The 9th annual BSM Top 20 series rolls on with our next category, the Top 20 Major Market Sports Radio Midday Shows of 2023. If you missed this year’s morning shows and national shows results, click here to get caught up.
As you review these 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, be sure to click here to listen.
Regarding the voting, here are the key things to be aware of.
– These results are based on 2023’s performance. 2024 changes have no effect on the voting. Some shows went through change in 2023. We promote them based on how they ended the year, not how they started it. An example of this is WFAN’s midday show which started with Tiki and Tierney and ended with BT and Sal.
– 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 40 shows were eligible for voting consideration in the Major Market Midday 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 Major Market Midday Shows. Once again, the winner is Zolak and Bertrand of 98.5 The Sports Hub. The Boston tandem have now won this award four times including each of the past three years. WFAN’s Brandon Tierney and Sal Licata finished second in their first year together as a show. We congratulate Marc, Scott, Hardy, and all involved with 98.5 on the well deserved recognition, as well as all the other midday shows which earned a Top 20 spot.
Now, here are the full results of “BSM’s Top 20 Major Market Midday Shows of 2023!”
Additional Notes:
- Zolak and Bertrand finished first with a sixty three (63) point advantage over WFAN’s BT & Sal. Both shows though were tied for the most first place votes with eight (8).
- 21-25 belonged to The Sweet Spot, Bart and Hahn, In The Loop, Josh and Stokley and Matt Thomas.
- The closest contests saw BMitch and Finlay slide by Steiny and Guru by one (1) point. Mason and Ireland were only two (2) points in front of Bernstein and Holmes.
- Of the 40 eligible shows, ten (10) received at least one 1st place vote.
Here is the remaining schedule for the BSM Top 20 of 2023.
- Wednesday February 7 = Top 20 Local Major/Mid Market Sports Radio Midday Shows of 2023
- Thursday February 8 = Top 20 Local Major/Mid Market Sports Radio Afternoon Shows of 2023
- Friday February 9 = Top 20 Local Major/Mid Market Sports Radio Program Directors of 2023
- Monday February 12 = Top 20 Local 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.
What the hell is so appealing with BT and Sal? They manufacture one topic daily (sometimes they use same topic once per week) and forcefully debate it for 4 hours without covering what is going on around them in the world of sports!