Sports radio host, Dino Costa could be headed back to St. Louis, but a move that seemed official just days ago, is now questionable.
The plan was for Costa to join KFNS 590 in St. Louis each weekday from 11pm – 2am, a return to the station he spent just six weeks at in 2016 . Costa was supposed to start on December 3rd, but his debut was put on hold, with station owner Randy Markel stating he wants to find a more prominent timeslot for the controversial radio host, a process that should take no longer than a month.
However, Dino’s stalled return to KFNS coincided with people digging up racially charged social media comments and connecting them with Costa.
“Unfortunately there are a number of people who have trolled me, who have purported to be me on various Twitter accounts,” Costa told the St. Louis Post Dispatch. “Like a lot of people who have to put up with this kind of stuff, whatever has been posted certainly doesn’t constitute my own feelings and I certainly abhor this.” Costa added “The people who know me best know my heart and DNA does not include those kind of thoughts. It’s despicable.”
While KFNS plans to investigate the social media claims, Markel told the Post-Dispatch Costa’s delayed start was caused by a need to reshuffle the station’s lineup and nothing to do with social media.
“If I did find out they’re true, that would affect things, but I don’t think that’s the case,” said Markel. “I just don’t think he’s that nutty. It just doesn’t make sense for him to do something like that. Knowing they could be traced to him, why would he sabotage himself? He’s promised to me he’d be nothing but a soldier. I think this is typical social media BS.”
Costa is a highly talented sports radio host, but his commentary on politics and social issues have certainly played a role in his struggle to find a consistent home on the dial following his five-year run at SiriusXM. After being let go from SXM in 2013 Costa attempted to create his own platform, charging listeners an annual fee. Costa also had short stints in St. Louis, Portland and most recently New York before announcing plans to head back to KFNS.
In January of this year, Costa joined 970 The Answer in New York, brokering his own show four days a week from midnight – 3am in hopes of it spring-boarding into a bigger opportunity. That opportunity never came to fruition in New York, with Costa ending his show on 970 last month.
“But I’m not dead yet,” wrote Costa on his blog. “Discouragement? Yes. Depression? For sure. A few other things. Humbled? Yes. Regretful? Of some things, no question. But none of these things I mention has anything to do with my on-air presentation. In other words, while I have felt regret for some things over the last 5-years, none of it has anything to do with how I do my radio show.”
Brandon Contes is a freelance writer for BSM. He can be found on Twitter @BrandonContes. To reach him by email click here.
