The Borderland Thunder may be back on the radio airwaves before Christmas.
Couchiching First Nation Chief Chuck McPherson said yesterday that the band, which owns the team, is trying to set up a community radio system which could be used to broadcast Thunder games.
“We’ve talked about doing this for a year or so,” said Chief McPherson. “The idea was to give our high school students in Couchiching First Nation something to do, and they could help in programming and playing the music.
“The Thunder idea came up when other avenues [to broadcast their games] dissipated.”
Chief McPherson said one of the alternatives being discussed was a deal with KGHS radio station in International Falls.
“We don’t think we’ll be able to do something with that because of the exchange rate,” he noted. “The value of our dollar makes it impossible.”
Couchiching First Nation still must undergo an application process through the Canadian Radio-television and Telecommunications Commission (CRTC) to acquire a broadcasting licence.
Chief McPherson said he hoped to have approval within the next six weeks, or at worst expected a decision “well before Christmas.”
CFOB—now known as B-93—broadcast about half of the Thunder’s regular-season games last year, but didn’t continue into the playoffs for unspecified reasons.
In related news, there’s been no definitive word yet on whether B-93 will continued its longstanding tradition of broadcasting Muskie hockey games this coming season.
