ESPN Radio, which is alternatively branded platform-agnostically as ESPN Audio, is an American sports radio network and extension of the ESPN television network. It was launched on January 1, 1992, under the banner "SportsRadio ESPN". The network is based at the ESPN campus in Bristol, Connecticut, with multiple studio facilities nationwide, along with home studios. The network airs a regular schedule of daily and weekly programming as well as live radio play-by-play of sporting events.
ESPN Radio is broadcast to hundreds of affiliate stations, along with national and Canadian carriage on Sirius XM. The network's content is also available online through its affiliates via Audacy, iHeartRadio and TuneIn, and the network also makes its programming available via podcast feeds and providers, with some additional content audio and video available through an ESPN+ subscription. Several of its programs are also featured as fully live or "best-of" video simulcasts on the ESPN family of television networks.
History
ESPN Radio Network was formed in September 1991 by ESPN Inc. and Capital Cities/ABC, Inc.'s ABC Radio Networks. Twenty-five stations had already signed on as affiliates at its September 5, 1991 announcement, with an expected total of 200 at the January launch. Shelby Whitfield, executive producer of ABC Radio Sports, and John A. Walsh, executive editor of ESPN, were placed in charge of the venture. The network launched as Sports Radio ESPN on January 1, 1992. At first, ESPN Radio broadcast only on weekends. The network debuted with 16 hours running on 147 affiliates in 43 states. Its initial programming consisted of news shows, update segments, and occasional features.
By 1996, ESPN Radio had expanded to weekdays with a show hosted by The Fabulous Sports Babe, Nancy Donnean. One hour of that show was simulcast on ESPN2 (1-2 p.m. Eastern time). Two years later, Tony Bruno and Mike Golic were brought together for a new morning show, the Bruno & Golic Morning Show which aired until Bruno left the network in 2000. Mike Greenberg was named as Bruno's replacement, and the morning show became Mike & Mike, which aired until 2017 (and was also simulcast on ESPN2). In January 2010, Mike & Mike celebrated their 10-year anniversary on ESPN Radio. Dan Patrick was a mainstay in the afternoons until his departure from ESPN in 2007.
Gradually, ESPN added more dayparts and became a 24-hour service. In 1995, ESPN Radio gained national radio rights to the NBA. In 1997, it gained the national radio rights to MLB. Disney purchased WEVD from the Forward Association in September 2002 to become WEPN, ESPN Radio's flagship station. On June 12, 2007, Disney spun off and merged its ABC Radio Networks with Citadel Broadcasting into Citadel Communications while retaining its ESPN Radio and Radio Disney networks and stations.
ESPN Radio is streamed over 215 stations and is ranked first nationally as a sports broadcasting program. The parent company ESPN focused on radio . With more resources and money spent on it, ESPN radio expanded rapidly.
On July 28, 2023, amid layoffs occurring across ESPN, Good Karma Brands—an operator of ESPN Radio affiliates in multiple markets that had also acquired the network's New York, Los Angeles, and Chicago flagships in 2021—assumed the day-to-day operations and advertising sales for the ESPN Radio network.
Programming
Broadcast rights
NBA on ESPN Radio (since 1996) College Football on ESPN Radio, including the Bowl Championship Series, then the College Football Playoff (since 2000) Major League Baseball on ESPN Radio (since 1998) Caribbean Series (since 2015) ESPN FC Presents: EFL Championship on ESPN Radio (since 2016) ESPN FC Presents: La Liga, on ESPN Radio (since 2016)
Past rights
ESPN FC Presents: UEFA Euro on ESPN Radio (2012, 2016, 2020, along with Champions League, Europa League and Super Cup) FIFA World Cup on ESPN Radio (2010, 2014) FIFA Women's World Cup on ESPN Radio (2011) MLS Soccer Sunday on ESPN Radio (2015–2022) MLS Cup on ESPN Radio (2007-2014) NIT on ESPN Radio (2002–2011) The Open Championship on ESPN Radio (2010–2015) U.S. Open on ESPN Radio (2010–2014) Live @ Wimbledon on ESPN Radio (2012–2013) World Baseball Classic (2013, 2017)