New York sports radio has always been a bit of a blood sport. For over a decade, the frequency 98.7 FM was the primary weapon for ESPN in its relentless, often exhausting battle against WFAN for the ears of the Tri-State area. If you tuned in during a morning commute or a late-night drive home from Citi Field, you knew exactly what you were getting. The signal was crisp. The debates were loud. But then, things changed.
The radio landscape shifted under our feet.
August 2024 marked a massive turning point for 98.7 ESPN New York radio. That was the month Good Karma Brands, which operates the station, officially pulled the plug on the FM signal. If you flip to that spot on the dial now, you won't hear Michael Kay's voice booming about the Yankees or Rick DiPietro's self-deprecating hockey humor. Instead, you'll find something entirely different because the lease on that 98.7 frequency—owned by Emmis Communications—simply became too expensive to justify in a world where everyone has a smartphone glued to their hand.
The Big Divorce from 98.7 FM
Money talks. Usually, it screams.
The decision to drop the FM signal wasn't about a lack of listeners. It was a cold, hard business calculation. For years, ESPN New York paid millions to lease the 98.7 frequency. When you’re competing with a behemoth like WFAN, you need every advantage, and for a long time, having a clear FM signal was that advantage. But the lease was reportedly costing somewhere in the neighborhood of $12 million to $15 million a year. That is a staggering amount of "dead money" just to exist on a traditional dial.
Honestly, it’s a weird time for radio. You’ve got people streaming via the ESPN New York app, listening on smart speakers, or catching the show on YouTube. The physical tower in the Meadowlands just doesn't carry the same weight it did in 2012 when ESPN first made the jump to FM.
So, they walked away.
They didn't go off the air, though. They just moved back to their roots at 1050 AM and doubled down on digital. If you’re a die-hard fan, you probably didn’t even blink. You just opened the app. But for the casual listener who relies on the car’s seek button? They’re likely still wondering where the hell the Jets talk went.
Where Can You Find the Shows Now?
If you are hunting for the lineup, it’s scattered across a few different "pipes" now. The flagship home is technically 1050 AM (WEPN). Let’s be real, though: AM radio sounds like it’s being broadcast from the bottom of a trash can if you’re driving under a bridge or near tall buildings.
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That’s why the station is pushing the "digital-first" mantra so hard.
- The App: This is where Good Karma Brands wants you. It’s a direct line to their advertisers and gives them data that a 1950s radio tower never could.
- 1050 AM: The old-school way. Great for certain parts of the city, terrible for others.
- The Website: You can stream live directly from the ESPN New York site.
- Smart Speakers: Just tell Alexa to "Play ESPN New York."
The Battle Between Michael Kay and Mike Francesa (and Everyone Since)
You can't talk about 98.7 ESPN New York radio without talking about the "Radio Wars." For years, the afternoon drive slot was a literal battlefield. Michael Kay vs. Mike Francesa. The Yankee voice vs. the Sports Pope. It was personal. It was petty. It was fantastic entertainment.
There was a time when Michael Kay finally beat Francesa in the ratings, and it felt like the Berlin Wall had fallen for ESPN. For the first time, the "alternative" station had become the king. But that crown is heavy and slippery. After Francesa retired (the first time, and the second, and the third), the landscape got more crowded. Craig Carton returned to the FAN, Evan Roberts moved to afternoons, and suddenly, the ratings dominance that 98.7 had clawed for began to erode.
Kay has toyed with retirement himself. He’s openly discussed the grind of the 3 p.m. to 7 p.m. slot while also calling games for the Yankees. It’s a lot. Yet, his show remains the anchor of the brand. Without the "Michael Kay Show," ESPN New York loses its identity.
The Current Lineup: Who’s Left?
The roster has stayed surprisingly stable despite the signal change.
Rick DiPietro and Dave Rothenberg still handle the mornings (D&R). They have this chaotic, brotherly energy that works well for people who are barely awake. They talk Rangers, they talk Giants, and they spend an inordinate amount of time arguing about food or obscure 80s pop culture. It’s a specific vibe.
Then you have Chris Canty, who has moved into a more national role but still resonates locally. The midday slots have seen some shuffling, especially as ESPN (the national parent company) has gone through various rounds of layoffs. That’s the tricky part about 98.7—it was always a hybrid. Part of the day was local New York guys, and part of the day was the national "four-letter network" feed out of Bristol.
Why the FM Exit Matters for the Future of New York Sports
Is this the beginning of the end for local sports radio?
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Probably not. But it is the end of an era.
The "98.7" branding was iconic. It was plastered on buses and billboards for over a decade. Moving back to 1050 AM feels like a demotion, even if the executives swear it isn't. In New York, perception is reality. If you aren't on FM, some people think you don't exist.
However, look at the numbers. More than 60% of sports radio consumption is moving toward non-traditional platforms. Podcasts are eating the lunch of mid-day radio shows. Why listen to a national show about the Cowboys when you can download a 45-minute deep dive on the New York Knicks' salary cap?
98.7 ESPN New York radio is essentially a test case for whether a major market sports brand can survive without a prime FM signal. If they succeed, you might see other stations across the country follow suit to save on those astronomical leasing costs. If they fail, it’ll be a cautionary tale about the "death of the dial."
The "Good Karma" Factor
It’s worth noting that ESPN doesn't actually "own" the local operations of the station anymore. Good Karma Brands, led by Craig Karmazin, took over the local management. This was a massive shift. It meant that the station became more of an affiliate than a "corporate-owned" entity.
Good Karma is known for being scrappy. They focus heavily on events, "The Beach Bash," and direct-to-consumer relationships. They aren't just selling 30-second commercials; they’re selling access. This is why you see so many remote broadcasts from places like the Jersey Shore or various sports bars around the city. They have to hustle.
Common Misconceptions About 98.7 ESPN New York Radio
People get a lot wrong about this station, mostly because the transition was a bit messy.
"The station is dead." False. It’s very much alive. It just lives in your phone and on a different part of the radio.
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"They fired Michael Kay." Nope. He’s still there. He’s just not on 98.7 FM anymore. You can also watch him on YES Network while he does the radio show, which is how a lot of people consume the content anyway.
"They lost the rights to the games." This is a big one. The station still carries the New York Jets and the New York Knicks and the New York Rangers. Those play-by-play rights are the lifeblood of the station. If they ever lose those to WFAN or a streaming service, then you can start worrying.
The Technical Reality of 1050 AM
Let's talk about the AM signal for a second. It's 50,000 watts. On a clear night, you can practically hear 1050 AM in another time zone. But AM signals are susceptible to "interference." Your Tesla's electric motor? It messes with the signal. The LED lights in your garage? They mess with the signal.
This is the technical hurdle that the station faces. Most modern cars are actually removing AM radio from their dashboards entirely. This is a quiet crisis for the industry. If the car manufacturers stop putting AM tuners in the dash, a station that only exists on 1050 AM becomes invisible to the commuter.
This is why the ESPN New York App is no longer a "nice-to-have." It is the station's only hope for long-term survival.
Actionable Insights for the Displaced Listener
If you’ve been frustrated by the lack of sports talk on your favorite FM preset, here is exactly how to navigate the new reality of New York sports media.
- Re-program your App Store habits: Don't bother searching for "radio" in your car. Download the ESPN New York App and use Apple CarPlay or Android Auto. It’s a higher-quality stream and doesn’t cut out when you go through the Midtown Tunnel.
- Check the 1050 AM signal at night: If you’re a night owl, the 1050 signal actually travels better once the sun goes down. It’s a quirk of atmospheric physics (skywave propagation).
- Follow the talent, not the frequency: Michael Kay, Peter Rosenberg, and Don La Greca are active on social media and YouTube. Most of their segments are clipped and posted within minutes of airing. If you missed a rant about Brian Cashman, you don't need to wait for a replay; just check their YouTube channel.
- Explore the Podcasts: Most of the local shows are broken down into podcast episodes. This is actually the best way to listen because you can skip the national commercials and get straight to the local New York content.
- Voice Commands are your friend: If you have a smart home setup, get into the habit of saying "Play 1050 ESPN New York." It bypasses the need for a physical radio altogether.
The transition from 98.7 FM wasn't a failure of the content; it was an admission that the old way of distributing audio is becoming a luxury that even the "Worldwide Leader in Sports" can't afford. The personalities are the same, the takes are just as hot, and the New York sports fans are just as angry as they've ever been. You just have to find them on a different wave.