Cherries Chairman is sitting on Top of the Bay

AFC Bournemouth chairman Eddie Mitchell has acquired local radio station The Bay, currently broadcasting on 102.8 FM in the Bournemouth and Poole area.

In an unprecedented move - expanding official Cherries media output over yet another medium - Mitchell expressed his delight at acquiring the station which has become a established fixture on Bournemouth airwaves since it's inception in 2008.

Mitchell said "It's a decision that both myself and my partner feel is a good private acquisition and one that will help AFC Bournemouth in getting their message out to the local community. Bought as an investment, we hope to associate the station with the Cherries and other local sporting events in both Bournemouth and Poole."

"We believe that this a great move and a sign of things to come for AFC Bournemouth and ourselves. We want to connect with the community over as many mediums as possible and I think it will prove an absolutely brilliant way to communicate with our local fanbase.

"Working hand in hand with the club's website, the AFC Bournemouth official media output is expanding and improving all the time, and the acquisition of an FM station will give our less internet savvy fans the chance to tune in and hear everything first.

The station is set to be rebranded as Play Radio and will be officially launched on February 14th. Work is currently underway on the erection of two radio studios in the main stand of the Seward Stadium.

Mitchell summarised, "The existing station broadcasts to an audience of 30,000 a week, but we as the new owners are hoping to increase that by stronger marketing and improved content, which will begin immediately."

Current managing director of the The Bay, Alan Coote - who will maintain his current position as station manager for the handover and immediate future - confirmed the move and expressed his excitement at the project ahead.

He said, "It's an idea I had thought about for quite some time and when Eddie approached me I was instantly impressed by his passion to take the station forward. I've had lots of offers for the station since it started, but this was a proposition I felt could really have an impact on the area. I'm absolutely thrilled that the deal has come to fruition so quickly.

"I'm a big Cherries fan and I've always known that the club linking with a radio station could prove a real success story. Obviously we've got an obligation to our fantastic listeners to continue our current level of output, but I can assure them it will get even better under the new ownership.

"We were granted the last FM frequency in Bournemouth and Poole so there is zero opportunity for a new station in the area. This gives Eddie and AFC Bournemouth the unique opportunity to take over an already established station, and really put some serious effort and financial backing into making it the finest station in the area."