See ya?
Michael Kay’s run on New York sports radio could be coming to a close, The Post has learned.
Kay is seriously contemplating retiring from his ESPN New York show after more than two decades on the air, according to sources.
Kay and ESPN declined comment.
At the end of September, Kay’s multi-million dollar contract with ESPN New York runs out and, while there have been talks about an extension, Kay, according to sources, has told ESPN officials his expectation is to step away. Many of them believe he is not bluffing.
Nonetheless, ESPN continues to pursue an extension and there is a chance that it could make it so worth his while he remains on the program that bears his name with partners Don La Greca and Peter Rosenberg.
However, with his 62nd birthday next month, a wife, two young kids and another full-time job as the TV voice of the Yankees, this doesn’t appear to be a negotiating ploy.
Kay has no plans to give up his Yankees job and has made it clear to ESPN executives that he hopes to continue on ESPN’s “Kay-Rod” broadcasts, where he and Alex Rodriguez did an alternative cast on select “Sunday Night Baseball” games last season and during a postseason series.
Because ESPN executives are still trying to keep Kay, the network has no real plan yet for how it would replace him. The initial expectation is La Greca and Rosenberg would be part of a new program; however, ESPN has not really gotten deep into discussions. Kay will be hard to replace if he does leave.
It was his show and ESPN New York’s emergence that challenged the incumbent sports radio giant, WFAN. After years of building and losing to “Mike & the Mad Dog,” Kay and company had their crowning achievement by soundly beating Mike Francesa after Francesa returned from retirement in 2019. Kay also took Francesa’s simulcast spot on YES and has remained there for nearly nine years.
While WFAN did not give its initial Francesa replacement, CMB — featuring Chris Carlin, Maggie Gray and Bart Scott, the proper amount of time to establish itself, Kay beating FAN’s new crew in the ratings made it easier to justify Francesa’s desire to return.
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Kay also beat Evan Roberts and Joe Benigno in the ratings when they challenged for afternoon supremacy. Kay’s program initially defeated Craig Carton and Roberts, but after a seesaw battle, Carton and Roberts have recently dominated the Kay show.
In the fall ratings book, “Carton and Roberts” was second with a 7.5 share, in the market in the male 25-54 demographic — which is what sports radio stations market to — while “The Michael Kay Show” dropped to 14th with a 2.9 share from 3-6:30 p.m., according to Nielsen Audio.
Kay has thought about leaving before; especially after longtime boss and friend Tim McCarthy, the station’s longtime GM, was let go in 2021. Kay decided to stay on, which, like Francesa, kept him from the opportunity to leave on top.
To start the year, ESPN, with its business partnership with Good Karma Radio, has made more of a commitment to local radio in New York, which is a must to compete against FAN.
This week, ESPN expanded the Rick DiPietro and Dave Rothenberg morning show to air from 6-10 a.m. This is the station’s first real head-to-head challenge to “Boomer & Gio.” While Boomer Esiason and Gregg Giannotti have a huge lead, morning listeners now have more of a choice than when ESPN was running its tightly produced national show.
If ESPN decides not to unsettle its new morning franchise, then internally Carlin would figure to be a strong candidate to replace Kay, as he is a proven New York radio commodity and has appeared with La Greca and Rosenberg often. Carlin and ex-Giant Chris Canty currently hold down ESPN’s national afternoon slot and fill in for Mike Greenberg, who is on his mid-morning show seemingly part-time. Bart Scott and Alan Hahn are also on the station’s roster from noon-3, but ESPN may not want to split up the pair.
Meanwhile, there is one big splash that would ignite a future, epic sports radio war.
That is Christoper “Mad Dog” Russo. Russo left Francesa in 2008. Since then, Russo, 63, has been a staple on SiriusXM, where he has a channel named after him and appears to be happy.
But he has a budding relationship with ESPN, where he has teamed up with Stephen A. Smith on “First Take” for Wednesday spark-filled appearances.
At this point, it would have to be looked upon as a long shot as Russo’s current contract is not up until 2024, according to a source.
But it is all very intriguing, because Kay is seemingly warming up his voice to say his trademark “See ya” for the final time on afternoon sports radio in September.
