The winter book was a strong quarter for many small and mid-market sports radio stations. Oklahoma City’s WWLS The Sports Animal, 107.5/1070 The Fan in Indianapolis and ESPN 94.1 in Virginia Beach were able to continue entertaining listeners even as they entered a quiet time in the sports world.
In OKC, The Sports Animal garnered an impressive winter book. Last winter, their weekday lineup finished no worse than fourth place in the target demo of men 25-54, but this year, each show finished either first or second. In weekday prime, (M-F 6a – 7p) OKC’s The Sports Animal took the market’s top spot with a 9.8 share, earning the same rating for their full weekday lineup (M-F 5a – 8p), a nearly 50% jump year-over-year.
The Morning Animals set the tone for WWLS, finishing first with an 11.8 share from 5a – 9a, a big jump from their 8.7 performance in 2019. Both midday shows finished second for the station, but they also enjoyed significant gains year-over-year. From 9a – noon, Craig Humphreys was up from 2019 by almost 3 points, earning a 9.3 share, while Monsters of the Middays did a 9.2 from 11a – 2p.
In afternoon drive, Jim Traber finished first for his fourth straight book with a 9.5 from 2 – 6p, a more than four point increase year-over-year. Al Eschbach also finished first with an impressive 10.1 share. Eschbach joins Traber daily from 4 – 6p, and then hosts two solo hours until 8p.
Virginia Beach’s ESPN affiliate, WVSP 94.1 did a 5.6 in weekday prime for their target demo. Nick Cattles also generated a 5.6 share in afternoon drive (3 – 6p).
From 6a – 3p WVSP simulcasts ESPN Radio’s nationally syndicated shows. Golic & Wingo was the strongest performing weekday show on ESPN 94.1 with a 7.1 share in morning drive. From 10a – 3p The Dan Le Batard Show,followed by First Take, Your Take with Jason Fitz combined for a 5.1.
Indianapolis’ 107.5/1070 The Fan continued to turn in strong numbers during the winter book, finishing third with an 8.5 share in weekday prime. Their morning show with Jeff Rickard and Joe Staysniak did a 9.8, good for third place in the market.
From noon – 3p, the Fan’s midday show hosted by Dan Dakich finished fourth with a 7.5 share, up by more than a point year-over-year. The Fan’s strongest weekday lineup performance was in afternoon drive as The Ride with JMV (John Michael Vincent) garnered a 9.1, seven-tenths of a point behind WFBQ which finished first in the market.
Brandon Contes is a former reporter for BSM, now working for Awful Announcing. You can find him on Twitter @BrandonContes or reach him by email at Brandon.Contes@gmail.com.
