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New Zealand's lone sports dedicated radio station has been taken off air because of the sweeping impact of COVID-19.

New Zealand's only dedicated sports radio station has been taken off air indefinitely as the coronavirus pandemic continues to wreak havoc.

Media company NZME halted the broadcasting of Radio Sport on Monday, with its national frequency switched over to parent station NewsTalk ZB.

An NZME statement said it had made the "incredibly difficult decision" to close down a station which employed around 25 fulltime and casual staff.

Redundancies are expected, although the company hopes to retain some employees in other roles.

It said the cancellation and suspension of virtually all local, national and international events had forced the move.

Radio Sport became a dedicated sports network in the late 1990s and launched the careers of numerous broadcasters, including outspoken commentator Martin Devlin, it's longest-serving program host.

Former Radio Sport editor Rikki Swannell hoped the station could be reborn when the sports industry cranks back up but believes it could be a challenge in the relatively small Kiwi market.

'As we know sports rights are very expensive for media companies to be buying and so that may mean, for a sports radio station, that is just not viable anymore," Swannell told Radio NZ.

'I am hopeful but that may just be being optimistic."