At "ESPN's urging, Dan Le Batard is expected to move" to the 10:00am-1:00pm ET slot on ESPN Radio, "replacing Fox-bound Colin Cowherd, provided ESPN Radio agrees to contractual terms with Le Batard’s on-air partner, Jon Weiner,” according to Barry Jackson of the MIAMI HERALD. Though Le Batard “is on board with the move, the network must still negotiate with Weiner, known to most of the country as Stugotz.” Le Batard “naturally wants his friend to be taken care of.” ESPN President John Skipper “is a big fan of Le Batard and the top ESPN executives all advocated his move to mornings, partly because more affiliates carry ESPN Radio" from 10:00am-1:00pm than from 4:00-7:00pm. Though “no final decision has been made, former Miami Herald sports writers Ethan J. Skolnick and Israel Gutierrez are considered top candidates to fill Le Batard’s afternoon slot” in the Miami market on WAXY-FM “but not nationally on ESPN Radio.” The program “would run from either" 3:00-7:00pm or 4:00-7:00pm. There is “some thought being given to airing a ‘Best of Le Batard’ show, with highlights of his morning program," from 3:00-4:00pm. Le Batard and Weiner have “expressed a willingness to do a ‘local hour’" from 9:00-10:00am, similar to their current 3:00-4:00pm hour "that airs only” on WAXY. Bomani Jones, who hosts a 9:00-11:00pm show on ESPN Radio, "is the front-runner to replace Le Batard nationally" from 4:00-7:00pm, but WAXY “prefers to air local programming during those hours.” ESPN Radio is expected to ask WAXY to “air an additional ESPN program besides Le Batard’s, but the station’s contract doesn’t explicitly require that” (MIAMI HERALD, 8/21).
