Dial Global to offer “The NBC Sports Radio Network”

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Dial GlobalBuilding on their NBC News Radio Network offering, The NBC Sports Group and Dial Global announced a partnership to create the NBC Sports Radio Network. Beginning in September, the network will be distributed to radio stations nationwide by Dial Global.


The network’s content will include hourly sports news updates, daily features as well as full-length shows. In addition to distribution on terrestrial radio stations, NBC Sports’ audio content will be available on a wide variety of digital platforms. Live shows will be streamed on NBCSports.com, DialGlobalSports.com, affiliate stations’ websites and other streaming services. On-demand short-form audio content will also be distributed online and through podcasts and other digital applications. Dial Global will be the exclusive ad and affiliate sales representative to the network.

Tapping into the NBC Sports Group’s unique mix of national and local assets, the NBC Sports Radio Network will provide stations both national and regional sports content. Listeners may hear hourly sports updates, long-form shows and features hosted by national NBC Sports voices, NBC Sports Regional Networks on-air personalities, or NBC affiliate sportscasters, depending upon location.

Specific programming and commentator details are to be announced.

“We are thrilled to bring the rich heritage of NBC Sports to listeners across national radio for the first time,” said Mark Lazarus, Chairman, NBC Sports Group. “By adding radio to our broadcast, cable, regional, and digital assets, the NBC Sports Radio Network will give sports fans a new way to interact with the NBC Sports Group day in and day out.”

“Dial Global is excited to partner with NBC Sports Group to expand upon Dial Global’s live play-by-play platform. We are confident that with NBC’s sports assets, we will create a leading full service sports network and bring great sports audio to listeners across America,” said Spencer Brown, DG Co-CEO.

This partnership expands upon the existing radio relationship between Dial Global and NBCUniversal, which includes NBC News, The Weather Channel, NBC Olympics and more.  Earlier this year, NBC News partnered with Dial Global to create NBC News Radio—a 24-hour radio news network distributing news reports and content to over 700 affiliates.

RBR-TVBR observation: Dial Global is coming on strong in the already-competitive sports radio arena (ESPN Radio, Yahoo! Sports, Sports USA, etc). With all of Westwood One’s offerings, DG’s relationship with Compass Media Networks and now this, DG is posed to take an even bigger piece of the pie. And don’t forget—DG is the official radio partner of the 2012 London Olympics.