August 11, 2025
Joe Santoloquito/for PhillyVoice
Mike Missanelli was let go from 97.5 The Fanatic as part of a round of cuts by station owner Beasley Media Group. He said Monday he had hoped to retire in February when his contract was set to expire.
Veteran sports talk host Mike Missanelli reacted Monday to being let go from 97.5 The Fanatic in another round of budget cuts by station owner Beasley Media Group.
Missanelli, 69, had been in and out of the lineup at The Fanatic in recent years. He returned last August to co-host the midday slot from 10 a.m. to 2 p.m. with Ray Dunne and Bill Colarulo, who left that show in June to join the afternoon slot with Ricky Bottalico.
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In a post on X, Missanelli said he was informed of the station's decision after Friday's show.
"I had planned to retire (with a lil dignity) at the end of my contract next February," Missanelli said. "Unfortunately, now I won’t be able to do that."
Missanelli said he's not sure whether he plans to continue working or podcasting, which he had been doing before he returned to The Fanatic.
"We are very grateful for his contributions to the station and our listeners, and we wish him all the best," a Beasley Media Group spokesperson said.
Missanelli has nearly three decades of radio experience in Philadelphia, having previously worked at the former 610 WIP (now SportsRadio 94 WIP) and 93.3 WMMR. He joined The Fanatic in 2010, first in the midday slot and later during the afternoons from 2 p.m. to 6 p.m. That show overtook WIP's rival afternoon show in the ratings for several years and was simulcast on NBC Sports Philadelphia beginning in 2018.
When Missanelli last left The Fanatic in May 2022, he indicated that it was because he and the station couldn't come to terms on a new contract.
Missanelli's departure is part of a pattern of budget cuts at Beasley-owned stations across the country. The company has laid off several big names in Philadelphia radio over the past year. At 102.9 WMGK, longtime host Andre Gardner was laid off from the classic rock station in October after a 22-year run, and "Preston & Steve" co-host Kathy Romano also was let go in May after 22 years. Others who have been laid off at 97.5 The Fanatic include Tyrone Johnson, Jen Scordo, Pat Egan and Hunter Brody.
While 97.5 The Fanatic has not said who will take over Missanelli's spot, Monday's broadcast was co-hosted by Dunne and Connor Thomas.
Other cuts at Beasley on Friday included "Cadillac Jack" McCartney, the director or programming for the company's cluster of stations in Boston, and 105.5 WDHA program director Terrie Carr in North Jersey. Carr wrote in a Facebook post that several other people in Beasley's New Jersey cluster were also let go.
The cuts come ahead of Beasley Media Group's second-quarter earnings release on Tuesday. The company reported a 10.1% decline in year-over-year revenue and a $2.7 million loss in the first quarter.
