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Illini Pella Saturday SportsTalk

NewsTalk 1400 & 93.9 FM
Illinois Basketball
Illinois Football
Big Ten Conference
Illinois Fighting Illini
Illinois Athletics
NIL (name, Image, Likeness)
Illinois
NIL
NCAA
NCAA Tournament
Big Ten
Illinois Baseball
College Football
Transfer Portal
Big Ten Football
Cubs
College Basketball
Terrence Shannon
Cardinals
NIL Deals

It's downstate Illinois' longest running sports radio program. Hosts Steve Kelly and Loren Tate have in-depth conversations about Illini athletics and beyond with notable guests.

PublishesWeeklyEpisodes300Founded9 years ago
Number of ListenersCategory
Sports

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Artwork for Illini Pella Saturday SportsTalk

Latest Episodes

News Gazette sports editor Matt Daniels and Loren Tate host SportsTalk from the annual C-U Kiwanis pancake breakfast at Bromley Hall with guests attorney Steven Beckett, former Illini volleyball coach Don Hardin, and Dr. Michael LeRoy from the UI Col... more

Steve Kelly and Loren Tate host Illini Pella Saturday Sportstalk. This week’s guests include Brad Sturdy from Illini Guys talking Illini Basketball, Mike Koon on the Indianapolis 500, Matt Brown, Extra Points publisher, talking the business of colleg... more

Steve Kelly and Loren Tate talk sports with Noah Henderson (Loyola University), Joe Henricksen (City-Suburban Hoops Report), Mike Small (UI head golf coach) and Scott Dochterman (The Athletic, Iowa City).

Steve Kelly and Loren Tate talk sports with Tom Michael (new Illini deputy athletic director), Dave Revsine (Big Ten Network host), Adam Rittenberg (senior writer, espn.com) and Marcus Liberty (former UI basketball star).

Steve Kelly and Loren Tate talk sports with Bobby Hauck (Illinois football defensive coordinator), Kendall Gill (former Illini basketball star), Howard Griffith (Illinois hall-of-fame, 2026) and David Kaplan (Chicago sports columnist, host of “ReKap”... more

Steve Kelly and Loren Tate host Illini Pella Saturday SportsTalk. Jeremy Werner from Illini Inquirer looks at spring football and postseason basketball. Joey Wright checks in from the Christie Clinic Illinois Marathon. National columnist Will Leitch ... more

Steve Kelly and Loren Tate talk sports with Mike LaTulip (former Illini, basketball analyst), Joey Wright (News-Gazette, on the gymnastics meet), Howard Milton (Illinois athletics, Chief Development Officer) and Doug Bucshon (Orange & Blue News, On3.... more

Steve Kelly and Loren Tate talk sports with Brad Sturdy (Illini Guys) on the transfer portal, Josh Whitman (Fighting Illini athletic director) and Bob Asmussen (News-Gazette sportswriter) on the Illini football team.

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Recent Guests

Don Hardin
Former Illinois volleyball coach
University of Illinois
Episode: Illini Pella Saturday SportsTalk | 5-30-26
Noah Henderson
U of I Law School grad, Director of Sport Management Program at Loyola University Chicago area
Loyola University Chicago
Episode: Illini Pella Saturday SportsTalk | 5-16-26
Marcus Liberty
Former Illinois basketball player, Flying Illini member, author
Liberty Edge Basketball
Episode: Illini Pella Saturday SportsTalk | 5-9-26
Bruce Douglas
Illinois point guard (1983-1986)
Illinois
Episode: Illini Pella Saturday SportsTalk | 4-4-26
Ryan Pedon
Head coach, Illinois State Redbirds
Illinois State University
Episode: Illini Pella Saturday SportsTalk | 3-28-26
David Woods
NCAA Track & Field analyst/coach
University of Illinois Track & Field
Episode: Illini Pella Saturday SportsTalk | 3-14-26
Isaac Trotter
CBSSports.com college basketball writer
cbssports.com
Episode: Illini Pella Saturday SportsTalk | 3-7-26
Brad Dancer
Illini tennis coach
Illinois
Episode: Illini Pella Saturday SportsTalk | 3-7-26
Chapin Rose
State Senator
Illinois Legislature
Episode: Illini Pella Saturday SportsTalk | 2-21-26

Hosts

Steve Kelly
Co-host on Illini Pella Saturday SportsTalk; long-running sports radio host with deep Illinois athletics focus
Loren Tate
Co-host on Illini Pella Saturday SportsTalk; veteran Illinois sports radio commentator with extensive local network

Top Sports Podcasts

Talking Points

Recent interactions between the hosts and their guests.

Illini Pella Saturday SportsTalk | 5-30-26
Q: What is the end game if NIL deals implode or are restructured?
The end game would involve reworking deals to ensure enforceable, value-driven activations with clearly defined deliverables, potentially leading to broader adoption of employment-like arrangements or collective bargaining to stabilize athlete compensation.
Illini Pella Saturday SportsTalk | 5-9-26
Q: What insights does Marcus Liberty offer about NIL and his Illini era?
Liberty discussed his book Give Me Liberty, his post-Illinois career, and how NIL and modern opportunities could have reshaped the Illini's trajectory, emphasizing loyalty and the broader potential pathways for players beyond college.
Illini Pella Saturday SportsTalk | 5-9-26
Q: What are Adam Rittenberg's thoughts on the 12-team playoff expansion and its implications?
Rittenberg presented a nuanced view, acknowledging potential benefits in terms of more meaningful November games and broader opportunities, while also noting concerns about scheduling, competition balance, and who benefits most from expansion.
Illini Pella Saturday SportsTalk | 5-9-26
Q: How does Dave Revsine view the evolution of the Big Ten Network and Illinois' standing within it?
Revsine described the BTN's 20-year evolution, noting enduring relationships with original colleagues while acknowledging Illinois' rising profile within the conference and network, offering a historical perspective on growth and change.
Illini Pella Saturday SportsTalk | 5-9-26
Q: What drew Tom Michael back to Illinois and what will his role entail?
Tom Michael expressed excitement about returning to the University of Illinois, taking on a Deputy Athletic Director role and working closely with Josh Whitman; he emphasized continuity, leadership, and leveraging his prior experience to help move the department forward as it regains momentum.

Audience Metrics

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

Listeners per Episode
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Location
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Age Range
Household Income
Social Media Reach

Frequently Asked Questions About Illini Pella Saturday SportsTalk

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

This show is a long-running downstate Illinois sports program that blends in-depth discussions of Illini athletics with broader college sports coverage. It routinely features a mix of coaches, former players, reporters, and analysts who provide strategic breakdowns of basketball, football, and other college sports events, with frequent guests from local outlets, national networks, and university staff. Episodes often weave in NCAA tournament outlooks, NIL implications, coaching moves, and game previews, complemented by listener calls. A recurring strength is the conversational, insider-perspective approach from seasoned hosts who pull in guests with direct Illinois or Big Ten relevance, making it especially valuable for fans, recruiters, an... more

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Which podcasts are similar to Illini Pella Saturday SportsTalk?

These podcasts share a similar audience with Illini Pella Saturday SportsTalk:

1. SportsTalk
2. Illini Inquirer Podcast: An Illinois Fighting Illini athletics podcast
3. Inside Illini Basketball
4. Penny For Your Thoughts
5. I on the Illini

How many episodes of Illini Pella Saturday SportsTalk are there?

Illini Pella Saturday 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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What guests have appeared on Illini Pella Saturday SportsTalk?

Recent guests on Illini Pella Saturday SportsTalk include:

1. Don Hardin
2. Noah Henderson
3. Marcus Liberty
4. Bruce Douglas
5. Ryan Pedon
6. David Woods
7. Isaac Trotter
8. Brad Dancer

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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