Mike Missanelli is out after his latest stint at 97.5 The Fanatic came to a close Friday, ending a tenure that lasted just under a year after his high-profile return to the station’s airwaves in August 2024. Beasley Media Group confirmed the move in a statement Friday afternoon to the Philadelphia Inquirer.
“Friday was Mike’s last day at the station,” said Heidi Raphael, the company’s chief communications officer to the Insquirer. “We are grateful for his contributions to the station and our listeners, and we wish him all the best.”
Missanelli had been hosting the midday show from 10 a.m. to 2 p.m., primarily alongside co-hosts Ray Dunne and until recently Bill Colarulo. According to Raphael, Dunne will serve as interim host with a rotating cast of contributors filling in for the foreseeable future.
Colarulo, a lawyer-turned-broadcaster, had already transitioned to afternoons earlier this summer. In June, he joined NBC Sports Philadelphia analyst Ricky Bottalico for the launch of Unfiltered with Ricky Bo and Bill Colarulo, part of the station’s continuing effort to strengthen its lineup.
Speaking with Barrett Media in June, Colarulo discussed his time working alongside Missanelli and Dunne.
“It’s helpful to have that number two now in addition to Ray (Dunne) because we’re not as reliant on callers, so it allows that back-and-forth more,” said Colarulo. “I think Mike could do it without a co-host, but I think with the way the station and the direction they’re going, it would probably make more sense to put someone there.”
The sudden nature of his departure mirrors his previous exit from 97.5 The Fanatic in May 2022. That move ended a 15-year run in afternoon drive, during which Missanelli became one of the most recognizable voices in Philadelphia sports talk. At the time, he called the end of that era “surreal” and later told The Philadelphia Inquirer he was pushed out by management.
After that separation, Missanelli made it clear he had no plans to retire, sparking months of speculation about his next move. His surprise return to The Fanatic last summer was positioned as a fresh start in a different daypart, with the veteran broadcaster bringing his experience and familiarity to a midday audience.
While Beasley made the announcement of Missanelli’s departure, the specific circumstances surrounding his exit were not immediately disclosed.
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That’s a second time please leave mistreated. Mike missionary, I’m done with them. I’ll never listening to anything that you are involved in, but you should be medious. The basic immediate sports sucks.
I don’t get why 97.5 is broadcast on the Comcast station ? It’s not like anyone in their right mind wants to see these old men on TV.