The Jim Rome Show radio program, which is featured on over 200 affiliate radio stations in the United States and Canada is well known for its numerous Tour Stops. A Tour Stop is a limited access live show, often held in arenas or other outdoor venues, which features sports-related guests and activities. Generally, Rome holds a few Tour Stops each year, but one has not been held since 2004. Show listeners, referred to as the "Clones," consider the Tour Stops a way of celebrating the popularity of the show, and a means of meeting other fans of the program.
Tour Stop activities[]
Tickets to a Tour Stop are normally free, but must be acquired from the local affiliate. Some Tour Stops have reportedly had over 10,000 in attendance. One of the Tour Stops' main attractions is sports figures from local teams. Tour Stops are treated like actual sporting events, with fans tailgating beforehand, and mingling with friends. Rock music and a lot of classic "smack-talk" are the flavor of the day. Tour Stops are not broadcast on the radio, but Rome typically plays clips from the activites and guests on the next regular program.
Awarding Tour Stops[]
Rome typically awards Tour Stops to its most loyal and supportive affiliates. Listeners in each affiliate city are urged to "bang their monkey" (i.e., actively request or petition their affiliate's program director) to get a Tour Stop. Many Clones are known to travel to a Tour Stop from across the country instead of waiting for one in their town. A running joke with the show is that clones in Rochester, New York (one of Rome's original four affiliate cities) have begged for a Tour Stop since the beginning. Although Rome says that someday "Crapchester" may get a tour stop, he usually teases the city by saying they have won a tour stop - only to take it back and give it to another city.
Famous moments[]
- After a early tour stop in No-Cal, Rome pledged never to return after an incident with the host affiliate. On the radio, it was erroneously announced that the show was sold out, even though the tickets were distributed free. The announcement allegedly caused confusion and hurt the attendance.
- During the 2003 Detroit Tour Stop, Michigan State head coach John L. Smith addressed the crowd, and took a jab at the Michigan fans, since Michigan's coach Lloyd Carr was not present at the tour stop: "How many of you are Michigan fans? Where's your coach?" John L. Smith has not beaten Michigan.
- During the 2004 NFL season, while the San Francisco 49ers were still winless, Rome started a rant about how someday, an NFL team will finally go 0-16, dubbed his "dream season." Jim promised that if an NFL team manages to go winless, something not done since the Tampa Bay Buccaneers did in 1976, and something never done since adopting a sixteen-game season, that city will be awarded a Tour Stop.
Tour Stop location history[]
| No. | Date | Location | |
|---|---|---|---|
| San Francisco, California | |||
| 1 | Omaha, Nebraska | ||
| 2 | San Diego, California | ||
| 3 | Portland, Oregon | ||
| 4 | Anaheim, California | ||
| 5 | January, 1997 | Green Bay, Wisconsin | |
| 6 | Denver, Colorado | ||
| 7 | Salt Lake City, Utah | ||
| 8 | October 24, 1998 | Sam Houston Race Park, Houston, Texas | |
| 9 | So Cal | ||
| 10 | Jacksonville, Florida | ||
| 11 | San Antonio, Texas | ||
| 12 | Houston, Texas | ||
| 13 | Phoenix, Arizona | ||
| 14 | Cleveland, Ohio | ||
| 15 | Houston, Texas | ||
| 16 | 1998 | Phoenix, Arizona | |
| 17 | October 9, 1999 | Cleveland, Ohio | |
| 18 | Portland, Oregon | ||
| 19 | Tampa, Florida | ||
| 20 | Sacramento, California | ||
| 21 | June 10, 2000 | Blossom Music Center, Cleveland, Ohio | |
| 22 | September 16, 2000 | Minute Maid Park, Houston, Texas | |
| July 28, 2001 | Dunn Tire Park, Buffalo, New York | ||
| 26 | June 8, 2002 | Kansas City, Missouri | |
| 27 | July 20, 2002 | Denver, Colorado | |
| 28 | September 21, 2002 | Arco Arena, Sacramento, California | |
| 29 | December 7, 2002 | Alliant Energy Center, Madison, Wisconsin | |
| 30 | May 10, 2003 | Cintas Center, Cincinnati, Ohio | |
| 31 | July 26, 2003 | The Palace of Auburn Hills, Detroit, Michigan | |
| 32 | September 6, 2003 | Dell Diamond, Austin, Texas | |
| 33 | May 15, 2004 | Journal Pavilion, Albuquerque, New Mexico | |
| 34 | October 12, 2004 | Cleveland, Ohio | |
| 23 | November 4, 2000 | Henry J Kaiser Conv. Center, Oakland, CA | |