Michael Patrick Leahy, CEO and Editor-in-Chief of The Tennessee Star, has announced an expansion of The Star News Network, outlining plans to expand the network’s coverage to include sports alongside its existing focus on politics and law.
Leahy made the announcement during Friday’s edition of The Michael Patrick Leahy Show while discussing the network’s growing coverage and its plans to launch a sports operation.
“Our tagline is, ‘On Point: Politics, Law, & Sports,’” Leahy said. “Because guess what? They’re all coming together.”
Leahy said the network will initially focus its sports coverage on college football, with particular attention to the Southeastern Conference (SEC), Big 12, and Big Ten.
“We’re going to begin our sports coverage at The Star News Network,” Leahy said. “We’re going to begin it primarily with some heavy focus on college football.”
The expansion reflects Leahy’s view that sports increasingly overlap with political and legal issues. During the discussion, Leahy and co-host Crom Carmichael examined legal disputes surrounding college football players, name, image, and likeness (NIL) policies, and eligibility rules.
“Now what we’re going to do is cover, really in detail, what’s going on, the real story behind the story with the politics and law as it relates to college football,” Leahy said.
Leahy contrasted the network’s planned coverage with what he described as the mainstream sports media’s approach, saying sports fans looking for coverage beyond traditional outlets will have another option.
With regard to distinguishing the roles of The Tennessee Star and The Star News Network, Leahy described The Tennessee Star as primarily focused on Tennessee state and local news, while The Star News Network serves as the network’s national site.
“If you want the news of Tennessee from a constitutional conservative perspective, go to TennesseeStar.com,” Leahy said.
“At TheStarNewsNetwork.com, we’re going to be On Point: Politics, Law, & Sports,” Leahy said.
Leahy also noted that the John Fredericks Media Network is acquiring 950 AM WAKM in Franklin, which will simulcast Tennessee Volunteers programming and is expected to become part of the network later this month.
Tune in now to The Michael Patrick Leahy Show – your AMERICA FIRST news talk!
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– Read more at @TheTNStar https://t.co/sIAUXBPaZR— Michael Patrick Leahy (@michaelpleahy) September 4, 2026
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Kaitlin Housler is a reporter at The Tennessee Star and The Star News Network.
