Former 97.5 The Fanatic host Mike Missanelli said the station’s recent “Make The Switch” campaign is unlikely to dent the dominance of 94 WIP in the city’s sports radio market. Speaking on The OnPattison Podcast, Missanelli offered a blunt assessment of why the messaging is failing and why The Fanatic is unlikely to close the gap with its longtime competitor.
“They’re so far behind in the ratings that there’s no way they could possibly catch up if they keep doing even what they do,” Missanelli said. “So where do you draw the line? WIP has given people the outrage that they want to hear, whether they want to hear it or not, because they’re listening to that station anyway.”
Missanelli was dismissed from The Fanatic earlier this year after the long-tenured voice of Philadelphia sports radio had returned to the airwaves of 97.5 The Fanatic in August of 2024, following a two-year departure from the brand.
Since his dismissal, several Fanatic talent have pushed a “Make The Switch” campaign the focus on attempting to attack the style of programming their Audacy competitor produces. Missanelli argued that the campaign’s promotional efforts simply aren’t reaching the right audience.
“At this point, The Fanatic would have to hire an airplane and drop little parachutes down, saying that this is what we do because the message isn’t getting heard by enough people,” he said. “The people that Jon Marks is talking to are people that are listening to his show anyway. He’s not lecturing to the WIP audience because he’s not getting to the WIP audience. How’s he get to WIP audience?”
Marks criticized his crosstown rival at 94 WIP for having “fake take radio” following WIP host Joe Giglio calling for Philadelphia Eagles quarterback to have one last shot at keeping his role with the team.
Missanelli also dissected what makes WIP successful, noting the simplicity of the station’s approach.
“It seems that they have a simple formula. You put any ex-football player on, preferably an ex-Eagle, with any nerd co-host, and you got an instant success. Look at their co-hosts. Look at the host that they have over there with the ex-Eagles. They got Larry, Curly, and Shemp. They don’t even have Moe,” Missanelli said, referencing the classic comedic trio.
Looking back on The Fanatic’s struggles, Missanelli traced the decline to a key personnel change.
“The downfall of The Fanatic began when they fired program director Matt Nahigian, who was the guy who knew exactly what he was doing, and we were competitive at that point with the other station,” he said. “The other station is a legacy station. They’ve been around since the 1950s. That brand is already out there. And second of all, they have rights to the two biggest entities in town, the Phillies and the Eagles. So when you’re listening to that station, you’re listening to the bigger sports that are running this town. You’re not going to… you’re going to be more reluctant to change to the other station.”
Missanelli’s critique of his former station underscores the challenge facing The Fanatic as it attempts to lure listeners from WIP, which continues to dominate Philadelphia’s sports radio landscape. Without a significant shake-up in strategy or talent, Missanelli suggested, the “Make The Switch” campaign may have little impact on the entrenched market leader.
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