Kansas City Wizards defender Jimmy Conrad, Executive Producer of Broadcasting Sean Wheelock and 810 Zone on the Country Club Plaza will team up to present The Jimmy Conrad Show beginning this Wednesday, April 11. The weekly show, which will air in front of a live audience from 6-7 p.m., will feature in-depth interviews, Wizards game analysis and stories from players throughout Major League Soccer. The show will air on 97.3 FM and kcwizards.com.
"I'm excited to be working with Sean on the radio once again," Conrad said. "I hope the same magic we had before carries on with this show. We hope to make the show informative, interesting, and most importantly, fun for the fans to listen to and participate in at 810 Zone." Conrad and Wheelock originally teamed up last season, when they hosted MLS Radio on MLSnet.com. Together, they covered the 2006 MLS Playoffs and the MLS Cup.
"I'm thrilled to have the opportunity to work with Jimmy, not only on MLS Radio, but also on The Jimmy Conrad Show," Wheelock said. "This will be a great opportunity for us to discuss the Wizards, including player anecdotes and the latest happenings in a fun and relaxed atmosphere. We are really counting on our fans to come out to 810 Zone and support the show."
Wheelock, an accomplished broadcaster, has served as the host of "MLS Wrap" on Fox Soccer Channel, "MLS ExtraTime" on ESPN2, and as the voice of the Kansas City Wizards. His television and radio soccer play-by-play experience also includes numerous MLS matches for ESPN and Fox Soccer Channel, World Cup Qualifiers, US Open Cup, CONCACAF Gold Cup and Champions Cup. He also worked as a commentator for both XM Satellite Radio and the British Broadcasting Corporation during the 2006 FIFA World Cup.
Conrad is an internationally known soccer star who is also noted for his humorous and unique personality. Conrad's most recent memorable moment with the U.S. National Team was when he scored the game-winning goal against rival Mexico on Feb. 7. In addition to his success on the field, Conrad writes a column for ESPN.com, and is looking forward to expanding on his experience in radio.
"I have been writing for many years, so this is a great opportunity for me to delve into a different medium and build upon my experiences in media," Conrad said. "When I worked with Sean on our radio show last year, it really helped me see how radio works and appreciate that medium. It was much more work than I expected, but it was also very rewarding. I'm looking forward to preparing for these shows and expressing my personality and perspective to a live audience."
The show will rely heavily on the live audience at 810 Zone, where fans will have the chance to participate in question and answer sessions with Conrad and Wheelock. In addition to a variety of guests, the pairing will focus on upcoming games and news from around the League, as well as fun stories about the team and events around Kansas City.
"We're going to keep the atmosphere loose and informal, and people will be able to fire away any questions they like," Conrad said. "810 has done a great job of establishing themselves throughout the Kansas City market. Their exclamation point has been building great restaurants where fans can gather for events like this. Sean's perspective is from the outside looking in, and I'll be able to provide the opposite viewpoint, which will give the show a great balance. We'll do our best to educate people about the players and stars we have on our team and around the country."
The show will begin at 6 p.m. this Wednesday at 810 Zone on the Plaza. On April 18, the show will be replaced by a live radio broadcast of the Wizards Open Cup match at Real Salt Lake. For all other Wednesday games, Wheelock and Conrad will pre-record the show, which will then run at the normal time. Listeners are reminded that the show will be heard on 97.3 FM. Check back with www.kcwizards.com for the latest news regarding the Jimmy Conrad Show.
