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Get To Know Everyone On Stage At The BSM Summit

“I hope you enjoy learning new details about these distinctive people in the sports radio business.”

Brian Noe

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The 2020 BSM Summit is here, baby! There is a plethora of on-air and programming talent in attendance at this year’s conference. Many of these people happen to be featured in this piece that you’re about to read, retweet, print out and frame. (Two out of four ain’t bad.) You’re sure to recognize many names and might already know plenty of details about these people. However, there are so many facets to a person that you might not be aware of other noteworthy qualities.

I asked each person to provide a fun fact about themselves — something that isn’t widely known. It could literally be about anything; something funny, a passion they have, or maybe a quirk that many people didn’t know existed. Something like Scott Shapiro once having a mullet and Maggie Gray liking broccoli on her pizza. I mean goodness; that’s worth the price of admission right there. I hope you enjoy learning new details about these distinctive people in the sports radio business.

Gregg Giannotti – WFAN, New York
I was an All-State musician in high school playing the string bass. Went to college as a music education major for three years before I changed to a communication major. I also was robbed at machete point in the Dominican Republic on vacation. Doesn’t sound all that funny but the full story is. All good, didn’t get hurt. Went to the beach right after.

John Mamola – WDAE, Tampa

Once worked as a parking attendant at the Ballpark In Arlington. Once taught Ozzie Smith how to run a radio soundboard. Also introduced Grammy-nominated band Hatebreed when I worked for Rebel Radio out of Chicago!

Peter Rosenberg – 98.7 ESPN, New York

I’m incredibly passionate about my dog, Bear, and take him all over the city with me. I can regularly be seen shopping for sneakers or clothes with an adorable corgi mutt.

Scott Masteller – WBAL, Baltimore
Many people may not know that I spent five years calling minor league baseball at the AA level. I called games for two years in my hometown of Williamsport, PA. I then took a job as the play-by-play announcer with the Wichita Wranglers in the Texas League for the San Diego Padres affiliate. Our team won the Texas League Championship in 1992 and I even got a champagne shower after the final game!

Matt Nahigian – 95.7 The Game, San Francisco

I was on The Newlywed Game and lost because I didn’t want my grandma to know what our secret term was for sex.

Jason Barrett – Barrett Sports Media
Something that isn’t commonly known about me is that I’m a huge memes guy. Every morning before I get out of bed to dive into the day’s news and my responsibilities of running BSM, I try to take 15-20 minutes to browse stupid stuff on social media that makes me laugh. It doesn’t matter if it’s cheesy, mildly offensive, or flat out disturbing; humor is different to everyone and I don’t take many things personally. I enjoy the social distraction before the avalanche of work appears in my inbox. It certainly puts me in a better mood starting off my day.

Bomani Jones – ESPN

I’ve had malaria twice when I was three years old. Michael Cohen once tried to call me in for something I said about Donald Trump in 2014.

Michael Kay – 98.7 ESPN, New York

I am one of the worst eaters of all time. I don’t eat condiments. Never had mustard, mayo or ketchup. And never had fish or an egg. I’m very odd.

Howard Deneroff – Westwood One
I do not go to the movies because I will ALWAYS fall asleep when sitting still in a dark room after a few minutes. The last real movie I saw in the theaters may have been Titanic…seriously.

Despite having produced network radio broadcasts of Super Bowls, NCAA Tournaments, Stanley Cup Finals, Olympics, World Series, and other sporting events for 30 years, if you Google my name, you will more likely find entries for me being a passenger/witness on a JetBlue plane in 2010. That’s when the flight attendant, Steven Slater, jumped off the aircraft while cursing on the intercom to quit his job. In the week that followed the incident, I appeared as a guest on the CBS Evening News, The Today Show, CNN, the BBC, the CBC, and too many other shows to mention.  I prefer being behind the scenes for sure.

Maggie Gray – WFAN, New York

I once ate an entire large NYC pizza in two hours while simultaneously hosting a radio show. I realize how sad that is. It was a plain pizza from Joe’s in the West Village — and it was the size of a wagon wheel! My favorite pizza is mushroom, broccoli, and black olive (an odd combo, I know). 

Phil Mackey – SKOR North, Minneapolis
I was a band geek in high school. I won multiple awards as a jazz trumpet player, including a soloist award at the New Orleans Jazz Festival. Although I haven’t picked up a trumpet in years, I now get my music fix through belting out high harmonies at karaoke dive bars around the Twin Cities. 

Tony Bruno – Tony Bruno Show

I consider myself somewhat of a foodie, yet don’t like many common foods. I love eggs prepared every way except hard boiled; they gross me out! Also, despite being Italian, I’m not a big fan of cold meats like charcuterie (i.e. salami or pepperoni) although I like them on pizza. Same thing with tuna; I’ll eat seared filet, but can’t be near canned tuna fish or cold salads with tuna in it. I leave the room when someone is eating it near me and have thought of opening the emergency exit doors if someone brings one with raw onions on an airplane.

Bruce Gilbert – Cumulus/Westwood One
I’m not even close to being the most talented person in my own marriage. I’m married to the former Amy Williams who many of you knew as one of the ESPN Radio Affiliate sales reps from 1999-2006. Prior to that, Amy was very successful as a promoter in the music industry. She is currently co-hosting the First and Tens podcast with long-time Dallas radio personality Jasmine Sadry. In addition to being an amazing mom to our son, Hudson, Amy has become an established artist. She is a self-taught glass mosaic artist, specializing in customized, one-of-a-kind art pieces, using acoustic guitars as her canvas. You can see her amazing work at glassaxes.com.

Chris Canty – 98.7 ESPN, New York

I went to four different high schools in two different cities. I started out as a freshman in the marching band (playing the clarinet) to an All-State tight end on a state championship football team.

Don LaGreca – 98.7 ESPN, New York

I love movies. Have no problem watching a movie 100 times if I love it. Drives my wife crazy.

Justin Craig – ESPN Radio
When I was in high school, I once spent six weeks working for the town highway department where I grew up. I was part of one of the road crews that would go around picking up sticks, leaves or whatever junk was put out on the curb by residents. I only lasted six weeks because I couldn’t take the ridiculous amount of breaks that they took. It felt like we spent more time at McDonald’s on coffee breaks than actually doing anything. Not to mention it was cutting in to my time of listening to the great Brother Wease on WCMF.

Erika Nardini – Barstool Sports

Realizing that Starbucks lets you put heavy cream in your coffee has been a personal game changer. A venti red eye is my favorite.

Dave Tepper – Altitude Sports 92.5, Denver
I got into talk radio from being a professional stand up comic at the Laugh Factory in LA. Some coworkers are surprised because they don’t find me funny. My most memorable boos and heckles came when the club manager had me MC Latino night. They started on me right away. After plowing through my act and battling hecklers the best I could, my time was mercifully up. First act I introduced was Carlos Mencia who took the stage and destroyed the crowd for not giving me a chance. That meant a lot. Best memory — Green Day was at a show and pulled me aside to say I was their favorite comic of the night.

Chris Carlin – 98.7 ESPN, New York
I found my love of broadcasting because a drunk guy punched out an off-duty cop in a bar. He did color for football on the student station. He was asked to not return to the broadcast. They needed someone quickly and a friend at the radio station knew I loved sports and football, so I gave it a shot. Fell in love.

Gavin Spittle – 105.3 The Fan, Dallas
I have a huge passion for sports logos. So much so that I created a t-shirt line of fake, funny sports logos and made a business out of it — awesomesportslogos.com. My favorite logo is The Macon Whoopee. My favorite logo that I’ve created is The Cocksville Blockers.

Ryan Porth – 102.5 The Game, Nashville

Outside of sports, my #1 passion is music, which makes living in Music City that much better! My favorite genre is country and my favorite performers are Luke Combs, Eric Church and Foo Fighters. I’m not afraid to admit that a close second is The Bachelor / The Bachelorette. Go ahead, take away my man card.

Carl Dukes – 92.9 The Game, Atlanta

I love Frank Sinatra. I still practice in the mirror. I’m a good golfer. I love being on the water — fishing and boating. I also collect and love unique bourbons.

Fred Jacobs – Jacobs Media

I had a bagel route at the age of 12 in Northwest Detroit. I also danced with Little Steven Van Zandt and a group of go-go girls at a Jacobs Summit in Cleveland.

Julie Talbott – Premiere Networks

My brothers, sisters, and our families have had the same Christmas tradition since we were born. No matter where we are all living, we meet for Christmas Eve at our parent’s home and our grandparent’s farm for Christmas — all in Kentucky. We are up to 62 people!

Jason Fitz – ESPN Radio

I’m presuming most people know about the music stuff. Non-music: I don’t know how to swim OR ride a bike. I also have a crazy love of toys. Funko pops to vintage. Always out of the box. Not collected! Played with!

Spike Eskin – 94WIP, Philadelphia

I was in a band in my mid-20s called Project Mayhem (Fight Club reference). My roommate and I had never been in a band before, and we somehow found a bass player and a drummer who had never been in a band either. We did mostly covers of nu-metal songs from bands like Godsmack and Papa Roach. We played a total of four gigs, one in a WYSP listener’s backyard (called Backyard Fest). We wrote one original song, called “Tony Blair,” named after the British Prime Minister.

Demetri Ravanos – Barrett Sports Media

My dad is a chef. He made me start going to work with him when I was nine. The first thing I ever got paid to do was wrap baked potatoes and peel onions. I don’t even think he gave me minimum wage.

Amanda Gifford – ESPN

I played on the boy’s golf team in high school. To be fair, anybody was able to play, but I was the only girl. In the four years I played, I think I only played against another girl one time. I was usually the #4 or #5 golfer (top six played in the matches) and there are no “ladies tees” when you play in high school — everybody hits from the same tees no matter male/female. I never felt weird playing against male competition; it was part of the fun, but always funny to see their expressions when I showed up on the tee.

Mark Chernoff – WFAN, New York

My son, Mike, and I (he’s the general manager of the Cleveland Indians) make sure we have a baseball catch at least once a month. (Remember he lives in the Cleveland area and I live in the NY metro), but we make sure we do and have been doing it since he was a kid.

Armen Williams – Sports Radio 610, Houston

I played tuba for 12 years. In college, I marched in the Goin’ Band from Raiderland at Texas Tech University. My first game was inside the Horseshoe at Ohio State. During the halftime show, I was so nervous — pretty sure I played a total of six notes — I had to look straight up just to see the sky. The atmosphere was incredible. 

This was also the first game for Ohio State freshman running back Maurice Clarett. He had a record-breaking day with 175 yards and three touchdowns, averaging 8.3 yards per carry. Guess we know which true freshman had the better debut. 

Scott Shapiro – FOX Sports Radio

I was that 3rd grade kid who played basketball with a headband, wristbands, and goggles. Yes indeed! Oh, and a mullet to top it all off. When you have no shame even at a young age, you just let it all go. Now that I think about it, I was Kurt Rambis just without the mustache (nor was I ever clotheslined by Kevin McHale)!

Chris Kinard – 106.7 The Fan, Washington, DC

My first big sports memory was the 1988 Redskins Super Bowl victory. When I started in the business 10 years later I certainly never expected it would be 20 years in sports radio before I worked a championship parade. Or that two would come in consecutive years!

Freddie Coleman – ESPN Radio

I was at Live Aid in Philadelphia in 1985 THE WHOLE DAY!!! Saw so many of my favorite bands and had a chance to shake hands with Billy Ocean, Phil Collins, Ron Wood and Tina Turner.

Rodney Lakin – Arizona Sports 98.7, Phoenix

The BSM Summit will be my first trip to NYC. Never been before, which would probably make me the only person in America excited to leave sunny 70-degree weather for the cold and rain in New York. Happy to be here, though.

Mitch Rosen – 670 The Score, Chicago

Guilty pleasure; I read People magazine every Friday as it’s delivered to my house. I also reflect on one of my fondest memories in radio — producing Game 7 of the World Series when the Cubs won live on the Score. The first World Series Championship since 1908 and it happened on the Score — the first season the station had the broadcast rights. Sitting next to Pat Hughes and Ron Coomer on the call. It was radio and sports history. That was special and I was able to watch and hear it live along with over half of the listening audience in Chicago per Nielson.

Don Martin – FOX Sports Radio
I grew up an Army brat. Born in Nuremburg Germany to an American GI and a German mom. Thus I was raised speaking English and German.

I was the TV play-by-play voice of the now defunct “CAC” (Colorado Athletic Conference), which was absorbed into the RMAC in 1996. My analyst was legendary high school coach Sam Pagano. Both of his sons are NFL coaches (Chuck now with the Bears, and John is with Denver).

Jeff Rickard – 93.5/107.5 The Fan, Indianapolis

Like many before me, I have become a full-time limo driver with daily stops to the Orchard School, basketball practice, piano lessons, Math Bowl and Mathnasium with twice weekly appearances at the Indianapolis Children’s Choir. I have also been a board member at Fishers Montessori School.

Heather Cohen – The Weiss Agency

I sometimes respond to the name ROB because years before I became a programmer, and then broadcast talent agent, I started as a board operator. I found myself running the board for the legendary syndicated talk host, Bob Grant, on WOR in NY. He refused to call me Heather and would refer to me on-air as ROB. So, I became known as ROB during that period of my career.

Mike Thomas – ESPN 1000, Chicago

Long before my sports radio days I did afternoon drive on a country station in Southwest Michigan. I was known as Mike “Bubba” Thomas. Garth Brooks was HUGE and I would answer to someone shouting “BUBBA” at me!

Brandon Tierney – CBS Sports Radio

I attended an all-boys semi-military high school in Manhattan and played the glockenspiel in the military band as a freshman. I’m an avid fisherman — hooked an 800-plus-pound shark last summer in South Carolina and a 23-inch brown trout in Utah a month later on my second ever fly-fish cast. I’ve visited 45/50 states so far. My musical tastes are pretty eclectic, but I have a few go-to artists since college when it’s time to dig in/write/tap into creativity: Billy Joel, Simon and Garfunkel, Cat Stevens and Pink Floyd.

Justin Dove – Core Image Studio

I’m a born and raised Newfoundlander (east coast of Canada) in a small fishing town called Too Good Arm — population 80 people. Currently residing in Calgary, my wife Karla and I give a lot of time to the local rescue called Pawsitive Match. In 2019 alone, they have fostered and helped find homes for over 30 cats.

Brian Noe – FOX Sports Radio / NBCSNW, 620 Rip City Radio – Portland

I never set my alarm clock at the top of the hour. Instead of something like 8:00am — it’s 8:01. I have no idea why this feels right.

I also don’t drink. My dad struggled with alcoholism when I was growing up. I could see myself likely fighting the same battle, so I just stayed away from it. I’m very proud of my dad; he’s been sober for over 13 years now. It doesn’t bother me when friends and other people drink around me. I’d actually be rich if I received a nickel each time a friend jokingly asked before a liquor store run, “B, Jack and Coke? Jack and Coke, right?”

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Kim Mulkey Now Has Everyone Anticipating Washington Post Story

I can’t imagine what headline, under normal circumstances, the Washington Post would have to put on a Kim Mulkey story to make me want to read it.

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photo of LSU women's college basketball coach Kim Mulkey
Credit: Dailymail.co.uk

The Washington Post, you might’ve heard, has a story coming out about controversial LSU women’s basketball coach Kim Mulkey. The reason you might’ve heard is because Kim Mulkey told you. The Tigers coach read a fiery prepared statement just before her team started the Women’s NCAA Tournament. In the statement, Mulkey threatened to sue The Post for defamation before the first word was even published.

Now, I’ve never run a public relations firm but that did not seem like a good idea. The Washington Post story on Mulkey is one of the bigger stories in sports right now and nobody even knows what’s in it. The reason the story, apparently unflattering to Mulkey, is even on anyone’s radar screen is Mulkey herself.

It all started with an innocuous social media post by Sports Illustrated’s Pat Forde right in the middle of the most anticipated two days in sports, the NCAA Tournament Round of 64. On his X account, Forde posted: “Hearing some buzz about a big Washington Post story in the works on LSU women’s hoops coach Kim Mulkey, potentially next week. Wagons being circled, etc.”

You know what generally will go unnoticed at 4:00 on the first Friday of the NCAA Tournament? A post on X about a women’s basketball coach. But don’t tell Mulkey, she saw Forde’s post and decided to fight fire with nuclear weaponry. The result: the average person like me now is really interested in what has Mulkey so incensed. By “average person like me” I mean that I can’t imagine what headline, under normal circumstances, the Washington Post would have to put on a Kim Mulkey story to make me want to read it. Maybe:

“LSU Women’s Coach Discovers Ark of the Covenant”

Or:

“Mulkey Reveals True JFK Assassin(s)”

Perhaps:

“Famed Women’s Basketball Coach Reveals the Mystery Behind Slow Drivers in the Left Lane”

Literally any of those catch my attention more than whatever will likely be the Washington Post headline about Mulkey. But now Mulkey is “Mad as Hell and is not going to take this anymore” so I now have an interest I would never before have had in this story. It has been fascinating to watch the online speculation about the subject of the article and all we really know, as of now, is that it will be written by Kent Babb. This is a dream come true for Babb; he writes an article that is, presumably, not flattering about Kim Mulkey and, before it is even published, she gives the article the greatest commercial anyone could give it. Babb couldn’t have entered into a business agreement with Mulkey and had this turn out better for him.

For those who don’t follow Babb, he is a former NFL reporter who now is an award-winning writer for the Washington Post. In his 14 years with The Post, he has written sports features and authored a couple of books. One of those sports features stories was a deep dive into what he viewed as a large inequity in the level of pay for LSU head football coach Brian Kelly and his LSU players. It is this piece Mulkey described as a “hit piece” and, based on that piece, referred to Babb as a “sleazy reporter.” Babb, and many others, resented the fact his story was labeled as a hit piece. In fact, Babb essentially confirmed he was the author Mulkey was referencing when he shared the original article on X with the comment: “Hit piece?”

Whether a printed piece or a recorded interview, I can’t imagine a better promotion for it than the subject of the interview threatening a libel/slander lawsuit, especially before it is even released. That simply screams “This piece is salacious!!” Also, libel and slander suits get settled all the time, right? Of course they don’t, they seem to never even get filed. That little thing called discovery is a scary thing for most public figures.

The NCAA Tournament has been very entertaining, and I think the Sweet 16 and Elite Eight will be terrific. For only the fifth time ever, the top two seeds have advanced to the third round which sets up for a remarkable weekend. For me, I guess it will now include a Washington Post article, not a sentence I’d normally say.

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Ian Eagle Crushing It for CBS As Replacement for Jim Nantz

Eagle continues to be a shining example of what a network play-by-play announcer should be.

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Photo of Ian Eagle and the CBS Sports logo

I’ll admit, it’s been a little strange not hearing Jim Nantz during this year’s NCAA Tournament. Nantz stepped aside to concentrate on golf and the NFL after a long run covering the Final Four. Change is sometimes hard to accept, we are all creatures of habit, and I’m sure it’s a little weird for Nantz himself this time of year. But change doesn’t always have to be a bad thing. When it comes to Ian Eagle, not that I’m surprised, so far, so good.

Eagle is no stranger to CBS viewers. He’s been with the network since 1998 calling college basketball games and the NFL through the years. That certainly made the transition a little easier for everyone involved. CBS, the viewers and Eagle himself. Familiarity in these cases doesn’t breed content, it breeds a more comfortable broadcast and an easier handle on the change itself.

For Eagle, one of the other benefits for him was working with familiar folks, Bill Raftery, Grant Hill and Tracy Wolfson. Eagle estimates that he and Raftery have called 600 basketball games together, because they were longtime partners on the NBA’s Nets broadcasts. Eagle has also previously worked with Hill in college basketball, the same for Wolfson.

“To do this with Bill, Grant, and Tracy, it really is going to feel very seamless. In many ways, it will feel like we’ve been doing it together for many years,” says Eagle on a conference call before the Big Dance.

It sounds seamless too. It’s not underrated to have a good rapport with the folks that you’re working with. Everyone is trying to get used to a new voice and the idiosyncrasies of a new announcer. It’s much less of a chore, when you know and have worked with your co-workers and partners before.  You know what to expect from them, and they know what to expect from you. That’s good.

I think Eagle is killing it in his new role. You could even tell during the Big Ten Tournament that led up to the “Big Dance” that he was not only ready, he was ready to roll. It’s easy to hear how much he loves doing what he’s doing. That’s the case in all of the sports he calls.

Eagle continues to be a shining example of what a network play-by-play announcer should be. He has the ability to combine his talent with some personality, but never at the expense of the action he’s calling. His broadcasts always hit the mark, as he rises to the occasion when the moment calls for it.

What do I mean by personality? He manages to make us laugh, even in some tense moments of a game. He also manages to articulate our thoughts in some situations, like this example from the first weekend of the NCAA Tournament. 

Sideline reporter Tracy Wolfson had a report during the UConn/Northwestern game about the superstitions of Huskies’ coach Dan Hurley. He wears the same red dragon underwear and suit as he did last year. Wolfson said Hurley’s wife travels with a portable washing machine to make sure his clothes stay clean. Leading Eagle to ask the question on all our minds:

“Who has a portable washing machine?! I didn’t even know that existed!”

Also in that game, Eagle had a couple of other great moments. UConn big man Donovan Clingan had a couple of swats on one play.

“Denied! Clingan! Denied! Two for the price of one!” Quick thinking and entertaining at the same time. Later when a ball got pinned between the basket and the backboard, Eagle said, “Oooh! A Brooklyn wedgie!”

Great stuff. None of his ‘ad-libs’ sound like they are forced. It’s within the flow of the action and just seem to come to him. It’s pretty amazing to be that quick on your feet, when you’re trying to make sure to get the call correct above all else. I’m sure we’re all in for many more treats like that along the way from Eagle.

In general, when fans are watching a tournament game, they probably aren’t thinking about the preparation that goes into a broadcast. Especially for a play-by-play announcer. The first weekend network announcers calling a couple of games in the same day. There’s also only a day in between the first and second rounds to prep for teams that you may or may not have seen during the college season.  The turnaround is quick and demanding.  

“It feels like an information avalanche in many ways,” Eagle said recently on 670 The Score. “The fact that I’ve done it for so long would make you think, ‘oh, he’s got it down, he has the system, he found the secret sauce.’ No, it feels the same way every year.”

Eagle says even veteran announcers like himself have to manage stress levels and work efficiently once they know which games they’ll call. “The two or three days leading up to the tournament, I must admit, are probably the most angst-riddled of the year because it’s a little bit out of your control.” Eagle told 670 The Score.

Yes, the stress level is great on the broadcasters, but how about what Clark Kellogg continues to do at the NCAA Tournament and the Final Four? For the 8th year, he’ll join Kevin Kugler and Jim Jackson on Westwood One’s broadcast of the Final Four and Championship Game on radio. At the same time, Kellogg will be a studio analyst for the television coverage. How does he pull it off? Following the pregame show broadcast on TV, Kellogg will make his way courtside to the radio broadcast position to join Kugler and Jackson. Then, he will rejoin TV for halftime before repeating the process in the second half and postgame. 

Working this tournament isn’t easy for these broadcasters. It’s a big stage for sure, but as you’ve read, there’s big pressure that goes along with it. The audience is usually huge, and announcers are constantly put under the microscope. Fans want to make sure that you know their team, pronunciations and all. Stories. Bios. All of it. Cut these folks a little slack, information gathering with little time to do it, isn’t exactly simple. They do a damn good job.

Eagle himself, is doing a tremendous job. The 3-man booth works so well because of his ability to keep it all together. He can set up either Raftery or Hill with a serious basketball question, or deliver a great ‘straight line’ to bring out their personalities. It’s a gift. Eagle has that knack for knowing when to go ‘rogue’ and go for that entertaining line, that seems to fit in perfectly. Speaking of fitting fine, those rather large shoes he had to fill, they’re becoming the perfect size.

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Andrew Salciunas Aims to Thrive in Morning Drive on 97.5 The Fanatic

“We are two radio guys that kind of know what we’re doing.”

Derek Futterman

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Andrew Salciunas
Courtesy: Beasley Media Group

When 97.5 The Fanatic midday host Anthony Gargano agreed to a deal to contribute to PHLY Sports, a local digital venture within ALLCITY Network, he was promptly suspended by Beasley Media Group and subsequently sued for breach of contract. Although the two sides eventually reached a settlement and officially parted ways, the future of the daypart was still in question. In the interim time period, the station granted Andrew Salciunas the opportunity to lead a four-hour solo program with producer Ray Dunne. Salciunas had served as Gargano’s producer in the midday slot and still has a strong relationship with the sports media personality today despite no longer working together.

The onerous aspect of the situation, however, was in recognizing that Salciunas was being afforded a chance to prove himself as a host in the marketplace. In the past, he had filled in when Gargano took vacations, but it was not for an extended period of time. Although he was familiar with the flow of a midday program, achieving a successful, yet sudden assimilation into a regular timeslot without a partner was an invigorating circumstance.

“I knew that it was going to be a learning experience because it’s one thing to host a show on Saturday or it’s one thing to host a weekly podcast and you have a week’s worth of content at your disposal,” Salciunas said. “It’s another thing to [be] hosting every single day and needing to come up with new ideas and new angles and new twists on things, so it was a challenge knowing that I was going to have to do that for however long the process was going to be.”

Salciunas received help from program director Scott Masteller, a sports radio veteran who has helped elevate brands and nurture budding talent. Several months later, Masteller asked Salciunas how he would feel about working with morning program host John Kincade. Salciunas replied by saying that it was something he would be interested in doing, and he later added that he already wakes up early and could easily work in morning drive. Salciunas was somewhat nonplussed when he discovered that Masteller’s intention was to have him anchor the program rather than Kincade, who has been hosting in the daypart since January 2021.

In the weeks and months ensuing, Salciunas and Kincade were involved in meetings to plan the new program, which officially made its debut on 97.5 The Fanatic last week and is titled Kincade & Salciunas. Both hosts knew about the program for roughly two months, and Salciunas is surprised that it was kept a secret for as long as it was. Outside of their scheduled meetings, Salciunas was able to speak with Kincade between their shows since they occurred after the other as well. From the onset, he wanted to make his thoughts about the program clear to ensure a smooth transition amid a quest to inform and entertain the audience.

“The first thing I told John when they told us that this was the plan moving forward was that, ‘This is going to be our show,’” Salciunas recalled. “Yes, I might be the guy running the ins and outs out of commercial breaks. I’m the guy that brings on the guests; I’m the guy that brings on the callers, but this is our show. We both have ideas, we’re both passionate about Philadelphia sports teams, we’re both high-energy people, we’re both opinionated and we’re also respectful of each other.”

While there is natural disagreement between Salciunas and Kincade on a variety of sports topics, they make sure not to fabricate their discussions and engender debate for the sake of the show. Instead of feigning their contrarian discourse, there is a legitimate willingness to be genuine with their audience while continuing to put radio first. Salciunas, Kincade and show producer Connor Thomas all contribute ideas for the program to appeal to the audience and continue building the show as a whole. Thomas also had familiarity in working with Kincade since he served as an associate producer on his previous morning program.

“I’m not a former journalist; he’s not a former professional athlete,” Salciunas said. “We are two radio guys that kind of know what we’re doing. Even though our opinions might differ on sports-related stuff, we see doing radio in a similar way.”

Upon Kincade officially joining 97.5 The Fanatic, he demonstrated his magnanimity and commitment to his colleagues by offering to take all of them out to lunch individually to learn more about them. It was a gesture that surprised Salciunas and something that stuck with him, ultimately helping familiarize themselves with one another and subsequently creating a viable on-air product.

“He’s one of those guys who likes getting to know people, and I think that’s helped a lot,” Salciunas said. “We already had that sort of knowledge of one another [and] we already had that relationship, and because we’re just both so bought in and both so hungry, that’s made it so much easier that we’re willing to do whatever it takes to make the show work.”

Before arriving at 97.5 The Fanatic, Kincade had worked at sports radio both at the local and national levels while also hosting a podcast with Hall of Fame center and Inside the NBA studio analyst Shaquille O’Neal. Bringing him back to his home marketplace and realizing success in the morning daypart was valuable as the sports media ecosystem underwent stretches of change. Transitioning to the new morning show iteration without colleagues Bob Cooney and Pat Egan presented its challenges, but Salciunas has had no qualms that Kincade was invested to win. As a result, the transition has been relatively simple in terms of building palpable chemistry among the on-air team.

“He believes in anybody that he works with,” Salciunas said of Kincade, “and knowing that somebody has worked that long as long as he has in sports radio that he values the young person’s opinion, not just in sports but in terms of radio, that goes a long way.”

There is constant communication between the morning show team leading up to a program outside of typical pre-show meetings and twice-weekly conversations with their boss. Salciunas arrives at the station well before the start of the program and compiles ideas from the previous day into a document, along with ideas from others that come during their commutes. Additionally, they continuously monitor the news cycle and determine what to address on the air while also interviewing special guests throughout the week.

Effectuating a fully prepared show rundown by 6 a.m. EST has been marginally difficult, along with the fact that it can be difficult to book guests on short notice before sunrise. Because of this, the program frequently outlines its guests early in the week and makes adjustments as necessary while maintaining fealty towards conveying their true, authentic personalities.

“I’m a little bit more energetic on the radio because I understand the entertainment portion of doing what we do and having to properly express myself,” Salciunas said. “I’m probably not going to scream at a bar, but when I converse with callers; when I converse with John [or] producers… that’s who I am as a person. There’s just a microphone in front of me.”

When he first started working at 97.5 The Fanatic as an intern, Salciunas did not have a goal of eventually becoming an on-air talent. He was content with his role as a producer, which was borne out of an internship where he worked with Jon Marks and Steve Vassalotti. Both station members served as mentors that he utilized to gain information and advice, a fortuitous outcome after Salciunas impetuously applied for the opening.

While Salciunas was matriculating at Temple University, he needed at least three internship credits in order to qualify for graduation. Reflecting back on his education days, he does not regard himself as the best student and recognized that he needed to intern with the radio station to set himself apart. Honing his focus in sports media took time since he had varied interests in areas such as reporting, podcasting and play-by-play announcing, but he ultimately gravitated towards the sports radio format during his time in Philadelphia.

Salciunas made a favorable impression on those with 97.5 The Fanatic and ended up being hired as an associate producer where he learned more about the format and its programming. Eric Camille, a former executive producer at the station, is someone Salciunas regards as seminal to his professional development.

“He was the guy that hired me out of my internship, and then once I started working, he really helped me,” Salciunas said. “He kind of took me under his wing and helped me out a lot.”

Once Salciunas was hired as a full-time producer, he began to work with Mike Missanelli on his midday program, providing an invaluable learning experience to gain a more comprehensive understanding of the sports media industry. As a veteran host who has captivated Philadelphia sports fans and media consumers at large, Salciunas noticed that collaborating on Missanelli’s program was a different experience than the other shows he had done. Whereas a morning drive show is oftentimes one of the first points of reaction on a given day, Missanelli knew that he would need to approach his daypart differently and adopted a paradigmatic style implementing second-level topics.

“It’s not just going on the air and reacting to an Eagles loss,” Salciunas explained. “It’s reacting to a storyline within an Eagles loss or reacting to a storyline within an Eagles win that may generate conversation. Trying to figure out topics that generate conversation but are not just the, ‘Oh wow, I’m angry they lost today,’ and give out the phone number. It’s [trying] to find topics that make people think and make yourself think and make the audience think.”

When Missanelli left the station, Salciunas began his stint working with Anthony Gargano where he began occasionally hosting select programs. The rationale behind his decision to go behind the microphone was that when the Eagles won a Super Bowl championship, the station needed someone to host from 2 to 5 a.m. Salciunas decided to volunteer for the program, presuming that it sounded fun. From that shift on, he continued his work as a producer while also refining his craft behind the microphone in a major market. It deviated from a philosophy perpetuated by former program director Matt Nahigian of limiting the amount of time producers were on the air, assuming that consumers listened to hear the hosts.

“Now you have to be a producer,” Salciunas affirmed. “You look at both radio stations in Philadelphia – a lot of the hosts now were former producers, and so you learn so much of the craft and then you figure out your own role. You figure out how you handle yourself as a host, so I think producing first before becoming a talk show host should be the way to go moving forward.”

Beasley Media Group’s 97.5 The Fanatic shares the Philadelphia marketplace with Audacy-owned SportsRadio 94WIP, and both stations have had intense battles in the ratings over the years. Salciunas shared that most people between the two stations have worked with their competitors at some point in their careers, and there is an evident respect that exists between the two entities. With both outlets introducing new morning shows within the last two years though, Salciunas understands there is a chance to gain ground on the WIP Morning Show, which finished ahead in the four Nielsen XTrends quarterly ratings books last year.

“Clearly if somebody’s behind a microphone in Philadelphia, everybody’s talented, and we’re going to do whatever we can to try to bridge that gap a little bit, and we’re seeing some good strides already,” Salciunas said. “I think having a new show is a big part of that trying to grab that initial audience, but then it’s holding on to that initial audience.”

Being able to achieve this outcome, however, requires a commitment to showcasing talent and different personalities. Salciunas referenced how there was a point in John Kincade’s stint hosting mornings in the daypart’s previous iteration where he gained ground on his crosstown competitor Angelo Cataldi with WIP. Kincade, of course, used to work with Cataldi’s show as a contributor and received a chance to take the air while with the outlet.

“I’ve seen the turn of tides of ratings over the years for every show [and] every time slot, so there’s always an opportunity, but that means we always have to be on our game; that means we always have to be doing the best show possible,” Salciunas said. “We can’t go in the next day and say, ‘Wow, that show was really good yesterday. Let’s have some fun today; let’s make this a lighthearted show.’ No, we always have to be thinking about, ‘Alright, what can we do next to put on another great entertaining four-hour radio show?’”

Over the last several years, there have been several leadership changes at 97.5 The Fanatic responsible for overseeing the slate of programming and station operations. Scott Masteller currently leads the outlet, someone in whom Salciunas has confidence that he can continue to elevate the standing of the station. In his earlier years working with 97.5 The Fanatic, Salciunas had an innovative spirit but was discouraged from taking steps to align with the multimedia evolution. For example, when he offered to do a podcast several years ago, someone at the station questioned his judgment and the reasoning behind the idea.

“I was told by someone, ‘What’s the point in doing that? We’re a radio station,’ and I knew back then that that was a mistake to say,” Salciunas explained. “You shouldn’t say, ‘We’re a radio station;’ that was years ago, so seeing that bosses and market managers and hosts and producers all realizing, ‘Alright, we have to adapt,’ that excites me.”

Possessing the background as a producer lends shrewd and calculated judgment on how to include members of the audience into the program. While there are still open phone lines for callers to chime in, the program has introduced a text line and also engages with the audience through the live chat functionality of YouTube. Having Thomas as a producer of the show has helped in this area as well, with Salciunas sharing that he has a strong understanding of how to create and optimize content for various platforms of dissemination.

“We have a great YouTube audience where they basically have their own community all of a sudden,” Salciunas said. “They’re constantly talking about the show, and sometimes we grab what they’re saying on that YouTube feed because that’s another area of today’s new media where you have another avenue to communicate with people.”

As Salciunas grows accustomed to the early start on 97.5 The Fanatic and his new colleagues in morning drive, he is filled with enthusiasm and the prospect of possibility. The radio station has been the only outlet by which he has been employed since the start of his media career, and he hopes to work there for as long as possible. National radio and television intrigue him going forward, but his priority centers on thriving in the new role.

“I want to try to get 97.5 The Fanatic – because it starts in the morning – back up in the map; back in the top five of the ratings books – and that’s going to take some time,” Salciunas said. “We’re a new show – we’re going to have to figure each other out.”

Salciunas expressed that the last year-and-a-half has been “hectic” in the midday daypart, but there has also been excitement surrounding the ephemerality as well. Taking the microphone in a major market with a dedicated sports fanbase such as Philadelphia is a privilege he does not take for granted, and he aspires to continue excelling in the marketplace for years to come.

“I just started, so I’m not thinking about the next step just yet,” Salciunas said. “I want this to last for a long time – for a very long time. If I never have to leave, that would be great.”

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