The sports radio industry is full of challenges, from meeting goals for ratings and revenue to adapting to changing audience habits. To achieve success in sports radio requires dedication, hard work, and taking chances. Success is never guaranteed, and sacrifices are required to compete. Armen Williams found that success programming at SportsRadio 610 in Houston for three years when the sacrifices for success became too much.
“My seven- and ten-year-old kids began to ask why daddy didn’t come to their games and church on Sunday. That kept me awake at night,” explained Williams. “I had to get my personal life in the order it should be. Faith, family, friends, and work. It just got out of whack, and that’s no one’s fault but my own.”
Williams stepped down from his role with the Houston sports leader to focus on family. Never losing his passion for the industry, he worked two jobs remotely for some time while enjoying the balance he sought. In late 2025, Williams became aware of an opportunity to work alongside one of his mentors, Bruce Gilbert. The Cumulus/Westwood One executive reached out about a chance to reenter the arena, and Williams didn’t waste time making the decision.
“Whenever he [Gilbert] called and offered me the job, after I hung up, I called my wife immediately. I told her I just did the worst negotiation of my life,” joked Williams, recalling the moment when he knew he would be working alongside Gilbert.
Crafting Westwood One Sports
When Audacy and Cumulus Media announced the formation of Westwood One Sports in late October, the two companies wasted little time defining the timetable. By December 29, Bruce Gilbert and Armen Williams would be working in tandem with what Williams termed a “murderers row” of Audacy sports executives. The challenge was to build a new syndicated sports radio network in six weeks for a national launch.
“Bruce [Gilbert] painted the frantic picture very poetically and extremely accurately as well,” explained Williams. “He forewarned me that it was going to be an absolute chaotic scene for my first six weeks. He nailed it. It was one hundred percent, but we both knew what we signed up for. It’s been nothing but a blast, and I’m living a dream working for the people around me and the company I’m with.”
With no time to waste, Williams immediately got to work, diving into every single talent on both the Infinity Sports Network and BetMGM Network. A network where talent grabs instant attention and understands how to win in the multiplatform and social media space. Williams had his roadmap to follow.
“In building this network, we had a vision of hitting the market with a fresh and new sound. How do you do that in 2026? That was the challenge,” said Williams. “I didn’t know the answer when I started the search [for talent].”
Shaping A Lineup
Immediately, phone calls with talent, agents, programmers, and trusted minds around the country began. Reviewing reels, shorts, and social media became an hourly task. Williams says he was in near-daily conversations, working in tandem with Audacy executives such as Jeff Sottolano, Mitch Rosen, and Andrew Williams. He trusted their feedback along with Westwood One executive Ryan Maguire. Receiving guidance and support from Gilbert every step of the way.
“Bruce would constantly remind me that when it comes down to the final minute, I would have the final say [on talent],” said Williams. “He did an incredible job helping me through the vetting process. He provided me with the resources that I needed to get to the final destination. All while still giving me the feeling that I did have the autonomy to do what I felt was best.”
A self-admitted “Bruce Gilbert disciple,” Williams began locking in on a lineup that he felt could guide Westwood One Sports beginning December 29. The process was not easy for the many talents of both networks to navigate.
Williams noted that Gilbert attempted to personally meet with every Audacy individual from both now-defunct networks to inform them of the process.
“Bruce is one of the best I’ve ever met in my entire life at being transparent. Telling you where each person stands. It was our best effort to inform those individuals as quickly as we could on where we felt each person stood with our new vision,” explained Williams.
As the days wore on, talents on both networks began publicly announcing their upcoming departures with the end of the networks they represented. Williams knew entering the role would prove challenging and credited many who worked for both networks for their professionalism during the process.
New Age Thinking
The first name Williams was able to secure was for morning drive, announcing 24-year-old Drake C. Toll as the guiding voice for the daypart. A play-by-play announcer for the Savannah Bananas, content creator, and successful podcaster for the Locked On network, Toll came recommended through several channels of trusted advisors.
“We had a scheduled thirty-minute interview, and he’s the only guy that went beyond that. We talked for two hours,” said Williams. “I texted Bruce Gilbert and Ryan Maguire when I hung up and said I found the guy that we want to build the network around. Maguire responded with ‘that’s a pretty heavy thing to say.’ He talked to Drake the next day, and then told me I was right. We got the guy.”
Williams credits Toll’s creative spirit and dynamic, entertaining personality. He referenced Toll’s writing skills for the Bananas and his ability to execute flawlessly in front of tens of thousands of fans at such a young age as one of the more attractive traits. Also Toll fit the vision of being a multiplatform success story. That was the cherry on top for Williams in securing Toll for the new lineup.
“It’s clear that he understands the multiplatform, social media space more than anyone,” noted Williams. “He’s got this ability to flat out entertain at a level that most go their entire lives without even having that experience. He’s done it in less than three decades.”
Following the announcement of Toll, Westwood One announced the hire of Chris Bleck and Adam Abdalla from ESPN Chicago. The duo would take over the 12 p.m.–3 p.m. weekday program, something neither talent hesitated at the opportunity. From roommates in college to working together in their hometown with Good Karma Brands. Williams noted their desire to be great, which led to the acquisition.
While the Christmas holiday was a break for many, Williams remained hard at work, albeit remotely from his home in Texas. Much like Williams, Westwood One Sports is a fully remote radio brand. Talent are spread across the country rather than tied to a studio or singular market.
A new-age approach with a fresh outlook for success in a multiplatform era is what Williams considers the secret sauce.
“Being remote is an incredible tool in 2026. It allows a manager to give their staff more freedom in their day-to-day. Plus the ability to do more things for themselves and get in the right mental space every single day,” explained Williams. “I just want to work with good people and treat them the right way. If you have those two things, you’re going to win. Everything will fall into place.”
Defining Goals
Westwood One Sports is now live and on the air. The lineup is fully set, and the six-week sprint to define, arrange, and launch is over. Now, the pressure to perform is the goal. Another challenge Williams looks to take head-on.
From traditional tasks of increasing revenue to reach, Williams’ excitement is more focused on discovery: how does a radio network such as Westwood One find its audience through new and unique ways that separate it from competitors?
“A goal is to be mentioned in the same sentence with other platforms, shows, and broadcasts. To be in that mix. When you see the people we hired, we have a strategy of being disruptive in that space as a radio station at our core,” explained Williams of his goals for the first year of Westwood One Sports. “We know what’s been done and how it’s been done. What do we have to lose by doing it differently? Let’s just see what happens.”
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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.
