Mississippi State University sports appear to have some kind of a special relationship with radio stations. For example, the radio legend Jack Cristil and his famous wrap-up line, “Wrap it in maroon and white,” has defined, to a certain extent, bulldog athletics.  But now there is another option for MSU sports fans: Bulldog Sports Radio, a newly-launched station that covers MSU athletics 24 hours a day. In short, it is all Bulldogs, all the time. The station opened in September and is the first team-specific radio station in the radio’s network.
Kellen Farmer, director of programming for Bulldog Sports Radio, said die-hard State fans have a hard time finding comprehensive coverage from national or local media.
“Bulldog Sports Radio was created to give Mississippi State fans exactly what they want,” Farmer said.
Drew Schemmel, junior mechanical engineering major, said a 24-hour radio station is a good idea because it would offer Bulldog fans a way to keep up with MSU sports exclusively, rather than having to listen about other schools’ sports, much like existing radio stations.
With its headquarters established in Ridgeland, Miss., a suburb of Jackson, Bulldog Sports Radio — which covers football, basketball and baseball, and the Olympic sports — is a component of the VSporto radio network.
Keith Jasper, the station’s president, said the station has been in the works for around six years, and the station’s goal is to give fans exactly what they are looking for.
“We cover aspects of sports that other stations don’t and try to connect to the different types of fans,” Jasper said. “We discuss things such as recruitment, and we also celebrate the historical facets of bulldog athletics.”
Justin Davis, senior psychology major, said as long as the radio station stays updated and is advertised so people will know to tune in, it is a great idea, especially when the local stations are not airing content about MSU.
Also, an iPhone application has been released. The application offers fans the option of acquiring information through live programming or on demand, an offshoot of DVR for radio.
“It’s like the Pandora of sports,” Jasper said.
An application for Android phones is currently undergoing testing and is predicted to be released within the next couple of weeks.
But what kind of information is broadcasted on the radio station every day, all day?
“Much like ESPN, CNN and other around-the-clock news sources, we do replay shows in the wee hours of the morning,” Farmer said.
Like stated above, the sports station does more than just discuss current or developing athletic issues.
“We want to try to capture what it means to be a Mississippi State fan with several lifestyle shows that capture the essence of the Bulldog fan base,” Farmer said.
To clarify a looming question, Bulldog Sports Radio does not broadcast live games and events.
Also, there are currently no MSU students working at the station, but broadcast journalism majors who are interested in a position are welcomed to contact Bulldog Sports Radio through [email protected].
“It helps promote the university through coverage of not only athletics, but the university as a whole and people around it,” Farmer said. “We want to cover what’s going on around Starkville, alumni gatherings and notable events going on at the university.”