ESPN New York is swapping roles for two of its key hosts. Starting Monday, August 21st, Alan Hahn will exit the midday program with Rick DiPietro and Chris Canty to host The Alan Hahn Show weeknights from 7p-10p ET. Hahn had been part of the midday lineup since 2015.
The re-named Humpty & Canty will continue in the same timeslot with evening host Dave Rothenberg returning to a daytime role. Rothenberg will complete the trio starting Tuesday, September 5th. His Saturday program The Dave Rothenberg Show will continue from 9a-12p ET.
“Hosting the show with Rick and Chris has been one of the most valuable experiences of my career,” said Hahn. “I’m excited about my new venture back at night where it all started. I can’t thank Tim McCarthy (senior vice president of ESPN New York 98.7FM) enough for working with me on this move to ensure I can keep developing as a radio host.”
Tim McCarthy, senior vice president of ESPN New York 98.7FM, added, “Alan has been an integral part of 98.7 FM and Hahn, Humpty & Canty. I am very happy that Alan will have his own show, showcasing his knowledge of New York sports, especially his basketball expertise. We are also excited to add Dave to Humpty & Canty. Dave has been a successful host for many years at 98.7 FM and will only add to an already successful show with Rick and Chris.”
Hahn initially joined ESPN New York as a fill-in host and teamed up with DiPietro in 2014. They had excellent chemistry and impressed enough people in the company to earn a midday opportunity, an MSG Network airing of their show, and the addition of a third host in Canty.
That said, Rothenberg is a talented host himself. He’s had good chemistry with numerous hosts at the station and should do a nice job running point between the two former New York athletes.
The only question not answered is why Hahn and Rothenberg are switching shifts. Usually a move from midday to evenings is seen as a step backwards unless there are other factors which play into an individual needing to change their availability. With ESPN NY carrying NY Knicks and NY Rangers broadcasts, and Hahn being a member of MSG’s NY Knicks studio coverage, it’s likely he’ll be hosting less shows on the station than he would’ve had he remained in middays.
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.
