Former KSAT Sports Director Claims Station downplaying sports Coverage,โ Sparks Debate
San Antonio, TX – Former KSAT sports director Greg Simmons ignited aโ firestorm of discussion this week with claims โฃthatโ teh station is โintentionally reducing its sports coverage, โคa statement โKSAT vehemently denies. Simmons’โค remarks, made in a Facebook post, have drawn support from other localโข sports โpersonalities and prompted a response from theโค station โdefending its commitmentโข to local sports reporting.
Simmons worked at KSAT from 1980 โuntil his resignation in 2023, following an arrestโฃ and subsequentโฃ no-contest plea to DWI charges, which resulted in a fine and 12 months of probation. his recent facebook post alleged that โคthe station’s decision to shorten sports โsegments โis driven by a misguided belief that it โคwill improve ratings, stating, “It belongs as that’s what viewers want especiallyโ in SA.”
The post was โฃinitially shared on X (formerly Twitter) by Michael Jimenez,โ former host โof the sports talk show Halftime, which โwas dropped by a local ESPN radio affiliate in 2023. Jimenez commented โคthat Simmons “woke up and chose โคviolence this morning.” Formerโข KENS sports anchor Joe Reinagel, now host of sports radio talkโ showโค The Blitz, also shared Jimenez’s post, expressing hisโข supportโข with, “Goodโ for Greg!” and adding, โ”It’s ridiculous to think a sportscast is hurting the ratings.”
However, aโฃ KSAT spokesperson told MySA that Simmons’ claims are “not true.”
“Sports coverage has always been a constant โin KSAT newscasts and programmingโ as our beginning,” the spokesperson wrote โin an email. “Our โฃ6pm-7pm newscast hasโฃ always had and will continue to have sports coverage as partโข of the show. As with everyโข newscast at โคevery station, timing needs โto โคbe adjusted based on breaking news, weather and added segments, but with โคour hour-longโ newscast, sports always has aโข place.”
The debate โคcomes after KSAT ended its 32-year โฃrun of the sports showโฃ Instant Replay โฃin March. โคThe station recently welcomed Ashley Gonzalez โขas a new sports reporter, โwho will join the team later this month. The spokesperson emphasized โthat KSAT’s local sports coverage extends beyond its conventional broadcasts, airing on its free streaming app, โคKSAT+, andโ asserting โคthat the station provides “local โsportsโข coverageโฆfurther โthan anyone else in the market and will always be a part of our community coverage.”