Audacy has appointed “107.5 The Fan” WFNI Indianapolis PD/Morning Host Jeff Rickard as the new Brand Manager for Sports 93.7 WEEI-FM Lawrence/Boston MA and its regional network.
Rickard has programmed WFNI since August 2018 and added morning co-host duties in May 2019. He also hosts shows for SiriusXM’s sports channels. He has previously served as a a host for ESPN Radio, Sporting News Radio, KKFN Denver, and Comcast’s CN8 regional television network in the northeast. He also programmed KFNZ Salt Lake City from 1999 to 2004.
WEEI has also promoted Ken Laird from morning show executive producer and update anchor to Assistant Brand Manager. Laird began his career at WEEI as an intern in 2001. Following a long run at ESPN’s 1250 WEAE Pittsburgh and the Pittsburgh Tribune Review, Lair returned to WEEI in 2014 and held multiple producer and contributor roles before joining the morning show.
Audacy welcomes Jeff Rickard as Brand Manager for Boston’s WEEI-FM, effective August 11. In this role, Rickard will oversee content operations for WEEI-FM and the WEEI radio network, which spans the New England region. Rickard had previously served as the program director and morning show host of all-sports WFNI in Indianapolis.
“Having worked in sports radio for virtually my entire career, I am thrilled to join the team at WEEI,” said Rickard. “Its rich history is well documented as is the unmatched passion of the Boston sports fan. I’m looking forward to pairing this talented team with fresh, new ideas to both reflect and match that passion.”
No stranger to New England, Rickard spent almost a decade in the region while hosting ESPN Radio’s “Gamenight” and later as the managing editor and anchor of the Boston based program “Out of Bounds Latenight” on the Comcast Network. He also had a successful five-year stint as the program director of KFNZ in Salt Lake City, the flagship station of the Utah Jazz. Following that, Rickard went on to host the “Jeff Rickard Show” on the nationally syndicated Sporting News Radio. While at Sporting News, he was tapped to host live shows for sporting events such as the Super Bowl, the Final Four and boxing title fights. Rickard has also hosted shows regularly for numerous Sirius XM channels including NFL Radio, ESPNU, MLB Network Radio, and Mad Dog Sports Radio. He has served as the host of NFL Radio’s “The Sunday Kickoff” during the NFL season for the past five years and is the host of College Football Overtime on ESPNU. He was recognized by SI.com as a “national radio personality of the year” in both 2006 and 2007.
“I am thrilled to welcome Jeff to the team,” said Tim Clarke, SVP and Market Manager for Audacy Boston. “His deep expertise and experience in sports media plus his passion for our New England teams make him perfectly suited to lead one of America’s most legendary local sports brands.”
Additionally, Ken Laird, currently Executive Producer for WEEI will be promoted to Assistant Brand Manager.
Laird is an Electrical/Computer Engineering graduate of Northeastern University (’02) who broke into radio as an intern at WEEI in 2001. After graduating, Laird moved to Pittsburgh and climbed the ladder at ESPN Radio 1250, eventually hosting a nightly talk show while covering the Steelers and Penguins. Also served as ESPN’s national Steelers correspondent during this time. In 2011, Laird joined the Pittsburgh Tribune Review as a reporter and daily web-radio host on TribLIVE Radio. He then re-joined WEEI, holding various producer and contributor roles before eventually becoming morning drive executive producer and update anchor.
“I am thrilled to continue working with the Greg Hill Show while also partnering with Jeff Rickard. Hopefully it will give me options should Greg come to his senses and kick me off of his show,” said Laird. “A sincere thanks to Mark Hannon and Tim Clarke for the opportunity to grow my career with Audacy and WEEI, a brand I am proud to represent.”
“Ken is a supremely talented, up-and-coming programming leader and will have a huge impact on WEEI in this expanded role,” said Clarke. “I am extremely optimistic and excited for WEEI’s continued evolution under the leadership of both Jeff and Ken.”
Listeners can tune in to WEEI in the Boston area on 93.7FM, throughout New England on the WEEI Radio Network, as well as nationwide on the Audacy app and website.
