iHeartMedia Cedar Rapids has announced the debut of the new Sports Radio 95.7 KXNO, effective immediately.
The new FM radio station is also being touted as the “Home of the Hawkeyes and Iowa Sports.”
According to a release, Sports Radio 95.7 will broadcast Iowa-centric sports talk and play-by-play events, including play-by-play of University of Iowa athletics, as the “Home of the Hawkeyes.”
The station will also feature the newly launched Iowa Sports Radio Network, including “The Morning Rush with Travis Justice and Ross Peterson,” “Miller and Condon” and “The Drive with Heather and Sean.”
Sports Radio 95.7 will also broadcast Fox Sports Radio programming in the Cedar Rapids area, including “The Dan Patrick Show,” “The Herd with Colin Cowherd” and more.
“We are excited to bring a strong focus on Iowa sports to Cedar Rapids and Iowa City on FM radio and the iHeartRadio app,” said Luke Burch, iHeartMedia Cedar Rapids/Iowa City market president. “Sports Radio 95.7 will not only deliver a stronger connection to Iowa sports for Eastern Iowa, but it will also help our client partners connect with Iowa sports in a stronger and more effective way.”
The station’s new sports format will compete directly with KGYM, which carries local sports programming and ESPN radio shows at 1600 AM and 102.3 and 106.3 FM in Eastern Iowa.
It replaces the station’s former “Hot 97.5” contemporary hit radio (CHR) format, which competed for several years with local stations like KZIA Z102.9.
According to a report from NorthPine, the new Iowa Sports Radio Network format is also debuting in Eastern Iowa on KXIC AM-800 in Iowa City and WFXN AM-1230 in Moline-Rock Island.
iHeartMedia Cedar Rapids owns and operates WMT-AM, KOSY-FM, KXIC-AM, KKSY-FM, KKRQ-FM and KMJM-AM, and is part of iHeartMedia, a national audio media company reaching more than 90% of Americans every month.