98 KUPD

What 98 KUPD does

98KUPD (legal entity Hubbard Radio Phoenix, LLC) is a private Phoenix, Arizona-based FM rock radio station (KUPD-FM, 98.3) and wholly-owned subsidiary of Hubbard Broadcasting. The station broadcasts hard rock and heavy metal music across the Phoenix metropolitan area and wider Arizona, with a full daily programming schedule built around flagship morning show Holmberg's Morning Sickness (5:30a–10a, hosted by John Holmberg with co-hosts Brady Bogen, Bret Vesely, and Dick Toledo), midday programming with Larry McFeelie, afternoon drive with The Shan Man, and specialty shows including Full Metal Jackie (Friday heavy metal), Go Punk Yourself (Sunday punk), and Into The Pit (Sunday extreme metal, hosted by Marcus Meng). Beyond FM broadcast, the technology stack includes native iOS and Android mobile applications, an Amazon Alexa skill for voice-activated streaming, website streaming at 98kupd.com, and a podcast network of eight-plus shows distributed across YouTube, Spotify, and Apple Podcasts.

Revenue is generated almost entirely through advertising and sponsorship sales. Airtime sales target local and national advertisers seeking reach to an engaged male 25-54 rock-music demographic, with named sponsors spanning personal injury law firms (Sweet James, Lerner & Rowe), automotive (Valley Toyota Dealers, Mo Money Pawn, MMP Guns, AAMCO), consumer brands (Carbliss Cocktails, Sweet James), education (GateWay Community College), and homebuilders (Fulton Homes). Segment sponsorships include Mandatory Metallica (GateWay), rock news (Sweet James), and Operation Hydration (multiple sponsors). A second revenue lever is concert and event co-promotion with major Phoenix-area venues (Talking Stick Resort Amphitheatre, Arizona Financial Theatre, Marquee Theatre) and Ticketmaster ticketing integration for events such as UFEST and 98KUPD Presents: Evanescence. Listener engagement is reinforced through an annual calendar of branded events including Operation Hydration, Big Red Easter Keg Hunt, Heat Stroke Open Charity Golf Tournament, and Stuff The Bus, alongside the Big Red Update email newsletter and a station listening rewards program.

The station serves two customer segments: end-listener consumers (Phoenix-area rock-music listeners, morning commuters, and Arizona sports fans consuming podcast content) and business advertisers (local SMBs, regional brands, and national sponsors). Ownership remains unchanged under the Hubbard Broadcasting parent conglomerate, and no funding rounds, venture investment, or M&A activity are disclosed.

Name

98 KUPD

Legal name

Hubbard Radio Phoenix, LLC

Website

https://98kupd.com

Company type

Private

Operating status

Operating

Headcount range

1–10 employees

Short description

98KUPD is a Phoenix-based FM rock/heavy-metal radio station under Hubbard Radio Phoenix, LLC, serving Arizona listeners via broadcast, mobile apps, Alexa, and a podcast network, and monetizing through advertising, sponsorships, and concert co-promotion with major venues.

Ownership category

akta.pro rank

Product category

Broadcast Radio

NAICS

Radio Broadcasting Stations (516110)

SIC

Radio Broadcasting Stations (4832)

akta.pro primary industry

Commercial Terrestrial Radio Broadcasting (AM/FM) (MPAIAEAA)

akta.pro secondary industries

Network-Affiliated Local Radio Stations (News/Talk/Sports Syndication Affiliates) (MPABACAF), Local Radio Station Groups (Owned & Operated/Station Chains) (MPABACAC)

Keywords

• Broadcast radio station
• Rock music programming
• Podcast network
• Concert promotion
• Radio advertising sales

Headquarters

HQ city

Phoenix

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, Others

Revenue model

1. Advertising and Sponsorship: 98KUPD generates revenue through the sale of advertising airtime to local and national advertisers. The station features branded content integrations with sponsors for various programs, segments, and events. Sponsors include companies like Sweet James (accident attorneys), Carbliss Cocktails, Valley Toyota Dealers, and various local businesses.
2. Event Promotion and Ticket Sales: The station promotes concerts and events, earning revenue through event partnerships, ticket sales commissions, and branded event presentations (e.g., 98KUPD Presents: Evanescence, UFEST). The station acts as a co-promoter for major rock concerts in the Phoenix area.
3. Charitable Event Partnerships: While Operation Hydration is a charitable initiative collecting water for Phoenix Rescue Mission, the station leverages these community events for brand building and audience engagement, which supports advertising revenue generation.

Go-to-market motion1 record

Distribution channels5 records

Marketing channels8 records

Core offering

98 KUPD operates a Phoenix-based commercial rock and heavy-metal FM radio station (KUPD-FM 98.3) airing continuous live programming anchored by the morning show Holmberg's Morning Sickness, midday, afternoon drive, and specialty shows, and supported by digital delivery through mobile apps, an Alexa skill, website streaming, and a portfolio of podcasts. The station monetizes via on-air and sponsored-segment advertising, concert co-promotion with major Phoenix venues, branded community events (UFEST, Big Red Easter Keg Hunt, Heat Stroke Open, Operation Hydration, Stuff The Bus), and ticket-sale partnerships with Ticketmaster.

Product overview

98 KUPD is Arizona's Real Rock, a Phoenix-based hard rock/heavy metal radio station owned by Hubbard Radio Phoenix, LLC. The core product is live radio broadcasting supplemented by an extensive digital ecosystem comprising multiple on-demand products: a mobile app for iOS and Android, an Amazon Alexa skill for voice-activated streaming, a podcast network featuring both original shows (Holmberg's Morning Sickness, The Sports Thing) and syndicated content (Professor of Rock, Hysteria 51), and a listening rewards loyalty program. The station's on-air programming includes morning show Holmberg's Morning Sickness, midday Larry McFeelie Show, afternoon The Shan Man Show, and specialty shows Full Metal Jackie, Go Punk Yourself, and Into The Pit. The station also produces annual events including UFEST rock festival, Big Red Easter Keg Hunt, Heat Stroke Open charity golf tournament, and Operation Hydration community charitable drive.

Differentiator

Problem solved

Functional benefit

Brands

• Holmberg's Morning Sickness: Arizona's #1 Morning Show hosted by John Holmberg with co-hosts Brady Bogen, Bret Vesely, and Dick Toledo. Airs weekdays from 5:30a-10a.
• The Brady Report
• Professor of Rock
• The Sports Thing

Products and services

• 98KUPD Radio Broadcast (KUPD-FM 98.3) Round-the-clock hard rock and heavy metal FM radio broadcast serving the Phoenix metropolitan area and wider Arizona, branded as 'Arizona's Real Rock'.
• Holmberg's Morning Sickness Arizona's #1 Morning Show hosted by John Holmberg with co-hosts Brady Bogen, Bret Vesely, and Dick Toledo, airing weekdays 5:30a-10a on 98KUPD. Includes recurring segments such as The Brady Report, WWBD (What Would Brady Do), Entertainment Drill, and Guad Squares.
• Larry McFeelie Show Weekday midday show (10a-2p) hosted by Larry McFeelie, 98KUPD Brand and Content Director, featuring contests, movie reviews, and musician interviews including the 'Larry's Lunch Sack' segment.
• The Shan Man Show Weekday afternoon drive show (2p-7p) hosted by Shannon Hernandez (Shan Man), featuring rock music, artist interviews, and signature segments including the 8 O'Clock Shuffle and Mandatory Metallica at 5 PM weekdays (sponsored by GateWay Community College).
• Full Metal Jackie Show Friday night commercial heavy metal radio show (10p-11:59pm) hosted by Full Metal Jackie on 98KUPD, featuring heavy metal programming and artist/segment content.
• Go Punk Yourself Sunday evening punk rock show (7p-9p) hosted by Craven Moorehead, featuring punk rock music, show updates, and band news on 98KUPD.
• Into The Pit Sunday evening heavy metal show (9p-12am) hosted by Marcus Meng on 98KUPD, featuring extreme metal, underground tracks, and curated metal programming.
• 98KUPD Podcast Network Portfolio of original and curated podcasts including Holmberg's Morning Sickness, Professor of Rock, Behind The Song: Classic Rock Chronicles, The Sports Thing, Holmberg's Audio Vault, Stupiracy, Hysteria 51, Unidentified Alien Podcast, and Rock N Roll Story Guys, available across major podcast platforms and YouTube.
• The Sports Thing Podcast Weekly podcast covering Arizona sports commentary, featuring discussion of Arizona teams and sports topics with former NFL player Dale Hellestrae and former Arizona media personality Dave Nash, plus host John Holmberg.
• 98KUPD Mobile App Native iOS and Android mobile applications that let users stream 98KUPD live, earn listening rewards, participate in contests, and receive push notifications for contests and station events.
• 98KUPD Alexa Skill Amazon Alexa skill that streams 98KUPD via voice command and answers song and now-playing queries through Alexa-enabled devices.
• 98KUPD Listening Rewards Loyalty/rewards program where listeners log listening hours through the 98KUPD app to earn prizes including concert tickets, artist meet-and-greets, hotel stays, and other exclusive experiences.
• UFEST 2026 Annual rock festival presented by 98KUPD at Talking Stick Resort Amphitheatre, featuring multi-act rock lineups; 2026 edition features Godsmack, Stone Temple Pilots, and Dorothy.
• 98KUPD Events & Concerts Station-organized and co-promoted concerts and events with major Phoenix-area venues, including 98KUPD Presents concerts (Evanescence and others) and larger rock festival programming distributed via Ticketmaster.
• Operation Hydration Annual bottled-water collection drive run with Phoenix Rescue Mission, operated through Safeway/Albertsons van stops; 22nd annual edition in 2026, with 2.5M+ bottles collected since inception in 2005.
• Big Red Easter Keg Hunt Annual station-run Easter egg/keg hunt contest offering major cash and prize packages; 2026 prize was $20,000 awarded to Valerie Dennison.
• Heat Stroke Open Charity Golf Tournament Annual charity golf tournament presented by 98KUPD with Carbliss Cocktails as presenting sponsor, with paid team entries supporting community initiatives; the 9th annual edition was in 2026 with registration at $1,200 per foursome.
• Stuff The Bus School Supply Drive Annual school supply drive for Save the Family, sponsored by Fulton Homes, with a goal of filling 300 backpacks for Phoenix-area families.

Quantifiable outcome

• 2,500,000+ bottles of water collected since 2005 through Operation Hydration
• +2 more outcomes

Segments4 records

Ideal customer profiles2 records

Technology focussed No

API detail

Has API

No

API docs

API detail

Core technology

AI maturity

App detail

Integration9 records

AI capability2 records

Feature3 records

Partnerships

15 partnerships are on record, tiered core and minor.

• Phoenix Rescue MissioncoreStrategic or Co-development Partner · 1 January 2005Long-term charitable partnership for Operation Hydration annual water collection drive benefiting the homeless population in Phoenix. Since 2005, the partnership has collected over 2,500,000 bottles of water for the Phoenix Rescue Mission's Code Red Summer Heat Relief Program.
• Safeway/AlbertsonscoreGTM or Marketing PartnerPrimary retail partners for Operation Hydration van stop locations. Safeway and Albertsons stores across the Phoenix metro area serve as donation collection points for the annual summer water drive.
• Lerner & RoweminorGTM or Marketing PartnerPersonal injury law firm sponsoring Operation Hydration and station events, providing financial support for the charity initiative.
• AAMCO Total Car CareminorGTM or Marketing PartnerAuto repair chain sponsoring Operation Hydration 2026 charitable water collection drive.
• A1 GarageminorGTM or Marketing PartnerGarage door service company sponsoring Operation Hydration 2026.
• Carbliss CocktailsminorGTM or Marketing PartnerPresenter and sponsor of the 9th Annual Heat Stroke Open Charity Golf Tournament, an annual event benefiting station community initiatives.
• GateWay Community CollegeminorGTM or Marketing PartnerSponsor of Mandatory Metallica segment on 98KUPD, promoting workforce education programs to the station's audience.
• Sweet James (Accident Attorneys)minorGTM or Marketing PartnerPersonal injury law firm sponsoring rock music news updates and station content, reaching the station's engaged rock music audience.
• Mo Money PawnminorGTM or Marketing PartnerPawn shop chain sponsoring the Metallica 4th of July Weekend contest, offering gift cards and merchandise as prizes.
• MMP GunsminorGTM or Marketing PartnerFirearms retailer sponsoring Metallica 4th of July Weekend contest, providing $100 gift cards as prizes.
• TicketmastercoreChannel Partner/ Reseller/ DistributorPrimary ticket distribution partner for concert events promoted by 98KUPD, including UFEST 2026, Evanescence, and other station-presented concerts.
• Talking Stick Resort AmphitheatrecoreStrategic or Co-development PartnerMajor Phoenix-area concert venue partnership for 98KUPD-presented concerts including UFEST featuring Godsmack and Stone Temple Pilots, Evanescence, and other rock events.
• Fulton HomesminorGTM or Marketing PartnerHomebuilder sponsoring the Stuff The Bus school supply drive for Save the Family charity, collecting backpacks and school supplies for Phoenix-area families.
• Save the FamilyminorStrategic or Co-development PartnerPhoenix-area nonprofit charity benefiting from 98KUPD's Stuff The Bus annual school supply drive, with goal of filling 300 backpacks.
• Hubbard RadiocoreOthersParent company owning and operating 98KUPD as part of the Hubbard Radio Phoenix station group.

Scale indicators5 records

Recent moves6 records

Expansion highlights5 records

Direct peers

• Q104.3 (Classic Rock New York): Classic rock FM in the New York DMA targeting the same rock-loving 25-54 demographic. Comparable commercial rock format and event/concert-driven listener engagement model.
• WSOU 89.5 FM: Seton Hall University's metal and hard rock station where Full Metal Jackie began her career. Comparable format focus on heavy metal and hard rock with strong community/listener engagement.
• KSLX 100.7 FM: Classic rock FM station broadcasting in the Phoenix DMA, directly competing with 98KUPD for the same rock-listening audience and the same local advertiser base. Same market, same format family, same revenue model.
• WDHA 105.5 FM: New Jersey active rock station where 98KUPD on-air talent Full Metal Jackie previously worked. Comparable format (active rock), comparable mid-market ad-supported model, and direct talent lineage to 98KUPD.
• 93.3 WMMR: Heritage active rock station in Philadelphia (one of the longest-running rock formats in the US). Directly comparable in format, audience demographic, and event/concert promotion partnerships to 98KUPD's strategy.
• 95.5 KLOS: Long-running commercial rock radio station in Los Angeles, serving a similar male 25-54 rock audience with classic and active rock formats. Comparable in format, target demographic, and multi-platform distribution strategy to 98KUPD.

Broad incumbents

• SiriusXM: Subscription-based satellite and streaming audio service offering numerous dedicated rock and metal channels. Competes for rock-format listening time, particularly among commuters in the Phoenix DMA, and offers national ad alternatives to local advertisers.
• Live Nation Entertainment: Largest concert promoter and ticketing operator in the US. Competes with 98KUPD's emerging concert co-promotion business (UFEST) and operates many of the same venues (Talking Stick Resort Amphitheatre, Arizona Financial Theatre) that 98KUPD partners with.
• iHeartMedia: Largest US radio operator with hundreds of FM stations including rock formats, plus the iHeartRadio digital platform. Competes with 98KUPD for both advertising dollars and digital listener attention at a national scale.

Others

• Hubbard Radio (Other Stations): Sibling Hubbard Broadcasting stations (e.g., WIL-FM St. Louis, WTMX Chicago) sharing parent ownership with 98KUPD. Comparable operating model, content production approach, and group-level corporate sales infrastructure.

Market position

Strengths4 records

Weaknesses4 records

Competitive moat5 records

Key risks6 records

Key highlights7 records

Customer concentration

• YouTubeyoutube.com/@hmspodcast9320
• Facebookfacebook.com/125970014104909
• LinkedInlinkedin.com/company/kupd
• Instagraminstagram.com/hms_98_official

Revenue estimate

Valuation estimate

Number of profiles

Profiles9 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 98 KUPD