Report: Fox Sports Poaching Longtime New York Radio Host With Rich Contract
Longtime WFAN media personality Craig Carton is leaving the station for a lucrative contract with FS1, according to a report from Andrew Marchand of the New York Post.
The contract for Carton at FS1 will pay him seven figures, sources told Marchand.
The 54-year-old Carton returned to WFAN in 2020 after serving more than a year in prison starting in June ’19, following a conviction for fraud charges stemming from a fake ticket scam. Carton left the station following his arrest in Sept. ’17, after cohosting Boomer and Carton for more than a decade. As part of his conviction, he was ordered to pay $5 million in restitution. Marchand notes that the significant pay raise that he is receiving from FS1 will allow him to pay that bill more quickly.
Carton has been hosting a show during afternoon drive with Evan Roberts. Roberts is expected to remain in his position as WFAN searches for a replacement for Carton. Former professional running back Tiki Barber is the leading internal candidate to join Roberts, while Jerry Ferrara (yes, that Jerry Ferrara, the actor known for HBO’s Entourage), is an external candidate that WFAN is considering, Marchand reports.
Retired media personality Mike Francesa is not a candidate for a third return to the WFAN airwaves.
Carton has been back and forth on his decision to leave the station for months due to his loyalty to Audacy Radio president Chris Oliviero, who was key in giving Carton a second chance after his release from prison. Marchand noted that Oliviero gave Carton his blessing to take the lucrative deal with FS1.
Carton has long been looking to pair his afternoon drive show with appearances on television, but the FS1 deal presented scheduling issues that precluded him from performing both job duties. In addition, the FS1 television deal would be more lucrative for Carton if he did it exclusively.
Marchand noted that Carton’s new TV show on FS1 could have the potential for radio simulcast, which would allow the longtime NY personality to remain on the radio airwaves, albeit with Fox Sports Radio instead of WFAN.