After more than a decade away from Milwaukee’s heritage news station, Badger football is officially heading back to Newsradio 620 WTMJ under a new multi-year, multi-sport agreement with the University of Wisconsin and Good Karma Brands. The deal, announced July 23, kicks in with the upcoming fall season, lining up with Wisconsin’s Sept. 6, 2026 opener at Lambeau Field against Notre Dame.
As reported by WTMJ, the pact makes the station the Milwaukee home for Badger sports coverage, including football, men’s basketball and women’s volleyball. Football and men’s basketball broadcasts will also run on FM 94.5 (ESPN Milwaukee), and additional events will be available via the ESPN Milwaukee app, the WTMJ app and Learfield’s Varsity Network app, according to the station.
“We're thrilled to partner with the University of Wisconsin‑Madison and Badger Sports Properties to welcome the Badgers back to WTMJ and to ESPN Milwaukee,” Greg Scalzo, Good Karma Brands' Milwaukee market manager, said in the announcement. The station also confirmed that Matt Lepay, the long-time "Voice of the Badgers," will serve as lead broadcaster for football and men’s basketball, with Jon Arias calling women’s basketball and volleyball and Brian Posick handling men’s hockey, WTMJ reported.
How This Fits Into Recent Rights Deals
UW Athletics and Badger Sports Properties awarded radio broadcast rights to both iHeartMedia and Good Karma Brands in 2024 as part of a broader plan to expand coverage across radio and digital platforms. That May 2024 award initially highlighted Good Karma Brands’ role with women’s volleyball, and the new WTMJ agreement builds on that presence in the Milwaukee market, according to UW Athletics.
What Fans Should Know
For Milwaukee listeners, Badger games will be back on a familiar spot on the dial, with broadcasts on AM 620 and FM 94.5, along with live streaming options through station apps and platforms tied to Learfield and ESPN. WTMJ had previously served as a Milwaukee home for Badger broadcasts before 2014 and has carried women’s volleyball since 2024, the station notes, so this latest move feels less like a new chapter and more like a high-profile return.
Lepay's Continuity Matters
Matt Lepay’s role as lead broadcaster gives fans a sense of continuity as the coverage shifts platforms. A member of the UW Athletics Hall of Fame, he has been closely tied to Badgers radio coverage for decades. His long career on the mic, outlined in his Hall of Fame profile, helps explain why his presence carries weight for both listeners and sponsors; see the Wisconsin Broadcasters Hall of Fame for more background.
