Whether or not you are a fan of Mike Francesa, you cannot deny that he is one of the best known and most valuable names in the history of sports radio. On New Year’s Eve, he officially became a free agent and the sports talk legend may have his eyes on returning to broadcasting.
Mike Francesa told Newsday’s Neil Best that listeners shouldn’t expect to hear him on WFAN again. He said “the book is closed” on that part of his life and that he wants to see the station’s current lineup thrive.
“But that doesn’t mean I still don’t feel like broadcasting,” he added. “I’ve missed the audience. I’ve missed the buzz. I’ve missed some of that. It’s just logical.”
After leaving WFAN in 2019, Francesa spent part of 2020 as part of the Radio.com lineup. Since then, he has mostly been waiting out his contract with a few appearances on the radio station and with former partner Chris “Mad Dog” Russo on SiriusXM.
When asked if there may be a more formal relationship with Russo’s show in his future, Francesa said it didn’t seem likely.
“I would say right now, probably not. I think he’s got a pretty full schedule. He hasn’t offered that. He’s the one who has a show. I don’t.”
One aspect of Francesa’s life that could factor into his future is his horses and his home in Florida. A horse he co-owns, High Oak, will race for a chance to make the Kentucky Derby field soon. That is something that Francesa describes as a dream of his. Could a return to broadcasting be focused solely on the horse racing world? It is one he knows well.
Mike Francesa says he has definitely fielded offers since leaving WFAN. He obviously has not settled on anything as of yet. He is looking for something that is “fun or gives me a chance to have a new experience” and notes that it could end up being something no one, not even himself, is expecting.
The only thing Mike Francesa can say for sure is that he isn’t going back to WFAN. He left Audacy on good terms and notes that he is “proud” of his tenure on the station, but he has accomplished all he can there.
“FAN has had a storied life. Now it’s clearly into that second generation. It’s in the next generation, and it’s got to prove itself all over again. It’s a business where you have to prove yourself every day. Nothing stays forever.”
