Unable to reach an agreement with its flagship radio station of the past 27 years, the Durham Bulls announced today that their games will be broadcast this year by 1410 WJRD-AM, a gospel music station in Durham that also carries N.C. Central football and men's basketball.

The Bulls also announced that 99.9 FM The Fan, which like the minor-league baseball team is owned by Capitol Broadcasting, will simulcast games on Fridays, Saturdays and Sundays this coming season. The FM station switched from country music to sports Oct. 10, picking up hockey's Carolina Hurricanes to complement its lineup of local sports radio and the Sporting News Radio Network. The Fan is the Bulls' first FM partner since 1980, the team said.

"This is a big step for us to get nearly half of our schedule on the FM dial," Bulls general manager Mike Birling said in a statement released by the team.

The Bulls, the Tampa Bay Devil Rays' Triple-A affiliate, ended their relationship with 620 AM The Bull.

"Admittedly, this is the end of an era for us," Birling said, "... It's unfortunate we couldn't come to an agreement, but it has been a great partnership and I thank them for all the years we worked together."

The Bulls' relationship with 620 AM actually dates to 1947.