New York Sports Talk Is Better With Sal Licata — And WFAN Shouldn’t Lose Him

There’s been a shake-up at WFAN—again. And for someone like me who grew up with this station, from Mike & the Mad Dog all the way to the present, any move they make lands personally. WFAN has been the soundtrack of my entire sports life. It’s what you put on in the car, at work, on the way home from a game. It’s the constant. It’s New York sports in audio form.

So when news breaks that another reshuffle is coming, it hits different.

According to the reports, Craig Carton is coming back to the FAN, sliding into middays, and it looks like Chris McMonagle will join him as the new partner. Evan and Tiki reportedly move to a 10–1 slot. And the odd men out? Sal Licata and Brandon Tierney.

And honestly—I hate this move.

Not because Craig Carton isn’t good at what he does. He is. He draws a big audience, he’s a terrific host, and WFAN has clearly decided to give him what is now a third shot at the station. Good for him.

But if doing that means pushing Sal and BT out the door? That’s not just unfortunate. That’s a loss for WFAN. It’s a loss for New York sports fans. And frankly, it’s the wrong decision.

I’ve been a fan of Sal’s for a long, long time. The guy gets it. He knows the teams, he brings the passion of the fanbase without turning it into a gimmick, and most importantly—he’s entertaining. That matters. You can teach someone the stats; you can’t teach someone how to be compelling on the radio every single day in this market.

Since we started Locked Up Sports, we’ve been lucky enough to have a lot of WFAN personalities join us—Joe Benigno, Chris McMonagle, Sal Licata, Sweeny Murti, Bob Heussler —voices that helped shape what New York sports talk is. And Sal stood out not just as a guest but as someone whose presence makes the FAN better. Every time he comes on, every time he’s behind a mic, you remember why the station became a giant in the first place. Because of people like him.

So if this shake-up ends with Sal Licata and Brandon Tierney on the outside looking in? I think that’s a shame. Not because I personally like them—though I do. But because they’re two of the best, most consistent voices on the station. Sal and BT are the best show on WFAN right now. They’ve built something that feels organic, energetic, and real.

Losing that so Craig Carton can have another run feels backwards.

WFAN is at its best when it reflects the pulse of actual New York sports fans—not when it recycles big names for the sake of buzz. And nobody channels the pulse of this city like Sal. He’s lived and died with these teams, he talks like us, he reacts like us, and he breaks things down in a way that’s smart but never pretentious.

New York sports talk is better when Sal Licata is part of it. Period.

If the shake-up goes the way the rumors suggest, the FAN might be gaining Carton back—but they’ll be losing something far more important: two hosts who’ve earned their spot, earned their audience, and, frankly, deserve better.

WFAN has always been a huge part of my life. But it’s not the logo or the jingle that makes you turn the dial. It’s the voices. And without Sal Licata, the station just won’t the same.