Peter Rosenberg Has Become a Dual Threat Across the New York City Airwaves

Michael Kay and Don La Greca have been working together since 2002. The duo was able to accumulate success together for over a decade, but in September 2015, management chose to add a third host. Kay and La Greca did not desire the change, nonetheless, they welcomed Peter Rosenberg and were receptive to his ideas and perspectives. As a result, they’ve ascended to a higher level, creating exceptional chemistry while leaving an indelible mark on the sports talk format.

Before Rosenberg joined The Michael Kay Show, he frequently listened to it. He detected an overall warmth from the show and felt included as a listener. Combined with the confidence and track record he had procured in media, Rosenberg was able to assimilate into 98.7 ESPN New York and the sports talk format while continuing his music radio duties. He was certain he would be able to find his way and make meaningful contributions and believes the program found its groove in the new structure quickly thereafter.

“I knew that I would bring goods to the table, and once we did a few shows together and we got along, it was pretty easy to see how it was going to work,” Rosenberg said. “Probably easier for me to see than for Michael and Don, but I could tell how this thing was going to work.”

Prior to each show, Rosenberg and his colleagues consider what people are discussing and what they feel passionate about. There are times when his views diverge from that of the group, but he is given the latitude to express himself and offer his viewpoint. In the end, he feels that the show oftentimes gets it correct and finds a way to resonate with the audience. A common remark directed towards Rosenberg, however, is his tendency to not speak all the time. The practice comes from discipline he has accrued over the years, along with a cognizance of the three-person format and ability to suppress hubris.

“If I don’t have a lot to say on a subject, we have three people,” Rosenberg explained. “I refuse to be the guy who’s like, ‘Let me just repeat the same point so you hear my voice and I sound like a sports talk host.’ I would rather wait for the spot and be impactful or make that little quip.”

Rosenberg will be on hand at the 2024 BSM Summit along with ESPN New York co-host Michael Kay, taking part in a Day 1 discussion. Having previously attended the industry conference several years ago, he remembers interacting with industry professionals and learning more about the industry as well. The conference will highlight many aspects of the sports business while examining current challenges, changes, and opportunities.

“There are a lot of jokes about sports talk radio – it’s very easy to make fun of – but it really is an art form to do it well,” Rosenberg said. “I’m not putting every show we do in the Louvre. We do three-and-a-half-hours a day, five days a week, but there are days that belong in the Louvre.”

Outside of his job with ESPN New York, Rosenberg works as a commentator for World Wrestling Entertainment, appearing on television one to two times per month for events. The mode of entertainment blends athleticism with storytelling and is something he considers to be an art form. Additionally, Rosenberg hosts a variety of digital programs and podcasts surrounding the sport, including Cheap Heat with The Ringer and independent YouTube endeavors such as Wrestling with Rosenberg and Real Late with Rosenberg.

“There’s a phrase in wrestling called, ‘Getting your shit in,’” Rosenberg said. “Wrestlers will joke about having a match where it’s like, ‘Well, I want to get my shit in; I want to get my moves in.’ I don’t need to get my shit in every day.”

Despite Rosenberg co-hosting the show with La Greca and Kay, the program is titled The Michael Kay Show, something that people could assume may cause derision or divisiveness. On the contrary, he does not regularly think about the subject and instead focuses on how he can help the program thrive on a daily basis.

Throughout the show, Rosenberg delivers his opinions and insights when appropriate and most salient to the overall discussion. Even so, he is able to talk at length and lead segments if necessary, equipped with a skillset fostered through countless repetitions behind the microphone. The balance between speaking and listening took time for him to implement, and through years of practice, he has become more adept at choosing his spots.

“I take a lot of pride in the sort of humor that I bring to the show, and a lot of that comes in when Michael and Don are being very serious,” Rosenberg said. “You may not hear me very much and it may just be an ad-lib that if you’re a real fan of the show and you listen, it cracks you up because you know sort of what my angle is.”

Although sports media was Rosenberg’s primary interest in his youth, he transitioned to the music format while studying at the University of Maryland. Considering his skills and passions, he determined that the hip-hop genre would be conducive to success and had dreams of hosting on venerated radio station HOT 97 in New York, N.Y. Rosenberg positioned himself for growth in these years, starting his own radio program on the student-run radio station in the summer ahead of his freshman year.

By the time he was a sophomore, he was interning with Darian “Big Tigger” Morgan and Keith “DJ Flexx” Clagon where he learned about formatics and how to run the board. Upon graduation, Rosenberg had stints working at WPGC and WHFS before landing his own talk radio show on WJFK.

Eponymously titled The Peter Rosenberg Show, the program featured Rosenberg and co-host Daryl “Quartermaine” Francis and fused hip-hop with sports and other topics. Even though many perceived the program to be primed for growth, Rosenberg was fired after one year at the station following an on-air feud with colleague Don Geronimo. During the ensuing week, he was broadcasting online from his bedroom while thinking about the future.

Ebro Darden, the program director and morning show host of HOT 97, decided to hire Rosenberg to work at the station in 2007. Since then, Rosenberg has co-hosted Ebro in the Morning alongside Darden and Laura Stylez. The cast provides listeners with honest, candid discussions, exclusive interviews, and plenty of hip-hop. Together the group has thrived within the sprawling media marketplace, building a unique camaraderie across the airwaves.

“Not a lot of teams at this level get along this well, as evidenced by what happened to our competition in the market,” Rosenberg said. “It is not easy for people’s ego to be in check and also for people just frankly to have good relationships – even beyond the ego, actually enjoying each other’s company.”

By hosting in a marketplace considered a consensus birthplace of hip-hop with extensive platinum artists along with many accomplished professional sports teams, topic selection in New York City can seem like a daunting task. Despite not being from New York, Rosenberg tries to captivate and enthrall listeners on two very different programs. The dichotomy between the two formats is something he believes has allowed him to appeal to different segments of the audience.

“When you do music radio, a lot of young women listen to you,” Rosenberg said. “It puts you in a different space – the way that you entertain; the way that you talk – what’s interesting [and] what’s cool is different. When you get on sports talk radio, you’re mostly talking to 50-year-old men, so I think every once in a while it’s useful to be able to inject some of the things that make it work for you with that different audience.”

In August, Good Karma Brands will leave the 98.7 WEPN-FM signal, shifting its focus to its app and the 1050 WPEN-AM signal. Despite enjoying a steady presence on the FM band since 2012, the local marketing agreement (LMA) established between ESPN and Emmis Communications will expire, and Good Karma Brands has elected not to pursue purchasing the signal. With roughly 60% of its listenership taking place outside of radio, ESPN New York will move forward with its focus on digital distribution, relying on 1050 AM for over the air availability.

“I think it’ll force us to be creative in terms of how we market and things like that, and I’m excited to see what everyone does, but I don’t spend a ton of time concerned about it,” Rosenberg said. “I think if handled the right way, you can really make it a positive with how you push the listening online and maybe find a way to surprisingly expand the show into reaching a bit more of a broad audience.”

The head-to-head competition between ESPN New York and WFAN is frequently scrutinized in each quarterly ratings book and has been addressed on various programs between the two entities. Although The Michael Kay Show has finished behind WFAN in the daypart, Rosenberg measures the success of the program through a variety of factors. For example, the program sold out its 20th anniversary show in New York City and has loyal callers who frequently chime into the discussion.

“We just get up every day and act like good people and talk about things that we’re passionate about. I wouldn’t trade it to be one of these screaming lunatics who talks about subjects they don’t actually care about just to get people to bite,” Rosenberg said. “It’s not what we do. To me, I think being yourself is what it’s all about because then if you’re never lying, you don’t have to keep track of what you said in the past.”

While they all have deft knowledge of various sports, Rosenberg tries to stay away from breakdowns that could either be difficult to ascertain and actualize or are too obscure to render enticing. In fact, his least favorite editions of the show are those that closely examine techniques and schemes associated with the games themselves. There are times when it is necessary, but he feels that it evokes previous theories on how to engender interest in the format and a motif of the transformation of consumer options.

“I think that the future of sports talk, to me, is going to be audiences who really want granular sports talk seeking out specific podcasts around the teams and sports that they’re obsessed with,” Rosenberg said. “I think the role of mainstream sports talk radio as we know it will be people who love sports and want to talk about it in a very entertaining way while being themselves and doing other things as well.”

While he still enjoys hosting in the format, he also understands that technological advances, paradigmatic shifts in consumption patterns and proprietary, athlete-driven content has obliged traditional outlets to adapt and exercise prudence. Avoiding misfortune is sometimes out of one’s control, but it is something that Rosenberg attempts to prevent by always staying at the top of his game.

“You’ve got to be talented and innovative because there are going to be less jobs. That is for sure,” said Rosenberg. “In terms of what the jobs are that are offered by big companies and where you can get yourself a nice little salary and insurance, those will be limited if you’re not a former athlete. I think it’s super important that we’re ready to pivot and do different things because otherwise, there’s just going to be so much competition among people.”

Throughout his media career, Rosenberg has amassed many accomplishments while cementing his position with ESPN New York, HOT 97, World Wrestling Entertainment and several independent undertakings. Despite generating consistent success in the country’s number one market in multiple formats, he does not consider himself to have reached his pinnacle as a broadcaster. Rosenberg undoubtedly cherishes his past and present work, but he exhibits tireless determination to augment his standing by aiming to perform at a level commensurate to and exceeding the ingrained standard.

“I know we live in a world where if you get a lot of viewers on Twitch and you’re 19 and funny, you’re hot, but I view what we do a little differently,” Rosenberg said. “I’m probably finishing up my 10,000 hours or just did in the last couple of years, so I’m really trying to master this craft and get to another level that I haven’t gotten to yet. I’m still working on it.”

Derek Futterman

Derek Futterman is a former associate editor and sports media reporter for Barrett Media. He previously interned for Paramount within Showtime Networks, wrote for the Long Island Herald and served as lead sports producer at NY2C. Find him on X @derekfutterman.