With COVID-19 forcing a sports hiatus, radio brands were dealt unique challenges in the spring book, leading to mixed ratings around the country. Even without sports, a few markets were able to generate some positive numbers.
Without sports and having fewer daily commuters during drive time hours, ratings for 92.9 ESPN in Memphis were down less than a point overall and even saw some of their weekday shows increase for the spring book.
In weekday prime (M-F 6a – 7p) for their target demo of men 25-54, 92.9 equaled their winter performance, tied for fourth place. With the stream included, their weekday prime share was down from a 7 to a 6.1. Their simulcast of Golic and Wingo produced a Top-10 finish with a 4 share, but 92.9’s mid-morning and early afternoon hours are where the station really shined during the spring quarter.
From 9a – 11a, The Geoff Calkins Show finished second overall with the stream, earning an impressive 10.4 share, a more than 2-point jump from the winter book and year-over-year. During the 11am – 2pm block, John Martin and Jason Smith were Top-8 with a 5.6 share, down from their second-place finish year-over-year. Like Calkins, Mark Giannotto and Jeffrey Wright also saw their numbers increase without sports, earning an 8.6 share, tied for third place.
In afternoon drive, The Gary Parrish Show was down during his 4 – 7p block, but still finished in the Top-10 with a 4.3 share.
Indianapolis’ 107.5/1070 The Fan declined from the winter book, but delivered Top-10 performances across the board even without the support of sports in the spring. In weekday prime, The Fan finished seventh, with a 5.7 share. Their morning show with Jeff Rickard and Joe Staysniak dipped from third during the winter, to fifth in the spring book earning a 6.8 share.
From noon – 3p, the Fan’s midday show hosted by Dan Dakich finished the quarter eighth with a 5.4 share, down about two points from the winter. In afternoon drive The Ride with JMV (John Michael Vincent) dropped more than three points from the winter book, but still increased year-over-year, finishing ninth with a 5.4 share.
Tampa Bay’s 95.3 WDAE enjoyed some strong performances during the spring book while sports stories were thin. WDAE placed eighth in weekday prime, up 31% year-over-year for their target demo. Tom Brady signed with the Buccaneers late in the winter quarter, but the impact still likely boosted the market’s sports interest during the spring book.
With less people commuting during the drive time shows, WDAE’s midday hours saw the strongest growth. Their simulcast of The Dan Patrick Show finished fifth, a huge jump from their 21st place performance last year. Locally, from noon – 3p, The Pat and Aaron Show were Top-8, a significant improvement from their mid-teens showing last year.
