Westwood One has worked with Amazon and development partner XAPPmedia to offer Alexa and Westwood One consumers access to Westwood One Sports’ exclusive live audio coverage and post-game recaps of the 2018 NCAA Division I Men’s Basketball Championship. Fans will be able to hear complete play-by-play action from all 67 men’s basketball games, including the First Four, from all eight first-round and second-round sites, the regional semifinals and finals, plus the Final Four and National Championship game. In addition, Alexa customers will also be able to hear Westwood One’s coverage of the Division II Men’s Basketball Championship, the NIT semifinals and final from Madison Square Garden, and the regional finals, Final Four, and National Championship Game from the Division I Women’s Basketball Tournament.
Customers can enable the Westwood One Sports Alexa skill to listen to a live stream of a game of their choice or tune into the exclusive March Madness Mix Channel. They can also ask Alexa for a specific game or score and Alexa will answer, then ask if they’d like to be connected to the Westwood One skill.
“It was our collective vision to create a seamless experience for our passionate listeners. Directly enabling the Westwood One skill and asking for a game or score takes our live audio broadcast and Alexa to a new level,” said Suzanne Grimes, EVP, Corporate Marketing, Cumulus Media and President, Westwood One. “March Madness is a huge cultural event, and we are proud to offer our unrivaled college basketball coverage on the exciting Alexa platform. Westwood One Sports is a legendary brand on the radio and now it is cutting the edge with an unparalleled interactive sports broadcast experience on a smart speaker.”
