Our 2nd day of recognizing the best in the sports radio format during Super Bowl week continues with a look at the nation’s top midday shows. For those who have asked what separates Major Markets and Mid Markets, the majors focus on markets ranked 1-20, and the mid markets focus on 21-100.
Before you scroll down to see who made the list, there are a few things to be aware of. First, the voting for these awards is done by a large panel of radio executives. We involved fifty one executives from thirty cities and thirteen companies this year in our voting process. BSM president Jason Barrett does not vote.
Secondly, it should be understood that if a show completed 2018 but has since ended or undergone changes in 2019, that doesn’t prohibit them from making the list. Case in point, Michael Grady signed off at 107.5/1070 The Fan in Indianapolis last week, and Chris Duncan officially left 101 ESPN in St. Louis a few weeks earlier.
Third, in order to create these results, we ask our voters to consider the following criteria when judging the format’s best shows. That said, each voter values certain things more than others, so we try to gather everyone’s feedback, add it all up, and present a collective snapshot of what industry executives think.
- Strong ratings in 2018
- Important show/brand connection with local listeners
- Exceptional talent and content provided on a consistent basis
- Finished 2018 with the station and in the morning drive timeslot
- Points are given for each spot (EX: 20 for 1st, 1 for 20th)
Moving on to the rankings, the panel this year came out in strong fashion for Dan Dakich of 107.5/1070 The Fan in Indianapolis. Dakich won this award in 2016 too, before being passed last year by Midday 180 in Nashville.
The ability to stir the sports conversation in Indianapolis with strong opinions, big guests, and unwavering passion is what sets Dakich apart. His program has been a staple of The Fan’s lineup, and a key part of the station’s overall success. Our executive panel took note of Dan’s production, giving him the most 1st place votes in the category and a comfortable 22 point win.
We congratulate Dan and his crew on earning top billing as the best in the midday category, as well as every other show which gained a spot on this year’s list. With that in mind, here are the full results of “BSM’s Top 20 Mid Market Midday Shows of 2018”!
Additional Notes:
- Dan Dakich received the most 1st place votes (12) and earned 22 points more than runner up Midday 180 in this year’s voting
- The tightest races included Nick Bahe besting Grady & Big Joe by 2 points, and Rothman & Carpenter edging 3-Man Front by 1 point
- David Glenn finished 21st, 6 points behind Wilson & Parcell
- Spots 22-25 went to Show/Vern, Erik Ainge, Geoff Calkins, and Bob Valvano
- 11 of the 45 midday shows eligible for consideration received a 1st place vote
Here is the remaining schedule for the BSM Top 20 of 2018.
- Wednesday January 30 = The 2018 Top 20 Major and Mid-Market Local Sports Radio Afternoon Shows
- Thursday January 31 = The 2018 Top 20 National Sports Radio Shows
- Friday February 1 = The 2018 Top 20 Major and Mid-Market Local Sports Radio Program Directors
- Monday February 4 = The 2018 Top 20 Major and Mid-Market Local Sports Radio Stations
- Tuesday February 5 = The 2018 Top 5 Original Sports Podcasts
Jason Barrett is the Founder and CEO of Barrett Media. The company launched in September 2015 and has provided consulting services to America’s top audio and video brands, while simultaneously covering the media industry at BarrettMedia.com, becoming a daily destination for media professionals. Prior to Barrett Media, Jason built and programmed 95.7 The Game in San Francisco, and 101 ESPN in St. Louis. He was also the first sports programmer for SportsTalk 950 in Philadelphia, which later became 97.5 The Fanatic. Barrett also led 590 The Fan KFNS in St. Louis, and ESPN 1340/1390 in Poughkeepsie, NY, and worked on-air and behind the scenes at 101.5 WPDH, WTBQ 1110AM, and WPYX 106.5. He also spent two years at ESPN Radio in Bristol, CT producing ‘The Dan Patrick Show’ and ‘GameNight’. JB can be reached on Twitter @SportsRadioPD or by email at Jason@BarrettMedia.com.
