NYC Radio: Kay, Francesa Both Claim Ratings Wins

Michael Kay and Mike Francesa

The final spring radio numbers will leave both WEPN ESPN 98.7 FM New York’s “Michael Kay Show” and WFAN 660 AM / 101.9 FM’s Mike Francesa claiming they deserve the next parade up the Canyon of Heroes.

It is Kay, though, who has to be the most happy with the results, reports The NY Post.

In the traditional Nielsen Audio Measurement that the stations sell advertising against, 25-to-54-year-old men, Kay’s program topped Francesa’s with a 6.4 share to 6.1.

However, Francesa’s program does not include his digital stream, whereas Kay’s does. With Francesa’s stream, Francesa edges ahead 6.6-6.4.

Either way, the two were No. 1 and 2 in the market, leaving long-time, first-times to argue back and forth on Twitter who deserves to be declared the sports radio king of New York.

ESPN looks at it as a second straight win for Kay, while FAN thinks it is the status quo for Francesa.

But the factor that makes the spring results sweeter for Kay’s show is that FAN is the Yankees’ radio home. The reason the station pays close to $20 million annually, according to sources, is to increase the ratings across the board — and it has mostly worked. Overall, FAN crushed ESPN in the spring — except that Francesa and Kay were essentially even.

Even without the streaming, “Boomer & Gio” rose to No. 1 in the market. ESPN’s “Golic & Wingo’s” finished ninth.

Again, with the stream, FAN’s 10 a.m.-1 p.m. show, “Joe & Evan”, finished first and had the highest ratings on the station with a 7.2 to ESPN’s 3.4 for “Humpty, Canty & Rothenberg.”

Meanwhile, from 1-3, CMB was second in its time slot with a 6.7 — better than Francesa. Stephen A. Smith’s national show was almost half CMB’s at 3.4. CMB gave Francesa a huge head start over Kay each day.

Now, while the ratings game takes its traditional summer vacation, the drama inside the stations will continue.