Longtime “Sports Radio 66 & 101.9” WFAN New York afternoon host Mike Francesa will remain with the station a little bit longer.
Francesa, who has hosted the afternoon drive show on the station since 1989, has signed an extension with CBS Radio to remain in that spot for the foreseeable future. His existing contract was set to expire in February 2014. The deal was first reported on Twitter by John Ourand of Sports Business Journal. Newsday’s Neil Best adds that the contract runs until 2017 and pays $5 Million per year.
As part of the deal his Sunday morning “NFL Now” program will be distributed nationally on CBS Sports Radio. Both programs are simulcast on television’s YES Network.
Francesa is best known for his longtime partnership with Chris “Mad Dog” Russo, who departed WFAN to launch “Mad Dog Radio” on SiriusXM in August 2008. Russo’s contract with SiriusXM is set to expire in September.
The CBS Press Release Follows:
Sports Radio WFAN (660AM/101.9FM) announced today it has signed a long term agreement with Mike Francesa, keeping the venerable personality as host of PM drive (weekdays, 1:00-6:30PM) on the award-winning station for several years to come. Francesa joined WFAN in 1987, the same year the station launched as the country’s first all-sports station, and boasts more listeners than any other local sports radio host.
As part of the agreement, Francesa will also bring his long running Sunday morning “The NFL Now” show to CBS Sports Radio beginning this fall. The program is broadcast live on WFAN from 9:00AM-12:00Noon, and will be available to more than 250 affiliate radio stations nationwide.
“Mike has earned his place in radio history as a great broadcaster and we’re thrilled to continue our relationship with sports radio’s most celebrated host,” said Dan Mason, President and CEO, CBS RADIO. “WFAN and Mike Francesa are synonymous with the absolute best in sports programming excellence. These two powerful brands have endured the test of time, and remain a very relevant force in the industry nearly three decades after they first went on the air.”
Added Mark Chernoff, Vice President, Sports Programming, CBS RADIO and WFAN Program Director, “Mike represents the heart and soul of WFAN, and we’re proud he will continue to make the station his long-term broadcast home. Like no one else, Mike can take a story to the next level and involve his listeners in thought provoking ways with topical and opinionated conversation. He has set the standard for what represents an entertaining and informative radio program.”
“I’m very proud of what we have accomplished at WFAN,” says Francesa. “I am also honored and thankful to CBS RADIO for its continued commitment, and most of all to the listeners for their enduring loyalty.”
Francesa has anchored afternoons on WFAN for more than 25 years. He has been recognized with two NAB Marconi Radio Awards, and was voted top sports personality by radio industry publications Talkers and Radio Ink. In addition, he was the recipient of the inaugural Cynopsis: Sports Media Award for Best Radio Program in 2012.
WFAN is available across a variety of multi-media platforms including 660 AM, 101.9 FM, www.wfan.com, and via theRadio.com app for iOS and Android devices. In addition, Francesa’s weekday show can also be seen on The YES Network.
IMO, Mike Francesa was never more impressive than when he went from sports to keeping on top of tragic news the day of the Sandy Hook shooting in Newton, CT. He handled the situation with far more class and dignity than any of the regular news outlets.