Something bigger may be brewing in Buffalo radio.
Just hours after the Buffalo Bills officially announced that Cumulus Media’s WGRF “97 Rock” will once again become the flagship station for Bills football broadcasts beginning with the 2026 season, industry chatter has intensified that Cumulus could now be positioning one of its other Buffalo signals for a full-fledged Sports format flip.
And if that happens, Buffalo’s radio war could get loud in a hurry.
The Bills confirmed earlier this year that the organization would take production and distribution of its audio programming in-house, ending a lengthy relationship with Audacy’s WGR-AM. The team also partnered with Good Karma Brands to help expand distribution and affiliate reach across the region.
Now comes the next twist.
With the Bills broadcasts officially heading to Cumulus-owned 97 Rock, multiple Buffalo market observers believe the company may not stop there. Instead, speculation is growing that Cumulus could be preparing to create a larger sports-focused audio strategy around the Bills partnership — potentially involving one of its remaining Buffalo properties.
The obvious question immediately became:
Which signal?
Inside Buffalo radio circles, attention has quickly shifted toward possible movement involving AM properties or one of the cluster’s secondary FM assets. Cumulus currently operates several Buffalo stations including WGRF, WEDG “103.3 The Edge,” WHTT-FM, and WBBF.
One possibility being discussed involves building a more dedicated sports infrastructure around the Bills broadcasts themselves. Another theory suggests Cumulus may pursue a broader spoken-word or sports-adjacent strategy to capitalize on Buffalo’s massive football passion and the attention generated by the new flagship partnership.
The timing is especially interesting because Audacy has simultaneously strengthened its own sports position by adding an FM simulcast for WGR, long considered Buffalo’s dominant sports radio brand.
That means Buffalo could soon become the site of an intensified sports audio battle featuring:
- Audacy protecting the legendary WGR brand with expanded FM reach
- The Bills building more of their own in-house content machine
- And Cumulus suddenly holding the market’s NFL flagship rights again
That combination changes the competitive landscape immediately.
Historically, Buffalo sports radio has revolved around the Bills almost more than the format itself. In Western New York, Bills football is not simply programming — it is identity, emotion, culture, and year-round conversation. Owning the flagship relationship instantly gives a station cluster relevance, billing leverage, advertiser interest, and male audience credibility.
And Cumulus knows that.
It is also worth remembering that 97 Rock previously served as the Bills’ flagship from 1999 through 2011 before the rights moved to WGR-AM. In many ways, this new arrangement feels less like a debut and more like a return to familiar territory.
Whether the rumored format move actually materializes remains unclear for now. But one thing is becoming increasingly obvious:
Cumulus did not fight to regain Bills rights simply to treat them as another play-by-play agreement.
This feels bigger.
More strategic.
And potentially far more disruptive to Buffalo radio than many initially realized.
On The Dial covers breaking radio industry news, including layoffs, programming changes, talent moves, and broadcast trends across the United States.