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Barrett Sports Media’s Top 20 Mid Market Sports Radio Stations of 2021

Jason Barrett
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Barrett Sports Media’s Top 20 Mid Market Sports Radio Stations of 2021

Last week we released the results of BSM’s Top 20 National Shows, and Major & Mid Market Morning, Midday, Afternoon Shows, and Program Directors. If you didn’t check out all of the lists, click here to get caught up. For today, as we’ve traditionally done the day after the Super Bowl, we’re revealing the industry’s top Sports Radio Stations for 2021.

As you look over the list, please remember that the lists represent the collective opinions of 46 industry executives. Yours truly does not vote. I’d like to thank Stephanie Eads, Dylan Barrett and Demetri Ravanos for helping me with the Top 20 process, and Point to Point Marketing for being our exclusive sponsor for this year’s Top 20. Tim Bronsil and his staff are a valued resource to many across the media industry, and if you’re not familiar with their work, you need to make time to learn more. That can be done by clicking here.

As it pertains to the voting, here are a few key things.

#1 – These results are based on 2021’s performance. 2022 changes have no impact on the outcome. As long as the station existed in the format thru the end of the year, it was eligible for voting consideration.

#2 – Our executive panel consists of program directors and corporate executives from a number of top broadcasting companies including Audacy, iHeart, Cumulus, Beasley, Hubbard, Good Karma Brands, ESPN Radio, FOX Sports Radio, SiriusXM, Spotify, and independently owned and operated radio stations. We involve a large number of people to keep the feedback spread out across the country, and to avoid the results heavily favoring one company.

#3 – A total of 57 sports radio stations were eligible for voting consideration in the Mid Market Sports Radio Stations category.

#4 – Our executive panel picked the Top 20 sports stations using a few factors; ratings success, strength of lineup/talent, creative ideas, multi-platform excellence, local market impact, and brand relevance and respect. It’s important to remember that our voters live in different cities, have different tastes and experiences, and work for different companies, so certain things may be given more or less merit depending on who’s casting a vote. This isn’t a perfect science, but it’s the best system we can think of to showcase sports radio’s best.

And that brings us to the rankings for this year’s Mid Market Sports Radio Stations of 2021. The best in the category according to our executive panel was 92.3 The Fan. Despite picking up a number of individual awards over the years, this is the Cleveland sports station’s first category win. 93.7 The Fan in Pittsburgh and 101 ESPN in St. Louis have won the award twice, and 104.5 The Zone in Nashville has won the award once. BSM congratulates Tom Herschel, Andy Roth, and their entire staff on being recognized as the king of the mid markets, as well as all of the other stations who earned a spot on this year’s list.

Now, here are the full results of “BSM’s Top 20 Mid Market Sports Radio Stations of 2021!”

Additional Notes:

  • 92.3 The Fan finished twenty eight (28) points in front of runner up 92.9 ESPN. Neither station though had the most first place votes. That belonged to 97.1 The Fan in Columbus. 92.3 The Fan though recorded the most Top 5 votes, which put the brand in a strong position to prevail.
  • Spots 21-25 belonged to 1250 The Fan in Milwaukee, 99.9 The Fan in Raleigh, 107.5 The Fan in Green Bay, Sports Radio WNML in Knoxville, and KHTK in Sacramento.
  • The tightest races saw 97.1 The Fan slide by 93.7 The Fan by three (3) points, and 104.5 ESPN, 102.5 The Game, and 1080 The Fan separated by two (2) points each for spots 18-20.
  • Of the 57 sports stations eligible for voting consideration, ten (10) received at least one (1) 1st place vote.

Here is the remaining schedule for the BSM Top 20 of 2020.

  • Tuesday February 15 = The BSM Top 20 Original Sports Podcasts/Specialty Selections of 2021

Barrett Sports Media’s Top 20 Major Market Sports Radio Stations of 2021

Jason Barrett
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0
Barrett Sports Media’s Top 20 Major Market Sports Radio Stations of 2021

Last week we released the results of BSM’s Top 20 National Shows, and Major & Mid Market Morning, Midday, Afternoon Shows, and Program Directors. If you didn’t check out all of the lists, click here to get caught up. For today, as we’ve traditionally done the day after the Super Bowl, we’re revealing the industry’s top Sports Radio Stations for 2021.

As you look over the list, please remember that the lists represent the collective opinions of 46 industry executives. Yours truly does not vote. I’d like to thank Stephanie Eads, Dylan Barrett and Demetri Ravanos for helping me with the Top 20 process, and Point to Point Marketing for being our exclusive sponsor for this year’s Top 20. Tim Bronsil and his staff are a valued resource to many across the media industry, and if you’re not familiar with their work, you need to make time to learn more. That can be done by clicking here.

As it pertains to the voting, here are a few key things.

#1 – These results are based on 2021’s performance. 2022 changes have no impact on the outcome. As long as the station existed in the format thru the end of the year, it was eligible for voting consideration.

#2 – Our executive panel consists of program directors and corporate executives from a number of top broadcasting companies including Audacy, iHeart, Cumulus, Beasley, Hubbard, Good Karma Brands, ESPN Radio, FOX Sports Radio, SiriusXM, Spotify, and independently owned and operated radio stations. We involve a large number of people to keep the feedback spread out across the country, and to avoid the results heavily favoring one company.

#3 – A total of 35 sports radio stations were eligible for voting consideration in the Major Market Sports Radio Stations category.

#4 – Our executive panel picked the Top 20 sports stations using a few factors; ratings success, strength of lineup/talent, creative ideas, multi-platform excellence, local market impact, and brand relevance and respect. It’s important to remember that our voters live in different cities, have different tastes and experiences, and work for different companies, so certain things may be given more or less merit depending on who’s casting a vote. This isn’t a perfect science, but it’s the best system we can think of to showcase sports radio’s best.

And that brings us to the rankings for this year’s Major Market Sports Radio Stations of 2021. The best in the category according to our executive panel was once again 98.5 The Sports Hub. This year’s win represents a clean sweep for the Boston brand in the BSM Top 20. That has not happened before. The win in this category is also the Hub’s fourth straight, and the station’s fifth win in six years. BSM congratulates Mary Menna, Rick Radzik, and the entire staff on being recognized as the top brand once again, as well as all of the other stations who earned a spot on this year’s list.

Now, here are the full results of “BSM’s Top 20 Major Market Sports Radio Stations of 2021!”

Additional Notes:

  • 98.5 The Sports Hub earned the most 1st place votes with thirteen (13), and finished thirty seven (37) points ahead of WFAN which had the second most first place votes with six (6).
  • Spots 21-25 belonged to ESPN LA 710AM in Los Angeles, Sports Radio 950 KJR in Seattle, 710 ESPN in Seattle, 680 The Fan in Atlanta, and AM 570 LA Sports in Los Angeles.
  • The tightest races saw 670 The Score nip 97.1 The Ticket by one (1) point, and 95.7 The Game hold off WEEI by two (2) points.
  • Of the 35 sports stations eligible for voting consideration, six (6) received at least one (1) 1st place vote.

Here is the remaining schedule for the BSM Top 20 of 2021.

  • Tuesday February 15 = The BSM Top 20 Original Sports Podcasts/Specialty Selections of 2021

Chris Hayes: Hypocrisy in How Fox News is Covering Trucker Protest

BNM Staff
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MSNBC host Chris Hayes attacked Fox News for not reporting the Canadian trucker protests in a “fair and balanced” way.

The “All In” host compared Fox News’ coverage of the BLM protest during the summer of 2020, accusing the network of hypocrisy.

“Remember back in 2009, the first year of the Obama administration when the Tea Party protests were just getting into swing, and the Fox News host, whose network was still touting itself as ‘Fair and Balanced’ encouraged, promoted, even attended them.”

Truckers and supporters block the access leading from the Ambassador Bridge, linking Detroit and Windsor, Ontario.

“On Fox News Channel, the pampered and vaccinated millionaire TV hosts who scream bloody murder if of a Black Lives Matter protest shut down an intersection, well, here they have found the next big thing.” 

Bill Maher: “People Have to Learn How to Disagree in This Country”

BNM Staff
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Late-night talk show host Bill Maher spoke out on Friday regarding the Whoopi Goldberg suspension from “The View.” 

Goldberg earned a suspension from the show for saying the Holocaust was not about race. HBO’s “Real Time” host ripped into critics who said Goldberg’s suspension was about “karma.”

“People have to learn how to disagree in this country and not hate it,” Maher said to a rousing ovation from his live studio audience.

Maher pointed out that Goldberg has been wrong in the past about many things but said that she shouldn’t have to “conform or apologize about her views on race.”

“She certainly shouldn’t have to sit out like a child and think about what she did,” he added. “The View suspending someone for sharing a view is like firing Pat Sajak for selling a vowel.”

Maher added that we must get past this point in our time where an “endless, unforgiving, mindset” dominates our culture.

“The right response to speech you don’t like is more speech,” he said. “Not the lazy, cowardly response of canceling people.” 

Former WJR Radio Host Frank Beckmann Dies at 72

BNM Staff
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Former WJR Radio Host Frank Beckmann Dies at 72

Legendary Detroit broadcaster Frank Beckmann died Saturday in a hospice following a battle with vascular dementia, he was 72. 

According to the Detroit Free Press, the former WJR Radio host had been sick for nearly a year since his retirement from the station. 

Beckmann began his career at WJR in 1973, starting as a sports talk show host. He would later go on to do play-by-play for the University of Michigan Football, the Detroit Lions, and the Detroit Tigers. 

Beckmann was inducted into the Michigan Sports Hall of Fame and Michigan Broadcasting Hall of Fame. He would later evolve into a conservative talk show host.

“He knew how to press the professionals, so they didn’t disassemble or reflect,” WJR host Guy Gordon told the paper. “He would nurse the novices through their nervousness.”

Never one to shy away from a good debate on the air, Beckmann famously took on fellow WJR host Mitch Albom for 30 minutes over Albom’s support for Michigan’s film tax credits.

Gordon referred to Beckmann as the “the Swiss Army knife of broadcasters.” 

“With the equanimity to moderate a panel discussion, the focus, and spontaneity to handle play-by-play, and the sharpened instincts of a reporter,” he added.

Beckmann is survived by Karen, son Jonathan of Rochester Hills, daughter Tori (Andrew) Kughn of Clarkston, and grandchildren Pierson, Brooks, and Sawyer Kughn.

4 Programmers Explain Why They Wouldn’t Miss The BSM Summit in New York

Demetri Ravanos
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4 Programmers Explain Why They Wouldn’t Miss The BSM Summit in New York

There are all kinds of reasons people come to the BSM Summit. Usually, your reason has a lot to do with your standing in the industry.

Are you an upwardly mobile air talent? You’re probably coming to network with PDs and GMs. Are you a market manager? You’re probably coming to pick up some actionable, money-making ideas you can execute back home.

A big chunk of the room will be made up of programmers. Why do they come to the BSM Summit? There is a myriad of reasons amongst that group alone.

I spoke with four programmers last week. All four will not only be in the audience in New York City on March 2 and 3. At various times, they will be on stage as well.

What do they want to learn? What do they hope colleagues learn from them? Who do they want to meet? Here’s how they answered those questions.

WHAT HAVE YOU ENJOYED MOST ABOUT PAST BSM SUMMITS?

Rod Lakin (94 WIP in Philadelphia): My favorite thing about the Summit is reconnecting with my peers and having an opportunity to meet other program directors and brand managers from around the country. Every market is different, but there are many generalizable lessons that come from these sessions and the subsequent conversations.

Phil Mackey (SKOR North in Minneapolis): I love the idea sharing, and I love meeting successful people within the industry. Personally, I’m just extremely curious by nature, so having the chance to hear from people with different backgrounds, worldviews and industry experiences is extremely valuable. And the openness of competitors to share strategy in the same room as one another is fascinating and valuable as well. 

Mitch Rosen (670 The Score in Chicago, 1250 The Fan in Milwaukee, and the BetQL Audio Network): The summitt has been a great place to network with peers and talk to people in the business, its also a great place to reconnect with people.  I really enjoy the terrific line up of speakers.

Dave Tepper (Altitude Sports Radio 92.5): Hearing and meeting fellow programmers. There’s so many highs and lows in this business, it’s refreshing to hear how some of the industry’s best are navigating the ride. I still have notes from past Summits that are helpful. I also enjoy hearing from some of the top local and national talents and about their journey. Jim Rome talking about selling vacuum’s door to door or something like that while chasing his dream has stuck with me and I’ve shared with hosts to keep at it.

WHY IS IT IMPORTANT FOR PROGRAMMERS TO TALK TO AND HEAR FROM OTHER PROGRAMMERS TO PUSH THE FORMAT FORWARD?

Lakin: There’s never been a more challenging time to be in any content business.  Attention spans are dropping while content choices are growing. So, you really have more competition for less time. Finding new strategies to adapt to this new paradigm is what’s most important to hear about in order to move the sports-talk format forward.   

Mackey: Mentally downloading two days’ worth of information from various people around the industry helps expedite the learning and growth process. The Summit usually turns out to be a fairly collaborative event, even if the collaboration is unintentional. 

Tepper: It’s what we each make of it really. It’s important for me because I’m always striving to be better and learn. Some programmers have accomplished things with their stations that our team is aiming for. Hearing from them can be motivating and enlightening. Some programmers are in similar situations as our group so discussions can be relatable. Not everything said is applicable to every situation but if you listen with an open mind it’s likely you’ll find something to take from everyone.  

WHO ARE YOU LOOKING FORWARD TO LEARNING FROM THIS YEAR?

Lakin: It’s hard to say until I take in the information. I will say that I’ve never been around Bruce Gilbert and not taken something of value from the conversation. Spike Eskin is the best young mind in this industry and I really enjoyed his perspective during the last Summit. 

Mackey: Every time I hear John Skipper talk I learn something from him. He has incredible leadership experience on the traditional and digital sides of the industry, and I’m curious to hear his vision on where sports content is headed.

Rosen: Beyond programmers, I love the panels Jason puts together beyond the traditional sports radio people.I really am looking forward to seeing leaders in all industries

Tepper: Craig Carton. There’s so much to his journey to hear about. I’ve always had great appreciation for talent with strong personalities, creativity and a willingness to push boundaries. As listener sensitivity heightens, I believe an appetite for talent like him will remain and want to be a part of developing it within today’s limits. Learning about him getting another shot and the perseverance both he and WFAN had for him all along the way is one thing I hope to learn about. 

ANY NERVES ABOUT BEING ON STAGE? WHAT DO YOU HOPE THE AUDIENCE TAKES AWAY FROM YOUR PRESENTATION?

Lakin: I don’t really think about it until I get up there. I just hope that I can help someone in the audience in the same way that so many of these great minds in sports talk have helped me in past BSM Summits and conferences over the years.  

Mackey: I’m actually thinking about turning my session into a 45-minute rant about why Kirk Cousins’ hollow stats don’t correlate with team success, but aside from that, I hope the audience learns something about how to build audiences in digital spaces. 

Tepper: Sure. I’m experienced and comfortable on stage but even some of the biggest performers have noted nerves are a sign that you care about what you’re about to do. Being invited to participate on any panel is humbling among peers. My hope would be to do for others as past panels have done for me, be relatable as many of us are seeking similar goals. My hope is to be encouraging to others that may be in comparable challenges, to provide successful ideas or perspectives to make their own and possibly steering them away from things NOT to do that I may have learned the hard way.    

There are in-person and virtual ticket options for this year’s BSM Summit. Click here to purchase yours!

Locked On Sees Reach Grow By 48% After Tegna Acquisition

BSM Staff
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Locked On Sees Reach Grow By 48% After Tegna Acquisition

Tegna made a wise decision last year when it bought Locked On. Since cutting a check for $13.8 million to acquire Locked On, Tegna has seen the network launch a YouTube channel that helped grow its reach by 48% with over 115 million total views and downloads of the network’s podcasts.

Locked On offers localized podcasts for teams across all sports. Its biggest area of growth has been hockey. NHL podcasts have seen audiences increase by 159%.

“Locked On’s growth reflects what sports fans all over the country have been asking for – sports news, interviews, analysis and commentary that is available anywhere and anytime,” Tegna’s Chief Digital Officer Adam Ostrow said in a statement.

Video will be a major focus for Tegna and Locked On moving forward. Tegna’s local television stations will integrate Locked On content into their apps for Roku, Amazon Fire TV, and other connected television platforms.

“Locked On’s ongoing commitment is to provide an extensive lineup of professional and collegiate sports coverage for our audience of avid fans,” Locked On President and Founder David Locke said. “As we move into our second year with Tegna, we’ll be expanding our local sports content and live event coverage to sports fans everywhere.” 

Boomer Esiason On Staying With WFAN Mornings, Not Doing Super Bowl Radio Row

BSM Staff
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Earlier this week, Boomer & Gio were named as the number two major market sports radio morning show in the country on the BSM Top 20. For someone like Boomer Esiason, he appreciates the journey that the morning team at WFAN has taken together and doesn’t want to leave that.

Esiason was a guest on the Sports Illustrated Media Podcast with Jimmy Traina this week. During their conversation, he mentioned having a chance to move to the afternoon when Mike Francesa decided to leave and WFAN thought about putting him back together with Craig Carton. Ultimately, he turned it down:

“If I didn’t love what I do, I wouldn’t do it. They did ask me to move to the afternoons when Mike left and they were thinking about reuniting me with Craig and all that other stuff,” said Esiason. “I was like, man, I don’t want to leave the morning. Look what we’ve built here. When I was saying ‘we,’ I mean also Eddie Scozzare, Al Dukes, Jerry Recco, Bobby Dwyer. I mean we all built it together. I wanted to stay there and I know those guys wanted to stay there.

“I could’ve easily went to the afternoons, but then I was like then my whole life is going to change again. I’ve got this routine, I’ve got it all down. I understand what’s going on, I know what my responsibilities are. There’s nothing like being the first behind the mic after a big game.”

Being on the air to talk about the Super Bowl Monday morning was one of the reasons, according to the former Bengals QB, that he did not make the trip to Los Angeles this weekend to watch Cincinnati try to win its first Super Bowl in franchise history:

“It’s one of the reasons why I think I decided not to go out to the Super Bowl this year is because I want to be able to watch it and then talk about it the next day coherently and not be drunk or hungover from being at the game and watching the game with my former teammates,” Esiason explained. “It’s a labor of love for sure, but I think both Gio (Gregg Giannotti) and I and the rest of our crew don’t mind getting up and getting our day started.”

This year, Boomer & Gio were not at Radio Row for the Super Bowl unlike some of the other shows on CBS Sports Radio and CBS Sports Network. However, Esiason didn’t mind that because it allows the show to continue as normally as possible:

“I’m not big on Super Bowl shows. I hate the interviews. Everyone is pushing a product,” he said. “Hell, I was pushing a product for a lot of those years, so I understand all that. At the end of the day, being back in our studio, being able to have a normal type of show and a normal conversation depending on what’s going on around here to me is more entertaining to the listener anyway.”

While Esiason gives a lot of credit to Gio and Carton for the way they handle those interviews on Radio Row and thinks those interviews are entertaining for the hosts, he knows they don’t exactly fare well with the audience the show is trying to appeal to:

“Both Gio and Craig Carton are really good interviewers. They have a unique way of bringing personality into the subjects that we’re talking to,” said Esiason.

“The fact that I am a former NFL player and some guys feel a little bit more comfortable maybe with me up there and those guys asking ridiculous questions. It actually was entertaining at least for us individually. But we know back home it doesn’t sound right, there’s a lot of background noise. It gets a little awkward at times… Those things sometimes lend to funny interviews and awkward moments, but I don’t think overall the entertainment value is there.”

Barrett Sports Media’s Top 20 Major Market Sports Radio Program Directors of 2021

Jason Barrett
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0
Barrett Sports Media’s Top 20 Major Market Sports Radio Program Directors of 2021

We’ve reached the end of the first week of the 7th annual edition of the BSM Top 20. We’ve featured the Top 20 National Shows, Major Market Morning, Midday, and Afternoon Shows, as well as the Mid Market Morning, Midday and Afternoon Shows. Thanks to all who’ve taken the time this week to share the Top 20 lists and congratulate those recognized on social media. It’s greatly appreciated.

As you go over the selections, please remember that the lists represent the collective opinions of 46 industry executives. Yours truly does not vote. I’d like to thank Stephanie Eads, Dylan Barrett and Demetri Ravanos for helping me with the Top 20 process, and Point to Point Marketing for being our exclusive sponsor for this year’s Top 20. Tim Bronsil and his staff are a valued resource to many across the media industry, and if you’re not familiar with their work, you need to make time to learn more. That can be done by clicking here.

As it pertains to the voting, here are a few things to understand.

#1 – These results are based on 2021’s performance. 2022 changes have no impact on these outcomes. This means that program directors such as Jeff Rickard, who recently exited WEEI was eligible since he programmed the station thru the end of 2021. On the other hand, PD’s such as Danny Zederman and Sean Thompson, who recently earned opportunities in Chicago and Phoenix were not eligible since they didn’t work in the position in 2021. Our one rule since starting this series in 2016 is that an individual/show must finish the year with the station they’re working at in the same position they were hired for.

#2 – Our executive panel consists of program directors and corporate executives from a number of top broadcasting companies including Audacy, iHeart, Cumulus, Beasley, Hubbard, Good Karma Brands, ESPN Radio, FOX Sports Radio, SiriusXM, Spotify, and independently owned and operated radio stations. We involve a large number of people in order to receive feedback from all parts of the country, as well as to avoid the results heavily favoring one company.

#3 – A total of 27 programmers were eligible for voting consideration in the Major Market Sports Radio Program Directors category.

#4 – Our executive panel picked the Top 20 program directors using a few factors; station success, multi-platform excellence, industry respect, brand reputation, and creative ideas. Keep in mind, our voters live in different cities, have different tastes and experiences, and work for different companies, so certain factors may be given more or less merit per individual. This isn’t a perfect science, but it’s the best system we can think of to showcase sports radio’s best.

Which brings us to the rankings for this year’s Major Market Sports Radio Program Directors. The top prize this year goes to 98.5 The Sports Hub’s, Rick Radzik. The Boston sports radio station, which has cleaned up on Top 20 awards this year, had a monster ratings performance during each quarter, which led to The Hub becoming the top money maker among all sports stations. With Rick at the helm, business and listenership was thru the roof. Rick did receive a good battle from WFAN’s Spike Eskin, who finished 2nd. Radzik had the most Top 5 votes among all PD’s including seven (7) first place votes. Eskin had more 1st place votes, ten (10) but less top 5 finishes. BSM congratulates Rick and the entire 98.5 The Sports Hub team on earning this year’s top honor, and all of the PD’s who earned a spot on this year’s list.

Now, here are the full results of “BSM’s Top 20 Major Market Sports Radio Program Directors of 2021!”

Additional Notes:

  • Rick Radzik secured seven (7) 1st place votes and a category best twenty two (22) top-5 votes to hold off WFAN’s Spike Eskin by twelve (12) points. Eskin led the category though with the most first place votes, notching ten (10) of them.
  • 21-25 was occupied by Rich Moore of Sports Radio KJR in Seattle, Jeff Rickard from WEEI in Boston, Adam Klug of 97.3 The Fan in San Diego, Matt Edgar of 680 The Fan in Atlanta, and Kyle Brown of 710 ESPN in Seattle.
  • The closest battles saw Dave Tepper finish 3 points ahead of Brian Long, and Ryan Hurley edge Armen Williams by 4 points.
  • Of the 27 programmers eligible for consideration this year, 7 received at least one 1st place vote.

Here is the remaining schedule for the BSM Top 20 of 2021.

  • Monday February 14 = The Top 20 Major/Mid Market Sports Radio Stations of 2021
  • Tuesday February 15 = The Top 20 Original Sports Podcasts/Specialty Selections of 2021

To view prior years of BSM’s Top 20 results, click here.

Barrett Sports Media’s Top 20 Mid Market Sports Radio Program Directors of 2021

Jason Barrett
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0
Barrett Sports Media’s Top 20 Mid Market Sports Radio Program Directors of 2021

We’ve reached the end of the first week of the 7th annual edition of the BSM Top 20. We’ve featured the Top 20 National Shows, Major Market Morning, Midday, and Afternoon Shows, as well as the Mid Market Morning, Midday and Afternoon Shows. Thanks to all who’ve taken the time this week to share the Top 20 lists and congratulate those recognized on social media. It’s greatly appreciated.

As you go over the selections, please remember that the lists represent the collective opinions of 46 industry executives. Yours truly does not vote. I’d like to thank Stephanie Eads, Dylan Barrett and Demetri Ravanos for helping me with the Top 20 process, and Point to Point Marketing for being our exclusive sponsor for this year’s Top 20. Tim Bronsil and his staff are a valued resource to many across the media industry, and if you’re not familiar with their work, you need to make time to learn more. That can be done by clicking here.

As it pertains to the voting, here are a few things to understand.

#1 – These results are based on 2021’s performance. 2022 changes have no impact on these outcomes. This means that program directors such as Terry Foxx, who recently announced his upcoming exit from WFNZ are eligible since he programmed the station thru the end of 2021. So too was Ryan Porth of 102.5 The Game who moved to Chicago in January. On the other hand, PD’s such as Chase McCabe, who recently moved into Porth’s old spot were not eligible since he didn’t occupy the position in 2021. Our one rule since starting this series in 2016 is that an individual/show must finish the year with the station they’re working at in the same position they were hired for.

#2 – Our executive panel consists of program directors and corporate executives from a number of top broadcasting companies including Audacy, iHeart, Cumulus, Beasley, Hubbard, Good Karma Brands, ESPN Radio, FOX Sports Radio, SiriusXM, Spotify, and independently owned and operated radio stations. We involve a large number of people in order to receive feedback from all parts of the country, as well as to avoid the results heavily favoring one company.

#3 – A total of 47 programmers were eligible for voting consideration in the Major Market Sports Radio Program Directors category.

#4 – Our executive panel picked the Top 20 program directors using a few factors; station success, multi-platform excellence, industry respect, brand reputation, and creative ideas. Keep in mind, our voters live in different cities, have different tastes and experiences, and work for different companies, so certain factors may be given more or less merit per individual. This isn’t a perfect science, but it’s the best system we can think of to showcase sports radio’s best.

Which brings us to the rankings for this year’s Mid Market Sports Radio Program Directors. The top prize this year goes to 92.3 The Fan’s Andy Roth. It’s Roth’s third category win, and his first since 2017. The leader of Cleveland’s top rated sports station earned the win with the most Top 5 finishes and the second most 1st place votes, three (3). Runner up Brad Carson gained the most first place finishes with four (4). BSM congratulates Andy and the entire 92.3 The Fan crew on earning this year’s top honor, as well as all of the PD’s who earned a spot on this year’s list.

Now, here are the full results of “BSM’s Top 20 Mid Market Sports Radio Program Directors of 2021!”

Additional Notes:

  • Andy Roth secured three (3) 1st place votes and a category best thirteen (13) top-5 votes to hold off 92.9 ESPN’s Brad Carson who received the most first place votes, four (4). Roth won the category this year by a total of sixteen (16) points.
  • 21-25 was occupied by Jimmy Clark of 107.5 The Fan in Green Bay, Cade Voisin from 104.5 ESPN in Baton Rouge, Q Myers of ESPN 1100/100.9 in Las Vegas, Justin Acri of 103.7 The Buzz in Little Rock, and Andrew Downs of KXNO in Des Moines.
  • The closest battle saw Paul Mason finish 2 points ahead of Ryan Porth. Additional contests that were close included Matt Fishman and Mitch Rosen finishing 4 points in front of Terry Foxx and Chuck Sapienza.
  • Of the 47 programmers eligible for consideration this year, 10 received at least one 1st place vote.

Here is the remaining schedule for the BSM Top 20 of 2021.

  • Monday February 14 = The Top 20 Major/Mid Market Sports Radio Stations of 2021
  • Tuesday February 15 = The Top 20 Original Sports Podcasts/BSM’s Specialty Selections of 2021

To view prior years of BSM’s Top 20 results, click here.

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