July 27, 2000
LAS VEGAS - A record number of Rebel football games will appear on television this fall, including one produced locally, ESPN Regional at UNLV announced Thursday.
After the Rebels appeared on live TV in Las Vegas a record four times in 1999, the program will make stunning progress by having as many as eight of its 12 games picked up for broadcast this season through various outlets.
Those eight possible games include an appearance on ABC for the first time since 1981 with a Sept. 30 home date with Air Force. The remaining games will be selected for broadcast by ESPN Regional Television (ERT) as part of its Mountain West Conference Game of the Week package, SportsWest Productions and for the first time - by the school through its newly formed partnership with ERT.
ESPN Regional at UNLV has made a formal request to the Big 12 Conference to bring the season opener at Iowa State back to Las Vegas, pending the league receiving final approval from its rights holder, Fox Sports Net. The game would be televised locally by KFBT Gold 33 - which has entered into a two-year deal to air a select package of UNLV football and basketball games. KFBT also is the local affiliate of the MWC football and basketball game-of-the-week packages.
On the radio side, for the second consecutive season, all 12 Rebel football games will be heard live on ESPN 920 AM. Joining the school's broadcast team this season is Larry Kahn, who will serve as the squad's play-by-play voice. Kahn also will co-host the weekly "John Robinson Radio Show" with the head coach and Rebels broadcast partner, color analyst Tony Cordasco. The coach's radio program, which begins August 31, moves this season from Mondays to Thursdays and will be heard live from 7 to 8 p.m. originating from a new venue - Z'Tejas Southwestern Grill on South Paradise Road.
UNLV also announced that the radio team for the men's basketball broadcasts will once again be play-by-play man Ken Korach and game analyst Glen Gondrezik. The duo returns for its ninth consecutive season calling Runnin' Rebel games and will also be heard live on ESPN 920 AM.
Also, Bob Blum, the Dean of West Coast Broadcasters, returns for his 13th season serving as producer and play-by-play announcer for the UNLV women's basketball program. All of the Lady Rebel games will appear live on SportsRadio 1460 AM.
Robinson's weekly television program returns to KLAS TV-8, which marks the sixth consecutive season the CBS affiliate will carry the school's coach's show. Co-hosted by Dave McCann, "Gametime with UNLV Football," moves to 11:30 p.m. every Sunday beginning Sept. 10.
REBEL FOOTBALL ON THE AIR
HOME OF THE REBELS
All 12 UNLV football games can be heard for the second consecutive season on ESPN 920 AM. Larry Kahn and Tony Cordasco will bring Rebel fans all the action as part of a continuing partnership with Lotus Broadcasting that allows for an expanded pre- and post-game show for every broadcast.
TV COACH'S SHOW
For the sixth consecutive year, "Gametime with UNLV Football" will be seen on CBS affiliate KLAS-TV 8 in Las Vegas at 11:30 pm. Dave McCann joins UNLV Head Coach John Robinson in the studio every Sunday during the season for a unique half-hour of game reviews, previews and program features.
"THE JOHN ROBINSON RADIO SHOW"
Heading to a new night and new location, UNLV head coach John Robinson's radio show can be heard live each week during the season live from Z'Tejas Southwestern Grill on Thursdays from 7-8 p.m. on ESPN 920 AM. Co-hosted by play-by-play announcer Larry Kahn, the unique show is a fast-paced hour program that covers not only UNLV, but also the entire world of football, including welcoming special guests from Las Vegas and across the nation. Last year's show included a diverse guest list such as entertainer David Cassidy, NFL Hall of Famer Ronnie Lott, singer Bob Flanigan of the famed quartet The Four Freshman, featured Las Vegas impressionist Bill Acosta and musician Nils Lofgren of Bruce Springsteen's E Street Band.
2000 FOOTBALL BROADCAST TEAM
PLAY-BY-PLAY ANNOUNCER LARRY KAHN
A 25-year veteran of radio broadcasting, Larry Kahn is the radio play-by-play voice of the Los Angeles Avengers of the Arena Football League as well as spending time as a member of the Anaheim Angels broadcast team. Kahn was the radio voice for the University of Southern California for three years (1995-98), calling the Trojans' football, men's basketball and baseball games. His stint with USC included broadcasting the 1996 Rose Bowl and the 1998 College World Series. In 1998, Kahn co-founded Pacific West Radio Sports, a Los Angeles-based company that broadcasts and syndicates various college football games nationally, including the Las Vegas Bowl and the Toyota Gator Bowl.
COLOR ANALYST TONY CORDASCO
Award-winning announcer Tony Cordasco returns for his 12th season involved in Rebel broadcasts and, after serving as play-by-play announcer for the last two years, will offer color analysis in 2000. Also a national reporter for ESPN Radio covering Las Vegas events, Cordasco has twice been named Nevada Sportscaster of the Year by the National Association of Sportscasters and Sportswriters (1994 & `99). He also received national recognition last December by serving as play-by-play voice for the AXA/Equitable Liberty Bowl in Memphis, Tenn. Cordasco also served as color analyst for the national and Armed Forces Radio broadcasts of the 1997 Las Vegas Bowl. He is now Las Vegas Area Marketing Manager for Red Bull North America, the world's leading energy drink.
