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Radio host David Wasson follows ‘North Star’ to keep Gulfshore Sports focused on SW Florida

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Radio host David Wasson follows ‘North Star’ to keep Gulfshore Sports focused on SW Florida

David Wasson comes from a traditional print news background.

As a young journalist, he wrote news and game stories about high school sports. However, he took to opinions and columns. His mentors at the time, though told him he was too young to have an opinion.

“You’re too young to have an opinion that’s worth anything is what they meant,” Wasson recalled his mentors saying to him. “You need to be able to see some things to be able to actually have an opinion that is evocative enough for people to understand.”

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It wasn’t until he became a sports editor for a local newspaper in Alabama and wrote his first column which began with the sentence: “My name is David Wasson and I hate the Atlanta Braves.”

“Period. Paragraph…I’ve never been a Braves fan — I grew up a Pirates fan — it didn’t matter,” Wasson said. “I wanted to get a reaction. That was my job. My job as the columnist that day was to get the reaction from those people.”

Though his role and the media landscape have shifted during his career his goal of encouraging discourse from his audience applies to his latest endeavor.

Wasson has hosted the “Gulfshore Sports with David Wasson” on Fox Sports Radio from 3 p.m. to 5 p.m. daily since it first aired on Jan. 15. He said the show’s approach, which is on 94.1 FM and 103.3 FM in Lee County and 105.9 FM in Collier County, is best described as “everything, everywhere, all at once.”

Its ‘North Star’ as Wasson calls it, is to shine a light on the talent in the Lee and Collier County areas.

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As a sports stalwart in the area because of his work calling high school football games plus time working as a local high school athletic director and for FGCU sports information, Wasson uses his connections to bring guests on the show.

Before the high school football season began, Wasson said he extended olive branches to high school football coaches in the area to preview their programs. Nearly 30 appeared on the show.

“I try to start every show something with something local,” Wasson said. “When I start constructing a show rundown from the start, local is the north star principle…nobody else in this area is doing that on radio, nobody would even touch it. It’s important and those coaches have been responsive to that kind of stuff.”

“That’s one thing that’s great about radio is its local connection to the community,” show producer Jeff Wolf said. “We have great national Fox programming with Dan Patrick and Colin Cowherd as certainly big affinity makers in the sports realm. But to have to have that local connection is vital for any radio station, no matter what format you’re doing”

Throughout the year they also add segments relating to pro sports leagues like the NFL and MLB as well as college teams (specifically homing in on Florida-based teams.) He said the identity of the show reflects the identity of the Southwest Florida area.

“We are this unique melting pot of people who grew up here and a whole lot of people who didn’t grow up here,” he said. “Fan bases are so diverse and so widespread that it forces me to think not just about the Bucs, Canes, Dolphins, Gators, and Seminoles.”

Akin to his background as a print columnist, Wasson’s favorite moments from the show are when he gets into heated discussions with his guests. He recalled getting texts from buddies who disagreed with a segment where he discussed the Dallas Cowboys.

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 During the show’s early stages, the program did not have a number for guests to call in, but still found a way to receive “colorful” criticism.

“You are so stupid,” Wasson recalled a guest saying. “You don’t know what you’re talking about with this.’”

While his instincts in that moment were to be defensive, the moment stuck out clearly to Wasson because igniting fiery responses from listeners is his main goal.

“He cared,” Wasson said. “He cared enough to call.”

Though Wasson considers those anecdotal experiences signs of the show’s success, they can also point to tangible proof.  Originally it aired solely on 105.9 FM but after its first six months, it’s expanded to include 94.1 FM and 103.3 FM.

“David is someone that wants to hear other viewpoints,” Wolf said. “Other viewpoints on whether it’s something silly or serious or controversial topic in the sports world. But I think in general, that talk radio, whether it’s political or sports, has always been somewhere where other viewpoints are wanting to be heard and challenged. It’s crazy to have a talent or a host that is open to being wrong and hearing other viewpoints and even if they’re not agreeing on something, it’s still going to be civil. “

In today’s media landscape, there are many channels in which people can voice their opinions, specifically through social media. However, Wasson believes radio will always have a place because of its ability to start and carry conversations.

“I think radio will always have a place in communications simply because of its availability,” Wasson said. “Every car has one so and just about everybody’s driving here, there, everywhere, at some point in the day, and by and large, they’re listening to something. … I think that sports talk radio always will have a place simply because of the connection you have with the listener.”

SWFL football games on Fox Sports

David Wasson will broadcast a Southwest Florida high school football game of the week on Fox Sports Radio during the 2024 season. Broadcasts start 30 minutes before kickoff and will be aired on 94.1 FM and 103.3 FM in Lee County, 105.9 FM in Collier County, and streaming on foxsportsfm.com.

Sept. 6: Fort Myers at Cypress Lake, 7:30 p.m.

Sept. 13: Aubrey Rogers at Palmetto Ridge, 7:30 p.m.

Sept. 20: Cypress Lake at Riverdale, 7:30 p.m.

Sept. 27: Bishop Verot at First Baptist, 7:30 p.m.

Oct. 4: Naples at Fort Myers, 7:30 p.m.

Oct. 11: Naples at South Fort Myrs, 7:30 p.m.

Oct. 18: Lely at Naples, 7:30 p.m.

Oct. 25: Mariner at Cape Coral, 7:30 p.m.

Nov. 1: South Fort Myers at Lely, 7:30 p.m.

Nov. 8: Playoff Game TBA

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