This dissertation explores the extent to which nationally syndicated sports talk radio discourse qualifies as ideological opposition to the conservative talk radio industry as typified by Rush Limbaugh. Existing theories do not expect significant political variation within commercial media owned by media conglomerates. The dissertation samples a variety of sports talk narratives along analytical dimensions of race, drug policy, and gender. Interpretive analytical frameworks, combined with interpretive methods of Critical Discourse Analysis, enable systematic evaluation. The dissertation finds evidence of transformative political values, as well as negative findings in some areas. The dissertation presents a theory of institutional amplification to explain the under-predicted presence of transformative political values. This theory shows how intersecting elements of social diversity, sports league governance, media governance, broadcasting practices, and the identity of show hosts and guests, become an amplifier for transformative political values.