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97.1 The Ticket, the longtime top dog in sports-talk radio in Detroit, is set to expand across the state.

Audacy, parent company of WXYT-FM, announced Thursday it had finalized a statewide sports network that will have 97.1’s daily shows airing on stations throughout Michigan starting Dec. 1.

Affiliates include stations in Grand Rapids (98.7), Lansing (1240-AM), Battle Creek (95.3), Kalamazoo (1360-AM) and Roscommon (101.1), with additional stations expected to join the lineup in the coming months.

“The launch of 97.1 Detroit Sports Radio Network represents a massive commitment to our listeners and an exciting chapter in our growth,” said Debbie Kenyon, senior vice president and market manager for Audacy Detroit. “We are proud to deliver best-in-class sports coverage to the entire state, solidifying our position as the essential source for Michigan sports audio content now and for years to come.”

Shows on 97.1 have long been accessible to listeners anywhere, through the Audacy app. But setting up the statewide network, to air on the radio in those markets, will introduce many sports fans to The Ticket’s hosts.

The Ticket’s entire daily lineup will air on the affiliate stations, including the uber-popular Mike Valenti show with Rico Beard, which airs daily from 2 to 6 p.m. That lineup also includes the 6 p.m. show featuring Detroit News sports columnist Bob Wojnowski and co-host Jeff Riger.

The Ticket broadcasts local sports-talk shows from 6 a.m. until midnight each weekday and is mostly local on weekends, too. The Ticket also is the flagship station for game broadcasts of the Lions, Tigers, Pistons and Red Wings.

“97.1 The Ticket is one of America’s truly great sports stations, and we are very excited to partner with our friends at Audacy to bring best-in-class coverage of Detroit sports to our markets in Grand Rapids, Lansing, Kalamazoo and Battle Creek,” said Erik Hellum, COO of Townsquare Media.

“This is a big win for both our listeners and our clients.”

In October, the Ticket was named winner of the prestigious Marconi Radio Awards as sports station of the year.

tpaul@detroitnews.com

@tonypaul1984