KNWA, KFTA To Host Coaches Shows, Games

The Arkansas Razorback Sports Network announced a five-year partnership with KNWA (NBC) and KFTA (Fox) to air all six ARSN-produced basketball games this season.

In addition, Sports Shows Inc. has reached a five-year agreement with KNWA and KFTA to broadcast “The Houston Nutt Show,” “Fast Break with Stan Heath” and “Razorback Classics.”

KPBI, Channel 46, had handled ARSN broadcasts in Northwest Arkansas since 1997.

“When it appeared that KPBI would be losing their Fox affiliation, that spurred us into looking into other directions,” said Sports Shows Inc. General Manager Matt Shanklin, who’s also the University of Arkansas’ assistant athletic director for marketing and licensing. “We had to go where we had the best possible exposure and make sure that, not only for our shows but also for our advertisers, that we were on one of the big four networks.”

Sports Shows Inc. will control advertising for the coaches’ shows while spots on the games will be split between the local affiliates and ARSN.