NM State Announces Navajo Radio Broadcast for Rio Grande Rivalry

Saturday contest to air on KCZY 107.3 FM in Navajo language.

Source: NMSU Athletics (Photo: Courtesy)

NM State Athletics and its multimedia rights partner, Van Wagner, announce the upcoming football game against in-state rival New Mexico will be broadcast in the Navajo language. The September 28 NM State Football game will be broadcast in the Navajo language on 107.3 FM KCYZ, based out of Crownpoint, N.M. The Navajo language broadcast also will be streaming via a listen live link here. Saturday’s game is scheduled to kick off at 6 p.m. MT.

KCZY Radio Station Manager Cuyler Frank will handle the play-by-play. Frank is a native of Black House Valley, NM and is a graduate of New Mexico State with a degree in Communications. On September 23, 2005, Frank was the first to announce an NCAA D1 Football game in the Navajo language when he called the NM State Football game vs nationally ranked California at Aggie Memorial Stadium. He previously announced Aggie Football and basketball games for parts of 10 seasons.

NM State Athletics has several current Native American student-athletes, including Shiyazh Pete, and Louie Canepa of football and Aidan Thomas and Lance Christensen Jr. of the men’s golf team. Pete grew up on the Navajo reservation and remains an active member of the Navajo nation.

The Navajo Nation is the largest U.S. Indian Tribe, consisting of nearly 200,000 members. The reservation includes approximately 27,000 square miles. Its boundaries extend from northwestern New Mexico into northeastern Arizona and southeastern Utah, a combined area larger than many U.S. states. Three smaller bands of Navajos are also located away from the main reservation boundaries at Alamo, To’hajiilee and Ramah. Key communities include Crownpoint, Shiprock, Alamo, To’hajiilee and Ramah. The capital of the Navajo Nation is Window Rock, AZ, located about 25 miles northwest of Gallup.

With the addition of the Navajo broadcast, the Aggies’ Saturday matchup will be broadcast on the radio in a total of three languages – English, Spanish and Navajo. The English broadcast will be available on 99.5 FM KXPZ, the TuneIn app and the Sirius XM Channel 989. The Spanish broadcast will be available on 96.7 FM La Equis.

ABOUT VAN WAGNER
Van Wagner is a leading sports advertising and entertainment agency, with global expertise in filmed and live entertainment, sponsorship sales, multi-media rights, and aerial advertising. Van Wagner creates, advises, and sells on behalf of world-class teams, leagues, brands, and properties. An innovator in the sports and media business, Van Wagner is a global leader in high-impact broadcast visible signage throughout the MLB, NBA, NCAA, and international soccer, sponsorships sales, college multi-media rights, and in-venue content production at the world’s biggest sporting events. For more information, visit www.vanwagner.com.

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