Michael Holley leaves WEEI for full-time work at NBC Sports Boston
It has been a while since there has been a major change in hosts on either of Boston’s highly rated sports radio stations. But a big one came down Wednesday.
Michael Holley, who co-hosts WEEI’s afternoon drive program along with Dale Arnold and Rich Keefe, announced he is leaving the program to join NBC Sports Boston full time. His final show was Wednesday.
Holley, already a co-host of NBC Sports Boston’s weekday evening program “Boston Sports Tonight,’’ will take on an expanded role, though the specifics are not yet certain.
“Leaving this job was not an easy thing for me,’’ said Holley in announcing the decision during the 5 p.m. hour of Wednesday’s show.
He said an announcement regarding the details of his television role should come next week.
Sad news, @MichaelSHolley announced today is his last day at @WEEI. pic.twitter.com/XLXUQQAB2X
— The Gresh & Fauria Show (@GreshFauriaWEEI) March 1, 2018
Meanwhile, Michael Felger, who is an afternoon drive host at WEEI’s rival, 98.5 The Sports Hub, will no longer be full time at NBC Sports Boston, though he will retain a prominent on-air presence.
Felger signed a contract extension with The Sports Hub’s new parent company Beasley Media Group in January. According to a source with knowledge of the situation, Beasley made it worth Felger’s while financially to reduce his NBCSN obligations.
NBC Sports Boston management’s desire to bring Holley aboard in a bigger role has been a poorly kept secret in recent months. His departure from WEEI is not related to recent controversy and contentiousness at the station, which culminated with staff-wise sensitivity training February 16.
Holley’s departure breaks up a long-running if briefly interrupted radio partnership with Arnold. They were first partnered on WEEI’s midday (10 a.m.-2 p.m.) program from 2005-11. A roster shakeup saw Holley moved to afternoon drive (2 p.m.-6 p.m.), with Arnold reduced to a part-time role. But they were reunited in March 2014. Keefe joined the show in December 2016 as the third voice.
While Felger and co-host Tony Massarotti have reigned in afternoon drive for more than five years, most recently earning a 16.3 share and the top rating in the market for the men 25-54 demographic in the fall, the good-natured Holley and Arnold’s repairing revitalized WEEI’s afternoon drive show in their own right. They earned an 11.3, good for second place, in the fall Nielsen Audio ratings.
Holley became emotional as he thanked numerous members of WEEI’s on and off-air staff when he made the announcement. He referred to Arnold and Keefe as his brothers.
“You guys are authentically Boston, authentically New England, and I love you for it,’’ he said, addressing the listeners.
The show will be called Dale and Keefe as of Thursday. The station will commence a search for a third host.
Holley’s move to a more prominent role at NBCSN wasn’t the only personnel transaction at the network revealed Wednesday. Kayce Smith is leaving NBC Sports Boston for Barstool Sports. Her final day is Friday.
Smith joined NBC Sports Boston in March 2017 as a co-host, along with Holley, Tom Curran, and Tom Giles, of the “Boston Sports Tonight’’ talk show.
Despite a background spent almost entirely outside of New England – she grew up in Arlington, Texas and graduated from Texas A&M before working for ESPN and Fox Sports – she quickly established herself as knowledgeable and informed about Boston sports, no easy task for a newcomer to the market.
Smith joins Barstool as it continues to expand its multimedia reach, two years after founder David Portnoy sold 51 percent of his stake to the Chernin Group. Barstool has several successful podcasts and launched a Sirius satellite radio channel in January.
Portnoy, who maintains editorial control of Barstool, announced Smith’s hiring on the website Tuesday. He said she will begin at Barstool in two weeks.
Smith, who did not immediately return a message seeking comment, was well-liked by her colleagues at NBCSN.
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