Tegna Columbus’ 97.1 The Fan (WBNS) and the Cleveland Browns have announced a multi-year extension of their broadcast partnership through the 2026 NFL season. The Fan will continue to broadcast all Browns games along with a full line of Browns-centric shows.
The deal includes programming access to Cleveland Browns Weekend, The Cleveland Browns Preview Show, and The Kevin Stefanski Show. On gamedays, WBNS will also host the Browns Radio Network Pregame and Postgame Shows, each lasting two hours.
The Browns start preseason football on August 10 against the Green Bay Packers, with their regular-season opener scheduled for September 8 at home against the Dallas Cowboys.
WBNS Station Manager Cody Welling remarked, “The Cleveland Browns Organization has been a tremendous partner to our WBNS properties. We are thrilled to continue this relationship through the 2026 season and deliver all the loyal Browns fans their favorite content, and play-by-play in the Columbus market.”
Cleveland Browns Senior Vice President of Corporate Partnerships Erica Muhleman added, “97.1 The Fan in Columbus has been an amazing partner for the Cleveland Browns in bringing Browns games and content to fans across central Ohio. We’re looking forward to continuing to work together to bring marquee Browns programming to Columbus and its surrounding areas through the multi-year extension.”
