Today marks a new beginning for Audacy’s sports talk brand based in Houston, Texas. For 32 years, SportsRadio 610 has been known as Houston’s sports talk leader. But today, the brand and signal are forever changed as Audacy officially launches 95.7 The Fan with the kickoff of the Houston Texans’ 25th season set to begin. A moment that was in the works for years under the leadership of Brand Manager Parker Hillis.
“The timing ended up being perfect because of our amazing partnership with the Houston Texans,” said Parker Hillis, brand manager of 95.7 The Fan. “For us to start our new era at the start of an incredible era for them, it’s poetic for us. It made all the sense in the world to share in that moment with them. It’s football Christmas for us and the perfect storm in putting this all together.”
95.7 The Fan is the latest example of Audacy ensuring the company’s top sports talk outlets are being served to an FM audience. The station serves as Audacy’s 23rd sports talk brand on the FM dial, with several joining the ranks beginning this year in Chicago, Buffalo and Los Angeles.
For Hillis, who’s been serving as brand manager of 95.7 The Fan since May 2022, the shift to FM has been a long time in the making.
“It’s ultimately been a really long process. I’ve been lobbying for the move since day one when I began,” said Hillis. “We’ve been putting the pieces in place for eighteen months to two years. It was a slow process because it wasn’t a question if we were ready. It was a question of where do we go regarding the brand and signal.”
A Long Road To FM
While discussions had taken place over several years, the shift to FM did not become a realistic possibility until recently. Hillis said recent changes in Audacy management helped change that. The company’s increased focus on building sports talk brands on FM also played a key role. Those shifts moved the conversation from a possibility to a potential reality.
Finally, the moment came when approval was granted. For Hillis, it was a special moment to get across the finish line.
“The hardest part for me was keeping it quiet and under wraps for a handful of months,” noted Hillis. “I knew how exciting it was going to be for my team. Six months ago, I noticed the tides beginning to turn. To get the confirmation it was happening about three months ago was exciting.”
The opportunity for a legacy brand to shift to FM is unique. With that goal in mind following his arrival in Houston four years ago, Hillis approached building the brand in preparation for when the opportunity would arrive. While the Houston market does have sports talk on the FM dial, Hillis says the market desired more.
“For Houston, this is a gamechanger. I felt for a long time this market has been desperately in need for a true full market FM sports brand. We have such a rabid fanbase, that the market has been underserved,” said Hillis. “We’ve been operating as a station that was ready to go on the FM dial. We were just waiting for the opportunity by being FM ready. Had there been one, we probably would already be there.”
While the branding is evolving around the new FM signal, the station will retain its legacy 610 AM position. That preserves more than three decades of familiarity among Houston sports fans. Hillis and Audacy followed a similar path by keeping the AM signal alongside the shift to FM.
Hillis noted that over the past several months, research with focus groups showed that while the shift to FM was desired, a section of the audience still preferred what they’ve always known.
“The AM represents a handful of things with us. First and foremost, a level of consistency. It didn’t make sense to get rid of a legacy brand that’s been around for 32 years,” said Hillis. “We’ve received some feedback where maybe ten percent still prefer listening to their sports talk on the AM dial. There’s something nostalgic about that, and that’s really cool.”
A Fresh Look
He also noted that having the brand on both AM and FM creates opportunities to eventually split the brands. In addition, that approach could provide additional room for growth. Hillis said there are currently no plans for another rights deal on either dial. However, retaining the AM signal provides Audacy with additional options.
Unlike other Audacy sports talk brands shifting to FM, 95.7 The Fan is not just shifting to the FM band but also rebranding as The Fan. Moreover, the brand is synonymous with Audacy, stemming from WFAN in New York City. To date, 95.7 The Fan will be the 13th Audacy sports talk brand using The Fan branding.
“Over time we just got generically lumped in with the casual listener as ‘Sports 610.’ There hasn’t been a ton of separation. To us, there’s a power to having a unique and strong brand name like ‘The Fan’ or ‘The Ticket’ or ‘The Game.’ We had to determine what’s the value of SportsRadio 610 versus the value of a strong, well-regarded, more widespread sports brand name like ‘The Fan,’” explained Hillis.
Of anything regarding the shift to FM, Hillis noted that in the final stages of planning, the conversation about shifting to ‘The Fan’ was the item that took the most time and effort.
“The Fan speaks to the foundation and philosophies of what our radio brand is. We are a voice for fans and a place they can come to connect. This station is a collection of Houston sports fans walking these halls,” said Hillis. “I’m sure there will be questions regarding why go with a brand name that exists around the country. For me, that brand speaks to who we are and it’s a bonus that we get to share that moniker with so many strong stations around the country.”
With the rebrand comes a new look and a new logo as well. Hillis admits he’s not the most savvy graphic artist and admitted to using AI for early mockups of what he envisioned. In the end, Hillis said the logo was the element of this process he was most proud of. He noted every element of the logo has some tie to the Houston area, building on the connection the station has with the sports fans that encompass it.
“The light blue represents the city of Houston. The tile pattern is also an homage to the city as well,” said Hillis. “For a Houstonian that sees our logo, our hope and expectation is they see that light blue and tiles and know instantly this is Houston’s sports station. It’s a tip of the cap to the city.”
Serving Space City
Hillis says he doesn’t feel any added pressure with the switch to FM but instead approaches it as a unique opportunity. 95.7 The Fan is taking over an FM signal that was the cluster’s best-performing FM music brand in 95.7 The Spot.
Typically, when a sports talk station shifts to an FM signal, it replaces an underperforming music brand. Hillis credited The Spot’s successful run in attracting audiences and hopes to continue building upon that foundation.
“The Spot has been incredible. It’s been a powerhouse. Yes, it’s certainly a risk, but a risk that ultimately corporate and the building felt was taking for us. We believe in the power of the Houston sports audience,” said Hillis. “This is a statement that I believe that there is power in the sports talk brand unlike any other time in the past. That’s the opportunity in front of us… We’re stepping into big shoes, but it’s not pressure.”
For Hillis, the launch of 95.7 The Fan represents more than a frequency change or a new logo. It is the culmination of a vision that began when he arrived in Houston and an opportunity to take a brand with more than three decades of history into its next chapter.
SportsRadio 610 will continue to live on the AM dial, preserving the identity and connection that generations of Houston sports fans have come to know. But on FM, 95.7 The Fan has the chance to introduce that connection to an even larger audience.
“I’m the most aggressive and optimistic person you’ll find about our product and our team. I fully expect us to win and be not just competing against the other sports stations in market, but the top stations across the demographic,” said Hillis. “I truly believe we have what it takes to be a number one station in men and adults… There’s a lot of buzz and we couldn’t be doing this at a better time.”
The timing only adds to the significance. As the Houston Texans begin their 25th season, 95.7 The Fan is beginning its first. For Hillis, that makes the launch feel less like an ending and more like the start of something much bigger.
After 32 years as SportsRadio 610, Houston’s sports station now has a new frequency, a new identity and a new opportunity. The signal has changed. The mission hasn’t. The next era of Houston sports talk begins today.
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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.