The YES Network, the most-watched regional sports network in the country the past six years, and WFAN, the nation’s most listened to sports radio station, have reached a multi-year agreement by which YES will simulcast live The NFL Now, WFAN’s weekly in-season NFL show hosted by Mike Francesa on Sundays from 9:00-12:00Noon, ET, in addition to WFAN’s Mike’D Up: Francesa on the FAN weekdays live from 1:00-6:30PM, ET.

The NFL Now, a staple on WFAN since 1987, includes in-depth news and analysis, coach and player interviews and listener call-ins, along with Francesa’s expert commentary.

Francesa has been a fixture on the YES Network since its launch in March 2002.  At that time, YES was the first network – nationally or regionally – to simulcast a sports talk radio show.

“New Yorkers have tuned in to Mike Francesa for more than 20 years, and we are excited that he will continue to be a valuable part of the YES network,” said John Filippelli, president of production and programming at the YES Network.  “Mike was hugely instrumental in setting the tone for the sports radio genre nationwide, and his influence within the sports arena can not be understated.  We at YES look forward to introducing new components which will take his shows and our simulcasts to a new level.”

“Our relationship with the YES Network was groundbreaking at the time we began and has led many to follow in our footsteps,” said Mark Chernoff, Vice President of Sports Programming, CBS RADIO and Operations Director of WFAN.  “Great content, as Mike has proven he can deliver time and again, need not be limited to any one distribution platform.  Expanding this program to television has greatly benefitted Mike’s audience and contributed to the overall strength of the station’s brand.”

Francesa By The Numbers

YES’ 1:00-6:30PM WFAN simulcast has seen a 41.2% year-over-year increase in average TV households from February 2008 to February 2009 (through 2/25)

Francesa’s average TV household rating on YES from  August 18, 2008 through February 25, 2009 increased by 16.7% year-over-year from the same time period in 2007-08

The average TV household rating YES garnered for its Francesa simulcasts in January 2009 (Monday-Friday, 1:00-6:30PM, ET) out-delivered the other three New York regional sports networks (MSG, MSG Plus and SNY) during the same period by 118.2% combined (0.24 vs. 0.11).

Francesa continues to host his separate television show, Mike’D Up, each Sunday night on WNBC-TV in New York, a live studio show featuring sports interviews, highlights, news and analysis.   

A native of Long Beach, N.Y., Francesa made his WFAN debut in 1987 as a weekend host and later teamed with current WFAN colleague Ed Coleman mid-days before teaming up with Chris Russo. Francesa also worked at CBS Sports from 1982-93, first as a researcher and later as a studio analyst.  He hosted Around the NFL with Bill Parcells on MSG Network in 1991 and 1992, and hosted Live From The Play by Play, also on MSG Network, from 1990-95.  He is a graduate of St. John’s University.

About The Yes Network

The YES Network, features exclusive telecasts of the 26-time World Champion New York Yankees and the New Jersey Nets.  The network is available in New York, Connecticut, New Jersey and Pennsylvania on cable and on the new television services provided by telephone companies, and is also available nationally on DirecTV.  In addition to the Yankees and Nets, YES televises college games, as well as Emmy Award-winning biography, interview and magazine programs. Further YES Network information can be found at www.yesnetwork.com.

About WFAN

Launched on July 1, 1987, The FAN was the nation’s first full-time sports formatted radio station and is the most listened to station of its kind.  Currently the flagship station of four New York-area professional sports franchises, including the N.Y. Mets, N.Y. Giants, N.J. Nets and N.J. Devils, WFAN also provides sports headlines with the “WFAN 20/20 Sports Update” at the top of the hour, 20 minutes past the hour, and 20 minutes before the hour.