In addition to an off-ice personnel complete overhaul(perhaps only the PR folks saved) at the Toronto Maple Leafs, I am hearing from multiple folks in the industry that changes are coming to the Fan 590 (amongst other outlets). There is a lots of talk out there in general. How much is concrete? I have no clue. On previous occasions I have inquired of management about the truth of these stories and I have been told that they don’t comment on rumors. In this case however, there seems to be some consensus in what I am hearing on a couple of points:
Don Landry doesn’t appear to be sticking around for too much longer. Word is that if he leaves it will be his own doing in that it he isn’t loving the morning gig all that much anymore (anyone else think it shows?)
Hogan appears to be very safe. His work is steady and his overhead – reasonable. Not only that, there aren’t too many around who can do the Argo thing.
There is no consensus on Toth, in what I am hearing at all.
Some out there believe that cutting at the Fan could be deeper and include the night time guys, cash can be saved by going to either repeat programming or international programming (ESPN/FOX etc), same with weekends.
The most common thing I am hearing is that despite the beating Hockey Central at Noon is laying on Leafs Lunch, there is going to be a change here. It sounds like Doug (Richie Rich ) MacLean is going to be joining Kypreos and Millard for the show which may run from 12-2 in a the new world order. Almost everyone who contacted me about a change had this same scenario.
Following that show would be the Deacon, Doug Fairway from 2-4. Notice that MacLean and Armstrong’s show disappears??? Notice that Armstrong totally disappears except from Raptors broadcasts???????
Mccown obviously isn’t going anywhere but there seems to be a common belief that Jim Kelley won’t be staying at his favourite Marriot on Bloor much longer.
How or when this all shakes out is anyones guess. It’s one thing when one person emails or calls me about this type of thing. When it’s 2 or 3 I start to notice. 4-5 I am pretty sure that where there is smoke there is some fire… Let’s keep our eyes and ears on the folks at the fan for the next little while.
The one name that keeps getting mentioned as the new Marlie coach is…..drum roll…..Craig Hartsburg….. Don’t be overly surprised if he becomes the next coach of your Toronto Marlies….
Expanding the hockey central show is an interesting idea. But I don’t think ditching Jim Kelly from PTS would make a huge difference. James Deacon would be top of my list. That guy is the most annoying of them all especially his voice.
Any idea who could replace Landry if he were to seek out another career, one that doesn’t pay him well to do impressions of Jerry Howarth that perhaps were humourous back when Roy Lee Jackson pitched?
Would 590 stay in-house or bring someone in from another station to work with Stellick? Gord could be fine with someone who drove him to work a bit harder and got a bit argumentative with him. Right now, it’s just too polite and bland a show.
The ideal scenario for me would be if they replace Landry, Toth, and Kelley………….however I am not holding my breath…………I find it hard to believe that Landry would voluntarily leave the morning show…………if they expand Farraway’s show to two hours that just means there will be one additional hour that I won’t be listening to
I tuned in to the Fan for a few minutes this morning and it struck me that Landry is far more interested in his schtick (Vito from Woodbridge/ lame Vic Rauter impersonations, etc.) than he is in engaging in some sort of meaningful dialogue about sports.
As much as I dislike Cox’s column, at least when he guest hosts the morning show he can talk sports, frame some interesting questions for guests and come up with the occassional original insight. You know, the things sports radio should be about.
For a little over a year now I have had Satellite radion in my car, so I admit I do not listen as often to the Fan as I used to, but when I do, it strikes me as very bland, and I feel like nothing has changed since the last time I tuned in.
They always seem to have the same guests, same topics and nobody with any really innovative or interesting approaches to tadays topics.
Even Prime Time is dull, and certainly Kelley will be no loss.
Doug Farraway has said that they’re looking to put hockey central on hiatus in the summers. It would be strange to expand it to two hours then.
Also, Armstrong is on television Raptors broadcasts, not radio. And The Fan has said that ESPN radio was too expensive, and that Fox radio wasn’t the right format for them. So they won’t be going to either of those.
Any time I’ve read wild rumours on your site that sources have told you, they never seem to be true. So I’m not going to hold my breath.
You may very well be right though…and if so Farraway from 2 – 4 sounds terrible.
If the rumours you’ve heard are right though…then Farraway from 2 – 4 sounds terrible.
@EC: Jack Armstrong co hosts a show on the FAN called “The Gameplan” with Doug McLean
There was a prior incarnation of Landry at the FAN,his name was Jim Richards,same shtick but funnier, he now has a show at CFRB
I know the Gameplan, I meant that he wasn’t on the Raptors radio team.
I remember Jim Richards. He was great.
ESPN Radio is much much cheaper than local programming in the evening. That’s not even logical to suggest otherwise.
@Julian:It’s not cheaper if you don’t pay the overnight guy,and that’s pretty common
Can you be specific? I mean, does Norm Rumack work for free?
The overnight shift has long been the equivilant of AAA baseball for aspiring broadcasters.The station allows a “prospect” a low profile proving ground at no pay,it’s like interning.Just listen to the live overnight newscasters on 640,very raw, and probably in the midst of radio courses.
Also, personally, I hope HC at noon isn’t made two hours. Let 640 stick to the hardcore hockey thing. The Fans better for sports business, and the four local teams.
WOW- guess this one hit a nerve. I only heard more of the same as it relates to this story today. Industry insiders who reached out to me only confirmed most of what I heard.
The sense I get is that Landry, is leaving the morning show may be leaving radio all together. Removing Kelley is more of a financial thing then anything else.
I will try to keep my ears open on this one.
TSM
Yeah. The Fans sort of an institution for a lot of Toronto sports fans, so I guess it does strike a nerve. I also think that the lineup they have now seems disjointed so listeners might be hungry for something new. Maybe they could use new blood. Some new young and up and coming guy from another market maybe?
I’d like more stuff like the Gameplan, maybe more stuff for Wilner as well – love that guy. I could do without the directors chair. Morning show and HC at noon kinda bore me – but maybe that’s just me. Station just seems to have gotten bland to me from 6am to 2.
Like I said before, I’d rather the Fan didnt go TOO puck crazy. Seems like a good fit with 640 grabbing the super hardcore hockey folks, while the Fan grabs their share of the hockey fans but also all of the baseball, b-ball, soccer etc. people.
The Fan should get props for their website too..
Isn’t Toth supposed to be replacing McCown? That’s what they were saying when he signed with the Fan but he never fills in for him anymore…what’s the deal there?
The deal is they figured out he isn’t compelling on the radio, he lacks talent, insight, talks about his own lame career too much, and says things like “by golly” and “gee whiz” too much
I can’t listen to the Fan in the morning; Don Landry please go away.
I do agree Landry really jumped the shark a while ago. I hate every break including his little jokes about Vito, Jerry Howarth (Sp?) and any other voices that he has come up with.
Someone else mentioned that the show is way to PC right now, and thats a bang on statement. Everyone agrees with everyone, we play a bit and go to commercial, repeat every 20 minutes.
As far as who to replace him with? I do not think there is anyone internal that could push the envelope and get this show back to where it needs to be.
PLEASE…if any changes are coming get rid of the pompous arrogant McCown!!
PLEASE!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!
What a shame axing Norm. Rumack was an institution. The fan has lost me as a listener and i have listened since the days of Dan Shullman. A pox on Doug MaClean, Showdown Joe and all the other assorted twits now infesting the fan 590. And shame on you Nelson Moeman
I cannot stand Toth. Hope to never hear from him again. He is horrible. Jim Kelley is the worst!!! He should stay on his side of the boder. McCown and Brunt is the best thing going! oh ya, Deacon sucks balls as well.
Not impressed at all with these changes. Can’t believe I will actually listen to music. Farraway is annoying 1st thing in the morning. And roger instead of Hogan!!!
The only greater waste of time besides sports is discussing sports.
People are slowly recognizing that sports journalism is no different than the entertainment tonight reporting.
The nba season just started, its disappearance has absolutely no impact on 98 percent of the peoples lives, that goes for all sports.
its like kardasians on skates, with a bat or on the court.