WCBS keeps Yankees broadcasts

The Yankees ended months of speculation Friday by announcing they have extended their expiring radio contract with WCBS-AM (880) through the 2012 season.

The team also said "it is anticipated" that longtime announcers John Sterling and Suzyn Waldman will return to the booth next season.

Although announcers technically work for the station, the Yankees have the right to approve or disapprove those who call their games.

Sterling, who has been in the Yankees' radio booth since 1989, and Waldman, who has worked alongside him since 2005, both have persistent critics among journalists and fans, but the team has remained loyal to them.

Sterling, believed to be 73, has become a voice of the team beyond the games themselves, hosting special events and some shows on YES Network. Waldman, a pioneer among women sports broadcasters, has covered the Yankees in various capacities since 1987 and was a favorite of the late owner George Steinbrenner.

The Yankees said that in addition to the one-year extension, they "retain the option to extend the agreement for another year," and they added in a news release that "the parties intend to continue discussions about a longer-term partnership."

WCBS has carried Yankees games since 2002, when the team left WABC. Both of those stations are clear-channel, 50,000-watt powerhouses. Other stations expressed interest in Yankees games beginning next year, including 1050 ESPN, whose spotty signal, particularly after dark, was a concern for team officials.

The expiring contract with WCBS was believed to pay the Yankees about $13 million per year, far more than most teams command. But the Red Sox's deal with WEEI, signed in 2006, reportedly pays them $20 million per season.