Kentucky Sports Radio announced Monday a merger with longtime University of Kentucky athletics media outlet Cats Illustrated, combining two of the most prominent voices in UK sports coverage.
The move brings together more than 20 years of reporting, commentary, and fan engagement. It creates a centralized platform for UK fans to access news, analysis, and insider information. For years, KSR and Cats Illustrated independently built devoted followings. The merger aims to provide a comprehensive experience under a single digital roof.
As part of the integration, Justin Rowland, a leading source for UK football recruiting information, will contribute his work to KSR+. Rowland has guided fans through recruiting trends and breakdowns for over a decade. He will continue serving as editor of the Cats Illustrated premium message board, House of Blue, which will now also be hosted within the KSR+ subscription.
Veteran journalist Jeff Drummond, one of the longest-serving UK sports reporters online, will also join KSR. Drummond will report for House of Blue and serve as the site’s lead UK baseball correspondent. With Drummond and Rowland onboard, KSR strengthens its editorial lineup across multiple sports, ensuring consistent coverage for Wildcats fans.
The merger maintains both domain names and offers a dual-tier approach for readers. KentuckySportsRadio.com continues as a free site, managed by Tyler Thompson, while KSR+ provides subscribers access to two message boards: KSBoard, featuring all KSR writers, and House of Blue, managed by Rowland.
Over the last three decades, UK sports coverage online has evolved. The KSR-Cats Illustrated merger consolidates this history, bringing longtime contributors such as Thompson, Franklin, Rowland, Drummond, and others together for the first time on one platform.
KSR owner Matt Jones expressed excitement for the new opportunity.
“I no longer run KSR or operate it day-to-day, but I still own the name. I want to ensure the coverage continues the legacy we began. Tyler and Drew have led the site to amazing heights in the last five years. I couldn’t be more proud of their work in keeping KSR a dominant force. I am confident that with this move and the addition of Justin and Jeff. KSR is positioned to deliver the most complete coverage of UK sports of all time.”
The combination of KSR and Cats Illustrated aims to provide UK fans a single destination for news, recruiting, analysis, and discussion. This move further solidifies the brand as a leader in college sports media.
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