The BSM Top 20 of 2020 has arrived, and our sixth year of recognizing the best in sports radio was one that none of us will soon forget. Rocked by a pandemic, sports radio’s finest persevered to continue playing an important role in their listeners lives. Whether broadcasting from office desks and kitchen tables apart from one another or behind plexiglass dividers while wearing masks, operations were tested this year. Combine that with the world of sports shutting down in March and offering no new content for months, and it put a huge strain on all involved.
The show’s you see listed below deserve tremendous credit for finding ways to stay mentally sharp, and provide a needed daily distraction for their audiences. Before you jump ahead to see who our panel of 51 industry executives voted for, please join me in thanking Steve Stone Voiceovers for supporting the Top 20 as our exclusive sponsor. Steve is not only a tremendous voice talent but a huge supporter of sports radio. His support for this series makes it possible. I also want to acknowledge my son Dylan Barrett, who handled all of the creative for this year’s series. He spent all of January digging thru personality and brand accounts to find photos, editing them in Photoshop, and the images you’ll soon be sharing on social media or printing off to hang inside your office or studio are a reflection of his hard work.
As it pertains to the voting, here are a few things to keep in mind.
#1 – These results are based on 2020’s performance. 2021 changes have no impact on the voting. Our one specific rule that has been in place since we started this series in 2015 is that a show must finish the year on the air and in the timeslot for which it’s being considered. Therefore, a show like Rip City Mornings with Dan & Nigel on Rip City Radio in Portland, which exited the airwaves in January 2021 was eligible for voting consideration since it remain on the air thru the end of 2020. A program like The Wake Up Zone on the other hand was not eligible since the show was removed from 104.5 The Zone’s lineup in August 2020.
#2 – Our executive panel consists of program directors and corporate executives from a number of top broadcasting companies including Entercom, iHeart, Cumulus, ESPN Radio, FOX Sports Radio, SiriusXM, Spotify, Hubbard, Good Karma Brands, Emmis, and independently owned and operated radio stations. We involve a large number of groups in order to receive feedback from all parts of the country, as well as to avoid the results heavily favoring one company. BSM President Jason Barrett does not vote, he simply presents the results.
#3 – A total of 47 shows were eligible for voting consideration in the Mid Market Morning Shows category.
#4 – Our executive panel picked their Top 20 shows based on a few factors; the ear test, originality, ability to entertain, multi-platform excellence, market where impact is created, on-air chemistry, and ratings success. Keep in mind that voters live in different cities, have different tastes, and value certain factors higher than others. This isn’t a perfect science, but it’s the best way we can think of to showcase how sports radio’s braintrust views the best in the format.
That brings us to the rankings for this year’s Mid Market Sports Radio Morning Shows, and for the first time in five years Bernie Miklasz won’t win this award. Budget cuts led to his exit from mornings at 101 ESPN in April, leaving the category up for grabs among a number of strong contenders across the nation. Stepping up to claim the top spot were Ken Carman and Anthony Lima. The Cleveland duo finished comfortably ahead of WJOX’s JOX Roundtable to secure the win. BSM congratulates Ken Carman, Anthony Lima, Owen Lademann, Kenny Kidd, Andy Roth and the entire 92.3 The Fan team on a job well done, along with every other show which earned a spot on this year’s list.
Now, here are the full results of “BSM’s Top 20 Mid Market Morning Shows of 2020!”
Additional Notes:
- Ken Carman and Anthony Lima tied with the JOX Roundtable for the most 1st place votes with four (4). 92.3 The Fan’s morning team finished fifteen (15) points in front of the Birmingham trio to earn the victory.
- Spots 21-25 belonged to Severe & Benning, Jen, Gabe & Chewy, Robby & Rexrode, DJ & PK, and Bart Winkler.
- The closest battles saw JOX Roundtable hold off The Fan Morning Show by two (2) points, and The Drill slip by Dusty & Cam by one (1) point.
- Of the 47 shows eligible for voting consideration, eleven (11) received at least one (1) 1st place vote.
Here is the remaining schedule for the BSM Top 20 of 2020.
- Wednesday February 3 = The 2020 Top 20 Major/Mid-Market Sports Radio Midday Shows
- Thursday February 4 = The 2020 Top 20 Major/Mid-Market Sports Radio Afternoon Shows
- Friday February 5 = The 2020 Top 20 Major/Mid-Market Sports Radio Program Directors
- Monday February 8 = The 2020 Top 20 Major/Mid-Market Sports Radio Stations
- Tuesday February 9 = The 2020 Top 20 Original Sports Podcasts