ESPN 580 to broadcast 16 Solar Bears games this season

Solar Bears to hit local airwaves on Nov. 21 vs. Jacksonville Icemen

ORLANDO, Fla. – The Orlando Solar Bears, in conjunction with Cox Media Group Orlando, have announced that ESPN 580 (WDBO – 580 AM) will carry 16 Solar Bears games over the local airwaves during the 2017-18 regular season, as the team’s official radio sponsor. Broadcast coverage will start tomorrow, Nov. 21, when the Solar Bears host the Jacksonville Icemen at the ARS.com Rink at Amway Center at 7 p.m.

“Cox Media Group (ESPN 580) has been a proud partner of the Orlando Magic since Day One, and we’re pleased to extend the relationship to now include the live broadcasts of a limited number of Solar Bears Games,” Cox Media Group Orlando Operations Manager Drew Anderssen said. “This partnership continues to support the mission of ESPN 580 Orlando in bringing the best in local sports to our community.”

The Solar Bears previously broadcast the team’s games exclusively online using the Mixlr streaming platform during the 2016-17 season – the Solar Bears will continue to use Mixlr for games that are not carried by ESPN 580 this season. Play-by-play duties will continue to be handled by Solar Bears Director of Communications & Broadcasting Jesse Liebman, now in his third season with the organization.

“We’re thrilled to bring the excitement of Orlando Solar Bears hockey to a wider audience throughout Orlando and the Central Florida community,” Solar Bears President Chris Heller said. “We are very excited to partner with ESPN 580, and we know our fans will be pleased as well.”

The following Solar Bears games will be broadcast on ESPN 580 during the 2017-18 season (broadcast schedule, game dates and times subject to change):Tuesday, Nov. 21 vs. Jacksonville Icemen – 7 p.m.Friday, Jan. 5 at Jacksonville Icemen – 7:30 p.m.Saturday, Jan. 13 at South Carolina Stingrays – 7:05 p.m.Friday, Jan. 26 at South Carolina Stingrays – 7:05 p.m.Friday, Feb. 2 at South Carolina Stingrays – 7:05 p.m.Friday, Feb. 9 vs. Wheeling Nailers – 7 p.m.Friday, Feb. 16 vs. Worcester Railers – 7 p.m.Wednesday, Feb. 21 vs. Florida Everblades – 7 p.m.Friday, Feb. 23 at Florida Everblades – 7:30 p.m.Sunday, March 4 vs. Reading Royals – 1:30 p.m.Thursday, March 15 vs. Florida Everblades – 7 p.m.Saturday, March 17 at Florida Everblades – 7 p.m.Wednesday, March 21 vs. South Carolina Stingrays – 7 p.m.Friday, March 23 vs. South Carolina Stingrays – 7 p.m.Sunday, March 25 vs. South Carolina Stingrays – 1:30 p.m.Saturday, March 31 vs. Greenville Swamp Rabbits – 7 p.m.

About ESPN 580:ESPN 580 Orlando is your home for Orlando Magic Basketball, Miami Dolphins and Jacksonville Jaguars Football, Florida State Football, Tampa Bay Lightning Hockey and now Orlando Solar Bears Hockey, as well as play-by-play from ESPN including the NFL, NBA and the NBA Finals, Major League Baseball and The World Series.

About Cox Media Group Orlando:Cox Media Group Orlando is a converged market of trusted radio and television brands, including WFTV (ABC) and WRDQ (Ind), News 96.5, K92.3, WMMO 98.9, Star 94.5, Power 95.3, 107.3 Solo Exitos, ESPN Orlando 580 a.m., CMG Local Solutions and Cox Events Group. No other media company matches COX Media Group Orlando’s combined TV, radio, and digital footprint in Central Florida.

About Cox Media Group:Cox Media Group is an integrated broadcasting, publishing, direct marketing and digital media company. The company’s operations currently include 14 broadcast television stations and one local cable channel, more than 60 radio stations, seven daily newspapers and 11 non-daily publications; and more than 100 digital sites and services, like Rare.us, Clark.com, Dawg Nation, SEC Country, Hookem.com, Mundo Hispanico, Southern Kitchen and All22. Additionally, CMG operates the National Advertising Platform businesses of CoxReps - the country’s biggest television rep firm - Gamut, and Videa. CMG currently operates in more than 20 media markets and reaches approximately 52 million Americans weekly, including more than 31 million TV viewers, more than 3.5 million newspaper readers, and nearly 15 million radio listeners.  For more information about Cox Media Group, please check us out online at www.coxmediagroup.com.

About the Orlando Solar Bears:The Orlando Solar Bears are in their sixth season of operation in the ECHL, the premier “AA” hockey league in North America, and are the proud affiliate of the NHL’s Toronto Maple Leafs and the AHL’s Toronto Marlies. The Solar Bears are owned and operated by the Orlando Magic and the DeVos Family, and play at the ARS.com Rink at Amway Center, the 2012 Street and Smith’s Sports Business Journal Sports Facility of the Year.

The Solar Bears return home to face the Jacksonville Icemen at the ARS.com Rink at Amway Center on Tuesday, Nov. 21 at 7 p.m. Single-game tickets for the 2017-18 season are on sale at the Amway Center box office and ticketmaster.com.

Full Season Ticket Memberships for the 2017-18 season are on sale now. Purchase an Orlando Solar Bears Full Season Ticket Membership for as little as $440 today! Click here or call (407) 951-8200 for more information.

Officially licensed Orlando Solar Bears replica team jerseys, apparel, and headwear can be purchased online at orlandosolarbearshockey.com/shop.