Fightin Phils Announce Broadcast Team and Expanded WEEU Coverage for 2026

(Reading, PA) - The Reading Fightin Phils, Double-A affiliate of the Philadelphia Phillies, are excited to announce that Jake Starr and Cory Sparks will form the 2026 broadcast team, with all 69 home games again broadcasting on 830WEEU.com.

This will be the second season that R-Phils games will be broadcasted on 830 AM WEEU's "The Voice of Berks and Beyond" website. In addition to each game broadcast, WEEU's dedicated Fightin Phils stream will also include 24/7 Fightin Phils coverage all-season long. Even when the R-Phils are not on the field, fans can tune in for exclusive Fightin Phils content.

On home game days, each contest throughout the upcoming season will be heard live on 830WEEU.com. Coverage will begin 15 minutes prior to first pitch with the Fightin Phils pre-game show and will conclude with post-game coverage following the final out. After having a long-time partnership with WEEU, the Fightin Phils and Reading's hometown station are looking forward to continuing to grow the relationship.

Fightin Phils broadcaster Jake Starr will lead the on-air coverage in 2026 as he returns for his fourth season. Joining Starr in the booth is Cory Sparks, who will be making his Reading debut this year. They can both be heard calling the action on WEEU's website all season long.

Starr will serve as the Lead Broadcaster for the Reading Fightin Phils in 2026, his fourth season with the organization, while continuing his role as Director of Public Relations and Media Relations. Starr has become a key voice of the club, providing play-by-play for Fightin Phils games on WEEU and MiLB TV while also engineering and producing broadcasts and managing the technical aspects of radio and streaming coverage. He regularly conducts interviews with players and coaches, helping connect fans with the team throughout the season. Off the air, Starr oversees the club’s media relations and communications efforts, managing game notes, statistics distribution, press releases, interview requests, and postgame press conferences while serving as the primary liaison between the Fightin Phils, media outlets, and the public. In addition to his work in Reading, Starr also contributes as a broadcaster for Villanova University and West Chester University across multiple sports and platforms, including ESPN+ and FloSports. A Penn State graduate, Starr previously worked in summer collegiate baseball with the Saugerties Stallions and Cotuit Kettleers.

Sparks will join the Fightin Phils broadcast team in 2026, providing on-air commentary alongside lead broadcaster Jake Starr while also contributing engaging digital content across the club’s social media platforms throughout the season. Sparks brings a strong background in play-by-play broadcasting, digital media, and sports storytelling. He recently served as an on-air host and play-by-play broadcaster for 1430 ESPN Beaver Dam/100.5 ESPN Madison, where he hosts and produces The Dam Sports Show, calls live games, and creates digital and social media content for the station. Sparks has also worked as a TV play-by-play broadcaster for the University of Wisconsin–Green Bay, calling NCAA Division I soccer, volleyball, and basketball on ESPN+, while coordinating with production crews and coaching staffs. Previously, he called baseball and basketball games for Madison College and served as a broadcaster and media relations contributor for the Kenosha Kingfish of the Northwoods League. Sparks is also the founder of Minor League Minute, a digital platform covering Minor League Baseball that has grown to more than 1,300 subscribers and over 1.5 million views. A graduate of the University of Wisconsin–Oshkosh, Sparks earned a degree in Radio-TV-Film with a minor in Multimedia Journalism.

"We're absolutely thrilled to continue to grow our partnership with WEEU and thank them for the opportunity to broadcast our games on their site this season," said Jake Starr. "We could not have done this without the help of John Treese and everyone at WEEU. With their assistance, we can not wait to provide Fightin Phils with another outlet to listen to games this season. I'm also thrilled to welcome Cory Sparks to our broadcast team and am excited to see the contributions and content he contributes to Baseballtown this season."

WEEU is the only locally-owned and operated radio station in the city of Reading. The station is also the oldest continually operated radio stations with its original call letters in Reading. WEEU broadcasts high school football and basketball, provides a full schedule of daily local programming, and also carries Phillies, Eagles, Sixers and Penn State football and basketball games. Treese Media Group purchased WEEU in 2024 and continues to grow the station to new heights in such a brief time.

"We at WEEU are thrilled to offer free audio streaming of Reading Fightin Phils games," said John Treese, owner of Treese Media Group. "This is a natural next step in our incredible partnership with the Fightins, bringing fans even closer to the action. The R-Phils organization is a fantastic team to work with, and we’re proud to collaborate with such a beloved Berks County institution to make every game more accessible to our listeners."

For fans looking for more information on Fightin Phils broadcasts in 2026 and to listen can head HERE. Starr and Sparks will broadcast the first R-Phils game of 2026 on WEEU on Tuesday, March 31 at 5 p.m. when the Fightin Phils welcome the High-A Jersey Shore BlueClaws for a pre-season exhibition game. Opening night is set for Tuesday, April 7, at 6:45 p.m. against the Hartford Yard Goats. Fans can listen to those games, and every home game in 2026, on 830WEEU.com.

The Fightin Phils return to FirstEnergy Stadium to open the 2026 season on Tuesday, April 7 at 6:45 p.m., against the Hartford Yard Goats, Double-A affiliate of the Colorado Rockies. Single-game tickets are now on sale and can be purchased at rphils.com/tickets, by calling 610-370-BALL or in-person at the Customer's Bank Ticket Office.

The 2026 R-Phils season is presented by Pepsi. Follow the Fightin Phils on Twitter @ReadingFightins, like us on Facebook, or follow us on Instagram @Fightins.