Sports radio (or sports talk radio) is a radio format devoted entirely to discussion and

broadcasting Broadcasting is the distribution of audio or video content to a dispersed audience via any electronic mass communications medium, but typically one using the electromagnetic spectrum (radio waves), in a one-to-many model. Broadcasting began wi ...

of sporting events. A widespread programming

genre Genre () is any form or type of communication in any mode (written, spoken, digital, artistic, etc.) with socially-agreed-upon conventions developed over time. In popular usage, it normally describes a category of literature, music, or other f ...

that has a narrow audience appeal, sports radio is characterized by an often- boisterous on-air style and extensive debate and analysis by both hosts and callers. Many sports talk stations also carry

play-by-play In sports broadcasting, a sports commentator (also known as sports announcer or sportscaster) provides a real-time commentary of a game or event, usually during a live broadcast, traditionally delivered in the historical present tense. Radio was ...

(live commentary) of local sports teams as part of their regular programming. Hosted by

Bill Mazer Bill Mazer (born Morris Mazer; November 2, 1920 – October 23, 2013) was an American television and radio personality. He won numerous awards and citations, including three National Sportscasters and Sportswriters Association's Sportscaster of ...

, the first sports talk radio show in history launched in March 1964 on New York's WNBC (AM). Soon after WNBC launched its program, in 1965

Seton Hall University Seton Hall University (SHU) is a private Catholic research university in South Orange, New Jersey. Founded in 1856 by then-Bishop James Roosevelt Bayley and named after his aunt, Saint Elizabeth Ann Seton, Seton Hall is the oldest diocesa ...

's radio station,

WSOU WSOU (89.5 FM) is a non-commercial, college radio station. The station broadcasts from the campus of Seton Hall University in South Orange, New Jersey. It is a student-run station with university administrator Mark Maben serving as its current ...

, started ''Hall Line'', a call-in sports radio talk show focusing on the team's basketball program. Having celebrated its 50th anniversary on air during the 2015–2016 season, ''Hall Line'', which broadcasts to central and northern New Jersey as well as all five boroughs of New York, is the oldest and longest running sports talk call-in show in the NY-NJ Metropolitan area, and is believed to be the oldest in the nation. Enterprise Radio Network became the first national all-sports network, operating out of Avon, Connecticut, from New Year's Day 1981 through late September of that year before going out of business. ER had two channels, one for talk and a second for updates and play-by-play. ER's talk lineup included current New York Yankees voice John Sterling, New York Mets radio host Ed Coleman and former big-league pitcher Bill Denehy. Emmis Broadcasting's WFAN in New York in 1987 was the first all-sports radio station. The success of the station and its programs, such as '' Mike and the Mad Dog'', caused many to appear around the United States; while only one other radio show besides ''Mike and the Mad Dog'' attended the 1990 Super Bowl, about 100 attended the 2004 Super Bowl's radio row. Sports talk is available in local,

network Network, networking and networked may refer to: Science and technology * Network theory, the study of graphs as a representation of relations between discrete objects * Network science, an academic field that studies complex networks Mathematic ...

and syndicated forms, is available in multiple languages, and is carried in multiple forms on both major North American satellite radio networks. In the United States, most sports talk-formatted radio stations air syndicated programming from ESPN Radio, SportsMap, Sports Byline USA, Fox Sports Radio,

CBS Sports Radio CBS Sports Radio is a sports radio network that debuted with hourly sports news updates on September 4, 2012, and with 24/7 programming on January 2, 2013. CBS Sports Radio is owned by Paramount Global and distributed by Westwood One. Programm ...

, or NBC Sports Radio, while in the

Spanish language Spanish ( or , Castilian) is a Romance language of the Indo-European language family that evolved from colloquial Latin spoken on the Iberian peninsula. Today, it is a global language with more than 500 million native speakers, mainly in the ...

ESPN Deportes Radio ESPN Deportes Radio was an American Spanish language sports radio network created and produced by Disney-owned ESPN. Programming included call-in talk shows and commentary from hosts about a full range of sporting events, including soccer, Ameri ...

is the largest current network. In contrast, Canadian sports talk stations may carry a national brand (such as TSN Radio or Sportsnet Radio) but carry mostly local programming, with American-based shows filling in gaps. Compared to other formats, interactive "talkback" sports radio poses difficulties for Internet radio, since as a live format it is difficult to automate; most prominent sports leagues also place their radio broadcasts behind a paywall or provide their broadcasts directly to the consumer, depriving standalone Internet stations of potential programming. Pre-recorded sports talk programs (usually interview-centered) can be podcasted with relative ease, and sports teams have also launched their own online digital networks with sports talk centered around their own properties. As with most other radio formats, sports radio uses

dayparting In broadcast programming, dayparting is the practice of dividing the broadcast day into several parts, in which a different type of radio programming or television show appropriate for that time period is aired. Television programs are most oft ...

. ESPN Radio, for instance, insisted that its affiliates carry ''

Mike and Mike in the Morning ''Mike & Mike'' (formerly ''Mike and Mike in the Morning'') was an American sports-talk radio show that was hosted by Mike Greenberg and Mike Golic on ESPN networks from 2000–2017. The show aired on ESPN Radio, and was simulcast on televisi ...

'' during morning drive time to provide as much national clearance as possible; in contrast, it carries less prominent programming in the afternoon drive to accommodate local sports talk, as well as in the evening (for its first two decades, rolling score updates aired under the banner of '' GameNight'') to allow stations to break away for local sporting events. Somewhat unusually for radio, the late-night and overnight hosts have more prominence on a sports talk network, due to a near-complete lack of local preemption; Sports Byline USA, for instance, operates exclusively Sports radio stations typically depend on drawing an audience that fits advertiser-friendly key demographics, particularly young men with the disposable income to invest in sports fandom, since the format does not have the broad appeal to reach a

critical mass In nuclear engineering, a critical mass is the smallest amount of fissile material needed for a sustained nuclear chain reaction. The critical mass of a fissionable material depends upon its nuclear properties (specifically, its nuclear fi ...

in the general public. Prominent sports radio stations typically get their greatest listenership from live play-by-play of local major professional sports league or

college sports College athletics encompasses non- professional, collegiate and university-level competitive sports and games. World University Games The first World University Games were held in 1923. There were originally called the ''Union Nationale de ...

franchises; less prominent stations (especially on the AM dial) may not have this option because of poorer (or for daytime-only stations, non-existent) nighttime signals and smaller budgets for rights fees. In the United States, a variant of the sports radio format focusing on sports betting emerged in 2019 (following the 2018 repeal of the Professional and Amateur Sports Protection Act of 1992), which carry talk programs conducted from the perspective of the activity. In August 2019, SportsMap (then SB Nation Radio) and

Vegas Stats & Information Network Vegas Stats & Information Network (VSiN) is an American sports betting radio network and streaming television channel. Founded in 2017 by the family of sportscaster Brent Musburger, VSIN broadcasts from their studios at the South Point Casino on ...

(VSiN) launched the BetR Network with affiliates in Las Vegas and Atlantic City at launch, while Philadelphia's WDAS adopted a betting-centric format later in the month. Broadcaster Audacy began to deploy its BetQL Network to more of its stations in June 2021 (using the on-air brand ''The Bet''), alongside an expansion of their daily schedule. Stations with such formats may still affiliate with a sports radio network to fill the remainder of their schedule, with the aforementioned WDAS otherwise carrying Fox Sports Radio (as well as Philadelphia Union soccer), BetR including programming from co-owner SportsMap on its lineup, and BetQL being often carried alongside CBS Sports Radio on its owned-and-operated stations.

Sports talk stations

Terrestrial

Australia

* RSN Racing & Sport - Melbourne, Victoria *

1116 SEN 1116 SEN (call sign 3AK) is an Australian radio station in Victoria. Owned and operated by Pacific Star Network, it broadcasts a sports radio format from Lower Plenty to Greater Melbourne. First broadcast on 29 November 1931 as 3AK, the stat ...

- Melbourne, Victoria *

91.3 SportFM 91.3 SportFM (ACMA callsign: 6WSM) is an Australian sport-formatted community radio station in Western Australia. Established in 2003, the station broadcasts in the , from studios in Hamilton Hill alongside Radio Fremantle. History The stat ...

Fremantle, Western Australia Fremantle () () is a port city in Western Australia, located at the mouth of the Swan River in the metropolitan area of Perth, the state capital. Fremantle Harbour serves as the port of Perth. The Western Australian vernacular diminutive fo ...

* Sky Sports Radio -

Sydney Sydney ( ) is the capital city of the state of New South Wales, and the most populous city in both Australia and Oceania. Located on Australia's east coast, the metropolis surrounds Sydney Harbour and extends about towards the Blue Mounta ...

* ABC Grandstand - national, via DAB+ digital radio

Brazil

* Rádio Grenal FM - 95.9 MHz -

Porto Alegre Porto Alegre (, , Brazilian ; ) is the capital and largest city of the Brazilian state of Rio Grande do Sul. Its population of 1,488,252 inhabitants (2020) makes it the twelfth most populous city in the country and the center of Brazil's fif ...

, Rio Grande do Sul - Regional sports news and talk radio in Rio Grande do Sul. Its owned by Rede Pampa de Comunicação.

Canada

Nigeria

88.9 Brila FM: Sports Radio 88.9 Brila FM, owned by Brila Broadcasting Services, is Nigeria's first sports radio station and was launched in 2002.

Philippines

DZSR Sports Radio 918 kHz is the first and only sports radio station owned by the Philippine Broadcasting Service.

United States

In 2009, Detroit's "97.1 The Ticket"

WXYT-FM WXYT-FM (97.1 MHz "97-1 The Ticket") is a commercial radio station in Detroit, Michigan, serving Metro Detroit and much of Southeast Michigan. It airs a sports radio format and is owned by Audacy, Inc. Its studios and offices are located i ...

, thanks to the surprising time slot dominance of shows like '' Valenti and Foster'', in addition to holding the play-by-play rights for the Detroit Tigers,

Detroit Red Wings The Detroit Red Wings (colloquially referred to as the Wings) are a professional ice hockey team based in Detroit. The Red Wings compete in the National Hockey League (NHL) as a member of the Atlantic Division in the Eastern Conference, and are ...

Detroit Lions The Detroit Lions are a professional American football team based in Detroit. The Lions compete in the National Football League (NFL) as a member of the National Football Conference (NFC) North Division. The team play their home games at For ...

and the Detroit Pistons, became the United States' only sports talk radio station to be the highest rated station in their market, according to Portable People Meter rankings. The station relocated to the FM dial in October 2007 after existing on the AM dial for seven years prior, replacing a Free FM "hot talk" station, WKRK. This ratings success has led to WXYT-FM billing itself as the country's best sports station. WXYT-FM's recent influence has led to CBS Radio installing sports radio stations on the FM dial in

Dallas Dallas () is the third largest city in Texas and the largest city in the Dallas–Fort Worth metroplex, the fourth-largest metropolitan area in the United States at 7.5 million people. It is the largest city in and seat of Dallas County ...

( 105.3 The Fan),

Boston Boston (), officially the City of Boston, is the state capital and most populous city of the Commonwealth of Massachusetts, as well as the cultural and financial center of the New England region of the United States. It is the 24th- mo ...

(

98.5 The Sports Hub WBZ-FM (98.5 FM) is a commercial sports radio station licensed to Boston, Massachusetts, serving Greater Boston and much of surrounding New England. Owned by the Beasley Broadcast Group, WBZ-FM is the Boston affiliate for Fox Sports Rad ...

Pittsburgh Pittsburgh ( ) is a city in the Commonwealth (U.S. state), Commonwealth of Pennsylvania, United States, and the county seat of Allegheny County, Pennsylvania, Allegheny County. It is the most populous city in both Allegheny County and Wester ...

( 93.7 The Fan),

Washington, DC ) , image_skyline = , image_caption = Clockwise from top left: the Washington Monument and Lincoln Memorial on the National Mall, United States Capitol, Logan Circle, Jefferson Memorial, White House, Adams Morg ...

( 106.7 The Fan),

Baltimore Baltimore ( , locally: or ) is the most populous city in the U.S. state of Maryland, fourth most populous city in the Mid-Atlantic, and the 30th most populous city in the United States with a population of 585,708 in 2020. Baltimore was ...

( 105.7 The Fan) and

Cleveland Cleveland ( ), officially the City of Cleveland, is a city in the United States, U.S. U.S. state, state of Ohio and the county seat of Cuyahoga County, Ohio, Cuyahoga County. Located in the northeastern part of the state, it is situated along ...

( 92.3 The Fan), in addition to simulcasting

Philadelphia Philadelphia, often called Philly, is the largest city in the Commonwealth of Pennsylvania, the sixth-largest city in the U.S., the second-largest city in both the Northeast megalopolis and Mid-Atlantic regions after New York City. Since ...

's heritage 610 WIP onto the former WYSP. Other non-CBS stations have also migrated to the FM dial, most notably Clear Channel's KFAN in

Minneapolis Minneapolis () is the largest city in Minnesota, United States, and the county seat of Hennepin County. The city is abundant in water, with thirteen lakes, wetlands, the Mississippi River, creeks and waterfalls. Minneapolis has its origin ...

, Greater Media's WPEN in

Pennsylvania Pennsylvania (; ( Pennsylvania Dutch: )), officially the Commonwealth of Pennsylvania, is a state spanning the Mid-Atlantic, Northeastern, Appalachian, and Great Lakes regions of the United States. It borders Delaware to its southeast, ...

and Dispatch Media's WBNS-FM in

Columbus Columbus is a Latinized version of the Italian surname "''Colombo''". It most commonly refers to: * Christopher Columbus (1451-1506), the Italian explorer * Columbus, Ohio, capital of the U.S. state of Ohio Columbus may also refer to: Places ...

, just to name a few.

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Satellite

Sirius XM

* Sirius XM 80 - ESPN Radio * Sirius XM 81 - ESPN Xtra * Sirius XM 82 -

Mad Dog Sports Radio Mad, mad, or MAD may refer to: Geography * Mad (village), a village in the Dunajská Streda District of Slovakia * Mád, a village in Hungary * Adolfo Suárez Madrid–Barajas Airport, by IATA airport code * Mad River (disambiguation), several ...

* Sirius XM 83 - Fox Sports Radio * Sirius XM 84 -

ESPNU Radio ESPNU Radio is a channel on Sirius XM Radio, and is mainly the result of a merging of Sirius Sports Central and XM Sports Nation, and a couple programming changes with sister channel Mad Dog Radio. Sirius XM College Sports Nation has a 24-hour a ...

* Sirius XM 86 - Sirius XM NBA Radio * Sirius XM 87 - Sirius XM Fantasy Sports Radio * Sirius XM 88 - Sirius XM NFL Radio * Sirius XM 89 - MLB Network Radio * Sirius XM 90 - Sirius XM NASCAR Radio * Sirius XM 91 - Sirius XM NHL Network Radio * Sirius XM 92 -

Sirius XM PGA Tour Radio SiriusXM PGA Tour Radio (formerly PGA Tour Network) is a satellite radio channel on Sirius XM dedicated to coverage of golf—and in particular, the PGA Tour. The channel carries talk programming related to golf, including analysis, equipment r ...

* Sirius XM 156 - Sirius XM Fight Nation * Sirius XM 157 - Sirius XM FC * Sirius XM 206 -

* Sirius XM 211 - Dan Patrick Radio * Sirius XM 371 - Sirius XM ACC Radio * Sirius XM 372 - Sirius XM Big Ten Radio * Sirius XM 373 - Sirius XM Pac-12 Radio * Sirius XM 374 - Sirius XM SEC Radio * Sirius XM 375 - Sirius XM Big 12 Radio

Internet sports radio

* RIVAL Radio 809 - sports programming all day long, with a little something special at night. * Sports Radio America - home to the next generation of independent sports radio talk show producers from around America. * Victory Lane Radio - racing on Monday nights and Football Frenzy on Wednesday nights. * National Sports Network - The only independent sports play-by-play radio network airing NCAA College Basketball games.

Networks

Canada

* Sportsnet Radio * TSN Radio

United Kingdom

* BBC Radio 5 Live - national public service broadcasting non-commercial network; combination of news/talk/sport format * BBC Radio 5 Live Sports Extra - supplementary station to the above; exclusive live sports format * talkSPORT - national commercial network; features sports talk and live sports coverage

United States

* ESPN Radio * Fox Sports Radio * Fútbol de Primera * Motor Racing Network *

Performance Racing Network The Performance Racing Network (PRN) is a radio syndication network controlled by Speedway Motorsports (SMI) founded in 1981. PRN airs NASCAR Cup Series and Xfinity Series events held at Speedway Motorsports and Penske Corporation-owned and ...

* SportsMap Radio Network * Sports Byline USA * Sports Radio America * TUDN Radio

Defunct networks

* Champions Soccer Radio Network (United States) * Enterprise Radio Network (United States) * KRAE (Cheyenne's

ESPN ESPN (originally an initialism for Entertainment and Sports Programming Network) is an American international basic cable sports channel owned by ESPN Inc., owned jointly by The Walt Disney Company (80%) and Hearst Communications (20%). The ...

sports radio) (USA, Wyoming) - contract ended 2013, now oldies radio2013 Termination info from KRAE wiki article. * NBC Sports Radio * Réseau Sport Radio Network via Digital Radio Oceane (New Caledonia/Wallis & Futuna) *

Sports Fan Radio Network The Sports Fan Radio Network was a national sports talk radio network that existed from 1996 through 2001, when it abruptly folded. History Launch SportsFan Radio Network officially debuted in 1993 with 80 hours of programming per month. Based in ...

(United States) *

(United States) * The Team (Canada) * Bradesco Esportes FM (Brazil) * Macquarie Sports Radio - National, via DAB+ Perth, Sydney 954, Melbourne 1278 & Brisbane 882

Notable syndicated programs

Canada

*''

Don Cherry's Grapeline Don, don or DON and variants may refer to: Places * County Donegal, Ireland, Chapman code DON *Don (river), a river in European Russia * Don River (disambiguation), several other rivers with the name * Don, Benin, a town in Benin * Don, Dang, a ...

'' *'' Prime Time Sports''

United States

*''

2 Live Stews The ''2 Live Stews'' was an American syndicated sports talk radio show originating from WQXI (AM) 790 The Zone, in Atlanta, Georgia hosted by brothers Doug and Ryan Stewart. The hosts and cast Both brothers were born and raised in Moncks Corne ...

'' *'' The Ben Maller Show'' *''

Boomer and Gio ''Boomer and Gio'' (previously ''Boomer and Carton'' from 2007–2017 and ''The Morning Show with Boomer'' in 2017) is a morning drive sports radio program on WFAN-AM and WFAN-FM in New York City. It is hosted by former National Football League ...

'' *''

The Dan Le Batard Show with Stugotz ''The Dan Le Batard Show with Stugotz'' is a syndicated sports talk show hosted by Dan Le Batard and Jon "Stugotz" Weiner broadcast out of Miami. It was also carried on many ESPN Radio Network affiliates nationwide and simulcast nationally on v ...

'' *'' The Dan Patrick Show'' *''

The Doug Gottlieb Show ''The Doug Gottlieb Show'' is an afternoon drivetime sports talk and debate radio show on Fox Sports Radio that airs weekdays 3–6pm ET. The show was formerly on ESPN Radio from 2006-2012. Since debuting on November 13, 2006, the host of the progr ...

'' *'' From the Press Box to Press Row'' *'' The Herd with Colin Cowherd'' *'' J. T. the Brick'' *'' The Jim Rome Show'' *'' The Michael Kay Show'' *''

'' *'' Mike and the Mad Dog'' *''

Mike's On ''Mike's On: Francesa on the FAN'' was a sports radio talk show airing on New York City station WFAN, hosted by Mike Francesa. The show debuted on September 3, 2008, as the successor to Francesa's previous program, ''Mike and the Mad Dog'', which w ...

'' *''

The Ryen Russillo Show ''The Ryen Russillo Show'' was a syndicated sports talk radio show hosted by Ryen Russillo. It was a part of ESPN Radio from 1 pm to 4pm, with all three hours also simulcasted on ESPNews. On April 26, 2017 Danny Kanell was let go by ESPN af ...

'' *'' The Tony Kornheiser Show'' *'' The Toucher and Rich Show''

References

{{DEFAULTSORT:Sports Radio Radio formats

Sports talk stations

Terrestrial

Australia

Brazil

Canada

China

Mexico

New Zealand

Nigeria

Philippines

United States

=K

=W

Satellite

Sirius XM

Internet sports radio

Networks

Canada

United Kingdom

United States

Defunct networks

Notable syndicated programs

Canada

United States

See also

References