Dan Le Batard addressed criticism from his audience as to why he won’t fully explain longtime co-host Jon ‘Stugotz’ Weiner’s absense from his program. In a several minute open session during Thursday’s program, Le Batard attempted to provide some more context on why ‘Stugotz’ has been missing since last summer.
What We Know: Stugotz’s separation from the Le Batard Show and Meadowlark Media began last year. This followed the company extended its partnership with DraftKings. The new agreement did not include Stugotz’s two podcasts. Subsequently, Weiner launched Stugotz and Company and God Bless Football as his independent programs sponsored by FanDuel. He also landed a nationwide syndication agreement with FOX Sports Radio as the afternoon replacement for Doug Gottlieb. Meanwhile, Weiner’s name remains on Meadowlark’s flagship show, despite him not appearing since last summer. Le Batard has been criticized for not revealing any details of why ‘Stugotz’ continues to not be a part of the program.
What They Said: (All quotes via The Dan Le Batard Show with Stugotz Thursday)
Dan Le Batard continues to hope for Jon “Stugotz” Weiner to return to the Dan Le Batard Show with Stugotz: “I love that dude, and I’m always going to be indebted to him. I hope that he sits in that chair again. I’ve told him many times I want him to make money from Meadowlark [Media] for as long as it exists. But that’s up to him whether or not he comes back. He’s got a job here. He built his thing, and we were going to do these things together, and so I hope he comes back. I’d like to have it back.”
Dan Le Batard on the pressures of remaining silent on why Jon “Stugotz” Weiner has remained away from the show: “It’s been crushing to me. Imagine how much I must value that relationship. When you guys know how transparent I am, and you guys know that I care about him. I want him here. Imagine how hard it must be for me to protect the relationship with him, and keeping his name on the show in service of wanting him back so the audience can have what it wants. Because I want it to.”
Dan Le Batard on struggling to find the balance with transparency with his audience over Jon “Stugotz” Weiner’s departure: “I don’t know how to make it any clearer to him or you guys that I would love to have him here. But I’m not telling the audience something when I value my transparency. When it’s important to me. When the relationship with the audience, you know that I’m grateful for it. How must I value that relationship to not speak my mind, like how, how much?”
Dan Le Batard on his struggles in not discussing why Jon “Stugotz” Weiner is no longer on the program: “It’s been killing me to not be able to speak honestly to our audience for a while. It’s been killing me. It hurts. I want his name on this show forever. I have worked in protection of that. He knows this.”
Dan Le Batard on how business is making a reunion difficult between Dan Le Batard and Jon “Stugotz” Weiner: “Business is hard. We were and are in business together still. He’s building his own thing, and he wanted to do that. We helped him do that, and we wanted it to commingle with this. It did for a while, and then it didn’t… We’re trying to build two things together. At the moment, we’re sponsored by competing entities. So, that makes it a little difficult to do business. Like, it just makes it a little difficult. That’s all.”
Dan Le Batard on his most recent communication with Jon “Stugotz” Weiner: “We have exchanged texts back and forth in the last couple of weeks trying to connect.”
Dan Le Batard attempting to explain why he’s remained quiet about Jon “Stugotz” Weiner and his role with the program: “I don’t know if it’s what Stugotz wants. I’m living in service of the protection of somebody I care about. Somebody whose career I care about. Somebody whose family I care about. I know they [the audience] want answers. Do you not think it kills me to not give them all the answers they would like? But I’m trying. I don’t want to say anything bad about a person that I care about. I don’t want him to say anything bad about me.”
What Remains Unclear: Le Batard confirmed only that “we have exchanged texts back and forth in the last couple of weeks trying to connect.” However, those texts haven’t produced a return. While Le Batard hinted business between competing sportsbook sponsors as a potential reason for the separation, it’s not fully known if that’s the case. It is equally hard to believe Weiner would stop taking calls from Le Batard after more than two decades of success and friendship. Over time, both personalities have said the ball is in the other person’s court as to enact a potential reunion. Still, it hasn’t happened.
What It Means: Dan Le Batard’s transparency has always been his currency. Therefore, protecting that currency while withholding information creates a painful paradox for Le Batard. As a witness to the back and forth between the two personalities, there is a mix of business and personal friction which neither will fully admit. ‘Stugotz’ has referenced in the past the separation has hurt him, and Le Batard’s word today also frame that emotion. Ultimately, both men feel full transparency runs risk and I’d expect both to remain silent until that risk is fully gone.
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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.
