After three straight days of featuring local hosts and shows, we take a detour to recognize those who perform on the national level. The majority of these personalities have assembled huge loyal followings and are tasked each day with presenting content which appeals to audiences on hundreds of radio stations. They receive a lot of attention due to their show’s extended radio reach and some even add to it with the addition of a television simulcast.
Over the past two years this award has gone to Colin Cowherd of FOX Sports Radio. Colin has been one of FOX Sports’ best additions, and although he remains popular and registered a strong showing on this year’s list, his seat atop the national sports radio mountain has been claimed by a colleague.
For the first time in three years, the titleholder of the top National Sports Radio Show for 2017 is The Dan Patrick Show. Congrats to DP and the Dannettes on the well deserved recognition.
If you’re unfamiliar with how the voting for this process works, here are the details. We involve a large number of radio industry executives from multiple companies and different cities and task them with picking their top 20 programs using the criteria below. BSM does not vote in this process. We simply add up the votes, design the graphics, and present a collective snapshot for people inside and outside of the industry to gain a better understanding of how sports radio’s top decision makers view the format’s best national programs.
- Strong ratings and reach
- Quality content delivered on a consistent basis
- An established track record of success in the sports format
- Spent more than six months hosting a National sports radio show
- Points are given for each ranking (EX: 20 points for 1st place, 1 point for 20th place)
Be advised that national radio shows like Wingo and Golic, The Stephen A. Smith Show, and Taz and the Moose were not on the air nationwide for six months in 2017. As a result, they didn’t qualify. Should they remain in tact for six months in 2018 and perform well, they would be eligible for consideration by our executive panel. On the other hand, shows like Mike and Mike, The Ryen Russillo Show and Gio and Jones which are no longer on the air, DID qualify because they aired for more than six months in 2017 on a national network.
Remember that these results reflect the group’s collective opinions. This means they are subjective. However, most would agree that each of these programs have earned the industry’s respect, and are known for delivering excellent on-air content on a regular basis.
We extend our congratulations to every host and network that appears on this year’s list, and now proudly present “BSM’s Top 20 National Sports Radio Shows of 2017”!
Additional Notes:
- The Dan Patrick Show finished ahead of Colin Cowherd by 5 points
- Colin Cowherd earned the most 1st place votes (15); Dan Patrick had the second most (10)
- The closest race was for 13th where Damon Amendolara nipped The Morning Men by 3 points
- Scott Ferrall finished in 21st place, 13 points behind Gio & Jones
- 22-25 belonged to Chris Mannix, Jalen & Jacoby, Bucher & Zaloumis and Bomani Jones
- This is Barstool Radio and Freddie & Fitzsimmons‘ first appearance on the list
- 46 national shows were eligible for consideration, 8 received at least one (1) 1st place vote
Jason Barrett is the President and Founder of Barrett Media since the company was created in September 2015. Prior to its arrival, JB served as a sports radio programmer, launching brands such as 95.7 The Game in San Francisco, and 101 ESPN in St. Louis. He also spent time programming SportsTalk 950 in Philadelphia, 590 The Fan KFNS in St. Louis, and ESPN 1340/1390 in Poughkeepsie, NY. Jason also worked on-air and behind the scenes in local radio at 101.5 WPDH, WTBQ 1110AM, and WPYX 106.5. He also spent two years on the national stage, producing radio shows for ESPN Radio in Bristol, CT. Among them included the Dan Patrick Show, and GameNight.
You can find JB on Twitter @SportsRadioPD. He’s also reachable by email at Jason@BarrettMedia.com.
Adam Schein at 18 is a joke. He is way better than Dan Patrick. Sorry.
Ben Maller show is soooo much better than all of these!!!
If this was a 2015 list, you’d be right. But Dan Patrick’s show has really fallen in the last 2 years. I listened everyday for 12 years, but Paulie has made it so negative I had to stop listening. On the other hand, Dan Le Batard has taken off to a level not seen in sports radio in the United States. Easily one of the best radio shows in America right now