Kentucky Sports Radio, the popular Kentucky Wildcats local radio show and sports podcast hosted by Matt Jones, has announced a new deal with iHeartMedia.
The hit show will continue to air locally on AM radio in Louisville and Lexington as well as 51 other stations around Kentucky, according to iHeartMedia’s press release.
“As we approach our 15th anniversary of KSR Radio (and 20th of KSR) in Sept, I am thrilled to keep the train rolling for more years to come!” Jones announced in a post on X.
KSR is a fixture for Kentucky sports fans, and an unheralded success in the crowded digital sports media space. It routinely competes with national juggernauts on the Apple and Spotify charts, often ranking in or near the top-10 among sports shows. Add in 45,000 subscribers on YouTube — where the show streams live each day — and KSR is clearly competitive with much larger programs. And that’s all before you even get to the radio footprint.
Unlike many sports hosts, Jones has become a go-to interviewer in the Kentucky market. The iHeartMedia press release notes recent spots with Vice President J.D. Vance and Kentucky Gov. Andy Beshear.
“Matt’s unique insights and engaging style have made him a beloved figure in the sports community, and we are proud to continue bringing his show to our dedicated audience,” said Kristy Beebe, an area president at iHeartMedia.
Because of iHeart’s national network and massive advertising footprint, it continues to suck up distribution and ad sales deals with many top sports podcasters. That includes Colin Cowherd and The Volume as well as deals with the NFL and NBA directly.
With this deal, it keeps a local hit on its roster.
About Brendon Kleen
Brendon is a Media Commentary staff writer at Awful Announcing. He has also covered basketball and sports business at Front Office Sports, SB Nation, Uproxx and more.