Audacy CEO Kelli Turner penned a bold opinion piece via Sportico. She argues sports radio isn’t a relic — it’s thriving. The timing is no coincidence. Audacy just launched 97.1 The Fan in Los Angeles, the first-ever FM all-sports station in the market’s history.
What We Know: Turner took over as Audacy’s permanent president and CEO in March 2025. She stepped into the role on an interim basis in January of that year, following the departure of longtime CEO David Field. Under her watch, Audacy has aggressively pushed sports radio brands onto the FM dial. That strategy now covers sports stations in all ten of the largest U.S. markets, with 97.1 The Fan completing the footprint.
What They Said: Kelli Turner on sports audio continues to thrive: “Streaming platforms, podcasts, satellite radio, social media, YouTube, TikTok, gambling apps, and the advent of AI-generated personalization have all wildly expanded and changed how sports are consumed and enjoyed today. But amid so many choices, sports audio’s place is as secure and relevant as ever—in fact, it’s thriving. Audacy, the company I lead as CEO, launched the sports talk brand 97.1 The Fan in Los Angeles last Monday. That gives us sports brands in each of the 10 largest markets in the U.S. and more than 30 sports stations nationally. This includes KDKA, which is still the Pirates’ on-air home. Building on our radio roots, we’ve doubled down on sports. We’re creating thousands of hours of sports content a day, more than any other company.”
Kelli Turner on meeting sports fans where they are: “We’ve extended our distribution and evolved our content to make sure we are everywhere the fans are—including in podcasting where we produce some 600 sports podcasts alone. Nearly one-third of our revenue comes from digital forms of distribution and is growing, whether it’s streaming, video clips of our talent and podcasters on YouTube or accessing your favorite local hosts from anywhere via the Audacy App. Each new format has its place but enhances rather than replaces the original. And the basic idea of the audience’s tribal relationship with their familiar local personalities doesn’t change. Local voices with national scale is our mantra, mirroring the way the biggest teams and athletes have become national icons.”
What Remains Unclear: The competitive environment in Los Angeles is fierce. Furthermore, 97.1 The Fan enters a market already served by ESPN LA on AM 570, AM 830, and other outlets. Meanwhile, questions remain about how quickly the station builds ratings traction. Audacy’s FM-first pivot has been a clear priority for the past year, yet the long-term results and returns of that strategy are still being proven out.
What It Means: Turner’s Sportico column is more than an op-ed — it’s a strategic statement. Audacy is betting that live, local sports audio on the FM dial can command both audiences and advertisers. Especially in a crowded market like Los Angeles. Moreover, 97.1 The Fan is a statement that Audacy values the sports talk format compared to it’s competitors. With live sports being the highest viewed content in the country, Audacy is betting on sports content surrounding the events as the revenue generator for the future. No matter live on the radio, on video, or on demand.
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John Mamola is Barrett Media’s sports editor and daily sports columnist. He brings over two decades of experience (Chicago, Tampa/St Petersburg) in the broadcast industry with expertise in brand management, sales, promotions, producing, imaging, hosting, talent coaching, talent development, web development, social media strategy and design, video production, creative writing, partnership building, communication/networking with a long track record of growth and success. He is a five-time recognized top 20 program director in a major market via Barrett Medi’s Top 20 series and has been honored internally multiple times as station/brand of the year (Tampa, FL) and employee of the month (Tampa, FL) by iHeartMedia. Connect with John by email at John@BarrettMedia.com.
