Turn on a radio in Northeast Ohio and flip the dial to 850. If it’s between 9:00 AM and 1:00 PM, you’re going to hear Tony Rizzo. You might hear him screaming about a Browns loss, or maybe he’s laughing about a "product" he’s pitching. That’s the reality of 850 AM Cleveland radio, a station that has somehow remained the heartbeat of the city’s sports obsession despite the massive shift toward podcasts and streaming.
It’s weird. In an era where everyone says terrestrial radio is dying, WKNR—branded as ESPN Cleveland—just keeps chugging along. They aren't just reporting scores. They are part of the civic fabric, for better or worse. Honestly, if you live in Cleveland, you’ve probably had a heated argument about "The Really Big Show" at least once in the last month.
From Pop Hits to the Gridiron: The 850 AM Evolution
Most people forget that 850 AM didn't start as a sports juggernaut. Back in the day, it was WJW. We're talking about the station where Alan Freed basically birthed the term "Rock and Roll." It has history. Deep history. But the 850 AM Cleveland radio we know today really took shape when it pivoted hard into sports talk.
Good Karma Brands eventually took the reins, and they leaned into a "local first" mentality. They realized something crucial: Clevelanders don't want to hear Mike Greenberg talk about the Lakers for four hours. They want to hear locals talk about why the Browns' offensive line is crumbling. They want to hear about the Guardians' payroll. They want to hear about the Cavs' rotation.
This hyper-localization saved the station. While other AM signals across the country were being sold off or turned into religious broadcasting, WKNR doubled down on the "Land."
The Power of the Personality
Let’s be real. People don’t tune in to 850 AM for "impartial journalism." They tune in for the characters. Tony Rizzo is the lightning rod. You’ve got Aaron Goldhammer playing the "heel" (the guy everyone loves to hate). Then you have the younger guys like Emmett Golden bringing a different energy to the afternoon drive.
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It’s a soap opera for guys who wear orange and brown face paint.
The station’s lineup has seen plenty of shifts. Remember when they had national ESPN feeds during the day? That’s mostly gone now. The 2026 landscape of 850 AM Cleveland radio is almost entirely homegrown content during the peak hours. They understood that the "ESPN" branding is just a wrapper; the meat is the local talk.
The Technical Reality of the 850 AM Signal
AM radio has issues. We know this. If you drive under a bridge or near some heavy power lines, the static starts creeping in.
WKNR broadcasts with 50,000 watts during the day. That’s a massive signal. In the sunlight, you can hear 850 AM all the way down toward Columbus and out into Pennsylvania. But at night? The signal has to "protect" other stations on the same frequency in cities like Denver. So, the power drops or the direction shifts.
This is why the station has pushed so hard into the digital space. You’ve got the Land on Demand. That’s their subscription service. Think about that: a local AM radio station successfully convinced people to pay a monthly fee to listen to replays and commercial-free versions of their shows. It’s kind of brilliant from a business perspective, even if it annoys the old-school listeners who just want to hear the game for free.
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Why 850 AM Cleveland Radio Beats the National Competition
There is a competing sports station in town, 92.3 The Fan. They’re on the FM dial. Theoretically, they should be winning because FM sounds better. And in the ratings, it’s a dogfight.
But 850 AM has a specific "vibe" that’s hard to replicate.
- The Browns Partnership: They are a long-time part of the Browns radio network. On game days, that 850 frequency is essential.
- Event Integration: They don't stay in the studio. They’re at the bars. They’re at the training camp. They make the listeners feel like they’re part of a club.
- The "Hate-Listen" Factor: You can’t underestimate this. Even the people who claim to hate the hosts will still tune in just to see what crazy thing is said next.
A lot of the "controversy" on the station is manufactured. It’s "sports-tainment." If you go in expecting a deep analytical breakdown of PFF grades, you’re in the wrong place. But if you want to hear someone rant about a missed field goal like their life depends on it? That’s the 850 AM sweet spot.
The Misconception of "Dead Air"
Critics always say AM radio is for the "over 60" crowd. While the demographics definitely skew older, the station’s social media presence tells a different story. Their YouTube clips get thousands of hits. Their Twitter (X) engagement is through the roof.
The station has successfully transitioned from being just a "radio station" to a "content house." They are basically a 24/7 Cleveland sports podcast that happens to be broadcast over a traditional transmitter.
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The Future of Sports Talk in the Land
Where does 850 AM Cleveland radio go from here?
The car industry is trying to kill AM radio. Most electric vehicles don't even come with AM receivers anymore because the motors interfere with the signal. That’s a legitimate threat. But Good Karma Brands seems prepared. They’ve integrated heavily with the ESPN app and their own proprietary apps.
They also lean heavily into gambling now. Since Ohio legalized sports betting, the station’s content has shifted. You’ll hear odds, spreads, and parlays mentioned in almost every segment. It’s where the money is. Whether you like it or not, the "gambling-fication" of sports talk is what’s keeping the lights on.
Real-World Advice for Listeners and Advertisers
If you’re a listener, don't just rely on the 850 signal. Download the app. The static isn't worth it, especially during winter nights when the signal bounces weirdly off the atmosphere.
For businesses looking to advertise, understand that the 850 AM audience is incredibly loyal. It’s a "cult of personality." If a host like Rizzo says a window company is good, his listeners buy those windows. It’s an endorsement-heavy model that works better than 30-second canned commercials.
What You Should Do Next
If you want to get the most out of 850 AM Cleveland radio, here is how to engage with the modern version of the station:
- Switch to the App for Evening Listening: If you're trying to catch the tail end of the afternoon show or any evening specials, the AM signal often fades or gets "pushed" by atmospheric changes. The digital stream is crystal clear and avoids the directional signal drop.
- Check the YouTube Live Stream: Many people don't realize they broadcast the studio cameras live. If you want to see the facial expressions during a particularly heated "Really Big Show" rant, that's the place to be.
- Leverage Local Podcasts: Most of the daily shows are chopped up into podcast segments immediately after they air. If you missed the "Browns Big Play" breakdown at 10:00 AM, it’s usually on Spotify by noon.
- Follow the Individual Hosts: The "insider" info often hits X (Twitter) before it hits the airwaves. Following the beat reporters associated with the station provides a more complete picture of the news cycle.
The station isn't going anywhere. It has survived the rise of the internet, the death of the newspaper, and the struggles of the teams it covers. As long as Clevelanders care too much about sports, there will be a place on the dial for 850 AM to talk about it.