Courtesy The Tennessean

(July 31, 2009) Former Nashville sports talk radio station and ESPN Radio affiliate 106.7-FM The Fan changed its format Thursday to a top-40 pop music station. The Cumulus-owned station is now branded as i106 and its Web site is calling it “Nashville’s Hit Music Station,” making it the third top-40 station in the Nashville area.

The Fan was also the flagship station for Middle Tennessee State athletics. MTSU Athletic Director Chris Massaro said he is in talks with Cumulus to have another of the company’s stations in the area, WSM 95.5-FM The Wolf, WQQK 92Q-FM, WRQQ 97.1-FM and WTN SuperTalk 99.7-FM take over MTSU broadcasts.

REPORTED EARLIER

Nashville's airwaves will be without ESPN Radio beginning today.

WNFN 106.7-FM The Fan is changing formats, according to the station, leaving Nashville without one of the country's most popular syndicated sports radio networks.

While it is clear Cumulus Broadcasting-owned WNFN will no longer be a sports station, Cumulus officials did not respond to messages asking to identify the new format.

In February, the station dropped its weekday local sports shows and aired only ESPN's national shows, as well as Major League Baseball, NASCAR races, and Monday Night Football.

It also continued to carry Middle Tennessee State athletics, having served as the school's flagship station since 2006. One year remains on the university's contract with Cumulus.

MTSU Athletics Director Chris Massaro said he is still in talks with Cumulus, and that one of the company's four other area stations — WSM 95.5-FM The Wolf, WQQK 92Q-FM, WRQQ 97.1-FM and WTN SuperTalk 99.7-FM — could become the Blue Raiders' flagship.

MTSU games will continue to be broadcast on Murfreesboro radio station WMOT 89.5-FM

Massaro didn't rule out opening discussions with other companies, however. Per the contract, MTSU could opt out if 106.7 changed formats.

"We are exploring all of our options in the Nashville market," Massaro said.

"Part of our concern is the new demographics for 106.7 The Fan and whether they fit our sports demographic."

Nashville's other two sports stations are among those that could pursue ESPN Radio. WGFX (104.5 FM) is a Fox Sports affiliate, while WNSR (560 AM) is an affiliate of Sporting News Radio.

Brad Willis, program director for WGFX, said he does not expect to make any changes with 104.5-FM: "Our approach has always been talking about local sports with local personalities. That has always worked for us."

Said Jeff Kolb, general manager for WNSR: "Before there is an official determination of what the agreement is between Cumulus and ESPN is, it would be hard to make any kind of comment."

According to Arbitron, Nashville's is the nation's 44th largest radio market, ahead of such cities as Jacksonville, Fla. (No. 46), Memphis (No. 49) and New Orleans (No. 55).

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