Sports radio will have a different sound this season for sports fans in the Ames area.

AM 1430 KASI has been selected by ESPN to be central Iowa’s prime affiliate for its sports programming.

Betty Baudler, general manager of KASI, said the decision to join ESPN was an easy one to make.

“We have been affiliated with them before through the Fabulous Sports Babe program that runs from 10 a.m. to noon on weekdays,” Baudler said. “We like ESPN’s programming, so we pursued them. They looked at us, and we were able to get a deal done.”

KASI, known as Ames’ only choice for news and information, provides information for a wide audience, Baudler said.

“We mainly program for the adult listener,” Baudler said. “News, sports and weather information is what we cover, and with an afternoon newspaper in Ames, we are the main morning source of information.”

Baudler said that KASI is also a Cyclone affiliate for Iowa State football and for both men’s and women’s basketball play-by-play broadcasts.

Cyclone football and men’s basketball games are simulcast on both KASI and Hot 105 KCCQ.

Baudler believes that ESPN’s programming, in conjunction with the Cyclone affiliate programming, will give listeners a wider variety of choices on the radio.

“ESPN ties in beautifully to what we are doing — with our pre-game coverage and play-by-play coverage — and makes it better,” Baudler said.

The addition of ESPN to KASI’s programming meant that some programming would have to be dropped. Baudler said that SportsFan Radio Network programming will be replaced by ESPN programming.

Even with the switch to ESPN, sports fans will be able to get their fix through a variety of shows, Baudler said.

New programs provided by ESPN include: ESPN Gamenight, airing each weeknight from 7 to midnight with Tony Bruno and Chuck Wilson; “Sportsbeat,” hosted by Brent Musberger and airing each weekday afternoon at 4:10 and ESPN’s College Gameday, hosted by Chris Fowler, Kirk Herbstreit and Lee Corso, which airs after each Iowa State football game this fall and provides up-to-the-minute college football news.

KASI will continue its “Sportstalk” program, in which Cyclone fans can call in and discuss Cyclone sports, on Sundays from 10 a.m. to noon and follow it with ESPN’s “NFL Gameday,” with updates and analysis of all the NFL action, hosted by Mike Tirico, Chris Mortensen, Charles Mann and Anthony Munoz.

This venture will change the way in which all sports fans in the Ames area will get their sports information, Baudler said. However, the change is extremely positive.

“This is a better service for our listeners,” Baudler said. “The name ESPN speaks for itself. They have the best sports programming.”