Sports Radio News
New WFAN Lineup With Sal Licata in Middays and Tiki Barber in Afternoons Starting in July
As a result of Barber’s transition out of middays, Sal Licata is set to be paired with Brandon Tierney in the slot

Published
4 months agoon
By
BSM Staff
WFAN has made its changes official, adding Sal Licata to middays and Tiki Barber to afternoon drive as a result of the departure of Craig Carton for Fox Sports 1 on a full-time basis. Shaun Morash will be added as a producer of Evan & Tiki, and he will work closely alongside executive producer Tommy Lugauer. Additionally, Chris McMonigle, who had served as the associate producer of Carton & Roberts, will serve as the station’s new overnight host. The announcements were made on Tuesday’s edition of Carton & Roberts, and is effectively the start of a new era on the station. Keith McPherson, who joined the station in Nov. 2021 as its nighttime host, will have the longest-tenured program following mornings when the new lineup takes effect on July 24.
These moves mean that Tiki and Tierney, who had worked together since 2013 when they teamed up at CBS Sports Radio, will officially be split up.
“I thank you, Brandon; I really do,” Barber said. “My career would not have had any chance of being real if I had been with someone who didn’t care to make me better at what I do. That’s the most important thing I can say.”
Tierney and Licata will be on the air from 10 a.m. to 2 p.m. EST, and they will immediately be followed by Roberts and Barber from 2 to 6:30 p.m. The shift in the lineup represents the first significant programming change made under program director Spike Eskin.
“We went through a long period of time without any change at all to the lineup, and obviously over the last five years…. there’s been more changes to the lineup than any other five-year period in FAN’s history.
Licata, a Long Island native, began his radio career interning at WFAN in 2003. In addition to his radio work – which included stints as a producer, update anchor and overnight host – he appears on SNY’s Baseball Night in NY and Honda SportsNite. Licata is expected to retain those roles, but will move out of overnights for McMonigle. Last year, Licata famously went viral for declaring the National League East division was “over” when the New York Mets had a sizable lead on the Atlanta Braves. The Mets proceeded to cough up the division lead in the final two weeks of the season.
WFAN is moving Barber to afternoons with the hope that he and Roberts will form an electric and entertaining drive time duo. From the onset of his return to WFAN, Carton prioritized helping Roberts cultivate his voice in the radio market. Over the last three years hosting the show with Carton, his popularity has steadily grown.
“The new lineup card of WFAN continues to exemplify the station’s extraordinary depth of talent with all-star veterans and next-generation voices,” Chris Oliviero, Audacy New York market president, said in a press release. “This roster, with the additions of Tiki to afternoons and Sal to middays, and including the market-leading Boomer & Gio morning show, will continue WFAN’s now nearly 40-year dominance of the sports conversation in New York.”
And, our final lineup change: Chris McMonigle takes over the overnights starting July 24!
— WFAN Sports Radio (@WFAN660) June 20, 2023
The new lineup:
5-6A: Warm-Up Show
6-10A: Boomer & Gio
10A-2P: BT & Sal Licata
2-6:30P: Evan & Tiki
Bridge: Tommy Lugauer
Evenings: Keith McPherson
Overnights: Chris McMonigle
Barber joined WFAN when he and Tierney’s show was transitioned to a local program last January after a nine-year stint with CBS Sports Radio, replacing Marc Malusis and Maggie Gray. Malusis ultimately ended up signing with PIX11 as a sports anchor and reporter, while Gray moved over to national radio to host a program with Andrew Perloff. New York sports fans remember Barber from his days as a player, granting him a cache with the audience through his unparalleled insight into the world of professional football.
“It is biter-sweet for me because Brandon became a brother over those years,” Barber said. “I hate that we’re not going together, but opportunities present themselves and they’re very rarely perfect. I also know that you’ve got to be ready for them, and you’ve got to be willing to take them — even if it’s painful sometimes.”
The motivating factor for Carton to leaving WFAN was being able to spend more time with his family. Though he will no longer be heard daily on the New York sports radio airwaves, he won’t won’t step away from WFAN and Audacy completely. Carton will be in the building on Thursdays to record his podcast, Hello, My Name Is Craig, about the risks of sports gambling and addiction. Throughout the announcement of his departure, he has expressed his gratitude to Audacy and WFAN for giving him a second chance and aims to maintain “an active, amazing relationship with the radio station.”
Listeners can tune into the station using the free Audacy app, on the station’s website or over the air on the outlet’s AM (66) and FM (101.9) frequencies.
Sports Radio News
92.9 The Game Enjoys Ratings Growth in Atlanta Summer Book
In weekday prime (M-F 6a-7p), the station finished 2nd overall with a 6.8 share.

Published
5 hours agoon
October 4, 2023By
BSM Staff
The summer ratings book is out in Atlanta, and 92.9 The Game once again turned in a strong quarterly performance with Men 25-54.
In weekday prime (M-F 6a-7p), the station finished 2nd overall with a 6.8 share for the book. For the full week (M-SU 6a-Mid), the station remained 2nd with a 5.6 share.
Looking at the weekday shows, in mornings, the summer book represented the second ratings period for the station’s show helmed by Tiffany Blackmon, Mike Johnson, and Beau Morgan. The Morning Shift saw a slight drop from its first book, finishing with a 7.1 share for the quarter. That figure was an 8.4 share in the spring book. Nonetheless, the program remained in a strong position, 2nd overall in the market.
In middays, the station had a pair of shows finish 2nd, with The Steakhouse — featuring Steak Shapiro and Sandra Golden –enjoying an uptick from a 6.9 in the spring to an 8.1 in the summer. Shapiro and Golden are heard weekdays on the station from 9a-11a.
Additionally, middays with Andy Bunker and Randy McMichael generated a 7.1 share, which was one tenth of a point off from its spring book. Similar to The Morning Shift and The Steakhouse, Bunker and McMichael secured 2nd place in their time slow.
The venerable 92.9 The Game afternoon duo of Carl Dukes and Mike Bell, which airs from 2p-7p, saw a slight dip this quarter to finish with a 6.6 share, good for 3rd in the market. In the spring book, Dukes & Bell were 2nd with a 6.9 share.
Ratings information for 680 The Fan was not made available for the summer book.
Sports Radio News
Jon Ritchie: Joe DeCamara Deserves Credit from ESPN For Idea That Turned Phillies Season Around

Published
5 hours agoon
October 4, 2023By
BSM Staff
Earlier this year, 94 WIP producer Jack Fritz received acclaim for sharing an idea that Philadelphia fans should give struggling shortstop Trea Turner a standing ovation. Morning host Jon Ritchie believes his partner, Joe DeCamara isn’t getting the credit he deserves.
During DeCamara and Ritchie Wednesday morning, the former NFL star argued that ESPN’s Karl Ravech got the story wrong in its retelling during the Phillies National League Wild Card Game Tuesday.
“This is good stuff. Last night during the during the broadcast, I started getting texts and tweets about this, but didn’t hear it live because I was at the game,” DeCamara said. “But during the broadcast, Karl Ravech and David Cone talked about what Fritz did and the Trea Turner thing.”
The show then played the clip of Ravech and Cone talking about Fritz’s idea of giving the standing ovation and how it helped turn Turner’s season around. Ritchie jokingly took issue with the fact that it was actually DeCamara’s idea.
“I guess (Fritz) did do the organizing, that is true, but the idea was hatched by Joe DeCamara on our show,” said Ritchie. “This was Joe’s idea. He hatched it. Let’s give him some credit here, and if Jack Fritz is gonna get a ring, why doesn’t Joe DeCamara?”
DeCarama joked Jon Ritchie just “wants to cause trouble”, before his co-host pushed him to say it was his idea.
“If I say yes, I seem like a bad guy. If I say no, I’m lying. So I will say no,” DeCamara said slyly.
Last week, during an appearance on the station, Turner thanked afternoon hosts Jon Marks and Ike Reese for helping turn around his year.
“Obviously, the whole thing happened and the rest is kind of history. Started playing a lot better and it was thanks to you guys and the crowd,” the Phillies star said.
Sports Radio News
98.5 The Sports Hub Delivers Strong Summer Ratings But WEEI’s ‘Greg Hill Show’ Closes The Gap in Mornings
“98.5 The Sports Hub remained the top overall station in the summer book but WEEI’s Greg Hill Show made up significant ground in morning drive.”

Published
6 hours agoon
October 4, 2023By
BSM Staff
Boston has long been one of the hottest sports radio markets in America. With the latest summer ratings period now closed, we know it is also one of the most competitive between 98.5 The Sports Hub and WEEI.
In morning drive, Toucher & Rich still topped the market with an impressive 15.1 share. That rating is one that most shows would gladly take but after producing a massive 24.3 share last Summer, maintaining that performance was going to be a tall order. Though the show was 1st with a strong number, a decline of more than 9 shares year over year has to get the attention of the morning show and the management team. If anyone can rebound though and regain that past performance, T&R have shown they can.
Scott Zolak and Marc “Beetle” Bertrand continued to earn the number one spot in middays, garnering a 14.6 share for The Hub. That number was also down year-over-year but not as much as mornings. Zo and Bertrand turned in an 18.1 share in the 2022 Summer book.
Felger & Mazz — hosted by Mike Felger and Tony Massarotti — remains the best-performing show in Boston. The afternoon show held a 17.2 share to finish 1st in their time slot. The show did drop from a 19.7 share last summer but remains comfortably ahead of any market competition.
In weekday prime ratings, 98.5 The Sports Hub remained the top overall station with a 15.3 share. That number was down 25% year-over-year when it held a 20.4 share.
Meanwhile, WEEI rose more than 34% in weekday prime to a 7.4 share, up from a 5.5 in the same book a year ago. That placed them 3rd for the book.
WEEI’s The Greg Hill Show was the station’s biggest winner, more than doubling its share year over year. Hill’s program ranked 2nd with an 11.6 share this summer compared to a 5.2, 7th place finish last year. Only 3.5 shares now separate Hill from Toucher & Rich.
The midday pairing of Andy Gresh and Christian Fauria saw a slight increase for WEEI this quarter, moving to a 7.0 share. That figure was up from 6.3 last year. They were ranked 4th overall this quarter.
The afternoon pairing of Adam Jones, Meghan Ottolini, and Christian Arcand saw a noticeable drop, garnering a 3.9 share during the summer book. That put them in an 8th place tie during the summer book. Last year, WEEI’s afternoon show of Lou Merloni, Fauria, and Ottolini saw a 6.0 share in afternoon drive.
All numbers reported above are for sports radio’s target demographic of Men 25-54. The Hub did also have strong stories with Men 18-34 (1st for the full week, 2nd in prime), Persons 25-54 (1st for the full week, 3rd in prime), and Men 18-49 (1st for the full week, 1st in prime).