The Major League Baseball season has finally arrived as the New York Yankees kick off the 2026 regular season this evening against the San Francisco Giants. This year, the pageantry of the first baseball game of the season will be broadcast to a national audience on Netflix as part of a three-year media rights deal signed last November. For Yankees fans, that means the voice of Michael Kay will not be on the telecast for a second straight season.
“Last year I missed Opening Day with ESPN taking the game and Joe Buck on the call. That was odd. But the thing that saved it for me was that I got a chance to sit in the stands with my son,” says Kay. “ My family is coming up to San Francisco. We’re going to get another opportunity to sit in the stands for the game.”
Tonight, Kay enters his 35th season on the call for New York Yankees baseball. Over the past three decades, he has guided the Yankee faithful through the ups and downs of every season, along with a number of World Series championships. Kay is living out his childhood dream as the voice of his hometown team.
Now, with another Opening Day arriving, Kay believes the sport is in a great position coming off a record-setting World Baseball Classic. However, the sport continues to face several challenges, including the ongoing fragmentation of how fans watch games.
MLB Fragmentation
Several Major League Baseball teams moved this offseason from a traditional regional sports network model to in-house production without a traditional platform for distribution. As a result, many fans are anxious and somewhat confused about where to watch their teams entering the season.
“The fragmentation is concerning. Especially for older fans. Baseball should not forget that a big part of their audience are older fans,” notes Kay. “They either don’t have the money for the streaming service, or can’t navigate it. There has to be a way to make it easier… I’m a capitalist, and I know that they’re trying to make as much money as they can. But you also have to serve your customers too.”
Major League Baseball opens this season with three new media rights deals, including Netflix, NBC Sports, and a revamped ESPN package. Kay is especially interested in how NBC Sports will present baseball for the first time since the turn of the century.
“NBC is taking a great step by hiring Jason Benetti. Also, I think it’s smart to have the analysts be local guys,” said Kay. “That’s one of the things I’ve always pushed for. People think it’s selfish. But when a team makes the post season, there should be an option for local audio with the home team announcers. This way you can still get the ratings, but with the hometown call.”
Change At ESPN New York
Kay doesn’t just serve as the hometown voice of the New York Yankees. Since 2001, he has also been an original member of the roster at ESPN New York. For 19 years, Kay attempted what many consider impossible. He hosted an afternoon drive talk show while serving as the local voice for a Major League Baseball team.
In late 2024, Kay decided a change was needed. He announced he would move The Michael Kay Show back to a midday time slot for the first time since 2005. With the move, Kay became the program’s lone host, departing from co-hosts Don La Greca and Peter Rosenberg.
“I feel more pressure doing this show than I did the last ten years of our show in the afternoons. We never had a hiccup, because we knew when each other was going to talk,” explained Kay. “The first week of the show, people were still finding it. The calls were not abundant, and I started to panic. Even though two hours is not a long talk radio show. If you don’t have calls or a co-host, talking for two hours can be a bear.”
Now in a solo hosting role, Kay treats his callers as co-hosts. The more interaction, the less pressure. He notes that his prep approach has changed with the new format and timeslot. He now tends to overprepare in case conversations with the audience slow. Without a true second or third voice to lean on, Kay still finds challenges in determining what resonates with listeners.
“The hardest thing is to be funny alone, because there’s no audience that you can hear,” said Kay. “When Peter [Rosenberg] or Don [La Greca] are sitting next to me. They validate whether it’s funny or not based on their reactions. Now, it’s really difficult… A team show, there’s so much dialogue. Now, you have to guard against pontificating.”
Despite the pressure and challenges of the new daypart and format, Kay continues to be recognized as one of the top voices in sports radio. The Michael Kay Show ranked fourth in the 2025 Barrett Media major market midday show rankings—an honor Kay has earned many times before, but never as a solo host.
“I was pleasantly surprised when I saw it because I think it took some people to get used to me being alone and in a new timeslot,” said Kay. “It felt really nice. I’m proud of the show. It’s been an incredible amount of fun. More than I thought it would be. That was quite an honor.”
While the recognition from the industry carries significant pride, the move to the new timeslot also holds personal meaning for Kay.
“It might have saved me some years on my life,” explained Kay when reflecting on how the first year of the new timeslot balanced with his duties with the Yankees. “I loved working with Don [La Greca] and Peter [Rosenberg], but as I was getting older that was and unbelievable challenge to do both as I was for so long.”
Kay said he reached a point where he could no longer continue the afternoon drive routine. He shared his concerns with management at Good Karma Brands, which operates ESPN New York. That conversation led to the idea of a two-hour solo show in an earlier timeslot.
“They [Good Karma Brands] made it so easy for me. They’ve been so great and supportive. Once I started doing it, I love it. It changed my life,” explained Kay.
Fully invested in the concept, Kay signed a multi-year extension as part of the move to middays. When announcing the extension and schedule change in December 2024, he felt the show’s final stretch in afternoons was handled properly in both timing and execution.
Fighting For Don La Greca
Even a year later, the legacy of The Michael Kay Show continues to be debated across media circles. Recently, Don La Greca admitted to former WFAN host Brandon Tierney that he wished he had fought harder to have his name included in the program’s branding.
“I knew Don [La Greca] wanted his name on the show, and I totally understood it. He was as much a part of the show’s success as I was,” said Kay. “I wish he would have fought harder too.”
Kay said he supported La Greca behind the scenes by approaching station management about adding his name. However, management resisted due to the show’s marketing ties to Kay’s Yankees affiliation.
“They kept fighting me on it. I said this is not my fight. If Don [La Greca] had said he was going to leave, maybe that would have moved the needle a bit,” explained Kay. “They were telling him different stuff than they were telling me. At one point, they told Don that I didn’t want the name change. Which is completely untrue… I knew it bothered Don, but it was Don’s hill to die on.”
Kay remains close with La Greca and was excited to see his former co-host named the television play-by-play voice of the New Jersey Devils last summer.
“Once it happened, I believe I was one of the first people that he told. I kind of got emotional because I realize what it’s like to broadcast your childhood team and live your dream,” noted Kay. “We hugged in the studio, and I was so happy for him.”
Hope Springs Excitement
Now, another season arrives for Michael Kay and Yankees fans across the country. As the game takes center stage tonight in San Francisco, Kay will spend another Opening Day not behind the microphone, but among the fans—a rare pause for a voice synonymous with Yankees baseball.
In a sport and industry navigating sweeping change—from streaming deals to shifting timeslots—Kay remains a steady voice connecting generations of fans to the game across New York City.
Now entering year two of a life-changing professional shift, Kay is more energized than ever for the season ahead, with a renewed appreciation for the opportunity.
“The balance between life and work has never ever been better. I have zero complaints,” said Kay. “At this point, and it could change. I could see myself doing this for a long time… I’m really enjoying it.”
Whether he’s calling a pivotal October moment, navigating the evolving sports media landscape, or fielding calls as a solo host, Kay continues to bring fans together.
Opening Day will look different. The booth may sound different. The way fans find the game will continue to change. But the essence of baseball hasn’t—and neither has Michael Kay.
Whether he’s behind the mic or in the stands, he remains part of the rhythm of the sport, proving that even in a time of change, some voices never lose their place in the game.
Barrett Media produces daily content on the music, news, and sports media industries. Sign up for our newsletters to stay updated and get the latest information right in your inbox.
John Mamola is Barrett Media’s sports editor and daily sports columnist. He brings over two decades of experience (Chicago, Tampa/St Petersburg) in the broadcast industry with expertise in brand management, sales, promotions, producing, imaging, hosting, talent coaching, talent development, web development, social media strategy and design, video production, creative writing, partnership building, communication/networking with a long track record of growth and success. He is a five-time recognized top 20 program director in a major market via Barrett Medi’s Top 20 series and has been honored internally multiple times as station/brand of the year (Tampa, FL) and employee of the month (Tampa, FL) by iHeartMedia. Connect with John by email at John@BarrettMedia.com.
