First for Sports??

Me Thinks you are not being very truthful, ESPN; Barry Horn Reports ...

Ratings have finally trickled in for Spring '07 (April, May, June), and they appear eerily similar to past books: The Ticket (1310 AM) continues to reign over ESPN 103.3-FM in Arbitron ratings when it comes to the hearts and minds of the sports talk masses.

Among radio listeners in the Dallas-Fort Worth market, The Ticket scored a 2.9 share to ESPN's 1.5. That ranked The Ticket tied for 10th overall and ESPN at No. 24.

Know this: Those in the sports talk business are quick to discount overall ratings for listeners who are at least 12 years old. They and their advertisers are more concerned with the target demographic – men 25-to-54.

In that category, The Ticket (7.1 share) was No. 1 in Dallas-Fort Worth for the sixth consecutive ratings period. ESPN (2.9) was tied for eighth.

In head-to-head matchups in the target demographic:

Dunham & Miller posted an 8.3 to Mike & Mike's 4.1.

From 9 a.m. to noon, the Dunham & Miller-Norm Hitzges tag team outscored Jennifer Engel, 7.5 to 3.0.

In the noon-to-3 p.m. slot, BaD Radio topped the soon-to-be departed Dan Patrick Show, 8.2 to 3.0.

In afternoon drive, The Hardline pulled a whopping 10.0 to Galloway and Company's 2.8.

The fledgling Sports Fan Radio (990 AM) did not score enough listeners to show up in the ratings.

Thanks to you, P1's. We love you and NEED you.