Sportsnet 590 The Fan — CJCL

Sportsnet 590 The Fan (CJCL) is a Toronto-based commercial radio station broadcasting on 590 AM at 50,000 watts under Rogers Sports & Media. Originally founded in 1951 by sportscaster Foster Hewitt as CKFH, the station tested various music and news formats before moving to 590 AM and launching Canada’s first all-sports format in 1992. Today, it targets English-speaking listeners, mainly men aged 25–54.

The station focuses entirely on the NHL, MLB, and NBA, bringing game breakdowns, live play-by-play, and opinion-driven talk shows. Discussions are direct and unvarnished, a style captured by former host Bob McCown: "I don't need you to agree with me on everything, I need you to logically justify your position."

You won't hear music tracks here, as the airtime goes strictly to sports talk, with short audio clips used only to set up ad breaks.

Numeris ratings show tens of thousands of GTA residents tune in daily for local team updates and insider reports.

The station’s track record is well recognized in the industry. Long-time sports director Scott Metcalfe earned the RTDNA Canada Lifetime Achievement Award in 2019 and the Distinguished Service Award in 2021 for his work at the station.

Compared to rival TSN 1050, CJCL’s main advantage is its Rogers connection, which gives it exclusive radio rights to Toronto Blue Jays games. On the flip side, listeners deal with heavy ad loads and frequent sports betting promos.

Quick Facts

Frequency: 590 AM