WFAN ended the year the way it started. On top in the ratings. New York’s leading sports station enjoyed wins across all dayparts as well as year-over-year growth in multiple dayparts according to the latest Nielsen Audio numbers.
Starting in mornings from 6a-10a, Boomer and Gio finished 1st for the quarter with a 12.1 share with Men 25-54. Their performance was best on the station for the book. The morning show was also up from an 11.2 in the summer book. Perhaps their best story was their year-over-year improvement. Gregg and Boomer gained 2.4 points from 2022 to 2023.
Turning to middays, Brandon Tierney and Sal Licata delivered a 3rd place finish with a 7.6 share for the quarter. BT & Sal were up from a 6.7 in the summer, and a 6.4 year-over-year. Over the past twelve months the show has improved its ratings by 15%.
The Fan also grabbed a 3rd place finish in afternoons thanks to Evan Roberts and Tiki Barber. Evan & Tiki captured a 6.8 share with Men 25-54 for the quarter, up six tenths from the summer book. However, the year-over-year number was down nine tenths from a 7.7. The timeslot was previously occupied by Craig Carton and Evan Roberts in 2022.
For 98.7 ESPN New York, the quarter produced mixed results.
Beginning with morning drive, DiPietro & Rothenberg claimed 8th place for the quarter with a 4.6 share. Rick and Dave turned in the station’s best ratings performance for the book. They held the same ranking in the summer book but improved their share by seven tenths of a point. Year-over-Year the duo improved the timeslot, which was previously shared with ESPN Radio’s Keyshawn, JWill and Max by 2.1 points.
In middays, ESPN New York came in 12th with a 3.1 share. The midday slot currently features Mike Greenberg’s national show and Bart Scott & Alan Hahn. The good news was an improved share and ranking from the summer book as the station gained two spots, and nine tenths of a point. Year-over-Year the timeslot was up two positions, and seven tenths of a point.
Afternoons saw The Michael Kay Show finish 12th for the quarter with a 3.6 during the hours of 3p-6:30p. The show produced the same share and ranking as it did during the summer. Where things improved most was year-over-year. Kay’s show improved by seven tenths of a point, adding two positions in the process.
With the Yankees and Mets not making the playoffs, and the Jets and Giants having bad seasons, both local brands relied on local sports talk to drive numbers, and the results were excellent. However, they didn’t gain a ton from increased play-by-play listening. Should the local teams start winning, and driving additional interest, there’s room for even higher growth on both stations. That’ll make it a fun watch in 2024.
“Ratings reports and analysis are written by BSM and sponsored by Crowd React Media, a division of Harker Bos Group. Learn more about the different ways sports media research can benefit your station and cut through the noise by clicking here.
