What ESPN Houston 97.5 + 92.5 FM does

ESPN Houston 97.5 + 92.5 FM is a Houston-based sports radio station founded in 2007, operating under the ESPN Radio brand and owned by Gow Media LLC. The station broadcasts on dual FM frequencies (97.5 FM and 92.5 FM) serving the Houston metropolitan area, with programming centered on Houston's professional sports franchises (Houston Texans in the NFL, Houston Astros in MLB, Houston Rockets in the NBA), local and national sports talk, and soccer content. Its product surface includes the live radio broadcast — anchored by the weekday morning show 'The Bench' with hosts John Granato and Lance Zierlein — a portfolio of podcasts (The John and Lance Podcast, Jeremy & Joe, Soccer Matters, The Del Olaleye Show, Whiskey Neat, What's Eric Eating, The Golf Hour with Will Doctor), a dedicated iOS mobile app, YouTube live streaming, and live event activations including soccer watch parties and fantasy football contests. Distribution is multi-channel: analog FM broadcast, online streaming via ListenLive.co, and mobile applications for iOS and Android.

The business model is advertising- and sponsorship-driven. The station sells airtime and event sponsorships to local advertisers and event partners, with observed sponsors including DraftKings Sportsbook at Golden Nugget Lake Charles (fantasy football contest), Huntington Bank (presenting sponsor for soccer watch parties), and Republic Boot Co. (prize sponsor). The station employs 22 people and operates under a horizontal segmentation approach targeting Houston sports fans across primary use cases of sports news, commentary, game coverage, fantasy sports, and soccer content. GTM is community-led through live radio, listener engagement events, and digital channels (Facebook, YouTube, podcast directories). Pricing for advertising is not publicly disclosed and is handled on a quote basis. The station carries no FCC regulatory actions, holds no patents, and operates as a privately held LLC without external venture or public-market funding.

Name

ESPN Houston 97.5 + 92.5 FM

Legal name

Gow Media LLC

Website

https://espn975.com

Company type

Private

Founded year

2007

Operating status

Operating

Headcount range

11–50 employees

Short description

ESPN Houston 97.5 + 92.5 FM is a Houston-based sports radio station operating under the ESPN Radio brand, broadcasting on dual FM frequencies to deliver Houston Texans, Astros, and Rockets coverage, plus podcasts, live events, and a mobile app for local sports fans.

Ownership category

akta.pro rank

Product category

Sports Radio Broadcasting

NAICS

Radio Broadcasting Stations (516110), Radio Broadcasting Stations (51611), Media Streaming Distribution Services, Social Networks, and Other Media Networks and Content Providers (5162)

SIC

Radio Broadcasting Stations (4832)

akta.pro primary industry

Sports Radio Networks & Talk Stations (MPABAJAB)

akta.pro secondary industries

Internet Radio & Streaming Broadcast Stations (Simulcast/Online-only) (MPAIAEAE), Talk/News/Sports Radio Networks & Syndication (MPAIAEAG)

Keywords

• Sports radio broadcasting
• Live sports content
• Radio advertising sales
• Sports podcasts
• Live event broadcasting

Headquarters

HQ city

Houston, Texas

HQ country

United States

HQ region

North America

Offices1 record

Markets served

GTM type

B2C

Offering type

Digital Commerce or Content

Cost components

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

Revenue model

1. Advertising and Sponsorships: The station generates revenue through advertising sales and sponsorships, with dedicated 'Advertise with Us' page indicating commercial availability. The station also conducts promotional contests and events that attract sponsor partnerships.

Go-to-market motion1 record

Distribution channels3 records

Marketing channels4 records

Core offering

ESPN Houston 97.5 + 92.5 FM is a Houston-based sports radio station that delivers live sports talk programming on 97.5 FM and 92.5 FM, focused on the Houston Texans, Astros, and Rockets plus national ESPN sports coverage. The station supplements its live broadcast with on-demand podcasts, an iOS/Android mobile streaming app, and in-person listener engagement through fantasy football contests and soccer watch parties.

Product overview

ESPN Houston 97.5 + 92.5 FM operates as a sports radio broadcast platform offering live radio programming on dual FM frequencies (97.5 and 92.5), a portfolio of podcasts and on-demand shows, mobile applications, and live events. The core offering is the live radio broadcast featuring morning show 'The Bench' with John Granato and Lance Zierlein, supplemented by specialized podcasts including 'Soccer Matters,' 'The John and Lance Podcast,' 'Jeremy & Joe,' and niche shows like 'What's Eric Eating?' and 'Whiskey Neat.' The station also runs fantasy sports contests and soccer watch party events as engagement initiatives. A dedicated iOS mobile app enables streaming listening, and the broadcast covers Houston professional teams (Texans, Astros, Rockets) plus national sports news.

Differentiator

Problem solved

Functional benefit

Products and services

• ESPN 97.5 FM Radio Broadcast Houston-based sports radio station broadcasting live sports talk programming on 97.5 FM and 92.5 FM frequencies, featuring analysis of the Houston Texans, Astros, and Rockets alongside national sports coverage and ESPN content. Targeted at Houston sports fans.
• The Bench Flagship weekday morning sports talk show (7-9am) featuring John Granato and Lance Zierlein, covering Houston sports news and national sports topics. Targeted at Houston sports radio listeners.
• The John and Lance Podcast On-demand podcast hosted by John Granato and Lance Zierlein delivering Houston sports news, analysis, and interviews with sports figures. Targeted at podcast listeners and Houston sports fans.
• Jeremy & Joe (Killer Bs) Sports talk podcast featuring hosts Jeremy and Joe covering Houston sports topics and current events. Targeted at Houston sports fans.
• Soccer Matters Soccer-focused program hosted by Glenn Davis covering international soccer, the Houston Dash, World Cup news, and analysis. Targeted at Houston-area soccer fans.
• What's Eric Eating? Podcast covering Houston sports and lifestyle topics. Targeted at Houston-area listeners.
• Whiskey Neat Podcast covering sports topics in a relaxed, conversational format. Targeted at Houston-area podcast listeners.
• The Golf Hour with Will Doctor Golf-focused sports show hosted by Will Doctor covering golf news, tournaments, and analysis. Targeted at golf fans in the Houston area.
• Fantasy Football with John & Lance Annual fantasy football contest in which listeners compete against ESPN 97.5 hosts John Granato and Lance Zierlein for prizes including DraftKings Sportsbook experiences and Golden Nugget Lake Charles trips. Targeted at Houston sports radio listeners.
• ESPN 97.5 Soccer Watch Parties In-person watch party events held at Houston venues for major soccer matches, featuring prizes, food, and live broadcasts. Targeted at Houston-area soccer fans and station listeners.
• ESPN 97.5 Mobile App iOS and Android mobile application providing live radio streaming, on-demand content, and push notifications for Houston sports updates. Targeted at Houston sports fans listening on the go.

Segments1 record

Ideal customer profiles2 records

Technology focussed No

API detail

Has API

No

API docs

API detail

Core technology

AI maturity

App detail

Integration5 records

Partnerships

Three partnerships are on record, tiered minor.

• DraftKings Sportsbook at Golden Nugget Lake CharlesminorGTM or Marketing PartnerDraftKings Sportsbook at Golden Nugget Lake Charles hosted the ESPN 97.5 Fantasy Draft event. 4 lucky listeners each won 2 spots in a fantasy league, plus 2-night stay at GNLC, $200 food/beverage credit, and dinner at the DraftKings Sportsbook.
• Huntington BankminorGTM or Marketing PartnerHuntington Bank served as Presenting Sponsor for the ESPN 97.5 Soccer Watch Parties event series held throughout June and July in the Houston area.
• Republic Boot Co.minorGTM or Marketing PartnerRepublic Boot Co. served as Prize Sponsor for the ESPN 97.5 Soccer Watch Parties event series.

Scale indicators1 record

Recent moves6 records

Expansion highlights5 records

Direct peers

• SportsMap / SB Nation Radio: Sports talk radio network with regional/national affiliates. Comparable multi-host sports talk format distributed across multiple markets, competing for the same advertiser audiences.
• Fox Sports Radio: National sports talk radio network distributed via FM/AM affiliates across the country. Competes with ESPN Radio for affiliate stations and syndication in the same sports talk format.
• SportsRadio 610 (KILT): The other flagship Houston sports talk radio station, also covering the Texans, Astros, and Rockets. Direct competitor for Houston sports radio ad dollars and listener share, with a longer market history.

Broad incumbents

• Audacy Houston Sports Stations: Audacy (formerly Entercom) owns multiple sports talk stations in Houston (e.g., KFNC's former sister brands). Direct competitive overlap in the same Houston market with national sales infrastructure.
• iHeartMedia Houston Sports Stations: Houston portfolio of iHeart-owned stations, including sports talk formats. Larger incumbent with consolidated sales force and broader advertiser relationships than ESPN Houston.
• ESPN Radio (national network): The national sports radio network that ESPN Houston is affiliated with. Same brand and content ecosystem, but operates at national scale and owns the master brand ESPN Houston licenses.

Others

• BetMGM / DraftKings Sportsbook (media content): Sports betting operators producing sports talk and odds-driven content similar to ESPN Houston's MoneyLine segment. Both a partner and competitor for sports betting affiliate attention.

Regional players

• Houston Chronicle (Sports section): Local Houston sports coverage from the legacy newspaper. Competes for Houston sports fans' attention and advertising, though primarily in text rather than audio format.

Emerging players

• Barstool Sports: Digital-first sports media brand featuring sports talk, podcasting, and betting content. Overlaps with ESPN Houston's younger demographic and podcast content strategy.
• The Ringer (sports media): Sports-focused podcast and digital media network with similar host-driven, team-focused sports commentary. Competes for the same podcast/streaming audience in the Houston market and beyond.

Market position

Strengths5 records

Weaknesses5 records

Competitive moat4 records

Key risks6 records

Key highlights6 records

Customer concentration

• YouTubeyoutube.com/@ESPNHouston/streams
• Facebookfacebook.com/espn975
• LinkedInlinkedin.com/company/espn975houston

Revenue estimate

Valuation estimate

Number of profiles

Profiles3 records

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 ESPN Houston 97.5 + 92.5 FM