Aiming to fill audience appetites for short-form sports updates, iHeartMedia today launched the iHeartSports Network across 500 broadcast stations and their digital streams throughout the country. The company says the new network will deliver short-form national, regional and local sports reports to listeners in multiple formats that index high for interest in sports, including rock, country, hip-hop, classic hits, news, talk, and sports.
Initial affiliates were not disclosed but the company says the new sports radio entry will deliver a monthly reach of 75 million listeners, and feature some of the biggest names in sports, including TV sportscaster Cris Collinsworth, Premiere-syndicated radio personalities Colin Cowherd and Dan Patrick, Fox Sports1’s Joy Taylor and other hosts.
One year ago the company rolled up all of its sports assets into iHeartRadio Sports, a website that aggregates its sports radio stations, podcasts and personalities with the latest sports news.
In making the announcement, iHeart cited research from Scarborough showing 83% of sports fans want a daily update, along with other research indicating that almost two-thirds of sports fans do not have the time to seek out additional desired information.
“This is a product-driven network responding to the interests of our listeners,” said Greg Ashlock, President of iHeartMedia Markets Group. “People are passionate about sports and this will deliver the timely regional and local coverage they care most about along with the biggest national stories.”