Why Ben & Woods’ Latest Extensions Could Be Their Grand Finale With 97.3 The Fan

It’s not every day you get to have a memorable breakfast with your boss. Most people expect a quick morning conversation to happen around the office coffee machine. Last month, though, 97.3 The Fan’s Ben Higgins and Steve Woods, along with producer Paul Reindl, gathered for something much different. The long-running San Diego morning show,Ben & Woods, was celebrating Woods’ birthday.

The mood was light. It was a typical Friday morning wrapping up MLB All-Star Week and preparing for the second half of the Padres season. Breakfast burritos were on the menu, but so was another surprise. Each member of the show received a new three-year contract extension.

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“Anytime you can get extended in media these days is a giant win,” says Woods, who called the moment the best birthday gift ever. “We have an audience that’s so dedicated to the show and knows where we are. Not just us but taking care of our producer was also a big thing for us. As soon as they did that, that forced the issue for us to do this.”

Since 2019, Ben & Woods has become a staple for San Diego sports fans. The show originally launched a year earlier on the former Mighty 1090 before moving to Audacy’s 97.3 The Fan after the station shut down. The program was built specifically for San Diego, blending sports, culture, humor and personality. Higgins and Woods have never been afraid to let listeners into their lives, and that same transparency extends to contract negotiations.

“Honestly, I would like to handle things behind the scenes. But compromise is part of a good radio marriage,” jokes Higgins. “Woods loves bringing it all out there for our listeners. Which is our strongest quality. In terms of our deal, we were in alignment on a lot. It was just a few things that if they agreed on, we’d be ready to sign. We were just so happy to get it done.”

The Last Dance?

This negotiation also marked a first. Higgins and Woods parted ways with their agent before discussions began, choosing to negotiate directly with Audacy. Given the uncertainty surrounding the radio industry, both understood the risk. Despit that, they also believed the audience they had spent years building would remain with them regardless of where they landed.

“I’ve heard I’ve been working in a dying industry for fifteen years,” said Woods. “We’ve really been successful in this dying industry… Because we put a lot into the show. If they didn’t want us, that’s a bad mistake on their part.”

While Woods says he isn’t sure independence would have been an option, Higgins never doubted their relationship with listeners.

“There’s always going to be a place for a genuine connection with an audience. Whether that’s radio or the next iteration of what that is. There’s always someone who’s out there ready to mobilize an audience that has a truly genuine relationship to the hosts,” said Higgins. “That’s what we do. Whether it’s live, on demand, on audio or video. That’s what we look to deliver.”

However, even with the new contracts in place, Woods hints this may be his final extension.

“I got fifteen and a half years in San Diego doing morning radio. The last eight with Ben have been the most magical. Anything beyond that is just gravy for me. Honestly, if I had my way, this would be the last contract maybe,” said Woods. “I don’t want to age out of the demo, but my wife tells me I’m like a twelve-year-old anyway.”

While he’s insists he’s not fully committed to walking away after years in both music and sports radio, Woods understands careers rarely end on a broadcaster’s terms. There is something appealing and even somewhat romantic, he admitted, about choosing his own exit.

A Proven Formula For Expansion

For now, though, the joys of working with Higgins and connecting with listeners keeps Woods motivated for the next three years.

“I love sports, but I love radio and entertaining more than anything else. People don’t remember our takes on the Padres rotation. They remember the stories we share about our personal lives and experiences. That’s what cuts through,” said Woods.

That philosophy has helped the show thrive in a market that lost the NFL’s San Diego Chargers a decade ago. San Diego is now home to one major professional sports franchise. Although the San Diego Chargers relocated, Higgins believes the show’s success rests on one simple truth: Teams may leave, but loyal sports fans remain.

“Our timing was really good. The Chargers leaving actually helped us because we were already talking baseball. Then we found all these sports fans, because they never left,” said Higgins. “We were already the leading Padres show. San Diego has great sports fans and they channeled their energy into the Padres. We’re one of the few outlets that they can get their daily content. That worked really well for us.”

Ben & Woods doesn’t resemble many sports talk shows in larger markets. It doesn’t rely on manufactured debate or exaggerated opinions. Instead, listeners get authenticity, vulnerability and personality.

“The secret sauce is simple. Vulnerability and passion. It’s okay to say I don’t know everything or express emotions that opens you up to the audience,” said Woods. “The grumpy old man or blowhard approach to sports radio had its time. It’s now past. I want to hear genuine and personal conversation instead of telling everyone that you know everything about the games we choose to cover.”

Their chemistry extends well beyond the studio.

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“I’ve had great work colleagues over my time in radio and television that I loved working with. But didn’t really have a deep personal relationship with them outside of work,” said Higgins. “Outside of my family, if there was a deep or personal crisis, Woods would be the first one I talk to always. He fills that role. He’s not just my radio soulmate, but also my best friend too now and going forward.”

Beginning next month, Ben & Woods will become the first San Diego-based show heard on SiriusXM alongside 22 other Audacy sports stations, exposing the program to a much larger audience. While Woods admittedly no longer pays much attention to industry headlines, both hosts see the move as another example of Audacy embracing new opportunities.

“I like that we work for a company that’s open minded,” says Higgins. “In the past, you wouldn’t think of combining with a competitor and working with iHeartMedia and SiriusXM. That would have been forbidden. It’s great that we can be open-minded about this. Our job is about reaching audience in any way possible, and Audacy is one of the more forward-thinking broadcasters we’ve seen in that line.”

With new extensions completed and added distribution to come, the work rolls on for one of San Diego’s top radio programs. Yes, the breakfast eventually ended. The burritos were gone, the birthday celebration wrapped up and the contracts were signed. For Ben Higgins and Steve Woods, the meal represented far more than another extension. It marked another chapter in a partnership that has become one of San Diego’s most recognizable sports radio institutions.

There’s no guarantees of tomorrow or another extension to come. Woods has acknowledged that, if things go according to plan, this could be his final deal. It also may not. Regardless, if that day eventually comes, the formula that made Ben & Woods successful is unlikely to change.

Show up every morning. Be themselves. Tell the stories that make listeners feel like part of the conversation. And trust the audience they’ve spent years building will keep showing up too. Maybe this is the final chapter. If it is, Ben Higgins and Steve Woods intend to make it one worth listening to.

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John Mamola

John Mamola is Barrett Media’s sports editor and daily sports columnist. He brings over two decades of experience (Chicago, Tampa/St Petersburg) in the broadcast industry with expertise in brand management, sales, promotions, producing, imaging, hosting, talent coaching, talent development, web development, social media strategy and design, video production, creative writing, partnership building, communication/networking with a long track record of growth and success. He is a five-time recognized top 20 program director in a major market via Barrett Medi’s Top 20 series and has been honored internally multiple times as station/brand of the year (Tampa, FL) and employee of the month (Tampa, FL) by iHeartMedia. Connect with John by email at [email protected].

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