Dallas sports radio enters a new era as the Mavericks join forces with the Cowboys and Rangers, cementing a powerhouse lineup under Audacy’s high-wattage KRLD-FM signal.
DALLAS - What's the media reaction to the news that the Dallas Mavs have a new radio home?
"It's a powerhouse move for the home of the Dallas Cowboys and Texas Rangers ... a blockbuster,'' says 105.3 The Fan's lead host Shan Shariff. "Hop on the rocket ship!''
"This is confirming (the station's) identity,'' says Brad Sham, the voice of Cowboys and the dean of DFW journalists. "You can’t do better for your listeners than this.''
And, as somebody who has covered the Cowboys and the Mavs for 37 years while also having spend a decade as a personality on The Fan, what do I say?
This is how a real sports station works. And this is how a legitimate sports franchise works.
The Mavs announced Thursday that 105.3 The Fan will become its flagship station under a multi-year, multi-platform agreement with Audacy.
The Fan is the 100,000-watt KRLD-FM signal and is already the radio home of the Cowboys and the Rangers.
This move comes on the heels of a time of transition for the Mavs, who had a contract with 97.1 The Eagle - an FM rock station, which some fans found to be awkward - before it expired this offseason.
I was at 570 KLIF in the 1990's when we worked as the Mavs' flagship station, and the marriage was a terrific one as our dayparts were occupied with interviews with coaches and players ... the sort of thing The Fan can now pull off.
It is, first and foremost, a sports station - one of the best in the country.
What about game-day conflicts? Audacy’s Dallas holdings also include 1080 NewsRadio on KRLD-AM. ... and so surely, if there's ever a Cowboys game being played at the same time as a baseball or basketball game, it can be carried on the other signal.
Meanwhile, The Fan became available on SiriusXM on Sept. 1 as part of a 42-station addition of Audacy news, talk and sports channels.
“This partnership is an amazing addition to everything we’ve built for our listeners,” said Gavin Spittle, vice president of news/talk/sports for Audacy Dallas. “At The Fan, we can’t wait to keep expanding our multi-platform experience to deliver the best content to sports fans. Serving as the proud, 100,000-watt home of the Dallas Mavericks is something we are truly excited about.”
The award-winning Chuck Cooperstein returns as the Mavericks’ radio play-by-play voice, and Brian Dameris returns as analyst.
Oh, and about those dayparts?
Four weekly Mavericks programs are included in the new deal.
“Mavs Insider Access” will feature conversations with people inside the organization, including president of basketball operations Masai Ujiri, general manager Mike Schmitz, coach Dusty May and players.
“Inside the Mavs with Chuck Cooperstein” will give Cooperstein a weekly Mavericks and NBA show.
“Mavs Basketball Hour” will cover games, the roster and other NBA news.
“Mavs Beyond the Court” will air on KRLD with a focus on the franchise’s business side, community work and impact around North Texas.
Listeners can find 105.3 The Fan on air, on the Audacy app and website, and on SiriusXM.
The Mavericks' TV deal, by the way, is a multi-year rights agreement with TEGNA, with games airing over the air on KFAA 29 and WFAA Channel 8.
Dallas opens preseason play Oct. 9 against the Houston Rockets at The Venetian Arena in Macao for the NBA China Games 2026. The regular-season opener is slated for Oct. 21 at Houston.
The San Antonio Spurs come to American Airlines Center on Oct. 24 for the home opener.
