Longtime Syracuse sports radio host Brent Axe was fired by ESPN Syracuse Sunday, and today, the station’s owner is speaking out on why the decision was made.
Galaxy Media — owner of ESPN Syracuse as well as 12 other Upstate New York radio stations — CEO and President Ed Levine said Axe had gotten too negative about Syracuse University athletics.
“I had a problem with the content of the show,” Levine told Syracuse.com. “I’m an SU fan, I’m sorry, but I bleed Orange. I’m not going to apologize for that, and I think a fair reading of the Orange is appropriate. I understand (Galaxy has) a business relationship (with Syracuse), that Coach (Jim) Boeheim and I are personal friends and he’s an investor in my company.
“I understand and acknowledge all of that. We’ve called it pretty fair, and I would argue we’ve been tough on SU when the on-field or off-field events warrant it. I just think over the past six months it took a different tone and became overly dark and negative. I don’t think that’s what Syracuse fans want to hear.”
Boeheim was included in a group of investors that purchased 21% of Galaxy Media, according to a 2018 filing with the FCC.
Axe’s firing comes a day after Levine shared that Boeheim — who called Axe his only critic and criticized callers of his show before he departed Syracuse after 47 years as its head men’s basketball coach — will appear in a variety of ways for the ESPN Syracuse brand over the coming year.
“I’m happy to announce that Jim Boeheim will be appearing regularly across the Galaxy Media Partners multiple platforms next season,” a Facebook post from Levine read. “He may even host his own sports talk show occasionally. Alert the media that James Arthur Boeheim is threatening to become a part of the media!”
“What I’ll say is I think the timing is very interesting,” Axe said. “I’ll leave it at that.”
Axe has hosted sports radio programs in Syracuse for more than 20 years. Additionally, he works as a professor at the university, and is also employed full-time at Syracuse.com.
Levine continued by saying he believed Syracuse.com had an “agenda” in regards to Orange athletics, which Axe brought to the radio station.
“I don’t know what that agenda is, but that agenda was manifesting itself on our airwaves,” Levine said. “We have no agenda. We’re in business with Syracuse University, but we call it straight down the line. What I said to Brent was I wish he covered Syracuse University with the same affection that he covered the Buffalo Bills.”
