Chris “Mad Dog” Russo opened up Tuesday on Evan & Tiki in reflection of his time building WFAN. He admitted he still misses parts of WFAN, even as SiriusXM’s Audacy tie-up excites him.
What We Know: Russo spent nearly two decades on WFAN’s Mike and the Mad Dog before leaving for SiriusXM in 2008. Today marks the debut of WFAN and many other Audacy sports stations on SiriusXM. Russo discussed the shift during a Tuesday appearance on WFAN’s Evan & Tiki program, and was also asked about his feelings being away from WFAN for nearly twenty years.
What They Said: (all quotes from WFAN):
Chris “Mad Dog” Russo on missing the days of working for WFAN: “You do miss it. You miss the day to day. You also miss at times not having a partner. Where me and Mike [Francesa] could bounce back and forth ideas. Even though at times we didn’t love each other, we can bounce back ideas of the teams. We had the common denominator of a New York team. [I] definitely miss it.”
Chris “Mad Dog” Russo on what makes working for SirusXM special: “SiriusXM is a great form because you can do anything you want. Nobody’s going to get in the way of telling you how to do it. If you want to do you know a book author. If you want to go break down Normandy. Whether you want. That’s the big advantage of SiriusXM. You get a lot of freedom. But I think the synergy of having Audacy on with us with Sirius is a huge advantage.”
What Remains Unclear: Whether or not Russo will make more frequent appearances on WFAN because of the partnership with SiriusXM is unknown.
What It Means: Ultimately, the Audacy-SiriusXM deal blurs old lines between terrestrial and satellite radio. For Russo, it offers a bridge back to the New York audience he once dominated. Meanwhile, SiriusXM gains built-in local credibility, while Audacy expands its national footprint. Together, both companies seem poised to test whether nostalgia and synergy can coexist on air. While this wasn’t Russo’s first appearance on WFAN since his departure, the new partnership could open doors for more frequency.
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