Yankton-based Riverfront Broadcasting, led by Doyle and Carolyn Becker, has agreed to buy Fox Sports Rapid City from Nate Brown’s Black Hills Broadcasting, adding the sports station and its FM translator to the company’s growing South Dakota cluster.
The $200,000 deal covers 1150 KIMM and 106.7 K294BT. Riverfront has already begun operating the station under a local marketing agreement that took effect Aug. 1, pending FCC approval and closing.
Once the sale is complete, the Beckers will fold Fox Sports Rapid City into a new Riverfront Sports Network with news/talk 1380 KOTA and oldies 980 KDSJ.
The network is designed to expand coverage of Black Hills high school athletics, regional college sports, live play-by-play, coaches shows, and local sports talk, including The Nate Brown Show. Brown, who launched the Fox Sports format nine years ago, will remain on the air.
Riverfront already owns several Rapid City-area brands, including rock KDDX, country KZZI, classic hits KQRQ, 1980s hits KZLK, news/talk KOTA, and oldies KDSJ. Adding KIMM strengthens its sports presence in western South Dakota.
Statewide, the family-owned company has been expanding, including a recently closed $350,000 purchase of six Connoisseur Media stations in Watertown and Milbank. No format change has been announced for Fox Sports Rapid City, which also carries SDSU Jackrabbit football and national Fox Sports Radio programming.