KNBW Radio to Broadcast Idaho Vandals Football and Men's Basketball in Spokane
News Radio KNBW will carry University of Idaho Vandal football and men's basketball games across the Spokane and Coeur d'Alene market, expanding the program's regional radio reach.
KNBW Picks Up Vandal Sports Rights in Key Regional Market
The University of Idaho men's basketball and football programs are getting a new radio home in one of the Pacific Northwest's most competitive sports markets. News Radio KNBW will broadcast Vandal football and men's basketball games across the Spokane and Coeur d'Alene market, according to an announcement from University of Idaho Athletics.
The deal puts Idaho's two flagship programs on a station serving a region that sits directly between Moscow, Idaho, where the university is based, and the larger Spokane metro area. That corridor represents a significant concentration of Vandal fans and alumni, making the partnership a natural fit for the athletic department as it works to build audience share in the Big Sky Conference era.
What the Deal Means for Vandal Fans
For listeners in Spokane and Coeur d'Alene, the arrangement means live play-by-play coverage of Idaho football and men's basketball will be accessible on a local terrestrial radio signal. Fans who previously had to rely on streaming or out-of-market options will now have an over-the-air option during game days.
The Spokane and Coeur d'Alene corridor is a particularly important one for Idaho Athletics. The area sits roughly 90 miles north of Moscow, and a large portion of the university's fan base and prospective student population lives within that broadcast footprint. Getting consistent game coverage into that market can strengthen brand presence and potentially help with recruiting visibility.
Radio rights deals of this kind are standard tools for mid-major athletic programs looking to expand reach without the budget of Power Four conferences. Locking in a news-formatted station like KNBW also means the Vandals share airtime with a news and information audience, which can introduce the program to casual sports fans who might not otherwise seek out coverage.
Idaho Athletics Building Broadcast Infrastructure
The KNBW agreement is part of a broader effort by University of Idaho Athletics to make its sports content available across the region. Football and men's basketball are the two programs that traditionally anchor a school's broadcast strategy, drawing the largest audiences and generating the most radio ad revenue.
Idaho competes in the Big Sky Conference for most of its sports and has been focused on rebuilding its football program after years of playing at the Football Championship Subdivision level. Men's basketball under the current staff has similarly been working to re-establish the Vandals as a competitive presence in the conference.
Expanding into the Spokane and Coeur d'Alene market through a recognized news radio outlet gives both programs a platform that reaches well beyond campus. For students, alumni, and fans spread across northern Idaho and eastern Washington, KNBW now becomes the local dial destination for Vandal game days.
University of Idaho Athletics confirmed the broadcast arrangement, with coverage set to include both the football schedule and the upcoming men's basketball slate.
