Grant Napear, known for his passionate and unapologetic style, is making a return to the Sacramento sports radio airwaves. He will launch a new daily show on FOX Sports Radio Sacramento beginning Sept. 2.
Napear will host weekday afternoons from 3–6 p.m., marking his first full-time return to local radio since his departure from SacTown Sports in 2020. In additon, his return reunites Sacramento sports fans with a voice that spent more than three decades covering the Kings and weighing in on both regional and national storylines.
“These past few years away from the mic gave me time to reflect on what it really means to be a voice in this community,” Napear said in a statement. “I’ve listened, I’ve learned, and I’ve grown — and what stands out most is how much I value this city and everyone in it. Sports have always been about bringing people together. My goal now is to use that common passion to unite people from every background, to listen, and to celebrate all that makes Sacramento special.”
Moreover, Napear’s return is notable not just for his tenure in the market, but for the sizable audiences he regularly drew during his time on SacTown Sports. His show was consistently among the top-rated programs in the region, fueled by strong takes, listener interaction, and his longtime role as the television voice of the Sacramento Kings.
“Grant’s return marks an exciting new chapter for Sacramento sports radio,” said Kurt Baglemann, General Manager of FOX Sports Sacramento. “His knowledge, energy, industry connections, and his ability to connect with local fans make Grant one of the most influential voices in our market.”
Even after leaving terrestrial radio, Napear remained active through his podcast If You Don’t Like That, which retained a loyal following and served as a platform for long-form sports commentary and interviews.
Napear exited his former radio station during the COVID-19 pandemic when he got into a social media back-and-forth with former Sacramento Kings player DeMarcus Cousins, who asked Napear his thoughts on the Black Lives Matter movement at the time. Napier’s response to Cousins soon led to both his dismissal from the radio station, and also Napier resigning from his play-by-play position with the Kings.
Napear sued his employer, Bonneville International Corporation, which owns KHTK 1140, for wrongful terminations. The case was closed in April of this year after a judge sided with Bonneville International.
“You know where I’ll be now. FOX Sports Sacramento. I will be in studio in SacTown. I cannot wait to walk into that studio, turn my mic on, and start rolling,” said Napear via a video stream.
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WGN Radio has announced that morning sports anchor Dave Eanet will step away from the daypart hosted by Bob Sirott. Andy Masur will step into the role after Eanet’s exit.
Eanet has spent more than 30 years in the daypart, and more than 40 years total at WGN Radio. Despite his retirement from the morning show, he’ll continue to serve as the radio play-by-play voice of Northwestern University football and basketball. WGN serves as the flagship home of the broadcasts.
“Can’t believe it’s been 41 years since I first set foot in the WGN studios,” said Eanet. “As I close this chapter of my career, the word that comes to mind is ‘grateful.’ I’m so thankful to the entire WGN family for their friendship and support over the years. It’s not just the names you know, but the entire crew on and off the air. I’m forever indebted to the managers, engineers, producers, newspeople, sales team, and all the others who have made WGN such a special place to work.
‘Most of all, I’m thankful to the listeners who have a special relationship with this station. I will miss the day-to-day connection, but so glad I’ll continue calling Wildcat football and basketball,” Eanet continued. “After calling the last game in the old Ryan Field, I look forward to the first game in the new Ryan Field next year!”
“Dave Eanet has been a cherished voice on WGN Radio for nearly three consecutive decades,” added WGN Radio Vice President and General Manager Mary Sandberg Boyle. “From his weekday morning sportscasts to his superior play-by-play for Northwestern and as a fill-in sports anchor on WGN-TV, his remarkable work has been a mainstay for our audiences every day. He’s had a rigorous schedule that few could have balanced as well as Dave. I have immense respect for Dave and admire his decision to scale back his morning show broadcast responsibilities. It’s his kindness as a broadcaster and coworker that really stand out.”
Andy Masur is no stranger to WGN listeners. He’s previously served as the weekend and fill-in sports anchor for the Chicago news/talk station.
“I am truly honored to be taking the baton from Dave Eanet, who has been such a fixture here at WGN,” said Masur. “I like to think he prepared me for this day, and I’m looking forward to carrying on the great tradition of sports on 720 WGN.”
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Cumulus Media has reported its second-quarter financial results, and the company shared its seen a revenue decline during the period.
In total, the company secured $186 million in revenue during April, May, and June. That figure represents a 9.2% year-over-year decline.
The company added that digital revenue saw a slight decrease — 1.4%, or $38.8 million — during the quarter.
Digital marketing services grew 38%, which now represents approximately 50% of all Cumulus Media digital revenue.
“While the advertising backdrop for legacy media remains challenging, in the quarter we continued to outperform our radio peers, gaining market share across all broadcast spot revenue channels,” said President and CEO Mary Berner. “We also significantly outperformed in digital, delivering double the growth rate of our radio peers, driven by the 38% year-over-year increase in our digital marketing services business. Additionally, we executed $5 million of annualized cost reductions, bringing total annualized cost reductions to $175 million over the last 5 years.”
The company ended the quarter with an Adjusted EBITDA of $22.4 million, down from the $25.2 million it featured during the same quarter in 2024.
Despite the declines in overall revenue, Cumulus limited its losses from $27.7 million last year to $12.8 million this year.
“These results underscore our disciplined focus on optimizing performance and investing in growth opportunities despite capital constraints,” said Berner. “Looking ahead, while we do not expect near-term relief from market headwinds, we are confident in our ability to position the business for long-term success through strong execution and by capitalizing on the Company’s valuable underlying assets.”
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Nexstar Media Group has announced its second-quarter financial results, and the data shows a slight decline in overall revenue during the quarter.
The company reported $1.23 billion in net revenue during April, May, and June. That represents a 3.2% decline compare to the same quarter in 2024.
The company saw a 9% year-over-year drop in advertising revenue, with an incredibly small decline of 0.1% in the distribution sector. Nexstar saw a 61.5% uptick in the “other” category, good for $8 million in growth compared to last year.
Nexstar pointed to the lack of political advertising as reason for why its advertising revenue declined by 9%. During last year’s second quarter, it featured $36 million in the political sector, while dropping to just $9 million in 2025.
“As expected, our year-over-year results were primarily impacted by lower non-election year political advertising revenue, offset, in part, by strong expense management,” said Nexstar Media Group Founder, Chairman, and CEO Perry Sook. “Our operational milestones during the quarter highlight the success of our network growth strategies both at The CW and NewsNation.
“Looking ahead, we remain optimistic about the prospect for regulatory reform, completing our upcoming distribution renewals, and capitalizing on the 2026 mid-term election political advertising opportunity,” Sook concluded.
The company’s Adjusted EBITDA finished the quarter at $389 million, a drop of 6% — down $25 million — compared to the previous year.
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Veteran broadcaster Rich Eisen shared a candid and emotional response to news that ESPN will assume control of NFL Network operations during The Rich Eisen Show Wednesday. He called the move “exciting,” and was blown away by the news.
Eisen, who helped launch NFL Network 22 years ago, reacted to the groundbreaking media deal offering both personal reflection and measured optimism about the transition.
“I’m blown away,” Eisen said. “Totally blown away that this is happening—but in a good way for various reasons.”
The longtime NFL Network host expressed pride in the legacy built by the NFL Network team, many of whom have been with the operation since its early days. With ESPN acquiring operational control in exchange for a 10% stake in the NFL’s media properties, Eisen viewed the deal as validation of the work put in over two decades.
“I just think of the 22 years of people that I have worked with from jump who are still there. Or over the 22 years who are still there who are diehard NFL fans and poured their blood, sweat, and tears into creating the NFL Network and creating a sense of style and substance. It became its own brand,” he said. “Now, that [brand] is part of a package worth 10% of one of the greatest sports media companies ever created.”
Eisen noted the new arrangement creates opportunities for synergy, not competition. He pointed out recent crossovers between NFL Network and ESPN talent, including his own appearance on First Take and Daniel Jeremiah’s contributions to NFL Live. He suggested this collaboration may become a year-round norm.
“Now I guess it’s just 24/7, 365,” he said. “It’s a brave new world. I know the NFL management team is excited about this moving forward.”
Still, Eisen acknowledged there are unanswered questions. As he spoke, NFL Commissioner Roger Goodell was preparing to address NFL employees during a town hall. Eisen said he was eager to hear details from that conversation and learn more about how the deal impacts NFL Network’s Englewood, Calif., headquarters and its personnel.
“There’s a lot of spaces to fill up and a lot of NFL to talk about. There’s a lot of people who know how to do it and sitting there with institutional knowledge of the NFL Network and the NFL already built into our DNA. You don’t need to introduce us to the league,” Eisen emphasized. “We’re ready to roll up our sleeves and get to work.”
Looking ahead, Eisen remained hopeful that the unique culture and production style of NFL Network will remain intact—even under the ESPN umbrella. With Disney’s ESPN+ and direct-to-consumer strategy expanding rapidly, the move could provide greater reach for NFL content across platforms.
In the end, he couldn’t help but marvel at the poetic nature of the moment.
“Twenty-two years after launch, it’s worth so much that let’s just swap,” said Eisen. “Like Al Michaels’ memoir says—‘You can’t make this up.’”
Last month, ESPN announced The Rich Eisen Show will take over ESPN Radio’s national noon-to-3 p.m. ET time slot beginning Tuesday September 2. Eisen will be taking over the timeslot currently occupied by Joe & Q hosted by Joe Fortenbaugh and Qiant “Q” Myers.
Eisen’s radio program, which is currently distributed by Westwood One and also airing on SiriusXM, will stream live on Disney+ and ESPN+ beginning this fall on the new ESPN direct-to-consumer platform as well.
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The Kansas City Chiefs have unveiled their preseason broadcast lineups on television and their full season radio team for the 2025 campaign, returning familiar faces on the television side while introducing new voices to their English and Spanish-language radio networks.
All three preseason games will once again air locally on KSHB 41 and be produced by 65 Toss Power Trap Productions. The television booth remains intact from last season, with Ari Wolfe back for his sixth year handling play-by-play duties. Joining Wolfe is longtime color commentator Trent Green, who returns for his 15th season in the role. NFL Media personality and Kansas City native Kimmi Chex will be on the sidelines for the fourth year, while Chiefs Senior Team Reporter Matt McMullen contributes features for a fifth consecutive season.
“We are excited to continue with a tremendous lineup to represent the club for the preseason broadcasts,” said Chiefs VP of Content and Production Robert Alberino, Jr. “Our goal is to consistently deliver world-class broadcasts to Chiefs Kingdom, and it all begins with a trip to Glendale, Arizona, to kick off the preseason against the Arizona Cardinals on August 9.”
On the radio side, there are a few significant additions. The Chiefs Radio Network, anchored by Audacy’s 96.5 The Fan, will see the return of legendary voice Mitch Holthus for his 32nd season. Holthus has called a franchise-record 533 games and is the recipient of nine total Sportscaster of the Year honors across Kansas and Missouri.
Former Chiefs wide receiver Danan Hughes remains in the booth as color analyst for his sixth year, while veteran sideline reporter Josh Klingler also returns for a sixth season. Joshua Brisco joins the broadcast in 2025 as the new pregame and postgame show host, while Eric Townsend steps in as Executive Producer for the network.
“We’re continuing our great partnerships with Audacy as well as Tico Sports for our radio broadcasts,” Alberino added. “The quality of broadcasts available to Chiefs Kingdom over the radio airwaves throughout preseason, regular season, and postseason are second-to-none and are reflective of the incredibly talented teams at the Chiefs Radio Network and Tico Sports.”
Tico Sports will once again provide Spanish-language coverage for all Chiefs games in 2025. Oscar Monterroso, who has produced and called five Super Bowls, enters his second full season as the Spanish-language voice of the Chiefs and his 10th with the organization. Hannah Bassham returns as analyst in her second year in the role after eight seasons as sideline reporter. Alvaro Alvarez joins the team for his first year reporting from the sidelines.
The Tico Sports broadcast is available on the Audacy app, on KSSA “La Ke Buena” in western Kansas, and streamed via the Chiefs Mobile App, the Tico Sports website, and NFL+.
We have announced our preseason television and radio talent teams for the 2025 season.
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If you build it, he will come. Field of Dreams is one of my personal favorite movies of all time. The love and passion for the sport of baseball mix with a love story between a son and his father. Risking everything by plowing down his cornfield and setting up a baseball field, he hopes to patch up a long-lost relationship people had with the sport (and people) they loved. ESPN is taking the same risk with its new direct-to-consumer streaming product.
Sports is the single most-watched product in the United States. It’s appointment viewing in an on-demand world. The fear of missing out on the live experience and interaction on digital is paramount to the consumer. As ESPN is set to launch the ESPN DTC product on August 21, it has laid out a solid sales pitch to attract cord-cutters to give the product a chance.
The question that remains to be answered is: will they come?
The concept of ESPN developing its own way for consumers to solely invest in its product is nothing new. Planning what ESPN DTC would be has been underway for many years. This was not a group of high-level executives sitting in a smoky room crafting its inception on a whim.
The years-long project is finally set to be unveiled—all at the low price of $29.99 for the first year.
What ESPN Is Offering
You want Pardon the Interruption on ESPN? You got it.
How about Florida taking on Kentucky on the SEC Network? You’ve got that too.
Every ESPN linear network plus ESPN on ABC, ESPN+, ESPN3, SEC Network+, and ACC Network Extra—all there for you. Over 47,000 live events, on-demand replays, studio shows, original programming, and more to feed the sports fan in all of us.
Was that enough for you to consider subscribing? Consider this:
ESPN already has broadcasting rights agreements with the NFL, NBA, NHL, NCAA, and likely will find some agreement soon with MLB.
Not enough for you?
ESPN just sold 10% of its equity to the NFL. This means (if approved) ESPN will now run the NFL Network and NFL RedZone, plus add three additional games to its network.
If the NFL is showing they believe in the future of ESPN, will the consumer?
If that wasn’t enough, ESPN just announced a five-year agreement with the WWE to have the new ESPN DTC product be the exclusive home of WWE’s premium live events. These were currently housed—through March of 2026—on the Peacock streaming service.
Is that not enough for the sports fan?
The UFC and WWE are owned and operated by the same company, TKO Group Holdings. Do you think for a second, with the broadcast rights coming up for the UFC, that ESPN won’t be a player in some capacity?
Why ESPN Had To Evolve
In the age of streaming companies like Amazon, Netflix, Apple, and Peacock paying top dollar for live sports, ESPN’s heritage brand has its fingertips in it all. For the first time, people who choose to cut the cord have an option to get everything they had—and more—from a company that is betting everything on the subscriber.
ESPN is even being considerate to those who remain on cable or satellite providers, allowing access to the DTC product through their cable or satellite subscriptions for the time being. It’s a smart approach to ramp up subscribers by providing a massive amount of content upfront, with the hopes that cord-cutting continues as a trend—leading to an option when the final cut is made.
While a lot of information all at once can be confusing for some, the simple point of all of this is: ESPN is no longer just about sports. It has signaled a new focus—delivering entertainment to the sports fan in any way, shape, or form—with hopes of longevity in the emerging sports ecosystem.
By enlisting the NFL to own a 10% stake in ESPN, the network is signaling it’s open for business. Why wouldn’t the NBA, MLB, NHL, or other sports properties consider that as an option?
The concern: Will investment by the leagues lead to slanted or restricted coverage of the leagues? Potentially.
However, with declining trust in journalism by the consumer—does it really matter?
The Consumer Wants To Be Entertained, Nothing More
Does it matter that ESPN licensing its brand to a sportsbook now coexists with a partial ownership stake by a sports league?
Does it matter that there could (and probably will) be preferential treatment to ESPN by leagues that professionally acquire stake in ESPN?
Does ESPN now give preferential treatment to the NFL over other leagues, causing more friction between the leagues and the network? Does this prove Rob Manfred right in his criticism of ESPN when they announced their mutual separation, saying he was not pleased with the minimal coverage ESPN provided baseball in recent years?
Would an ownership stake in the NFL continue to affect the approach ESPN has with other leagues?
Sure. There are a lot of questions to be asked—but does the consumer care, or do they just want to be entertained?
While many questions remain, one answer is clear. ESPN is going all in. For better or for worse, it’s what the network feels it must do to remain a major player in the sports ecosystem. Times have changed, and they are changing with the times.
What ESPN has done in crafting its positioning for the launch of ESPN DTC is in the same vein as Ray Kinsella plowing his cornfield: betting on a vision, catering to a calling—and time will tell if they will come.
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I wasn’t a fan of school — at least not the “go to class and study” part. But I’ve come to appreciate the pop quiz. It wasn’t really about grades. It was the teacher’s way of learning more about their class: who’s tracking ahead of schedule, who needs help, and who might need a parent-teacher chat.
At RockTernative Radio, a pop quiz can serve similar purposes.
And I don’t just mean for talent. I mean the whole staff — on-air, sales, promotions, engineering, the Excel department. Drop a short, focused quiz on the team and you’ll learn:
Who’s paying attention
Who’s aligned (or not) with the station’s mission
Who might be in the wrong seat
Who’s being overlooked
It’s not “gotcha.” Staff names can be optional. It’s also not a precursor for employee reviews. The goal is to take the temperature of the room and spark insight you won’t get from Slack threads, a bagel meeting or group text.
Don’t you want to know:
Does the air staff understand the “whys” behind programming moves?
Does the sales team really know what they’re selling?
Are there great ideas hiding with the street team or up at the transmitter?
You’ll already know some of what you find. But the quiz can unify your team and help more people feel like part of the mission.
We’ve all been there before: a lot of folks don’t ask questions for fear of looking dumb. This quiz tears down that barrier, and everyone will learn something. If you want part-timers, VT’ers and remote teammates — who can understandably seem less engaged — to have more passion and fight harder, this brings them into the game plan. It lets them suit up.
Here’s how the Rock Pop Quiz works:
Call an all-staff or department meeting. Zoom in whoever is out of town.
This is paper and pen — no Google Docs, no digital cheating.
Everyone gets the same quiz. Five to ten questions. Short answers.
No talking, no groupthink. Just like 7th grade.
Names at the top are optional. You’re not handing out grades.
Collect them when finished and go over the answers as a group. Make it interactive. Laugh. Learn.
It’s OK to not know everything — no one should know every answer. That’s the point.
The team will feel more informed and smarter. But here’s the payoff for you — Extra Credit.
New sheet of paper. Names required this time. Just two questions:
What’s the best creative idea you have for the station? Promotion, morning show idea, someone to hire, music ideas, marketing — anything.
If you were in charge, what’s the first thing you’d change tomorrow? (Hiring Sydney Sweeney and Free beer Fridays don’t count.)
You’ll get gold from this. Maybe some from surprising places. Over the years, I have seen great ideas come from workers who aren’t usually asked to provide input.
You don’t need to do this monthly. Once per year might be enough for most departments. For the content team, it can be more frequent, with a different theme each time — such as music, competition, audience profile, Nielsen, or sales strategy. I just planned your next five meetings.
Want a list of sample questions?
Hit me on the email below, tell me your focus, and I’ll send you a small set.
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Advertising and marketing are obviously essential for generating growth, brand awareness, customer acquisition and sustainability. However, one of the most common mistakes we see among business owners and executives is the amount of the company’s gross revenue that must be allocated to marketing and advertising.
There’s No One-Size-Fits-All Answer
It’s clearly not a one-size-fits-all answer. It depends on industry, business size, stage of growth, and strategic goals. However, there are well-established and important benchmarks that should serve as a general guide.
The bad news is that only a painfully few recognize that it is not an expense. It’s a necessary investment that can be directly tied to success.
The 5%–10% Rule of Thumb
The generally accepted rule of thumb suggests that companies allocate 5% to 10% of their gross revenue to advertising and marketing. This range is considered a solid baseline for building and maintaining visibility in competitive markets, as well as supporting consistent growth.
5% is generally seen as the minimum for companies with stable market positions and modest growth goals.
10% (or more) is often recommended for companies aiming for aggressive growth, launching new products, or entering new markets.
Using $1 Million in Revenue as a Baseline
So, what factors should influence the decision? We will use a baseline of $1,000,000 in annual gross revenue as an example.
Your Business: Determine where the business sits. We have all read about business cycles that include the infancy stage (the brand-new start-up). The go-go stage (no one is sure where to go – they’re just told to go!!) The prime stage (everyone has their role and there’s little fat.) And then the bureaucratic stage (nothing gets done because there are too many levels of needlessness. Governments are the classic examples.)
Startups and New Businesses
Startups and New Businesses often invest 15% to 25% of their revenue in marketing, especially within the first few years. The focus must be on building brand recognition, generating leads, and establishing a market presence. For $1M in revenue, this translates to $150,000 to $250,000.
Established Companies
Established Companies: Typically invest 6% to 12% of revenue, using data-driven campaigns and customer retention strategies. Their marketing is often more optimized and targeted. The $1M in revenue means the investment should be between $60,000 and $120,000 annually.
Industry-Specific Standards
Other standards are suggested for various industries.
Retail/Consumer Products: 8% to 15%.
Technology: 10% to 20%, especially for customer acquisition.
Healthcare and Pharmaceuticals: 7% to 12%.
Manufacturing and Industrial: Often 1% to 5%, due to longer sales cycles and more direct relationships.
Other B2B Services: 5% to 10%, with an emphasis on content and relationship marketing.
Business Goals and Competition
A company in a highly competitive or saturated market may need to spend more on marketing to capture attention. Similarly, launching a new product line or rebranding can temporarily raise the percentage of revenue needed.
We’ve all read the marketing books that state, “First in Wins, unless someone else makes more noise with a louder voice.” So, make noise!
Digital Marketing: Measurable, But Can Be Costly
The rise of digital marketing has made advertising seemingly more measurable and flexible. I have always believed the numbers are measured at the cash register!
Companies now focus not only on how much they spend, but on return on investment. It certainly follows that a lower marketing budget, if managed effectively, can outperform a larger, poorly targeted spend.
That said, digital platforms like Google Ads, Facebook, and influencer campaigns can quickly drive costs up. Maintaining a consistent budget review and adjusting based on performance is essential.
Sample Marketing Budget Breakdown
Marketing budgets are typically split among several categories: advertising, content creation, public relations, social media, events, and marketing software. A typical distribution might look like this:
30% advertising (digital + traditional)
25% content creation
15% marketing technology and tools
10% events and sponsorships
20% other (email, research, consulting)
Marketing Is a Growth Model
Again, there’s no single answer, but most companies can use the 5% to 10% of gross revenue rule as a starting point for marketing budgets. From there, businesses should adjust based on their specific goals, industry, and results.
Strategic marketing investment isn’t just an expense. It’s a growth model that should be managed with data, creativity, and consistency. If you’re in radio & digital advertising, keep in mind that 30% of $1,000,000 is $300,000. That’s a spend of $25k a month.
Those will make any GM/GSM a very happy camper!
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For veteran radio personality Marty McFly, launching McFly and The Ride isn’t just about creating another syndicated Country radio show. It’s about creating a true partnership with stations and reimagining what syndication can deliver in both content and revenue.
McFly has partnered with longtime friend and collaborator Stew James.
After nearly four decades in the business, McFly says the timing couldn’t be better.
“I now never want to have my eggs all in one basket going forward. So, I’ve been thinking about this for years, but now’s the right time,” he said.
A Show That Works With Stations, Not Just For Them
What sets McFly and The Ride apart? According to McFly, it’s not just the chemistry or the music; it’s the business model. Rather than just pitching a plug-and-play show to stations, McFly is offering a true revenue partnership.
“We want to help you make money or help a station make money. And that’s outside doing breaks that resonate with listeners. Goal number two is to work with radio stations to help them make money by running our show and other revenue resources as well.”
That concept was battle-tested in Cookeville, Tennessee, where McFly provided a show that wasn’t just entertaining; it helped drive real financial results.
“Visiting with clients and working with clients and making the show in Cookeville make money for that radio station was kind of the groundwork for saying okay, we can do this for other stations.”
And McFly is clear that the show isn’t free, but it’s affordable and offers real ROI.
“The cost of our show is less than a minimum wage part-time person. But we can cover that cost and be a profitable show for a radio station.”
The metric of success, he says, isn’t about the number of affiliates; it’s about results.
“The only way to be successful is to get a letter from the stations that we work with at the end of this thing saying, yes, we were successful with this show because it was great content, and we make money off the show.”
What’s the Show Sound Like?
At its core, McFly and The Ride is a conversation between two longtime friends with deep roots in Country music.
“It sounds like two friends, because we are, that have been together for a long time. It’s easily relatable with what’s going on in pop culture or what’s going on that most people are talking about.”
And it’s not a celebrity-driven show dripping with industry name-drops. McFly distances himself from that approach.
“Most of the people I’m talking to are not pals with a Country music star. So, we try to be relatable with that. It’s not, ‘my boy Luke Combs is coming on.’ It’s not that kind of stuff.”
Instead, McFly and The Ride weaves Country music into the narrative organically, with musical features and commentary that feel authentic to the format and the audience.
“It feels like two guys sitting in your backseat talking about things that are circulating within your world.”
Country artist Morgan Alexander, a longtime friend of McFly’s, adds a layer of music credibility as part of the team.
“Morgan used to work part-time for me when I was PD at WKDF, so that’s where I first met him. And so, it adds an extra layer.”
Authenticity and Storytelling: The Show’s Core Values
Authenticity isn’t just a buzzword for McFly, it’s the foundation. And storytelling, he says, is a skill that sets good talent apart.
“Storytelling is important, and that is a learned craft. The best stories, the absolute best stories, are the ones taken from your personal life that actually happen, that people can relate to.”
He believes storytelling is about timing, knowing when to stop, and making the story land.
“Great storytelling is knowing when to stop the story and how to get to the endpoint.”
Built by a Student of the Greats
McFly’s radio roots run deep in Nashville, and his influences are radio legends. Each known for unique strengths.
“The local radio legend was Coyote McCloud here in Nashville. The disc jockeys were Coyote McLeod, Carl P. Mayfield, and Gerry House.”
“Carl P Mayfield could take a grain of salt and make it a beach. Jerry was witty and so relatable to his audience.”
While McFly is quick to say he can’t replicate the magic of those broadcasters, he cherishes the connections he made with them.
“I was friends with Coyote, filled in for him when he was sick a few times. I filled in for Jerry when he was on vacation. And I sat in the same studio seat Carl P. did at KDF.”
McFly and James Photo Courtesy Radio Resources
A True Partnership: The Elevator Pitch
McFly’s not just looking for affiliates. He’s looking for partners.
“We don’t want to offer you a show if you’re a station. If you’re a manager, we want to be your partner.”
That means open communication, direct access to McFly and his team, and a customized experience for every market.
“I don’t know how many people you work with who have the host’s cell phone number. But you’ve got mine. If you need help with something, we’re your partner.”
And it’s not just a matter of plugging in a time slot.
“We’re a partner that fits your needs. If you run a radio station, it will sound like we’re on your radio station. A living, breathing part of it, not just a show you put on.”
Final Word
With McFly and The Ride, Marty McFly isn’t reinventing the wheel. But he is approaching syndication by focusing on what local radio needs most: relatable content, revenue generation, and true collaboration.
“We want to be your friend. We don’t want to be just a show you put on.”
Find out more about the show by contacting syndicator Radio Resources here.
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