You’re stuck in traffic on the I-5. Rain is smacking the windshield. The Blazers just dropped a winnable game, and you need to hear someone—anyone—validate the frustration you’re feeling. For decades, that frustration found a home at AM 1080 The Fan. It’s the kind of station that feels like a dive bar where everyone knows the stats of a backup tight end from 2004.
Things changed recently. If you haven’t touched your dial in a year, you might be confused. The station, officially known by the call letters KFXX, isn’t just an AM relic anymore. In July 2025, Audacy finally pulled the trigger and moved the programming to a simulcast on 105.1 FM. It was a massive shift. People had been asking for a clearer signal for a decade. Now, whether you’re tuning into the crackly AM 1080 or the crisp 105.1, the "Fan" identity is stronger than it’s been in years.
The Big Shakeup: Going Local and Going FM
Radio is weird. Stations swap frequencies like trading cards. But the move to 105.1 was different because it came with a philosophical shift: going 100% local during the daytime.
For ages, Portland listeners woke up to Colin Cowherd. Love him or hate him, he was the voice of the morning. But in mid-2025, that 25-year relationship ended. Cowherd moved over to KPOJ, and The Fan decided to bet on its own people. Honestly, it was a gutsy move. They promoted Dusty Harrah to Brand Manager—a guy who’s done everything from producing to sideline reporting for the Ducks—and doubled down on Portland-centric talk.
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The Current Lineup (As of 2026)
The schedule looks a lot different than it did a couple of years ago. It’s more "Portland" and less "Corporate National Feed."
- 6:00 AM – 10:00 AM: Dirt and Sprague. Anthony "Dirt" Johnson and Brandon Sprague are the morning anchors now. They used to be the midday guys, but they’ve taken over the slot Cowherd vacated. They have this specific "one’s a Duck, one’s a Beaver" energy that keeps the rivalry alive every single morning.
- 10:00 AM – 1:00 PM: The Firm of Harris and Marang. This is the new blood. Danny Marang and Patrick Harris. Marang is a well-known voice in the Blazers world, and Harris brings a baseball-heavy perspective that was sometimes missing from the midday slots.
- 1:00 PM – 2:00 PM: Duck Insider. If you care about Eugene, this is your hour. Joey Mac (McMurry) gives the kind of granular detail on Oregon athletics that makes casual fans' heads spin.
- 2:00 PM – 3:00 PM: The Happy Hour with Luke Andersen. A quick, punchy hour that bridge the gap to the afternoon drive.
- 3:00 PM – 7:00 PM: Primetime with Isaac and Suke. The heavyweights. Isaac Ropp and Jason "Big Suke" Scukanec have been doing this for nearly 20 years. They are the bedrock of the station. If they ever leave, the building might actually fall down.
Why 1080 The Fan is Basically the University of Oregon’s Front Porch
You can't talk about this station without talking about the Ducks. They are the flagship home for Oregon football, basketball, and baseball. If you’re trying to find a Ducks game on the radio in Portland, this is where you go.
In April 2025, they extended that partnership for another five years. The big news there wasn't just football, though. For the first time, they committed to carrying every single Oregon women’s basketball game. Given the trajectory of women's hoops, it was a smart business move, but it also just felt right for a station trying to be the "local" authority.
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When Dan Lanning does his coaches' show, it’s on the Fan. When there’s a recruiting rumor about a five-star defensive end visiting Eugene, Andrew Nemec is on the air at 1080 on Thursday nights breaking it down. They’ve cornered the market on Duck sports, leaving the Blazers-heavy coverage more to Rip City Radio 620.
The Weird History of 1080 kHz
Most people don't realize this station has been around since 1925. It started as KFWV, then became KWJJ. For decades, it was actually a country music station. Imagine tuning into 1080 today expecting a rant about the Blazers' defensive rotations and getting 1970s "Beautiful Country" instrumentals instead.
The flip to sports happened in the 90s. The KFXX call letters actually moved around the dial a bit—they were at 1520 AM and 910 AM before settling at 1080 in 2004. Since then, it’s been the dominant sports brand in the city.
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Does AM Radio Even Matter in 2026?
You’d think with podcasts and streaming, a 50,000-watt AM transmitter would be obsolete. It isn't. Not yet.
There is a specific "live" feeling you get from terrestrial radio that a podcast can't replicate. When a trade happens at 2:00 PM, you want to hear the immediate reaction. You want to hear the phone lines light up with angry callers from Gresham. The Fan has stayed relevant by leaning into that community. They aren't trying to be ESPN; they’re trying to be Portland’s sports bar.
Even though they are now on 105.1 FM, the "1080" branding is so deep in the city's DNA that they’ve kept it. It’s a legacy thing.
Actionable Insights for the Portland Sports Fan
If you want to get the most out of the station, don't just "listen." The way people consume the Fan has changed:
- Use the Audacy App: If you’re outside the signal range or in a building that eats AM/FM waves, the app is surprisingly stable. It also has the "rewind" feature for live broadcasts which is a lifesaver if you miss the start of an interview.
- Podcast the Specialty Shows: "The Recruiting Show" with Andrew Nemec and "The Hot Corner" (baseball) are great, but they often air at specific times. Subscribe to the individual podcast feeds so you aren't tied to the broadcast schedule.
- Check the 105.1 Signal: If you’ve spent years complaining about the "static" on 1080 AM, switch over to 105.1 FM. It’s the same content but without the interference from your car's alternator.
- Engagement: If you’re going to call in, have a point. The producers are quick on the dump button for "long-time listener, first-time caller" ramblings that go nowhere.
The station survived the move of its biggest national star (Cowherd) and the general decline of AM radio. By shifting to a local-first, FM-simulcast model, they've basically ensured that as long as people in Portland care about the Ducks and the Blazers, there will be a place for them to vent on the drive home.