Cumulus Media's Westwood One Presents Exclusive Multiplatform Audio Coverage of the 2026 NCAA® Women's College World Series
Rhea-AI Summary
Cumulus Media (CMLS), through Westwood One, will provide exclusive national audio coverage of the 2026 NCAA Division I Women’s College World Series from OG&E Energy Field at Devon Park in Oklahoma City.
Coverage runs May 28–June 5, with every game on radio, satellite, and free digital streams.
AI-generated analysis. Not financial advice.
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Key Figures
Market Reality Check
Peers on Argus
While CMLS shows a -91.32% move, peers are mixed: FHLD is down 9.28%, SALM is up
Historical Context
| Date | Event | Sentiment | Move | Catalyst |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| Mar 05 | Debt restructuring | Negative | -91.3% | Prepackaged Chapter 11 plan to cancel existing debt and equity. |
| Mar 04 | Sports rights coverage | Positive | -2.1% | Announcement of 19 NCAA conference championship game broadcasts. |
| Feb 17 | New content launch | Positive | -9.0% | Launch of Liberty’s Voice with Mark Levin vodcast series. |
| Feb 07 | Super Bowl coverage update | Positive | +2.8% | Update on Super Bowl LX national audio coverage details. |
| Feb 05 | Super Bowl coverage | Positive | +10.1% | Initial announcement of Super Bowl LX national radio coverage. |
Sports-rights and content announcements have often coincided with modest or mixed price reactions, while capital-structure news triggered extreme downside aligned with distressed fundamentals.
Over the last six months, Cumulus Media has combined marquee sports and content initiatives with a major balance sheet restructuring. Announcements around Super Bowl LX coverage on Feb 5 and Feb 7, 2026 saw positive moves of 10.1% and 2.83%, while new digital content like Mark Levin’s vodcast on Feb 17, 2026 coincided with an 8.99% decline. The March 5 restructuring to eliminate roughly $600 million of debt aligned with a -91.32% selloff. Today’s WCWS coverage fits the pattern of operational sports-rights news against a distressed capital structure backdrop.
Market Pulse Summary
This announcement highlights Cumulus Media’s continued emphasis on national sports audio rights, extending its Westwood One coverage to every game of the 2026 NCAA Division I Women’s College World Series. In context, recent history includes significant restructuring steps and Chapter 11 filings, alongside other major sports properties. Investors may watch how sustained these NCAA partnerships remain, how they complement broader content strategy, and how they coexist with ongoing efforts to address the company’s capital structure and operating performance.
AI-generated analysis. Not financial advice.
WCWS Broadcast Coverage Delivers Broad Multi-Platform Audience
NEW YORK, May 27, 2026 (GLOBE NEWSWIRE) -- Cumulus Media’s Westwood One, one of America's largest audio networks and the exclusive national audio broadcast partner of the NCAA, will once again be home to every pitch, hit, and home run of the NCAA Division I Women’s College World Series, live from OG&E Energy Field at Devon Park in Oklahoma City, OK. Westwood One’s coverage will begin at 12:00 p.m. ET on Thursday, May 28 and continue with play-by-play action from every game through the National Championship Finals that begin on Wednesday, June 3 at 7:45 p.m. ET.
All-Star Broadcast Team
The broadcast crews for the double elimination games will feature Ryan Radtke and Chris Plank as play-by-play announcers, along with former University of Oklahoma outfielder and two-time WCWS champion Erin Miller, and Hall of Famer and University of Arizona three-time WCWS champion Leah (O’Brien) Amico as the analysts. Radtke and Amico will call the best of three Championship Finals. This is Radtke’s seventh time as the voice of the WCWS, while Amico is back for her 14th year as lead analyst.
Where to Listen
Westwood One’s complete NCAA Women’s College World Series coverage can be heard on terrestrial radio stations nationwide and via SiriusXM. All games
will also be streamed online for free at NCAA.com/WCWS and on westwoodonesports.com and on the Westwood One Sports app available in the iTunes and Google Play stores. Additionally, the broadcasts will be available for free via the NCAA Women’s College World Series app or The Varsity Network app. Fans can also access live audio via Alexa-enabled devices by asking “Open Westwood One Sports.” TuneIn premium subscribers can also hear all the action live.
Westwood One’s complete schedule of 2026 NCAA Women’s College World Series:
| Double Elimination Games: | ||
| Games 1 – 4: Thursday, May 28, 2026 | ||
| Game 1: Game 1 | 12:00 p.m. ET | |
| Game 2: Game 2 | 2:30 p.m. ET* | |
| Game 3: Game 3 | 7:00 p.m. ET | |
| Game 4: Game 4 | 9:30 p.m. ET* | |
| Games 5 – 6: Friday, May 29, 2026 | ||
| Game 5: Loser of Game 1 vs. Loser of Game 2 | 7:00 p.m. ET | |
| Game 6: Loser of Game 3 vs. Loser of Game 4 | 9:30 p.m. ET | |
| Games 7 – 8: Saturday, May 30, 2026 | ||
| Game 7: Winner of Game 1 vs Winner of Game 2 | 3:00 p.m. ET | |
| Game 8: Winner of Game 3 vs Winner of Game 4 | 7:00 p.m. ET | |
| Games 9 – 10: Sunday, May 31, 2026 | ||
| Game 9: Winner of Game 5 vs. Loser of Game 8 | 3:00 p.m. ET | |
| Game 10: Winner of Game 6 vs Loser of Game 7 | 7:00 p.m. ET | |
| Games 11 – 14: Monday, June 1, 2026 | ||
| Game 11: Winner of Game 7 vs. Winner of Game 9 | 12:00 p.m. ET | |
| Game 12: Winner of Game 7 vs. Winner of Game 9 | 2:30 p.m. ET ** | |
| Game 13: Winner of Game 8 vs. Winner of Game 10 | 7:00 p.m. ET | |
| Game 14: Winner of Game 8 vs. Winner of Game 10 | 9:30 p.m. ET ** | |
| * For the second games of the afternoon and evening doubleheaders, the airtimes may need to slide later than listed above due to the lengths of the first games. | ||
| **Games 12 and 14 are only played if necessary | ||
| Championship Finals (Best of 3 Games): | ||
| Wednesday, June 3, 2026 | Game 1 | 7:45 p.m. ET |
| Thursday, June 4, 2026 | Game 2 | 7:45 p.m. ET |
| Friday, June 5, 2026 | Game 3 | 7:45 p.m. ET ** |
| ** Finals Game 3 is only played if necessary | ||
A complete schedule of games, announcer bios, and a list of radio stations airing Westwood One’s broadcast of the NCAA Division I Women’s College World Series can be found on westwoodonesports.com or the Westwood One Sports app.
NCAA and the Women’s College World Series are trademarks of the National Collegiate Athletic Association.
Westwood One Sports is home to some of the most exciting sports broadcasts on radio. In addition to being the exclusive national audio broadcaster of the NFL since 1987 – featuring regular and post-season NFL football, including the playoffs and the Super Bowl – its other extensive properties include NCAA Basketball, including the NCAA Men’s and Women’s Tournaments and the Final Four®; NCAA Football; The Masters; US Soccer; and other marquee sporting events. On social media, join the Westwood One Sports community on Facebook at facebook.com/westwoodonesports, Instagram at instagram.com/westwoodonesports, and X at x.com/westwood1sports. For more information, visit www.westwoodonesports.com.
About Cumulus Media
Cumulus Media is an audio-first media company delivering premium content to a quarter billion people every month — wherever and whenever they want it. Cumulus Media engages listeners with high-quality local programming through 393 owned-and-operated radio stations across 84 markets; delivers nationally-syndicated sports, news, talk, and entertainment programming from iconic brands including the NFL, the NCAA, the Masters, US Soccer, AP News, and the Academy of Country Music Awards, across more than 7,800 affiliated stations through Westwood One, a leading national audio network; and inspires listeners through the Cumulus Podcast Network, an established and influential platform for original podcasts that are smart, entertaining, and thought-provoking. Cumulus Media provides advertisers with personal connections, local impact and national reach through broadcast and on-demand digital, mobile, social, and voice-activated platforms, as well as integrated digital marketing services, powerful influencers, full-service audio solutions, industry-leading research and insights, and live event experiences. For more information visit www.cumulusmedia.com.
About the NCAA
The National Collegiate Athletic Association provides a world-class athletics and academic experience that fosters lifelong well-being for more than 520,000 student-athletes annually. The NCAA stages 92 championships across three divisions, and its 1,100 member schools provide nearly
Contact: Lisa Dollinger, Dollinger Strategic Communication, for Cumulus Media | Westwood One, lisa@dollcomm.com, and 512.633.4084.
A photo accompanying this announcement is available at https://www.globenewswire.com/NewsRoom/AttachmentNg/ed0860f5-5b2d-4b35-8fae-e9df37c43b2b
