NBC Sports Radio

NBC Sports Radio was a sports radio network that debuted on September 4, 2012. The network content was produced by the NBC Sports Group division of NBCUniversal and distributed by Westwood One, which is the corporate successor to the remains of the original NBC Radio Network that was dissolved in the 1980s. NBC Sports Radio was available through over 300 affiliates throughout the United States as of September 2013, as well as through live streaming on NBCSportsRadio.com, NBCSports.com, WestwoodOneSports.com, and the affiliates' websites. Its launch made NBC the last major broadcast network with a sports radio network to complement its sports division.

NBC Sports Radio
TypeSports radio network
Country
United States
Ownership
OwnerNBCUniversal
Parent
Key people
History
Launch dateSeptember 4, 2012 (2012-09-04)
ClosedMarch 31, 2020 (2020-03-31)
Replaced byCBS Sports Radio
Links
Websitewww.nbcsportsradio.com

On January 1, 2019, NBC Sports Radio switched from a 24/7 full-time network feed to a service featuring sports newsfeeds and syndicated offerings; the network's remaining operations were shut down 15 months later. It was relaunched in December 2020 as a Sirius XM-exclusive broadcast.

Programming

NBC Sports Radio programming began airing 7:00pm–5:00am ET weekdays, but sports updates aired on the hour, every hour week-round. In January 2013, NBC Sports Radio launched weekend programming beginning Saturday at 7:00am and ending Monday at 1:00am. NBC Sports Radio had a full weekly schedule of programming beginning on Monday, April 8, 2013.[2]

Live sports

Beginning with the 2016 Stanley Cup Finals, NBC Sports Radio relaunched the NHL Radio national broadcasts, which had not been heard nationwide since 2008.[3] The 2016-17 season brought regular season games, the All-Star Game, a playoff game of the week, both conference finals, and the Stanley Cup Finals to the network.[4]

NBC Sports Radio also had the rights to the Triple Crown of Thoroughbred Racing.[5]

Discontinuation

On November 29, 2018, Westwood One announced that NBC Sports Radio would no longer operate as a full-time network and would switch to a stripped-down syndicated service providing 24/7 sportscast newsfeeds at the top and bottom of the hour. Following the change, on January 1, 2019, the network carried two daily programs, PFT Live with Mike Florio in mornings and a revival of the fan-based The Daily Line in the afternoons. While not mentioned in the announcement, the live sports programming NBC Sports Radio carried would also continue, and the 2019 NHL Winter Classic aired on NBC Sports Radio unaffected.[6] Hosts Newy Scruggs, Keith Irizarry, Mark Malone, and Dan Schwartzman were no longer part of the lineup, although their shows continue to be available online.

Westwood One cited the increasing competition among sports radio networks—it was effectively competing with itself since it also distributed CBS Sports Radio—as a factor, as well as the network's inability to draw prominent affiliates. Unlike CBS Sports Radio, which has a core affiliation with Entercom and Cumulus Media outlets, NBC had no major station group affiliations and largely relied on lower-end independent affiliates.[7] In March 2020, Westwood One informed affiliates that it would no longer distribute or represent NBC Sports Radio's remaining programming after March 31, 2020; the discontinuation did not affect Westwood One's distribution of NHL playoff broadcasts.[8] In 2021, ahead of the expiration of its television contracts, NBC spun its NHL radio rights off to Sports USA Radio Network.[9]

Revival as SiriusXM channel

Less than a year after the shutdown, NBC Sports Radio announced it would relaunch as a Sirius XM Radio exclusive service, with 12 hours a day of talk programming supplemented by simulcasts of NBC Sports events.[10]

NBC Sports Audio is channel 85 on SiriusXM. Most original programming is simulcast with Peacock: Pro Football Talk with Mike Florio continues on the channel on weekday mornings, followed by The Dan Patrick Show (whose radio presentation is syndicated by Premiere Radio Networks). The other weekday programs also appear on NBC Sports' YouTube channel: Fantasy Football Happy Hour with Michael Berry and Brother from Another with Michael Holley and Michael Smith. Weekends feature Down the Stretch, a Saturday horse racing program, a rotating selection of NBC Sports-produced podcasts as well Peacock/YouTube simulcasts Chris Simms Unbuttoned and Off Track with Hinch & Rossi.

References
  1. "DIAL GLOBAL and NBC SPORTS GROUP NAME JACK SILVER, PROGRAM DIRECTOR, NBC SPORTS RADIO NETWORK". Dial Global. Retrieved 21 November 2012.
  2. "NBC SPORTS RADIO ANNOUNCES AROUND-THE-CLOCK WEEKEND PROGRAMMING AND WEEKEND TALENT LINEUP". Dial Global. Archived from the original on 22 January 2013. Retrieved 18 December 2012.
  3. "Westwood One Sports - Radio Home of the NFL NHL NCAA Football March Madness Olympics and MastersWestwood One Sports - Radio Home of the NFL NHL NCAA Football March Madness Olympics and Masters". westwoodonesports.com.
  4. "The NHL returns to Westwood One in 2017 - Westwood One SportsWestwood One Sports". westwoodonesports.com. 5 December 2016.
  5. "NBC SPORTS RADIO PRESENTS EXCLUSIVE TRIPLE CROWN COVERAGE - Westwood One". westwoodone.com. 18 February 2015.
  6. "Westwood One Sports".
  7. Venta, Lance (November 29, 2018). "NBC Sports Radio To Cease 24/7 Programming". Radio Insight. Retrieved November 29, 2018.
  8. Venta, Lance (March 5, 2020). "Westwood One To Cease Distribution Of NBC Sports Radio". RadioInsight. Retrieved March 5, 2020.
  9. Shipley, Reice (2021-10-08). "SportsUSA Grabs NHL's National Radio Rights". Barrett Media. Retrieved 2021-10-11.
  10. "SiriusXM Launches Asian Hits 88rising Radio & NBC Sports Radio".
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