Mike Francesa returns to Bar A for first time since leaving WFAN

Mike Francesa is bringing a live show to Bar A (Bar Anticipation) in Lake Como, New Jersey for the first time since leaving afternoon drive on WFAN in 2019.

Francesa announced the news during his Wednesday morning podcast, revealing his BetRivers show will be live from Bar A on Sept. 3. The show will air from around 4 – 6 .pm., but a full slate of BetRivers podcasts with ties to WFAN are expected to be Francesa’s lead-in. According to Francesa, former WFAN host and longtime Cleveland sports media personality Adam the Bull will host his BetRivers podcast from Bar A on Sept. 3, as will the newly launched show featuring John Jastremski and Sal Licata.

“We have giveaways, we have contests, we got all kinds of stuff which we’ll be announcing in the weeks to come,” Francesa said. “We’re going to have music, we’re going to have guests…I promise you we’re going to bring some very familiar and very good guests.”

It should recreate the Bar A experience Francesa fans grew accustomed to watching and hearing during his tenure on WFAN. For years, Mike and the Mad Dog made Bar A an annual summer event. Francesa continued to host the annual Bar A show by himself after Russo left WFAN for SiriusXM, but this will be his first live show from the Jersey Shore spot since his Summer Send-Off in 2019.

The only thing better would be if Francesa and Russo were going back to Bar A together. Three years ago, Russo similarly returned to Bar A for the first time since 2007, reintroducing it as an annual summer event for his SiriusXM show. This summer, Mad Dog Unleashed is scheduled to be back at Bar A on July 31, which means Russo is unlikely to be one of Francesa’s “very good guests” on Sept. 3. Both events are still sure to draw big crowds.