Former KSAT Sports Director Claims Station downplaying sports Coverage, Sparks Debate
San Antonio, TX – Former KSAT sports director Greg Simmons ignited a firestorm of discussion this week with claims that teh station is intentionally reducing its sports coverage, a statement KSAT vehemently denies. Simmons’ remarks, made in a Facebook post, have drawn support from other local sports personalities and prompted a response from the station defending its commitment to local sports reporting.
Simmons worked at KSAT from 1980 until his resignation in 2023, following an arrest and subsequent no-contest plea to DWI charges, which resulted in a fine and 12 months of probation. his recent facebook post alleged that the station’s decision to shorten sports segments is driven by a misguided belief that it will improve ratings, stating, “It belongs as that’s what viewers want especially in SA.”
The post was initially shared on X (formerly Twitter) by Michael Jimenez, former host of the sports talk show Halftime, which was dropped by a local ESPN radio affiliate in 2023. Jimenez commented that Simmons “woke up and chose violence this morning.” Former KENS sports anchor Joe Reinagel, now host of sports radio talk show The Blitz, also shared Jimenez’s post, expressing his support with, “Good for Greg!” and adding, ”It’s ridiculous to think a sportscast is hurting the ratings.”
However, a KSAT spokesperson told MySA that Simmons’ claims are “not true.”
“Sports coverage has always been a constant in KSAT newscasts and programming as our beginning,” the spokesperson wrote in an email. “Our 6pm-7pm newscast has always had and will continue to have sports coverage as part of the show. As with every newscast at every station, timing needs to be adjusted based on breaking news, weather and added segments, but with our hour-long newscast, sports always has a place.”
The debate comes after KSAT ended its 32-year run of the sports show Instant Replay in March. The station recently welcomed Ashley Gonzalez as a new sports reporter, who will join the team later this month. The spokesperson emphasized that KSAT’s local sports coverage extends beyond its conventional broadcasts, airing on its free streaming app, KSAT+, and asserting that the station provides “local sports coverage…further than anyone else in the market and will always be a part of our community coverage.”