KNX FM Shifts to All-Sports as 97.1 The Fan Launches

Audacy announced that KNX FM will end its news simulcast and relaunch as an all-sports station, “97.1 The Fan,” on May 11, 2026. KNX 1070 will keep its all-news format. The move creates Audacy’s 22nd FM sports outlet and fills the only gap among the nation’s top-10 radio markets lacking an FM sports station.

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KNX began broadcasting in the early 1920s, switched to all-news on AM in 1968, and added its FM sister in 1948. In 2017, CNS Radio merged with Entercom, which rebranded as Audacy, bringing KNX into the Audacy portfolio.

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• April 28 2026 – Audacy announced the format change.

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• May 11 2026 – “97.1 The Fan” launches on FM and HD2.

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• Ongoing – KNX 1070 continues all-news without layoffs.

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Los Angeles hosts 12 major-league professional teams and prominent college programs such as UCLA and USC. Upcoming global events—the FIFA World Cup and the 2028 Summer Olympics—are part of the sports landscape.

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The launch gives Audacy a foothold in a market described as one of the most passionate and influential sports markets in the country, completing its top-10 market coverage. Audacy expects the station to deliver “greater impact for listeners and partners through premium content, unmatched distribution, and deeper fan engagement,” potentially reshaping fan interaction in Southern California.

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Audacy asserts that the Los Angeles launch makes it the unrivaled leader in sports audio, giving it a larger sports-listener base than its eight nearest rivals combined. By completing a footprint in all top-10 U.S. markets, the company aims to leverage this scale for broader content and advertising opportunities.

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Audacy officials said the transition will not trigger layoffs and described the new station as a 24/7, multiplatform platform for fan conversation. The company also noted that adding an FM sports outlet places Audacy ahead of its eight closest competitors combined in sports-listener reach.

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• “Los Angeles is the epicenter of the sports world, and 97.1 The Fan is its new voice,” — Jeff Federman, Regional President, Audacy West

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• “This launch further strengthens Audacy as the unrivaled leader in sports audio, reaching more sports listeners than our eight closest competitors combined,” — Chris Oliviero, Chief Business Officer, Audacy

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• “Adding Los Angeles—one of the most passionate and influential sports markets in the country—completes our presence across the top 10 markets and meaningfully expands our reach and scale.” — Audacy spokesperson

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• “It allows us to deliver even greater impact for listeners and partners through premium content, unmatched distribution, and deeper fan engagement.” — Audacy spokesperson

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