On Halloween 2022, news broke that Auburn had fired head football coach Bryan Harsin. Over at The Next Round, Birmingham’s midday sports talk show, hosts Jim Dunaway, Lance Taylor, and Ryan Brown were ready to dive in. They were also dressed as Top Gun Maverick, Evel Knievel, and Ken from Barbie—roller skates and all.
“Other outlets were picking up our conversation about Harsin getting fired, and we’re sitting there dressed like that,” Taylor remembers. “It was just so typical of our show.”
That blend of irreverence and real insight is what’s earned The Next Round its place in fans’ daily routines. It’s a three-hour hangout—sports-focused but full of entertaining detours, like debating whether cake or pie is better. (Two to one said pie, but Dunaway still disagrees.) Now in its fourth year as an independent venture, the show has built a loyal following far beyond Birmingham.
“The biggest compliment we get is when someone says, ‘I feel like I’ve just walked into a sports bar and overheard your conversation,’” says Brown. “That’s exactly what we’re going for.”
The trio has worked together for more than 15 years, first at WJOX. The pairing wasn’t born of creative vision—it began as a logistical move, combining two existing shows.
“I didn’t want to work with them, and they didn’t want to work with me,” Taylor says, laughing. “We had different styles, and honestly, none of us thought it would work.”
But it worked. Fast.
“We’ve got three completely different personalities,” Brown says. “But they mesh better than anybody expected.”
That chemistry—and the show’s energy—make it stand out. “If you turn on a sports radio show in any city in America, it just doesn't sound like our show,” says Dunaway.
Together, they’ve built something rare: a media brand with edge and staying power. Brown books the guests. Taylor handles sales and sponsorships. Dunaway, described as the “point guard,” leads the show with pages of prep notes and offbeat angles. With the rhythm of longtime co-hosts, they riff through unscripted takes that resonate with fans.
“One of the keys to our show is that we’re not experts,” Dunaway says. “We didn’t play the games. We’re fans like the listeners. We’re riding the roller coaster of the sports experience with you.”
The team’s dynamic extends beyond the studio. They’ve hosted shows from Flora-Bama to SEC Media Days, with stories involving Bud Light kegs at the office, shirtless Tupac costumes, and one now-legendary Taylor Swift lyric tattoo.
Dunaway’s co-hosts love to give him grief about the tattoo—and who wouldn’t? The guy who runs the show with football coach-level prep now has “Long Live” inked on his arm, thanks partially to a bourbon-fueled dare and an enthusiastic social media director. But the story’s actually pretty sweet: the lyric is from a favorite song he shares with his daughter, one she loved since her first concert at age 10. When she had it tattooed in college, she told him, “This is for you.” So, naturally, he got a matching one. “Really it’s for my daughter,” Jim says. “But the guys get a kick out of saying, ‘Jim’s got a Taylor Swift tattoo.’”
Fans of The Next Round are everywhere. They’ve been recognized at amphitheaters in Tuscaloosa, beaches in Florida, and hotels in Dallas. That growth is no accident.
“We’re not on traditional radio anymore,” Brown says. “We’re on YouTube, the app, podcasts—so the footprint is unlimited. And it’s expanding.”
So is their love for Birmingham.
“The older I get, the more I appreciate this place,” Taylor says. “The restaurants, the people—there’s a lot to love about this city.”
Favorite local spots? Helen, El Barrio, Oak House. And for lunch—Slice. “I’m heading there right now,” Taylor says.
Behind the hosts is a team of seven who keep the show running, often without fanfare but never without impact. “We’re nothing without the other people,” Dunaway says. “When we fumble the ball, they pick it up for us and keep us afloat.” From video production to social media and operations, each team member plays a vital role. What drives the hosts now isn’t just their own success—it’s helping launch careers and support the families of those who’ve joined the ride. “It’s not just for us anymore,” he says. “The responsibility is a little deeper.”
Above all, The Next Round is about creating space to breathe.
“There’s enough yelling in the world already,” Brown says. “We want to be your escape. Whatever’s going on—bad job, stress, life stuff—if we can help you forget it for a little while and laugh, we’ve done our job.”
“We didn’t play the games. We’re fans like the listeners. We’re riding the roller coaster of the sports experience with you.”