It’s pretty much old news after it leaked out Tuesday. Both ESPN and SirisXM have confirmed that Stephen A. Smith is ending his run on SiriusXM’s Mad Dog Radio and will begin on ESPN’s owned and operated stations in L.A. and New York on January 17. The same the two-hour program (1 p.m – 3 p.m.) will run on ESPN’s SiriusXM Channel 80.
ESPN has never been able to crack Mike Francesa’s stranglehold on the ratings in new York City. Francesa has said he’s retiring from WFAN after his contract is up in 2017 and this may be ESPN’s attempt to chip away at some of Francesa’s New York audience.
“This is Phase I towards much bigger things on the horizon,” said Smith. “There is no better way to get this party going than by starting in my hometown (Queens) New York, and LA, the City of Angels. But like I said, this is only the beginning. Stay Tuned!”
Traug Keller, senior vice president, ESPN Audio, added, “There is no one like Stephen A. and his show is a must listen. Sports fans will now have more options to listen to his heartfelt commentary on the issues of the day, through our flagship stations in New York and Los Angeles, on our digital platforms and on SiriusXM.”
