Ryen Russillo, who has spent the last 10 years with ESPN Radio, has signed a multiyear extension and will continue with ESPN Radio as host of Russillo & Kanell, co-hosted by ESPN college football analyst Danny Kanell and broadcast daily from 1 – 4 p.m. ET. The new three-hour show will debut Monday, Aug. 31, and will be televised on ESPNEWS starting at 1 p.m.
Russillo will also have an expanded TV presence across multiple studio shows, with a focus on NBA programming.
Kanell, who recently signed a multi-year agreement with ESPN, will continue to host college football studio programming on ESPN Thursdays, Fridays and Saturdays.
Mo Davenport, senior vice president, ESPN Audio, said, “We are happy to have Ryen at ESPN for the long-term. We look forward to utilizing his creative energy as we forge a smart, engaging and entertaining show, born from the natural chemistry between Ryen and Danny.”
Russillo stated, “Danny is the perfect partner for an everyday radio show. Former athletes get labeled as one sport guys all the time based on what they played and that isn’t fair. Danny can talk all sports and is one the best college football voices in the country. Staying with ESPN and this time slot is a challenge I have been ready for.”
Kanell added, “I’m excited to work with Ryen on Russillo & Kanell. I’ve been a huge fan of his and enjoy listening to him on ESPN Radio. Spending time with him as a guest host has really allowed me to see just how good he is at his job. The show has a very unique and loyal fan base, with powerful social interaction. I know Ryen and I share a common goal of growing that fan base by continuing to deliver thoughtful and authentic content while having a ton of fun.”
Russillo was named co-host of ESPN Radio’s Scott Van Pelt Show in May 2009. Since June 2015, he has hosted The Russillo Show with a group of alternating co-hosts, including Kanell.
Previously, Russillo hosted ESPN Radio’s College GameDay (noon-7 p.m. Saturdays throughout the football season). Russillo joined ESPN Radio in February 2006, and hosted NBA Sunday, The Baseball Show and the NFL Draft.
Prior to joining ESPN, Russillo was a sports voice in Boston, Mass. where he was a CSN studio host and NBA analyst, and a Sporting News Radio host. Previously, he was play-by-play voice of the Trenton (N.J.) Thunder, the Boston Red Sox Double A team. Russillo, a native of West Tisbury, Mass., is a 1997 graduate of the University of Vermont.
Kanell joined ESPN in 2010 as a college football game and studio analyst. Prior to joining ESPN, Kanell was an NFL and college football analyst for WQAM Miami and CBS4 Miami.
After playing quarterback at Florida State for four years, Kanell was drafted by the New York Giants in 1996. He also played for the Atlanta Falcons and the Denver Broncos until 2004.
While he played football throughout college, Kanell also played baseball for the Seminoles as a freshman and sophomore. He was drafted by the New York Yankees after his junior year at Florida State and had previously been drafted by the Milwaukee Brewers while in college.
A 1996 graduate of Florida State, Kanell was selected as the 1995 ACC Player of the Year and the National Football Foundation and College Hall of Fame Scholar Athlete. He is a member of the 2008 ACC Football Championship Legends Class and the Broward County Sports Hall of Fame. Kanell was inducted into the Florida State Hall of Fame in 2012.
Credit to ESPN Media Zone who originally published this article
Jason Barrett is the President and Founder of Barrett Media since the company was created in September 2015. Prior to its arrival, JB served as a sports radio programmer, launching brands such as 95.7 The Game in San Francisco, and 101 ESPN in St. Louis. He also spent time programming SportsTalk 950 in Philadelphia, 590 The Fan KFNS in St. Louis, and ESPN 1340/1390 in Poughkeepsie, NY. Jason also worked on-air and behind the scenes in local radio at 101.5 WPDH, WTBQ 1110AM, and WPYX 106.5. He also spent two years on the national stage, producing radio shows for ESPN Radio in Bristol, CT. Among them included the Dan Patrick Show, and GameNight.
You can find JB on Twitter @SportsRadioPD. He’s also reachable by email at Jason@BarrettMedia.com.
