Francesa is not expected to return to his former time slot of 1:00-6:30pm as a three-hour show seems likelyGetty Images
Mike Francesa will "soon return to WFAN" in the 3:00-7:00pm ET slot after his highly-publicized departure from the station last year, according to sources cited by Bob Raissman of the N.Y. DAILY NEWS. Sources said that the 10:00am-3:00pm slot will be "divided between Joe Benigno and Evan Roberts" -- the current WFAN team in that time period -- and Chris Carlin, Maggie Gray and Bart Scott, who "replaced Francesa earlier this year." Sources added that they "did not know Francesa's exact starting date, but said it would be soon" (NYDAILYNEWS.com, 4/24). In N.Y., Andrew Marchand cites sources as saying that Carlin, Gray and Scott, "will not be let go" with Francesa's return. The three hosts are "signed to two-year deals" with WFAN. Francesa is "not expected to be on" during his former time slot of 1:00-6:30pm. A three-hour show would "seem likely," though plans are "in flux." Francesa recently has "feuded with the current FAN hosts, including Boomer Esiason." Meanwhile, station management has put Carlin, Gray and Scott "in an extremely awkward and chaotic environment after only three months on the job" (NYPOST.com, 4/24). Francesa said, “I have been working on a project with CAA for months. That will be explained in the days ahead. ... I will do everything to work WFAN into an integral part of the project. It is time to return to WFAN (NEWSDAY.com, 4/24).
GETTING BACK ON AIR: The POST's Marchand, who first broke yesterday afternoon that Francesa was looking for a radio return, cited sources as saying that Francesa or his reps "have had talks with executives" from ESPN Radio 98.7 N.Y. and WOR-AM. Sources said that with ESPN Radio, Francesa has tried to entice the N.Y. affiliate to "take his Sunday morning NFL show and put it on its airwaves this fall." Marchand notes ESPN Radio did not consider putting Francesa in place of "The Michael Kay Show," which defeated WFAN's trio of Carlin, Gray and Scott in the most recent ratings book (N.Y. POST, 4/24). SI.com's Jimmy Traina reports Francesa was "offered a three-day-a-week job" at SiriusXM -- Monday and Fridays with former WFAN partner Chris Russo and a Sunday morning NFL show. Francesa "turned it down because of the money." He had a "longstanding feud with ESPN because the network banned its people from appearing on his show," which left him "with few options" outside of a return to WFAN (SI.com, 4/24).
SMOKE SIGNALS? The N.Y. DAILY NEWS' Raissman writes Francesa "overestimated his value in the marketplace" after he left WFAN in December and "underestimated how much he would miss the business." He still "needs the adulation of the unwashed masses to feed his ego" and is showing he has "absolutely no regard" for the trio of Carlin, Gray and Scott. Raissman: "They have been on the air a grand total of three months -- and one ratings book -- and Francesa feels comfortable playing it coy and not issuing a denial that he ostensibly is trying to take their jobs?" This would be a "huge reversal from a management team that has been supportive" of Carlin, Gray and Scott (N.Y. DAILY NEWS, 4/24).
