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Country Singer Justin Moore Joins New Morning Show On 103.7 The Buzz

“Long before my success in country music, I was a die-hard fan of all Arkansas Razorback sports.”

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Justin Moore

Country music singer Justin Moore is set to co-host a morning drive-time program show on 103.7 The Buzz in Little Rock, Arkansas, his management said on Tuesday.

The new “Morning Mayhem” sports radio talk show will also feature David Bazzel, Roger Scott, and R.J. Hawk. The announcement came seven days after longtime Arkansas radio legend Tommy Smith announced his retirement from the station.

Justin Moore, a Poyen, Arkansas native, said he has been a Razorback fan all of his life.

“Long before my success in country music, I was a die-hard fan of all Arkansas Razorback sports,” Moore said. “Growing up in Arkansas, you learn to love the Razorbacks early. Now I have an outlet for talking about my team.”

“Moore truly has an inspirational story that started in a town of only 300 people [Poyen is in Grant County, east of Malvern],” David Bazzel said. “We’re thrilled that he is continuing that story with us.”

“When Tommy announced his future retirement back in April of 2020 we started looking for someone who could bring something special and unique to the Buzz morning show,” said Bazzel, who cited Moore’s bona fides as a true-red Razorback devotee and family man.

Justin Moore has appeared multiple times on the SEC Network and postgame recaps with “The Hawg Hustle” on The Buzz.

Moore’s debut will be on December 30 in Tampa, Florida where he will co-host and broadcast the show remotely. The site is where the Arkansas Razorbacks will play in the 2022 Outback Bowl game against the Penn State Nittany Lions on New Year’s Day.

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Nashville Predators Radio Voice Pete Weber Calling 2,000th Game Tuesday

“I always wanted to be there for the birth of a team. I feel like I’ve been a pretty fair midwife here.”

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(Photo: Nashville Predators)

Nashville Predators radio voice Pete Weber is set to hit a career milestone Tuesday, as he’ll call his 2,000th game for the NHL franchise.

Weber told The Tennessean that he has relished the opportunity to be the voice of a team since its inception. He claimed he applied for and was a finalist for the radio play-by-play job when the Carolina Panthers were conceived, before ultimately landing with the Predators.

“I always wanted to be there for the birth of a team,” said Weber. “I feel like I’ve been a pretty fair midwife here.”

Despite missing time late last season due to a rare brain condition, Weber said he has no plans of retiring anytime soon.

“I have not thought about it, other than when I thought about how (former Philadelphia Phillies announcer) Harry Kalas was carried dead out of the broadcast booth in Washington,” Pete Weber said. “I thought, ‘Well, that’s an interesting way to go. I don’t necessarily know that I want to do it like that. But it could happen. I’m not going to say no.”

Weber’s 2,000th game will come as the Nashville Predators play host to the Pittsburgh Penguins. 102.5 The Game is the flagship home of the Predators Radio Network.

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iHeartMedia Ending WEEI Simulcast in Cape Cod

A job opening for a sports talk co-host/producer/programming assistant that says its salary will “be funded by the savings that the market is acquiring from the expiring Audacy/WEEI & Red Sox contracts”.

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A photo of the WEEI 96.3 Cape Cod logo

iHeartMedia is preparing to drop its simulcast of WEEI on its 96.3 WEII-FM signal in Hyannis/Cape Cod.

According to a report from Radio Insight, iHeartMedia has posted a job opening for a sports talk co-host/producer/programming assistant that says its salary will “be funded by the savings that the market is acquiring from the expiring Audacy/WEEI & Red Sox contracts”.

It goes on to state that the contract between the company and Audacy was $300,000 annually and it paid the Red Sox $65,000 annually.

The job posting alleges 96.3 FM will continue to carry sports programming with a local show.

WEEI is currently simulcast on stations in Springfield and Worcester, MA; Providence; and on stations in New Hampshire and Vermont, as well. Earlier this year, the station’s offices in Warwick, Rhode Island closed as part of a cost-cutting measure.

WEII-FM is licensed to Dennis, MA and features a 25,000-watt Class B signal.

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97.1 The Fan’s Mike Ricordati Threatened with Removal, Suspension After Refusing to Take Commercial Breaks

“I’m not supposed to talk about what just happened in there, but I will. There’s a chance that I may get a ‘rest’ tomorrow.”

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(Photo: 97.1 The Fan)

On Saturday, Ohio State suffered its third consecutive defeat to Michigan in one of college football’s biggest rivalry games. The mental effect the loss had has trickled down to local radio hosts, as Mike Ricordati and Jonathan “T-Bone” Smith were nearly pulled off the air Monday.

While discussing the Buckeyes’ loss Monday, Ricordati noted that it was time for the station to take a break, but he was refusing to allow the show to enter commercials.

“I don’t want to take a break. As a matter of fact, I’m not going to take a break,” Ricordati said. “How much are all the ads in this commercial break? If we tallied them all up. I just bought ’em. I’ll buy ’em. I don’t want to play any more commercials today.”

When T-Bone followed up by asking if he was on the hook for paying for half the commercials, Ricordati said the responsibility was his and his alone.

“I’m sorry to put you in this position, but I’m not going to break,” continued Ricoradti. “I’m doing three hours of sitting here, drinking my bourbon, talking to my buddy about how bad I feel. They may take me off the air.”

97.1 The Fan Program Director Matt Fishman — who joined the station in September — then entered the producer’s studio and questioned why Ricordati was taking the stance he was.

“What’s happening?,” Fishman pondered.

“I just don’t want to take the break,” replied Ricordati.

“Ok. ‘I don’t want to eat my vegetables’? Is that what this is now?,” Fishman asked.

“No, I think we’d have a better show today if we just went the whole way through and didn’t take a break,” Ricordati retorted. “I’ll pay for the spots. Take them out of my check.”

“So, I appreciate what you’re trying to do for the fans. I do,” Fishman reiterated, before Ricordati interrupted by saying it isn’t about the fans, it’s about him. “But we do have a business to run,” Fishman continued. “I hate to be that guy. But I’m now that guy.”

Later in the show, Mike Ricordati noted he had received an email from 97.1 The Fan’s parent company — TEGNA — sent him an email telling him he would be removed from the air if he did not take his regularly scheduled commercial breaks.

“We’ll get back on schedule, then,” Ricordati said. “That’s a first. 20 years on the air here. Here’s what’s happening. I’m gonna take a break, I’m gonna go outside, get chewed out by our boss, and I may or may not see you in the next segment.”

Evening host Tim Hall joined the station after Ricordati didn’t make it back to the studio in time from the end of the commercial break after speaking with management.

“I’m not supposed to talk about what just happened in there, but I will,” Ricordati shared. “There’s a chance that I may get a ‘rest’ tomorrow.”

After the confrontation, Mike Ricordati spent the rest of the show taking his regularly scheduled breaks. He took to X Tuesday morning to tell fans that he was “still alive” and employed by the station, saying “Talk to you at 3pm.”

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