Cincinnati Reds Radio Network

The Cincinnati Reds Radio Network distributes English-language play-by-play coverage of the Cincinnati Reds, the Major League Baseball club based in Cincinnati, Ohio. Its terrestrial footprint consists of the flagship station WLW at 700 AM in Cincinnati and dozens of affiliate stations across the surrounding region. According to the cited network description, the system comprises 69 stations in total: WLW and 68 affiliates located in Ohio, Indiana, Kentucky, North Carolina, Tennessee, and West Virginia. The terrestrial group includes both AM and full-power FM outlets, while several AM stations extend their coverage through low-power FM translators. WLW serves as the network's flagship and also reaches listeners through a low-power FM translator. The affiliate structure allows Reds game coverage to travel well beyond the Cincinnati metropolitan area, reflecting the team's broad regional following and the importance of radio to baseball consumption. The network carries all regular-season games and most spring-training games, providing a continuous audio service built around live play-by-play, color commentary, and related game programming. The network's distribution is not limited to conventional broadcast radio. Its programming is also available through SiriusXM satellite radio, SiriusXM Internet Radio, TuneIn Premium, and MLB.com Gameday Audio. These outlets extend access to listeners outside the terrestrial affiliate footprint, although availability can vary by platform and applicable broadcast restrictions. Altafiber holds naming rights for the network, giving the service an associated commercial identity in addition to its connection with the Reds organization. The most clearly documented recent change in the network's broadcast team occurred between 2019 and 2020. Marty Brennaman, who had called Reds games for 46 seasons, announced in January 2019 that he would retire after the 2019 season. His final Reds broadcast took place on September 26, 2019. Tommy Thrall, who had already called selected games during the 2018 season while alternating with Brennaman and Jeff Brantley, became the primary play-by-play voice beginning with the 2020 season. Thrall and Brantley subsequently formed the documented on-site play-by-play team for network broadcasts. The Cincinnati Reds Radio Network is therefore best understood as a sports-media distribution brand rather than a standalone consumer product company. Its core role is to package and deliver the Reds' live audio broadcasts through a coordinated regional station network and digital or satellite partners. Publicly available reference material does not establish a founding year, standalone corporate ownership structure, financial results, or a separate headquarters for the network itself.

The Cincinnati Reds Radio Network is the official radio distribution service associated with the Cincinnati Reds of Major League Baseball. It provides English-language live coverage of Reds games through a coordinated collection of terrestrial radio stations and additional satellite and internet audio platforms. The network's flagship is WLW, broadcasting at 700 AM in Cincinnati. WLW also simulcasts its programming through a low-power FM translator. The network's documented terrestrial footprint includes 69 stations: the flagship and 68 affiliates. These affiliates operate across Ohio, Indiana, Kentucky, North Carolina, Tennessee, and West Virginia, linking the Cincinnati club with a broad regional audience. The station mix includes 53 AM stations and 15 full-power FM stations. Thirty-nine of the AM stations supplement their coverage with one or more low-power FM translators. This structure combines the long-range reach traditionally associated with AM radio with the additional local coverage available through FM translators and full-power FM outlets. Network programming includes all regular-season games and most spring-training games. In addition to over-the-air broadcasts, Reds audio is distributed through SiriusXM satellite radio and SiriusXM Internet Radio, as well as TuneIn Premium and MLB.com Gameday Audio. These arrangements allow the network's coverage to reach listeners outside the physical affiliate map, subject to the access terms and broadcast restrictions of each service. Altafiber has naming rights to the network. The broadcast booth underwent a major transition at the end of the 2019 season. Marty Brennaman, who had served as a primary Reds play-by-play announcer from 2007 through 2019 and had called Cincinnati games for 46 seasons overall, announced his retirement in January 2019. His final broadcast occurred on September 26, 2019. Tommy Thrall, who had begun calling selected games in 2018 while alternating with Brennaman and Jeff Brantley, took over as a primary play-by-play voice in 2020. The documented current booth consists of Thrall and Jeff Brantley, who call games on site. The available reference material does not identify a separate legal corporation, founding date, standalone financial performance, or independent headquarters for the radio network. Its public identity is principally tied to the Cincinnati Reds, its station affiliates, its broadcast talent, and the distribution of official game audio.

1. 2020Tommy Thrall assumes primary play-by-play role

   Thrall replaced Brennaman as a primary play-by-play announcer beginning with the 2020 season.

   Source
2. 2019Marty Brennaman completes final season

   Brennaman announced his retirement and completed his final Reds season, with his last broadcast on September 26.

   Source
3. 2018Tommy Thrall begins calling selected games

   Tommy Thrall began calling some Reds games while alternating with Marty Brennaman and Jeff Brantley.

   Source
4. 2007Brennaman and Brantley become primary documented broadcast team

   Marty Brennaman and Jeff Brantley served as the network's primary play-by-play announcers beginning in 2007.

   Source

A regional and multi-platform sports audio network delivering official Cincinnati Reds game coverage to fans across the team's surrounding market and through national digital and satellite services.

• Reds regular-season radio broadcastsSports radio

  The network's principal offering is live English-language coverage of Cincinnati Reds regular-season games. Broadcasts are carried by WLW and the affiliate network, with play-by-play and game commentary distributed across the regional terrestrial footprint.

• Reds spring-training radio broadcastsSports radio

  The network carries most Cincinnati Reds spring-training games, extending its game-audio service beyond the regular season for fans following the club's preparation and exhibition schedule.

• Digital and satellite Reds audioDigital audio distribution

  Reds game programming is also made available through SiriusXM satellite radio, SiriusXM Internet Radio, TuneIn Premium, and MLB.com Gameday Audio, providing alternatives to the terrestrial affiliate network.

• 2019Broadcast succession following Brennaman's retirement announcementStrategy

  Marty Brennaman announced that he would retire after the 2019 season following 46 seasons calling Reds games.

  What changed. Tommy Thrall, who had already called selected games in 2018, was positioned to replace Brennaman as a primary play-by-play announcer beginning in 2020.

  Aftermath. Thrall joined Jeff Brantley as the documented primary on-site broadcast team for subsequent network coverage.

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• 2020Tommy Thrall becomes primary play-by-play announcer

  Tommy Thrall succeeded Marty Brennaman as a primary Reds play-by-play announcer, having previously called selected games during the 2018 season.

  Leadership change
  Source
• 2019Marty Brennaman announces retirement after 2019 season

  Longtime Reds broadcaster Marty Brennaman announced in January 2019 that he would retire at the end of the season after 46 seasons calling Cincinnati games.

  Leadership change
  Source
• 2019Marty Brennaman calls final Reds game

  Brennaman made his final Reds broadcast on September 26, 2019, concluding his long tenure as one of the network's primary voices.

  Leadership change
  Source

1. Cincinnati Reds Radio Network
2. Cincinnati Reds official website