Phoenix Radio: Bonneville Blows-up The Peak For Sports

Phoenix Sports fans are now able to hear sports talk on FM -- specifically KPKX 98.7 FM.

In a significant move to expand its audience reach and community impact, Arizona Sports KTAR 620 AM began simulcasting on 98.7 FM at 10 a.m., strengthening its multi-platform distribution.  The move ends 10-year of Adult Hits on The Peak.

"Putting Arizona Sports on FM is an opportunity too big to ignore," Scott Sutherland, vice president and market manager for station owner Bonneville Phoenix said. "Our live, local and exclusive sports content has never been better. We have world-class local talk personalities who deliver powerful opinions and insights that engage and entertain. We also have amazing team partners. And all of this attracts a passionate and loyal audience, which in turn, attracts a lot of marketing interest from small and medium business owners, major brands and C-Suite decision makers."

KPKX 98.7 FM 60dBu Coverage

Arizona Sports is the flagship broadcaster of the Arizona Cardinals, Arizona Diamondbacks, Phoenix Coyotes, Phoenix Suns and Arizona State football and basketball. Games of those teams will be heard on both stations, too.

Besides a stronger signal and better statewide broadcasting reach, Sutherland said more than 85 percent of radio listeners utilize the FM dial.

Bonneville will continue to offer news talk radio on 92.3 FM, but occasionally interrupt that schedule for local sports games when they overlap with games being aired on 620 AM and 98.7 FM, Sutherland said. The company also owns the 860 AM spot on the dial, though it only uses that frequency for time conflicts to air additional games, he said.

Eleven people were laid off from The Peak on Monday.