FOX Sports Radio, abbreviated to FSR, is an international radio network that features sports talk all day, every day. The network is a service of Premiere Radio Networks (a subsidiary of Clear Channel Communications). FOX Sports itself has minimal control over the network, it is simply labeled as such under a bilateral marketing agreement.
The network is operated from Premiere Radio Networks’ studios on Ventura Boulevard in Sherman Oaks, California. FOX Sports personalities broadcast from studios across the country. FSR broadcasts sports programming around the clock and airs the FOX National Sports Report (sports headlines and highlights) every 20 minutes. The network is available in more than 290 affiliates in the United States and Canada.
Launched on August 28, 2000, FOX Sports Radio had about 50 affiliates nationwide. FOX Sports Radio was launched very quietly, as most of its affiliates in major markets had contracts with ESPN Radio or Sporting News Radio as well as FSR, making it quite difficult to hear the programs as the few permanent affiliates were mostly daytime-only stations or had very weak signals at night. The Sports Fans Radio Network ceased operations shortly after the initial launch of FSR, which allowed the former SFRN affiliates to join the new FSR quite easily. One of the Sports Fan Radio Network’s hosts, JT the Brick, also joined FOX Sports Radio shortly thereafter.
Since FSR is effectively owned and controlled by Premiere Radio Networks and only uses the FOX name under a bilateral marketing agreement with FOX, there is very little interaction between the two companies other than certain personalities (such as Chris Myers and Andrew Siciliano) appearing on both. FSR is also granted unlimited rights to use audio from any sports programs broadcast on FOX TV or FSN to show highlights. As of 2006, the only long-term program shared by FSR and FOX TV is FOX NFL Sunday. The network used to broadcast “The Best of The Best Damn Sports Show Period” on weekend mornings.
Eventually, when Clear Channel-owned sports stations began dropping ESPN Radio in favor of the new network, their partner base quickly grew from 50 stations to more than 280 stations and XM satellite radio across North America.
In early 2005, FOX Sports Radio began referring to itself on the air as FSR, the same year Premiere’s contract to use the FOX Sports name expired, leading many to believe a name change was in the works. As of 2007, the network is still officially called FOX Sports Radio, although it is more commonly referred to as FSR on the air. As of September 2007, the on-air emphasis of the name changed from “fox sports RADIO” to “FOX sports radio”, or more commonly to “FOX SPORTS radio”. In addition, numerous advertisements that mention FOX Sports.com and streaming audio on the FOX Sports website, as well as mentioning television, indicate a possible shift in emphasis.