The "rise" of the all-sports radio format is "the
result of the search for the same elusive audience that
prompts television networks to shell out nearly" $18B for
NFL games, according to Sara Brown, who examines the sports
radio industry in the current BROADCASTING & CABLE. One-on-
One Sports President Chris Brennan: "Sports radio is an
attractive vehicle for the male demographic. Qualitatively,
it is a demographic that's very sought after." WFAN-AM in
N.Y., the country's first all-sports station, is the top-
billing station in history, bringing in $50.3M in '97 -- the
first station ever to top the $50M mark. Programmers say
that sports fans are not only attractive to advertisers, but
"also are loyal to stations." ABC Radio Networks (ABCRN)
President Lyn Andrews: "Sports has always been in demand.
One thing we know about passion for sports is, (fans) can
never get enough of it." In the U.S., ESPN Radio reaches
more than 400 stations nationally; One-on-One reaches more
than 300 affils and Sports ByLine USA reaches more than 250.
One--on-One's Brennan: "Sports talk is a growth format,
targeted to a great demographic. This will definitely
continue to grow" (BROADCASTING & CABLE, 7/20 issue).
