KQSM-FM

KQSM-FM
Fayetteville, Arkansas;
Broadcast area	Northwest Arkansas
Frequency	92.1 MHz
Branding	92.1 The Ticket
Programming
Format	Sports
Affiliations	Infinity Sports Network; NFL on Westwood One; Arkansas Razorbacks Network
Ownership
Owner	Cumulus Media; (Cumulus Licensing LLC);
Sister stations	KAMO-FM, KFAY, KKEG, KMCK-FM, KRMW, KYNG
History
First air date	October 16, 1964 (59 years ago) (as KFAY-FM)
Former call signs	KFAY-FM (1964–1970); KKEG (1970–2009)
Technical information
Licensing authority	FCC
Facility ID	16569
Class	C3
ERP	7,600 watts
HAAT	162 meters (531 ft)
Transmitter coordinates	36°7′38″N 93°59′23″W / 36.12722°N 93.98972°W
Links
Public license information	Public file; LMS;
Webcast	Listen live; Listen Live via iHeart
Website	921theticket.com

KQSM-FM (92.1 MHz) is a commercial radio station in Fayetteville, Arkansas, known as "92.1 The Ticket". It is owned by Cumulus Media and broadcasts a sports format. It has been the #1 rated sports radio station in Northwest Arkansas in every ratings book (Arbitron and Nielsen) in total listeners and average share since its inception in June 2009.

KQSM-FM has an effective radiated power (ERP) of 7,600 watts. Its transmitter is off Pug Gayer Road in Fayetteville.^[2] The studios and offices are on Frontage Road, off North College Road (U.S. Route 71 Business) in Fayetteville.

Programming

Program Director Josh Bertaccini hosts "The Red Zone with JB" during weekday morning drive time. He also hosts "Razorback Recap" after Arkansas Razorbacks football games and “Double OT” after Arkansas Razorback basketball games. The Jim Rome Show, based in Los Angeles, airs during middays. The Paul Finebaum Show, focusing on Southeastern Conference (SEC) college sports, is heard weekday afternoons. Nights and weekends, KQSM-FM carries Infinity Sports Network.

KQSM-FM broadcasts all University of Arkansas Razorbacks football, basketball and baseball games. In addition, The Ticket carried Northwest Arkansas Naturals minor league baseball broadcasts for 10 years. The Naturals are the Double A affiliate of the Kansas City Royals. 92.1 The Ticket is also the exclusive radio home for NFL on Westwood One broadcasts in Northwest Arkansas as well. Co-owned KYNG 1590 AM Ticket 2 runs CBS Sports Radio, sometimes picking up play-by-play games from KQSM-FM.

History

On October 16, 1964 (59 years ago) (1964-10-16), the station first signed on the air.^[3] It was originally KFAY-FM, the sister station of KFAY 1250 AM. The two stations mostly simulcast a country music format and were owned by H. Weldon Stamps. KFAY-FM ran 3,000 watts, less than half of its current output. It later switched to an easy listening format, separate from the AM station.

In 1970, it switched to Album Oriented Rock as "92.1 The Keg" with the call sign KKEG. Ten years later in 1980, the station dropped AOR and flipped to a Top 40 format for only seven years. During its seven years as a Top 40 station, KKEG downgraded its Top 40 formula from mainstream to rock-leaned in late 1986 shortly after former adult contemporary station KCIZ-FM flipped to mainstream Top 40/CHR that same year. The following year in 1987, KKEG dropped its rock-leaned Top 40 format and returned back to its former AOR format. KKEG was acquired by Cumulus Media in 1999.^[4]

On June 11, 2009, the KKEG call sign and rock music format were moved to 98.3 FM in Bentonville, Arkansas. The KQSM-FM call sign that had previously been on 98.3 FM was then transferred to 92.1 FM and branded as "Sports Radio 92.1 The Ticket.” In June 2011, PD Josh Bertaccini was hired and “The Red Zone with JB” debuted that summer. In January 2013, parent company Cumulus Media entered into a partnership with the new CBS Sports Radio Network. Over 150 Cumulus sports stations around the U.S., including KQSM-FM, switched their network affiliation to CBS Sports Radio.