Mountaineer Sports Network showcases West Virginia University athletics

MORGANTOWN - Mountaineer Sports Network (MSN), owned and operated by West Virginia University, is a radio and television network used to televise the school's football and basketball games, among other attractions.

The network also showcases "Mountaineer Magazine," along with other sports features

Mike Parsons, assistant athletic director for external affairs, said MSN's cornerstone is its radio network.

Today, there are more than 50 radio stations that broadcast WVU sports via MSN.

"You'll see big stations on the Mountaineer Sports Network like WVAQ in Morgantown, WTNJ in Beckley, WKEZ in Charleston and WXKX in Parkersburg," Parsons said.

MSN is carried on stations outside West Virginia, in Maryland and Virginia, he added.

Although college football long ago was normally carried on AM stations, Parsons said MSN also has FM stations that carry WVU football.

"We deal with a barter and cash situation. The biggest thing (TV and radio networks) do for us is carry our advertising," he noted.

And there is quite a bit of WVU advertising on these major FM radio stations, considering football games last four hours and basketball games average three hours in length, he said.

In addition to carrying WVU football and basketball games, MSN produces several television programs, like "Mountaineer Magazine," a 30-minute program featuring Mountaineer football, which is carried on five television stations in the state, and also airs on some regional cable networks.

West Virginia television stations carrying the Mountaineer Sports Network include: WCHS, Charleston (the biggest market); WOAY, Beckley; WBOY, Clarksburg, WTRF, Wheeling; and WJAL, Chambersburg, Pa. (which includes Martinsburg, Charles Town and part of the Eastern Panhandle, he said.

"This show is not a sit-down with Coach Don Nehlen. It features stories on Mountaineer athletics.

"It airs Friday night at 11:30 p.m. before the game while most of these types of shows air Sunday night (after pro football games)," Parsons said.

It's unique in the placement of the show that "Mountaineer Magazine" comes on right after high school football highlights on the local 11 to 11:30 p.m. news, he said.

"The ratings for the show are good, with 50 percent of the audience being female," he said. "There is so much competition on Sunday, especially with pro football. We feel the enthusiasm is higher before a game, so we air the program late Friday night."

As a university program, Mountaineer Sports Network is part of the WVU athletic department

Revenues are deposited into the university's coffers and are handled accordingly, he said.

Parsons did not want to discuss revenues of this network.

Parsons and three other WVU workers sell advertising for MSN. Another special program, "Mountaineer Jammin,"' features basketball and some other winter sports. With MSN's television and radio broadcasting, Mountain State advertisers are offered the most comprehensive program package available in West Virginia, he said.

Mountaineer Sports Network began in the 1960s when WVU began broadcasting sporting events on the radio.

During the 1970s, MSN took on some television productions and in the 1980s, television and radio were integrated with other markets, Parsons said.

"Two years ago we really got into the Internet big," Parsons said. "Our web site is at MSNSportsNET.com. It is the official website of WVU athletics," he said.

MSNSportsNET.net carries live play-by-play coverage. Even WVU soccer and volleyball games can be followed anywhere in the world.

"We get up to four million hits a month on this website. It's something that's really caught on well for us," Parsons said.

MSN is not seasonal and runs year 'round, he added.