Washington Spirit Announces the Club's First-Ever Radio Partnership
Washington, D.C., May 15, 2024 (GLOBE NEWSWIRE) -- The Washington Spirit and ESPN 630, DC's premier live and local sports radio station, will team up to broadcast 13 regular season matches in the Spirit's first-ever radio partnership, the club announced today. The partnership will begin on Saturday, May 18 when the Washington Spirit faces Angel City FC and will extend throughout the 2024 season. Match audiocasts will stream live directly to WashingtonSpirit.com, as well as the ESPN 630 app and website.
"There is a demand for Washington Spirit matches and partnering with a renowned brand such as ESPN 630 was a great partnership decision to ensure the Spirit is as accessible as possible for our fans," said Kim Stone, Washington Spirit CEO. "Like our brand, this partnership is inclusive, providing matches for fans who are on-the-go to those with vision impairments. We want to make tuning into Spirit matches the best possible experience for everyone outside of attending a match in person."
Helming the broadcast in the play-by-play role is Bram Weinstein, while former Spirit player Gaby Vincent will act as the color commentator. Michael Minnich will provide additional commentary during broadcasts and serve as an alternate for both Weinstein and Vincent.
Weinstein, lauded in his role as the radio Voice of the Washington Commanders since 2020, is a native of the DMV with decades of experience as a trusted sports media personality. As the host of the Bram Weinstein Show, airing weekdays on ESPN 630, Weinstein is leading voice on all things sports in the Washington area. Previously, he worked at ESPN from 2008 to 2015, where he was an anchor for SportsCenter. His other experience includes time at CNN's Washington Bureau and WTEM.
Vincent, who played in the NWSL for four seasons, retired after playing for the Washington Spirit in 2022. In four years at the University of Louisville, she started in every match that she appeared in, earning honors such as All-ACC Third Team and ACC Honor Roll. Following her professional soccer career, Vincent served as an intern in the Spirit's Community Impact department where her work in the advocacy realm earned her a position at the DC Mayor's Office of LGBTQ Affairs.
As one of the world's foremost authorities on Washington Spirit and NWSL history, Minnich brings a wealth of experience and intimate knowledge of the team to the broadcast. Minnich broadcasted Washington Freedom (WPS) matches in 2010 and acted as the first-ever television broadcaster for the Washington Spirit in 2013. He has experience in both play-by-play and color commentary roles at the collegiate and professional level.
"We are incredibly excited to join forces with the Washington Spirit and bring the excitement of women's soccer to our listeners," said Bill Hess, Program Director at ESPN 630 AM. "At ESPN 630 AM, we are dedicated to showcasing the best in sports, and partnering with the Spirit aligns perfectly with our values. We look forward to providing comprehensive coverage of the Washington Spirit and amplifying their impact both on and off the field."
Along with match audiocasts, this historic partnership will offer fans a dedicated podcast channel, "Spirit Spotlight," available on WashingtonSpirit.com and coming soon wherever you get your podcasts. The show, paying homage to the Spirit's "Spotlight" kits, will be fans' go-to spot for exclusive Spirit content, including postgame analysis, as well as weekly interviews with special Spirit guests.
Dropping every Friday night, fans can hear an exclusive interview with Bram Weinstein and a surprise Spirit guest. This interview will also air live every Friday at 3:40 p.m. ET on ESPN 630 AM during a weekly and dedicated Washington Spirit segment on The Bram Weinstein Show. Following every match, fans can listen to Spirit Spotlight for a Spirit postgame show, recapping each match with postgame press conference availability from a Spirit coach and two players, as well as analysis and commentary.
In conjunction with this announcement, the podcast channel will feature archived interviews from throughout the 2024 season ahead of the first official Spirit Spotlight episode airing on Friday, May 17 with an exclusive guest, as well as an interview with the Washington Spirit Radio Network team – Bram, Gaby and Mike.
Additionally, ESPN 630 will feature prominently on the concourse at select Washington Spirit home matches throughout the season, offering unique activations and hosting a can't-miss custom Spirit jersey giveaway.
Throughout the season, fans can hear the radio broadcast throughout the concourse and in select spaces at Audi Field, so you don't miss a moment of the action. Fans are also encouraged to bring a headset while following the action on the pitch or on television.
Any additional Spirit matches added to the ESPN 630 AM broadcast schedule, including potential 2024 NWSL Playoffs contests, will be announced at a later date.
To learn more about the Washington Spirit radio audiocasts and for a comprehensive list of ways to tune, visit washingtonspirit.com/matchdayguide/how-to-listen/.
ESPN 630 x SPIRIT MATCH SCHEDULE
| DATE | FIXTURE | TIME |
| Saturday, May 18th | Washington Spirit v. Angel City FC | 7:30 p.m. EDT |
| Friday, May 24th | Washington Spirit v. Seattle Reign FC | 7:30 p.m. EDT |
| Saturday, June 8th | Washington Spirit at Utah Royals FC | 7:30 p.m. EDT |
| Saturday, June 15th | Washington Spirit v. San Diego Wave FC | 7:30 p.m. EDT |
| Sunday, June 23rd | Washington Spirit at NJ/NY Gotham FC | 12:30 p.m. EDT |
| Saturday, June 29th | Washington Spirit v. North Carolina Courage | 7:30 p.m. EDT |
| Saturday, July 6th | Washington Spirit at Bay FC | 10:00 p.m. EDT |
| Sunday, August 25th | Washington Spirit v. KC Current | 12:00 p.m. EDT |
| Saturday, September 7th | Washington Spirit v. Portland Thorns FC | 12:30 p.m. EDT |
| Friday, September 20th | Washington Spirit at KC Current | 8:00 p.m. EDT |
| Sunday, October 13th | Washington Spirit v. Racing Louisville FC | 5:00 p.m. EDT |
| Sunday, October 20th | Washington Spirit v. Chicago Red Stars | 5:00 p.m. EDT |
| Saturday, November 2nd | Washington Spirit at North Carolina Courage | 7:30 p.m. EDT |
*Fans can expect Spirit broadcasts with ESPN 630 to begin at the listed times above. Tune-in information will be made public on Washington Spirit channels prior to these games as well.
About The Washington Spirit
The Washington Spirit is the professional women's soccer team based in Washington, D.C. and plays at Audi Field in Buzzard Point. The Spirit was founded on November 21, 2012, and is an inaugural member of the National Women's Soccer League (NWSL), the premier women's soccer league in North America. For more information about the Spirit, visit WashingtonSpirit.com and follow the club on Twitter, Instagram and Facebook.
About ESPN 630 AM
ESPN 630 AM is Cumulus Media's (NASDAQ:CMLS) Washington, DC-based sports station, and is the home to high-quality local programming including The Andy Pollin Show, The Tony Kornheiser Show, The Bram Weinstein Show, and The Line Change with Mike Callow. The station also features the live play-by-play broadcasts of the Washington Spirit, Baltimore Orioles, Baltimore Ravens, University of Virginia Sports Radio Network and Motor Racing Network - while also syndicating ESPN's National Programming broadcasts of Football Sunday, NBA Radio, College Basketball, College Football, and MLB Radio. ESPN 630 AM provides advertisers with personal connections and local reach through on-air and on-demand digital, mobile, social, and voice-activated platforms, as well as integrated digital marketing services, full-service audio solutions, industry-leading research and insights, and live event experiences. For more information, please visit www.ESPN630DC.com or find us on social media @ESPN630DC and the ESPN 630 App.
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Theresa McDonnell Washington Spirit 917-439-4271 [email protected]