Last week we released the results of BSM’s Top 20 National Shows, and Major & Mid Market Morning, Midday, Afternoon Shows, and Program Directors. If you didn’t check out all of the lists, click here to get caught up. For today, as we’ve traditionally done the day after the Super Bowl, we’re revealing the industry’s top Sports Radio Stations for 2021.
As you look over the list, please remember that the lists represent the collective opinions of 46 industry executives. Yours truly does not vote. I’d like to thank Stephanie Eads, Dylan Barrett and Demetri Ravanos for helping me with the Top 20 process, and Point to Point Marketing for being our exclusive sponsor for this year’s Top 20. Tim Bronsil and his staff are a valued resource to many across the media industry, and if you’re not familiar with their work, you need to make time to learn more. That can be done by clicking here.
As it pertains to the voting, here are a few key things.
#1 – These results are based on 2021’s performance. 2022 changes have no impact on the outcome. As long as the station existed in the format thru the end of the year, it was eligible for voting consideration.
#2 – Our executive panel consists of program directors and corporate executives from a number of top broadcasting companies including Audacy, iHeart, Cumulus, Beasley, Hubbard, Good Karma Brands, ESPN Radio, FOX Sports Radio, SiriusXM, Spotify, and independently owned and operated radio stations. We involve a large number of people to keep the feedback spread out across the country, and to avoid the results heavily favoring one company.
#3 – A total of 57 sports radio stations were eligible for voting consideration in the Mid Market Sports Radio Stations category.
#4 – Our executive panel picked the Top 20 sports stations using a few factors; ratings success, strength of lineup/talent, creative ideas, multi-platform excellence, local market impact, and brand relevance and respect. It’s important to remember that our voters live in different cities, have different tastes and experiences, and work for different companies, so certain things may be given more or less merit depending on who’s casting a vote. This isn’t a perfect science, but it’s the best system we can think of to showcase sports radio’s best.
And that brings us to the rankings for this year’s Mid Market Sports Radio Stations of 2021. The best in the category according to our executive panel was 92.3 The Fan. Despite picking up a number of individual awards over the years, this is the Cleveland sports station’s first category win. 93.7 The Fan in Pittsburgh and 101 ESPN in St. Louis have won the award twice, and 104.5 The Zone in Nashville has won the award once. BSM congratulates Tom Herschel, Andy Roth, and their entire staff on being recognized as the king of the mid markets, as well as all of the other stations who earned a spot on this year’s list.
Now, here are the full results of “BSM’s Top 20 Mid Market Sports Radio Stations of 2021!”
Additional Notes:
- 92.3 The Fan finished twenty eight (28) points in front of runner up 92.9 ESPN. Neither station though had the most first place votes. That belonged to 97.1 The Fan in Columbus. 92.3 The Fan though recorded the most Top 5 votes, which put the brand in a strong position to prevail.
- Spots 21-25 belonged to 1250 The Fan in Milwaukee, 99.9 The Fan in Raleigh, 107.5 The Fan in Green Bay, Sports Radio WNML in Knoxville, and KHTK in Sacramento.
- The tightest races saw 97.1 The Fan slide by 93.7 The Fan by three (3) points, and 104.5 ESPN, 102.5 The Game, and 1080 The Fan separated by two (2) points each for spots 18-20.
- Of the 57 sports stations eligible for voting consideration, ten (10) received at least one (1) 1st place vote.
Here is the remaining schedule for the BSM Top 20 of 2020.
- Tuesday February 15 = The BSM Top 20 Original Sports Podcasts/Specialty Selections of 2021
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.
