Jeremy Conn didn’t intend to embark on a successful career in sports talk radio.
It just kind of fell into his lap after a car accident in 1997 forced him to leave college. Three years later, an opportunity popped up at WNST Radio in Baltimore that would send him on a road that he hasn’t gotten off of yet.
“I didn’t have the routine route that most people took to get in this field, said Conn. “I worked for free as an intern for a year. Lo and behold, they offered me $8 an hour to produce their morning show and I was like ‘Hell yeah I’m in’. It turned into a career for me.”
That career, which has now spanned more than 23 years, has taken him to The Big Bad Morning Show on 105.7 The Fan in Baltimore where he hosts the popular weekday program with Ed Norris and Rob Long from 6 am to 10 am. Conn had been working the evening show at The Fan, but in January of 2021 he moved to the mornings swapping places with Jerry Coleman who took over evenings.
Moving to the mornings was a big change, but it worked out very well.
“It has changed my life,” said Conn. “I really love it. Being in radio for over 23 years, I don’t think I’ve ever done anything quite like this but I have a lot of fun doing it.”
Each co-host brings a little something different to the table each morning.
Norris, a former Baltimore Police Commissioner, is known for telling some crazy stories while Long, who drives the show, also works for the Baltimore Orioles.
And then there’s Conn who is always adding in some humor making the morning show a whole lot of fun.
“I do a segment called ‘World of Stupid’ where I just find dumb stories everywhere and make fun of it,” said Conn.
When you factor in what each host brings to the table, it makes for an entertaining morning show that resonates with the listeners.
The trio each contributes to the show in their own way and each day you never quite know what you’re going to hear.
“Our show has been labeled like a couple of guys sitting at the end of the bar just shooting the breeze a little bit and then seeing what happens,” said Conn. “It’s kind of been a really nice mix of all of us.”
Conn’s success, not just during the morning show but throughout his career, has also included his passion for gambling. What was once almost considered a “taboo” subject in sports talk radio is now widely accepted as legal sports gambling continues growing nationwide.
Today, sports gambling is a huge part of sports talk radio and Conn is all over it.
“I love this,” said Conn who also runs a highly successful sports gambling website CONNcrete LOCKS.
“I’ve been talking about this for years. I’ve been gambling for over 20 years but now that I’m the ‘gambling guy’ at the station, I’ve always had segments on my show. It’s finally fun to talk about and it’s not this thing that’s looked down upon by a lot of people.”
What has also added to the success of The Fan’s morning show has been the success of Baltimore’s two major professional sports teams.
The Baltimore Ravens will enter the 2023 season as a serious playoff contender, especially after the re-signing of quarterback Lamar Jackson to a new contract.
Currently, the Baltimore Orioles are one of the surprise teams in Major League Baseball sitting in the top American League Wild Card position.
For Conn and the rest of the morning show, getting positive phone calls from fans sure beats the alternative.
“Having two teams that are playing well or have the chance to play well I think is all you can ask for,” said Conn. “I think if you’re a Baltimore fan period, watching both teams is going to be an absolute blast. It’s really exciting and it’s kind of helped the ratings. It is a fun time to be doing sports talk radio in Baltimore.”
Jeremy Conn wasn’t supposed to get into sports talk radio, but life can certainly change at a moment’s notice. Things happen for a reason and a few life-changing moments has brought him to a new world of success weekday mornings on The Fan in Baltimore.
Peter Schwartz writes weekly sports radio features for Barrett Media. He has been involved in New York sports media for over three decades, and has worked for notable brands such as WFAN, CBS Sports Radio, WCBS 880, ESPN New York, and FOX News Radio. Peter has also served as play by play announcer for the New Yok Riptide, New York Dragons, New York Hitmen, Varsity Media and the Long Island Sports Network. You can find him on Twitter @SchwartzSports or email him at DragonsRadio@aol.com.
