Westwood One Sports

What Westwood One Sports does

Westwood One Sports is the sports audio broadcasting division of Westwood One, LLC, a subsidiary of publicly traded Cumulus Media Inc. (NASDAQ: CMLS). It operates as the exclusive national radio home of the NFL — including Sunday Night Football, Monday Night Football, the Playoffs, and the Super Bowl — and holds national audio rights across NCAA Football, NCAA Basketball (including the Men's and Women's NCAA Basketball Tournaments), NCAA Lacrosse, NCAA Hockey, NCAA Men's and Women's College World Series, Golf, and U.S. Soccer. The network is anchored by elite broadcast talent including Kevin Harlan (16 consecutive Super Bowls for Westwood One since 2010), Jim Rome, Drake C. Toll, Nick Kostos, and Ross Tucker. In December 2025, it launched a 24/7 Sports Talk programming lineup, transitioning from purely event-driven coverage to a continuous national talk network.

The company's core technology is a national radio distribution and streaming audio delivery platform. Content reaches listeners through three primary channels: a national network of hundreds of affiliate radio stations spanning all major US markets (e.g., WEEI Boston, KNBR San Francisco, KTCK Dallas, WLW Cincinnati); a proprietary iOS mobile app (Westwood One Sports App) for direct-to-consumer streaming; and partnerships with major streaming platforms including ESPN+, Disney+, YouTube TV, Fubo TV, NFL+, and SiriusXM. The company also operates an extensive podcast portfolio distributed via Apple Podcasts and other platforms. A Station Finder tool enables listeners to locate local affiliates by sport and market.

Westwood One Sports generates revenue primarily through three streams: (1) national advertising and sponsorship sold across the radio network and streaming inventory, which commands premium CPMs during NFL and NCAA events; (2) affiliate fees paid by radio stations licensing premium sports content rights; and (3) podcast and digital content advertising. The customer base is split between B2B (radio stations and broadcast affiliates that cannot individually afford premier sports rights) and B2C (American sports fans accessing content via free ad-supported radio, mobile app, and podcast channels). Headcount is reported at 51-100 employees, reflecting lean operations that leverage Cumulus Media's shared broadcast infrastructure.

Name

Westwood One Sports

Legal name

Westwood One, LLC

Website

https://westwoodonesports.com

Company type

Private

Founded year

1987

Operating status

Operating

Headcount range

51–100 employees

Short description

Westwood One Sports is a national radio network and Cumulus Media subsidiary that broadcasts live audio of the NFL, NCAA, Golf, and U.S. Soccer to hundreds of affiliate stations and streaming platforms. It also runs a podcast portfolio and iOS app serving American sports fans.

Ownership category

akta.pro rank

Product category

Sports Radio Broadcasting

NAICS

Radio Broadcasting Stations (516110), Radio Broadcasting Stations (51611), Radio and Television Broadcasting Stations (5161)

SIC

Radio Broadcasting Stations (4832)

akta.pro primary industry

Sports Radio Networks & Talk Stations (MPABAJAB)

akta.pro secondary industries

Sports Audio Rights & Live Game Audio Networks (MPABAJAK), Talk/News/Sports Radio Networks & Syndication (MPAIAEAG), Sports Digital Audio Broadcasts (Live Radio, Play-by-Play, Podcasts) (MPAKAOAG)

Keywords

• Sports radio broadcasting
• Radio network syndication
• Live sports audio
• Sports content licensing
• National radio affiliate network

Headquarters

HQ city

New York

HQ country

United States

HQ region

North America

Offices1 record

Markets served

GTM type

B2B

Offering type

Services

Cost components

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

Revenue model

1. Advertising and Sponsorship Revenue: Westwood One Sports generates primary revenue through advertising sold across its national radio network broadcasts. National advertisers reach listeners through the network's extensive affiliate station footprint. The network's premium sports content (NFL, NCAA tournaments) commands significant advertising inventory during high-profile events.
2. Affiliate Fees: Radio stations pay fees or enter into contractual arrangements to carry Westwood One Sports broadcasts, particularly for premium content like NFL games. This provides a distribution revenue stream from the network's portfolio of sports broadcasting rights.
3. Podcast and Digital Content: Revenue generated from podcast content including The Jim Rome Show, The Drake Toll Show, The Bleck & Abdalla Show, Westwood One Sports Night, US Soccer Podcast, NCAA Podcast, and numerous other sports podcasts distributed through Apple Podcasts and other platforms.

Go-to-market motion2 records

Distribution channels4 records

Marketing channels5 records

Core offering

Westwood One Sports is the national radio broadcast network for major U.S. sports leagues, producing and distributing exclusive live play-by-play audio broadcasts of NFL games (Sunday Night Football, Monday Night Football, Playoffs, Super Bowl), NCAA Football and Basketball (including March Madness), Golf (PGA Championship), U.S. Soccer, and NCAA championship events. The network delivers this content through hundreds of affiliate radio stations across the United States, supplemented by direct-to-consumer streaming via its iOS mobile app, podcast platforms, and major streaming services.

Product overview

Westwood One Sports is a sports radio broadcast network operated by Cumulus Media that provides exclusive audio broadcasts of major sporting events. The portfolio consists of a mobile application for streaming, a comprehensive lineup of broadcast content covering NFL (Sunday and Monday Night Football, Playoffs, Super Bowl), NCAA sports (Football, Basketball, Lacrosse, Hockey, Men's and Women's College World Series), Golf, and U.S. Soccer (including World Cup coverage). The network also distributes an extensive podcast network including The Jim Rome Show, Ross Tucker Football Podcast, Drake Toll Show, U.S. Soccer Podcast, and Today In Women's Sports. A 24/7 Sports Talk programming lineup launched in December 2025 complements live event broadcasts. The Station Finder tool enables listeners to locate local radio affiliates by sport and market.

Differentiator

Problem solved

Functional benefit

Products and services

• Westwood One Sports App Mobile application for iOS devices that streams live sports broadcasts, on-demand content, and podcasts from Westwood One Sports, enabling direct consumer access to live play-by-play coverage without requiring radio ownership.
• NFL Broadcasts Exclusive national radio broadcasts of NFL games including Sunday Night Football, Monday Night Football, Playoffs, and Super Bowl coverage distributed through the affiliate station network.
• NCAA Football Broadcasts College football game broadcasts and related programming covering the NCAA Football season, distributed through affiliate radio stations and digital platforms.
• NCAA Basketball Broadcasts Coverage of NCAA Men's and Women's Basketball including March Madness tournament broadcasts distributed to affiliate radio stations nationwide.
• Golf Broadcasts Golf tournament broadcasts including PGA Championship coverage distributed through the radio network.
• U.S. Soccer Broadcasts U.S. Soccer broadcasts including USMNT, USWNT, and World Cup coverage distributed via radio network and digital platforms.
• NCAA Men's College World Series (MCWS) Radio broadcasts of the NCAA Men's College World Series baseball tournament distributed through the national radio network.
• NCAA Women's College World Series (WCWS) Exclusive audio broadcasts of the NCAA Division I Women's Basketball Championship covering games from Sweet Sixteen through the National Championship.
• NCAA Lacrosse Broadcasts NCAA Division I Men's Lacrosse championship broadcasts distributed through the radio affiliate network.
• NCAA Hockey Broadcasts NCAA Men's Hockey broadcasts distributed to affiliate radio stations and digital platforms.
• 24/7 Sports Talk Lineup 24/7 sports talk programming lineup featuring hosts Jim Rome, Drake C. Toll, and Nick Kostos, providing continuous coverage of major sports stories and live play-by-play of NFL, NCAA, and U.S. Soccer across the United States.
• The Jim Rome Show Sports talk radio show podcast featuring nationally syndicated sports commentary and analysis from host Jim Rome.
• The Drake Toll Show Morning sports talk show podcast hosted by Drake C. Toll, part of the 24/7 Sports Talk Lineup distributed through Apple Podcasts and other podcast platforms.
• Ross Tucker Football Podcast Daily NFL and college football podcast featuring analysis, news, and commentary from Ross Tucker.
• U.S. Soccer Podcast Podcast presented by Henkel featuring interviews with U.S. Soccer stars, match previews, and coverage of USMNT and USWNT.
• NCAA Podcast (This Week in the NCAA) Weekly coverage of NCAA athletics news and events distributed through Apple Podcasts and other podcast platforms.
• Today In Women's Sports Podcast Podcast covering women's sports news and events distributed through the podcast network.

Quantifiable outcome

• 16 consecutive Super Bowls broadcast by Westwood One's Kevin Harlan since 2010
• +1 more outcomes

Named customers2 records

Segments2 records

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

Scale indicators2 records

Recent moves6 records

Expansion highlights5 records

Broad incumbents

• Audacy: Audacy is one of the largest US radio broadcasters and the parent of CBS Sports Radio. It both competes with Westwood One as an affiliate network and as a national sports audio syndicator, while also serving as a potential distribution partner.
• iHeartMedia: iHeartMedia operates the largest US radio station group and syndicates Fox Sports Radio and other sports content. It is a major competitor for affiliate sports content distribution and an indirect competitor for national ad dollars.

Direct peers

• NBC Sports Audio: NBC Sports Audio syndicates national sports talk and event audio tied to NBC Sports' rights portfolio (NFL, NBA, NHL, Premier League, Olympics). It competes with Westwood One Sports for premium rights, affiliate stations, and advertisers.
• SiriusXM: SiriusXM is the dominant subscription sports audio service in the US, carrying NFL, NBA, MLB, and NHL play-by-play plus sports talk channels. It overlaps with Westwood One Sports both as a distribution partner and as a competitor for sports audio ad and subscription revenue.
• Fox Sports Radio: Fox Sports Radio (formerly Premiere Networks' sporting operations, now under Premiere/iHeart) syndicates national sports talk and live event audio. It is a direct competitor for affiliate carriage and sports talk ad revenue.
• ESPN Radio: ESPN Radio is the largest US national sports radio network, distributing sports talk and live play-by-play through affiliate stations. It directly competes with Westwood One Sports for both affiliate relationships and national sports audio advertising dollars.
• CBS Sports Radio: CBS Sports Radio is a national sports talk and live event radio network distributed via Audacy. It competes head-to-head with Westwood One Sports for affiliate stations, sports talk audiences, and national advertisers.

Emerging players

• TuneIn: TuneIn aggregates live radio stations, podcasts, and sports audio streams globally. It competes as a digital distribution platform for sports audio content and overlaps with Westwood One's streaming and podcast strategy.
• Bleacher Report: Bleacher Report is a leading digital sports media brand with a growing audio and podcast presence. It competes for sports fan attention, time-spent, and advertising spend that would otherwise flow to sports radio networks like Westwood One.
• The Athletic: The Athletic is a subscription digital sports media company (now part of The New York Times) with strong podcasting. It represents a digital-native competitor for sports audio attention and ad/subscription dollars.

Market position

Strengths5 records

Weaknesses5 records

Competitive moat4 records

Key risks6 records

Key highlights7 records

Customer concentration

• Xx.com/westwood1sports
• YouTubeyoutube.com/westwood1sports
• Facebookfacebook.com/westwoodonesports
• Instagraminstagram.com/westwoodonesports
• TikToktiktok.com/@westwood.one.sports
• LinkedInlinkedin.com/company/westwoodone

Revenue estimate

Valuation estimate

Number of profiles

Profiles1 record

Subsidiaries1 record

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 Westwood One Sports