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Sports Radio Biz: WTF?!? ESPN Michael Kay Vs WFAN Mike Francesa & Craig Carton UPDATE: Carton QUITS!

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Mike Francesa responds to critics: 'I'm still No. 1'

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Prompted by a caller, Mike Francesa responded on his WFAN show Thursday to recent criticism from Michael Kay, his ESPN New York afternoon counterpart.

Kay repeatedly called him a liar on the air Wednesday, and Francesa was the subject of persistent tweaks from his own station's morning show, featuring Boomer Esiason and Craig Carton.

Here is what Francesa said:

"I'm not worried about people who are petty, jealous or whatever. Let the record show, if they've accomplished what I've accomplished, God bless them. They want to match resumes? They can match three things: resumes, longevity, ratings, paychecks. And when I look at any of those areas, I'll match them anytime. Bring it on. We'll look at all those areas and we'll see who's winning.

" . . . I don't listen to any of it. If you listen to it, it's just silly . . . I don't take it seriously because I don't have any respect for where it's coming from . . . You haven't heard me mention anybody else's name on the air here. Oh, I did mention Boomer and Carton once last week, but that was just in passing . . . but you will never hear me mention -- I've never mentioned any other station. I do not do that. I never do, because you know what, I've never even noticed them.

"[ESPN New York Radio has] never even been on the landscape as far as I'm concerned. I've never even seen them. I can't even find them in the rearview mirror. Never have in 20 years. Still can't find them, so what am I worried about? . . . I've been on the same show 28 years. I was No. 1 in 1989 with Dog [Chris Russo]. I'm No. 1 today. Last time I looked, it's 2014. I'm still No. 1. I've got a long-term contract, beautiful family. I've got Mink [update announcer John Minko] here. What else would I want? Here's the Mink Man.''​

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Yankees play-by-play announcer Michael Kay was fuming at radio host Mike Francesa yesterday on his radio show, and called out the Sports Pope after Francesa suggested YES controlled what Kay could and couldn't do.

The beef was sparked by Alex Rodriguez; this week, we all learned he admitted his PED use in a January 2014 meeting with the DEA. In November 2013, A-Rod appeared on Francesa's show and strongly denied any use as he attacked the MLB. (Keep in mind that Francesa's show was removed from the simulcast last December, and replaced by Kay's.)

A caller brought up that interview on Wednesday's show, and Francesa suggested that he was removed from the simulcast because he wasn't easy to control, as opposed to Kay and co-host Don La Greca. Kay was furious, and called Francesa a liar, multiple times. If you like listening to anthropomorphic chicken parmesan sandwiches screaming, this is the rant for you.

Kay gets personal, too. "Maybe they didn't want to broadcast a show where somebody was falling asleep on the air," he said. "That doesn't make great television."

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Here's a sentence we never thought we'd write: WFAN's Craig Carton has Mike Francesa's back.

After ESPN's Michael Kay took almost nine minutes to rant against the drive-time WFAN host on Wednesday, Carton used airtime on Thursday's "Boomer & Carton" to respond to Kay.

"Listen, even though Mike Francesa and I don't get along, never have, never will, I'd put Mike Francesa's career against Michael Kay's any day of the week. Anyone would be fortunate enough to have the length of service and success that Mike Francesa's had."​

His partner, Boomer Esiason, noted Kay is the Yankees play-by-play man, which is obviously a huge career accomplishment.

Carton went on to say that he didn't understand how Kay felt he was being attacked given what Francesa said about YES wanting editorial control over his own show — Kay's name wasn't even mentioned by Francesa. Carton's final rip of Kay? "[Francesa] beats you by 50 percent [in the ratings] every single week. ... If I'm Francesa, you know what I say today? Seven-five to 4.1, shut up."
 
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Sounds like a emcee ranting on his material wealth. Next think you know he will be yelling "I fucked more bitches" :lol:
 
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They're gigging on that fat bastid


Rosenberg''s over there double dipping on the MichaelKay show on the regular.

Fuck what their back n forth is abt.
 
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Franesca is annoying as fuck. Did that fat bastid ever even play any sport besides liftin-da-forknspoon?
 
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https://www.si.com/tech-media/2017/04/03/mike-and-the-mad-dog-documentary-mike-francesa-chris-russo

https://www.si.com/tech-media/2017/04/03/mike-and-the-mad-dog-documentary-mike-francesa-chris-russo

Media Circus: What if I told you one of the most powerful teams in sports never played a game?



Director Daniel Forer has no idea if ESPN Films will use the tag line he has composed for his upcoming 30 for 30 documentary on the wildly successful afternoon sports talk show hosted by Mike Francesa and Chris Russo on WFAN Radio in New York City from 1989 to 2008. But it’s a good one as far as a sales pitch for viewers outside of New York City:

What if I told you one of the most powerful teams in sports never played a game?

Over the 50-minute “Mike and the Mad Dog” documentary (running time will be an hour with commercials) that will air this summer on ESPN and premieres on April 21 at the Tribeca Film Festival, Forer highlights the rise of the iconic sports talk show, the impact the show had both in New York City and nationally, as well as the absurd fights and ultimate dissolution of the partnership.


ESPN Films executives have long wanted to do a “Mike and Mad Dog” documentary but something always seemed to come up regarding either Francesa and Russo, or finding the right person to helm the film. When Forer met with ESPN Films staffers a couple of years ago, he told them that he had a connection to Francesa—Forer was a producer at CBS Sports in the late 1980s when Francesa worked as Brent Musburger’s researcher and information guru. Forer also happened to be there the first time Francesa appeared on CBS’s airways (it was a late night studio appearance during the NCAA tournament).

He also had a way to get to Russo. Upon having a Chinese dinner one night in New Canaan, Conn., with old friend Ted Shaker—the former president of CBS Sports who serves as executive producer of the documentary—Forer told Shaker that he was thinking about making a film on the popularity of the “Mike and the Mad Dog” radio show. Shaker told Forer that Russo was one of his neighbors in New Canaan and he believed he could get Russo on board. The two soon met with Russo, who agreed quickly to cooperate for the film.

Forer said it took much longer to get Francesa—a couple of months—but he made his big pitch in Aug. 2015 when he flew from his L.A. base to meet with Francesa at his Long Island-based country club. Said Forer, who directed and produced the film: “We had lunch and talked and Mike said, ‘You know what, I’m in. I’m comfortable and it’s that time in my life where if someone wants to look back I’ll do it.’”

With both Francesa and Russo on board, ESPN Films told Forer that they saw this as a 20-minute short film. But as Forer got into the story and research, he told ESPN Films that they could not do the story justice at that length. So ESPN executives Connor Schell, John Dahl and Libby Geist greenlit the doc for an hour.


“Mike and the Mad Dog” opens at the third annual FrancesaCon, which is a celebration of all things Francesa for his most diehard fans. It was at last year’s event at Manhattan’s Irving Plaza when Russo appeared, much to the delight of those (nearly all men) in attendance. Forer said he wanted to start the film in present day to have contemporary peg of the relevance of both men. The film also weaves in the story of WFAN, the nation’s first 24-hour sports-talk station. The station lost $8 million in its first year but eventually rode success behind Don Imus as its morning drive host and the arranged marriage of Francesa and Russo in the afternoon.

The film provides a lot of testimony on the impact of Francesa and Russo, including Yankees general manager Brian Cashman, Giants co-owner John Mara, former NBA Commissioner David Stern and now Fox MLB analyst Alex Rodriguez. Forer said his group (including editor Mario Diaz, associate producer Vincent D'Anton and John Fontanelli) interviewed more than 35 people for the film, including former colleagues and bosses, members of the New York sports community and media members. The best of that lot are CBS Sports announcer Ian Eagle and WIP Radio personality Chris Carlin, both of whom served as producers for the show and are brutally honest of the childish behavior exuded at times by Francesa and Russo. The CBS announcer Jim Nantz, who worked with Francesa at CBS and is a longtime friend, also provides some interesting psychoanalysis on the relationship.


To Forer’s credit, this is not hagiography. He addresses head-on the most controversial moment of the show’s 19-year run. Shortly after 9/11, Francesa and Russo asserted that the attacks were prompted by the U.S.’s support of Israel and suggested that American Jews should submit some sort of loyalty oath, choosing between either Israel or the U.S.


“They are both aware of the role that that incident plays in the history of ‘Mike and the Mad Dog,’” Forer said. “Neither one shied away from answering it and their takes on it. They were both very direct. Mike was Mike. He maintained the position he has always maintained: There was nothing controversial and he doesn’t believe they offended anyone. Chris is a little more sensitive to it and does understand criticism of it. He was more forthright in sharing with us his opinion of what happened that day. I was very pleased both addressed it and neither as afraid to address it. I said nothing would be off the table and they accepted that.”

The best part of the film, in my opinion, has nothing to do with sports talk. It’s Francesa, in a rare moment of fragility, discussing growing up without a father and dreaming of owning a rich man’s house one day, and the death of his younger brother, Marty, who committed suicide. Forer said he interviewed Francesa in a single setting, a seven-plus hour interview. Forer said he wanted people to understand why Francesa and Russo are who they are and why they are who they are on the air.


“Mike didn’t hold back and allowed us to get into aspects of his life, his family,” said Forer, who worked for a number of years as a writer on the CBS show Touched By An Angel. “Mike is very proud of how far he has come and I think knowing where he began will help people see how far he had to come to get where he is.”

Forer said he interviewed Russo for six hours, including following him on his train commute from Connecticut to his SiriusXM job. The director said he grew to like his subjects very much and that Francesa is far more generous than he appears on air. Forer said he reached out noted Francesa critic and New York Post sports media writer, Phil Mushnick, as well as Bill Parcells, a one-time close friend of Francesa’s, and Mike Piazza, who likely arrived in New York because of the radio show, but the schedule did not work out with any of the trio. Asked how he will judge success of the film, Forer said, “Have I done the best job within my capabilities to tell this story the most honest, objective and entertaining way possible?”

As for Francesa and Russo, they have not screened the film. Forer said they will first see it when the public sees it at Tribeca Film Festival.

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For “Mike and the Mad Dog” devotees, the film will be about three hours too short. What will be interesting is what kind of traction the film gets outside of the New York-Philadelphia-Boston area.

“The arc of their personal story is compelling and the impact they had on sports across America is undeniable,” said Forer. “I think it will have interest to those across America if they give it a couple of minutes. But it’s not a typical sports story.”
 
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Drive Time Royale: Just as Mike Francesa is almost out door, Michael Kay is making waves
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Mike Francesa, seen here chatting up Mets skipper Terry Collins in May, suffers first career defeat to Michael Kay in the radio ratings war.
(JIM MCISAAC/GETTY IMAGES)

BOB RAISSMAN
NEW YORK DAILY NEWS

Saturday, July 15, 2017, 1:06 PM

Mike (Sports Pope) Francesa’s farewell tour (if he actually does leave WFAN in December) has been rudely interrupted by ESPN-98.7’s “The Michael Kay Show,” which for the first time since it debuted in 2002 beat His Holiness in the ratings.

The June (May 25-June 21) ratings book showed “TMKS” with a 5.2 share in the key men 25-54 demographic while Francesa notched a 5.1 share.

Near the end of ESPN’s sweet “30 for 30” documentary on FranDog, Chris (Mad Dog) Russo said: “We did this (their show) for 19 years. There is nothing else for me and Mike to prove.” This is true. Yet for Francesa, there now is major unfinished business.

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Michael Kay, seen here with wife Jodi Applegate in 2015, gloats after ratings win on Twitter.
(NICHOLAS HUNT/GETTY IMAGES)
With a few months (depending on how much more vacation he takes) left until his alleged departure, does Francesa go out on top, besting Kay, Don La Greca, and Peter Rosenberg in remaining ratings books? Or does he stumble-bum it out the door, being beaten by ESPN-98.7 again and again and again in the ratings? Beaten by a trio he has often dissed.

Francesa, Russo still not ruling out 'Mike and Mad Dog' reunion

Can Kay and his crew close the deal? Can they figuratively kick Francesa’s tuchis as he makes his grand, and much publicized, exit? Or are they just one shot stiffs, “The Oneders” of sportstalk who can’t sustain their ratings success?

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Michael Kay's ESPN New York 98.7 radio show has been looking up at Francesa's show since 2002.
(CASEY RODGERS/CASEY RODGERS/INVISION/AP)
Ratings trends before the June book showed “TMKS” could be headed in a positive direction. Losing, even once, to Kay, who has been smelling the Pontiff’s exhaust fumes for 15 years, must be driving Francesa nuts, especially when Kay rubbed it in with a series of tweets. This amounted to a wild end-zone celebration on Twitter. Kay did not act like he had been there before because he hasn’t.

All this stuff, along with other shots Kay took at Francesa’s show, on the eve of the “30 for 30,” should provide enough motivation down the stretch for the Pope to make Kay’s victory a one-and-done kind of thing. But if Francesa can’t turn the tables and show Kay’s win is a stone fluke, his WFAN ending won’t be happy.

He will walk out the door a loser.
 
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Craig Carton: They had Mike Francesa’s 9/11 tapes destroyed
By Justin Terranova

December 18, 2017 | 3:36pm


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Craig Carton; Mike FrancesaGC Images

Former WFAN host Craig Carton devoted an episode of his new podcast to recapping Mike Francesa’s career and his rivalry with the host. The most controversial part of the 52-minute rant was Carton claiming that Francesa did in fact call on Jewish New Yorkers to take a loyalty oath following the 9/11 attacks and said high-ranking executives called for the tapes to be destroyed.

WFAN has maintained that it does not have tapes from the 2001 shows in question. Deadspin found copies of the shows from Sept. 11 and 12 at The Paley Center, which include some hyperbolic language, but not the calls for loyalty oaths. However, the hosts talking on the subject went well beyond the initial aftermath.

“Mike, unfortunately, decided it was going to be Jews and Israel, calling Israel a failed experiment and legitimately saying on the radio that every single Jew in New York should take a loyalty oath to America over Israel,” Carton said. “When you have the power of the microphone and you suggest that purely based on religion and being Jewish that you owe it to Mike Francesa to publicly dedicate yourself to the US over Israel is extraordinarily offensive.”

Infinity Broadcasting, CBS’ parent company, owned WFAN at the time. CBS Radio and Carton, who recently resigned from WFAN and is awaiting trial for allegedly running a Ponzi scheme, had yet to respond to messages for comment.

Francesa has long denied the accusation, which The Post’s Phil Mushnick has detailed multiple times. Francesa, then part of “Mike & the Mad Dog,” allegedly made the comments in the days following the attacks.

“He has since denied he ever said it. Here’s the problem with denying it: He said it, he knows he said it, an audience that heard it knows he said it, the company that used to own WFAN also knows that he said it,” Carton said of Francesa, who left WFAN on Friday after 30 years.

“What happened to those tapes are not a mystery,” Carton said. “Those tapes were deleted on orders from executives high above those that ran WFAN. The deletion of those tapes were overseen and mandated shortly after the comments were made. Anyone that tells you otherwise is lying to you. I know who deleted those tapes, and I know who ordered them to be deleted. Mike Francesa denying it all these years later is a flat-out lie.”
 
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Michael Kay and Craig Carton have first salvo in new ratings war

It is an Opening Day victory, nothing more, nothing less. Long-term, it may not foretell anything. But it is the first salvo. And it went to “The Michael Kay Show.” In Craig Carton’s re…
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Michael Kay and Craig Carton have first salvo in new ratings war
By Andrew Marchand
December 2, 2020 | 3:37pm | Updated


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Michael Kay and Craig CartonScreengrab via YouTube, Twitter

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It is an Opening Day victory, nothing more, nothing less. Long-term, it may not foretell anything. But it is the first salvo.
And it went to “The Michael Kay Show.”
In Craig Carton’s return to FAN, ESPN New York’s Kay Show beat “Carton & Roberts” in his opening three days among men 25-54, according to Nielsen Audio. Depending how you view streaming, Kay either won the first three days or took two of three.
On Monday, Nov. 9, from 3-7 p.m. when the programs go head-to-head, Kay won 8.6-6.9 with FAN’s streaming included. Two days later, Kay won 9.2-4.3, again with streaming. On Tuesday, Nov. 10, Kay won, 6.1-5.6, in the traditional way Nielsen present its numbers, but when you add in FAN’s streaming — which is already baked into ESPN New York’s share — then “C&R” comes back for a 8.1-6.1 advantage.
Any way you look at it, this is just for the first three days so, in the burgeoning afternoon radio rating war, it is a blip, an opening blip, but a blip.
The real sample size is three months, not three days.
In four weeks, appropriately enough, near Christmas, the first month will be available. This will still be an incomplete portrait though, more telling.
The winter book that begins after the New Year will be the truest, no-excuses first measure of whether the Carton-led FAN can take the afternoon crown that Kay swiped off Mike Francesa before he went into retirement.
Radio still uses Nielsen Audio’s antiquated system that doesn’t even have the two stations measured on the same streaming metrics. The system is so clunky that it was only Wednesday that we found out the ratings for Carton’s first three shows, Nov. 9-11.
–– ADVERTISEMENT ––

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WFAN executives were already emphasizing that Carton won total audience (among all listeners, not the traditional 25-54 male metric) for these three days. In other words, the fight between the two stations is back on.
SEE ALSO
The Craig Carton-Evan Roberts dynamic can’t be like this
The traditional battle, right or wrong, has been where radio sells its advertising, which is men 25-54. This may be the electoral college of radio, but it is how it has been tallied. If you use the total audience method, ESPN could counter that Kay’s YES simulcast audience should then be included.
As for the content, Carton’s style doesn’t seem to have changed much after his three years away from FAN that included a year in a minimum security prison due to a fraud conviction.
Carton loves to talk about Carton. It is why it is a divisive listen, because it is more about him than sports.
On Tuesday, there was a caller-inspired bit where Evan Roberts said he would let Francesa give him a hot oil massage for a Jets Super Bowl win. Carton proceeded to do a whole routine, playing it out with Francesa impersonations and voice drops of old Francesa clips, pretending Francesa was putting his “hairy” knuckles on Roberts’ “bird boned” body.
It was either hilarious or gross, depending on your point of view. What it wasn’t was that classic “Mike & the Mad Dog” FAN afternoon sound. Carton and Roberts do mix a little sports in sometimes.
Kay, with his sidekicks Don La Greca and Peter Rosenberg, is not an all-sports show either. They are on a winning streak after taking down Francesa. The trio got the initial “W”against Carton, but it should be lowercase.
Quick clicks
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CBS’ All-Access Champions League “The Golazo Show” is awesome. It is NFL Red Zone for club soccer’s biggest tournament. The idea of NFL Red Zone emanated from Europe, so this is full circle. What wasn’t excellent was the all-access app crashing for a period of time on Wednesday for some users. … ESPN’s play-by-player Dan Shulman was elected to the Canadian Baseball Hall of Fame, which is a good excuse for me to say that Shulman should be considered one of the greatest baseball play-by-players of all-time. … ESPN play-by-player Jason Benetti has been on the radar for a while now, but his skills have been showing up again this week during his college hoops broadcasts with Bill Walton. Walton is just all over the place, overwhelming the broadcast, which is entertaining if you are a more casual fan of the teams playing. Benetti’s rejoinders are the show-stealer. For example, Walton said a first year-player was playing the best he has ever seen. Benetti quickly pointed out it was the players’ second game of his career.
 
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Craig Carton-Michael Kay radio war moves to TV with SNY deal
By Andrew Marchand
March 4, 2021 | 5:00pm | Updated


Craig Carton's WFAN radio show with Evan Roberts will be simulcast on SNY starting in May.Charles Wenzelberg / New York Post


The afternoon sports radio war is headed to TV.

WFAN’s “Carton & Roberts” have signed a simulcast deal to air its radio program on SNY weekdays from 4-6 p.m. beginning in May. This will put the still relatively new program featuring Craig Carton and Evan Roberts in direct television competition with ESPN New York’s “The Michael Kay Show,” which is simulcast on YES starting at 3 p.m. The Kay show signs off TV at six on many nights as the Yankees pregame begins.

Carton, who was released from prison this summer after serving a year for fraud, continues his comeback on the airwaves. Besides the afternoon drive time radio show and now simulcast, Carton has been in talks to potentially do an hour-long morning TV show on MLB Network.

After Kay, Peter Rosenberg and Don La Greca beat “Carton and Roberts” in the abbreviated competition of the fall book, “Carton & Roberts” has struck back, moving into what amounts to a virtual tie after the first month, akin to three innings of the nine-inning game. “Carton & Roberts” had a tenth of a point advantage when both stations streams were included and the trends point to them having the advantage in the overall book.

The Kay show is hurt by the weak lead-in from Max Kellerman’s national program. However, Kay and company have also previously felt that their radio ratings might be lessened by those tuning in on YES. Now, at least for two hours, the two shows will be on more equal footing.

In its 16 years of existence, SNY has always shied away from radio simulcasts, as it previously had its own programming. During the pandemic, it eliminated its non-baseball afternoon studio shows.

Exact terms of the WFAN-SNY deal were not disclosed, though it is a multiyear agreement.
 
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WFAN’s ‘Carton & Roberts’ gaining ground with ESPN’s lineup in disarray
By Andrew Marchand
February 23, 2021 | 3:37pm | Updated
Enlarge Image
Evan Roberts and Craig CartonWFAN/YouTube


The setup of ESPN New York’s lineup is so poorly constructed that it is a gift to WFAN, Craig Carton and Evan Roberts.

“Carton & Roberts,” just a few months old, has taken advantage of it, making the battle for New York afternoon sports radio supremacy neck and neck and stream for stream.

What is clear is the trends favor “Carton & Roberts” potentially toppling “The Michael Kay Show” this winter book, which is the first time the two shows have gone head-to-head for a full three-month period.

The way FAN looks at it, it already has the advantage with a 5.6-5.5 rating share among men 25-54, according to Nielsen Audio.

(ESPN doesn’t count FAN’s streaming ratings in the battle because FAN sells its advertising separately so ESPN looks at it as if Kay is up 5.5-to-4.1 over C&R.)

Under FAN’s view, C&R is second to Kay’s third in the market. It should be noted we are at the three-innings mark into the winter game.

The overall setup of ESPN’s latest lineup seems to be inspired by Abbott and Costello, who maybe should pick up a shift as they might out-rate Max Kellerman.

Who’s on first? Keyshawn, JWill and Zubin? They’re on second.

Here is the mishmash of a schedule that ESPN puts out on 98.7 FM everyday Monday-through-Friday:
DiPietro, Canty & Rothenberg (5-8 a.m.)
Keyshawn, JWill and Zubin (8-10 a.m.)
Greeny (10-noon)
Bart and Hahn (noon-2 p.m.)
The Max Kellerman Show (2-3 p.m.)
The Michael Kay Show (3-7)
Don La Greca, Michael Kay and Peter Rosenberg of The Michael Kay ShowJeff Skopin/ESPN

The Bristol-based decisions offer too many shows, especially national ones, that do not put the actual New York audience first. If ESPN cares about competing with 98.7 FM, it should localize and simplify.

FAN has three main shows, “Boomer and Gio” (6-10 a.m.), “Moose & Maggie” (10-2) and “Carton & Roberts” (2-7 p.m). You don’t have to think about what you are getting.

With the momentum of Kay, Don La Greca and Peter Rosenberg taking down Mike Francesa in his final years and with Rick DiPietro, Chris Canty and Dave Rothenberg finding a rhythm, ESPN NY had been going in the right direction.

Instead of using that wind at the back of its FM signal, ESPN in New York has taken a step back with its 1 millionth schedule, give or take, in its 17 years.

Who’s on second? Greenberg? No, he’s on third.

In the mornings, ESPN must decide if it wants to give DiPietro, Canty and Rothenberg four local hours to go head-to-head with FAN’s Boomer Esiason and Gregg Giannotti from 6-10.

Right now, it is not a fair fight, with FAN dominating; especially from 8-10 a.m., when “Boomer & Gio” goes against the national show of Keyshawn Johnson, Jay Williams and Zubin Mehenti.

“Boomer & Gio” is second in the market after 106.7 FM (which is also first in afternoons). From 6-10, Boomer and Gio’s 6.9 rating more than doubles ESPN’s.

From 5-8 a.m., ESPN’s DiPietro, Canty and Rothenberg have made a little noise with a 3.7 share. It’s a start.

At 10 a.m., Greenberg is losing to FAN’s “Moose & Maggie,” 6.8 (third) to 2.5 (15th). Overall, when you include “Bart and Hahn” from noon-2, FAN basically maintains its numbers (6.6 to 3.3) while ESPN receives a little bump.

From noon-to-2 p.m., Bart Scott and Alan Hahn are much stronger on football and basketball as compared to baseball. They are doing mostly a New York show for a national audience. This is the New York Post, so the odd format of the program is Peoria’s problem.

What makes the least amount of sense is Kellerman’s one-hour show from 2-3 p.m. Kellerman is best on radio in an ensemble program.
As a solo artist, he meanders and, though, he is from New York, his nationally-focused show is not built for it.

Carton and Roberts crush Kellerman 9.1 to 2.2 in New York, giving FAN a huge head start in its race before Kay, La Greca and Rosenberg even pick up their earphones.

To count radio streaming or not to count streaming is one of the great questions of our times, and has been raging since Francesa’s crown became wobbly and fell off.

The bottom line, the Nielsen ratings aren’t perfect however you slice it. They only count 25-54 year-old males, which is outdated, but it is how advertising is sold. So we could be headed for another streaming debate in afternoons.

What is of importance are the trends. FAN wins all day, making the Kay’s Show’s job even harder to hold on.

Three innings into the winter book, “Carton & Roberts” is well positioned. ESPN has to figure out if it really wants to play in New York sports radio or not.

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WFAN’s ‘Carton & Roberts’ gaining ground with ESPN’s lineup in disarray

The setup of ESPN New York’s lineup is so poorly constructed that it is a gift to WFAN, Craig Carton and Evan Roberts. “Carton & Roberts,” just a few months old, has taken advantage of it, maki…
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THE MICHAEL KAY SHOW MOVES UP AN HOUR, SETTING UP HEAD TO HEAD BATTLE WITH CARTON & ROBERTS
“The 2 pm start time means ESPN New York is scrapping the one-hour syndicated broadcast of the Max Kellerman Show and provides Kay the stronger lead-in of Alan Hahn and Bart Scott.”

By Brandon Contes / March 29, 2021

As of Monday March 29, The Michael Kay Show is on-air every weekday from 2 – 6:30pm, beginning their show an hour earlier for the first time since moving to a 3pm start in 2010.

The move serves a few purposes, putting 98.7 ESPN New York’s afternoon show in direct competition with WFAN’s Craig Carton and Evan Roberts, who are narrowly leading the ratings battle after two months in the spring book. But it also allows TMKS to feature more Michael Kay with the Major League Baseball season set for first pitch.

As the TV voice of the Yankees, Kay often leaves his radio show as early as 5:45pm for a 6:30 game, with co-hosts Don La Greca and Peter Rosenberg left to close out the final 75 minutes. Shifting the radio show up from its previous 3 – 7pm timeslot allows Kay to spend more time with his ESPN New York audience.

ESPN New York cleans up their lineup a bit with its programming shuffle, giving the station three different national shows before Kay instead of four. The 2 pm start time means ESPN New York is scrapping the one-hour syndicated broadcast of the Max Kellerman Show and provides Kay the stronger lead-in of Alan Hahn and Bart Scott.

Kellerman was bumped multiple times by ESPN New York in recent months. On occasions of breaking news such as the Mets trading for Francisco Lindor, 98.7 would either give Kay or Chris Carlin the 2pm hour. But having to repeatedly alter your lineup on a “big” New York sports day, likely means permanent change is necessary.

Kellerman’s show had been destroyed by WFAN’s Carton and Roberts since the New Year, while Bart and Hahn have been more formidable in their noon – 2pm slot. Hahn and Scott are familiar to the New York audience, giving 98.7’s lineup more of a local feel, but they’re still a national show featuring broader sports topics. While TMKS might be better served by a legitimate local lead-in, there’s no question the 2pm start time puts them on a more equal playing field with WFAN.
 
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Michael Kay opts for massive ESPN New York deal over retirement

Michael Kay will stay on his ESPN New York afternoon show, he announced Thursday.
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Michael Kay opts for massive ESPN New York deal over retirement
By
Andrew Marchand
March 16, 2023 6:25pm

Michael Kay will stay on his ESPN New York afternoon show, he announced Thursday.

It is a seven-figure deal per year and is for multiple years, according to sources.

The Post reported in January that Kay, 62, was considering retiring from the radio.

“When the story in The Post came out, I was pretty certain that was going to be it and I would leave the show after 21 years in September,” said Kay on the program Thursday. “It had been a great run, a long run. I just said, ‘That’s it. I’m probably too old to do it.’”

Kay said after many sleepless nights and talks with his family, Kay decided to stay after ESPN stepped up with a big offer.

Kay and his partners, Don La Greca and Peter Rosenberg, have had ratings success in the past, but have been beaten badly in recent Nielsen books by WFAN’s “Carton and Roberts.”

michael-kay-espnny-radio-contract.jpg
 
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Michael Kay got a bag to stay at ESPN Radio New York

ESPN Radio New York gave Michael Kay a new multi-year deal with an annual seven-figure salary, according to The Post.
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Michael Kay got a bag to stay at ESPN Radio New York
By
James Kratch
-
03/17/2023
Mitch Stringer | USA TODAY Sports
Michael Kay cited “unfinished business” as a motivation to eschew retirement and re-sign with ESPN Radio New York. But you have to think the money helped move things along too.
Kay will cash in after deciding to remain the station’s afternoon drive anchor. ESPN has given him a new multi-year deal with an annual seven-figure salary, according to The Post.
It is a big payday for a guy who is getting trounced in the ratings by WFAN’s Craig Carton and Evan Roberts. But it may have been a necessity for ESPN and its owner, Good Karma Brands. And it likely makes business sense for the station.
ICYMI: Syracuse sports talk host fired for not being a fanboy
Kay admitted Thursday he was initially planning to retire from radio after 21 years when his contract expired in September before reconsidering. Even if he would have eventually changed his mind regardless, a lucrative new deal certainly would not hurt. And ESPN likely figured a possible overpay was worth it to keep Kay in the power chair.
The ratings situation is what it is. Kay’s head-to-head win over Carton and Roberts in the Fall 2021 book is a distant memory. And he and co-hosts Don La Greca and Peter Rosenberg seem hopelessly behind WFAN at this point (Carton and Roberts had a 7.7 share in the males ages 25-54 demographic in January while ESPN was at 3.1). But things could always be worse.
Kay is a proven commodity on-air and with sponsors. Any of his realistic potential replacements would not have been. Yes, Christopher “Mad Dog” Russo would have changed everything overnight. But ESPN was never going to lure him from Sirius XM. After that, there would have been risk with any other option. Kay may have a low ceiling at this point, but he also has a high floor. And that is likely more than good enough for ESPN at this time.
 
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What Aaron Boone’s podcast move says about New York sports talk radio

Yankees manager Aaron Boone for signing up to move his regular in-season radio appearances to the podcast world with Jomboy Media
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What Aaron Boone’s podcast move says about New York sports talk radio
By
James Kratch
-
03/16/2023
Kim Klement | USA TODAY Sports
You cannot fault Aaron Boone for signing up to move his regular in-season radio appearances to the podcast world with Jomboy Media.

Good pay (presumably), big platform and — if we’re being honest — friendly conditions. We’re not saying these audiences with the Yankees manager will be complete Twinkie munches (trademark Bob Raissman). But let us be real: The hosts are Yankees fans and the company is partnered with YES Network. These are not going to be the Frost-Nixon interviews.

We can fault the two major sports talk radio stations in town, however. It used to be a civic duty for head coaches and managers and starting quarterbacks to put the hard hat on once a week with Mike Francesa, Christopher “Mad Dog” Russo or others. No longer.’

WFAN has gotten out of the coach interview game under new program director Spike Eskin. The station has gradually (and successfully) shifted to a take-driven format. And its big names — Craig Carton, Boomer Esiason, Gregg Giannotti and Evan Roberts — are not necessarily the best fits to, say, skewer a coach the way the big guy used to.

As for ESPN Radio New York: It is still in the coach interview game. But losing Boone speaks to the instability it has in afternoon drive. The Michael Kay retirement buzz has been back-burnered of late. But the fact Boone would opt against another year yakking with Kay could be telling.

This is pure speculation. But: If you are Boone, you probably do not want to re-up with ESPN knowing that Kay — another relatively friendly face — could be gone when the crucible of September and October begins. And if so, you may find yourself contractually obligated to speak to a new host that is not as forgiving. Which is not necessarily what you want if you are Boone. And it is another reminder ESPN has no chance to ever compete with WFAN without a viable afternoon drive program.
 

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