GRAND RAPIDS, Mich. – The Grand Rapids Griffins on Tuesday announced a schedule of eight regular season games that will be broadcast on ESPN 96.1 FM, the new all-sports sister station to the Griffins’ flagship, Newsradio WOOD 1300.

The slate begins with the Griffins’ home opener next Friday, Oct. 23, and continues through seven Sunday games:

“This is a great opportunity for both the Griffins and the Clear Channel Radio family in our 14th year of partnership,” said Bob Kaser, the Griffins’ vice president of broadcasting and community relations. “ESPN 96.1 understands the significance that the Griffins play in the West Michigan market and wants to help promote us. Meanwhile, we are just as eager to support their new endeavor, and we look at this as an exciting opportunity for exposure on their all-sports station. It’s a good marriage.”

All other games will air on Newsradio WOOD 1300 as originally scheduled with two exceptions. Matinee games on Nov. 11 and Feb. 15 will be switched to WTKG 1230 AM due to programming conflicts.

In addition, the Griffins announced that all 80 regular season games will feature a half-hour pre-game show, something that previously had not been possible for weeknight contests starting at the top of the hour. Broadcasts will begin at either five minutes or 35 minutes past the hour, depending on each game’s start time.

“The consistency is huge,” said Kaser. “Now fans know they can tune in 30 minutes before every game to get a little dose of what’s going to happen that night and the state of the Griffins through our enlightening interviews with [head coach] Curt Fraser, which we haven’t always been able to provide.”