Last night, the NFL crowned the Kansas City Chiefs as their Super Bowl champion. Today, we do the same for the sports radio format by recognizing the best sports radio stations for 2019.
Before scrolling ahead to see who made the list, remember that our Top 20 results are based on the collective votes from forty seven radio pros representing thirty cities and eighteen companies. Yours truly (Jason Barrett) does not vote on the awards, I simply recruit the voters, collect their information, add up the votes, design the images, and present and promote the results.
We asked those participating to consider the criteria below to judge the best in the sports talk format, but keep in mind that each individual knows and values different things and that can have an influence on the final order. That makes this project an imperfect science. Nonetheless, it provides a collective snapshot of who radio folks consider to be the format’s best programmers.
- Strong ratings in 2019
- Great Reputation and influence
- Makes a difference in its local community
- Exceptional talent and content offered on a regular basis
- Points are given for each spot (EX: 20 for 1st, 1 for 20th)
Moving on to the rankings, we have a brand new winner this year. The top spot for 2019 belongs to 93.7 The Fan in Pittsburgh. 101 ESPN in St. Louis won this category each of the past 2 years. The Fan finished 2nd in 2018, and 4th in 2017. Rounding out this year’s Top 5 were 92.3 The Fan, WWLS 98.1 The Sports Animal, 101 ESPN, and 104.5 The Zone.
We congratulate Jim Graci and the staff at 93.7 The Fan on their well deserved honor, and now bring to you the full results of BSM’s Top 20 Mid Market Sports Stations of 2019.
Additional Notes:
- 93.7 The Fan received the most 1st place votes (4), en route to a 22 point win over 92.3 The Fan.
- The closest finishes were for 3-4 and 7-8. WWLS and WFNZ edged 101 ESPN and WGR 550 by just 1 point.
- 21-25 belonged to 102.5 The Game, KHTK 1140, 97.5/1280 The Zone, ESPN 680 and Sports Radio WNML.
- 12 of the 48 stations eligible received at least one (1) 1st place vote.
Here is the remaining schedule for the BSM Top 20 of 2019.
- Tuesday February 4 = The 2019 Top 20 Original Sports Podcasts
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.
