For most of the last decade, Bernie Miklasz was one of the most successful mid-market morning hosts in sports radio. According to Dan Caesar of The St. Louis Post-Dispatch, the former columnist and popular sports radio host could soon resurface on the airwaves.
Because of financial implications caused by COVID-19, Miklasz was let go by St. Louis sports leader 101 ESPN more than four months ago. But now with KFNS 590 potentially being sold, new ownership and lineup changes might create an opening for Miklasz.
KFNS 590 remains on the market, but current owner Randy Markel is again reportedly nearing a deal to sell the St. Louis area radio station, with John Hadley emerging as the leading candidate. Hadley has worked in various roles with KFNS for more than three years, both on-air and behind the scenes as program director of the station.
Markel told Caesar he’s hopeful a deal can get done as early as this week, and if that happens, Hadley will assume control immediately. But this isn’t the first time Markel believed a sale was close. As recently as May, reports stated Tim McKernan was nearing an agreement to purchase KFNS, with the expectation of finalizing the deal July 1.
Working for Markel as a programmer and manager, Hadley has been involved in some of those previous negotiations with potential buyers of the station. Even witnessing those deals collapse, Hadley is still more than confident he will soon assume control of KFNS.
“This deal will be finalized,” Hadley told the Post-Dispatch. “It is not like anything in the past.” Hadley is leading a purchasing group and would be in charge of the station’s operations.
If Hadley does take over KFNS, he plans on returning the radio station’s focus to sports. With that understanding, current afternoon host Frank O. Pinion has already announced his show will be ending on KFNS on Oct. 29. Pinion previously planned on retiring more than a year ago, but during the summer of 2019, KFNS restructured his contract to keep the entertainment show on-air indefinitely.
With Hadley taking ownership of KFNS, his plan of reemphasizing sports for the station and Pinion departing, it certainly makes sense to see if a deal could be made with Miklasz, who is currently on the sideline as a free agent.
Not only does Miklasz have successful radio experience on his resume, but he’s been a fixture in St. Louis sports media for decades. Joining the St. Louis Post-Dispatch in 1985, Miklasz was the publications lead sports columnist from 1999 to 2015. For the last three years, Miklasz was recognized by industry executives as the #1 Mid-Market Morning Show in BSM’s annual Top 20.
Brandon Contes is a former reporter for BSM, now working for Awful Announcing. You can find him on Twitter @BrandonContes or reach him by email at Brandon.Contes@gmail.com.
