Track Radio raising £3m as it eyes marketing, network and programming push
Challenger sport and music station Track Radio is in talks to raise a further £3m in funding as it plots a marketing push and expansion of its DAB coverage.
The start-up, which launched in May with a heavyweight broadcaster line-up including Mark Pougatch, Sonja McLaughlan and Vassos Alexander, is understood to be in talks with several potential investors for its second funding round.
Track Radio chiefs plan to use a major chunk of the fresh capital on a major advertising campaign to raise awareness of the station, which combines informed discussion across the sports spectrum with commercial pop and rock music. It expects to get its first Rajar audience data in the first quarter of 2027, which it can use in its marketing push.
They also want to expand national coverage of the service by adding more DAB multiplexes. Currently Track Radio is only available on DAB in the London area, with listeners further afield served by online streaming and a dedicated app, and the ambition is to add more regions rather than a full UK rollout at this stage.
Beyond that, Track Radio is considering increasing its programming to weekends. Its live schedule currently runs from 6am to 7pm on weekdays but Saturday and Sunday afternoon shows during the busiest times for live sport are among new offerings being discussed internally.
Track Radio considers Saturday and Sunday shows
Any Saturday or Sunday programming would not seek to challenge BBC Radio 5 Live’s comprehensive live coverage of football throughout the English pyramid but might instead focus on underserved sports such as horse racing, potentially in partnership with betting brands, insiders said.
Track Radio was founded by journalist turned podcast guru Iain Macintosh, who established the successful Totally Football Show fronted by James Richardson before selling the business to The Athletic.
Other presenters include Sanny Rudravajhala and Charlotte Daly, while recent guests have included Sir Alex Ferguson and Gary Lineker.
Discussing its unique combination of sport and music, Macintosh told City AM ahead of launch: “Obviously BBC 5 Live is fantastic. But as far as sport goes, it doesn’t really get going until 7pm. It knows its audience, and it’s brilliant at reaching them. But there are other audiences. There are other sports. So we’re really very confident that there is a gap here.”