WFAN appears to be testing out replacements for Mike Francesa
John Jastremski hosts his WFAN overnight show, "JJ After Dark," in the radio station's Manhattan studios on May 25, 2018. Credit: Mark La Monica
Mike Francesa is entering his final few weeks in afternoon drive time for WFAN, and it appears tryout season has begun as the station looks toward a new lineup effective in January.
While there has been no official confirmation that that is what is going on, it is fairly evident by the looks of the midday schedule for the next two weeks.
This week, John Jastremski is joining Maggie Gray and Bart Scott from 1 to 3 p.m., presumably giving executives a chance to hear how that combination sounds.
Next week will bring an even more intriguing trio, when Evan Roberts is scheduled to sit in with Gray and Scott.
Roberts widely is assumed to be a leading candidate to be part of the show that replaces Francesa’s, so if Gray and Scott prove to be a good mix with him, those three could get the nod.
That would mean breaking up the longtime midday pair of Roberts and Joe Benigno. If Jastremski does not land in afternoon drive time, middays could be an alternative spot for him. Currently he is the overnight host.
Susan Larkin, regional president of Entercom, WFAN’s parent company, has said that getting a younger roster of hosts, and presumably listeners, is a high priority for the station.
Gray is under contract through 2020, but Scott remains unsigned after this year and still could leave for ESPN or elsewhere if he opts not to stay at WFAN. Afternoon drive time – and a raise – presumably would make staying more attractive to him.
Neil Best first worked at Newsday in 1982, returned in 1985 after a detour to Alaska and has been here since, specializing in high schools, college basketball, the NFL and most recently sports media and business.
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