John Kentera claims he was fired from 97.3 The Fan last week, the flagship radio home of the San Diego Padres, leading to speculation surrounding the decision. Discussing the departure with The San Diego Union-Tribune, he claimed that management informed him of a desire to have a “less caller-driven show” in the midday time slot, presumably resulting in his being let go.
Although Kentera has no plans to retire from the medium anytime soon, his tenure at 97.3 The Fan has now ended after nearly four-and-a-half years, finishing as the No. 1 midday program in the San Diego marketplace during the summer 2023 ratings book.
Scott Kaplan, afternoon host on 710 ESPN Los Angeles, expressed on his YouTube program, Kaplan and Crew, that Kentera was relieved of his duties because of criticism towards the San Diego Padres. As the flagship station of the team, he presumes that the Padres wanted the outlet to employ hosts who would portray the organization in a positive light.
With the exit of manager Bob Melvin after three seasons, Kaplan believes the Padres are looking for people who support the product. Kaplan also divulged that Kentera told him he was working without a contract at the station, which is owned by Audacy.
Moreover, Kaplan deduced that previous reaction to when Lee “Hacksaw” Hamilton was fired could be the reason the outlet decided not to grant John Kentera a farewell show. The Padres being involved in this decision, however, is a sentiment the organization has wholeheartedly denied.
“The claims made by Scott Kaplan were baseless and false,” the team wrote in a statement provided to the New York Post. “Station management of 97.3 The Fan is solely responsible for their programming decisions, and the Padres provided no feedback on their lineup change.”
On Tuesday in the midday slot, 97.3 The Fan aired BetQL Daily, which was hosted by Sean Levine. At the moment, the outlet is airing national programming provided by CBS Sports Radio. 97.3 The Fan has yet to announce a new permanent midday program in the timeslot.
John Kentera has worked in the radio industry for three decades, previously working at The Mighty 1090 for 12 years and hosting a high-school football show before that. In addition to appearing on sports talk-formatted shows, he has also provided color commentary on San Diego State Aztecs football and basketball broadcasts.
Kentera was nicknamed “The Coach” after working in various sports at MiraCosta College, Southwestern College, and Texas Tech University prior to transitioning into sports radio, where he hosted the Padres’ pregame and postgame shows.
