97.5 The Fanatic

What 97.5 The Fanatic does

97.5 The Fanatic (legal entity: Beasley Media Group, LLC) is a Philadelphia-market sports talk radio station operating on the 97.5 FM frequency under the WPEN-FM license. The station broadcasts 24/7 sports coverage targeting the Philadelphia metropolitan audience, with an editorial focus on the city's five major professional teams — Eagles (NFL), Phillies (MLB), 76ers (NBA), Flyers (NHL), and Union (MLS) — and a broader secondary surface around FIFA World Cup, USMNT, and sports-betting content. Programming includes flagship shows such as The John Kincade Show, distributed on-air, as live streaming at 975thefanatic.com, on iOS and Android mobile applications, as on-demand podcasts via the Art19 hosting platform, and on Amazon Alexa-enabled devices. The station also publishes daily editorial content (trade analysis, game recaps, betting odds), operates the MVP Insider email newsletter, runs contests, and merchandises branded apparel through a third-party storefront at mjcorspstore.net.

The product portfolio is anchored on a single live broadcast product and extended through additive modules (podcast feed, mobile apps, Alexa skill, newsletter, merch store) rather than being engineered as a software-stack. Distribution is multi-channel — regional FM broadcast plus three global digital surfaces (web, app, podcast) — but the underlying technology is conventional broadcast plus commodity streaming and hosting, with no disclosed proprietary platform, no API surface (api_exists: false), no AI/ML features, and only a single third-party integration (Art19). The station operates as one asset within Beasley Media Group's Philadelphia cluster of five radio stations and is bound by FCC broadcast regulation, holding a valid WPEN-FM license and filing the required 2025-26 EEO public file report.

Monetization is advertising-only across three streams: on-air host-read ad spots, event sponsorships (anchored by named partners Modelo Especial, Corona, Wawa, Ticketmaster, and TrueFan Travel), and digital advertising through website, app, and newsletter inventory. Pricing is quote-based and not publicly disclosed. Audience is a B2C horizontal segment of Philadelphia sports fans (segmentation_approach: horizontal), with B2B advertiser counterparties being the actual paying customers. The firmographic indicates 11-50 employees, no disclosed revenue, no subsidiaries, and no independent funding history — the unit is operated as a station-level P&L inside its privately held parent, not as a standalone venture-backed business.

Name

97.5 The Fanatic

Legal name

Beasley Media Group, LLC

Website

https://975thefanatic.com

Company type

Private

Operating status

Operating

Headcount range

11–50 employees

Short description

97.5 The Fanatic (WPEN-FM) is a Philadelphia sports talk radio station owned by Beasley Media Group, covering the Eagles, Phillies, 76ers, Flyers, and Union across FM broadcast, web/app streaming, podcast, Alexa, and newsletter, with revenue from advertising and event sponsorships.

Ownership category

akta.pro rank

Product category

Sports Radio Broadcasting

NAICS

Radio Broadcasting Stations (51611)

SIC

Radio Broadcasting Stations (4832)

akta.pro primary industry

Sports Radio Networks & Talk Stations (MPABAJAB)

akta.pro secondary industries

Local Sports Broadcast Stations (Regional Local Rights, High School/College) (MPABACAK), Local Radio Station Groups (Owned & Operated/Station Chains) (MPABACAC)

Keywords

• Sports radio broadcasting
• Local sports coverage
• Sports talk programming
• Podcast content distribution
• Sports news coverage

Headquarters

HQ city

Bala Cynwyd

HQ country

United States

HQ region

North America

Offices1 record

Markets served

GTM type

B2C

Offering type

Services

Cost components

Personnel, Operations, Marketing or Sales, Technology or R&D, Infrastructure

Revenue model

1. Advertising Sales: Traditional radio advertising including spots read by hosts and sponsored segments. The station features sponsor messages and branded content integrations throughout programming.
2. Event Sponsorships: Partnerships with brands like Corona, Modelo Especial, and others for event activations including Modelo Match Nights, Ricky Bo events, and public practices.
3. Digital Advertising: Website and app-based digital advertising including display ads, sponsored content, and newsletter integrations.

Go-to-market motion2 records

Distribution channels4 records

Marketing channels6 records

Core offering

97.5 The Fanatic (WPEN-FM) is a Philadelphia sports radio station that broadcasts live sports talk programming covering the city's five major professional teams — Eagles (NFL), Phillies (MLB), Sixers/76ers (NBA), Flyers (NHL), and Union (MLS). The station distributes its content through over-the-air FM broadcast, website streaming, mobile apps, podcast platforms (Art19), an Alexa skill, an email newsletter, and live community events, and sells advertising and event sponsorships as its primary monetization.

Product overview

97.5 The Fanatic (WPEN) is a Philadelphia sports radio station operated by Beasley Media Group. The station's product portfolio centers on its flagship radio broadcast with live streaming, supplemented by The John Kincade Show podcast, mobile applications for iOS and Android, an Amazon Alexa voice skill, the MVP Insider email newsletter, and The Fanatic Pro Shop merchandise store. The station covers Philadelphia's five major professional sports teams: Eagles (NFL), Phillies (MLB), 76ers (NBA), Flyers (NHL), and Union (MLS).

Differentiator

Problem solved

Functional benefit

Products and services

• 97.5 The Fanatic (WPEN-FM) Radio Broadcast Flagship 24/7 Philadelphia sports talk radio station broadcasting on 97.5 FM, covering the Eagles (NFL), Phillies (MLB), 76ers/Sixers (NBA), Flyers (NHL), and Union (MLS), plus national sports and betting odds content, with free over-the-air and online streaming access for individual listeners.
• The John Kincade Show Daily sports talk show hosted by John Kincade featuring commentary, guest interviews, and analysis of Philadelphia sports teams, with episodes also distributed as on-demand podcasts through the Art19 platform for individual listeners.
• MVP Insider Newsletter Email newsletter subscription providing subscribers with Philadelphia sports news, event information, exclusive contests, and sports betting odds updates, targeted at individual sports fans.
• The Fanatic Pro Shop Online merchandise store selling 97.5 The Fanatic-branded apparel and merchandise to individual sports fans, operated through the third-party mjcorpstore.net platform.

Segments1 record

Ideal customer profiles2 records

Technology focussed No

API detail

Has API

No

API docs

API detail

Core technology

AI maturity

App detail

Integration1 record

Feature3 records

Partnerships

Six partnerships are on record, tiered core and minor.

• Modelo EspecialcoreGTM or Marketing PartnerModelo Match Nights partnership bringing soccer energy to Philadelphia with exclusive events and content around FIFA World Cup and MLS coverage. Activation includes branded experiences at Union matches and community events.
• CoronacoreGTM or Marketing PartnerCorona sponsors Ricky Bo's Row MLB events bringing Phillies fans together at local bars, and MLB All-Star Weekend presented by Corona with special lineup of events in Philadelphia.
• WawaminorGTM or Marketing PartnerOfficial Hoagie Partner of Philadelphia Phillies, cross-promotional relationship with 97.5 The Fanatic covering Phillies news and games.
• TicketmastercoreGTM or Marketing PartnerExclusive Ticketing Partner of Philadelphia Eagles through 2030. Extended multi-year partnership naming Ticketmaster as the official ticketing platform for Eagles events.
• TrueFan TravelminorGTM or Marketing PartnerOfficial Fan Travel Partner for Philadelphia Eagles 2026 season. Multi-year partnership to enhance travel experiences for Eagles fans attending games and events.
• Beasley Media GroupcoreOthersParent company operating the station as part of cluster of five radio stations in Philadelphia market.

Scale indicators2 records

Recent moves6 records

Expansion highlights5 records

Broad incumbents

• Fox Sports Radio: iHeartMedia-operated national sports talk radio network; comparable talk format and national syndication model, serving as both competitor and adjacent content source for sports radio stations.
• ESPN Radio: National sports radio network distributed via affiliate stations and streaming; competes with The Fanatic for sports-talk audience share and ad budgets but operates at national scale across many markets.
• SiriusXM Sports Channels: Subscription sports talk and play-by-play audio service; competes for sports radio listening time and offers an alternative distribution path relevant to The Fanatic's streaming and podcast strategy.

Direct peers

• 670 The Score (Chicago): Chicago sports talk radio station; comparable all-five-teams local sports coverage model with on-air talent shows, podcasts, and event sponsorships in a major U.S. metro.
• WFAN (Audacy New York): New York sports talk radio station and national sports radio network; parallels The Fanatic as a leading single-format sports station in a top-tier market, with similar ad sales and live event sponsorship models.
• Beasley Media Group Other Philadelphia Stations: Sister stations within Beasley's cluster of five Philadelphia radio stations; shared parent company, overlapping sales, and audience cross-promotion make them the closest operational peers even though they broadcast non-sports formats.
• Sportsradio 610 (Houston): Houston flagship sports radio station carrying ESPN Radio programming alongside local Houston sports content; directly comparable format, distribution mix, and audience target.
• WEEI (Audacy Boston): Boston sports talk radio station operated by Audacy; directly comparable to 97.5 The Fanatic as a flagship-format sports radio station serving a major U.S. market with deep local team coverage, multi-platform streaming, and podcast distribution.

Emerging players

• Bleacher Report: Digital-first sports media brand with social video and short-form content; competes for Philadelphia sports fan attention and advertiser budgets targeting younger local audiences.
• The Athletic (New York Times): Subscription digital sports media covering Philadelphia teams and other major markets; an emerging digital-native competitor for sports news audiences and the local advertising dollars The Fanatic relies on.

Market position

Strengths5 records

Weaknesses5 records

Competitive moat5 records

Key risks4 records

Key highlights5 records

Customer concentration

• Xx.com/975thefanatic
• YouTubeyoutube.com/@ToNewbyginnings
• Facebookfacebook.com/975thefanatic
• LinkedInlinkedin.com/company/975-the-fanatic
• Instagraminstagram.com/975thefanatic

Compliance2 records

Revenue estimate

Valuation estimate

Number of profiles

Funding overview

Funding rounds

Investors

Funding detail is available on the Subscription and Enterprise plan.Contact sales →

M&A

Investments

M&A and investment is available on the Subscription and Enterprise plan.Contact sales →

Frequently asked questions about 97.5 The Fanatic