The Dallas sports radio scene has been strong for years thanks to a healthy competition between The Ticket, Sports Radio 1310/96.7, and 105.3 The Fan. The two stations have collectively delivered some of the best results in the sports format, and in the spring book, a similar story existed.
The big winner for the quarter was Sports Radio 1310/96.7 The Ticket. The Cumulus owned brand finished 1st in the market with Men 25-54 with a 13.5 share. 105.3 The Fan finished strong too, taking 3rd place with a 5.1 share.
In mornings, The Musers featuring George Dunham, Craig Miller, and Gordon Keith led The Ticket to another 1st place finish. The popular trio registered the best performance of the quarter among all shows with a 15.3 share. 105.3 The Fan’s Shan and RJ ranked 10th with a 3.4 share.
Middays from 10a-3p saw The Ticket solidify another 1st place finish. The combination of Norm & Donovan with Norm Hitzges and Donovan Lewis, and The Hang Zone with Dan McDowell and Jake Kemp produced an 11.7 share for the book. This was Hitzges’ final full book. The Dallas radio legend signed off after 48 years on the air in late June.
Meanwhile for 105.3 The Fan in middays, the story was also positive. The K&C Masterpiece with Cory Mageors, Kevin Hageland, and Mike Bacsik ranked 2nd for the quarter. They also turned in The Fan’s best share this book, generating a 6.1.
The situation was similar in in afternoon drive. The Ticket claimed 1st place, with a 13.4 share from 3p-7p courtesy of The Hardline with Corby Davidson, Bob Sturm, and Dave Lane. The Fan’s GBag Nation featuring Gavin Dawson, Bryan Broaddus, Lucious Alexander, Eric Chiofalo, and Zak Wolchuck ranked 2nd with a 5.5 share. One difference between the two shows, The Fan’s afternoon show starts an hour earlier, running 2p-7p.
If you’re at The Ticket, you’ve got to be pleased with the latest results. The station ranked 1st in every category, and delivered double digit shares across the board. The Musers and Hardline were especially dominant in their timeslots. With Norm leaving, the questions become ‘who steps in next, and how does the audience respond?’ If the past is any indication when The Ticket has made changes, everything will be just fine.
For The Fan, aside from wanting to unseat the competitor and raise the overall shares across all shows, there’s not much to complain about. Two 2nd place finishes, and one 3rd place result is strong. If there’s an area to focus on it’s getting mornings up. They’ve shown many times before they can compete at a higher level.
Overall, two sports talk brands in a top 5 market are producing a combined 18-20 share each time they hit the airwaves. I’d say that’s a sign of success, and an opportunity for advertisers to take advantage of.
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.
