iHeartMedia flipped Alternative “105.7 The X” WXZX Hilliard/Columbus OH to Sports “105.7 The Zone” at 3pm Monday.
WXZX was stunting with play-by-play of old Ohio State/Michigan football games ahead of the flip. Bruce Hooley, who exited afternoons at Good Karma Sports “ESPN 850” WKNR Cleveland last month, will host mornings from 6-9am and be regionally syndicated. Hooley will be paired with Maddie Spielman for now but teases that the show’s title is “”Hooley & a Player to be Named Later”. In-market expectation is that Spielman’s father Chris, a former Ohio State and NFL linebacker and host at “97.1 The Fan” WBNS-FM and current Fox NFL analyst will join Hooley in February.
Outside of mornings the station will carry Fox Sports Radio network programming moving over from 1230 WYTS/105.3 W287CP Columbus. The station will carry Dan Patrick and Rich Eisen live from 9am-12pm and 12pm-3pm respectively. Colin Cowherd will air on delay from 3-6pm and Jay Mohr from 6-9pm. JT The Brick from 9-11pm, Jason Smith from 11pm-2am, and Ben Maller from 2-6am round out the lineup.
WXZX had already begun airing Cincinnati Bengals football and Cleveland Cavaliers basketball ahead of the format change. The new format will go directly against Dispatch Broadcasting’s “97.1 The Fan” WBNS-FM, which currently serves as the flagship for Ohio State Football and Basketball and the NHL’s Columbus Blue Jackets. The flip leaves “CD 102.5” WWCD as the only Alternative station in the market.
iHeartMedia Columbus announced today the debut of Sports Radio 105.7 The Zone, the new destination for Sports Radio in Columbus, effective immediately.
Sports Radio 105.7 The Zone will broadcast all-day sports programming, featuring the full Fox Sports Radio line up, including The Dan Patrick Show, The Rich Eisen Show and The Herd with Colin Cowherd. The Bruce Hooley Show will feature local on-air personalities Bruce Hooley and Maddie Spielman, daughter of Chris Spielman, former Buckeye All American, NFL All Pro Linebacker and Fox Sports Announcer; the show will announce another co-host at a later date. In addition, the station will include special reports from Matt McCoy, longtime 610 WTVN Sports Anchor, as well as reports on local sports, news, traffic and weather.
“Columbus has one of the best sports fan bases in the country and they finally a have a new destination for Columbus based sports and entertainment radio in the morning, plus the best national line-up available the rest of the day,” said Michael McCoy, Vice President of Programming for iHeartMedia Columbus.
105.7 The Zone will broadcast Cleveland Cavaliers and Cincinnati Bengals games. iHeartMedia Columbus sister station 105.3 will continue to be home of The Pittsburgh Steelers and Ohio University football and basketball.
More can be found at 1057TheZone.com and on social media @1057TheZone.
Full Programming Lineup:
Bruce Hooley 6 a.m – 9 a.m.
Dan Patrick Show 9 a.m. – noon
Rich Eisen Show noon- 3 p.m.
The Herd w/ Colin Cowherd 3 p.m. – 6 p.m.
Jay Mohr Sports 6 p.m. – 9 p.m.
JT The “Brick” 9 p.m – 11 p.m.
Jason Smith 11 p.m. -2 a.m.
Ben Maller 2 a.m – 6 a.m.
