As Danny Parkins was recovering from spinal fusion surgery that stymied his high school athletic career, a science classmate informed him about the institution’s radio station. Finding the studios required a trek to the fifth floor of the building, a tier that Parkins was wholly unaware existed. Shortly thereafter, he was asking a college counselor the best schools where he could pursue a career in sports media, resulting in him selecting to attend Syracuse University and enroll for membership at WAER-FM. The sports division of the outlet had a path focused on play-by-play announcing and another focused on talk show hosting and commentary for students to consider. Parkins explored both segments before realizing his ultimate focus.
When he was a sophomore, Parkins met colleagues Nick Wright and Andrew Fillipponi as he aimed to materialize his media aspirations in the sports talk radio format. Wright was running the talk show staff at the time, and they quickly became close friends who assisted each other by listening to tapes and offering feedback. Moreover, they all engaged in sports debate and spent time together outside of the radio station, strengthening their bond as lifelong friends and Syracuse alumni. The three hosts will reunite on stage at the 2024 BSM Summit in New York City alongside fellow Syracuse alumnus and SiriusXM Mad Dog Sports Radio host Damon Amendolara.
“It will be fun to just be up there with these guys who we talk about the industry [with] all the time off the air doing it in front of people who kind of helped shape the present and future of the industry because I think that the three of us are pretty damn good at it if I’m being honest,” Parkins said. “That will be a valuable exchange of ideas, and they’re just some of my best friends in the world, so I’m looking forward to that and seeing them.”
Outside of his endeavors with WAER, Parkins hosted his own sports talk program on Z89, another student-run radio station at the university. Additionally, he gained professional experience by producing Brent Axe’s talk show on The Score 1260 after completing an internship. Parkins graduated with qualifications that he hoped would lead to a job, but things became difficult because of a hiring freeze at various media companies because of widespread economic hardship amid a nationwide recession.
Parkins had money for graduation that he used to pay the necessary rent to live with his friends in Wrigleyville and spent time playing poker to attain profits. While unemployed, he also traveled to various destinations around the world, one of which happened to be Syracuse where he met Axe for lunch.
Axe revealed that the station was thinking about adding local midday programming, a revelation Parkins immediately volunteered to enact. While Axe was somewhat incredulous that Parkins would move back to Syracuse for the role, which was compensated hourly, he followed through and started hosting The Danny Parkins Show. Furthermore, he produced Bud and the Manchild and was paid for six hours of work per day while living with two people in a home he found on Craigslist.
“[I] was embarrassed that I hadn’t gotten a job with a salary and health insurance and in a bigger market but was thrilled that I was hosting and doing my thing,” Parkins said. “I was doing what I wanted to do, and it ended up being the best thing for me because then I could apply for other jobs and point to, ‘Hey, you can listen to my show on the website.’”
While beginning his professional career in Syracuse, Parkins developed invaluable versatility that he utilized in his ensuing occupations. Collecting sound at Syracuse practices, operating the board while hosting and booking interviews coerced him to effectively balance multiple tasks. Parkins felt the move back was humbling and fostered a deeper connection with the city by meandering to different social outlets and interacting with listeners. After he found success in Syracuse, Wright helped him land a role with 610 Sports Kansas City where he signed a two-year contract and expected to have a short stay in the city.
Conversely, Parkins remained with the station for approximately six years and covered several marquee events, including the Super Bowl and World Series. He was eventually paired with Carrington Harrison for a four-hour afternoon program and reaffirmed his commitment to the city.
“Some people that were there would still go back to Minneapolis for dentist appointments or whatever, and they didn’t really sink their teeth metaphorically into Kansas City and it never really made any sense to me,” Parkins said. “It was like, ‘No, if you’re here, you’re going to be here. You’re going to meet the people and go cover the practices and go to the games and go to the restaurants and be about town and really be a Kansas Citian for as long as you were there.’”
Anticipating that Chicago sports radio host Terry Boers would retire, he signed a one-year deal with 610 Sports to position himself for a move back to his home market. Sure enough, the situation ended up working out and led to him being partnered with Matt Spiegel in afternoon drive on 670 The Score. Parkins underscored that the outlet usually promoted from within and that his hire from another market was rare.
“I just kind of had to prove myself to everybody, including myself,” Parkins said. “I knew I was good enough to do it, but until you do it, there’s always going to be that shred of doubt. There were certainly challenges, but it was still getting behind a microphone and talking sports for four hours a day, and I knew that if I was given enough time that I was good enough to do the job.”
Parkins continues to host in afternoon drive with Spiegel today, forming a duo that has frequently finished among the top programs in the marketplace. There was a stretch, however, where he was hosting with Dan McNeil, a former member of the illustrious Mac, Jurko and Harry program on ESPN 1000 Chicago. Parkins had interned with McNeil and expeditiously formed a connection with the host with a cognizance about his controversial opinions and fickle nature.
Jimmy de Castro, former senior vice president and market manager of then-Entercom Chicago, split Parkins and Spiegel to form the new afternoon pairing in an overall downsizing at the station. Despite the adjustment, no changes were made to Parkins’ contract and he was referred to by de Castro as “kid,” a moniker he felt indicated that he needed to further prove himself.
“It was not a perfect set of circumstances to work with one of your radio heroes, but I’m really glad it happened in the whole,” Parkins said. “Mac and I had and have a great relationship, and I love the man.”
McNeil was fired in 2020 after posting a misogynistic comment towards a sports media host on social media, marking the conclusion of his third stint with 670 The Score. The station utilized Leila Rahimi and the aforementioned Spiegel as temporary co-hosts with Parkins as they deliberated the long-term solution. After some time, Parkins and Spiegel were reunited and have been hosting their show together ever since.
“I think that Spiegs and I work really well together because we complement each other,” Parkins said. “We’re similar in ways that are valuable, and we’re different in ways that are valuable.”
As they prepare for a typical program, Parkins and Spiegel focus on how they can offer a unique perspective for the listeners to prevent the station from sounding repetitive. There exists a lot of content within the media ecosystem, and it is essential that the Parkins & Spiegel Show stands out from others.
“The goal is to make four hours feel like four minutes and help people get through their day and be an escape for people,” Parkins said. “….People are not going to remember the brilliant point I had about the Cubs bullpen or a fourth-down call, but maybe they’ll remember an honest story that I shared about personal hardship or parenting or a story of being an incompetent homeowner and that makes them relate and laugh and smile a little bit while they’re sitting in their cubicle.”
The show does not take many listener calls, but it seldom goes more than two segments without some form of listener interaction. Aside from listening to the program on traditional AM radio, consumers can access the show using the free Audacy app or livestream on Twitch, which includes a live chat functionality. Shane Riordan and Chris Tannehill contribute to the show as well in producer roles, both of whom infuse the show with additional energy.
“It needs to be entertainment-focused,” Parkins said. “I hate when people say on a show, ‘Later on, we’re going to have some fun,’ but the whole thing is supposed to be fun. I think that’s what the great shows do – they put every story they can through the prism of fun.”
As the vice president and brand manager of 670 The Score, Mitch Rosen has a responsibility of overseeing programming and ensuring that the station is achieving its goals. Rosen is responsible for hiring Parkins in the first place and is someone he greatly respects and appreciates for his efforts and reliability.
Although the media marketplace is changing, Rosen and Parkins are continuing to execute their roles to safeguard the consumption of sports media content. Parkins used to intern with ESPN 1000 Chicago, and he believes it is a good thing to have two successful sports talk radio outlets in the city. Yet there is an element of competitive fervor, especially going against another local program, that adds to the fuel Parkins has to be the No. 1 program in the city.
“I think people come to The Score because we’re the heritage radio station with the great signal that’s live and local all day that is going to be raw and authentic and genuine and edgy and unapologetically ourselves,” Parkins said. “We’re not going to do any sort of sanitized version of a story, and I think that’s our strength.”
There is a contrast in Parkins’ desire to be the No. 1 show, however, related to a philanthropic project for which he utilizes his platform. Parkins lost his brother last April after he suffered with glioblastoma, a form of brain cancer, and is committed to raising money and awareness surrounding research to treat and cure the disease. Over the summer, Parkins will host a 24-hour radio-thon in partnership with the Chicago Cubs to expedite these efforts and has a goal of raising more than $1 million.
“We have a pretty selfish job,” Parkins explained. “I know people don’t like to admit that, but I get to tell my wife, ‘Hey, I have to watch this game for work,’ and then I get to come in and BS with three of my buddies about sports for four hours a day and judge success based on how many laughs we have in the greatest city in the world, get paid handsomely for it and then go home. It’s a pretty awesome way to make a living and live your life, so it would feel selfish to not use that platform for some good.”
Parkins recognizes there to be considerably more supply than demand for content and evinces dedication from aspiring professionals looking to break into the format. He is cautiously optimistic about the future of the audio format if executed correctly but also asserts that the glory days of radio have come to their conclusion.
“The Score will exist in 20 years,” Parkins said. “Will it exist primarily as a radio brand? I don’t know, but The Score will be doing live sports talk content in Chicago in 20 years – there’s no doubt in my mind about that. It’s just got too much brand equity in the market, so I just want to be sure that it’s as relevant as possible in 20 years.”
Although he cherishes the Chicago marketplace and the platform he has built, Parkins values his versatility and continues to take part in other areas related to sports. For example, he co-authored with a close friend titled “Pipeline to the Pros” is set to be released this April. Parkins is also continuing appearances on television programs with Marquee Sports Network, a local regional sports network. Through it all, he remains committed to the Parkins & Spiegel Show trying to do his part in achieving a consensus No. 1 finish.
“I don’t have undisputedly the best show in the country yet; we aren’t No. 1,” Parkins elucidated. “I haven’t done this next radio-thon to hopefully raise seven figures for cancer research, and then after we do that radio-thon in August, I’m going to say, ‘Well, when’s the next one and can we beat it and raise more?’ I’m always looking for the next thing; the next side-hustle; the next project.”
Derek Futterman is a contributing editor and sports media reporter for Barrett Media. Additionally, he has worked in a broad array of roles in multimedia production – including on live game broadcasts and audiovisual platforms – and in digital content development and management. He previously interned for Paramount within Showtime Networks, wrote for the Long Island Herald and served as lead sports producer at NY2C. To get in touch, find him on X @derekfutterman.
