SPB's High School Football

About two years ago, I apparently wrote a column on how Clear Channel Radio’s move of ‘The Coach’ George DeMaio’s Friday Night Football Extravaganza show from its home station WELI to sister station WAVZ was going to be the death knell for the long-running local program.

I say “apparently” because I don’t remember writing the column. But it was read to me verbatim by The Coach on the phone. “It says right here: With this move from WELI to WAVZ, the high school football show will ultimately fade away.”

There was a giddy tone to George’s voice this time around. He was calling to tell me that, ultimately, I was wrong.

He was calling to announce that his weekly Extravaganza is back on WELI after a two year stint on the sports station WAVZ (which is now known as ESPNRadio1300.)

“I’m very happy with the decision and I think it’s going to be our best year ever,” DeMaio said.

The program is back on WELI because it ran into too many conflicts at WAVZ, said DeMaio, who is now in his 18th season covering high school football. It was being preempted by the station’s New York Yankees broadcast coverage that would muscle out his Friday night broadcasts in September and October as the Yanks made another drive to the World Series. The Extravaganza was bumped to the web.

And even when it was on the air, 1300 was hard to pick up beyond the Greater New Haven area. It’s 1,000 megawatt signal paled in comparison to WELI’s 5,000. When the signal powers down at night, it became even tougher.

“People still want to listen on the radio,” DeMaio said. “And now we should get more listeners.”

DeMaio also said his hockey coverage will be moving to WELI as well. He broadcast over 30 hockey games last year, including all three championship games.

So this is good news for all New Haven area fans, coaches and players looking for scores on the ride home. DeMaio typically broadcasts about 40 scores a night.

And for those who still can’t pick up the night signal of WELI, DeMaio said you can also catch the internet broadcasts over your smartphones.

So, a hearty welcome back to The Coach. He’ll be joined by a slew of correspondents, who will be giving live updates over the air and, for nights that Shelton is on the road, he will again team up with longtime partner and current Shelton PA announcer Nick Aprea. DeMaio’s first broadcasts are Hillhouse-North Haven on Thursday, Sept. 16, and Cross at Shelton on Friday, Sept. 17. He’ll also do all the title games at Rentschler Field.

Awesome news, George. Can’t wait for that Thanksgiving show.