Macquarie Sports Radio
| Company type | Commercial radio network |
|---|---|
| Industry | Radio broadcasting |
| Founded | April 4, 2018 |
| Founder | Macquarie Media |
| Defunct | February 1, 2020 |
| Fate | Discontinued transmission; stations reverted to original branding |
| Headquarters | Australia |
Area served | Sydney, Melbourne, Brisbane, Perth |
| Products | Sports radio broadcasting |
| Owner | Macquarie Media (until acquisition by Nine Entertainment Co.) |
| Parent | Macquarie Media (until acquisition by Nine Entertainment Co.) |
Macquarie Sports Radio was an Australian commercial radio network broadcasting across Sydney, Melbourne, Brisbane, and Perth. Owned by Macquarie Media, the station commenced operations on 4 April 2018, taking over from Talking Lifestyle. Following the acquisition of Macquarie Media by Nine Entertainment Co., all non-live sports programming was halted in October 2019, and the network ultimately discontinued transmission on 1 February 2020.
History
In March 2018, it was revealed that Talking Lifestyle would conclude on 30 March and be replaced with a dedicated sports radio format. Macquarie Sports Radio officially began broadcasting on 4 April 2018, launching with live coverage of the 2018 Commonwealth Games. To cater to regional preferences in Australian sports, the network featured two distinct breakfast shows: one hosted by John Stanley and Beau Ryan for Sydney and Brisbane audiences, and another led by Tony Leonard, Tony Shaw, and Jimmy Bartel for listeners in Melbourne and Perth. Additional presenters at launch included David Morrow, Tiffany Cherry, Mieke Buchan, Shane McInnes, Sam Stove, David Schwarz, and Mark Allen.
The station maintained broadcast rights to Macquarie Radio’s coverage of test cricket, the Big Bash League, and One Day International matches. AFL broadcasts focused on northern markets—airing all Sydney Swans and Greater Western Sydney Giants games in Sydney, along with Brisbane Lions and Gold Coast Suns matches in Brisbane. Meanwhile, NRL games featuring the Melbourne Storm were transmitted in Melbourne.
Audience ratings initially showed poor performance; the breakfast show’s share in Sydney dropped from 4.4% under Talking Lifestyle to just 0.7% following the launch. In July 2018, Beau Ryan departed from the breakfast program and was succeeded by Mark Riddell.
By January 2019, the two separate breakfast shows were combined into a single program hosted by Riddell alongside Mark Levy. Weekend schedules were enhanced by incorporating additional AFL and NRL content sourced from affiliated stations 3AW, 6PR, and 2GB. In August of that year, Macquarie Sports Radio acquired exclusive Australian radio rights to broadcast the English Premier League, relaying live commentary from Talksport.
Closure
Despite these adjustments to its programming lineup, the network continued to struggle with audience numbers. On 29 October 2019, Macquarie Media announced it would discontinue production of its sports talk shows starting 1 November. Nevertheless, the station remained operational, continuing live transmissions of cricket matches and Premier League fixtures. On 4 November, Macquarie Media brought back Schwarz and Allen’s drive-time show.
Following the purchase of Macquarie Media by Nine Entertainment Co., it was confirmed in January 2020 that the network would cease broadcasting altogether, with stations reverting to their original pre-2016 branding. On 2 February 2020, these stations relaunched as 2UE, 4BH, and Magic 1278, shifting their format to classic hits music.
Sports coverage
Macquarie Sports Radio held a mix of exclusive and shared Australian sports broadcasting rights that differed according to market:
Australian rules football
- Australian Football League (limited to Sydney & Brisbane)
Cricket
- Tours involving the Australian cricket team (e.g., UAE 2018–19)
- Big Bash League
- ICC Women's T20 World Cup
- Indian cricket team's tour of Australia (2018–19)
Football
- A-League
- Premier League
Horse racing
- Melbourne Cup
Rugby league
- National Rugby League (restricted to Melbourne & Perth)
Transmitters
Macquarie Sports Radio operated through three primary AM transmitters with full power:
| Call sign | Frequency | Coverage area | Power output (W) | Transmitter location coordinates | Additional information |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| 2UE | 954 AM | Sydney, New South Wales | 5,000 | Lua error: callParserFunction: function "#coordinates" was not found. | Marketed as Macquarie Sports Radio 954 |
| 3EE | 1278 AM | Melbourne, Victoria | 5,000 | Lua error: callParserFunction: function "#coordinates" was not found. | Marketed as Macquarie Sports Radio 1278 |
| 4BH | 882 AM | Brisbane, Queensland | 5,000 | Lua error: callParserFunction: function "#coordinates" was not found. | Marketed as Macquarie Sports Radio 882 |
All three stations were simultaneously broadcast on DAB+ digital radio within their respective markets; additionally, Melbourne's content was accessible digitally in the Perth area.