Mike Francesa admits his relationship with CBS Radio has gone downhill

It seems the Sports Pope is lamenting his sour relationship with CBS Radio and Fox. In talking with Newsday’s Neil Best during a live raucous appearance at the Hard Rock Café this week, Francesa admitted his relationship with his bosses has “never been worse.”

He admitted that a major reason for the sour relationship is over the Fox Sports 1/Fox Sports 2 simulcast which is often pre-empted for the U.S. Soccer games, UEFA Champions League or NASCAR programming which all get better ratings than his show.

Francesa says a lot of his frustration is over the lack of a solution over the Fox Sports 1 situation and the way CBS Radio is handling with it, “We have a difference of opinion on a number of issues now, and Fox is one of them, yes, but I’ve been asked not to discuss it in any detail and I’m going to abide by what I was asked not to do.”

He also said via Newsday, “My relationship with the people who I deal with is awful right now; it’s terrible. We don’t agree on philosophy. Nothing’s changed. It’s what it is. I do my show. They didn’t have any interest in fixing what I wanted fixed.”

Francesa is under contract with CBS Radio and WFAN until 2018. His show continues to do well in New York, but it’s the Fox Sports 1 simulcast that gives him fits, “If there’s anyone who can see the show who couldn’t see it in the past, that’s a positive, but Fox and I are not going to agree, and CBS and Fox and I are not going to agree on this. I’ve come to that conclusion.”

So Francesa, CBS and Fox continue their tenuous relationship. He remains frustrated over his simulcast and continues to lash out at Fox personalities perhaps as way to get out of his simulcast. However, as long as this situation continues, Francesa vs. CBS Radio/Fox Sports will still be interesting for as long as they work together.

[Newsday]