SummitMedia has signed-off Sports “AM 590 ESPN” KXSP Omaha NE.
The Nebraska Association of Broadcasters reports that the station went silent on Friday, February 20 as the station’s tower land was sold. KXSP had been running the national ESPN Radio lineup after its morning show “Hurrdat Sports Radio” hosted by Damon Benning and Ravi Lulla and afternoon show “Hail Varsity Radio” moved to digital only distribution last year. KXSP also lost the play-by-play rights to the University of Nebraska last July.
The stations was historically best known as WOW from 1926 to 1999. After a run as Adult Standards “Magic 590” KOMJ, the station flipped to Sports in 2005 first as “Big Sports 590” until 2011.
Following the flip of 1180 KZOT to Yacht Rock, the demise of KXSP leaves Usher Media’s “1620 The Zone” KOZN as the only Sports station in Omaha.
Mr Jones 
Thom Moon 
theoutsider 
edwardford 
Gus Miller 
Wow. No pun intended. But this was a flamethrower of a signal… Regardless of what was being transmitted. Crazy that it is just ceasing to exist. Sign of the times I guess.
What a waste! By far, the best AM signal in Omaha – better even than KFAB: 5kw fulltime, non-directional. Going to Sports was stupid in the extreme. Sports seems to work in markets with professional sports teams. Minor-league baseball and college sports only don’t cut it. If nothing else, Summit could have positioned it as a Farm/Ranch-oriented station and probably made some money on it. Just a shame the once-famous WOW – “Woodmen of the World” – experiences a ignominious demise.
When Nebraska football was good, that could carry a station. However, they have underachieved for years.
How could anyone in radio give up 3-Letter calls, especially WOW? Well Journal Broadcast did in 1999!
WOW is where Johnny Carson worked a long time ago
My dad, Walt Gibbs was a part of the “Radio Ranch” WOW/KYNN years, as News Director.
Should have figured that something was up when they lost the market rights to Nebraska Cornhuskers sports (to a station with a weaker signal) and when the local talk shows went away.