HEATHER SHANLEY/SUBMITTED PHOTOThe Phillies AAA-affi liate team, the
Lehigh Valley IronPigs, have recently
partnered with Cabrini’s radio station,
WYBF. The Cabrini students interning
with the IronPigs will be working in a
professional broadcasting environment
and airing 70 of the IronPigs games this
season.
“The IronPigs staff are looking to break
into the Philadelphia market so they were
targeting schools in the area to broadcast
for them,” General Manager of WYBF
and Communications Supervisor Heather
Shanley said.
Shanley signed a one-season contract
with the IronPigs to broadcast the feed
from the IronPigs Radio Network from
the fl agship station at Lehigh-Carbon
Community College’s station WXLY.
“We were seeking affi liates to form
a solid partnership and Cabrini was a
very solid fi t for us,” Manager of Media
Relations for the IronPigs, Jon Schaeffer,
said.
Students will also have the opportunity
to create and broadcast their own pre
and post game shows for each game.
Professionals with the IronPigs are also
offering to listen to and critique students’own broadcasts and will be used as “airchecks” for the IronPigs Radio Network.
“We are making sure this is a learning
experience; we are committed to teaching
the students about broadcasting,” Shanley
said.
Aside from getting the opportunity
to broadcast the games on air, interning
students will also be attending the home
games and working with the media relations
professionals at Coca-Cola Park.
“It is rare for students to get to see behind the scenes in professional sports and that’s what they are getting to experience first hand,” Shanley said. “By partnering with college stations the IronPigs can get more involvement because the students don’t have to be there but they want to be.”
Coca-Cola Park, located in the eastern
part of Allentown, Pa., is the brand new $50 million ballpark to house the IronPigs.
Previously a team based in Scranton,the IronPigs were created this season when owners Joseph Finley and Craig Stein showed interest in bringing Minor League
Baseball to Allentown in 2003. The IronPigs’ season opener was an exhibition game against the Philadelphia Phillies on Sunday, March 31.
“I’m really looking forward to it, it seems to be working out well for both of us and we hope it lasts longer than just this season,” Schaeffer said. “Getting the games
on the radio in Radnor and throughout the
Main Line is very exciting for us.”
