Westwood One Scores Savanah Bananas’ Broadcast Entertainer Drake C. Toll to Host Mornings on New 24/7 Sports Talk Lineup

Rhea-AI Summary

Cumulus Media (NYSE:CMLS) announced that broadcaster Drake C. Toll will host a new Westwood One morning sports talk show airing Monday–Friday 6:00–9:00 AM, beginning December 3, 2025. Toll, known for play-by-play work with the Savannah Bananas and for launching EagleVision in Arkansas, will combine on-air commentary with digital and social engagement to deliver a modern, personality-driven program.

The show promises sharp insight, opinionated segments, and fan interaction while Toll continues play-by-play duties for the Savannah Bananas.

News Market Reaction

-1.51%

1 alert

-1.51% News Effect

On the day this news was published, CMLS declined 1.51%, reflecting a mild negative market reaction.

Data tracked by StockTitan Argus on the day of publication.

Key Figures

Show time: 6:00–9:00 AM Broadcast days: Monday–Friday Price move: 16.47% +1 more

4 metrics

Show time 6:00–9:00 AM Daily morning show slot, Monday–Friday

Broadcast days Monday–Friday New Westwood One sports talk lineup schedule

Price move 16.47% Pre-news 24h price change for CMLS

Volume vs avg 5.97x Today’s volume vs 20-day average before news

Market Reality Check

Price: $0.0800 Vol: Volume 346,880 is about 6...

high vol

$0.0800 Last Close

Volume Volume 346,880 is about 6x the 20-day average of 58,151, signaling elevated interest ahead of this announcement. high

Technical Shares at $0.11894 are trading below the 200-day MA of $0.20 and remain far under the 52-week high of $0.9998.

Peers on Argus

Peer moves are mixed, with SALM up 2.72% and FHLD down 9.28%, while others are f...

Peer moves are mixed, with SALM up 2.72% and FHLD down 9.28%, while others are flat. This contrasts with CMLS’s +16.47% pre-news move, suggesting a company-specific reaction to its content strategy rather than a broad broadcasting sector trend.

Historical Context

5 past events · Latest: Dec 03 (Positive)

Pattern 5 events

Date	Event	Sentiment	Move	Catalyst
Dec 03	Programming hire	Positive	-1.5%	Launch of Drake C. Toll-hosted national morning sports talk show.
Nov 14	Programming change	Positive	-11.6%	McGraw Milhaven named host of nationally syndicated America at Night.
Nov 12	Podcast partnership	Positive	+0.0%	Shots Podcast Network joins Cumulus Podcast Network via Westwood One.
Nov 06	Podcast addition	Positive	-12.1%	INSIGHT with Chris Van Vliet added to Cumulus Podcast Network lineup.
Oct 30	Q3 earnings	Negative	-29.4%	Q3 2025 revenue decline and wider net loss with lower EBITDA.

Pattern Detected

Recent positive programming and partnership announcements often coincided with flat to negative price reactions, while weak earnings aligned with a sharp selloff.

Recent Company History

Over the last few months, Cumulus Media reported softer Q3 2025 results with net revenue of $180.3M, down 11.5% year over year, and a net loss of $20.4M, which saw a -29.42% price reaction. In contrast, multiple Westwood One content initiatives — including adding Chris Van Vliet, the Shots Podcast Network, and McGraw Milhaven — generally carried positive strategic tone but saw flat to negative near-term moves. Today’s Drake C. Toll morning show launch extends this strategy of personality-driven, multi-platform sports content under the Westwood One umbrella.

Market Pulse Summary

This announcement reinforces Cumulus’s focus on personality-driven sports audio, adding Drake C. Tol...

Analysis

This announcement reinforces Cumulus’s focus on personality-driven sports audio, adding Drake C. Toll to a growing Westwood One lineup in a key 6:00–9:00 AM slot. In recent months, the company expanded its podcast and talent portfolio while reporting softer Q3 2025 results, including net revenue of $180.3M and a net loss of $20.4M. Investors may watch how these programming moves translate into audience growth, digital monetization, and future earnings.

Key Terms

daypart, play-by-play

2 terms

daypart technical

"Toll’s new show will air in the highly-desired morning daypart, Monday – Friday"

A daypart is a named segment of the broadcast or streaming day—such as morning drive, daytime, evening or prime time—used by media companies and advertisers to organize programming and sell advertising. Like peak and off-peak times at a store, different dayparts attract different audience sizes and types, so they command different ad rates and revenue potential; investors watch daypart performance to gauge a broadcaster’s pricing power, audience trends and advertising income.

play-by-play technical

"As a play-by-play broadcaster with the fast-growing sports organization"

A play-by-play is a running, moment-by-moment account of an event such as an earnings call, investor presentation, or market session that describes actions as they happen. Investors use it like a live narration — similar to a sports commentator calling each move — to track important details and decisions in real time, helping them react quickly to news that could affect a company’s stock.

AI-generated analysis. Not financial advice.

Toll Ushers In A Bold New Era in Sports Audio

ATLANTA, Dec. 03, 2025 (GLOBE NEWSWIRE) -- Cumulus Media’s Westwood One today announced the launch of a groundbreaking new morning show hosted by Drake C. Toll, one of the most dynamic voices in sports media. Toll’s new show will air in the highly-desired morning daypart, Monday – Friday from 6:00 – 9:00 AM.

As a play-by-play broadcaster with the fast-growing sports organization, Savannah Bananas, Toll knows how to captivate an audience and make every moment unforgettable. With his new radio show, listeners can expect sharp insight, fearless opinions, and rousing content. Toll thrives on conversation and uses every platform—on-air, online, and social—to bring a fresh, modern voice to sports talk, thriving on authenticity, energy, and connection, to make listeners part of the experience.

Toll began his media career in Vilonia, Arkansas as a founder of EagleVision, one of Arkansas’ premiere sports networks, named 2019 Arkansas Sports Network of the Year. While attending Baylor University, Toll furthered his media career at SicEm365, later moving to Sports Illustrated’s Baylor Bears site. At Baylor, Toll began hosting Locked On Baylor, transitioning to Locked On Big 12 shortly after graduation, eventually growing it into America’s No. 1 Big 12 podcast. Toll’s work has been featured across major outlets including ESPN, TNT, SI and Front Office Sports. Toll will continue to provide play-by-play and broadcast entertainment for the Savannah Bananas.

"Westwood One is the gold standard in audio, and it’s an honor to join a brand creatively steeped in sports storytelling. Not unlike the Savannah Bananas, I’m prepared to push the limits of sports talk,” said Toll. "I’ll deliver for Jimmy in Tucson, Arizona just as much as Joe in Marshall, Texas. And for every groundbreaking Los Angeles Lakers trade, there’s a Boston College linebacker who survived cancer. You’ll hear the same fire and heart for each. We’re going to create something special, I promise you that."

"Drake represents exactly what we’re building—a modern, interactive sports experience that is driven by personalities and fueled by fans—programming that breaks away from the predictable and formulaic” said Bruce Gilbert, Senior Vice President, Sports/Content & Audience. "Drake’s ability to entertain, connect, and innovate makes him the ideal voice for mornings on Westwood One.”

About Cumulus Media

Cumulus Media (OTCQB: CMLS) 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 395 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, US Soccer, the Masters, AP News, the Academy of Country Music Awards, and many other world-class partners across more than 9,500 affiliated stations through Westwood One, the largest audio network in America; 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 Westwood One Sports

Westwood One Sports is home to some of the most exciting sports broadcasts on radio. In addition to being the exclusive network radio partner to 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®; U.S. Soccer; The Masters; NCAA Football; and other marquee sports events. On social media, join the Westwood One Sports community on Facebook at facebook.com/westwoodonesports, on Instagram at instagram.com/westwoodonesports, and X (formerly Twitter) at x.com/westwood1sports. For more information, visit www.westwoodonesports.com or download the Westwood One Sports app in the iTunes or Google Play stores.

Contact

Lisa Dollinger, Dollinger Strategic Communication for Cumulus Media | Westwood One | lisa@dollcom.com

A photo accompanying this announcement is available at https://www.globenewswire.com/NewsRoom/AttachmentNg/09c2d4ad-67ee-438a-bc85-9761fb6c308b

FAQ

When does Drake C. Toll's Westwood One morning show start and what are the daily hours for CMLS?

The show announcement is dated December 3, 2025 and will air Monday–Friday from 6:00–9:00 AM.

What role will Drake C. Toll keep while hosting mornings on Westwood One (CMLS)?

Toll will continue providing play-by-play and broadcast entertainment for the Savannah Bananas while hosting the Westwood One morning program.

What experience does Drake C. Toll bring to the CMLS Westwood One morning show?

Toll founded EagleVision, hosted Locked On Baylor and Locked On Big 12, and has work featured on ESPN, TNT, Sports Illustrated and Front Office Sports.

What type of content will listeners hear on Drake C. Toll's CMLS Westwood One show?

Listeners can expect opinionated sports talk, play-by-play perspective, fan interaction, and multi-platform content across on-air and social channels.

How is Westwood One positioning Drake C. Toll within its sports lineup for CMLS?

Westwood One describes Toll as a modern, interactive voice intended to deliver mornings driven by personality and fan engagement.

Will Drake C. Toll's Westwood One show be nationally syndicated on CMLS affiliates?

The announcement positions the show as part of Westwood One's 24/7 sports talk lineup, indicating a network-level morning program across Westwood One distribution.