Sports Radio News
The Ticket, 105.3 The Fan Finish 1-2 in Dallas Summer Ratings Book
Both The Ticket and 105.3 The Fan came to play this quarter, snagging the top two positions across the board.

Published
2 months agoon
By
BSM Staff
Dallas remains one of sports radio’s best markets, with both The Ticket and 105.3 The Fan consistently producing strong numbers. In the summer ratings book, both brands once again came to play occupying the top two positions across the board.
The quarter was one of change for The Ticket. Matt McClearin joined the station to replace the retiring Norm Hitzges in middays alongside Donovan Lewis. Meanwhile, Dan McDowell and Jake Kemp of The Hang Zone departed the station during the early weeks of the ratings period, and were subsequently replaced by The Sweet Spot, featuring Sean Bass and David Mino. Both new midday programs became official parts of the lineup on July 31st.
In weekday prime (M-F, 6A-7P), The Ticket claimed the top spot with Men 25-54, thanks to an impressive 9.9 share. That number though was down from a 13.5 during the spring book. For 105.3 The Fan, weekday prime found the station in 2nd with a 6.7 share, which was up from 3rd and a 5.1 share last quarter.
Turning to mornings, The Musers — which airs from 5:30-10 AM — remained the top Dallas morning show, and the top sports radio show in the market, grabbing an 11.5 share for The Ticket during the key drive time hours of 6a-10a. The trio of George Dunham, Craig Miller, and Gordon Keith delivered an even higher 15.3 share during the spring, 15.3. Meanwhile, The Fan’s Shan & RJ more than held their own scoring a 4th place finish with a 5.6 share. That number was up from a 3.4 in the spring.
The Ticket’s new midday combination of The Invasion (10 AM-1 PM), featuring Donovan Lewis and Matt McClearin, and The Sweet Spot (1-3 PM), hosted by Sean Bass and David Mino helped The Ticket delivered a 7.9 share, 1st place finish in the summer book during the hours of 10a-2p. It should be pointed out that The Ticket’s midday shows run 10a-3p therefore an hour of it is included in our afternoon drive report. This is due to not having specific 10-1 and 1-3 data available. Additionally, during the summer book, The Ticket’s numbers were produced by a number of different personalities. Come the the fall book, the station will be able to rely on more consistency due to solidifying its lineup.
For The Fan in middays, K&C Masterpiece — hosted by Kevin Hageland and Cory Mageors from 10 AM-2 PM — finished 2nd for the book with a 7.1. They were only eight tenths of a point behind The Ticket.
Wrapping up the weekday shows with afternoon drive, The Hardline with Bob Sturm, Corby Davidson, and Dave Lane snagged a 10.1 share from 3-7 PM, good for first in the daypart. The show did decline from the spring book where it recorded a 13.4 share. The Fan’s talented afternoon program, Gbag Nation — hosted by Gavin Dawson, Lucious Alexander, Bryan Broaddus, Eirc Chiofalo, and Zack Wolchuck from 2-7 PM — turned in a 2nd-place finish with a 7.1 share, rising from a 5.5 share during the spring.
For the full week, The Ticket produced an 8.1, 1st overall finish. The Fan came in 2nd with a 6.3.
Sports Radio News
KNBR’s Brian Murphy Speaks for First Time After Paul McCaffrey Laid Off
“Paulie Mac is my guy, will forever be my guy. The best thing I could ever wish anyone is that you get to work with someone as loyal, energetic, funny, consistent as the guy his Jersey buddies call ‘Smack’.”

Published
2 days agoon
December 1, 2023By
BSM Staff
Earlier this week, KNBR underwent a round of layoffs, affecting a pair of programs on the Bay Area sports station, including the departure of longtime morning host Paul McCaffrey. His longtime partner — Brian Murphy — has taken to X to share his thoughts.
In a thread to X, Murphy shared his admiration for McCaffrey, whom he hosted Murph and Mac with for 18 years.
“Paulie Mac is my guy, will forever be my guy. The best thing I could ever wish anyone is that you get to work with someone as loyal, energetic, funny, consistent as the guy his Jersey buddies call ‘Smack’,” wrote Murphy. “So much love.”
Well. So many thoughts, but let’s go with three for now:
— Brian Murphy (@knbrmurph) December 1, 2023
— Paulie Mac is my guy, will forever be my guy. The best thing I could ever wish anyone is that you get to work with someone as loyal, energetic, funny, consistent as the guy his Jersey buddies call “Smack”. So much love. pic.twitter.com/DMTgIjl52U
He then shared that everything listeners and fans of the program have shared on social media has been read by the duo, and thanked them for the outpouring of love and support.
Finally, Murphy addressed his future. Fill-in host Dieter Kurtenbach shared on Thursday he did not have a definitive answer about Murphy’s future with the Cumulus-owned station.
However, Brian Murphy has shared he will return to the airwaves on Monday morning.
“I’ll be back Monday morning on KNBR with our guy Markus (Waterboy) Boucher,” Murphy wrote. “Come on. It’s Niners-Eagles. Wouldn’t miss it. As Paulie Mac’s board itself would say: The show goes on.”
3) I’ll be back Monday morning on KNBR with our guy Markus (Waterboy) Boucher. @MarkusBoucher Come on. It’s Niners-Eagles. Wouldn’t miss it. As Paulie Mac’s board itself would say: The show goes on. pic.twitter.com/0p4IRTUAPd
— Brian Murphy (@knbrmurph) December 1, 2023
Sports Radio News
Mike Mulligan: Sports Radio is More Difficult Than Other Formats Think
He shared that he has worked with people on morning shows that he has seen come to a station fully hungover who play music and proceed to sit on the couch.

Published
2 days agoon
December 1, 2023By
BSM Staff
On Friday morning’s edition of Mully & Haugh on 670 The Score in Chicago, co-host Mike Mulligan outlined the difference with music radio that hosts are not continuously talking to the audience, instead taking mic breaks and then interspersing commentary with different songs.
Filling in for David Haugh on Friday’s edition of the program was Gabe Ramirez, who used to work in the format with B96 as the host of its morning show. Mulligan’s assertion about the differences between the two formats resulted in a conversation about the differences between the grenres, with Ramirez explaining the difficulties that music radio hosts face on the air.
“The music station’s still creating content,” Ramirez said. “You get to have a guest – since I am going to defend my music stations – you get to have a guest and toss them a softball question and listen to them rant for five minutes.”
Mulligan disagreed with this perspective, conveying that he does not feel their program provides guests with easy questions. Additionally, he shared that he has worked with people on morning shows that he has seen come to a station fully hungover who play music and proceed to sit on the couch.
“As a former sportswriter, we sit around and we talk about sports,” Mulligan said. “We talk about the sports we cover and we talk about other sports.”
“You have to talk about Justin Fields seven days in a row,” Ramirez replied. “As a morning show for music, you have to come up with new content every day.”
Rather than taking umbrage towards the response, Mike Mulligan explained that the key to effectively performing his job is being able to discuss important stories of the day even when they are not the headlines. Furthermore, he expounded on the commitment that it takes to watch the amount of sporting events and to be properly informed on the action so he is able to take the air.
“That I will agree with,” Ramirez said. “I’ve told people this – they ask me, ‘What’s the biggest difference?’ The prep, without question, is way more difficult in sports radio because everyone that’s listening to you already knows the answers and you have to be equally if not more informed in all of those things.”
Sports Radio News
Minnesota Twins Set to Tab Cory Provus as New TV Voice, Kris Atteberry as Lead Radio Announcer
Provus has been the radio voice of the Minnesota Twins since 2012.

Published
2 days agoon
December 1, 2023By
BSM Staff
After Dick Bremer exited the Minnesota Twins TV booth in October, the search began for his replacement. The MLB franchise didn’t have to look far, though.
Twins radio voice Cory Provus is reportedly set to become the new TV play-by-play broadcaster for the club, according to a report from Dan Hayes of The Athletic.
Provus has been the radio voice of the Minnesota Twins since 2012. Many immediately tabbed him as the club’s replacement for Bremer, who retired after 40 seasons as the lead television voice of the American League club. Before joining the team in 2012, Provus worked for the Milwaukee Brewers as the number two broadcaster after spending two seasons as the radio pregame host for the Chicago Cubs.
Meanwhile, Kris Atteberry has been signaled as the person set to replace Provus inside the franchise’s radio booth. He has served as the pregame and postgame host for the Minnesota Twins Radio Network since 2007. Atteberry joined the club after spending five years calling games for the then-Independent St. Paul Saints from 2002-2006.
While the television and radio broadcast crews appear set, questions remain about where the team will televise its games in 2024. The club’s contract with Bally Sports North has reportedly expired, and it has yet to sign an agreement with the bankruptcy-laden RSN, or with a local over-the-air television station.