After 15 years of hosting morning drive and serving as a signature voice in Orlando sports radio, Orlando Sentinel columnist Mike Bianchi is moving to afternoons. Bianchi announced that his long-running Open Mike program is ending its run in morning drive on 96.9 The Game, clearing the way for a move into the afternoon slot beginning Monday.
His new show, Game On, will air weekdays from from 3pm-6pm with co-host Brandon Kravitz.
“It was the longest continuous run of any daily sports radio show in Orlando history,” Bianchi wrote in the Orlando Sentinel. “Now it’s just moving to the afternoon.”
The move to join Bianchi with Kravitz in afternoons will be called Game On as the pairing joked “like getting the band back together — except with no groupies and more tweets about whether Billy Napier is on or off the hot seat.”
The shift represents a major lifestyle change for the veteran host. For a decade and a half, Bianchi balanced his morning show duties with his newspaper column, often preparing content while much of Central Florida was still asleep.
By moving to afternoons, Bianchi trades the overnight grind for a more conventional routine — and a shot at rediscovering his evenings.
“I might even rediscover what a social life looks like,” Bianchi wrote. “I hear there are people who actually go to dinner after 6 p.m.”
Listeners can expect Game On to deliver the same blend of local sports conversation, opinionated takes, and lighthearted banter that defined Open Mike, but with a format tailored for the PM commute.
Bianchi closed his announcement in the Sentinel with gratitude for the loyal audience that made the early mornings worthwhile.
“To everyone who tuned in over the past 15 years — thank you for making it worth the early mornings and the constant existential dread of hearing your alarm at 3 a.m.,” he wrote.
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