View source for WZGC

{{short description|Sports radio station in Atlanta}}
{{Use American English|date=February 2025}}
{{Use mdy dates|date=October 2023}}
{{Infobox radio station
| name                = WZGC
| logo                = 92.9thegamelogo.png
| logo_size           = 175px
| city                = [[Atlanta, Georgia]]
| country             = US
| area                = [[Atlanta metropolitan area]]
| branding            = 92.9 The Game
| frequency           = {{Frequency|92.9|[[MHz]]}} {{HD Radio}}
| airdate             = {{start date|1955|9|1}}
| language            = [[American English|English]]
| format              = [[Sports radio]]
| subchannels         = HD2: The Bet ([[Sports gambling]])
| erp                 = {{val|66000|u=watts|fmt=commas}}
| haat                = {{convert|340|m|ft|sp=us}}
| coordinates         = {{coord|33|48|26|N|84|20|22|W|format=dms|type:landmark_region:US-GA}}
| class               = C1
| licensing_authority = [[FCC]]
| facility_id         = 13805
| callsign_meaning    = former owner [[General Cinema]]
| former_callsigns    = WGKA-FM (1955–1972)
| affiliations        = {{ubl|[[Infinity Sports Network]]|[[Atlanta Falcons#Radio affiliates|Atlanta Falcons Radio Network]]|[[Atlanta Hawks]] Radio Network|[[Atlanta United FC]] Radio Network}}
| owner               = [[Audacy, Inc.]]
| licensee            = Audacy License, LLC
| sister_stations     = {{hlist|[[WAOK]]|[[WSTR (FM)|WSTR]]|[[WVEE]]}}
| webcast             = {{ubl|{{Audacy.com|929thegame}}|{{Audacy.com|thebetatlanta}} (HD2)}}
| website             = {{URL|https://www.audacy.com/929thegame|audacy.com/929thegame}}
}}
'''WZGC''' (92.9 [[FM broadcasting|FM]]) – branded ''92.9 The Game'' – is a commercial [[Sports radio|sports]] radio station licensed to serve [[Atlanta, Georgia]], covering the [[Atlanta metropolitan area]]. Owned by [[Audacy, Inc.]], WZGC is the Atlanta [[network affiliate|affiliate]] for [[Infinity Sports Network]]; the [[flagship station]] for the [[Atlanta Falcons]], [[Atlanta Hawks]] and [[Atlanta United FC]] radio networks; and the radio home of [[Randy McMichael]]. The WZGC studios are located at [[Colony Square]] in [[Midtown Atlanta]], while the station transmitter is located in Atlanta's [[North Druid Hills]] neighborhood. In addition to a standard [[analog transmission]], WZGC broadcasts over one [[HD Radio]] channel, and is available online via [[Audacy]].

==History==
===Classical (1955–1971)===
The station signed on the air on September 1, 1955, as WGKA-FM. Owned by Glenkaren Associates, it was the FM counterpart of [[WAFS (AM)|WGKA (1190 AM)]], with studios at 1140 Peachtree Street NE.<ref>[https://www.americanradiohistory.com/Archive-BC-YB/1956/Radio-All-1956-BC-YB.pdf Broadcasting Yearbook 1956 page 102]</ref> WGKA-FM was the first full-time FM classical music station in Atlanta.

===Rock (1971–1973)===
In 1971, the [[General Cinema Corporation]] acquired WGKA-AM-FM. Even though it was a movie theater chain, GCC wanted to branch out into broadcast media. The classical music remained on the AM station, while the FM station became WZGC (referring to the last two letters in General Cinema) in 1972, with an [[album-oriented rock]] format.<ref>[https://www.americanradiohistory.com/Archive-BC-YB/1972/B%20Radio%20YB%201972%20All-10.pdf Broadcasting Yearbook 1972 page B-49]</ref>

[[File:WZGC old 1973.png|100px|thumb|alt=1973-1989|Old logo Used by WZGC under the z93 era.]]

===Top 40 (1973–1989)===
In March 1973, the format switched to [[contemporary hit radio]] calling itself "Z-93".

In the 1970s, many radios still only received AM signals. [[WQXI (AM)|WQXI]] and [[WGKA|WGST (920 AM)]] were the leading top 40 stations in Atlanta, but as FM listening increased, WZGC gained an audience. The station was acquired by First Media Corporation in 1976.<ref>[https://www.americanradiohistory.com/Archive-BC-YB/1978/C-Radio-Broadcasting-Yearbook-1978-Full.pdf Broadcasting Yearbook 1978 page C-51]</ref>

In the 1980s, the AM top 40 stations switched to other formats, leaving WZGC as Atlanta's only contemporary hits station. Then, in 1986, [[WWWQ|WAPW (99.7 FM)]] debuted with its own popular top 40 format, with WZGC's ratings declining as a result. The station switched to a [[rhythmic contemporary]] format during the summer of 1988.

===Classic rock (1989–2004)===
On January 3, 1989, that station changed to a [[classic rock]] format, while retaining the "Z-93" moniker.<ref>Gerry Yandel, "Z-93, Fox 97 Have Changed Their Tunes," ''The Atlanta Journal Constitution'', January 6, 1989.</ref><ref>[https://formatchange.com/z93-goes-from-chr-to-classic-rock/ Z93 Goes From CHR to Classic Rock]</ref><ref>{{cite web|url=https://www.americanradiohistory.com/Archive-RandR/1980s/1989/RR-1989-01-06.pdf | title= Atlanta Doubles The Gold |pages=1|access-date=September 11, 2023|date=January 6, 1989|publisher=Radio & Records}}</ref> [[Infinity Broadcasting]] acquired WZGC in 1992;<ref>[https://www.americanradiohistory.com/Archive-BC-YB/2003-04/D-Radio-All-BC-YB-2003-04.pdf Broadcasting & Cable Yearbook 2003-2004 page D-114]</ref> Infinity was renamed [[CBS Radio]] in December 2005.

[[File:929DAVEFMLOGOBG.png|thumb|Former logo]]

===AAA (2004–2012)===
The name change to "Dave FM" and format switch to [[adult album alternative]] (AAA) came at 5&nbsp;pm on July 21, 2004, following a stunt featuring all-[[Dave Matthews Band]] music. Dave's first song was "[[Orange Crush (song)|Orange Crush]]" by [[R.E.M.]]<ref>{{cite web|url=http://www.americanradiohistory.com/Archive-RandR/2000s/2004/RR-2004-07-23.pdf#page=20 |title=All Dave, All Day, All Night|pages=20|date=July 23, 2004|publisher=Radio & Records|access-date=September 11, 2023}}</ref><ref>Rodney Ho, "Dave FM replaces classic rock Z93, adds newer music," ''The Atlanta Journal-Constitution'', July 22, 2004.</ref> WZGC installed an [[HD Radio]] transmitter in the early 2000s.  The HD-2 subchannel carried an [[Americana (music)|Americana]] format branded as "Dave Roots".

===Sports talk (2012–present)===
Throughout its run as "Dave FM", the station maintained decent [[audience measurement|ratings]], though it was never an overall winner.  However, in the summer of 2011, the station saw a drop in its [[Arbitron ratings]].  At the same time, CBS had enjoyed success with several of its FM stations that had switched to all sports formats in [[KRLD-FM|Dallas]], [[WBZ-FM|Boston]], [[WXYT-FM|Detroit]] and [[KDKA-FM|Pittsburgh]]. Due to this, CBS announced in July 2012 that WZGC would flip to all sports in October.<ref>[https://radioinsight.com/headlines/59087/cbs-to-launch-fm-sports-in-atlanta/ CBS to Launch FM Sports in Atlanta]</ref><ref>{{cite web|author=Rodney Ho |url=http://blogs.ajc.com/radio-tv-talk/2012/07/31/confirmed-92-9dave-fm-going-all-sports-in-the-early-fall/ |title=Confirmed: rock station 92.9/Dave FM going sports talk in the early fall &#124; Radio & TV Talk |publisher=Blogs.ajc.com |date=November 30, 2010 |access-date=August 2, 2012}}</ref><ref>[https://radioinsight.com/headlines/netgnomes/70599/cbs-names-its-atlanta-fm-sports-outlet/ CBS Names Its Atlanta FM Sports Outlet]</ref> Dave's final day of programming, which started on September 29, after a three-day radiothon for Children's Healthcare of Atlanta, consisted of the on-air staff hosting final shifts (including Steve Craig, Jill, Mara Davis, Charles, Yvonne Monet, Sully, Renee and Margot), as well as a "Top 92 Songs of Dave FM" countdown. Around 12:20&nbsp;am on September 30, Dave FM ended regular programming with "[[Little Lion Man]]" by [[Mumford & Sons]] (the #1 song in the countdown) and "Atlanta" by [[Butch Walker]]. The station ran on [[broadcast automation|automation]] until the flip at 2&nbsp;pm on October 24. The final song on "Dave" was "Thank You Friends" by [[Big Star]].<ref>[https://radioinsight.com/headlines/70780/92-9-the-game-atlanta-announces-launch-date-lineup/ 92.9 The Game Atlanta Debuts]</ref><ref>[http://formatchange.com/dave-becomes-92-9-the-game/ Dave Becomes 92.9 The Game]</ref>

Even though WZGC was owned by CBS Radio, it didn't affiliate with [[CBS Sports Radio]] at launch, as the network already had an [[network affiliate|affiliate]] in Atlanta on [[WCNN]]. Because of this, WZGC had local sports hosts around the clock, all week long. Eventually, WCNN became an [[ESPN Radio]] affiliate, and WZGC added CBS Sports Radio programming to its overnight schedule.

On February 2, 2017, CBS Radio announced it would merge with [[Entercom]].<ref>[https://radioinsight.com/headlines/116299/cbs-radio-to-merge-with-entercom/  CBS Radio to Merge with Entercom]</ref> The merger was approved on November 9, 2017, and was consummated on November 17.<ref>{{cite web|url=http://entercom.com/press/entercom-receives-fcc-approval-merger-cbs-radio/|title=Entercom Receives FCC Approval for Merger with CBS Radio|work=Entercom|date=November 9, 2017|access-date=November 17, 2017}}</ref><ref>{{cite web|url=https://radioinsight.com/headlines/121072/entercom-completes-cbs-radio-merger/|title=Entercom Completes CBS Radio Merger|last=Venta|first=Lance|work=Radio Insight|date=November 17, 2017|access-date=November 17, 2017}}</ref>

On February 23, 2022, WZGC added The Bet to its HD2 subchannel.<ref>{{Cite web|title=Audacy Adds The Bet In Eight More Markets|url=https://radioinsight.com/headlines/220319/audacy-adds-the-bet-in-eight-more-markets/|access-date=February 23, 2022|website=RadioInsight|date=February 23, 2022 |language=en-US}}</ref>

==Former DJs==
* [[Elvis Duran]] – hosted with sidekick "Hot Henrietta" during the late '80s.
* [[Jimmy Baron]]
* [[Steve Barnes (actor)|Steve Barnes]] – host of ''All Access''
* [[The Greaseman]] (syndicated show)
* [[Steve McCoy]]
* [[Shadoe Stevens]]
* John Young -- later left DJing to continue voiceover work for [[WPCH-TV|WPCH]] (as WTBS), [[TNT (American TV network)|TNT]] and other TV/radio stations
* Ross Brittain
* Brian Wilson

==References==
{{Reflist}}

==External links==
*{{Official|https://www.audacy.com/929thegame}}
{{FM station data|13805|WZGC}}

{{portal|Radio|Georgia (U.S. state)}}
{{Atlanta Radio}}
{{Sports Radio Stations in Georgia}}
{{Entercom}}

[[Category:Radio stations in Atlanta|ZQC]]
[[Category:Sports radio stations in the United States]]
[[Category:HD Radio stations]]
[[Category:Radio stations established in 1955]]
[[Category:1955 establishments in Georgia (U.S. state)]]
[[Category:Audacy, Inc. radio stations]]
[[Category:Infinity Sports Network stations]]