Vol Nation on the Airwaves: 104.5 The Zone Extends Broadcast Partnership With University of Tennessee Athletics

In a major win for Tennessee Volunteers fans across the state, Nashville’s premier sports radio station 104.5 The Zone has officially extended its multi-year broadcast partnership with the University of Tennessee, ensuring that Big Orange football, basketball, and select Olympic sports will continue to be heard loud and clear across Middle Tennessee. This renewed agreement reinforces the powerful connection between the Vols and one of the most passionate fan bases in the country while securing long-term radio coverage in one of the state’s most influential media markets.

The new deal, announced jointly by 104.5 The Zone and Tennessee Athletics, extends an already successful broadcast relationship that has helped grow the Vols’ reach in Nashville, Murfreesboro, and surrounding communities. Known as the “flagship sports station” in Music City, 104.5 The Zone has consistently delivered comprehensive Tennessee coverage, including live play-by-play, pregame and postgame shows, and in-depth weekday programming that highlights UT sports. With this extension, fans in the region can continue to rely on familiar voices and reliable coverage on their daily drives, tailgate parties, or workday commutes.

This is more than just a rights agreement. It’s an affirmation of how vital Tennessee Athletics is to the fabric of sports culture in the state. The Vols’ presence in Nashville, though geographically 180 miles removed from Knoxville, has never been stronger. This deal guarantees that Vol Nation can hear every critical third-down conversion, buzzer-beating basket, and key conference showdown—live, without interruption, and with the kind of homegrown commentary that makes it feel personal.

Tennessee Vice Chancellor and Director of Athletics Danny White praised the continued relationship, citing the importance of maintaining a consistent voice in the state’s most densely populated metro area. In his statement, White emphasized that 104.5 The Zone provides a “direct and passionate connection to our fans,” especially in Nashville, where alumni, students, and lifelong fans gather weekly to rally behind their team. The broadcast deal ensures that the voice of the Vols doesn’t just echo through Neyland Stadium or Thompson-Boling Arena but also pours through car radios, kitchen speakers, and mobile apps across a crucial slice of the Volunteer State.

Since first partnering with UT Athletics, 104.5 The Zone has become a central hub for fans who want both real-time game action and smart, opinionated coverage. The station’s weekday programming lineup, featuring popular hosts like Ramon Foster, Jonathan Hutton, and Jason Martin, regularly includes discussions around Tennessee football, basketball, and recruiting developments. The station also dedicates air time to game previews, interviews with Tennessee coaches and players, and live call-ins from fans—turning the Vols’ narrative into a living, breathing community experience.

The impact of that kind of coverage is immeasurable. For many fans, especially those who can’t make the trip to Knoxville for every home game, the radio broadcast is more than a convenience—it’s a lifeline. It’s the emotional thread that ties people across counties and zip codes together, forming a shared experience around each snap and possession. Radio remains one of the most intimate forms of sports storytelling, and for Vol fans in Middle Tennessee, 104.5 The Zone is a trusted voice, providing not just scores and stats but energy, memory, and meaning.

The station’s broadcast team will continue to work alongside the Vol Network, the official radio home of Tennessee Athletics. Longtime play-by-play man Bob Kesling and his crew remain staples on game day, offering fans a seasoned and authentic perspective. With 104.5 The Zone airing those broadcasts directly into Nashville homes, the emotional impact and storytelling remain as strong as ever.

The timing of the deal’s renewal also reflects the current surge of momentum across Tennessee Athletics. Under Josh Heupel, the football program has returned to national relevance, producing top-10 finishes and thrilling victories over SEC rivals. Men’s and women’s basketball are both trending upward, with March Madness expectations becoming the norm. Baseball has evolved into a perennial powerhouse under Tony Vitello. And Olympic sports like volleyball, softball, and track and field continue to push boundaries, producing SEC titles and national contenders. That kind of across-the-board success is rare—and the appetite for coverage is greater than ever.

In that context, 104.5 The Zone’s expanded commitment makes perfect sense. As the Vols continue to climb in prominence, the hunger for intelligent, immediate, and emotional coverage grows with it. Whether it’s breaking down quarterback battles in spring practice, dissecting bracket placement in March, or celebrating walk-off home runs in Omaha, the partnership allows 104.5 The Zone to remain the megaphone for all things Tennessee sports in Middle Tennessee.

There’s also a deeper strategic value at play. Nashville is a hotbed of talent and recruiting. By maintaining a constant and positive media presence in the region, Tennessee Athletics solidifies its brand identity and keeps its programs top-of-mind for families, high school athletes, and coaches. The Vols aren’t just heard—they’re felt. This broadcast partnership enhances the program’s visibility, reinforces fan loyalty, and subtly helps in the endless arms race of attention and relevance in college sports.

The extension also acknowledges the changing landscape of sports media consumption. While many fans continue to listen via traditional AM/FM radio, the growth of digital streaming, podcasts, and mobile access means that 104.5 The Zone’s content is more portable and shareable than ever before. Whether it’s through the station’s mobile app, online simulcast, or post-show downloads, Tennessee fans now have a suite of options to stay connected to their teams at all hours and in all places. The future of radio is multi-platform, and this partnership leans into that evolution.

Still, for all the technology and strategy, the core of this story is rooted in passion. Tennessee fans are among the most loyal and engaged in college sports. They crave access, honesty, and authenticity. They want to hear the excitement in Bob Kesling’s voice after a big win, to dissect a coaching decision with local analysts the morning after a loss, to feel like their voices matter in the conversation. That’s what 104.5 The Zone offers—and what this partnership extension guarantees for years to come.

In a time when media rights are often viewed solely through a national lens, this local deal is a reminder of the power of regional identity. For Tennessee Athletics, being heard clearly and consistently in Nashville is about more than market share. It’s about legacy, pride, and presence. It’s about giving fans a voice and a connection. It’s about planting the Power T not just in the end zone, but across airwaves, conversations, and daily routines throughout Tennessee’s largest city.

For 104.5 The Zone, it’s about continuing to serve as more than a station. It’s about being the heartbeat of a community that bleeds orange and white. It’s about living the highs and lows with the fans and giving them a place to cheer, complain, celebrate, and believe. It’s about recognizing that in Tennessee, college sports aren’t just entertainment—they’re a way of life.

With this renewed agreement, the partnership between 104.5 The Zone and Tennessee Athletics isn’t just continuing—it’s thriving. And for Vol Nation, that means the voices they trust and the games they love will keep coming through loud and clear, every single season.