“I toad ya that I wude be back awn TV. I’m back in a big way. When YES announced it wude drop me, I toldya I would have a new deel and I do.
“Stahting on Mahch 24 … that’s a Mondey, if you must know, ok? I’ll be on Fawx Spawts 1 from one to foah in the aftahnoon Easten Time. Dat’s 10 to one out West, ok? But heah’s the kickah. At foah, I’ll move to Fawx Spawts 2 and yewl see the final two hoahs dere, ok?
“So to make it eazy foah you mongos, I’m on one to foah every aftahnoon on Fawx Spawts 1 and den foah to six on Fawx Spawts 2.
“Now, yoah askin’ about those soccah games, wat are dey called? Da Champeens Leeg? I nevah hoid of dat, but ok. And when dey run Nascah, dose stock cahs, wasn’t Ricahd Peddy in dat? Ok, well when you see a live spohting evend on Fawx Spawts 1, deyl moov my show to Fawx Spawts 2. So yewl see da entiyah show, no maddah wat!
“Ya got dat? I can’t explane it bettuh dan dat!
“Vinny in Queenz, yoah next on da FAN (handwave).”
Ok, in simple English, Mike Francesa will be on Fox Sports 1/Fox Sports 2 starting March 24. The first three hours (1-4 p.m. ET/10 a.m.-1 p.m. ET) will be on Fox Sports 1 and the final two will air on Fox Sports 2. And when there’s a live sporting event on FS1, the show will air in its entirety from 1-6 p.m. ET on FS2.
The show will be streamed on CBS Radio platforms such as Radio.com or the CBS Local tablet app. It will also be seen on Fox Sports Go as long as your cable or satellite provider has an agreement with Fox Sports.
Here’s the press release along with a scary picture of Francesa.
FOX SPORTS 1 TO TELEVISE WFAN’S THE MIKE FRANCESA SHOW
Iconic New York Sports Talk Radio Host Brings Unique Insights to National Television
New York – Mike Francesa, a true icon of sports talk radio in America, is coming to FOX Sports.
FOX Sports and CBS RADIO’s WFAN-AM/FM, the most listened to sports radio station in the nation, have reached a multi-year, multi-media agreement that brings Francesa’s wildly successful radio show to the nation’s newest sports networks, FOX Sports 1 and FOX Sports 2, live from coast-to-coast. The announcement was made today by David Nathanson, General Manager & Chief Operating Officer, FOX Sports 1 and FOX Sports 2.
THE MIKE FRANCESA SHOW begins weekday telecasts Monday, March 24 on FOX Sports 1 (1:00-4:00 PM ET) and FOX Sports 2 (4:00-6:00 PM ET), continuing to originate from WFAN’s lower Manhattan studios and broadcast locally at 66AM and 101.9FM. The show is also streamed live via FOX Sports GO through participating video providers.
“We are thrilled to add Mike Francesa to our FOX Sports family of channels,” said Nathanson. “Mike is without question one of the most popular sports personalities in New York and has maintained a significant national reputation through his syndicated NFL show and his WFAN program, which was previously simulcast on YES. He’s knowledgeable and opinionated with an ability to attract top-name guests who appeal to sports fans everywhere. This is a fantastic addition to FOX Sports 1 and FOX Sports 2.”
“I’m thrilled to be teaming with FOX Sports – a brand that continues to expand across the entire sports landscape,” said Francesa. “The combination of WFAN with FOX Sports 1 and FOX Sports 2 will prove to be a powerful partnership.”
Added Don Bouloukos, Senior Vice President and Market Manager, CBS RADIO New York: “Mike is the gold standard of sports radio hosts with a loyal following second to none. This move gives him a platform to grow his audience and provides WFAN with another venue to reach passionate sports fans nationwide.”
Francesa has for more than 25 years been the on-air cornerstone of WFAN, the nation’s first all-sports talk radio station launched in July 1987. Since 2008, Francesa has hosted his own afternoon show, Mike’s On, on WFAN. From 1989 to 2008, he had a critically acclaimed on-air partnership with Chris “Mad Dog” Russo, who together co-hosted the Mike and the Mad Dog Show. In 2000 the Francesa/Russo duo became the first sports-talk hosts ever to win the Marconi Award for Major Market Personality of the Year, an award Francesa received as an individual in 2012, placing him on a very select list of multiple Marconi winners, and the first sports radio host to ever earn radio’s biggest honor more than once. Both Talkers Magazine and Radio Ink recognized Francesa as the No. 1 sports talk host in the country, and Talkers ranked him the 35th most important radio talk show host of all time.
The St. John’s University graduate resides on Long Island with his wife, Roe, and their three children, Jack, Emily and Harrison.
That does it. I promise not to write in Francesa-ese until he announces his retirement from radio.
