Calgary has lost more than a radio station. We have lost a shared gathering place where fans connected, local stories were told and our entire sports community had a voice.

For decades, live local sports radio gave Calgarians somewhere to celebrate wins, debate trades, question decisions, discover new teams and hear the stories of athletes from across our city. With Sportsnet 960 The Fan now gone, Calgary no longer has a dedicated, daily and interactive local sports voice.

This campaign is asking broadcasters, investors, entrepreneurs, business leaders and community partners to help create a new way forward and Keep Calgary Sports Talking.

 

keepcalgarysportstalking.com

 

Calgary is one of Canada’s largest and most passionate sports cities, but today we no longer have a dedicated, daily and interactive local sports voice.

The loss of Sportsnet 960 The Fan was about much more than the disappearance of one radio station.

It meant losing a familiar gathering place where Calgarians could hear local stories, celebrate victories, debate trades, question coaching decisions, call or text into a show and feel connected to the teams and athletes who represent our city.

That connection mattered.

It mattered to the fan driving to work in the morning.

It mattered to the family listening on the way home from a game.

It mattered to the shift worker following a late-night broadcast.

It mattered to the parent sitting in a parking lot during minor hockey, soccer, football, lacrosse or basketball.

And it mattered to the kid who could not afford tickets but could still feel like part of the team because a trusted local voice brought the game and the community to life.

This campaign is not about one team, one sport, one host or one company.

The Flames may have been the largest part of the conversation, but Calgary sports extends far beyond hockey. Our city is home to the Stampeders, Roughnecks, Hitmen, Cavalry FC,  Calgary Wid FC, the Surge,  university athletics, junior teams, amateur organizations, emerging sports and thousands of local athletes whose stories deserve to be heard.

We would be thrilled to hear some of the familiar and beloved personalities who helped build Calgary sports radio become part of whatever comes next. They earned the loyalty of their listeners and played an important role in our city’s sports culture.

But this petition is not asking anyone to simply recreate the past.

It is asking Calgary’s media companies, broadcasters, investors, entrepreneurs, business leaders and community partners to recognize that there is still a real audience and a real need for:

• live, daily local sports coverage
• knowledgeable Calgary-based voices
• meaningful coverage of teams and athletes across the city
• call-ins, texts and genuine audience participation
• a platform that informs, entertains and brings people together

That future could include radio, streaming, digital broadcasting or a combination of platforms. The format can evolve, but the essential connection should not disappear.

Calgary deserves a live, daily, interactive sports voice that brings us together.

By signing this petition, you are showing that the audience still exists, the community still cares and there is an opportunity to build something new.

We are not asking for yesterday back. We are advocating for tomorrow.

Please sign and share this petition to help us find a new way forward and Keep Calgary Sports Talking.