Our 9th annual BSM Top 20 series continues with the Top 20 Mid Market Sports Radio Morning Shows of 2023. As you review the selections, please remember that the results represent the collective opinions of fifty eight (58) industry executives. I’d like to thank Alex Reynolds and Stephanie Eads for helping with the Top 20 creative process. A special thank you to Steve Stone Voiceovers for being our exclusive sponsor of the Top 20 series. If you’re unfamiliar with Steve’s work, make sure to click here.
As it pertains to the voting, here are a few key things to be aware of.
– These results are based on 2023’s performance. 2024 changes have no effect on the voting. Given that some shows went through changes, we promoted them based on how they ended, not how they started. An example of this is The Opening Drive on 101 ESPN which included Carey Davis in 2023. Davis has since moved to afternoons while Dan McLaughlin has joined the morning show.
– Our executive panel consists of fifty eight (58) 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 a number of independently owned and operated radio stations. We involve a large group in this process in order to include feedback from all parts of the country, as well as to prevent the results from heavily favoring one company.
– A total of 30 shows were eligible for voting consideration in the Major Market Morning Shows category.
– Voters are asked to consider a bunch of factors when making their selections. Among the criteria taken into account included the ear test, originality, ability to entertain, multi-platform impact, on-air chemistry, and ratings success. Keep in mind that voters live in different cities, work for different companies, have different tastes, and value certain factors higher than others. This is not a perfect science, but it’s the best system we’ve come up with to showcase how sports radio’s brain trust view the best in the format.
And that brings us to the rankings for this year’s Mid Market Morning Shows. For the second year in a row, Greg McElroy and Cole Cubelic have claimed the top spot for WJOX 94.5 in Birmingham. The Birmingham duo finished ahead of 92.3 The Fan’s Ken Carman and Anthony Lima. We congratulate Greg, Cole, PD Ryan Haney and the WJOX team on the well deserved recognition, as well as every other morning show which gained a Top 20 spot.
Now, here are the full results of “BSM’s Top 20 Mid Market Morning Shows of 2023!”
Additional Notes:
- McElroy & Cubelic won this category by twenty (20) votes. They tied with The Mac Attack and Ken Carman and Anthony Lima for the most first place votes with five (5).
- 21-25 belonged to E & RB, Wake Up Call w/ Kevin Bowen and Andy Sweeney, Bill & Rookie, The Early Game, and DJ and PK.
- The closest contests saw Morning Juice and The Drill slip by Dirt and Sprague and Carmichael Dave w/ Jason Ross by two (2) points.
- Of the forty eight (48) shows eligible for voting, eleven (11) earned at least one 1st place vote.
Here is the remaining schedule for the BSM Top 20 of 2023.
- Wednesday February 7 = The Top 20 Major/Mid Market Sports Radio Midday Shows of 2023
- Thursday February 8 = The Top 20 Major/Mid Market Sports Radio Afternoon Shows of 2023
- Friday February 9 = The Top 20 Major/Mid Market Sports Radio Program Directors of 2023
- Monday February 12 = The Top 20 Major/Mid Market Sports Radio Stations of 2023
To view prior years of BSM’s Top 20 results, click here.
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.
