Courtesy the Miami Herald

(October 22, 2010) Just days before the start of the season, the Miami Heat remains unsure which radio station will be airing its games. The team has terminated its contract with WINZ-940 AM and alleged in a lawsuit that parent company Clear Channel has breached terms of the deal. But Clear Channel has not told the Heat if it will try to contest the termination in court.

790 The Ticket has interest in acquiring Heat rights and would be a strong candidate if the team changes stations. The Heat was required to give Clear Channel 30 days notice of termination, meaning the earliest it could switch stations is Nov. 5.

Regardless, WINZ will carry the Heat's opener Tuesday in Boston -- as well as Friday's preseason finale against Orlando -- and all games until at least Nov. 4. WINZ also will carry the Heat game's at New Jersey at 1 p.m. Oct. 31, meaning the Dolphins-Bengals game at that time will be switched to WIOD (610).

The Heat claims Clear Channel breached the contract because the Heat has a ``most favored nation'' clause, and that it must offer the Heat anything it gave the Dolphins in a deal signed last spring.

The Dolphins, for example, get a two-hour pregame show, a two-hour show on weekdays, 15 billboards in South Florida before the season and a simulcast of games on WBGG (105.9 FM). The Heat sent Clear Channel a list of 20 perks that are extended to the Dolphins but not the Heat. ``The Miami Heat organization is incredibly disappointed and deeply offended that after all these years as good partners, Clear Channel would show our relationship such little respect and frankly such blatant disregard for the terms of our contract as to enter into a broadcast deal with the Miami Dolphins that would prejudice us to such an extent,'' Heat general counsel Raquel Libman wrote in a September letter to Clear Channel. ``You have breached our agreement and broken our trust.''

Mike Inglis and John Crotty will remain the radio announcers regardless of whether the team changes stations. The Heat and Clear Channel declined to comment.

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