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Illinois Football
Illinois Basketball
Illinois
Big Ten Conference
Big Ten
NCAA
Illinois Fighting Illini
College Football
Illinois Women's Basketball
Illinois Volleyball
Illinois Men's Basketball
Transfer Portal
NCAA Tournament
College Football Playoff
Basketball
College Basketball
Michigan
NBA
Ohio State
Brad Underwood

A daily look at the latest in sports, mostly focused on the Illini. A variety of guests join the program, and the News-Gazette sportswriters make Mondays their own.

PublishesDailyEpisodes300Founded9 years ago
Number of ListenersCategory
Sports

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Artwork for SportsTalk

Latest Episodes

Joey Wright and Evan Conn talk with new Illini women's tennis coach Elizabeth Lumpkin Robinson and Illini Rebounders Vice President Brian Ames.

Steve Kelly and Loren Tate welcome News-Gazette sportswriter Scott Richey to the studio to talk Illinois basketball then chat with Kedric Prince (Illini Guys) on the Illinois freshmen & other college prospects.

Joey Wright and Evan Conn talk with Bob Gordon about his son, Tanner, who pitches for the Colorado Rockies. Oakwood football coach Cameron Lee joins the show to talk about the Comets' prospects for the 2026 season.

New Rantoul football coach Ronald Beldo chats with Joey Wright and Scott Richey as the IHSA football season inches closer.

Key Facts

Accepts Guests
Accepts Sponsors
Contact Information
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Number of Listeners
Find out how many people listen to this podcast per episode and each month.

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Recent Guests

Jimmie Daly
New head coach of the Parkland men's basketball program
Parkland College
Episode: Jimmie Daly | 6-25-26
Mike Wallner
Official in-studio guest discussing UI Open
U of I Golf Course, Savoy
Episode: Mike Wallner | 6-19-26
Matt Leskis
Head Coach, Champagne Central Maroons
Champagne Central High School
Episode: Mike Wallner | 6-19-26
Mark Sikora
Head coach, Junction FC; Parkland Men's Soccer Coach; World Cup commentator
Junction FC; Parkland College
Episode: Mark Sikora & David Keenan | 6-18-26
David Keenan
Parkland College Hall of Famer, golfer
Parkland College, Chicago State
Episode: Mark Sikora & David Keenan | 6-18-26
Stephen Tobolowski
Prolific actor with a Master's from the U of I
Independent/Entertainment
Episode: The News-Gazette Sports Page | 6-16-26
Gary Heisinga
Co-founder of the Monticello Community Foundation
Monticello Community Foundation
Episode: The News-Gazette Sports Page | 6-16-26
Angela Urban
Chair of Urbana Historic Preservation Commission
Urbana Historic Preservation Commission
Episode: The News-Gazette Sports Page | 6-16-26
Ed Scheinman
Meteorologist, National Weather Service
National Weather Service
Episode: The News-Gazette Sports Page | 6-16-26

Hosts

Joey Wright
Host of Sports Talk on DWS / News-Gazette; long-running local radio presence
Steve Kelly
Host of the show; prominent local sports radio voice
Loren Tate
Co-host; conducts interviews and discusses Illinois athletics
Scott Richey
Co-host / guest analyst; News-Gazette beat writer

Reviews

4.6 out of 5 stars from 23 ratings
  • Great content, questionable audio quality

    As a long time Illini football season ticket holder, living outside CU, I greatly appreciate this podcast. I give the content an A grade, but the production (and this is true for each and every WDWS podcast) a C grade. Feedback, over modulation and callers that you can’t hear are a constant and definitely a problem.

    Apple Podcasts
    4
    illinidodgers
    United States4 years ago
  • Terrific Show

    Fantastic post game show, very capable house, Scott, Evan, Trent. Terrific regular callers including Steve from Peoria. Does tend to attract some Negative Normans who like the sound of their own complaints, but they quickly crawl back into their cracks when the light comes out on Illini wins.

    Apple Podcasts
    5
    Erebiz
    United States5 years ago

Listeners Say

Key themes from listener reviews, highlighting what works and what could be improved about the show.

Audio quality and production sometimes notes as a point of feedback in reviews.
Prospective guests should fit the Illinois sports ecosystem and local community angle.
Content covers a lot of Illinois sports, with strong local flavor and knowledgeable hosts.

Talking Points

Recent interactions between the hosts and their guests.

Parkland men's basketball | 3-12-26
Q: What is it like having the national tournament in your own backyard for three consecutive years?
Having the national tournament in Danville creates tremendous local support and a familiar environment that helps the players feel at home, while also presenting a strong challenge against diverse national programs and elevating the regional profile of Parkland and the community.
Parkland men's basketball | 3-12-26
Q: What would it mean to run the tables next week and win the national title in Danville?
It would mean a lot to the program and the players, signaling that the hard work and team-first culture have paid off, and they are fully focused on taking it one game at a time while staying in the moment.
Scott Richey, Joe Henricksen | 3-11-26
Q: What are the key storylines for 3A and 4A this year?
Joe highlights East St. Louis' continued dominance in 3A, the rarity of an undefeated team like Caneland in that class, and the strong private-school presence in 4A with DePaul Prep and Bennett, shaping the title picture.
Scott Richey, Joe Henricksen | 3-11-26
Q: Joe, how are you adjusting to the IHSA tournament format this year?
Joe explains the differences in the format, the challenges for scheduling, and suggests compromises like preserving some early-morning games for visibility while maintaining competitive balance.
Mark Sikora & David Keenan | 6-18-26
Q: What goes into building your Junction FC roster and how does it integrate with Parkland players and local talent?
Mark Sikora explains that Junction FC sources a mix of local CU area players and college-age players from the region, emphasizing flexibility and a broad scouting reach to bring together talent that can compete at a high level during the summer, while leveraging connections with Parkland and nearby schools to maintain a pipeline.

Audience Metrics

Listeners, social reach, demographics and more for this podcast.

Listeners per Episode
Gender Skew
Location
Interests
Professions
Age Range
Household Income
Social Media Reach

Frequently Asked Questions About SportsTalk

What is SportsTalk about and what kind of topics does it cover?

A fast-paced local-sports show centered on Illinois athletics, with a rotating cast of hosts who riff on early-season results, recruiting news, and postseason implications while weaving in interviews with high school and college coaches, beat writers, and former Illini players. Episodes frequently cover IHSA and Big Ten happenings, college basketball and baseball, and the broader landscape of Illinois sports, often mixing game recaps, scheduling chatter, and community-local perspectives. Noteworthy is the consistent emphasis on Illinois programs and Midwest prep-to-college pathways, along with a strong anchoring by News-Gazette reporters and veteran radio hosts who blend analysis with light, relatable banter. Potential listeners include Ill... more

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How many subscribers and views does SportsTalk have?

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How many episodes of SportsTalk are there?

SportsTalk launched 9 years ago and published 300 episodes to date. You can find more information about this podcast including rankings, audience demographics and engagement in our podcast database.

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Where can I see ratings and reviews for SportsTalk?

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What guests have appeared on SportsTalk?

Recent guests on SportsTalk include:

1. Jimmie Daly
2. Mike Wallner
3. Matt Leskis
4. Mark Sikora
5. David Keenan
6. Stephen Tobolowski
7. Gary Heisinga
8. Angela Urban

To view more recent guests and their details, simply upgrade your Rephonic account. You'll also get access to a typical guest profile to help you decide if the show is worth pitching.

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