Ashland Tomcats Have New Broadcast Home
By Pamela Hall
The Ashland Beacon
For the first time in many years, Tomcat fans will tune their radios to a different frequency to listen to the games as Ashland Tomcats sports will have a new broadcasting home this year. The games will now be heard on the two frequencies of Cat Sports 93.3 FM and 1340 AM, a Kindred Communications station that is based in Ashland. It is one of six stations under the Kindred Communications umbrella. Cat Sports is also the home for the popular Kentucky Sports Radio program, as well University of Kentucky football and basketball games.
The Ashland Paul Blazer High School administration reached an agreement with Kindred Communications to carry The Games last week, airing the Tomcats regular and postseason football and boys basketball games on Cat Sports, along with select girls basketball games.
Although it seems that the Tomcats have a new broadcast home, they are actually just returning home to Kindred Communications after being away for a period of time. Fans will be delighted to know that the on-air play-by-play voice will remain the same “Voice of the Tomcats” with Dicky Martin that fans know and love.
“I’m so happy to be back home again [with Kindred Communications],” Martin said. “Working with local radio people, the broadcasts will be better than ever before, with so much to offer Tomcat fans. I can’t wait!”
“It’s great that we’re now working with a locally owned company,” agreed Jim Conway, the Athletic Director for Ashland Paul Blazer. “I’m excited about the new partnership with Kindred Communications. Doing business with local partners is what we prefer, people who really care about radio and the on-air product. We’re also happy that Kindred Communications agreed to allow Dicky Martin to return as the ‘Voice of the Tomcats’.”
Kindred Communications is no stranger to broadcasting local high school athletics. The company currently broadcasts Spring Valley High School, Huntington High School, and Cabell Midland High School football games on other Kindred stations. Kindred Communications’ 93.7 The Dawg is also the home for Marshall University’s Thundering Herd games.
The first broadcast showcasing the partnership between the Tomcats and the Kindred Communications’ Cat Sports station will be Aug. 18 — as the Tomcats football team will host the Raceland Rams at the newly renovated Putnam Stadium.
“We named the radio station ‘Cat Sports’ with this day in mind,” Mike Kirtner, Owner and CEO of Kindred Communications, stated. “There are partnerships that are meant to be. This is one of those!”
Ashland Paul Blazer Tomcat fans cannot only listen to The Games on Cat Sports 93.3 FM and 1340 AM, they can also download the Cat Sports app to access The Games and other programming at their convenience.
Congratulations to the Ashland Paul Blazer Tomcats and Kindred Communications Cat Sports on their new partnership, and may it be long and fruitful for both of you!