Bill Kostroun/AP
Yankees fans could find themselves listening to John Sterling on WFAN next season.
The Yankees are close to sealing a deal that would make WFAN their radio home.
The contract would be for 10 years with CBS, which owns WFAN, paying the Yankees between $ 15-$ 20 million per year, according to radio industry sources. This would make the Yankees the recipient of the most lucrative radio deal in major league baseball.
“It looks like this will happen,” the source said. “It’s 80% done and could get finished this week.”
If the Yankees move to WFAN the Mets, who have been at the station since the 1980s, will be in search of a new radio home. Sources said Clear Channel, which owns WOR and was interested in the Yankees, may make a run at the Mets.
“Right now we are still negotiating with numerous parties with what we are going to do with out radio outlet,” Jeff Wilpon said, adding he expects a deal to be in place in the next six weeks.
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Showalter/NY Daily News
Howie Rose and the Mets’ radio team could be left out in the cold if the Yankees and WFAN agree on a contract, which would be the most lucrative in Major League Baseball.
The sources said no decision has been made on whether John Sterling and Suzyn Waldman would remain in the radio booth if WFAN acquires the right. Historically, Yankees brass has retained the right to approve all the the teams radio and TV voices.
Yankees sources declined to comment on their radio contract negotiations or the future of Sterling and Waldman. But another baseball source said: “The Yankees have a history with Sterling and Waldman. They like both of them.”
With the Bombers’ WCBS-AM contract expiring at the end of the season, there was heavy interest in their radio rights. At one point, it looked like Clear Channel had the inside track. It made a lucrative offer that would have had the Yankees landing on WOR-AM.
ESPN had also expressed an interest in acquiring the rights for ESPN-98.7.
- With Kristie Ackert
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via Great Local News: New York http://newyork.greatlocalnews.info
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