAU athletics director Brian White in a statement. “This new relationship will allow FAU to broaden our reach within Palm Beach and Broward counties, which is a priority, as we continue to expand the FAU brand both locally and globally.”

Ken LaVicka, known as “the voice of FAU athletics,” will remain in his radio broadcasting role with FAU. While the release made no mention of color commentator Kris Bartels, a former FAU safety, White noted Bartels would continue broadcasting in a tweet. In addition to 640, there are six other radio stations under the Hubbard umbrella that will cross-promote with FAU: 97.9 WRMF,103.1 WIRK, X102.3, News-Talk 850 WFTL, Sunny 107.9 and Beatz 96.3.

“We’re honored that FAU Athletics and Florida Atlantic Sports Properties have chosen Hubbard Radio’s cluster of seven stations to help bring the excitement of FAU Football and Basketball to fans across South Florida,” said Elizabeth Hamma, Senior Vice President and Market Manager for Hubbard Radio West Palm Beach, in a statement. “The growth of FAU Athletics has significant impact on our local South Florida community. We look forward to being a part of that growth for years to come.”

In addition to airing games and the two coaches’ shows, 640 will also air a weekly “FAU Update” segment during the a.m. and p.m. drives.

All broadcast aspects are overseen and managed by Florida Atlantic Sports Properties, FAU’s exclusive athletics multimedia rightsholder.

“This new relationship will significantly elevate the FAU brand among the other stations’ formats owned by Hubbard Radio to allow for extensive cross promotion and new presence opportunities,” said Kevin Crossman, general manager of Florida Atlantic Sports Properties, in a statement. “Everything we do, we align closely with the athletics administration, including how we continually evaluate how we engage with fans, connect with them, and deepen those relationships and experiences.”

The broadcasting expansion south was met kindly by longtime Miami rap icon Luther Campbell, who currently coaches Miami Edison High and has held a strong relationship with Kiffin since his arrival at FAU in 2016, tweeting “This is big time for @FAU_Football.”