Local sports talk morning radio show loses both co-hosts

In less than a week, “The Fan Morning Show with Jeff & Big Joe” on WFNI-FM 93.5 has lost both Jeff and Big Joe.

Jeff Rickard, co-host of the popular Indianapolis sports talk show and WFNI program director since 2015, spent his last day on the air Tuesday before leaving the station to become brand manager at WEEI-FM 93.7 in Boston.

On Friday, Joe Staysniak co-hosted the show for the last time and spent his final day at WFNI owner Emmis Communications Corp., where he has worked as an on-air radio host for 23 years.

Emmis didn’t say whether Staysniak left on his own or was forced out. He did not mention he was leaving during Friday’s broadcast.

“Big Joe Staysniak is no longer with Emmis and The Fan,” Emmis said in an email to IBJ. “We would like to thank Big Joe for his many contributions to Emmis since he joined WIBC in 1998. He was always a fan favorite, and his knowledgeable insights and affable nature will be missed by his coworkers and listeners. We wish him nothing but the best in his next chapter.”

Staysniak on Friday co-hosted the morning show with Kevin Bowen, a content producer at WFNI, fill-in host and host of the “Kevin’s Corner” podcast. Bowen, who grew up in Indianapolis, worked for the Indianapolis Colts for seven years as a writer for Colts.com.

Bowen was officially named co-host of the morning show on Friday, but it is now unclear whom his co-host will be.

Staysniak, 54, who was an offensive lineman for the Colts from 1992-1995 as part of a six-year NFL career, sparked controversy last year with comments he made after the downtown riots in the wake of George Floyd’s death at the hands of a police officer. Emmis suspended him for a week after the incident.

WFNI was traditionally an AM station but Emmis made the decision last month to stop broadcasting AM 1070 starting Aug. 2 as the signal’s towers in Whitestown were dismantled to make way for development.

The station can still be heard on FM 107.5 and 93.5 and at www.1075thefan.com.