If you’ve ever spent a Tuesday afternoon stuck in Schuylkill Expressway traffic, you know the drill. You tune into 97.5 The Fanatic to hear a segment about why the Sixers can't close out a game, and then you immediately pull over—or wait until the next red light—to see what’s happening on 97.5 The Fanatic Twitter. It is a chaotic, beautiful, and often frustrating digital extension of Philadelphia sports culture. It isn't just a place where producers post links to podcasts. Not even close. It’s where the actual pulse of the city lives, breathes, and occasionally loses its mind over a backup goalie.
Philly fans are different. We know this. But the interaction between the station’s on-air talent and the fans on X (formerly Twitter) creates a feedback loop that you won't find in smaller markets. It’s a 24/7 conversation. Sometimes it’s a shouting match.
The Evolution of the Digital Locker Room
Back in the day, sports talk was a one-way street. You called in, you waited on hold for forty minutes, and if you were lucky, the host didn't "short-to-the-point" you before you could finish your thought. Social media changed that dynamic forever. Now, the station’s handle @975TheFanatic serves as a central hub for breaking news, but the real action happens in the mentions of the individual hosts.
Think about the lineup. You’ve got different personalities clashing and harmonizing. When John Kincade or Bob Cooney says something controversial at 8:15 AM, it’s all over the feed by 8:16 AM. It creates this secondary layer of content. You aren't just listening to the radio; you're participating in a digital riot or a city-wide celebration. Honestly, sometimes the Twitter feed is more entertaining than the actual broadcast, especially during a mid-summer Phillies slump when everyone is arguing about batting orders.
The station has had to adapt. They don't just post "Listen Live" links anymore. They post clips. They post polls that get thousands of votes in an hour. They lean into the memes. If you aren't following the specific accounts of the producers—the guys behind the glass who often have the funniest takes—you’re missing half the story.
Why the "Fanatic" Brand Thrives on X
There’s a specific grit to Philadelphia sports media. 97.5 The Fanatic Twitter works because it doesn't try to be polished. It feels like a bar conversation.
Take a look at how they handle the Eagles during the season. It’s relentless. The station uses its social presence to bridge the gap between the "official" team news and the "fan" reaction. When a report drops about a player's hamstring, the station is the first to ask the fans: "How worried are we on a scale of 1 to 10?" That engagement isn't just for the algorithm; it actually drives the topics for the next four-hour block of radio.
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- Real-time polling: They use Twitter to decide the "Big Three" questions of the day.
- The "Best Of" clips: Let’s be real, nobody has four hours to listen to every show. The Twitter feed curates the highlights.
- Host Accountability: Fans will dig up a tweet from three years ago to prove a host was wrong about a draft pick. It’s brutal. It’s Philly.
The station has faced its share of controversy, too. We can't talk about their social presence without mentioning the "Pat from Salisbury" incident from years ago, which involved a fake caller and a massive blowback on digital platforms. It was a turning point. It forced the station—and all of Philly sports media—to realize that the internet doesn't forget, and it definitely doesn't stop digging. That skepticism remains a part of the DNA of their followers today.
Navigating the Noise: Who to Follow
If you’re looking to get the most out of the experience, you can't just follow the main account. You have to follow the people who make the engine run.
Andrew Salciunas has carved out a massive niche for himself by being both knowledgeable and relatable. His Twitter game is strong because he interacts. He doesn't just broadcast; he converses. Then you have guys like Tyrone Johnson, whose blunt honesty often goes viral because he’s willing to say what the fans are thinking but in a way that’s backed by actual logic.
Then there are the producers and the "Update" guys. Often, these are the people who are most active on 97.5 The Fanatic Twitter during the off-hours. They provide the "inside baseball" look at the station. They show the snacks in the breakroom, the technical glitches, and the off-air banter that never makes it to the FM dial. That’s the stuff that builds loyalty. It makes the listeners feel like they’re part of a club, not just a demographic.
The Impact of Competition
It’s no secret that 97.5 and WIP are in a perpetual war for Philly’s ears. This rivalry spills over onto social media every single day.
When one station lands a big guest—maybe a coach or a star player—the Twitter feed goes into overdrive to promote it. But it’s also about the "vibe." Fans often align themselves with one station or the other, leading to "Twitter wars" between listener bases. It’s tribal. It’s funny. It’s occasionally exhausting. But it keeps sports talk relevant in an age where people have a million podcast options. Why listen to a national guy talk about the Eagles when you can see your neighbors arguing about the offensive line on the Fanatic’s timeline?
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The "Discover" Factor: How They Land on Your Feed
You might wonder why you keep seeing 97.5 The Fanatic tweets even if you don't follow them. It’s the "Discover" algorithm at work. Because Philly fans are so high-volume with their engagement (likes, replies, quotes), the tweets often trend locally.
Google Discover loves high-engagement, timely content. When the Phillies make a trade at the deadline, the Fanatic’s Twitter is churning out graphics, instant reactions, and video snippets. This signal tells search engines that this is the "place to be" for that specific topic. If you’ve searched for "Eagles score" recently, don't be surprised if a fiery take from a 97.5 host pops up in your news feed.
They’ve mastered the art of the "scroll-stopper." It’s usually a bold statement or a question that demands a response. "Is Bryce Harper already the greatest Phillie of all time?" Boom. Five hundred comments in twenty minutes. That’s how you win the digital game in 2026.
Beyond the Trash Talk: Genuine Community
It’s easy to dismiss sports Twitter as a toxic wasteland. Sometimes it is. But there’s a flip side.
When a tragedy hits the city or a beloved figure in the sports world passes away, the 97.5 The Fanatic Twitter community rallies. I’ve seen them raise money for charities, help find lost pets, and provide a sense of connection for people who might be feeling isolated. The "Fanatic Family" isn't just a marketing slogan; it’s a real thing that manifests in the replies of a tweet about a random Tuesday night Sixers game.
They also use the platform to highlight local businesses and events. Whether it's a remote broadcast at a car dealership or a watch party at a bar in Delco, the social media team ensures that the "local" in "local radio" is front and center. You get to see the faces of the people you’ve been listening to for years. It humanizes the voices.
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What Most People Get Wrong
People think that the station's social media is just a PR tool. It’s really more of a thermometer.
Management at these stations actually looks at the sentiment on X to see if a show is landing well. If a host is getting crushed in the mentions for a specific take, they might double down on it for the ratings, or they might pivot. The audience has more power now than they ever had in the 90s. Your tweet might literally change the topic of the 4 PM hour.
Actionable Tips for the Philly Sports Fan
If you want to actually enjoy your time on 97.5 The Fanatic Twitter without losing your mind, there’s a strategy to it.
- Filter the noise. Use the "Lists" feature on X to create a specific feed for Fanatic hosts and producers. This keeps the clutter of the general "For You" page away.
- Engage, don't just lurk. The hosts are much more likely to read your comment on air if you’ve been interacting with them regularly.
- Check the "Media" tab. If you missed an interview, the media tab on the main handle usually has the 2-minute "meat" of the conversation clipped and ready to go.
- Follow the producers. Seriously. They are the gatekeepers. Pat Egan, for example, has been a staple of the station's digital identity for years and often provides the most unfiltered commentary.
- Don't take the bait. Some tweets are designed to make you angry so you'll click. Recognize the "hot take" for what it is—entertainment.
The digital landscape of Philly sports is always shifting. Stations come and go, hosts swap chairs, and teams break our hearts. But the conversation never stops. As long as there’s a game on the TV and a phone in our hands, the Fanatic’s presence on social media will be the place where the city goes to vent, cheer, and argue about things that probably don't matter—but to us, they matter more than anything.
Check the feed during the next big game. You'll see exactly what I mean. It’s loud, it’s messy, and it’s quintessentially Philadelphia.
Next Steps for the Fanatic Follower:
To get the most out of the station's digital presence, start by building a custom "Philly Media" list on X. Include the main @975TheFanatic account, but add individual accounts like John Kincade, Tyrone Johnson, and Ricky Bottalico. This ensures you see the raw reactions before they are sanitized for the official station feed. Also, keep an eye on their "Space" or live video sessions, which they frequently launch during major breaking news events for real-time fan call-ins without the radio delay.