Clay Travis Lands 'The Next Round' For New Nat'l Platform

“The Next Round,” the popular Birmingham-based digital sports show hosted by Jim Dunaway, Ryan Brown and Lance Taylor, has signed a three-year, multimillion-dollar agreement with Clay Travis’ Sport & State platform, the show announced Wednesday.

The deal elevates the long-running program to a national stage while keeping its Alabama-centric focus and independent digital format. Financial terms were not disclosed beyond the multimillion-dollar, multi-year commitment.

Ryan Brown credited the show’s dedicated following for making the partnership possible. “More than anything, this is a testament to our audience really,” Brown told AL.com. 

“Had it not been for the audience we have, I don’t know why Clay or someone on the national level would even entertain something like this. It’s a testament to our loyal audience since we were at WJOX and has grown since we’ve gone to a digital platform.”

“The Next Round” began as a radio program on Birmingham’s WJOX before transitioning fully to digital distribution. The move allowed the hosts to expand their reach beyond traditional radio constraints while retaining the candid, fan-driven style that built their local following. The new agreement with Sport & State is expected to increase production resources, distribution reach and promotional support without altering the show’s core format or on-air chemistry.

Clay Travis, founder of OutKick and the Sport & State brand, has increasingly invested in regional sports voices that demonstrate strong audience loyalty. The partnership marks one of the higher-profile national deals for a Birmingham-originated digital sports property in recent years.

Details on the exact launch timeline under the new agreement and any changes to the show’s schedule were not immediately available. The hosts said more information would be released in the coming weeks as the transition begins.