Next Round’s On Sport & State
• A media relationship that began nearly 20 years ago at WJOX/Birmingham, AL is entering a new chapter — DBL Down Media announced that on August 24, The Next Round, the independent digital sports platform built by veteran broadcasters Jim Dunaway, Ryan Brown and Lance Taylor, will join Sport & State, the national digital media network founded by Clay Travis, as part of a three-year, multimillion-dollar agreement. Travis describes his vision for the new site as “70% sports, 15% pop culture, and 15% where politics intersects with sports.” This agreement adds national distribution to an already significant digital audience.
Dunaway, Brown and Taylor left traditional radio in 2021 to launch The Next Round, building a personality-driven sports platform with an audience extending far beyond Alabama. Travis has remained a regular guest on The Next Round over the years, continuing a relationship with the hosts that dates back nearly two decades.
“The Next Round has proven that a great live sports show doesn’t have to be confined by a radio signal or a geographic market,” said Bo O’Neal, President/GM of The Next Round. “What Jim, Ryan and Lance have built is pretty remarkable. They’ve created independent, personality-driven sports content with an audience that reaches well beyond Alabama.” He added, “What Clay is building with Sport & State aligns perfectly with who we are and feels like the natural next step for us. We’re not changing what The Next Round is. We’re giving it a much bigger stage. It’s an incredible opportunity for the guys, our team, our advertising partners and everyone who has played a part in making The Next Round successful.”
Effective August 24, The Next Round will expand to four hours of live weekday programming, airing 9am-1pm CT across all of its existing platforms. Sport & State will distribute the first two hours of The Next Round each day, giving the show an additional national outlet and expanded reach. The Next Round will continue to originate from its studios in Birmingham, with the same hosts, format and personality its audience knows.
