NYC Radio: The Mikes Are Moving To Manhattan

ESPN is taking its longtime morning radio show “Mike & Mike” from its home at the sports media giant’s Bristol, Conn. headquarters to ABC’s studio in New York City, where the two companies within the Walt Disney Co. empire plan to work together on programming tie-ins.

The Wall Street Journal reports beginning next February — the day after the Super Bowl — Mike Greenberg and Mike Golic will broadcast from a set directly above ABC’s “Good Morning America.”

The two programs will share talent. GMA’s Robin Roberts, for example, may appear on “Mike & Mike” to talk sports, ABC analyst Ryan Smith could join to cover legal matters, while chief meteorologist Ginger Zee could report on how a weather event may affect sporting events.

Greenberg and Golic will likewise appear on “GMA,” according to ESPN, which plans to announce the move at its “upfront” event for advertisers on Tuesday.

The one-two punch of “Mike & Mike” and “GMA” will enable the ABC and ESPN advertising sales teams to sell joint ad deals.

“I think the marketplace is interested in the impact possibilities when you bring an ESPN and ABC together,” said Geri Wang, president of ad sales for ABC.

Molly Qerim

The glitz of Times Square will be a noticeable change for those that watch — instead of listen — to the radio show, which is available on ESPN2 in addition to ESPN radio, SiriusXM and other digital platforms. “Mike & Mike” currently inhabits a modest studio in Bristol strewn with bobblehead tchotchkes, and many guests phone in. The new program will highlight New York’s buzzy streets and feature more live appearances, ESPN said.

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While the focus will remain on the Mikes, an enhanced presentation will include an ensemble cast, more New York-based sports and celebrity guests and more on-camera guests from remote locations, instead of via phone.

“Mike & Mike has been an extremely successful sports talk show for its first 15 years,” said Norby Williamson, ESPN executive vice president, programming and production. “The physical move to New York combined with a strong working relationship with ABC will help evolve it into a very powerful and engaging morning sports entertainment talk show.”

M-C has also learned that Molly Qerim is leaving NFL Network to move cross-country and join Mike and Mike. This marks the first time the show has added a permanent third voice since Greenberg and Golic first started working together in 1998, when Greenberg was a substitute host. He became the show’s permanent host in December 1999.

Qerim is leaving her job as one of the hosts for “NFL AM,” NFL Network’s daily morning show that has gone on hiatus until the preseason starts. Its last show was Friday, and NFL Network executives plan to make some subtle changes to it when it comes back.

Mike & Mike is the number one sports morning show in America:

• Multi-platform, distributed live across the largest number platforms – ESPN Radio, ESPN2, ESPNRadio.com, ESPN Radio app, SiriusXM, iTunes Radio, TuneIn, Slacker
• More than 4.6 million TV viewers per week
• More than 4.2 million weekly listeners on terrestrial radio
• More than 1.1 billion minutes spent streaming & 18 million On Demand downloads in 2014