Richard Neer, a longtime staple of WFAN’s weekend programming, has officially stepped away from his Saturday morning show after 27 years. The station announced the lineup change on Friday, marking the end of an era for one of New York sports radio’s most familiar voices.
Is Richard Neer leaving WFAN, and why?
Yes, longtime radio host Richard Neer is stepping away from his iconic Saturday morning show on WFAN. Thus, ending a run that lasted nearly three decades. The station confirmed the change on Friday, revealing a new weekend lineup that will begin next week.
Joe Benigno will now take over the 5 a.m. to 9 a.m. slot on Saturdays, followed by Chris McMonigle from 9 a.m. to 1 p.m. Evan Roberts shared the update during his afternoon show, and Neer addressed it himself during his final Saturday morning sign-off. “I’ve been incredibly blessed. Having been in New York radio now for 54 years, and I think for whatever reason, it’s over now,” Neer told his listeners. “Yeah. I don’t know what to say. It was not my choice.”
Neer’s voice has been a staple on New York sports radio for over 50 years, with 37 of those spent at WFAN. His Saturday show became a weekend ritual for many loyal fans. Though he’s stepping away from the regular time slot, Neer is not completely leaving the station. He has already scheduled himself to host on Memorial Day and plans to stay active with occasional fill-in roles, including during holidays.
While Neer didn’t give specifics, he was candid about the decision not being his own. “You know, you have a shelf life,” he said on air. Despite the change, he expressed deep gratitude to his audience and colleagues. “It’s something that I’ve treasured—doing this shift on WFAN for 37 years. So I’ll miss it.”
Though his regular show is ending, Neer plans to focus more on writing. With multiple books already under his belt, this shift could offer him more creative freedom. “Being able to get paid for talking sports has been a privilege,” he reflected. (via Newsday)