For more than two decades, Don La Greca served as a prominent voice on afternoons at ESPN New York, helping shape one of the most recognizable sports talk programs in the nation’s largest media market. Even so, the longtime broadcaster recently admitted that one lingering professional regret still stands out when he reflects on those years behind the microphone.
During an appearance on BT Unleashed, La Greca acknowledged that he wishes he had pushed harder to have his name incorporated into the branding of The Michael Kay Show, a program he co-hosted for many years alongside Michael Kay.
La Greca said he raised the idea with management at various points during the show’s run. The conversations never produced a tangible change. Looking back, he believes he should have advocated more strongly for recognition. He felt it should reflect his role in building the program’s identity and daily rhythm.
“Not enough,” La Greca said when asked whether he pushed for the adjustment. “One of the biggest regrets. I brought it up, but I should have been more aggressive about it. I felt like I got jerked around a lot. Because I would go to management and they’d go ‘yeah, that’s a good point Don. We should do something about it.’ Then nothing would ever get done about it.”
La Greca noted that he also spoke with Kay about the possibility of altering the show’s title, though he said those discussions ultimately ended without progress.
“Michael [Kay] would say his hands were tied. They [station management] don’t want to change the name of the show,” La Greca said. “It just never happened, and I should have been more aggressive. I should have put my foot down.”
Despite those frustrations, La Greca acknowledged that his reluctance to escalate the issue stemmed largely from a desire to preserve the success and chemistry the show had developed over time.
“I was very happy to be a part of the show,” he said. “The show was doing well, and I didn’t want to make it about me and disrupt anything.”
Still, the veteran host explained that the lack of recognition in the title stood out to him because of how uncommon that structure is across sports talk radio.
“There’s no other show in the country where there’s a co-host whose name isn’t on the show,” La Greca said. “That’s always the way it was, and anybody else was always the sidekick or the update guy that talked.”
Even while expressing disappointment about the branding decision, La Greca emphasized that he holds deep appreciation for Kay’s role in helping him secure and grow into the position.
“I would not have been a co-host if it wasn’t for Michael Kay,” La Greca said. “Michael talking to me, having confidence in me. Michael Kay fighting for me when Bristol didn’t think I was the right fit.”
Ultimately, La Greca framed the reflection as a personal evaluation rather than a criticism of the colleague who helped elevate his career.
“He fought for me,” La Greca said. “So this isn’t about Michael.”
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