Nov. 1, 2006

Contact: Brian McCann

CLEVELAND, Ohio -- Vikings basketball fans in northeast Ohio will be able to get their fill of CSU basketball this winter as part of a multi-faceted television package between Cleveland State and SportsTime Ohio. The agreement was announced on Wednesday (Nov. 1) by CSU director of athletics Lee Reed and SportsTime Ohio president Jim Liberatore.

"It was very important to us to have a television presence this season and SportsTime Ohio is a natural partner," CSU Director of Athletics Lee Reed said. "I feel this is a deal that both sides will benefit from and I hope that it is the beginning of a long-term relationship with STO."

"SportsTime Ohio and Cleveland State are natural partners as each call Cleveland home" STO president Jim Liberatore said. "We look forward to our partnership with the University as the athletic program continues to make great strides both in the development of the facilities that support the program and the leadership within the program."

SportsTime Ohio, which has already proven to be a leader in offering a variety of sports programming produced for the Ohio Sports fan, has put together the most aggressive television package in years.

As part of the agreement, SportsTime Ohio will broadcast five men's basketball games and one women's basketball game this year, beginning with the Dec. 30 home game against West Virginia Tech and follow up with the CSU road game at Youngstown State on Jan. 20, the Feb. 8 home game vs. Butler and the Feb. 14 contest at Wright State. The package closes on Saturday, Feb. 24 when STO will air the regular season ending men's and women's doubleheader against Youngstown State.

In addition, STO will air The Viking Basketball Report with Head Coach Gary Waters, a weekly half-hour show that will include game recaps, highlights and features on players and other elements of the program. The show, which will be produced by students in the CSU School of Communications, will air multiple times each week beginning Nov. 14.

"The creation of The Viking Basketball Report will give Viking basketball fans a weekly opportunity to see what is going on within the CSU basketball program," Reed said. "I commend SportsTime Ohio on following through on their desire to be the channel that everbody in central and northeast Ohio can go to to see what is happening in sports."

Mike Cairns, a 20-year broadcast veteran who has worked the last six years in television in the Cleveland area, takes over the play-by-play duties on Viking broadcasts this season while Franklin Edwards, who is one of two Viking players to have his uniform number retired, returns for his 10th season of calling the color commentary. Cairns will also serve as the host of the Viking Basketball Report.

Cairns most recently worked as the weekend anchor at WKYC-TV, channel 3, covering everything from the Cavaliers, Browns, and Indians to the high school sports scene. He was also responsible for anchoring the weekend newscasts as well as hosting the three-time Emmy award nominated "McDonald's Sports Tonight."

SportsTime Ohio is a Northern Ohio regional sports network designed to offer a variety of sports programming produced for the Ohio sports fan, with its initial venture being the largest television package in Cleveland Indians team history. Additional programming is geared specifically toward Ohio-area sports fans and the passion that makes this region the greatest sports community.