After a week of frenzied reports and reactions, the news is official: Mike Francesa is returning to his longtime radio home, WFAN, to host a sports-talk show weekdays from 3 to 6:30 p.m. The show will be called “Mike’s On” and will begin Tuesday.
In announcing that not-so-new news on Friday, WFAN’s parent company Entercom also revealed a new Francesa-fronted venture. In partnership with CAA, Entercom will launch a “Mike’s On” web app and online platform featuring an exclusive live stream of Francesa’s radio show, as well as an exclusive football-focused show that will air Sundays during football season.
“After exploring several options, this partnership with CAA Sports and Entercom was the perfect fit,” Francesa said in a statement. “This partnership allows me the chance to return to WFAN and all of our loyal listeners, as well as significant opportunities, including the app and live events, that are completely new. I look forward to working with both companies on making this a very successful venture.”
The Mike’s On app, per Entercom’s release, will be available for free download this coming summer, with a subscription option “for fans who want to hear and view additional content.” The release does not indicate how much of Francesa’s content will be behind the paywall, as opposed to available for free.
Francesa’s partnership with CAA did not come from nowhere. Back in March, Francesa was spotted at Madison Square Garden next to CAA Sports co-head Mike Levin, while the New York Post reported that he was building a studio in his house and working with the agency on some sort of project. After Francesa revealed earlier this week that he was returning to WFAN, it had seemed as though the venture would fall by the wayside, but Francesa apparently managed to merge his relationships with CAA and WFAN into a partnership that satisfied both sides.
Anyway, now that the news has been officially announced, it looks as though this is really happening. Francesa is returning to WFAN, against the advice of his friends and rivals alike, only four months after walking away. Tuesday should be interesting.
